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B R Ambedkar: 130th Birth Anniversary

Why in News The nation celebrated the 130th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on 14th April 2021. Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist,...

15 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1): Farthest Gamma-Ray Emitting Galaxy

Why in News Recently, Astronomers have discovered a new active galaxy called Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) which has been identified as the farthest...

15 Apr 2021 News Analysis
India & BIMSTEC

This article is based on “BIMSTEC needs to reinvent itself” which was published in The Hindu on 14/04/2021. It talks about the...

14 Apr 2021 News Editorials
Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland

Why in News Recently, an apex body of Naga tribes, Naga Hoho has cautioned the Nagaland Government with respect to preparation of the Register of...

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Decriminalising Begging

Why in News The Supreme Court has asked the Centre and four States to file their response on a plea seeking a direction to repeal the provisions...

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
e-SANTA

Why in News Recently the Union Commerce and Industry Minister has inaugurated an electronic platform named e-SANTA, which will connect aqua farmers...

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
HGCO19: mRNA Vaccine Candidate

Why in News India's mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate-HGCO19 has received additional government funding for its clinical studies. This...

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem

Why in News Scientists, with support from the National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) Programme, have been able to disseminate...

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
India Energy Dashboards Version 2.0

Why in News Recently, the government think tank NITI Aayog has launched India Energy Dashboards (IED) Version 2.0. NITI Aayog launched the...

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Data Protection Regime

This article is based on “Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters” which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about...

13 Apr 2021 News Editorials
The Big Picture: Economic Recovery for India

Why in News Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgraded its FY 2021-22 growth projection for India to 12.5% from 11.5% estimated in...

13 Apr 2021 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Danube Sturgeon

Why in News According to a report released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), illegal sale of Danube Sturgeon, one of the most endangered species in...

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)

Why in News Recently, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK) saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian...

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Chief Election Commissioner

Why in News Recently, the President appointed Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He replaces Sunil...

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Exercise Shantir Ogroshena

Why in News Multinational military exercise Shantir Ogroshena, which went for 10 days in Bangladesh, concluded on 12th April 2021. The year 2021...

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan

Why in News Recently, the Defence Minister of India held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan in New...

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier

Why in News Researchers from Sweden’s University of Gothenburg have been able to obtain data from underneath Thwaites Glacier, also known as...

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
British Conquest for Bengal: Battles of Plassey and Buxar

Bengal in the 17th-18th Century In Mughal Period: Bengal was the most fertile and the richest province of the Mughal Empire and included present...

12 Apr 2021 Paper 1
100% Sustainable Fuel for Formula 1

Why in News Recently, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has announced the first barrels of 100% sustainable...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Jyotirao Phule

Why in News The 'Tika Utsav (vaccination festival)', started on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule (11th April) will continue till the...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'B R Ambedkar: 130th Birth Anniversary',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The nation celebrated the <strong>130<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">B R Ambedkar</a> on</strong> 14<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dr. Ambedkar was a <strong>social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot</strong> (knowing or using several languages) orator, a <strong>scholar</strong> and <strong>thinker of comparative religions.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618467599_Image%202.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618467599_Image 2.png" width="450" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in <strong>1891 in Mhow, Central Province</strong> (now Madhya Pradesh).</li>
<li><strong>Brief Profile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution and was <strong>India's first Law Minister.</strong></li>
<li>He was the <strong>Chairman of the Drafting Committee</strong> for the new Constitution.</li>
<li>He was a <strong>well-known statesman who fought for the rights of the Dalits</strong> and other socially backward classes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contributions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He led the <strong>Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 against Hindus</strong> who were opposing the decision of the Municipal Board.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>In 1926, Municipal Board</strong> of Mahad (Maharashtra) passed an order to throw open the tank to all communities. Earlier, the untouchables were not allowed to use water from the Mahad tank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>He participated in <strong>all three Round Table Conferences.</strong></li>
<li><strong>In 1932</strong>, Dr. Ambedkar signed the <strong>Poona pact with Mahatma Gandhi</strong>, which abandoned the idea of separate electorates <strong>for the depressed classes</strong> (Communal Award). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from <strong>71 to 147 in provincial legislatures</strong> and to <strong>18% of the total in the Central Legislature.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>His ideas before the <strong>Hilton Young Commission served</strong> as the foundation of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Election and Designation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 1936</strong>, he was elected to the <strong>Bombay Legislative Assembly</strong> as a legislator (MLA).</li>
<li>He <strong>was appointed</strong> to the <strong>Executive Council of Viceroy</strong> as a Labour member <strong>in 1942.</strong></li>
<li><strong>In 1947</strong>, Dr. Ambedkar accepted <strong>PM Nehru's invitation to become Minister of Law</strong> in the first Cabinet of independent India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shift to Buddhism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>He resigned</strong> from the cabinet in <strong>1951</strong>, over differences on the <strong>Hindu Code Bill.</strong></li>
<li>He <strong>converted to Buddhism</strong>. He <strong>passed away on 6<sup>th</sup> December 1956 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/64th-mahaparinirvan-diwas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(Mahaparinirvan Diwas).</a></strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Chaitya Bhoomi</strong> is a memorial to B R Ambedkar, located in Mumbai.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>He was awarded India&rsquo;s highest civilian honour the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-28th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharat Ratna</strong></a> in 1990.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Works:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Journals:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mooknayak (1920)</li>
<li>Bahishkrit Bharat (1927)</li>
<li>Samatha (1929)</li>
<li>Janata (1930)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Books:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Annihilation of Caste</li>
<li>Buddha or Karl Marx</li>
<li>The Untouchable: Who are They and Why They Have Become Untouchables</li>
<li>Buddha and His Dhamma</li>
<li>The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Organisations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923)</li>
<li>Independent Labor Party (1936)</li>
<li>Scheduled Castes Federation (1942)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Relevance of Ambedkar in Present Times:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Caste-based inequality in India still persists. While Dalits have acquired a political identity through <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reservation</strong></a> and forming their own political parties, they lack behind in social dimensions (health and education) and economic dimension.</li>
<li>There has been a rise of communal polarization and communalization of politics. It is necessary that Ambedkar's vision of constitutional morality must supersede religious morality to avoid permanent damage to the Indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Round Table Conferences</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>First Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on 12th November, 1930 but the Congress did not participate in it.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In March 1931, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin (Viceroy of India 1926-31) entered into a Pact, called <strong>Gandhi-Irwin Pact</strong>, by which the Congress called off the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the 7<sup>th</sup> of September, 1931.</li>
<li><strong>Third Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the 17<sup>th</sup> of November, 1932 to consider the reports of various sub-committees appointed from time to time. It ultimately led to the passage of <strong>Govt. of India Act, 1935.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Congress did not participate</strong> as most of the leaders were in jail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/b-r-ambedkar-130th-birth-anniversary-7272609/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source IE</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1): Farthest Gamma-Ray Emitting Galaxy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Astronomers have discovered a <strong>new active galaxy</strong> called <strong>Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1)</strong> which has been identified as the <strong>farthest gamma-ray emitting galaxy.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Scientists from <strong>Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES)</strong> in collaboration with researchers from other institutions, studied around 25,000 luminous <strong>Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)</strong> from the <strong>Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>AGN</strong> are the most <strong>powerful, long-lived objects and steady sources of luminosity in the Universe.</strong> The emission is spread widely across the <strong>electromagnetic spectrum</strong>, often peaking in the Ultra-Violet , but with significant luminosity in the x-ray and infrared bands.</li>
<li><strong>SDSS</strong> is a major <strong>multi-spectral imaging and spectroscopic <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/einstein-was-right:-astronomers-confirm-key-theory-of-relativity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">redshift</a></strong> <strong>survey</strong> using a dedicated 2.5-m wide-angle optical telescope at Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, United States. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has created the <strong>most detailed three-dimensional maps of the Universe</strong> ever made, with deep multi-color images of one third of the sky, and spectra for more than three million astronomical objects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They found <strong>a unique object that emits high-energy gamma rays</strong> located at a <strong>high redshift (more than 1)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was identified as a <strong>gamma-ray emitting NLS1 galaxy</strong>, which is a rare entity in space.</li>
<li>The new gamma-ray emitting NLS1 was <strong>formed when the Universe was only about 4.7 billion years old</strong> as compared to its current age of about 13.8 billion years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Redshift</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>displacement of spectral lines towards longer wavelengths</strong> (the red end of the spectrum) in radiation from distant galaxies and celestial objects.</li>
<li>It <strong>reveals how an object is moving in space and enables astronomers to discover otherwise-invisible planets and the movements of galaxies</strong>, and to uncover the beginnings of our universe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Astronomers use redshifts <strong>to measure how the universe is expanding</strong>, and thus to <strong>determine the distance to our universe&rsquo;s most distant (and therefore oldest) objects.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measurement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The most accurate way to measure redshift is by using<strong> spectroscopy.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>When a beam of white light strikes a triangular prism it is separated into its various components <strong>(ROYGBIV)</strong>. This is known as a spectrum (plural: spectra).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Astronomers can look at the <strong>spectra created by different elements and compare these with the spectra of stars.</strong> If the absorption or emission lines they see in the star's spectra are shifted, they know the object is moving either towards us or away from us.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465198_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465198_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Astronomers calculate redshift in terms of the redshift parameter (z) which helps in calculating the distance of the object (galaxy,planet etc).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>With <strong>increasing value of z the distance of the object increases.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Instrument Used:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scientists used the Japanese <strong>8.2 m Subaru Telescope</strong> which is one of the <strong>largest ground-based telescopes in the world</strong>, located at Hawaii, USA.</li>
<li>Its powerful light collecting capability can capture weak light from celestial objects. A <strong>major feature</strong> of the Subaru Telescope is that its <strong>prime focus boasts an overwhelming wide field of view compared to other large telescopes</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Detection of gamma-ray emission from NLS1 <strong>challenges the idea of how relativistic jets</strong> are formed because <strong>NLS1s are a unique class of AGN</strong> that are powered by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-images-of-a-black-hole" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>black holes</strong> </a>of low mass and hosted in spiral galaxies. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Relativistic Jets:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Supermassive black holes in the centers of some active galaxies that create <strong>powerful jets of radiation and particles travelling close to the speed of light</strong> are called relativistic jets.</li>
<li>These jets are believed to be the <strong>sources of the fastest-travelling particles in the Universe that are cosmic rays.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>No method was present till date to find <strong>NLS1 at redshifts larger than one.</strong></li>
<li>This discovery <strong>opens up a new way to find gamma-ray emitting NLS1 galaxies</strong> in the early Universe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ARIES is one of the <strong>leading research Institutes</strong> which <strong>specializes in observational Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics and Atmospheric Sciences </strong>situated in<strong> Nainital,</strong> Uttarakhand.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1955</strong> and its primary objective has been <strong>to develop facilities for modern astrophysical research in stellar, solar &amp; theoretical branches of astrophysics.&nbsp;</strong>On some selected clear nights the visitors are also shown some celestial objects through the telescopes.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Galaxy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A galaxy is a <strong>huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, all held together by gravity.</strong></li>
<li>Earth is the part of the <strong>Milky Way Galaxy</strong>, which also has a super Massive Blackhole in the middle.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465463_image%201.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465463_image 1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black Hole</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It refers to a point in space where the <strong>matter is so compressed as to create a gravity field from which even light cannot escape.</strong></li>
<li>The concept was <strong>theorized by Albert Einstein in 1915</strong> and the term &lsquo;black hole&rsquo; was coined in the mid-1960s by American physicist John Archibald Wheeler.</li>
<li>All the black holes observed so far belong to <strong>two categories:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One category ranges between a few solar masses and tens of solar masses. These are thought to form when massive stars die.</li>
<li>The other category is of <strong>supermassive black holes.</strong> These range from hundreds of thousands to billions of times that of the sun from the Solar system to which Earth belongs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Gamma Ray Astronomy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the study of astronomical objects and <strong>phenomena that emit gamma rays.</strong> Gamma-ray telescopes are designed to <strong>observe high-energy astrophysical systems.</strong></li>
<li>As Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere blocks most gamma rays, <strong>observations are generally conducted by high-altitude balloons or spacecraft.</strong></li>
<li>Gamma-ray astronomy presents unique <strong>opportunities to explore exotic objects.</strong> By exploring the universe at these high energies, <strong>scientists can search for new physics, testing theories and performing experiments which are not possible in earth-bound laboratories.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711362" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/narrow-line-seyfert-1-nls1-farthest-gamma-ray-emitting-galaxy'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'India & BIMSTEC',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/bimstec-needs-to-reinvent-itself/article34313033.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;BIMSTEC needs to reinvent itself&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 14/04/2021. It talks about the obstacles that limit the BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) in realizing its full potential.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the foreign ministers of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)</strong> </a>met in a virtual conference. This is the first ministerial since the globe has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
<p>BIMSTEC as a regional organization has achieved a lot in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and security, including counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and coastal security cooperation.</p>
<p>However, there are many obstacles that limit the regional body in realizing its full potential.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Highlights of the Meeting</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The foreign ministers cleared the draft for the BIMSTEC charter, recommending its early adoption.</li>
<li>They endorsed the rationalization of sectors and sub-sectors of activity, with each member-state serving as a lead for the assigned areas of special interest.</li>
<li>The ministers also conveyed their support for the Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, which will be adopted at the next summit in Sri Lanka.</li>
<li>Preparations have been completed for the signing of three agreements relating to mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, cooperation between diplomatic academies, and the establishment of a technology transfer facility.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Evolution of BIMSTEC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BIMSTEC was established as a grouping of four nations &mdash; India, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka &mdash; through the<strong> Bangkok Declaration of 1997.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>BIMSTEC was expanded later to include three more countries &mdash; Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Initially, BIMSTEC didn&rsquo;t hold much geopolitical weight. This can be reflected by only just three summits in the first 20 years of its formation.</li>
<li>However, BIMSTEC suddenly received special attention as India chose to treat it as a more practical instrument for regional cooperation, as SAARC continues to remain defunct.</li>
<li>The BIMSTEC Leaders&rsquo; Retreat, followed by their Outreach Summit with the BRICS leaders in Goa in October 2016, drew considerable international limelight to the low-profile regional grouping.</li>
<li>At the second swearing-in of the Indian Prime Minister in May 2019, the leaders of BIMSTEC, not SAARC, were invited as honored guests.</li>
<li>Soon thereafter, the External Affairs Minister observed that India saw a mix of &ldquo;energy, mindset and possibility&rdquo; in BIMSTEC.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unfinished Economic Agenda:</strong> BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Framework Agreement, was signed in 2004, but over 20 rounds of negotiations it is still to be operationalized.</li>
<li><strong>Internal Tussle:</strong> A strong BIMSTEC presupposes cordial and tension-free bilateral relations among all its member-states. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has not been the case, given the trajectory of India-Nepal, India-Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh-Myanmar ties in recent years.</li>
<li>Moreover, both Nepal and Sri Lanka want the SAARC summit revived. However, India maintains that terror and talks can&rsquo;t go hand in hand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Intrusion:</strong> China&rsquo;s decisive intrusion in the South-Southeast Asian space is causing a limiting effect on India&rsquo;s zone of influence.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, a renowned Bangladeshi scholar argued at a recent conference that BIMSTEC would make progress if China is accepted as its principal interlocutor and partner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Myanmar Coup:</strong> The military coup in Myanmar, brutal crackdown of protesters, and continuation of popular resistance resulting in a protracted impasse have produced a new set of border management challenges for India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>BIMSTEC FTA:</strong> In 2018, a study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry had suggested that BIMSTEC urgently needed a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to be a real game-changer.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It should cover trade in goods, services, and investment; promote regulatory harmonization; adopt policies that develop regional value chains, and eliminate non-tariff barriers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Balancing Security &amp; Economy:</strong> India has led through constant focus and follow-up &mdash; to the extent that some member-states have complained about the &lsquo;over securitization of BIMSTEC. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hence, there is a need to ensure maintaining security and forging solid arrangements for economic cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gujral Doctrine:</strong> India would have to counter the impression that BIMSTEC is an India-dominated bloc, in that context India can follow the Gujral doctrine that intends to chalk out the effect of transactional motive in bilateral relations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>As BIMSTEC readies itself to celebrate the silver jubilee of its formation next year, it faces a serious challenge: to effect &ldquo;a paradigm shift in raising the level of our cooperation and regional integration.&rdquo;</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f0f7fc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>BIMSTEC needs a paradigm shift in raising the level of cooperation and regional integration. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-bimstec-1'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, an apex body of Naga tribes, <strong>Naga Hoho</strong> has cautioned the Nagaland Government with respect to preparation of the <strong>Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN)</strong>, seen as a variant of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-national-register-of-citizens-nrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Assam&rsquo;s National Register of Citizens.</strong></a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618400014_Image%201.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618400014_Image 1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The State government had formed a <strong>three-member Committee</strong> in 2019 for <strong>studying, examining, and recommending the implementation of RIIN.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Functions of RIIN Committee was to determine:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The eligibility criteria to be an indigenous inhabitant.</li>
<li>Authority to authenticate claims of being indigenous.</li>
<li>Place of registration as indigenous inhabitant.</li>
<li>The basis of claims of being indigenous.</li>
<li>The nature of documents that will be acceptable as proof of being indigenous.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the <strong>exercise was suspended following protests</strong> from community-based and extremist organisations.</li>
<li>Since then the Nagaland government has been trying to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/register-of-indigenous-inhabitants-of-nagaland-riin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>revive the RIIN exercise that was launched in July 2019</strong></a> with the objective of <strong>preventing outsiders from obtaining fake indigenous certificates</strong> for seeking jobs and benefits of government schemes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The RIIN will be <strong>prepared after an extensive survey with the help of a village-wise and ward-wise list of indigenous inhabitants based on official records.</strong> Also, It will be prepared under the supervision of each district administration.</li>
<li><strong>No fresh indigenous inhabitant certificate will be issued after the RIIN is completed</strong> except for children born to the State&rsquo;s indigenous inhabitants who will be issued indigenous certificates along with birth certificates. The RIIN database will be updated accordingly.</li>
<li>The RIIN will also be <strong>integrated with the online system for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/petition-for-protection-of-non-nagas-in-dimapur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inner-Line Permit</a></strong>, a temporary document non-inhabitants are required to possess for entry into and travel in Nagaland.</li>
<li>The entire exercise will be <strong>monitored by the Commissioner of Nagaland.</strong> In addition, the state government will designate nodal officers of the rank of a Secretary to the state government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naga&rsquo;s Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Exclusion of Nagas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If RIIN implemented the identification process with<strong> 1<sup>st</sup> December, 1963</strong> (the day Nagaland attained statehood) as the cut-off date for determining the permanent residents of the State, it is likely to <strong>exclude Nagas who have come from beyond the boundaries of Nagaland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Loss of Property:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Naga tribes living in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh in India and in Myanmar have a legitimate claim to their <strong>ancestral homeland.</strong></li>
<li>There are thousands of Nagas who have bought lands, built houses and settled down in Nagaland for several decades.</li>
<li>In the absence of records such as land pattas, house taxes paid or enrolment in electoral rolls prior to <strong>1<sup>st</sup> December, 1963</strong> many procedural anomalies will crop up even within the so-called pure Nagas of Nagaland.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Can Be treated as Illegal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The non-indigenous Nagas could be treated as &ldquo;illegal immigrants&rdquo; and their lands and property confiscated. <strong>The idea of the Nagas as a people to live together and their aspiration to live with self-determination will be irreparably damaged.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nagas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nagas are a <strong>hill people who are estimated to number about 2. 5 million (1.8 million in Nagaland</strong>, 0.6 million in Manipur and 0.1 million in Arunachal states) and living in the remote and mountainous country between the Indian state of Assam and Burma.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are also Naga groups in Myanmar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Nagas are not a single tribe, but an <strong>ethnic community that comprises several tribes</strong> who live in the state of Nagaland and its neighbourhood.</li>
<li>Nagas belong to the <strong>Indo-Mongoloid Family.</strong></li>
<li>There are <strong>nineteen major Naga tribes</strong>, namely, Aos, Angamis, Changs, Chakesang, Kabuis, Kacharis, Khain-Mangas, Konyaks, Kukis, Lothas (Lothas), Maos, Mikirs, Phoms, Rengmas, Sangtams, Semas, Tankhuls, Yamchumgar and Zeeliang.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In an already volatile region where the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/afspa-extended-in-nagaland#:~:text=AFSPA%20gives%20armed%20forces%20the,in%20contravention%20of%20the%20law." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958</strong></a> is routinely extended, it is <strong>best that Nagaland proceeds with caution in this enterprise.</strong> The <strong>RIIN should not ultimately become a vehicle to make outsiders of insiders.</strong></li>
<li>The NRC experiment in Assam witnessed extremely divisive political posturing. Other Northeastern states are sure to be watching with keen interest what is unfolding in Assam and Nagaland. <strong>Emotive political issues cannot be allowed to drive the compiling of a registry of citizens.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/tribal-body-flags-concerns-over-nagalands-version-of-nrc/article34314341.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/register-of-indigenous-inhabitants-of-nagaland-1'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Decriminalising Begging',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Supreme Court has asked the Centre and four States to file their response on a plea seeking a direction to<strong> repeal the provisions <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/decriminalising-beggary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminalising begging.</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been argued in the plea that a person, who is compelled to beg due to certain circumstances,<strong> cannot be faulted for his actions.</strong></li>
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposed-amendment-to-railways-act-1989" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Railways has also proposed to decriminalise begging</strong></a> on trains or railway premises.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Plea&rsquo;s Argument For Decriminalising Begging:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Earlier Judgment On Decriminalisation:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delhi-high-court-decriminalises-beggary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Delhi High Court which had decriminalised begging</strong></a> in the national capital said provisions of the <strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959,</strong> which<strong> treats begging as an offence cannot sustain constitutional scrutiny.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Criminalising Begging Against Right To Life:</strong> The provisions of the statutes criminalising the act of begging put people in a situation to make an <strong>unreasonable choice between committing a crime or not committing one and starving,</strong> which goes against the very spirit of the Constitution and violates <strong>Article 21 i.e. Right to Life.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Government&rsquo;s Obligation To Provide Social Security:</strong> The government is mandated to provide <strong>social security to everyone and ensure that all had basic facilities,</strong> as embedded in the <strong>Directives Principles of State Policy (DPSP)</strong> in the Constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The presence of beggars is evidence that the state has failed to provide basic facilities to all its citizens.</li>
<li>So instead of working on its failure and examining what made people beg, <strong>criminalising the act of beggary is irrational and against the approach of a socialist nation</strong> as embedded in the preamble of Indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plea&rsquo;s Suggestion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fast Forward Beggars Rehabilitation Legislation:</strong> The plea has claimed that the <strong>Abolition of Begging and Rehabilitation of Beggars Bill 2018</strong> had been introduced in the Lok Sabha but till now, this bill is not passed and is wedged in length parliamentary procedures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has resulted in <strong>thousands of poor facing more hardships because of present arbitrary statutes.</strong></li>
<li>The legislation process must be fast forwarded.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Declare Some Provision As Void :</strong> The petition has sought directions to declare as <strong>&ldquo;illegal and void&rdquo; all provisions,</strong> except some sections, of the <strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, Punjab Prevention of Beggary Act, 1971, Haryana Prevention of Begging Act, 1971</strong> and<strong> Bihar Prevention of Begging Act 1951.</strong></li>
<li>It has also sought to declare all other similar Acts prevailing in any part of the country as illegal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>no central Act on beggary,</strong> many states and Union Territories have used the Bombay Act as the basis for their own laws.</li>
<li>The<strong> Act defines a &ldquo;beggar&rdquo;</strong> as anyone having no visible means of subsistence, and wandering about or remaining in any public place in such condition or manner, as makes it likely that the person doing so exists by soliciting or receiving alms.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Begging&rdquo; under the Act includes soliciting or receiving alms in a public place, whether or not under any pretence of singing, dancing, fortune-telling, performing or offering any article for sale.</li>
<li>The<strong> Act gives the police the power to arrest individuals without a warrant.</strong> It gives magistrates the power to commit them to a detention centre for up to three years on the commission of the first &ldquo;offence&rdquo;, and up to 10 years upon the second &ldquo;offence&rdquo;. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Before that, it strips them of their privacy and dignity by compelling them to allow themselves to be fingerprinted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Act also authorises the detention of the family of the beggar,</strong> and the separation of children over the age of five.</li>
<li><strong>Certified institutions or detention centres have absolute power over detainees,</strong> including the power of punishment, and the power to exact &ldquo;manual work&rdquo;. Disobeying the rules of the institution can land an individual in jail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Number of Beggars In India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the <strong>Census 2011</strong> total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 (including 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females) and the number has increased from the last census.</li>
<li><strong>West Bengal tops the chart followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar</strong> at number two and three respectively. Lakshadweep merely has two vagrants according to the 2011 census.</li>
<li>Among the union territories, New Delhi had the largest number of beggars 2,187 followed by 121 in Chandigarh.</li>
<li>Among the northeastern states, Asam topped the chart with 22,116 beggars, while Mizoram ranked low with 53 beggars.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Centre made an attempt at repealing the Act through the <strong>Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016,</strong> with provisions including <strong>doing away with the Beggary Act and proposing rehabilitation centres</strong> for the destitute in each district.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Persons in Destitution Bill, 2016, needs to see the light of the day.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bihar government&rsquo;s <strong>Mukhyamantri Bhikshavriti Nivaran Yojana</strong> is a scheme worth emulation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme, instead of detaining persons under the Act, provides for open homes and community outreach for destitute persons.</li>
<li>Now, rehabilitation centres have been set up, with facilities for treatment, family reintegration and vocational training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The very real problem of<strong> organised begging rackets will have to be addressed</strong> by other means, perhaps based on the law of trafficking.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-asks-centre-four-states-to-respond-to-plea-to-decriminalise-begging/article34291189.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decriminalising-begging'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'e-SANTA',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently the Union Commerce and Industry Minister has inaugurated an <strong>electronic platform</strong> named <strong>e-SANTA</strong>, which will connect <strong>aqua farmers and the buyers.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term <strong>e-SANTA</strong> was coined for the web portal, meaning <strong>Electronic Solution for Augmenting NaCSA farmers' Trade in Aquaculture.</strong></li>
<li>e-SANTA is a <strong>digital bridge</strong> to end the market divide and will act as an alternative marketing tool between farmers &amp; buyers by eliminating middlemen.</li>
<li>The farmers can <strong>freely list their produce and quote their price</strong> while the exporters have the freedom to list their requirements and also to choose the products based on their requirements such as desired size, location, harvest dates etc.</li>
<li>The Platform is available in <strong>many languages</strong>, which will help the local population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>e-SANTA will <strong>RAISE</strong> income, lifestyle, self-reliance, quality levels, traceability, and provide new options for aqua farmers by: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reducing Risk</li>
<li>Awareness of Products &amp; Markets</li>
<li>Increase in Income</li>
<li>Shielding Against Wrong Practice</li>
<li>Ease of Processes</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will enable the farmers and buyers to have greater control over the trade and enables them to make informed decisions.</li>
<li>It will provide a cashless, contactless and paperless electronic trade platform between farmers and exporters.</li>
<li>e-SANTA can become a tool to advertise collectively the kind of products the buyers, fishermen &amp; fish producing organisations are harvesting.</li>
<li>It will help people in India &amp; internationally to know about the products availability and has the potential of becoming an auction platform in future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5th-aqua-aquaria-india-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)</strong></a>, Ministry of Commerce &amp; Industry Govt. of India.</li>
<li>The objectives of NaCSA are to <strong>encourage and uplift the small and marginal farmers</strong> through organization of clusters and maintaining Best Management Practices in shrimp culture.</li>
<li>The primary advantage of cluster approach to shrimp farming is that it contributes to substantial reduction in cost of production.</li>
<li>It also enables participating farmers to organize:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The schedule of farm operations,</li>
<li>Quality seed procurement,</li>
<li>Simultaneous stocking,</li>
<li>Water exchange</li>
<li>Harvesting regimes</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711426" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB </strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-santa'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'HGCO19: mRNA Vaccine Candidate',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India's <strong>mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate-HGCO19&nbsp;</strong>has received additional government funding for its clinical studies.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This funding has been awarded under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-covid-suraksha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>'Mission Covid Suraksha&rsquo;</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>HGCO19:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The novel <strong>mRNA vaccine candidate, HGCO19</strong> has been developed by <strong>Pune-based biotechnology company Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd.</strong> in collaboration with <strong>HDT Biotech Corporation, USA.</strong></li>
<li>HGCO19 has already demonstrated safety, immunogenicity, neutralization antibody activity in the rodent and non-human primate models.</li>
<li>Gennova has initiated the enrolment of volunteers for <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/drugs-and-clinical-trials-rules-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Phase 1/2 clinical trials</strong></a> for its vaccine candidate HGCO19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>mRNA Vaccine vs Traditional Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vaccines work by training the body to recognise and respond to the proteins produced by disease-causing organisms, such as a virus or bacteria.</li>
<li><strong>Traditional vaccines</strong> are made up of small or inactivated doses of the whole disease-causing organism, or the proteins that it produces, which are introduced into the body to provoke the immune system into mounting a response.</li>
<li><strong>mRNA vaccines</strong> tricks the body into producing some of the viral proteins itself.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They work by using mRNA, or messenger RNA, which is the molecule that essentially puts DNA instructions into action. Inside a cell, mRNA is used as a template to build a protein.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functioning of mRNA Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To produce a mRNA vaccine, scientists produce a synthetic version of the mRNA that a virus uses to build its infectious proteins.</li>
<li>This mRNA is delivered into the human body, whose cells read it as instructions to build that viral protein, and therefore create some of the virus&rsquo;s molecules themselves.</li>
<li>These proteins are solitary, so they do not assemble to form a virus.</li>
<li>The immune system then detects these viral proteins and starts to produce a defensive response to them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages of Using mRNA based Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>mRNA vaccines <strong>are considered safe</strong> as mRNA is non-infectious, non-integrating in nature, and degraded by standard cellular mechanisms.</li>
<li>They <strong>are</strong> <strong>highly efficacious</strong> because of their inherent capability of being translatable into the protein structure inside the cell cytoplasm.</li>
<li>Additionally, <strong>mRNA vaccines are fully synthetic</strong> and do not require a host for growth, e.g., eggs or bacteria. Therefore, they can be quickly manufactured inexpensively to ensure their "availability" and "accessibility" for mass vaccination on a sustainable basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mission Covid Suraksha</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mission Covid Suraksha is India&rsquo;s targeted effort to enable the development of indigenous, affordable and accessible vaccines for the country.</li>
<li>The Centre had announced this package during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-iii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>third economic stimulus.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Mission with its end-to-end focus from preclinical development through clinical development and manufacturing and regulatory facilitation for deployment consolidate all available and funded resources towards accelerated product development.</li>
<li>It is led by the Department of Biotechnology and implemented by a dedicated Mission Implementation Unit at <strong>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance</strong> <strong>Council (BIRAC).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>BIRAC</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/personal-protective-equipment-for-sanitation-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Section 8</strong></a>, Schedule B, <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sectors-of-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Public Sector Enterprise</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It has been set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711304#:~:text=of%20Science%20%26%20Technology-,Department%20of%20Biotechnology%20provides%20under%20Mission%20COVID%20Suraksha%20for%20Gennova,COVID%2019%20Vaccine%20candidate%20%E2%80%93HGCO19.&amp;text=II%20clinical%20trials.-,mRNA%20vaccines%20are%20considered%20safe%20as%20mRNA%20is%20non%2Dinfectious,degraded%20by%20standard%20cellular%20mechanisms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SOURCE: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hgco19-mrna-vaccine-candidate'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists, with support from the <strong>National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)</strong> Programme, have been able to disseminate available scientific information to the farmers to enable sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in the Leh region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NMSHE is one of the eight missions under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2010</strong> but was formally <strong>approved by the government in 2014.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>multi-pronged, cross-cutting mission</strong> across various sectors.</li>
<li>It <strong>contributes to the sustainable development of the country</strong> by enhancing the understanding of climate change, its likely impacts and adaptation actions required for the Himalayas- a region on which a significant proportion of India&rsquo;s population depends for sustenance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States Covered:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eleven states:</strong> Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Two Union Territories:</strong> Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>facilitate formulation of appropriate policy</strong> measures and time-bound action programmes to sustain ecological resilience and ensure the continued provisions of key <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/natural-capital-accounting-and-valuation-of-the-ecosystem-services-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ecosystem services</strong></a> in the Himalayas.</li>
<li>To <strong>evolve suitable management and policy measures</strong> for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem along with developing capacities at the national level to continuously assess its health status.</li>
<li>To <strong>address a variety of important issues</strong>, including studying the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-himalayas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Himalayan glaciers</strong></a> and <strong>associated hydrological consequences</strong> and prediction and management of natural hazards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Himalayas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are the <strong>highest and the youngest fold mountain ranges</strong> of the world.</li>
<li>Their geological structure is young, weak and flexible since the Himalayan uplift is an ongoing process, making them <strong>one of the highest earthquake-prone regions of the world.</strong></li>
<li>It separates India, along its north-central and northeastern frontier, from China (Tibet).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Area:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian part of Himalayas covers an area about <strong>5 lakh km<sup>2</sup> (about 16.2% of the country's total geographical area)</strong> and forms the northern boundary of the country.</li>
<li>The region is <strong>responsible for providing water to a large part of the Indian subcontinent.</strong> Many rivers considered holy like the Ganga and Yamuna flow from the Himalayas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ranges:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are a <strong>series of parallel mountain ranges</strong> extending along the North-West to the South-East direction (known as the Strike of the Himalayas). These ranges are separated by longitudinal valleys. They include,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Trans-Himalayas</li>
<li>The Greater Himalayas or Himadri</li>
<li>The Lesser Himalayas or Himachal</li>
<li>Shiwaliks or the Outer Himalayas</li>
<li>The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2008</strong> by the Prime Minister's Council on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)</strong> is the coordinating Ministry of NAPCC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Missions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC which represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image 1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National Solar Mission:</strong> This initiative started in 2010 to promote the use of solar power.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency:</strong> The initiative was undertaken in 2009 to promote the market for energy efficiency by fostering innovative policies and effective market instruments.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Sustainable Habitat:</strong> Approved in 2011, it aims to make cities sustainable through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, management of solid waste and shift to public transport.</li>
<li><strong>National Water Mission:</strong> The mission was put in place to ensure integrated water resource management helping to conserve water, minimize wastage and ensure more equitable distribution both across and within states.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem:</strong> It is aimed at protecting the Himalayas, it has mapped institutes and civil society organisations working on the Himalayan ecology for ease of coordination between governmental and non-governmental agencies.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for A Green India:</strong> It aims at protecting; restoring and enhancing India's diminishing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. It was started in 2014.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture:</strong> It has been formulated for enhancing agricultural productivity especially in rain-fed areas focusing on integrated farming, water use efficiency, soil health management and synergizing resource conservation. It was started in 2010.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change:</strong> It seeks to build a dynamic and vibrant knowledge system that informs and supports national policy and action for responding effectively to climate change challenges, while not compromising on the nation's growth goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711116#:~:text=NMSHE's%20ICAR%20Team%20awarded%20for%20agricultural%20information%20dissemination%20in%20Leh&amp;text=A%20team%20of%20scientists%20from,Today%2C%20a%20National%20Agriculture%20Magazine." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-on-sustaining-himalayan-ecosystem'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'India Energy Dashboards Version 2.0',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government think tank <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> has launched <strong>India Energy Dashboards (IED) Version 2.0.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NITI Aayog <strong>launched the Version 1.0 in May 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India Energy Dashboards (IED) is an endeavour <strong>to provide single-window access to the energy data for the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>an initial step towards building a comprehensive, open, and freely accessible energy data portal for India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Energy data published/provided by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prakash-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Central Electricity Authority</strong></a>, <strong>Coal Controller&rsquo;s Organisation, </strong>and<strong> Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas</strong> is compiled in the Dashboards.</li>
<li>The IED Provides<strong> time series data from FY 2005-06 until FY 2019-20.</strong></li>
<li>IED<strong> provides data at sub-yearly frequencies</strong> as well. This includes<strong> monthly data and API (Application Programming Interface) linked data</strong> from some portals maintained by the government agencies.</li>
<li>API linked data from<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saubhagya-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Saubhagya</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/6-yearsof-ujala-and-slnp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UJALA</strong></a>, <strong>PRAAPTI, and Vidyut PRAVAH</strong> has been incorporated in the dashboards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Saubhagya Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana &ndash;</strong> &lsquo;Saubhagya&rsquo; was launched in September, 2017 with a target to electrify all households by December 2018.</li>
<li>All the states had declared on Saubhagya portal that all the willing un-electrified households had been electrified as on 31<sup>st</sup> March 2019, except 18,734 households in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/left-wing-extremism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>LWE (left wing extremist)</strong> </a>affected areas of Chhattisgarh.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>UJALA Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All)</strong> is a <strong>zero-subsidy scheme</strong> launched by the Government in 2015.</li>
<li>It is touted as the <strong>world&rsquo;s largest domestic lighting project.</strong></li>
<li>Every domestic household having a metered connection from their respective Electricity Distribution Company is eligible to get the LED bulbs under the Scheme.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>PRAAPTI</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a web portal<strong> launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Power.</strong></li>
<li>&lsquo;PRAAPTI&rsquo; stands for Payment Ratification and Analysis in Power Procurement <strong>for bringing transparency in invoicing of generators.</strong></li>
<li>The power distribution companies are able to clear the invoices and reply to claims raised by the generators on this portal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Vidyut PRAVAH</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Mobile/Web App <strong>provides real-time information of current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available</strong> and the prices in Power Exchange.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1711204" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-energy-dashboards-version-2-0'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Data Protection Regime',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-the-personal-data-protection-bill-matters/article34296775.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about how the personal data protection bill, 2019 can help in establishing a strong data protection regime.</p>
</div>
<p>The pandemic has increased people&rsquo;s participation in the digital economy. Unfortunately, the number of personal data breaches from major digital service providers has increased worryingly in the same period.</p>
<p>The recent alleged data breach at MobiKwik could stand to be India&rsquo;s biggest breach with the data of 9.9 crore users at risk. Given the significance of data in this age, robust data protection regimes are necessary to prevent such events and protect users&rsquo; interests.</p>
<p>Presently, how different entities collect and process users&rsquo; personal data in India is mainly governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, but this data protection regime falls short of providing effective protection to users and their personal data.</p>
<p>However, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019</strong></a> (which is now under scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee) could play a big role in providing robust protections to users and their personal data.</p>
<h3>Associated Issues With IT Act</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issue of Consent:</strong> Data aggregator entities could override the protections in the regime by taking users&rsquo; consent to process personal data under broad terms and conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is problematic given that users might not understand the terms and conditions or the implications of giving consent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Neglecting Data Privacy:</strong> The frameworks under IT Act emphasize data security but do not place enough emphasis on data privacy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In essence, while entities must employ technical measures to protect personal data, they have weaker obligations to respect users&rsquo; preferences in how personal data can be processed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large Vacuum for Data Protection:</strong> The data protection provisions under the IT Act also do not apply to government agencies. This creates a large vacuum for data protection when governments are collecting and processing large amounts of personal data.</li>
<li><strong>Becoming Obsolete:</strong> IT Act was enacted in 2000 and further amended in 2008. However, technology and cross-platform integration have increased exponentially.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the current data protection regime seems to have become inadequate in addressing risks emerging from new developments in data processing technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 can help?</h3>
<p>The Bill seeks to bring a massive and meaningful change to personal data protection in India through this regime. The proposed regime under the Bill seeks to be different from the existing regime in some prominent ways.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defining the Roles:</strong> The Bill envisages codifying the relationship between individuals and firms/state institutions as one between &ldquo;data principals&rdquo; (whose information is collected) and &ldquo;data fiduciaries&rdquo; (those processing the data) so that privacy is safeguarded by design.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the Bill seeks to apply the data protection regime to both government and private entities across all sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring Data Privacy:</strong> The Bill seeks to emphasize that data principals will have to maintain security safeguards to protect personal data and also have to fulfill a set of data protection obligations and transparency and accountability measures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In nutshell, the provides scrutiny on these entities govern and process personal data to uphold users&rsquo; privacy and interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for a more robust data protection legislation came to the fore in 2017 post the Supreme Court&rsquo;s landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) v. Union of India established the right to privacy as a fundamental right.</li>
<li>In the judgment, the Court called for a data protection law that can effectively protect users&rsquo; privacy over their personal data.</li>
<li>Consequently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology formed a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd) B.N. Srikrishna to suggest a draft data protection law.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rights of the Citizens:</strong> The Bill seeks to give users a set of rights over their personal data and means to exercise those rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a user will be able to obtain information about the different kinds of personal data that an entity has about them and how the entity is processing that data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishing a Regulator:</strong> The Bill seeks to create an independent and powerful regulator known as the Data Protection Authority (DPA). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The DPA will monitor and regulate data processing activities to ensure their compliance with the regime.</li>
<li>More importantly, the DPA will give users a channel to seek redress when entities do not comply with their obligations under the regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With The Bill</h3>
<p>Several provisions in the Bill create cause for concern about the regime&rsquo;s effectiveness. These provisions could contradict the objectives of the Bill by giving wide exemptions to government agencies and diluting user protection safeguards.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scope for Loopholes:</strong> For instance, under clause 35, the Central government can exempt any government agency from complying with the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government agencies will then be able to process personal data without following any safeguard under the Bill.</li>
<li>This could create severe privacy risks for users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Compromised Concept of Consent:</strong> Similarly, users could find it difficult to enforce various user protection safeguards (such as rights and remedies) in the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Bill threatens legal consequences for users who withdraw their consent for a data processing activity.</li>
<li>In practice, this could discourage users from withdrawing consent for processing activities they want to opt-out of.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sweeping Mandate of DPA:</strong> DPA will be tasked with regulating the provisions of the bill to frame regulations on issues such as mechanisms for taking consent, limitations on the use of data, and cross-border transfer of data. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The supervisory mandate of the DPA is sweeping, given the fact that it has to regulate a wide array of preventive obligations, such as security safeguards and transparency requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime.</p>
<p>The Joint Parliamentary Committee that is scrutinizing the Bill, is expected to submit its final report in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in 2021. This interim period shall be utilized to make some changes in the Bill targeted towards addressing various concerns in it could make a stronger and more effective data protection regime.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-protection-regime'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture: Economic Recovery for India',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aud04jc57JM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong> </a>upgraded its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FY 2021-22 growth projection for India to 12.5%</strong></a> from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>11.5% estimated in January.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has also cautioned that the forecast hasn&rsquo;t factored in the severe downside risks arising from the country&rsquo;s ongoing second wave of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>World Economic Outlook Report:</strong> The IMF releases this report usually <strong>twice a year </strong>and it <strong>analyzes and predicts global economic developments</strong> during the near and medium term.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some high frequency economic indicators in the report are showing robust signs of economic growth of India while the others are bringing out implicit risks to growth from the second wave of the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth:</strong> As per the report findings, Indian economy is expected to grow by 12.5% in 2021 and 6.9% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Growth rate for India in 2021 is stronger than that of China.</strong></li>
<li>The 1% increase in India&rsquo;s economic growth rate forecast came in the background of encouraging signs from some high-frequency indicators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Economic Growth:</strong> The IMF predicted stronger recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth projected to be 6% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, the global economy contracted by 3.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advanced Economies:</strong> The<strong> USA and Spain</strong> are the only two advanced economies that are expected to have an<strong> economic growth projected above 6%</strong> for FY 2021-22.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USA had been able to retain its economy <strong>due to its economy-centered approach amid the pandemic.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The strong fiscal support the government had given to their citizens was also helpful.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Emerging Economies:</strong> The developing countries have not been able to perform as good because the pandemic has affected the labour intensive jobs (prevalent in developing countries) more than the capital intensive jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No developing country other than India has a growth rate projected in double digit figures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Export-Oriented Economies:</strong> The european countries had a huge demographic crisis therefore the consumption rate was very low.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In countries like Germany, which is an export-oriented economy, when the pandemic hit, their economy due to lockdowns and import/export restrictions was affected severely.</li>
<li>Export oriented economies which were exporting primary products have also suffered a lot.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Factors that Increased the Growth Projection:</strong> For India, a good run in the agriculture sector plus no stagnation in the railways, freight revenue, power sectors have led to an increased 1% projection.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the <strong>GST collection for FY 2020-21 was record high</strong> at the value of ₹1.24 lac crore (₹1.24 trillion).</li>
<li>The <strong>exports figures have also seen a huge jump</strong> standing at 31 billion dollar.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a huge increment for the exports which have witnessed a decline for 7 months.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Ozone concentration levels, power consumption or labour participation rates have so far remained resilient</strong> to the decline in growth.</li>
<li><strong>Hindrance in Growth due to Pandemic:</strong> The economic growth rate of India (and other countries) is contingent on the rise in covid infection rate and consequent lockdown.</li>
<li>Undoubtedly the growth will be there but the covid is a potential barrier in this growth; the possible challenges posed by Covid 19 cannot be undermined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sectors Obstructing the Growth:</strong> The report also shows some warning signals that could hinder the economic growth of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These indicators include <strong>decline in the retail sector.</strong></li>
<li>Sectors related to<strong> hospitality and transportation are also hit</strong> badly which roughly account for 6% of overall GDP.</li>
<li>In vehicle registration, around 60,000 vehicles were registered on a daily basis in the months of feb-march 2021 which has now come down to 55,000 on a daily basis.</li>
<li>The growth recovery is obvious to be impacted by the rapidly increasing covid-19 disease due to the consequent partial and complete lockdowns and curfews.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nomura Index Business Resumption Index</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/growth-in-manufacturing-pmi-and-nibri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nomura India Business Assumption Index (NIBRI)</strong></a> is the Japanese brokerage&rsquo;s weekly tracker of the pace of normalisation of economic activity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It captures and tracks demand indicators such as the demand for power, labour force participation etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The index reached 99 points in February, 2021 but slipped down to 90 in the month of April which indicates a slowdown in the economic recovery.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The reason for the slowdown is mainly the second wave of covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Government Policies:</strong> India has handled the covid-19 situation better than many of the countries with its step by step approach of tackling the situation introducing various economic reforms, the vaccination drive etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vaccination and Covid-Appropriate Behaviour: <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-and-the-vaccination-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s vaccination programme</a></strong> is also going on, it is vaccinating nearly 3-4 million people on a daily basis but that is not enough. The need is to build up more capacity and vaccinate more and more people at a faster rate.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even after vaccination, no leniency shall be there in following the basic covid appropriate behaviour of wearing a mask, performing social distancing and following hygiene protocols.</li>
<li>Only healthy citizens can utilise up to their full potential and contribute to the overall growth of a country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investment-Centered Approach:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restructuring-of-indian-statistical-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NSO</a> has given the investment rate in the economy for FY 2020-21 at only 31% of GDP which is a very low rate of investment for any economy as large as India, therefore investment is the right way forward.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The FY 2021-22 should be the year of beefing up, strengthening and stepping up the pace of investment in infrastructure and many other projects where India is in the deficit stage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reforming the Vaccine Criteria:</strong> The criteria of vaccinating only those people above the age of 45 shall be done away with specially in the covid hotspot areas like Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The working class people in such cities who commute on a daily basis shall be vaccinated at a faster rate and regardless of age.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Managing the Elevated Inflation Levels:</strong> India is at the risk of inflation, it is at an elevated level which is why the RBI has been conservative; it has projected the growth rate at 10.5% only.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has to walk on a very fine line balancing the growth imperatives and inflation concerns.</li>
<li>The RBI has also adopted a policy to support economic growth. It has increased the limit of ways and means advances to the states and has allowed them to borrow more amounts from the RBI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government Policies:</strong> The growth projection also depends upon policies adopted by the government, specially the fiscal policy and monetary policies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far India has proved to adopt such policies more wisely as compared to other countries.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India implemented massive economic reforms in the year 2020 when the pandemic was at its peak.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, India has freed up a lot of sectors from the over regulation by the government interference which will be fruitful in better and faster economic growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India as the fifth largest economy in the world has to focus on growth recovery that is more sustainable and by just drawing satisfaction from just the growth numbers would not do much.</li>
<li>India is slowly but surely on the path to economic recovery and investment is the way to sustain this growth momentum.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-economic-recovery-for-india'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Danube Sturgeon',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a report released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wildlife Fund (WWF)</strong></a>, illegal sale of <strong>Danube Sturgeon,</strong> one of the <strong>most endangered species</strong> in the world, is rampant in the lower Danube (River) region, especially in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Danube is the <strong>second longest river in Europe after the Volga.</strong> It <strong>rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany</strong> and flows for some 2,850 km to its mouth on the <strong>Black Sea.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sturgeons have<strong> existed since the time of dinosaurs,</strong> for about <strong>200 million years.</strong> Some of the species can grow up to <strong>eight metre in length and live more than a century.</strong></li>
<li>They are called <strong>&lsquo;living fossils&rsquo;</strong> because their appearance has altered very little over the years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Living Fossil</strong> is an organism that has<strong> remained unchanged from earlier geologic times</strong> and whose close relatives are usually extinct.</li>
<li>Other than Sturgeons, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-horseshoe-crab-day#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20marine%20chelicerate,at%20summer%20spring%20high%20tides." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Horseshoe crab</strong></a> and ginkgo trees are examples of living fossils.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because the sturgeons live for so many years, mature late and spawn with long intervals, they take a long time to recover from environmental and human pressures, according to WWF. This makes them <strong>great indicators for the health of the river and other ecological parameters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> 27 species of sturgeons</strong> and paddlefishes distributed across the Northern hemisphere. While<strong> some species inhabit only freshwater,</strong> most species are anadromous, spawning in freshwater but spending much of their life history in marine or brackish environments.</li>
<li>Danube sturgeons live mostly in the<strong> Black Sea,</strong> migrating up the Danube and other major rivers to spawn.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Over-exploitation and poaching</strong> (exacerbated by poor fishery management and insufficient legal enforcement of fishing bans).</li>
<li><strong>Blocked migration routes</strong> through dams.</li>
<li>Loss or <strong>degradation of habitats.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pollution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red list</a>:</strong> There are <strong>6 species of sturgeon in the Danube River.</strong> Five of them are now listed as <strong>critically endangered. </strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a>: Appendix-II.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Wildlife Fund for Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the<strong> world&rsquo;s leading conservation organization</strong> and works in more than 100 countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>established in 1961</strong> and is <strong>headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To conserve nature</strong> and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Initiatives of WWF:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/awards-for-tiger-conservation?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=d6b52011b8e898ebbdb4fa95850598f693c98eb1-1616832863-0-AUKkX3Cc_GogaMaU3GnU4usqYTZ5TIZWeNa5nlvFIxQvl0gZjMbLxphNM8jKEPJs4lDXchERs0IyiGUWB5Ti5i5S772OyszFvd9oNqn_HC4VuWxtUYn-sDBqOfU-ul5qQHFLqEEjKzZg-o0IQl3cqGwtPqhR9zRYDxWZpiQ1wEa4Tfs5hfmtuerV0J7UfeZ8GJjt_7TUdYek8xE__pe3Na6UITOOJSM_R0chAjF6dg1OiiPw1M0rhytWqXGJtgGpj6ivB9HCEc4SGofXLqPHzgmuDyTw41b7Ui-9HKXt0KE2G-K3CChAePnTWbcLDdQvP795gB72lEVVwsu3SfSnMvNk57_5QB5sGi3mTzXWTFokK9Grh2dBJaWZAPOErPPT-FqRv1mi1t7T3fvuf_gNniY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TX2 Goal</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Living Planet Report</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/earth-hour-1#:~:text=Earth%20Hour%20is%20the%20World,as%20per%20their%20local%20time." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earth Hour</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Black Sea</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="288" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Black Sea is an<strong> inland sea</strong> located between far-southeastern Europe and the far-western edges of the continent of Asia and the country of Turkey.</li>
<li>It <strong>connects to the Mediterranean Sea first through the Bosporus Strait,</strong> then <strong>through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles Strait,</strong> then south through the <strong>Aegean Sea</strong> and the <strong>Sea of Crete.</strong></li>
<li>The Black Sea is<strong> also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bordering Countries:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/sturgeon-poaching-for-meat-caviar-rampant-in-lower-danube-wwf-report-76431#:~:text=Illegal%20sale%20of%20sturgeon%2C%20one,which%20is%20considered%20a%20delicacy." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/danube-sturgeon'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK)</strong> saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian lines, <strong>23 years after a peace deal largely ended Northern Ireland's troubles.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="500" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geographically,</strong> Northern Ireland is part of Ireland. <strong>Politically,</strong> it&rsquo;s part of the UK.</li>
<li>Ireland, long dominated by the UK, broke free about 100 years ago after centuries of <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-world-history/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%2C%20as%20said%20earlier%2C%20denotes,its%20influence%20beyond%20its%20borders." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>colonisation</strong></a> and an uneasy union. 26 of its 32 counties became an independent, Roman Catholic-majority country. <strong>6 counties in the north, which have a Protestant majority, stayed British.</strong></li>
<li>Northern Ireland&rsquo;s <strong>Catholic minority experienced discrimination</strong> in the <strong>Protestant-run state.</strong></li>
<li>In the <strong>1960s, a Catholic civil rights movement demanded change,</strong> but faced a harsh response from the government and police.</li>
<li>The<strong> British Army was deployed in 1969,</strong> initially to keep the peace. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The situation deteriorated into a conflict between Irish republican militants who wanted to unite with the south, loyalist paramilitaries who sought to keep Northern Ireland British, and UK troops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>During three decades of conflict, <strong>more than 3,600 people, a majority of them civilians, were killed</strong> in bombings and shootings. Most were in Northern Ireland, though the Irish Republican Army also set off bombs in London and other British cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ending the Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By the <strong>1990s,</strong> after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a <strong>peace deal.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> 1998 Good Friday accord</strong> saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a <strong>Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government</strong> for Northern Ireland.</li>
<li>The question of Northern Ireland&rsquo;s ultimate status was deferred:<strong> it would remain British as long as that was the majority&rsquo;s wish,</strong> but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out.</li>
<li>While the peace has largely endured, small <strong>Irish Republican Army splinter groups have mounted occasional attacks on security forces,</strong> and there have been outbreaks of sectarian street violence.</li>
<li>The power-sharing arrangement has had periods of success and failure and still the government is not trusted by both the sides.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Problem Child of Brexit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Northern Ireland has been called the <strong>&ldquo;problem child&rdquo; of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brexit</a>, the UK&rsquo;s divorce from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU).</a></strong></li>
<li>As the <strong>only part of the UK that has a border with an EU nation,</strong> Ireland, it was the trickiest issue to resolve after Britain voted narrowly in 2016 to leave the 27-nation bloc.</li>
<li>An open Irish border, over which people and goods flow freely, underpins the peace process, allowing people in Northern Ireland to feel at home in both Ireland and the UK.</li>
<li>The <strong>insistence of Britain&rsquo;s government on a &ldquo;hard Brexit&rdquo;</strong> that took the country out of the EU&rsquo;s economic order meant the creation of new barriers and checks on trade.</li>
<li>Both Britain and the EU agreed that the<strong> border could not be in Ireland</strong> because of the risk that would pose to the peace process. The alternative was to put it, metaphorically, in<strong> the Irish Sea</strong> between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.</li>
<li>That arrangement has alarmed <strong>British unionists, who say it weakens Northern Ireland&rsquo;s place in the UK</strong> and could bolster calls for Irish reunification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Current Violence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brexit and Corona:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Britain left the EU on<strong> 31<sup>st</sup> December</strong> and the new trade arrangements quickly became an irritant to Northern Ireland unionists who want to stay in the UK.</li>
<li>Early trade glitches, exacerbated by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic</strong></a>, led to some empty supermarket shelves, fueling alarm.</li>
<li>There was anger that British Prime Minister long insisted there would be no new checks on trade as a result of Brexit, had downplayed the scale of the changes wrought by leaving the EU.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Identity Crisis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some in Northern Ireland&rsquo;s British<strong> loyalist community feel as if their identity is under threat.</strong> And many other loyalists believe that, de facto, <strong>Northern Ireland has ceased to be as much a part of the UK</strong> as it was.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-behind-the-latest-unrest-in-northern-ireland-7267909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/violence-in-northern-ireland-uk'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Chief Election Commissioner',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President appointed<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/election-commissioner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Election Commissioner</a> Sushil Chandra</strong> as the <strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He replaces <strong>Sunil Arora</strong> who has retired.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Election Commission of India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong></a> is an <strong>autonomous constitutional authority</strong> responsible for administering <strong>Union and State election</strong> processes in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in accordance with the Constitution on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> January 1950 (celebrated as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/10th-national-voters-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national voters' day</a>).</strong> The<strong> secretariat</strong> of the commission is located in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The body administers elections to the<strong> Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies</strong> in India, and the<strong> offices of the President and Vice President in the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution:</strong> It deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.</li>
<li><strong>Article 324:</strong> Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Article 325:</strong> No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.</li>
<li><strong>Article 326:</strong> Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage.</li>
<li><strong>Article 327:</strong> Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.</li>
<li><strong>Article 328:</strong> Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.</li>
<li><strong>Article 329:</strong> Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structure of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Originally the commission had only <strong>one election commissioner</strong> but after the <strong>Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989,</strong> it has been made a multi-member body</li>
<li>The Election Commission <strong>shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of other election commissioners,</strong> if any, as the President may from time to time fix.</li>
<li>Presently, it consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the state level, the election commission is helped by the <strong>Chief Electoral Officer</strong> who is an IAS rank Officer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment &amp; Tenure of Commissioners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> President appoints</strong> CEC and Election Commissioners.</li>
<li>They have a<strong> fixed tenure of six years,</strong> or up to the<strong> age of 65 years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>They enjoy the <strong>same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court (SC)</a></strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They can <strong>resign anytime</strong> or can also be <strong>removed before the expiry of their term.</strong></li>
<li>The CEC can be removed from office only <strong>through a process of removal similar to that of a SC judge</strong> by Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Procedure of Removal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Judges of High Courts and <strong>SC,</strong> CEC, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comptroller-and-auditor-general-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)</strong></a> may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of <strong>&lsquo;proved misbehaviour or incapacity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Removal requires a<strong> special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members present and voting supported by more than 50% of the total strength of the house.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Constitution does not use the word &lsquo;impeachment&rsquo;,</strong> for the removal of the judges, CAG, CEC.</li>
<li>The term <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impeachment-of-the-president-of-the-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Impeachment&rsquo;</a> is only used for removing the President</strong> which requires the special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members of the total strength of both the houses which is not used elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limitations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not prescribed the qualifications</strong> (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not specified the term</strong> of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment by the government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers and Functions of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Administrative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>determine the territorial areas</strong> of the electoral constituencies throughout the country on the basis of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation</strong> </a>Commission Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>To prepare and<strong> periodically revise electoral rolls</strong> and to register all eligible voters.</li>
<li>To <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-national-party-from-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>grant recognition to political parties</strong></a> and <strong>allot election symbols</strong> to them.</li>
<li>Election Commission <strong>ensures a level playing field</strong> for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct</strong></a> evolved with the consensus of political parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advisory Jurisdiction &amp; Quasi-Judicial Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Constitution, the Commission has<strong> advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post election disqualification</strong> of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor</strong> to whom such opinion is tendered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections</strong> which come before the SC and High Courts are also<strong> referred to the Commission for its opinion</strong> on the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.</li>
<li>The Commission has the <strong>power to disqualify a candidate</strong> who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sushil-chandra-appointed-chief-election-commissioner/article34303884.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chief-election-commissioner'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Exercise Shantir Ogroshena',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Multinational military exercise Shantir Ogroshena,</strong> which went for 10 days <strong>in Bangladesh,</strong> concluded on 12<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>year 2021 marks the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of diplomatic relations between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50-years-of-india-bangladesh-relations#:~:text=Commemorating%2050%20years%20of%20the,the%20establishment%20of%20their%20ties." target="_blank" rel="noopener">India and Bangladesh.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The exercise was organised <strong>to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sheikh-mujibur-rehman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</a>,</strong> Bangladesh&rsquo;s Father of the Nation and celebrate the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>golden jubilee of the liberation of Bangladesh.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was held at <strong>Bangabandhu Senanibas (BBS), Bangladesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;Shantir Ogroshena&rsquo;</strong> 2021 means <strong>&ldquo;Front Runner of the Peace&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The theme of this exercise was to <strong>strengthen defence ties</strong> and <strong>enhance interoperability amongst neighbourhood countries</strong> to ensure effective <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peacekeeping</strong></a> operations.</li>
<li>It was a <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN (United Nations)</a>- mandated counterterrorism exercise.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries that Participated:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Troops from<strong> India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka</strong> participated in the exercise with<strong> observers from the USA, UK, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Exercises involving Bangladesh:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sampriti-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAMPRITI</strong></a> (Army).</li>
<li>TABLE TOP (Air).</li>
<li>IN-BN CORPAT (Navy).</li>
<li>SAMVEDNA (Multinational Air Exercise with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and UAE).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1711202" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-shantir-ogroshena'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic <strong>of Kazakhstan</strong> in<strong> New Delhi.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two Ministers had last met in Moscow (Russia) in September 2020 on the sidelines of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a> Defence Ministers&rsquo; meeting.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Talks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed that both sides must look at the possibility of <strong>defence industrial collaboration</strong> of mutual interest.</li>
<li>Exchanged views<strong> to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation,</strong> including through training, defence exercises and capacity building.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan thanked India for the opportunity given to the Kazakh troops for deployment as part of the Indian battalion in the <strong>United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UNIFIL</strong> was established by the UN Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assessed the <strong>annual joint military exercise <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-kazind-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KAZIND</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Kazakh Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is carried out under the framework of an agreement on<strong> &lsquo;Defence and Military Technical Cooperation&rsquo;</strong> signed in July 2015 during the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Kazakhstan.</li>
<li>The agreement includes conduct of joint training,<strong> exercises, military-technical cooperation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN peacekeeping</a> and exchange of intelligence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakh Armed Forces Unit underwent training on peacekeeping operations in India in April-May 2018 for deployment under the <strong>command of an Indian Battalion at UNIFIL, Lebanon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Kazakhstan to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> three factors</strong> which make Kazakhstan important for India. First, its <strong>geo-strategic location;</strong> second, its <strong>economic potential,</strong> especially in terms of energy resources; and third, its<strong> multi-ethnic and secular structure. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Kazakhstan&rsquo;s geo-political existence between Russia and Asia,</strong> along with long borders with China, makes it a country of great strategic importance. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakhstan lies to the northeast of the Caspian Sea, bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, China to the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the south.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>can also help India achieve a geostrategic rebalancing with China.</strong> India&rsquo;s foremost objective is countering the rapid economic inroads China is making in the region through the<strong> One Belt One Road (OBOR)</strong> initiative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India seeks to achieve this with the competing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-South Transport Corridor</strong></a> (NSTC).</li>
<li>NSTC is <strong>a multi-modal transportation</strong> established on <strong>12<sup>th</sup> September 2000</strong> in <strong>St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India</strong> for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States. It has been expanded to include eleven new members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has become<strong> one of the key activists in the field of global nuclear security,</strong> and has achieved a number of results in peacekeeping policies and the resolution of conflicts around <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iran</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ukraine</strong></a> and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Syria.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>India - Kazakhstan Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years.</li>
<li>There has been a constant and regular flow of trade in goods and, more importantly, exchange of ideas and cultural influences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>flow of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/buddhism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buddhism</a> from India to Central Asia and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khwaja-monuddin-chishti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sufi ideas</a> from Central Asia to India</strong> are two such examples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was<strong> one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations</strong> were established in<strong> February 1992.</strong></li>
<li>India and Kazakhstan have been <strong>strategic partners since 2009. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation at Multilateral Fora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including <strong>CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.</strong></li>
<li>India has been a consistent supporter of Kazakhstan&rsquo;s initiative on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saarc-and-cica-meetings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)</strong></a> and is actively participating in the process.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan supports India&rsquo;s permanent membership in an expanded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-at-unsc-previous-contribution-current-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> </a>and has extended its support for India's non-permanent membership in 2021-22.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC)</strong> established in 1993 is the <strong>apex bilateral institutional mechanism</strong> for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on the Indian side and Ministry of Energy on the Kazakh side are the nodal ministries with respective Ministers as the Co-Chair of the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several<strong> Joint Working Groups (JWGs)</strong> have been established in the areas of Counter Terrorism, Trade &amp; Economic Cooperation, Defence &amp; Military Technical Cooperation, Information Technology, Hydrocarbons, Textiles, Tea Debt and Space Cooperation, Health and Transport, Connectivity &amp; Logistics to take forward bilateral relations in the respective spheres.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)</a> launched &ldquo;Al-Farabi-1&rdquo;,</strong> a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite built by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty along with 103 other satellites in 2017.</li>
<li>A delegation from ISRO attended<strong> Kazakh Defence Expo &lsquo;KADEX&rsquo;</strong> in May 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Civil Nuclear Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>supported India in obtaining India-specific exemption</strong> to allow civil nuclear cooperation with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a> countries in 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India provides capacity building assistance to Kazakhstan in various specialized fields under <strong>ITEC program</strong> sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consular:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan have<strong> an agreement on visa free entry for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders.</strong></li>
<li>Since February 2018, <strong>Indian has extended e-visa facility</strong> to Kazakh citizens.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has also introduced <strong>electronic visa facilities for travelers from India</strong> with effect from 1<sup>st</sup> January 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being part of central Asia, Kazakhstan is strategically important for India. India needs to use its instrument of economic leverages more efficiently to build closer ties with Central Asia.</li>
<li>At its core, the heightened India-Kazakhstan relationship allows New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and the highly unstable Afghanistan to reach a resource-rich Nur-Sultan, complementing India&rsquo;s developing economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710618" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/visit-of-defence-minister-of-kazakhstan'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Researchers from <strong>Sweden&rsquo;s University of Gothenburg</strong> have been able to obtain data from underneath Thwaites Glacier, also known as the <strong>'Doomsday Glacier'.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They find that the <strong>supply of warm water to the glacier is larger than previously thought,</strong> triggering concerns of faster melting and accelerating ice flow.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Doomsday Glacier:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Called the <strong>Thwaites Glacier,</strong> it is <strong>120 km wide at its broadest,</strong> fast-moving, and melting fast over the years.</li>
<li>Because of its <strong>size (1.9 lakh square km),</strong> it contains <strong>enough water to raise the world sea level</strong> by more than half a metre.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Studies have found the <strong>amount of ice flowing</strong> out of it has <strong>nearly doubled over the past 30 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Today, Thwaites&rsquo;s melting <strong>already contributes 4% to global sea</strong> level rise each year.</li>
<li>It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea<strong> in 200-900 years.</strong></li>
<li>Thwaites is<strong> important for Antarctica as it slows the ice behind it</strong> from freely flowing<strong> into the ocean.</strong></li>
<li>Because of the risk it faces, and poses, Thwaites is often called the <strong>Doomsday Glacier</strong> (Doomsday meaning warning or threat, something that can cause destruction).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Previous Studies:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Hole in the Glacier: A 2019 study</strong> had discovered <strong>a fast-growing cavity in the glacier,</strong> sized roughly <strong>two-thirds the area of Manhattan.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>size of a cavity</strong> under a glacier<strong> plays an important role in melting.</strong> As more heat and water get under the glacier, it melts faster.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Detection of Warm Water at Grounding Line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> In 2020, <strong>researchers from New York University (NYU) detected warm water</strong> at a vital point below the glacier. In the NYU study, scientists dug a 600-m-deep and 35-cm-wide access hole, and deployed <strong>an ocean-sensing device called Icefin</strong> to measure the waters moving below the glacier&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>NYU</strong> study reported water at just two degrees above freezing point at Thwaites&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;grounding zone&rdquo; or &ldquo;grounding line&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The grounding line</strong> is the place below a glacier at which the ice transitions between resting fully on bedrock and floating on the ocean as an ice shelf. The location of the line is<strong> a pointer to the rate of retreat of a glacier.</strong></li>
<li>When<strong> glaciers melt</strong> and lose weight,<strong> they float off the land</strong> where they used to be situated. When this happens, <strong>the grounding line retreats.</strong> That <strong>exposes more of a glacier&rsquo;s underside to seawater,</strong> increasing the likelihood it will melt faster.</li>
<li>This results in the glacier speeding up, stretching out, and thinning, causing the grounding line to retreat ever further.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings from Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg Study (New Study):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg study <strong>used an uncrewed submarine</strong> to go under the Thwaites glacier front to make observations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The submersible called <strong>&ldquo;Ran&rdquo;</strong> measured among other things the <strong>strength, temperature, salinity and oxygen content of the ocean currents</strong> that go under the glacier.</li>
<li>Using the results, the researchers <strong>have been able to map the ocean currents</strong> that flow below Thwaites&rsquo;s floating part.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong> The researchers have been able to identify<strong> three inflows of warm water,</strong> among whom <strong>the damaging effects of one had been underestimated in the past.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The researchers discovered that<strong> there is a deep connection to the east through which deep water flows from Pine Island Bay,</strong> a connection that was previously thought to be blocked by an underwater ridge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Pine Island Bay</strong> is a<strong> drainage system of West Antarctica.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study also <strong>looked at heat transport in one of the three channels</strong> which brings warm water towards the glacier from the north.</li>
<li>They found that <strong>there were distinct paths that water takes in and out of the ice shelf cavity,</strong> influenced by the geometry of the ocean floor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study shows that warm water is approaching the pinning points of the glacier from all sides, impacting these locations where the ice is connected to the seabed and where the ice sheet finds stability. This has the potential to make things worse for Thwaites, whose ice shelf is already retreating.</li>
<li>For the first time, data is being collected that is necessary to model the dynamics of Thwaites glacier. This data will help better calculate ice melting in the future.</li>
<li>With the help of new technology, models can be improved and the great uncertainty that now prevails around global sea level variations can be reduced.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-thwaites-glacier-finding-doomsday-melting-worry-7269124/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antarctica-s-doomsday-glacier'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'British Conquest for Bengal: Battles of Plassey and Buxar',
			'catname' => 'Paper 1',
			'desc' => '<h3>Bengal in the 17<sup>th</sup>-18<sup>th</sup> Century</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In Mughal Period:</strong> Bengal was the <strong>most fertile and the richest province</strong> of the Mughal Empire and included present day <strong>Bangladesh</strong> and states of <strong>Bihar</strong> and <strong>Odisha</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The authoritative powers of the province lay in the hands of the <strong>Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Importance:</strong> Bengal held economic importance for its famous textiles, silk and saltpetre. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exports from Bengal to Europe consisted of saltpetre, rice, indigo, pepper, sugar, silk, cotton textiles, handicrafts, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance for the British:</strong> Bengal became the first kingdom to be occupied by the British in India. The East India Company carried on profitable trade with this province. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The enormous resources of Bengal came in handy for financing the British expansion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Nearly 60% of the British imports from Asia consisted of goods from Bengal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British East India company laid the foundation of Calcutta and established British commercial settlement in the 1690s.</li>
<li>The Company paid a sum of Rs 3,000 (&pound; 350) per annum to the Mughal emperor who allowed them to trade freely in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In contrast, the <strong>Company&rsquo;s exports from Bengal were worth more than &pound; 50,000 per annum</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflicts among Nawabs and the British:</strong> The special privileges enjoyed by the British Company was strongly opposed by the Nawabs of Bengal as it meant a huge loss to the provincial exchequer. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consequently, the friction between the British commercial interests and the Bengal government became the chief cause for conflict between the two.</li>
<li>As a result, the British felt a need for a &ldquo;puppet&rdquo; as the Nawab on the throne of Bengal to willingly give them trade concessions and other privileges and establish their indirect but ultimate power in the province.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Plassey</h3>
<p>The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 in the <strong>Plassey (or Palashi) region of West Bengal,</strong> on the east of Bhagirathi river.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Troops of the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, came up against the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and his French allies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Siraj-ud-Daulah:</strong> The then Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah succeeded his grandfather Alavardi Khan after his death. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Alavardi Khan was the Deputy Governor of Bihar who assumed the throne after killing Sarfaraz Khan, an incapable son of Murshiq Quli Khan, Dewan of Bengal.</li>
<li>Siraj-ud-Daulah was surrounded by a number of rivals in his own court who helped the British in winning the Battle of Plassey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Events Preceding the Battle:</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/the-carnatic-wars#:~:text=The%20decisive%20battle%20of%20the,Marquis%20de%20Bussy%20as%20prisoner." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>British victory in the Carnatic</strong></a> had already made Siraj apprehensive of the growing power of the East India Company. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the officials of the Company made rampant misuse of its trade privileges that adversely affected the nawab&rsquo;s finances.</li>
<li>The British also fortified Calcutta without the nawab&rsquo;s permission which the nawab took as an ignorance to his sovereign power. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The infuriated Nawab marched to Calcutta and occupied Fort William in June 1756.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Shortly after Fort William's surrender, on June 20, 175, Siraj confined 146 British prisoners in a small dungeon in Calcutta, out of which 123 prisoners died of suffocation. It is infamously known as the <strong>&lsquo;Black Hole of Calcutta&rsquo;</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This event brought the hostility of the British in the open.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arrival of Robert Clive:</strong> Following this tragic defeat of British by the Nawab of Bengal, a strong force under Robert Clive was sent from Madras to overthrow nawab and strengthen the British position in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The discontented followers of the Nawab, such as Mir Jafar and other Bengali generals, were bribed to forge an alliance with the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mir Jafar, a kin of Siraj was promised the throne in return for supporting the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> Clive&rsquo;s army was confronted by the nawab&rsquo;s army at Plassey (Palashi) along with the French soldiers on their side. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The nawab&rsquo;s army of 50,000 soldiers outnumbered Clive&rsquo;s force of just 3000.</li>
<li>However, the <strong>secret alliance of the British with the conspirators strengthened the British foothold</strong> in the battle.</li>
<li>Moreover, <strong>Mir Jafar, with around one-third of the Bengali army, did not join the battle</strong> and contributed to Nawab's defeat.</li>
<li>Under compelling circumstances, the <strong>Nawab tried to escape with his army but was killed</strong> by Miran, the son of Mir Jafar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> The Battle is regarding a <strong>historic turning point for British in India</strong>; it established political and military supremacy of the British in Bengal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the Battle of Plassey Clive proclaimed Mir Jafar as the Nawab of Bengal and placed him on the throne of Murshidabad. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Jafar in order to satisfy the British as per the agreement gave the Zamindari of 24 Parganas (group of villages) of Bengal to the company.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, this could not satisfy the British and consequently he was removed from the throne and his son-in-law <strong>Mir Kasim was placed on the throne as the new Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Buxar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Battle of Buxar was fought between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, led by <strong>Hector Munro</strong>, and the combined armies of <strong>Mir Qasim</strong>, Nawab of Bengal till 1763; <strong>Shuja-ud-Daulah</strong>, the Nawab of Awadh; and the Mughal Emperor <strong>Shah Alam II</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mir Qasim:</strong> He was the <strong>ablest among all the successors of Alavardi Khan</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Qasim, an efficient and strong ruler, determined to improve the affairs of the state and <strong>shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger (Bihar) in 1762</strong>.</li>
<li>He realized the importance of a full treasury and an efficient army required to maintain his independence.</li>
<li>Mir Qasim <strong>regarded himself as an indepen&shy;dent ruler</strong> which was a problem for the British as they wanted him to be a puppet in their hands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tussle between Mir Qasim and the British:</strong> Due to the misuse of the Farman of 1717 by the British to evade internal custom duties, Mir Qasim took the extreme step of <strong>abolish&shy;ing all duties on internal trade and benefitting his own subjects</strong> by giving them the concession that the British had forcefully snatched. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was <strong>strongly protested by the British</strong> and a preferential treatment over other traders was demanded.</li>
<li>These conflicts over transit duty <strong>led to the outbreak of wars</strong> between the British and Mir Kasim in 1763 which resulted in <strong>British victories at Katwa, Murshidabad, Giria, Sooty and Munger</strong>.</li>
<li>Mir Kasim fled to Oudh (Awadh) and <strong>formed a confederacy</strong> with the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-daulah, and the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, with a view to recover Bengal from the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> In October 1764, in a final attempt to oust the British from Bengal, the combined armies of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Awadh and Shah Alam II came together to fight against the former. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The armies of Nawabs and the Mughal emperor were decisively defeated by the British forces under <strong>Major Hector Munro at Buxar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Result:</strong> This decisive battle <strong>confirmed British power over Bengal</strong> and marked the <strong>end of the attempt to rule Bengal through a puppet nawab</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The battle resulted in the <strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong> in which the <strong>Mughal Emperor surrendered sovereignty of Bengal</strong> to the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lord Robert Clive,</strong> the victor at the Plassey, became the <strong>first governor of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> Unlike the battle of Plassey which was more of British conspiracy, the battle of buxar was a <strong>full-fledged war</strong> which established the British prowess in warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The importance of this battle lay in the fact that not only the Nawab of Bengal but also the <strong>Mughal Emperor of India was defeated by the British</strong>.</li>
<li>The victory made the British, a great power in northern India and <strong>contenders for supremacy over the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the battle, Mir Jafar was reinstated as the Nawab of Bengal in 1763. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He agreed to hand over the districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and Chittagong to the British for the maintenance of their army.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British were also permitted duty-free trade in Bengal, except for a duty of 2% on salt.</li>
<li>He died in 1765 and was succeeded by his son Najm-ud-Daulah. However, the real power of administration still remained with the British.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Najm-ud-Daulah signed a treaty with the Company and became a <strong>titled pensioner</strong> on fifty-three lakhs of rupees per year which was reduced with every new successor.</li>
<li>In 1772, the British completely ended the pensions and <strong>took over the direct charge of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1765, two Treaties were concluded by Robert Clive at Allahabad with Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah and Emperor Shah Alam II.</li>
<li><strong>Under the first treaty with the Nawab of Awadh:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Allahabad and Kara were surrendered by the Nawab to Mughal Emperor</strong> Shah Alam II.</li>
<li>A sum of Rs 50 lakh was paid to the Company as war indemnity.</li>
<li>Balwant Singh, the Zamindar of Banaras, was given full possession of his estate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Under the second treaty with Shah Alam II:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The emperor was asked to reside at Allahabad under the Company&rsquo;s protection.</li>
<li>The <strong><em>Diwani</em> of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were granted to the East India Company</strong> in lieu of an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh</li>
<li>An amount of Rs 53 lakh was to be given by the Mughal Emperor to the Company in return for nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) of the said provinces.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The major difference in the significance of the Carnatic Wars (1740-48, 1749-53 and 1758-63), Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Buxar (1764) is:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Carnatic Wars established British supremacy in trade</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Plassey laid the foundation of British Empire</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Buxar established the British as masters of Bengal,</strong> Bihar and Orissa and made them a <strong>great power of Northern India</strong> and <strong>contenders for the supremacy of the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => '100% Sustainable Fuel for Formula 1',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l&rsquo;Automobile (FIA)</strong> has announced the first barrels of <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong>, made from <strong>bio waste</strong> and developed to <strong>stringent F1(Formula One) specifications</strong>, have been delivered to Power Unit manufacturers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FIA announced its intent to make F1 carbon neutral by 2030 and to have sustainable races by 2025.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Formula One<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Formula One, also called F1 in short, is an <strong>international auto racing sport</strong>. F1 cars are the <strong>fastest regulated road-course racing cars in the world</strong>.</li>
<li>F1 is the highest level of single-seat, open-wheel and open-cockpit professional motor racing contest.</li>
<li>Formula One racing is<strong> governed and sanctioned by a world body called the F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)</strong> or the International Automobile Federation. The name &lsquo;Formula&rsquo; comes from the set of rules that the participating cars and drivers must follow.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>F1 Current Carbon Footprint:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Direct Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>F1&rsquo;s driving activities produce approximately <strong>2,56,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year</strong>, which is the equivalent to powering roughly 30,000 houses in the UK over the same time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indirect Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main issue is not the <strong>cars</strong> themselves, which <strong>accounted for only 0.7%</strong> of the sport&rsquo;s emissions in 2019, but the <strong>logistics of transporting teams and equipment across the globe</strong>.</li>
<li>In 2019, road, sea and air <strong>logistics for equipment transportation accounted for 45% of F1&rsquo;s emissions</strong> with business travel for teams contributing an additional 27.7%.</li>
<li>Rounding up the list, <strong>factories and facilities servicing the sport</strong> represent <strong>19.3%</strong> of emissions, and event operations, another 7.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uncounted Emission:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 2,56,000 number doesn&rsquo;t even factor in the impact of fans, millions of whom require transportation and accommodation on and around the race weekend.</li>
<li>If one were to include the emissions generated by fans, the total carbon footprint of F1 catapults to approximately <strong>1.9 million tonnes</strong> of carbon dioxide generated by the sport annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>100% Sustainable Fuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One of the most high-profile ways in which F1 plans to reduce its environmental impact is through the <strong>continued evolution of energy-efficient engines</strong>.</li>
<li>Starting from 1989 when the FIA Alternative Fuel Commission was formed, F1 has committed to a number of initiatives designed to improve engine efficiency, with the most notable being its <strong>global fuel economy initiative in 2007</strong> which aims to reduce fuel consumption by 50% across the competition.</li>
<li>In 2020, the FIA announced that it had developed a <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong> and that engine manufacturers were already in the process of testing it, intending to start using it by 2026.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A 100% sustainable fuel essentially represents the<strong> third generation and most advanced iteration of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuels</a></strong>, which typically are made from by-products of industrial or agricultural waste.</li>
<li>F1 cars already use biofuels but current regulations only mandate that the fuel include 5.75% of bio-components.</li>
<li>In 2022 that number will increase to 10% and by 2025, when new power units are proposed to enter the competition, the <strong>FIA hopes to transition completely to 100% advanced sustainable fuels</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.</li>
<li>Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Solid:</strong> Wood, dried plant material, and manure</li>
<li><strong>Liquid:</strong> Bioethanol and Biodiesel</li>
<li><strong>Gaseous:</strong> Biogas</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These can be used to replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport, stationary, portable and other applications. Also, they can be used to generate heat and electricity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Categories of Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>First generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats</strong> using conventional technology.</li>
<li>Common first-generation biofuels include <strong>Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from non-food crops</strong> or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes, e.g. stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.</li>
<li><strong>Thermochemical</strong> reactions or <strong>biochemical</strong> conversion processes are used for producing such fuels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Examples:</strong> Cellulose ethanol and biodiesel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Third generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from micro-organisms</strong> like algae.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Example:</strong> Butanol</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production, therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fourth Generation Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the production of these fuels, <strong>crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of carbon are grown and harvested as biomass</strong>.</li>
<li>The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation techniques.</li>
<li>The fuel is pre-combusted and the carbon is captured. Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.</li>
<li>Some of these fuels are considered as <strong>carbon negative</strong> as their production pulls out carbon from the environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>E20 Fuel:</strong> The Indian government has invited public comments for introducing adoption of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e20-fuel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> E20 fuel</strong></a> (a blend of 20% ethanol with gasoline).</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019:</strong> The objective of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-ji-van-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>scheme</strong></a> is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and to boost research and development in the 2G Ethanol sector.</li>
<li><strong>Reduction in GST:</strong> The Government has also reduced <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST</strong></a> on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%.</li>
<li><strong>National Biofuel Policy 2018:</strong> The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels'' viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol &amp; biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels'' - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-formula-1-is-aiming-to-go-carbon-neutral-by-2030-7267582/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Jyotirao Phule',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>'Tika Utsav (vaccination festival)'</strong>, started on the birth anniversary of Mahatma <strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> (11<sup>th</sup> April) will continue till the birth anniversary of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Babasaheb Ambedkar</strong> </a>on 14<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim of the four day festival is to vaccinate as many people as possible for the priority groups and zero wastage of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> vaccine.</li>
<li><strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> was an <strong>Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra</strong>. He is also known as <strong>Jyotiba Phule</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" width="460" height="376" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Brief Profile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Phule was born on <strong>11<sup>th</sup> April, 1827</strong> in present-day Maharashtra and <strong>belonged to the Mali caste of gardeners and vegetable farmers</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong> In 1841, Phule was enrolled at the <strong>Scottish Missionary High School (Pune),</strong> where he completed education.</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong> His Ideology was based on:<strong> Liberty; Egalitarianism; Socialism</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Phule was <strong>influenced by Thomas Paine&rsquo;s book titled The Rights of Man</strong> and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the <strong>enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Publications:</strong> Tritiya Ratna (1855); Powada: Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha (1869); Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkarayacha Aasud (1881).</li>
<li><strong>Related Association:</strong> Phule along with his followers formed <strong>Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873</strong>&nbsp;which meant &lsquo;Seekers of Truth&rsquo; in order to attain equal social and economic benefits for the lower castes in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Municipal Council Member:</strong> He was appointed commissioner to the Poona municipality and served in the position until 1883.</li>
<li><strong>Title of Mahatma:</strong> He was bestowed with the title of Mahatma on 11<sup>th</sup> May, 1888 <strong>by a Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Reformer:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1848, he taught his wife (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/savitri-bai-phule" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Savitribai</strong></a>) how to read and write, after which the couple <strong>opened the first indigenously run school for girls</strong> in Pune where they both taught.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was <strong>a believer in gender equality</strong> and he exemplified his beliefs by involving his wife in all his social reform activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By 1852, the <strong>Phules had established three schools</strong> but all of them had shut by 1858 due to the shortage of funds after the Revolt of 1857.</li>
<li>Jyotiba realised the pathetic conditions of widows and established an ashram for young widows and eventually became an advocate of the idea of <strong>Widow Remarriage</strong>.</li>
<li>Jyotirao <strong>attacked the orthodox Brahmins and other upper castes</strong> and termed them as "hypocrites".</li>
<li>In 1868, Jyotirao <strong>constructed a common bathing tank</strong> outside his house to exhibit his embracing attitude towards all human beings and wished to dine with everyone, regardless of their caste.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He started awareness campaigns that ultimately inspired the likes of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mahatma-gandhi-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi</strong></a>, stalwarts who undertook major initiatives against caste discrimination later.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed by many that <strong>it was Phule who first used the term &lsquo;Dalit&rsquo; for the depiction of oppressed masses</strong> often placed outside the &lsquo;varna system&rsquo;.</li>
<li>He <strong>worked for abolishment of untouchability and caste system</strong> in Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> 28<sup>th</sup> November, 1890. His memorial is built in Phule Wada, Pune, Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://PIB" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'B R Ambedkar: 130th Birth Anniversary',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The nation celebrated the <strong>130<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">B R Ambedkar</a> on</strong> 14<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dr. Ambedkar was a <strong>social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot</strong> (knowing or using several languages) orator, a <strong>scholar</strong> and <strong>thinker of comparative religions.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618467599_Image%202.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618467599_Image 2.png" width="450" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in <strong>1891 in Mhow, Central Province</strong> (now Madhya Pradesh).</li>
<li><strong>Brief Profile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution and was <strong>India's first Law Minister.</strong></li>
<li>He was the <strong>Chairman of the Drafting Committee</strong> for the new Constitution.</li>
<li>He was a <strong>well-known statesman who fought for the rights of the Dalits</strong> and other socially backward classes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contributions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He led the <strong>Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 against Hindus</strong> who were opposing the decision of the Municipal Board.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>In 1926, Municipal Board</strong> of Mahad (Maharashtra) passed an order to throw open the tank to all communities. Earlier, the untouchables were not allowed to use water from the Mahad tank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>He participated in <strong>all three Round Table Conferences.</strong></li>
<li><strong>In 1932</strong>, Dr. Ambedkar signed the <strong>Poona pact with Mahatma Gandhi</strong>, which abandoned the idea of separate electorates <strong>for the depressed classes</strong> (Communal Award). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from <strong>71 to 147 in provincial legislatures</strong> and to <strong>18% of the total in the Central Legislature.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>His ideas before the <strong>Hilton Young Commission served</strong> as the foundation of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Election and Designation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 1936</strong>, he was elected to the <strong>Bombay Legislative Assembly</strong> as a legislator (MLA).</li>
<li>He <strong>was appointed</strong> to the <strong>Executive Council of Viceroy</strong> as a Labour member <strong>in 1942.</strong></li>
<li><strong>In 1947</strong>, Dr. Ambedkar accepted <strong>PM Nehru's invitation to become Minister of Law</strong> in the first Cabinet of independent India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shift to Buddhism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>He resigned</strong> from the cabinet in <strong>1951</strong>, over differences on the <strong>Hindu Code Bill.</strong></li>
<li>He <strong>converted to Buddhism</strong>. He <strong>passed away on 6<sup>th</sup> December 1956 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/64th-mahaparinirvan-diwas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(Mahaparinirvan Diwas).</a></strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Chaitya Bhoomi</strong> is a memorial to B R Ambedkar, located in Mumbai.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>He was awarded India&rsquo;s highest civilian honour the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-28th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharat Ratna</strong></a> in 1990.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Works:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Journals:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mooknayak (1920)</li>
<li>Bahishkrit Bharat (1927)</li>
<li>Samatha (1929)</li>
<li>Janata (1930)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Books:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Annihilation of Caste</li>
<li>Buddha or Karl Marx</li>
<li>The Untouchable: Who are They and Why They Have Become Untouchables</li>
<li>Buddha and His Dhamma</li>
<li>The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Organisations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923)</li>
<li>Independent Labor Party (1936)</li>
<li>Scheduled Castes Federation (1942)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Relevance of Ambedkar in Present Times:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Caste-based inequality in India still persists. While Dalits have acquired a political identity through <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reservation</strong></a> and forming their own political parties, they lack behind in social dimensions (health and education) and economic dimension.</li>
<li>There has been a rise of communal polarization and communalization of politics. It is necessary that Ambedkar's vision of constitutional morality must supersede religious morality to avoid permanent damage to the Indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Round Table Conferences</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>First Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on 12th November, 1930 but the Congress did not participate in it.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In March 1931, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin (Viceroy of India 1926-31) entered into a Pact, called <strong>Gandhi-Irwin Pact</strong>, by which the Congress called off the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the 7<sup>th</sup> of September, 1931.</li>
<li><strong>Third Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the 17<sup>th</sup> of November, 1932 to consider the reports of various sub-committees appointed from time to time. It ultimately led to the passage of <strong>Govt. of India Act, 1935.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Congress did not participate</strong> as most of the leaders were in jail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/b-r-ambedkar-130th-birth-anniversary-7272609/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/b-r-ambedkar-130th-birth-anniversary'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1): Farthest Gamma-Ray Emitting Galaxy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Astronomers have discovered a <strong>new active galaxy</strong> called <strong>Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1)</strong> which has been identified as the <strong>farthest gamma-ray emitting galaxy.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Scientists from <strong>Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES)</strong> in collaboration with researchers from other institutions, studied around 25,000 luminous <strong>Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)</strong> from the <strong>Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>AGN</strong> are the most <strong>powerful, long-lived objects and steady sources of luminosity in the Universe.</strong> The emission is spread widely across the <strong>electromagnetic spectrum</strong>, often peaking in the Ultra-Violet , but with significant luminosity in the x-ray and infrared bands.</li>
<li><strong>SDSS</strong> is a major <strong>multi-spectral imaging and spectroscopic <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/einstein-was-right:-astronomers-confirm-key-theory-of-relativity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">redshift</a></strong> <strong>survey</strong> using a dedicated 2.5-m wide-angle optical telescope at Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, United States. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has created the <strong>most detailed three-dimensional maps of the Universe</strong> ever made, with deep multi-color images of one third of the sky, and spectra for more than three million astronomical objects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They found <strong>a unique object that emits high-energy gamma rays</strong> located at a <strong>high redshift (more than 1)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was identified as a <strong>gamma-ray emitting NLS1 galaxy</strong>, which is a rare entity in space.</li>
<li>The new gamma-ray emitting NLS1 was <strong>formed when the Universe was only about 4.7 billion years old</strong> as compared to its current age of about 13.8 billion years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Redshift</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>displacement of spectral lines towards longer wavelengths</strong> (the red end of the spectrum) in radiation from distant galaxies and celestial objects.</li>
<li>It <strong>reveals how an object is moving in space and enables astronomers to discover otherwise-invisible planets and the movements of galaxies</strong>, and to uncover the beginnings of our universe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Astronomers use redshifts <strong>to measure how the universe is expanding</strong>, and thus to <strong>determine the distance to our universe&rsquo;s most distant (and therefore oldest) objects.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measurement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The most accurate way to measure redshift is by using<strong> spectroscopy.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>When a beam of white light strikes a triangular prism it is separated into its various components <strong>(ROYGBIV)</strong>. This is known as a spectrum (plural: spectra).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Astronomers can look at the <strong>spectra created by different elements and compare these with the spectra of stars.</strong> If the absorption or emission lines they see in the star's spectra are shifted, they know the object is moving either towards us or away from us.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465198_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465198_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Astronomers calculate redshift in terms of the redshift parameter (z) which helps in calculating the distance of the object (galaxy,planet etc).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>With <strong>increasing value of z the distance of the object increases.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Instrument Used:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scientists used the Japanese <strong>8.2 m Subaru Telescope</strong> which is one of the <strong>largest ground-based telescopes in the world</strong>, located at Hawaii, USA.</li>
<li>Its powerful light collecting capability can capture weak light from celestial objects. A <strong>major feature</strong> of the Subaru Telescope is that its <strong>prime focus boasts an overwhelming wide field of view compared to other large telescopes</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Detection of gamma-ray emission from NLS1 <strong>challenges the idea of how relativistic jets</strong> are formed because <strong>NLS1s are a unique class of AGN</strong> that are powered by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-images-of-a-black-hole" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>black holes</strong> </a>of low mass and hosted in spiral galaxies. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Relativistic Jets:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Supermassive black holes in the centers of some active galaxies that create <strong>powerful jets of radiation and particles travelling close to the speed of light</strong> are called relativistic jets.</li>
<li>These jets are believed to be the <strong>sources of the fastest-travelling particles in the Universe that are cosmic rays.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>No method was present till date to find <strong>NLS1 at redshifts larger than one.</strong></li>
<li>This discovery <strong>opens up a new way to find gamma-ray emitting NLS1 galaxies</strong> in the early Universe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ARIES is one of the <strong>leading research Institutes</strong> which <strong>specializes in observational Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics and Atmospheric Sciences </strong>situated in<strong> Nainital,</strong> Uttarakhand.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1955</strong> and its primary objective has been <strong>to develop facilities for modern astrophysical research in stellar, solar &amp; theoretical branches of astrophysics.&nbsp;</strong>On some selected clear nights the visitors are also shown some celestial objects through the telescopes.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Galaxy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A galaxy is a <strong>huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, all held together by gravity.</strong></li>
<li>Earth is the part of the <strong>Milky Way Galaxy</strong>, which also has a super Massive Blackhole in the middle.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465463_image%201.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618465463_image 1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black Hole</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It refers to a point in space where the <strong>matter is so compressed as to create a gravity field from which even light cannot escape.</strong></li>
<li>The concept was <strong>theorized by Albert Einstein in 1915</strong> and the term &lsquo;black hole&rsquo; was coined in the mid-1960s by American physicist John Archibald Wheeler.</li>
<li>All the black holes observed so far belong to <strong>two categories:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One category ranges between a few solar masses and tens of solar masses. These are thought to form when massive stars die.</li>
<li>The other category is of <strong>supermassive black holes.</strong> These range from hundreds of thousands to billions of times that of the sun from the Solar system to which Earth belongs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Gamma Ray Astronomy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the study of astronomical objects and <strong>phenomena that emit gamma rays.</strong> Gamma-ray telescopes are designed to <strong>observe high-energy astrophysical systems.</strong></li>
<li>As Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere blocks most gamma rays, <strong>observations are generally conducted by high-altitude balloons or spacecraft.</strong></li>
<li>Gamma-ray astronomy presents unique <strong>opportunities to explore exotic objects.</strong> By exploring the universe at these high energies, <strong>scientists can search for new physics, testing theories and performing experiments which are not possible in earth-bound laboratories.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711362" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/narrow-line-seyfert-1-nls1-farthest-gamma-ray-emitting-galaxy'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'India & BIMSTEC',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/bimstec-needs-to-reinvent-itself/article34313033.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;BIMSTEC needs to reinvent itself&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 14/04/2021. It talks about the obstacles that limit the BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) in realizing its full potential.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the foreign ministers of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)</strong> </a>met in a virtual conference. This is the first ministerial since the globe has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
<p>BIMSTEC as a regional organization has achieved a lot in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and security, including counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and coastal security cooperation.</p>
<p>However, there are many obstacles that limit the regional body in realizing its full potential.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Highlights of the Meeting</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The foreign ministers cleared the draft for the BIMSTEC charter, recommending its early adoption.</li>
<li>They endorsed the rationalization of sectors and sub-sectors of activity, with each member-state serving as a lead for the assigned areas of special interest.</li>
<li>The ministers also conveyed their support for the Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, which will be adopted at the next summit in Sri Lanka.</li>
<li>Preparations have been completed for the signing of three agreements relating to mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, cooperation between diplomatic academies, and the establishment of a technology transfer facility.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Evolution of BIMSTEC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BIMSTEC was established as a grouping of four nations &mdash; India, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka &mdash; through the<strong> Bangkok Declaration of 1997.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>BIMSTEC was expanded later to include three more countries &mdash; Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Initially, BIMSTEC didn&rsquo;t hold much geopolitical weight. This can be reflected by only just three summits in the first 20 years of its formation.</li>
<li>However, BIMSTEC suddenly received special attention as India chose to treat it as a more practical instrument for regional cooperation, as SAARC continues to remain defunct.</li>
<li>The BIMSTEC Leaders&rsquo; Retreat, followed by their Outreach Summit with the BRICS leaders in Goa in October 2016, drew considerable international limelight to the low-profile regional grouping.</li>
<li>At the second swearing-in of the Indian Prime Minister in May 2019, the leaders of BIMSTEC, not SAARC, were invited as honored guests.</li>
<li>Soon thereafter, the External Affairs Minister observed that India saw a mix of &ldquo;energy, mindset and possibility&rdquo; in BIMSTEC.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unfinished Economic Agenda:</strong> BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Framework Agreement, was signed in 2004, but over 20 rounds of negotiations it is still to be operationalized.</li>
<li><strong>Internal Tussle:</strong> A strong BIMSTEC presupposes cordial and tension-free bilateral relations among all its member-states. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has not been the case, given the trajectory of India-Nepal, India-Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh-Myanmar ties in recent years.</li>
<li>Moreover, both Nepal and Sri Lanka want the SAARC summit revived. However, India maintains that terror and talks can&rsquo;t go hand in hand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Intrusion:</strong> China&rsquo;s decisive intrusion in the South-Southeast Asian space is causing a limiting effect on India&rsquo;s zone of influence.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, a renowned Bangladeshi scholar argued at a recent conference that BIMSTEC would make progress if China is accepted as its principal interlocutor and partner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Myanmar Coup:</strong> The military coup in Myanmar, brutal crackdown of protesters, and continuation of popular resistance resulting in a protracted impasse have produced a new set of border management challenges for India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>BIMSTEC FTA:</strong> In 2018, a study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry had suggested that BIMSTEC urgently needed a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to be a real game-changer.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It should cover trade in goods, services, and investment; promote regulatory harmonization; adopt policies that develop regional value chains, and eliminate non-tariff barriers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Balancing Security &amp; Economy:</strong> India has led through constant focus and follow-up &mdash; to the extent that some member-states have complained about the &lsquo;over securitization of BIMSTEC. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hence, there is a need to ensure maintaining security and forging solid arrangements for economic cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gujral Doctrine:</strong> India would have to counter the impression that BIMSTEC is an India-dominated bloc, in that context India can follow the Gujral doctrine that intends to chalk out the effect of transactional motive in bilateral relations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>As BIMSTEC readies itself to celebrate the silver jubilee of its formation next year, it faces a serious challenge: to effect &ldquo;a paradigm shift in raising the level of our cooperation and regional integration.&rdquo;</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f0f7fc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>BIMSTEC needs a paradigm shift in raising the level of cooperation and regional integration. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-bimstec-1'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, an apex body of Naga tribes, <strong>Naga Hoho</strong> has cautioned the Nagaland Government with respect to preparation of the <strong>Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN)</strong>, seen as a variant of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-national-register-of-citizens-nrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Assam&rsquo;s National Register of Citizens.</strong></a></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618400014_Image%201.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618400014_Image 1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The State government had formed a <strong>three-member Committee</strong> in 2019 for <strong>studying, examining, and recommending the implementation of RIIN.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Functions of RIIN Committee was to determine:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The eligibility criteria to be an indigenous inhabitant.</li>
<li>Authority to authenticate claims of being indigenous.</li>
<li>Place of registration as indigenous inhabitant.</li>
<li>The basis of claims of being indigenous.</li>
<li>The nature of documents that will be acceptable as proof of being indigenous.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the <strong>exercise was suspended following protests</strong> from community-based and extremist organisations.</li>
<li>Since then the Nagaland government has been trying to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/register-of-indigenous-inhabitants-of-nagaland-riin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>revive the RIIN exercise that was launched in July 2019</strong></a> with the objective of <strong>preventing outsiders from obtaining fake indigenous certificates</strong> for seeking jobs and benefits of government schemes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The RIIN will be <strong>prepared after an extensive survey with the help of a village-wise and ward-wise list of indigenous inhabitants based on official records.</strong> Also, It will be prepared under the supervision of each district administration.</li>
<li><strong>No fresh indigenous inhabitant certificate will be issued after the RIIN is completed</strong> except for children born to the State&rsquo;s indigenous inhabitants who will be issued indigenous certificates along with birth certificates. The RIIN database will be updated accordingly.</li>
<li>The RIIN will also be <strong>integrated with the online system for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/petition-for-protection-of-non-nagas-in-dimapur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inner-Line Permit</a></strong>, a temporary document non-inhabitants are required to possess for entry into and travel in Nagaland.</li>
<li>The entire exercise will be <strong>monitored by the Commissioner of Nagaland.</strong> In addition, the state government will designate nodal officers of the rank of a Secretary to the state government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naga&rsquo;s Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Exclusion of Nagas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If RIIN implemented the identification process with<strong> 1<sup>st</sup> December, 1963</strong> (the day Nagaland attained statehood) as the cut-off date for determining the permanent residents of the State, it is likely to <strong>exclude Nagas who have come from beyond the boundaries of Nagaland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Loss of Property:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Naga tribes living in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh in India and in Myanmar have a legitimate claim to their <strong>ancestral homeland.</strong></li>
<li>There are thousands of Nagas who have bought lands, built houses and settled down in Nagaland for several decades.</li>
<li>In the absence of records such as land pattas, house taxes paid or enrolment in electoral rolls prior to <strong>1<sup>st</sup> December, 1963</strong> many procedural anomalies will crop up even within the so-called pure Nagas of Nagaland.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Can Be treated as Illegal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The non-indigenous Nagas could be treated as &ldquo;illegal immigrants&rdquo; and their lands and property confiscated. <strong>The idea of the Nagas as a people to live together and their aspiration to live with self-determination will be irreparably damaged.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nagas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nagas are a <strong>hill people who are estimated to number about 2. 5 million (1.8 million in Nagaland</strong>, 0.6 million in Manipur and 0.1 million in Arunachal states) and living in the remote and mountainous country between the Indian state of Assam and Burma.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are also Naga groups in Myanmar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Nagas are not a single tribe, but an <strong>ethnic community that comprises several tribes</strong> who live in the state of Nagaland and its neighbourhood.</li>
<li>Nagas belong to the <strong>Indo-Mongoloid Family.</strong></li>
<li>There are <strong>nineteen major Naga tribes</strong>, namely, Aos, Angamis, Changs, Chakesang, Kabuis, Kacharis, Khain-Mangas, Konyaks, Kukis, Lothas (Lothas), Maos, Mikirs, Phoms, Rengmas, Sangtams, Semas, Tankhuls, Yamchumgar and Zeeliang.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In an already volatile region where the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/afspa-extended-in-nagaland#:~:text=AFSPA%20gives%20armed%20forces%20the,in%20contravention%20of%20the%20law." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958</strong></a> is routinely extended, it is <strong>best that Nagaland proceeds with caution in this enterprise.</strong> The <strong>RIIN should not ultimately become a vehicle to make outsiders of insiders.</strong></li>
<li>The NRC experiment in Assam witnessed extremely divisive political posturing. Other Northeastern states are sure to be watching with keen interest what is unfolding in Assam and Nagaland. <strong>Emotive political issues cannot be allowed to drive the compiling of a registry of citizens.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/tribal-body-flags-concerns-over-nagalands-version-of-nrc/article34314341.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/register-of-indigenous-inhabitants-of-nagaland-1'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Decriminalising Begging',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Supreme Court has asked the Centre and four States to file their response on a plea seeking a direction to<strong> repeal the provisions <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/decriminalising-beggary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminalising begging.</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been argued in the plea that a person, who is compelled to beg due to certain circumstances,<strong> cannot be faulted for his actions.</strong></li>
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposed-amendment-to-railways-act-1989" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Railways has also proposed to decriminalise begging</strong></a> on trains or railway premises.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Plea&rsquo;s Argument For Decriminalising Begging:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Earlier Judgment On Decriminalisation:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delhi-high-court-decriminalises-beggary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Delhi High Court which had decriminalised begging</strong></a> in the national capital said provisions of the <strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959,</strong> which<strong> treats begging as an offence cannot sustain constitutional scrutiny.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Criminalising Begging Against Right To Life:</strong> The provisions of the statutes criminalising the act of begging put people in a situation to make an <strong>unreasonable choice between committing a crime or not committing one and starving,</strong> which goes against the very spirit of the Constitution and violates <strong>Article 21 i.e. Right to Life.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Government&rsquo;s Obligation To Provide Social Security:</strong> The government is mandated to provide <strong>social security to everyone and ensure that all had basic facilities,</strong> as embedded in the <strong>Directives Principles of State Policy (DPSP)</strong> in the Constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The presence of beggars is evidence that the state has failed to provide basic facilities to all its citizens.</li>
<li>So instead of working on its failure and examining what made people beg, <strong>criminalising the act of beggary is irrational and against the approach of a socialist nation</strong> as embedded in the preamble of Indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plea&rsquo;s Suggestion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fast Forward Beggars Rehabilitation Legislation:</strong> The plea has claimed that the <strong>Abolition of Begging and Rehabilitation of Beggars Bill 2018</strong> had been introduced in the Lok Sabha but till now, this bill is not passed and is wedged in length parliamentary procedures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has resulted in <strong>thousands of poor facing more hardships because of present arbitrary statutes.</strong></li>
<li>The legislation process must be fast forwarded.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Declare Some Provision As Void :</strong> The petition has sought directions to declare as <strong>&ldquo;illegal and void&rdquo; all provisions,</strong> except some sections, of the <strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, Punjab Prevention of Beggary Act, 1971, Haryana Prevention of Begging Act, 1971</strong> and<strong> Bihar Prevention of Begging Act 1951.</strong></li>
<li>It has also sought to declare all other similar Acts prevailing in any part of the country as illegal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>no central Act on beggary,</strong> many states and Union Territories have used the Bombay Act as the basis for their own laws.</li>
<li>The<strong> Act defines a &ldquo;beggar&rdquo;</strong> as anyone having no visible means of subsistence, and wandering about or remaining in any public place in such condition or manner, as makes it likely that the person doing so exists by soliciting or receiving alms.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Begging&rdquo; under the Act includes soliciting or receiving alms in a public place, whether or not under any pretence of singing, dancing, fortune-telling, performing or offering any article for sale.</li>
<li>The<strong> Act gives the police the power to arrest individuals without a warrant.</strong> It gives magistrates the power to commit them to a detention centre for up to three years on the commission of the first &ldquo;offence&rdquo;, and up to 10 years upon the second &ldquo;offence&rdquo;. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Before that, it strips them of their privacy and dignity by compelling them to allow themselves to be fingerprinted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Act also authorises the detention of the family of the beggar,</strong> and the separation of children over the age of five.</li>
<li><strong>Certified institutions or detention centres have absolute power over detainees,</strong> including the power of punishment, and the power to exact &ldquo;manual work&rdquo;. Disobeying the rules of the institution can land an individual in jail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Number of Beggars In India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the <strong>Census 2011</strong> total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 (including 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females) and the number has increased from the last census.</li>
<li><strong>West Bengal tops the chart followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar</strong> at number two and three respectively. Lakshadweep merely has two vagrants according to the 2011 census.</li>
<li>Among the union territories, New Delhi had the largest number of beggars 2,187 followed by 121 in Chandigarh.</li>
<li>Among the northeastern states, Asam topped the chart with 22,116 beggars, while Mizoram ranked low with 53 beggars.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Centre made an attempt at repealing the Act through the <strong>Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016,</strong> with provisions including <strong>doing away with the Beggary Act and proposing rehabilitation centres</strong> for the destitute in each district.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Persons in Destitution Bill, 2016, needs to see the light of the day.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bihar government&rsquo;s <strong>Mukhyamantri Bhikshavriti Nivaran Yojana</strong> is a scheme worth emulation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme, instead of detaining persons under the Act, provides for open homes and community outreach for destitute persons.</li>
<li>Now, rehabilitation centres have been set up, with facilities for treatment, family reintegration and vocational training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The very real problem of<strong> organised begging rackets will have to be addressed</strong> by other means, perhaps based on the law of trafficking.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-asks-centre-four-states-to-respond-to-plea-to-decriminalise-begging/article34291189.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decriminalising-begging'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'e-SANTA',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently the Union Commerce and Industry Minister has inaugurated an <strong>electronic platform</strong> named <strong>e-SANTA</strong>, which will connect <strong>aqua farmers and the buyers.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term <strong>e-SANTA</strong> was coined for the web portal, meaning <strong>Electronic Solution for Augmenting NaCSA farmers' Trade in Aquaculture.</strong></li>
<li>e-SANTA is a <strong>digital bridge</strong> to end the market divide and will act as an alternative marketing tool between farmers &amp; buyers by eliminating middlemen.</li>
<li>The farmers can <strong>freely list their produce and quote their price</strong> while the exporters have the freedom to list their requirements and also to choose the products based on their requirements such as desired size, location, harvest dates etc.</li>
<li>The Platform is available in <strong>many languages</strong>, which will help the local population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>e-SANTA will <strong>RAISE</strong> income, lifestyle, self-reliance, quality levels, traceability, and provide new options for aqua farmers by: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reducing Risk</li>
<li>Awareness of Products &amp; Markets</li>
<li>Increase in Income</li>
<li>Shielding Against Wrong Practice</li>
<li>Ease of Processes</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will enable the farmers and buyers to have greater control over the trade and enables them to make informed decisions.</li>
<li>It will provide a cashless, contactless and paperless electronic trade platform between farmers and exporters.</li>
<li>e-SANTA can become a tool to advertise collectively the kind of products the buyers, fishermen &amp; fish producing organisations are harvesting.</li>
<li>It will help people in India &amp; internationally to know about the products availability and has the potential of becoming an auction platform in future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5th-aqua-aquaria-india-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)</strong></a>, Ministry of Commerce &amp; Industry Govt. of India.</li>
<li>The objectives of NaCSA are to <strong>encourage and uplift the small and marginal farmers</strong> through organization of clusters and maintaining Best Management Practices in shrimp culture.</li>
<li>The primary advantage of cluster approach to shrimp farming is that it contributes to substantial reduction in cost of production.</li>
<li>It also enables participating farmers to organize:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The schedule of farm operations,</li>
<li>Quality seed procurement,</li>
<li>Simultaneous stocking,</li>
<li>Water exchange</li>
<li>Harvesting regimes</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711426" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB </strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-santa'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'HGCO19: mRNA Vaccine Candidate',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India's <strong>mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate-HGCO19&nbsp;</strong>has received additional government funding for its clinical studies.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This funding has been awarded under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-covid-suraksha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>'Mission Covid Suraksha&rsquo;</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>HGCO19:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The novel <strong>mRNA vaccine candidate, HGCO19</strong> has been developed by <strong>Pune-based biotechnology company Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd.</strong> in collaboration with <strong>HDT Biotech Corporation, USA.</strong></li>
<li>HGCO19 has already demonstrated safety, immunogenicity, neutralization antibody activity in the rodent and non-human primate models.</li>
<li>Gennova has initiated the enrolment of volunteers for <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/drugs-and-clinical-trials-rules-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Phase 1/2 clinical trials</strong></a> for its vaccine candidate HGCO19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>mRNA Vaccine vs Traditional Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vaccines work by training the body to recognise and respond to the proteins produced by disease-causing organisms, such as a virus or bacteria.</li>
<li><strong>Traditional vaccines</strong> are made up of small or inactivated doses of the whole disease-causing organism, or the proteins that it produces, which are introduced into the body to provoke the immune system into mounting a response.</li>
<li><strong>mRNA vaccines</strong> tricks the body into producing some of the viral proteins itself.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They work by using mRNA, or messenger RNA, which is the molecule that essentially puts DNA instructions into action. Inside a cell, mRNA is used as a template to build a protein.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functioning of mRNA Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To produce a mRNA vaccine, scientists produce a synthetic version of the mRNA that a virus uses to build its infectious proteins.</li>
<li>This mRNA is delivered into the human body, whose cells read it as instructions to build that viral protein, and therefore create some of the virus&rsquo;s molecules themselves.</li>
<li>These proteins are solitary, so they do not assemble to form a virus.</li>
<li>The immune system then detects these viral proteins and starts to produce a defensive response to them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages of Using mRNA based Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>mRNA vaccines <strong>are considered safe</strong> as mRNA is non-infectious, non-integrating in nature, and degraded by standard cellular mechanisms.</li>
<li>They <strong>are</strong> <strong>highly efficacious</strong> because of their inherent capability of being translatable into the protein structure inside the cell cytoplasm.</li>
<li>Additionally, <strong>mRNA vaccines are fully synthetic</strong> and do not require a host for growth, e.g., eggs or bacteria. Therefore, they can be quickly manufactured inexpensively to ensure their "availability" and "accessibility" for mass vaccination on a sustainable basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mission Covid Suraksha</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mission Covid Suraksha is India&rsquo;s targeted effort to enable the development of indigenous, affordable and accessible vaccines for the country.</li>
<li>The Centre had announced this package during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-iii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>third economic stimulus.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Mission with its end-to-end focus from preclinical development through clinical development and manufacturing and regulatory facilitation for deployment consolidate all available and funded resources towards accelerated product development.</li>
<li>It is led by the Department of Biotechnology and implemented by a dedicated Mission Implementation Unit at <strong>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance</strong> <strong>Council (BIRAC).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>BIRAC</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/personal-protective-equipment-for-sanitation-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Section 8</strong></a>, Schedule B, <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sectors-of-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Public Sector Enterprise</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It has been set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711304#:~:text=of%20Science%20%26%20Technology-,Department%20of%20Biotechnology%20provides%20under%20Mission%20COVID%20Suraksha%20for%20Gennova,COVID%2019%20Vaccine%20candidate%20%E2%80%93HGCO19.&amp;text=II%20clinical%20trials.-,mRNA%20vaccines%20are%20considered%20safe%20as%20mRNA%20is%20non%2Dinfectious,degraded%20by%20standard%20cellular%20mechanisms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SOURCE: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hgco19-mrna-vaccine-candidate'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists, with support from the <strong>National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)</strong> Programme, have been able to disseminate available scientific information to the farmers to enable sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in the Leh region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NMSHE is one of the eight missions under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2010</strong> but was formally <strong>approved by the government in 2014.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>multi-pronged, cross-cutting mission</strong> across various sectors.</li>
<li>It <strong>contributes to the sustainable development of the country</strong> by enhancing the understanding of climate change, its likely impacts and adaptation actions required for the Himalayas- a region on which a significant proportion of India&rsquo;s population depends for sustenance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States Covered:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eleven states:</strong> Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Two Union Territories:</strong> Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>facilitate formulation of appropriate policy</strong> measures and time-bound action programmes to sustain ecological resilience and ensure the continued provisions of key <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/natural-capital-accounting-and-valuation-of-the-ecosystem-services-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ecosystem services</strong></a> in the Himalayas.</li>
<li>To <strong>evolve suitable management and policy measures</strong> for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem along with developing capacities at the national level to continuously assess its health status.</li>
<li>To <strong>address a variety of important issues</strong>, including studying the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-himalayas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Himalayan glaciers</strong></a> and <strong>associated hydrological consequences</strong> and prediction and management of natural hazards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Himalayas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are the <strong>highest and the youngest fold mountain ranges</strong> of the world.</li>
<li>Their geological structure is young, weak and flexible since the Himalayan uplift is an ongoing process, making them <strong>one of the highest earthquake-prone regions of the world.</strong></li>
<li>It separates India, along its north-central and northeastern frontier, from China (Tibet).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Area:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian part of Himalayas covers an area about <strong>5 lakh km<sup>2</sup> (about 16.2% of the country's total geographical area)</strong> and forms the northern boundary of the country.</li>
<li>The region is <strong>responsible for providing water to a large part of the Indian subcontinent.</strong> Many rivers considered holy like the Ganga and Yamuna flow from the Himalayas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ranges:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are a <strong>series of parallel mountain ranges</strong> extending along the North-West to the South-East direction (known as the Strike of the Himalayas). These ranges are separated by longitudinal valleys. They include,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Trans-Himalayas</li>
<li>The Greater Himalayas or Himadri</li>
<li>The Lesser Himalayas or Himachal</li>
<li>Shiwaliks or the Outer Himalayas</li>
<li>The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2008</strong> by the Prime Minister's Council on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)</strong> is the coordinating Ministry of NAPCC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Missions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC which represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image 1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National Solar Mission:</strong> This initiative started in 2010 to promote the use of solar power.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency:</strong> The initiative was undertaken in 2009 to promote the market for energy efficiency by fostering innovative policies and effective market instruments.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Sustainable Habitat:</strong> Approved in 2011, it aims to make cities sustainable through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, management of solid waste and shift to public transport.</li>
<li><strong>National Water Mission:</strong> The mission was put in place to ensure integrated water resource management helping to conserve water, minimize wastage and ensure more equitable distribution both across and within states.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem:</strong> It is aimed at protecting the Himalayas, it has mapped institutes and civil society organisations working on the Himalayan ecology for ease of coordination between governmental and non-governmental agencies.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for A Green India:</strong> It aims at protecting; restoring and enhancing India's diminishing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. It was started in 2014.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture:</strong> It has been formulated for enhancing agricultural productivity especially in rain-fed areas focusing on integrated farming, water use efficiency, soil health management and synergizing resource conservation. It was started in 2010.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change:</strong> It seeks to build a dynamic and vibrant knowledge system that informs and supports national policy and action for responding effectively to climate change challenges, while not compromising on the nation's growth goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711116#:~:text=NMSHE's%20ICAR%20Team%20awarded%20for%20agricultural%20information%20dissemination%20in%20Leh&amp;text=A%20team%20of%20scientists%20from,Today%2C%20a%20National%20Agriculture%20Magazine." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-on-sustaining-himalayan-ecosystem'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'India Energy Dashboards Version 2.0',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government think tank <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> has launched <strong>India Energy Dashboards (IED) Version 2.0.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NITI Aayog <strong>launched the Version 1.0 in May 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India Energy Dashboards (IED) is an endeavour <strong>to provide single-window access to the energy data for the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>an initial step towards building a comprehensive, open, and freely accessible energy data portal for India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Energy data published/provided by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prakash-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Central Electricity Authority</strong></a>, <strong>Coal Controller&rsquo;s Organisation, </strong>and<strong> Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas</strong> is compiled in the Dashboards.</li>
<li>The IED Provides<strong> time series data from FY 2005-06 until FY 2019-20.</strong></li>
<li>IED<strong> provides data at sub-yearly frequencies</strong> as well. This includes<strong> monthly data and API (Application Programming Interface) linked data</strong> from some portals maintained by the government agencies.</li>
<li>API linked data from<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saubhagya-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Saubhagya</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/6-yearsof-ujala-and-slnp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UJALA</strong></a>, <strong>PRAAPTI, and Vidyut PRAVAH</strong> has been incorporated in the dashboards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Saubhagya Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana &ndash;</strong> &lsquo;Saubhagya&rsquo; was launched in September, 2017 with a target to electrify all households by December 2018.</li>
<li>All the states had declared on Saubhagya portal that all the willing un-electrified households had been electrified as on 31<sup>st</sup> March 2019, except 18,734 households in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/left-wing-extremism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>LWE (left wing extremist)</strong> </a>affected areas of Chhattisgarh.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>UJALA Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All)</strong> is a <strong>zero-subsidy scheme</strong> launched by the Government in 2015.</li>
<li>It is touted as the <strong>world&rsquo;s largest domestic lighting project.</strong></li>
<li>Every domestic household having a metered connection from their respective Electricity Distribution Company is eligible to get the LED bulbs under the Scheme.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>PRAAPTI</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a web portal<strong> launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Power.</strong></li>
<li>&lsquo;PRAAPTI&rsquo; stands for Payment Ratification and Analysis in Power Procurement <strong>for bringing transparency in invoicing of generators.</strong></li>
<li>The power distribution companies are able to clear the invoices and reply to claims raised by the generators on this portal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Vidyut PRAVAH</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Mobile/Web App <strong>provides real-time information of current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available</strong> and the prices in Power Exchange.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1711204" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-energy-dashboards-version-2-0'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Data Protection Regime',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-the-personal-data-protection-bill-matters/article34296775.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about how the personal data protection bill, 2019 can help in establishing a strong data protection regime.</p>
</div>
<p>The pandemic has increased people&rsquo;s participation in the digital economy. Unfortunately, the number of personal data breaches from major digital service providers has increased worryingly in the same period.</p>
<p>The recent alleged data breach at MobiKwik could stand to be India&rsquo;s biggest breach with the data of 9.9 crore users at risk. Given the significance of data in this age, robust data protection regimes are necessary to prevent such events and protect users&rsquo; interests.</p>
<p>Presently, how different entities collect and process users&rsquo; personal data in India is mainly governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, but this data protection regime falls short of providing effective protection to users and their personal data.</p>
<p>However, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019</strong></a> (which is now under scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee) could play a big role in providing robust protections to users and their personal data.</p>
<h3>Associated Issues With IT Act</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issue of Consent:</strong> Data aggregator entities could override the protections in the regime by taking users&rsquo; consent to process personal data under broad terms and conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is problematic given that users might not understand the terms and conditions or the implications of giving consent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Neglecting Data Privacy:</strong> The frameworks under IT Act emphasize data security but do not place enough emphasis on data privacy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In essence, while entities must employ technical measures to protect personal data, they have weaker obligations to respect users&rsquo; preferences in how personal data can be processed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large Vacuum for Data Protection:</strong> The data protection provisions under the IT Act also do not apply to government agencies. This creates a large vacuum for data protection when governments are collecting and processing large amounts of personal data.</li>
<li><strong>Becoming Obsolete:</strong> IT Act was enacted in 2000 and further amended in 2008. However, technology and cross-platform integration have increased exponentially.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the current data protection regime seems to have become inadequate in addressing risks emerging from new developments in data processing technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 can help?</h3>
<p>The Bill seeks to bring a massive and meaningful change to personal data protection in India through this regime. The proposed regime under the Bill seeks to be different from the existing regime in some prominent ways.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defining the Roles:</strong> The Bill envisages codifying the relationship between individuals and firms/state institutions as one between &ldquo;data principals&rdquo; (whose information is collected) and &ldquo;data fiduciaries&rdquo; (those processing the data) so that privacy is safeguarded by design.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the Bill seeks to apply the data protection regime to both government and private entities across all sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring Data Privacy:</strong> The Bill seeks to emphasize that data principals will have to maintain security safeguards to protect personal data and also have to fulfill a set of data protection obligations and transparency and accountability measures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In nutshell, the provides scrutiny on these entities govern and process personal data to uphold users&rsquo; privacy and interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for a more robust data protection legislation came to the fore in 2017 post the Supreme Court&rsquo;s landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) v. Union of India established the right to privacy as a fundamental right.</li>
<li>In the judgment, the Court called for a data protection law that can effectively protect users&rsquo; privacy over their personal data.</li>
<li>Consequently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology formed a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd) B.N. Srikrishna to suggest a draft data protection law.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rights of the Citizens:</strong> The Bill seeks to give users a set of rights over their personal data and means to exercise those rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a user will be able to obtain information about the different kinds of personal data that an entity has about them and how the entity is processing that data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishing a Regulator:</strong> The Bill seeks to create an independent and powerful regulator known as the Data Protection Authority (DPA). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The DPA will monitor and regulate data processing activities to ensure their compliance with the regime.</li>
<li>More importantly, the DPA will give users a channel to seek redress when entities do not comply with their obligations under the regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With The Bill</h3>
<p>Several provisions in the Bill create cause for concern about the regime&rsquo;s effectiveness. These provisions could contradict the objectives of the Bill by giving wide exemptions to government agencies and diluting user protection safeguards.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scope for Loopholes:</strong> For instance, under clause 35, the Central government can exempt any government agency from complying with the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government agencies will then be able to process personal data without following any safeguard under the Bill.</li>
<li>This could create severe privacy risks for users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Compromised Concept of Consent:</strong> Similarly, users could find it difficult to enforce various user protection safeguards (such as rights and remedies) in the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Bill threatens legal consequences for users who withdraw their consent for a data processing activity.</li>
<li>In practice, this could discourage users from withdrawing consent for processing activities they want to opt-out of.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sweeping Mandate of DPA:</strong> DPA will be tasked with regulating the provisions of the bill to frame regulations on issues such as mechanisms for taking consent, limitations on the use of data, and cross-border transfer of data. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The supervisory mandate of the DPA is sweeping, given the fact that it has to regulate a wide array of preventive obligations, such as security safeguards and transparency requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime.</p>
<p>The Joint Parliamentary Committee that is scrutinizing the Bill, is expected to submit its final report in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in 2021. This interim period shall be utilized to make some changes in the Bill targeted towards addressing various concerns in it could make a stronger and more effective data protection regime.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-protection-regime'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Economic Recovery for India',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aud04jc57JM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong> </a>upgraded its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FY 2021-22 growth projection for India to 12.5%</strong></a> from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>11.5% estimated in January.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has also cautioned that the forecast hasn&rsquo;t factored in the severe downside risks arising from the country&rsquo;s ongoing second wave of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>World Economic Outlook Report:</strong> The IMF releases this report usually <strong>twice a year </strong>and it <strong>analyzes and predicts global economic developments</strong> during the near and medium term.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some high frequency economic indicators in the report are showing robust signs of economic growth of India while the others are bringing out implicit risks to growth from the second wave of the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth:</strong> As per the report findings, Indian economy is expected to grow by 12.5% in 2021 and 6.9% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Growth rate for India in 2021 is stronger than that of China.</strong></li>
<li>The 1% increase in India&rsquo;s economic growth rate forecast came in the background of encouraging signs from some high-frequency indicators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Economic Growth:</strong> The IMF predicted stronger recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth projected to be 6% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, the global economy contracted by 3.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advanced Economies:</strong> The<strong> USA and Spain</strong> are the only two advanced economies that are expected to have an<strong> economic growth projected above 6%</strong> for FY 2021-22.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USA had been able to retain its economy <strong>due to its economy-centered approach amid the pandemic.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The strong fiscal support the government had given to their citizens was also helpful.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Emerging Economies:</strong> The developing countries have not been able to perform as good because the pandemic has affected the labour intensive jobs (prevalent in developing countries) more than the capital intensive jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No developing country other than India has a growth rate projected in double digit figures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Export-Oriented Economies:</strong> The european countries had a huge demographic crisis therefore the consumption rate was very low.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In countries like Germany, which is an export-oriented economy, when the pandemic hit, their economy due to lockdowns and import/export restrictions was affected severely.</li>
<li>Export oriented economies which were exporting primary products have also suffered a lot.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Factors that Increased the Growth Projection:</strong> For India, a good run in the agriculture sector plus no stagnation in the railways, freight revenue, power sectors have led to an increased 1% projection.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the <strong>GST collection for FY 2020-21 was record high</strong> at the value of ₹1.24 lac crore (₹1.24 trillion).</li>
<li>The <strong>exports figures have also seen a huge jump</strong> standing at 31 billion dollar.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a huge increment for the exports which have witnessed a decline for 7 months.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Ozone concentration levels, power consumption or labour participation rates have so far remained resilient</strong> to the decline in growth.</li>
<li><strong>Hindrance in Growth due to Pandemic:</strong> The economic growth rate of India (and other countries) is contingent on the rise in covid infection rate and consequent lockdown.</li>
<li>Undoubtedly the growth will be there but the covid is a potential barrier in this growth; the possible challenges posed by Covid 19 cannot be undermined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sectors Obstructing the Growth:</strong> The report also shows some warning signals that could hinder the economic growth of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These indicators include <strong>decline in the retail sector.</strong></li>
<li>Sectors related to<strong> hospitality and transportation are also hit</strong> badly which roughly account for 6% of overall GDP.</li>
<li>In vehicle registration, around 60,000 vehicles were registered on a daily basis in the months of feb-march 2021 which has now come down to 55,000 on a daily basis.</li>
<li>The growth recovery is obvious to be impacted by the rapidly increasing covid-19 disease due to the consequent partial and complete lockdowns and curfews.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nomura Index Business Resumption Index</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/growth-in-manufacturing-pmi-and-nibri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nomura India Business Assumption Index (NIBRI)</strong></a> is the Japanese brokerage&rsquo;s weekly tracker of the pace of normalisation of economic activity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It captures and tracks demand indicators such as the demand for power, labour force participation etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The index reached 99 points in February, 2021 but slipped down to 90 in the month of April which indicates a slowdown in the economic recovery.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The reason for the slowdown is mainly the second wave of covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Government Policies:</strong> India has handled the covid-19 situation better than many of the countries with its step by step approach of tackling the situation introducing various economic reforms, the vaccination drive etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vaccination and Covid-Appropriate Behaviour: <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-and-the-vaccination-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s vaccination programme</a></strong> is also going on, it is vaccinating nearly 3-4 million people on a daily basis but that is not enough. The need is to build up more capacity and vaccinate more and more people at a faster rate.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even after vaccination, no leniency shall be there in following the basic covid appropriate behaviour of wearing a mask, performing social distancing and following hygiene protocols.</li>
<li>Only healthy citizens can utilise up to their full potential and contribute to the overall growth of a country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investment-Centered Approach:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restructuring-of-indian-statistical-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NSO</a> has given the investment rate in the economy for FY 2020-21 at only 31% of GDP which is a very low rate of investment for any economy as large as India, therefore investment is the right way forward.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The FY 2021-22 should be the year of beefing up, strengthening and stepping up the pace of investment in infrastructure and many other projects where India is in the deficit stage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reforming the Vaccine Criteria:</strong> The criteria of vaccinating only those people above the age of 45 shall be done away with specially in the covid hotspot areas like Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The working class people in such cities who commute on a daily basis shall be vaccinated at a faster rate and regardless of age.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Managing the Elevated Inflation Levels:</strong> India is at the risk of inflation, it is at an elevated level which is why the RBI has been conservative; it has projected the growth rate at 10.5% only.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has to walk on a very fine line balancing the growth imperatives and inflation concerns.</li>
<li>The RBI has also adopted a policy to support economic growth. It has increased the limit of ways and means advances to the states and has allowed them to borrow more amounts from the RBI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government Policies:</strong> The growth projection also depends upon policies adopted by the government, specially the fiscal policy and monetary policies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far India has proved to adopt such policies more wisely as compared to other countries.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India implemented massive economic reforms in the year 2020 when the pandemic was at its peak.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, India has freed up a lot of sectors from the over regulation by the government interference which will be fruitful in better and faster economic growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India as the fifth largest economy in the world has to focus on growth recovery that is more sustainable and by just drawing satisfaction from just the growth numbers would not do much.</li>
<li>India is slowly but surely on the path to economic recovery and investment is the way to sustain this growth momentum.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-economic-recovery-for-india'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Danube Sturgeon',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a report released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wildlife Fund (WWF)</strong></a>, illegal sale of <strong>Danube Sturgeon,</strong> one of the <strong>most endangered species</strong> in the world, is rampant in the lower Danube (River) region, especially in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Danube is the <strong>second longest river in Europe after the Volga.</strong> It <strong>rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany</strong> and flows for some 2,850 km to its mouth on the <strong>Black Sea.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sturgeons have<strong> existed since the time of dinosaurs,</strong> for about <strong>200 million years.</strong> Some of the species can grow up to <strong>eight metre in length and live more than a century.</strong></li>
<li>They are called <strong>&lsquo;living fossils&rsquo;</strong> because their appearance has altered very little over the years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Living Fossil</strong> is an organism that has<strong> remained unchanged from earlier geologic times</strong> and whose close relatives are usually extinct.</li>
<li>Other than Sturgeons, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-horseshoe-crab-day#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20marine%20chelicerate,at%20summer%20spring%20high%20tides." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Horseshoe crab</strong></a> and ginkgo trees are examples of living fossils.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because the sturgeons live for so many years, mature late and spawn with long intervals, they take a long time to recover from environmental and human pressures, according to WWF. This makes them <strong>great indicators for the health of the river and other ecological parameters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> 27 species of sturgeons</strong> and paddlefishes distributed across the Northern hemisphere. While<strong> some species inhabit only freshwater,</strong> most species are anadromous, spawning in freshwater but spending much of their life history in marine or brackish environments.</li>
<li>Danube sturgeons live mostly in the<strong> Black Sea,</strong> migrating up the Danube and other major rivers to spawn.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Over-exploitation and poaching</strong> (exacerbated by poor fishery management and insufficient legal enforcement of fishing bans).</li>
<li><strong>Blocked migration routes</strong> through dams.</li>
<li>Loss or <strong>degradation of habitats.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pollution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red list</a>:</strong> There are <strong>6 species of sturgeon in the Danube River.</strong> Five of them are now listed as <strong>critically endangered. </strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a>: Appendix-II.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Wildlife Fund for Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the<strong> world&rsquo;s leading conservation organization</strong> and works in more than 100 countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>established in 1961</strong> and is <strong>headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To conserve nature</strong> and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Initiatives of WWF:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/awards-for-tiger-conservation?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=d6b52011b8e898ebbdb4fa95850598f693c98eb1-1616832863-0-AUKkX3Cc_GogaMaU3GnU4usqYTZ5TIZWeNa5nlvFIxQvl0gZjMbLxphNM8jKEPJs4lDXchERs0IyiGUWB5Ti5i5S772OyszFvd9oNqn_HC4VuWxtUYn-sDBqOfU-ul5qQHFLqEEjKzZg-o0IQl3cqGwtPqhR9zRYDxWZpiQ1wEa4Tfs5hfmtuerV0J7UfeZ8GJjt_7TUdYek8xE__pe3Na6UITOOJSM_R0chAjF6dg1OiiPw1M0rhytWqXGJtgGpj6ivB9HCEc4SGofXLqPHzgmuDyTw41b7Ui-9HKXt0KE2G-K3CChAePnTWbcLDdQvP795gB72lEVVwsu3SfSnMvNk57_5QB5sGi3mTzXWTFokK9Grh2dBJaWZAPOErPPT-FqRv1mi1t7T3fvuf_gNniY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TX2 Goal</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Living Planet Report</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/earth-hour-1#:~:text=Earth%20Hour%20is%20the%20World,as%20per%20their%20local%20time." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earth Hour</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Black Sea</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="288" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Black Sea is an<strong> inland sea</strong> located between far-southeastern Europe and the far-western edges of the continent of Asia and the country of Turkey.</li>
<li>It <strong>connects to the Mediterranean Sea first through the Bosporus Strait,</strong> then <strong>through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles Strait,</strong> then south through the <strong>Aegean Sea</strong> and the <strong>Sea of Crete.</strong></li>
<li>The Black Sea is<strong> also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bordering Countries:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/sturgeon-poaching-for-meat-caviar-rampant-in-lower-danube-wwf-report-76431#:~:text=Illegal%20sale%20of%20sturgeon%2C%20one,which%20is%20considered%20a%20delicacy." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/danube-sturgeon'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK)</strong> saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian lines, <strong>23 years after a peace deal largely ended Northern Ireland's troubles.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="500" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geographically,</strong> Northern Ireland is part of Ireland. <strong>Politically,</strong> it&rsquo;s part of the UK.</li>
<li>Ireland, long dominated by the UK, broke free about 100 years ago after centuries of <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-world-history/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%2C%20as%20said%20earlier%2C%20denotes,its%20influence%20beyond%20its%20borders." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>colonisation</strong></a> and an uneasy union. 26 of its 32 counties became an independent, Roman Catholic-majority country. <strong>6 counties in the north, which have a Protestant majority, stayed British.</strong></li>
<li>Northern Ireland&rsquo;s <strong>Catholic minority experienced discrimination</strong> in the <strong>Protestant-run state.</strong></li>
<li>In the <strong>1960s, a Catholic civil rights movement demanded change,</strong> but faced a harsh response from the government and police.</li>
<li>The<strong> British Army was deployed in 1969,</strong> initially to keep the peace. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The situation deteriorated into a conflict between Irish republican militants who wanted to unite with the south, loyalist paramilitaries who sought to keep Northern Ireland British, and UK troops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>During three decades of conflict, <strong>more than 3,600 people, a majority of them civilians, were killed</strong> in bombings and shootings. Most were in Northern Ireland, though the Irish Republican Army also set off bombs in London and other British cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ending the Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By the <strong>1990s,</strong> after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a <strong>peace deal.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> 1998 Good Friday accord</strong> saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a <strong>Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government</strong> for Northern Ireland.</li>
<li>The question of Northern Ireland&rsquo;s ultimate status was deferred:<strong> it would remain British as long as that was the majority&rsquo;s wish,</strong> but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out.</li>
<li>While the peace has largely endured, small <strong>Irish Republican Army splinter groups have mounted occasional attacks on security forces,</strong> and there have been outbreaks of sectarian street violence.</li>
<li>The power-sharing arrangement has had periods of success and failure and still the government is not trusted by both the sides.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Problem Child of Brexit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Northern Ireland has been called the <strong>&ldquo;problem child&rdquo; of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brexit</a>, the UK&rsquo;s divorce from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU).</a></strong></li>
<li>As the <strong>only part of the UK that has a border with an EU nation,</strong> Ireland, it was the trickiest issue to resolve after Britain voted narrowly in 2016 to leave the 27-nation bloc.</li>
<li>An open Irish border, over which people and goods flow freely, underpins the peace process, allowing people in Northern Ireland to feel at home in both Ireland and the UK.</li>
<li>The <strong>insistence of Britain&rsquo;s government on a &ldquo;hard Brexit&rdquo;</strong> that took the country out of the EU&rsquo;s economic order meant the creation of new barriers and checks on trade.</li>
<li>Both Britain and the EU agreed that the<strong> border could not be in Ireland</strong> because of the risk that would pose to the peace process. The alternative was to put it, metaphorically, in<strong> the Irish Sea</strong> between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.</li>
<li>That arrangement has alarmed <strong>British unionists, who say it weakens Northern Ireland&rsquo;s place in the UK</strong> and could bolster calls for Irish reunification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Current Violence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brexit and Corona:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Britain left the EU on<strong> 31<sup>st</sup> December</strong> and the new trade arrangements quickly became an irritant to Northern Ireland unionists who want to stay in the UK.</li>
<li>Early trade glitches, exacerbated by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic</strong></a>, led to some empty supermarket shelves, fueling alarm.</li>
<li>There was anger that British Prime Minister long insisted there would be no new checks on trade as a result of Brexit, had downplayed the scale of the changes wrought by leaving the EU.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Identity Crisis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some in Northern Ireland&rsquo;s British<strong> loyalist community feel as if their identity is under threat.</strong> And many other loyalists believe that, de facto, <strong>Northern Ireland has ceased to be as much a part of the UK</strong> as it was.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-behind-the-latest-unrest-in-northern-ireland-7267909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/violence-in-northern-ireland-uk'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Chief Election Commissioner',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President appointed<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/election-commissioner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Election Commissioner</a> Sushil Chandra</strong> as the <strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He replaces <strong>Sunil Arora</strong> who has retired.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Election Commission of India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong></a> is an <strong>autonomous constitutional authority</strong> responsible for administering <strong>Union and State election</strong> processes in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in accordance with the Constitution on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> January 1950 (celebrated as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/10th-national-voters-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national voters' day</a>).</strong> The<strong> secretariat</strong> of the commission is located in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The body administers elections to the<strong> Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies</strong> in India, and the<strong> offices of the President and Vice President in the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution:</strong> It deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.</li>
<li><strong>Article 324:</strong> Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Article 325:</strong> No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.</li>
<li><strong>Article 326:</strong> Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage.</li>
<li><strong>Article 327:</strong> Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.</li>
<li><strong>Article 328:</strong> Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.</li>
<li><strong>Article 329:</strong> Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structure of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Originally the commission had only <strong>one election commissioner</strong> but after the <strong>Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989,</strong> it has been made a multi-member body</li>
<li>The Election Commission <strong>shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of other election commissioners,</strong> if any, as the President may from time to time fix.</li>
<li>Presently, it consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the state level, the election commission is helped by the <strong>Chief Electoral Officer</strong> who is an IAS rank Officer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment &amp; Tenure of Commissioners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> President appoints</strong> CEC and Election Commissioners.</li>
<li>They have a<strong> fixed tenure of six years,</strong> or up to the<strong> age of 65 years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>They enjoy the <strong>same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court (SC)</a></strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They can <strong>resign anytime</strong> or can also be <strong>removed before the expiry of their term.</strong></li>
<li>The CEC can be removed from office only <strong>through a process of removal similar to that of a SC judge</strong> by Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Procedure of Removal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Judges of High Courts and <strong>SC,</strong> CEC, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comptroller-and-auditor-general-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)</strong></a> may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of <strong>&lsquo;proved misbehaviour or incapacity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Removal requires a<strong> special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members present and voting supported by more than 50% of the total strength of the house.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Constitution does not use the word &lsquo;impeachment&rsquo;,</strong> for the removal of the judges, CAG, CEC.</li>
<li>The term <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impeachment-of-the-president-of-the-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Impeachment&rsquo;</a> is only used for removing the President</strong> which requires the special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members of the total strength of both the houses which is not used elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limitations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not prescribed the qualifications</strong> (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not specified the term</strong> of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment by the government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers and Functions of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Administrative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>determine the territorial areas</strong> of the electoral constituencies throughout the country on the basis of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation</strong> </a>Commission Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>To prepare and<strong> periodically revise electoral rolls</strong> and to register all eligible voters.</li>
<li>To <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-national-party-from-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>grant recognition to political parties</strong></a> and <strong>allot election symbols</strong> to them.</li>
<li>Election Commission <strong>ensures a level playing field</strong> for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct</strong></a> evolved with the consensus of political parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advisory Jurisdiction &amp; Quasi-Judicial Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Constitution, the Commission has<strong> advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post election disqualification</strong> of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor</strong> to whom such opinion is tendered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections</strong> which come before the SC and High Courts are also<strong> referred to the Commission for its opinion</strong> on the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.</li>
<li>The Commission has the <strong>power to disqualify a candidate</strong> who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sushil-chandra-appointed-chief-election-commissioner/article34303884.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chief-election-commissioner'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Exercise Shantir Ogroshena',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Multinational military exercise Shantir Ogroshena,</strong> which went for 10 days <strong>in Bangladesh,</strong> concluded on 12<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>year 2021 marks the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of diplomatic relations between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50-years-of-india-bangladesh-relations#:~:text=Commemorating%2050%20years%20of%20the,the%20establishment%20of%20their%20ties." target="_blank" rel="noopener">India and Bangladesh.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The exercise was organised <strong>to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sheikh-mujibur-rehman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</a>,</strong> Bangladesh&rsquo;s Father of the Nation and celebrate the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>golden jubilee of the liberation of Bangladesh.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was held at <strong>Bangabandhu Senanibas (BBS), Bangladesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;Shantir Ogroshena&rsquo;</strong> 2021 means <strong>&ldquo;Front Runner of the Peace&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The theme of this exercise was to <strong>strengthen defence ties</strong> and <strong>enhance interoperability amongst neighbourhood countries</strong> to ensure effective <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peacekeeping</strong></a> operations.</li>
<li>It was a <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN (United Nations)</a>- mandated counterterrorism exercise.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries that Participated:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Troops from<strong> India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka</strong> participated in the exercise with<strong> observers from the USA, UK, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Exercises involving Bangladesh:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sampriti-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAMPRITI</strong></a> (Army).</li>
<li>TABLE TOP (Air).</li>
<li>IN-BN CORPAT (Navy).</li>
<li>SAMVEDNA (Multinational Air Exercise with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and UAE).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1711202" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-shantir-ogroshena'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic <strong>of Kazakhstan</strong> in<strong> New Delhi.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two Ministers had last met in Moscow (Russia) in September 2020 on the sidelines of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a> Defence Ministers&rsquo; meeting.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Talks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed that both sides must look at the possibility of <strong>defence industrial collaboration</strong> of mutual interest.</li>
<li>Exchanged views<strong> to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation,</strong> including through training, defence exercises and capacity building.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan thanked India for the opportunity given to the Kazakh troops for deployment as part of the Indian battalion in the <strong>United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UNIFIL</strong> was established by the UN Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assessed the <strong>annual joint military exercise <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-kazind-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KAZIND</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Kazakh Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is carried out under the framework of an agreement on<strong> &lsquo;Defence and Military Technical Cooperation&rsquo;</strong> signed in July 2015 during the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Kazakhstan.</li>
<li>The agreement includes conduct of joint training,<strong> exercises, military-technical cooperation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN peacekeeping</a> and exchange of intelligence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakh Armed Forces Unit underwent training on peacekeeping operations in India in April-May 2018 for deployment under the <strong>command of an Indian Battalion at UNIFIL, Lebanon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Kazakhstan to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> three factors</strong> which make Kazakhstan important for India. First, its <strong>geo-strategic location;</strong> second, its <strong>economic potential,</strong> especially in terms of energy resources; and third, its<strong> multi-ethnic and secular structure. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Kazakhstan&rsquo;s geo-political existence between Russia and Asia,</strong> along with long borders with China, makes it a country of great strategic importance. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakhstan lies to the northeast of the Caspian Sea, bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, China to the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the south.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>can also help India achieve a geostrategic rebalancing with China.</strong> India&rsquo;s foremost objective is countering the rapid economic inroads China is making in the region through the<strong> One Belt One Road (OBOR)</strong> initiative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India seeks to achieve this with the competing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-South Transport Corridor</strong></a> (NSTC).</li>
<li>NSTC is <strong>a multi-modal transportation</strong> established on <strong>12<sup>th</sup> September 2000</strong> in <strong>St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India</strong> for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States. It has been expanded to include eleven new members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has become<strong> one of the key activists in the field of global nuclear security,</strong> and has achieved a number of results in peacekeeping policies and the resolution of conflicts around <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iran</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ukraine</strong></a> and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Syria.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>India - Kazakhstan Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years.</li>
<li>There has been a constant and regular flow of trade in goods and, more importantly, exchange of ideas and cultural influences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>flow of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/buddhism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buddhism</a> from India to Central Asia and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khwaja-monuddin-chishti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sufi ideas</a> from Central Asia to India</strong> are two such examples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was<strong> one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations</strong> were established in<strong> February 1992.</strong></li>
<li>India and Kazakhstan have been <strong>strategic partners since 2009. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation at Multilateral Fora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including <strong>CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.</strong></li>
<li>India has been a consistent supporter of Kazakhstan&rsquo;s initiative on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saarc-and-cica-meetings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)</strong></a> and is actively participating in the process.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan supports India&rsquo;s permanent membership in an expanded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-at-unsc-previous-contribution-current-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> </a>and has extended its support for India's non-permanent membership in 2021-22.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC)</strong> established in 1993 is the <strong>apex bilateral institutional mechanism</strong> for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on the Indian side and Ministry of Energy on the Kazakh side are the nodal ministries with respective Ministers as the Co-Chair of the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several<strong> Joint Working Groups (JWGs)</strong> have been established in the areas of Counter Terrorism, Trade &amp; Economic Cooperation, Defence &amp; Military Technical Cooperation, Information Technology, Hydrocarbons, Textiles, Tea Debt and Space Cooperation, Health and Transport, Connectivity &amp; Logistics to take forward bilateral relations in the respective spheres.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)</a> launched &ldquo;Al-Farabi-1&rdquo;,</strong> a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite built by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty along with 103 other satellites in 2017.</li>
<li>A delegation from ISRO attended<strong> Kazakh Defence Expo &lsquo;KADEX&rsquo;</strong> in May 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Civil Nuclear Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>supported India in obtaining India-specific exemption</strong> to allow civil nuclear cooperation with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a> countries in 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India provides capacity building assistance to Kazakhstan in various specialized fields under <strong>ITEC program</strong> sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consular:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan have<strong> an agreement on visa free entry for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders.</strong></li>
<li>Since February 2018, <strong>Indian has extended e-visa facility</strong> to Kazakh citizens.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has also introduced <strong>electronic visa facilities for travelers from India</strong> with effect from 1<sup>st</sup> January 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being part of central Asia, Kazakhstan is strategically important for India. India needs to use its instrument of economic leverages more efficiently to build closer ties with Central Asia.</li>
<li>At its core, the heightened India-Kazakhstan relationship allows New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and the highly unstable Afghanistan to reach a resource-rich Nur-Sultan, complementing India&rsquo;s developing economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710618" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/visit-of-defence-minister-of-kazakhstan'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Researchers from <strong>Sweden&rsquo;s University of Gothenburg</strong> have been able to obtain data from underneath Thwaites Glacier, also known as the <strong>'Doomsday Glacier'.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They find that the <strong>supply of warm water to the glacier is larger than previously thought,</strong> triggering concerns of faster melting and accelerating ice flow.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Doomsday Glacier:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Called the <strong>Thwaites Glacier,</strong> it is <strong>120 km wide at its broadest,</strong> fast-moving, and melting fast over the years.</li>
<li>Because of its <strong>size (1.9 lakh square km),</strong> it contains <strong>enough water to raise the world sea level</strong> by more than half a metre.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Studies have found the <strong>amount of ice flowing</strong> out of it has <strong>nearly doubled over the past 30 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Today, Thwaites&rsquo;s melting <strong>already contributes 4% to global sea</strong> level rise each year.</li>
<li>It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea<strong> in 200-900 years.</strong></li>
<li>Thwaites is<strong> important for Antarctica as it slows the ice behind it</strong> from freely flowing<strong> into the ocean.</strong></li>
<li>Because of the risk it faces, and poses, Thwaites is often called the <strong>Doomsday Glacier</strong> (Doomsday meaning warning or threat, something that can cause destruction).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Previous Studies:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Hole in the Glacier: A 2019 study</strong> had discovered <strong>a fast-growing cavity in the glacier,</strong> sized roughly <strong>two-thirds the area of Manhattan.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>size of a cavity</strong> under a glacier<strong> plays an important role in melting.</strong> As more heat and water get under the glacier, it melts faster.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Detection of Warm Water at Grounding Line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> In 2020, <strong>researchers from New York University (NYU) detected warm water</strong> at a vital point below the glacier. In the NYU study, scientists dug a 600-m-deep and 35-cm-wide access hole, and deployed <strong>an ocean-sensing device called Icefin</strong> to measure the waters moving below the glacier&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>NYU</strong> study reported water at just two degrees above freezing point at Thwaites&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;grounding zone&rdquo; or &ldquo;grounding line&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The grounding line</strong> is the place below a glacier at which the ice transitions between resting fully on bedrock and floating on the ocean as an ice shelf. The location of the line is<strong> a pointer to the rate of retreat of a glacier.</strong></li>
<li>When<strong> glaciers melt</strong> and lose weight,<strong> they float off the land</strong> where they used to be situated. When this happens, <strong>the grounding line retreats.</strong> That <strong>exposes more of a glacier&rsquo;s underside to seawater,</strong> increasing the likelihood it will melt faster.</li>
<li>This results in the glacier speeding up, stretching out, and thinning, causing the grounding line to retreat ever further.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings from Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg Study (New Study):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg study <strong>used an uncrewed submarine</strong> to go under the Thwaites glacier front to make observations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The submersible called <strong>&ldquo;Ran&rdquo;</strong> measured among other things the <strong>strength, temperature, salinity and oxygen content of the ocean currents</strong> that go under the glacier.</li>
<li>Using the results, the researchers <strong>have been able to map the ocean currents</strong> that flow below Thwaites&rsquo;s floating part.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong> The researchers have been able to identify<strong> three inflows of warm water,</strong> among whom <strong>the damaging effects of one had been underestimated in the past.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The researchers discovered that<strong> there is a deep connection to the east through which deep water flows from Pine Island Bay,</strong> a connection that was previously thought to be blocked by an underwater ridge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Pine Island Bay</strong> is a<strong> drainage system of West Antarctica.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study also <strong>looked at heat transport in one of the three channels</strong> which brings warm water towards the glacier from the north.</li>
<li>They found that <strong>there were distinct paths that water takes in and out of the ice shelf cavity,</strong> influenced by the geometry of the ocean floor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study shows that warm water is approaching the pinning points of the glacier from all sides, impacting these locations where the ice is connected to the seabed and where the ice sheet finds stability. This has the potential to make things worse for Thwaites, whose ice shelf is already retreating.</li>
<li>For the first time, data is being collected that is necessary to model the dynamics of Thwaites glacier. This data will help better calculate ice melting in the future.</li>
<li>With the help of new technology, models can be improved and the great uncertainty that now prevails around global sea level variations can be reduced.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-thwaites-glacier-finding-doomsday-melting-worry-7269124/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antarctica-s-doomsday-glacier'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'British Conquest for Bengal: Battles of Plassey and Buxar',
		'catname' => 'Paper 1',
		'desc' => '<h3>Bengal in the 17<sup>th</sup>-18<sup>th</sup> Century</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In Mughal Period:</strong> Bengal was the <strong>most fertile and the richest province</strong> of the Mughal Empire and included present day <strong>Bangladesh</strong> and states of <strong>Bihar</strong> and <strong>Odisha</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The authoritative powers of the province lay in the hands of the <strong>Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Importance:</strong> Bengal held economic importance for its famous textiles, silk and saltpetre. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exports from Bengal to Europe consisted of saltpetre, rice, indigo, pepper, sugar, silk, cotton textiles, handicrafts, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance for the British:</strong> Bengal became the first kingdom to be occupied by the British in India. The East India Company carried on profitable trade with this province. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The enormous resources of Bengal came in handy for financing the British expansion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Nearly 60% of the British imports from Asia consisted of goods from Bengal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British East India company laid the foundation of Calcutta and established British commercial settlement in the 1690s.</li>
<li>The Company paid a sum of Rs 3,000 (&pound; 350) per annum to the Mughal emperor who allowed them to trade freely in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In contrast, the <strong>Company&rsquo;s exports from Bengal were worth more than &pound; 50,000 per annum</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflicts among Nawabs and the British:</strong> The special privileges enjoyed by the British Company was strongly opposed by the Nawabs of Bengal as it meant a huge loss to the provincial exchequer. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consequently, the friction between the British commercial interests and the Bengal government became the chief cause for conflict between the two.</li>
<li>As a result, the British felt a need for a &ldquo;puppet&rdquo; as the Nawab on the throne of Bengal to willingly give them trade concessions and other privileges and establish their indirect but ultimate power in the province.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Plassey</h3>
<p>The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 in the <strong>Plassey (or Palashi) region of West Bengal,</strong> on the east of Bhagirathi river.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Troops of the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, came up against the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and his French allies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Siraj-ud-Daulah:</strong> The then Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah succeeded his grandfather Alavardi Khan after his death. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Alavardi Khan was the Deputy Governor of Bihar who assumed the throne after killing Sarfaraz Khan, an incapable son of Murshiq Quli Khan, Dewan of Bengal.</li>
<li>Siraj-ud-Daulah was surrounded by a number of rivals in his own court who helped the British in winning the Battle of Plassey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Events Preceding the Battle:</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/the-carnatic-wars#:~:text=The%20decisive%20battle%20of%20the,Marquis%20de%20Bussy%20as%20prisoner." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>British victory in the Carnatic</strong></a> had already made Siraj apprehensive of the growing power of the East India Company. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the officials of the Company made rampant misuse of its trade privileges that adversely affected the nawab&rsquo;s finances.</li>
<li>The British also fortified Calcutta without the nawab&rsquo;s permission which the nawab took as an ignorance to his sovereign power. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The infuriated Nawab marched to Calcutta and occupied Fort William in June 1756.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Shortly after Fort William's surrender, on June 20, 175, Siraj confined 146 British prisoners in a small dungeon in Calcutta, out of which 123 prisoners died of suffocation. It is infamously known as the <strong>&lsquo;Black Hole of Calcutta&rsquo;</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This event brought the hostility of the British in the open.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arrival of Robert Clive:</strong> Following this tragic defeat of British by the Nawab of Bengal, a strong force under Robert Clive was sent from Madras to overthrow nawab and strengthen the British position in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The discontented followers of the Nawab, such as Mir Jafar and other Bengali generals, were bribed to forge an alliance with the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mir Jafar, a kin of Siraj was promised the throne in return for supporting the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> Clive&rsquo;s army was confronted by the nawab&rsquo;s army at Plassey (Palashi) along with the French soldiers on their side. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The nawab&rsquo;s army of 50,000 soldiers outnumbered Clive&rsquo;s force of just 3000.</li>
<li>However, the <strong>secret alliance of the British with the conspirators strengthened the British foothold</strong> in the battle.</li>
<li>Moreover, <strong>Mir Jafar, with around one-third of the Bengali army, did not join the battle</strong> and contributed to Nawab's defeat.</li>
<li>Under compelling circumstances, the <strong>Nawab tried to escape with his army but was killed</strong> by Miran, the son of Mir Jafar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> The Battle is regarding a <strong>historic turning point for British in India</strong>; it established political and military supremacy of the British in Bengal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the Battle of Plassey Clive proclaimed Mir Jafar as the Nawab of Bengal and placed him on the throne of Murshidabad. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Jafar in order to satisfy the British as per the agreement gave the Zamindari of 24 Parganas (group of villages) of Bengal to the company.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, this could not satisfy the British and consequently he was removed from the throne and his son-in-law <strong>Mir Kasim was placed on the throne as the new Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Buxar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Battle of Buxar was fought between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, led by <strong>Hector Munro</strong>, and the combined armies of <strong>Mir Qasim</strong>, Nawab of Bengal till 1763; <strong>Shuja-ud-Daulah</strong>, the Nawab of Awadh; and the Mughal Emperor <strong>Shah Alam II</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mir Qasim:</strong> He was the <strong>ablest among all the successors of Alavardi Khan</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Qasim, an efficient and strong ruler, determined to improve the affairs of the state and <strong>shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger (Bihar) in 1762</strong>.</li>
<li>He realized the importance of a full treasury and an efficient army required to maintain his independence.</li>
<li>Mir Qasim <strong>regarded himself as an indepen&shy;dent ruler</strong> which was a problem for the British as they wanted him to be a puppet in their hands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tussle between Mir Qasim and the British:</strong> Due to the misuse of the Farman of 1717 by the British to evade internal custom duties, Mir Qasim took the extreme step of <strong>abolish&shy;ing all duties on internal trade and benefitting his own subjects</strong> by giving them the concession that the British had forcefully snatched. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was <strong>strongly protested by the British</strong> and a preferential treatment over other traders was demanded.</li>
<li>These conflicts over transit duty <strong>led to the outbreak of wars</strong> between the British and Mir Kasim in 1763 which resulted in <strong>British victories at Katwa, Murshidabad, Giria, Sooty and Munger</strong>.</li>
<li>Mir Kasim fled to Oudh (Awadh) and <strong>formed a confederacy</strong> with the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-daulah, and the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, with a view to recover Bengal from the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> In October 1764, in a final attempt to oust the British from Bengal, the combined armies of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Awadh and Shah Alam II came together to fight against the former. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The armies of Nawabs and the Mughal emperor were decisively defeated by the British forces under <strong>Major Hector Munro at Buxar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Result:</strong> This decisive battle <strong>confirmed British power over Bengal</strong> and marked the <strong>end of the attempt to rule Bengal through a puppet nawab</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The battle resulted in the <strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong> in which the <strong>Mughal Emperor surrendered sovereignty of Bengal</strong> to the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lord Robert Clive,</strong> the victor at the Plassey, became the <strong>first governor of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> Unlike the battle of Plassey which was more of British conspiracy, the battle of buxar was a <strong>full-fledged war</strong> which established the British prowess in warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The importance of this battle lay in the fact that not only the Nawab of Bengal but also the <strong>Mughal Emperor of India was defeated by the British</strong>.</li>
<li>The victory made the British, a great power in northern India and <strong>contenders for supremacy over the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the battle, Mir Jafar was reinstated as the Nawab of Bengal in 1763. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He agreed to hand over the districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and Chittagong to the British for the maintenance of their army.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British were also permitted duty-free trade in Bengal, except for a duty of 2% on salt.</li>
<li>He died in 1765 and was succeeded by his son Najm-ud-Daulah. However, the real power of administration still remained with the British.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Najm-ud-Daulah signed a treaty with the Company and became a <strong>titled pensioner</strong> on fifty-three lakhs of rupees per year which was reduced with every new successor.</li>
<li>In 1772, the British completely ended the pensions and <strong>took over the direct charge of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1765, two Treaties were concluded by Robert Clive at Allahabad with Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah and Emperor Shah Alam II.</li>
<li><strong>Under the first treaty with the Nawab of Awadh:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Allahabad and Kara were surrendered by the Nawab to Mughal Emperor</strong> Shah Alam II.</li>
<li>A sum of Rs 50 lakh was paid to the Company as war indemnity.</li>
<li>Balwant Singh, the Zamindar of Banaras, was given full possession of his estate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Under the second treaty with Shah Alam II:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The emperor was asked to reside at Allahabad under the Company&rsquo;s protection.</li>
<li>The <strong><em>Diwani</em> of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were granted to the East India Company</strong> in lieu of an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh</li>
<li>An amount of Rs 53 lakh was to be given by the Mughal Emperor to the Company in return for nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) of the said provinces.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The major difference in the significance of the Carnatic Wars (1740-48, 1749-53 and 1758-63), Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Buxar (1764) is:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Carnatic Wars established British supremacy in trade</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Plassey laid the foundation of British Empire</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Buxar established the British as masters of Bengal,</strong> Bihar and Orissa and made them a <strong>great power of Northern India</strong> and <strong>contenders for the supremacy of the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => '100% Sustainable Fuel for Formula 1',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l&rsquo;Automobile (FIA)</strong> has announced the first barrels of <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong>, made from <strong>bio waste</strong> and developed to <strong>stringent F1(Formula One) specifications</strong>, have been delivered to Power Unit manufacturers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FIA announced its intent to make F1 carbon neutral by 2030 and to have sustainable races by 2025.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Formula One<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Formula One, also called F1 in short, is an <strong>international auto racing sport</strong>. F1 cars are the <strong>fastest regulated road-course racing cars in the world</strong>.</li>
<li>F1 is the highest level of single-seat, open-wheel and open-cockpit professional motor racing contest.</li>
<li>Formula One racing is<strong> governed and sanctioned by a world body called the F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)</strong> or the International Automobile Federation. The name &lsquo;Formula&rsquo; comes from the set of rules that the participating cars and drivers must follow.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>F1 Current Carbon Footprint:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Direct Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>F1&rsquo;s driving activities produce approximately <strong>2,56,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year</strong>, which is the equivalent to powering roughly 30,000 houses in the UK over the same time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indirect Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main issue is not the <strong>cars</strong> themselves, which <strong>accounted for only 0.7%</strong> of the sport&rsquo;s emissions in 2019, but the <strong>logistics of transporting teams and equipment across the globe</strong>.</li>
<li>In 2019, road, sea and air <strong>logistics for equipment transportation accounted for 45% of F1&rsquo;s emissions</strong> with business travel for teams contributing an additional 27.7%.</li>
<li>Rounding up the list, <strong>factories and facilities servicing the sport</strong> represent <strong>19.3%</strong> of emissions, and event operations, another 7.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uncounted Emission:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 2,56,000 number doesn&rsquo;t even factor in the impact of fans, millions of whom require transportation and accommodation on and around the race weekend.</li>
<li>If one were to include the emissions generated by fans, the total carbon footprint of F1 catapults to approximately <strong>1.9 million tonnes</strong> of carbon dioxide generated by the sport annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>100% Sustainable Fuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One of the most high-profile ways in which F1 plans to reduce its environmental impact is through the <strong>continued evolution of energy-efficient engines</strong>.</li>
<li>Starting from 1989 when the FIA Alternative Fuel Commission was formed, F1 has committed to a number of initiatives designed to improve engine efficiency, with the most notable being its <strong>global fuel economy initiative in 2007</strong> which aims to reduce fuel consumption by 50% across the competition.</li>
<li>In 2020, the FIA announced that it had developed a <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong> and that engine manufacturers were already in the process of testing it, intending to start using it by 2026.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A 100% sustainable fuel essentially represents the<strong> third generation and most advanced iteration of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuels</a></strong>, which typically are made from by-products of industrial or agricultural waste.</li>
<li>F1 cars already use biofuels but current regulations only mandate that the fuel include 5.75% of bio-components.</li>
<li>In 2022 that number will increase to 10% and by 2025, when new power units are proposed to enter the competition, the <strong>FIA hopes to transition completely to 100% advanced sustainable fuels</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.</li>
<li>Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Solid:</strong> Wood, dried plant material, and manure</li>
<li><strong>Liquid:</strong> Bioethanol and Biodiesel</li>
<li><strong>Gaseous:</strong> Biogas</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These can be used to replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport, stationary, portable and other applications. Also, they can be used to generate heat and electricity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Categories of Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>First generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats</strong> using conventional technology.</li>
<li>Common first-generation biofuels include <strong>Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from non-food crops</strong> or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes, e.g. stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.</li>
<li><strong>Thermochemical</strong> reactions or <strong>biochemical</strong> conversion processes are used for producing such fuels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Examples:</strong> Cellulose ethanol and biodiesel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Third generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from micro-organisms</strong> like algae.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Example:</strong> Butanol</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production, therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fourth Generation Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the production of these fuels, <strong>crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of carbon are grown and harvested as biomass</strong>.</li>
<li>The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation techniques.</li>
<li>The fuel is pre-combusted and the carbon is captured. Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.</li>
<li>Some of these fuels are considered as <strong>carbon negative</strong> as their production pulls out carbon from the environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>E20 Fuel:</strong> The Indian government has invited public comments for introducing adoption of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e20-fuel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> E20 fuel</strong></a> (a blend of 20% ethanol with gasoline).</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019:</strong> The objective of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-ji-van-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>scheme</strong></a> is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and to boost research and development in the 2G Ethanol sector.</li>
<li><strong>Reduction in GST:</strong> The Government has also reduced <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST</strong></a> on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%.</li>
<li><strong>National Biofuel Policy 2018:</strong> The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels'' viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol &amp; biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels'' - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-formula-1-is-aiming-to-go-carbon-neutral-by-2030-7267582/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Jyotirao Phule',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>'Tika Utsav (vaccination festival)'</strong>, started on the birth anniversary of Mahatma <strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> (11<sup>th</sup> April) will continue till the birth anniversary of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Babasaheb Ambedkar</strong> </a>on 14<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim of the four day festival is to vaccinate as many people as possible for the priority groups and zero wastage of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> vaccine.</li>
<li><strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> was an <strong>Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra</strong>. He is also known as <strong>Jyotiba Phule</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" width="460" height="376" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Brief Profile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Phule was born on <strong>11<sup>th</sup> April, 1827</strong> in present-day Maharashtra and <strong>belonged to the Mali caste of gardeners and vegetable farmers</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong> In 1841, Phule was enrolled at the <strong>Scottish Missionary High School (Pune),</strong> where he completed education.</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong> His Ideology was based on:<strong> Liberty; Egalitarianism; Socialism</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Phule was <strong>influenced by Thomas Paine&rsquo;s book titled The Rights of Man</strong> and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the <strong>enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Publications:</strong> Tritiya Ratna (1855); Powada: Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha (1869); Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkarayacha Aasud (1881).</li>
<li><strong>Related Association:</strong> Phule along with his followers formed <strong>Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873</strong>&nbsp;which meant &lsquo;Seekers of Truth&rsquo; in order to attain equal social and economic benefits for the lower castes in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Municipal Council Member:</strong> He was appointed commissioner to the Poona municipality and served in the position until 1883.</li>
<li><strong>Title of Mahatma:</strong> He was bestowed with the title of Mahatma on 11<sup>th</sup> May, 1888 <strong>by a Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Reformer:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1848, he taught his wife (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/savitri-bai-phule" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Savitribai</strong></a>) how to read and write, after which the couple <strong>opened the first indigenously run school for girls</strong> in Pune where they both taught.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was <strong>a believer in gender equality</strong> and he exemplified his beliefs by involving his wife in all his social reform activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By 1852, the <strong>Phules had established three schools</strong> but all of them had shut by 1858 due to the shortage of funds after the Revolt of 1857.</li>
<li>Jyotiba realised the pathetic conditions of widows and established an ashram for young widows and eventually became an advocate of the idea of <strong>Widow Remarriage</strong>.</li>
<li>Jyotirao <strong>attacked the orthodox Brahmins and other upper castes</strong> and termed them as "hypocrites".</li>
<li>In 1868, Jyotirao <strong>constructed a common bathing tank</strong> outside his house to exhibit his embracing attitude towards all human beings and wished to dine with everyone, regardless of their caste.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He started awareness campaigns that ultimately inspired the likes of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mahatma-gandhi-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi</strong></a>, stalwarts who undertook major initiatives against caste discrimination later.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed by many that <strong>it was Phule who first used the term &lsquo;Dalit&rsquo; for the depiction of oppressed masses</strong> often placed outside the &lsquo;varna system&rsquo;.</li>
<li>He <strong>worked for abolishment of untouchability and caste system</strong> in Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> 28<sup>th</sup> November, 1890. His memorial is built in Phule Wada, Pune, Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://PIB" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'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) 2
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 302
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

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

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