Search

Search list matched with tags “class”

Highlights of Budget 2019

The Union Minister for Finance presented the Union Budget 2019-20 before the Parliament. Constitutional Provisions The term...

06 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Changing Demographic Profile: Faster Than Expectation

According to the Economic Survey 2018-19, India’s population growth rate will decline faster than assumed as the fertility rate in many states...

06 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Welfare Database of Citizens

The Economic Survey 2018-19 has recommended setting up of a central welfare database of citizens by merging different data maintained by separate...

06 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Cosmic Rays Impacting Earth’s Climate

According to a study published in the Scientific Reports journal,the cosmic rays are impacting earth climate by adding low-cloud cover. Besides...

06 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Gangetic Dolphins Found in Mahananda River

For the first time, a population of Gangetic River Dolphins has been found in the Mahananda river, in Bihar’s Kishanganj district. Dolphins...

06 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Project Manav

A human atlas initiative named Manav has been launched by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Persistent Systems, a biotechnology...

06 Jul 2019 News Analysis
ISRO: Challenges and Opportunities

This article is based on editorial “Expanding India’s share in global space economy” that appeared in The Hindu on 5th July 2019....

05 Jul 2019 News Editorials
Privilege Motion

Recently, a member of the Indian parliament has moved a privilege motion against a TV channel. The breach of privilege motion is moved against a...

05 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Hydrogen-Enriched Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG)

Delhi will be the first city in the country to roll out hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) buses for public transport from November...

05 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Highlights of Economic Survey 2018-19

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs tabled the Economic Survey 2018-19 in the Parliament. This is the first survey by the new...

05 Jul 2019 News Analysis
US Drags India to WTO

The United States has dragged India to the World Trade Organisation, requesting dispute consultations on the 'retaliatory duties' imposed by India on...

05 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Shrinking Sea Ice Extent

As per the study of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), after decades of gradual increases, Antarctic sea ice is now decreasing,...

05 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Miyawaki Method

Telangana government has introduced the Japanese “Miyawaki” method of afforestation to grow urban forests and expand the green cover as...

05 Jul 2019 News Analysis
LIBRA

Why in News? Facebook has announced the launch of a cryptocurrency called Libra by 2020. While this signals facebook’s plans to expand into...

05 Jul 2019 Paper 3
Agriculture Produce to Agriculture Marketing

This article is based on the news "Creating the right 'market connect' for boosting farm incomes". It talks about the needs to shift the focus of...

04 Jul 2019 News Editorials
Longest Electrified Railway Tunnel

The South Central Railway (SCR) had commissioned the longest electrified tunnel of 6.6 km between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations in the state of...

04 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Disability and RTE: UNESCO Report

The The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences have released a report...

04 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Working Group on Core Investment Companies

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a working group to review the regulatory guidelines and supervisory framework applicable for Core...

04 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Total Solar Eclipse 2019

A Total Solar Eclipse was witnessed in the region of the South Pacific and parts of South America (Mainly Chile and Argentina) This was the only...

04 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Ascent Abort Test-2

NASA has carried out a successful test of a Launch-Abort System (LAS) for the Orion capsule designed to take U.S. astronauts to the Moon. The test...

04 Jul 2019 News Analysis

Warning (2): count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable [ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100]

Code Context


<?php if(count($updates)>0){?>
  <div class="updates">

$viewFile = '/var/www/drishtiias.com/public_html/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp'
$dataForView = [
	'progress' => [],
	'bookmarks' => [],
	'notes' => [],
	'mynote' => [],
	'topdata' => [
		(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {},
		(int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {}
	],
	'searchdata' => [],
	'searchlist' => [
		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'Highlights of Budget 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Union Minister for Finance </strong>presented the Union Budget 2019-20 before the Parliament.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Constitutional Provisions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>term &lsquo;budget&rsquo; has nowhere</strong> been used in the Constitution. It is the popular name for the <strong>&lsquo;Annual Financial Statement&rsquo;</strong> that has been dealt with in <strong>Article 112 of the Constitution.</strong></li>
<li>The budget is a statement of the <strong>estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India</strong> in a financial year (FY), which begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the following year.</li>
<li>In addition to the estimates of receipts and expenditure, the budget contains certain other elements. Overall, the budget contains the following:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Estimates of revenue and capital receipts;</li>
<li>Ways and means to raise revenue;</li>
<li>Estimates of expenditure;</li>
<li>Details of the actual receipts and expenditure of the closing financial year and the reasons for any deficit or surplus in that year; and</li>
<li>Economic and financial policy of the coming year, that is, taxation proposals, prospects of revenue, spending programme and introduction of new schemes/projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Railway Budget</strong> was separated from the <strong>General Budget in 1921</strong> on the recommendations of<strong> the Acworth Committee</strong>. In August 2016, the Central Government decided to <strong>merge the railway budget into the general budget.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Economy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Fiscal deficit in FY 19 has been set at 3.3% of the GDP.</li>
<li>Indian economy will become a 3 trillion dollar economy in 2019. Government aspires to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024-25. To achieve this, there is a need for investment in:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure</strong></li>
<li><strong>Digital economy</strong></li>
<li><strong>Job creation in small and medium firms</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>PAN and Aadhaar will become interchangeable. One can use Aadhaar number to file I-T Returns.</li>
<li>Rs. 5 lakh minimum limit announced for taxpayers.</li>
<li>In view of rising income levels, those in the ₹2-5 crore and ₹5 crore-and-above brackets will see an increase in effective tax rate by 3% (39%) and 7% (42.74%), respectively.</li>
<li>No change in personal income tax rates.</li>
<li>Increase in cess on fuel by 1 rupee, petrol &amp; diesel to get costlier; while customs duty on gold and precious items increased.</li>
<li>Corporate tax with a turnover of up to Rs 400 crore slashed to 25% from a current rate of 30%.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-national-anti-profiteering-authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST Council</strong> </a>advised to reduce tax rate on Electric Vehicles from 12% to 5%.</li>
<li>No charge on digital payments: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-4th-march-2019-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Merchant Discount Rate</strong></a> charges waived on cashless payment.</li>
<li><strong>Measures related to MSMEs:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Proposed <strong>easing angel tax</strong> for startups.</li>
<li>E-verification mechanism for establishing investor identity and source of funds for startups.</li>
<li>2% interest subvention for GST-registered MSME on fresh or incremental loans.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/unemployment-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Stand Up India' Scheme</strong> </a>to continue till 2025.</li>
<li>New television channel for start-ups.</li>
<li>Pension benefit extended to retail traders with annual turnover less than Rs 1.5 crore.</li>
<li>New payment platform for MSMEs to be created.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Proposal to provide Rs 70,000 crore capital for PSU Banks.</li>
<li>Regulation of HFCs (Housing Finance Cos) to move to RBI from National Housing Bank.</li>
<li>Govt to <strong>modify</strong> the present policy of <strong>retaining 51% stake in PSUs. </strong></li>
<li>Govt to continue with <strong>strategic divestment of select CPSEs. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Divestment target of Rs 1.05 lakh crore for FY 20. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Strategic disinvestment of Air India</strong> proposed to be re-initiated.</li>
<li><strong>Global Investors Meet</strong> to be held in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Rural India and Agriculture</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gaon, Garib and Kisan</strong> are the focus of the government.</li>
<li><strong>New <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-mantralaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jal Shakti ministry</a></strong> will work with states to ensure Har Ghar Jal for all rural houses by 2024.</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana phase 3</strong> is envisaged to upgrade 1,25,000 km of road length over the next 5 years.</li>
<li>Govt will set up 100 new clusters for 50,000 artisans in FY 20.</li>
<li>Every single rural family, to have electricity by 2022.</li>
<li>Govt to promote <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-11th-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zero Budget Farming. </strong></a></li>
<li>10,000 new farm produce organisations.</li>
<li>80 Livelihood business incubators and 20 technology business incubators to be set up in 2019-20 under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-elixir-for-msmes-access-to-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE)</strong></a> to develop 75,000 skilled entrepreneurs in agro-rural industries.</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A robust fisheries management framework through PMMSY to be established by the <strong>Department of Fisheries</strong>.</li>
<li>To address critical gaps in the value chain including infrastructure, modernization, traceability, production, productivity, post-harvest management, and quality control.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Youth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To popularise sports at all levels, <strong>National Sports Education Board</strong> for development of sportspersons to be set up under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-28-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>'Khelo India.' </strong></a></li>
<li>Govt to launch 'Study in India' programme to attract foreign students in higher education.</li>
<li>Rs 400 crore allocated for <strong>world-class higher education institutions in FY 20 . </strong></li>
<li><strong>National research foundation</strong> to fund, coordinate and to promote research in the country.</li>
<li><strong>New Higher Education Commission</strong> with focus on higher autonomy.</li>
<li><strong>New national education policy</strong> to propose changes in school, higher education.</li>
<li>To make the Indian youth ready to take up jobs in foreign countries, more emphasis on new-age skills like <strong>Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data, etc.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Study in India</strong> proposed to bring foreign students to study in Indian higher educational institutions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Social</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nari tu Narayani:</strong> Women SHG Interest Subvention Programme to be expanded to all districts in India.</li>
<li><strong>Rs 1 lakh loan</strong> to be provided for <strong>SHG women</strong> members under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-panel-s-recommendations-on-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mudra Scheme. </strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Rs 3,000 pension per month</strong> for workers from <strong>the informal sector. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Gandhipedia</strong> being developed by the<strong> National Council for Science Museums</strong> to sensitize youth and society about positive Gandhian values.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Infrastructure</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>State road networks to be developed in the second phase of <strong>Bharatmala project.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Rs. 50 lakh crore investment</strong> needed in <strong>Railway Infrastructure</strong> during 2018-2030.</li>
<li>Public-Private-Partnership proposed for development and completion of tracks, rolling stock manufacturing and delivery of passenger freight services.</li>
<li>Policy interventions to be made for the development of <strong>Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO),</strong> to achieve self- reliance in the <strong>aviation segment.</strong></li>
<li>Outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore for 3 years approved for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fame-ii-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Phase-II of FAME Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li>National Highway Programme to be restructured to ensure a<strong> National Highway Grid, using a financeable model. </strong></li>
<li>Power at affordable rates to states ensured under <strong>&ldquo;One Nation, One Grid‟.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Blueprints to be made available for <strong>gas grids, water grids, i-ways, and regional airports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Space</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has emerged as a major space power. It is time to harness our ability commercially.</li>
<li>A public sector enterprise, <strong>New Space India Limited (NSIL)</strong> has been incorporated to tap benefits of ISRO.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Roadmap for Future</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Simplification of procedures.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Incentivizing performance.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Red-tape reduction.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Making the best use of technology.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Accelerating mega programmes and services initiated and delivered so far.</strong></li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-budget-2019'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Changing Demographic Profile: Faster Than Expectation',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Economic Survey 2018-19</strong></a>, India&rsquo;s population growth rate will decline faster than assumed as the fertility rate in many states has reached the replacement rate.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The survey predicts that India will have a total fertility rate below the replacement rate in the next two years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Projected values for 2021-41 suggest that TFR at the national level will continue to decline rapidly and will lie below replacement level fertility at 1.8 as early as 2021.</li>
<li>It noted that India&rsquo;s population in the 0-19 age bracket has &ldquo;already peaked due to sharp declines in total fertility rates (TFR) across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also the threat of managing an ageing population is very real now as some states will start transitioning to an ageing society by the 2030s.</li>
<li>Nine states &mdash; Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh &mdash; have fertility rates well below the replacement rate.</li>
<li>States known for high population growth rates (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana) also witnessed population decline and population is now growing below 1 per cent in the southern states as well as West Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam and Himachal Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
<p>While India is already struggling with high unemployment, the changing demography will add to the challenge of fulfilling aspirations of New India.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Replacement level fertility</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the total fertility rate( the average number of children born per woman) at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, without migration.</li>
<li>This rate is roughly 2.1 children per woman for most countries, although it may modestly vary with mortality rates</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/changing-demographic-profile-faster-than-expectation'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Welfare Database of Citizens',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Economic Survey 2018-19</strong></a> has recommended setting up of a <strong>central welfare database of citizens</strong> by <strong>merging different data</strong> maintained by separate ministries and departments.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/332Image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/332Image 1.jpg" width="688" height="365" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The principle behind the recommendation is that the most data generated by the people, of the people, should be used for the people.</li>
<li>The government already held a rich repository of administrative, survey, institutional and transactions data about citizens, but these data are scattered across numerous government bodies.</li>
<li>The government would be able to utilise the information embedded in the database <strong>for enhancing ease of living for citizens,</strong> enable truly evidence-based policy, improve targeting in welfare schemes, uncover unmet needs, integrate fragmented markets, bring greater accountability in public services and generate greater citizen participation in governance, etc.</li>
<li>The <strong>datasets that can be merged</strong> include birth and death records, pensions, tax records, marriage records; survey data such as census data, national sample survey data; transactions data such as e-national agriculture market data, UPI data, institutional data and public hospital data on patients.</li>
<li>It has been suggested that <strong>database be created as a public good</strong> within the legal framework of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/challenges-of-digitisation-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>data privacy.</strong></a> Even, a part of the generated data can be monetised to ease the pressure on government finances. <strong>Access to a selected database can be provided to the private sector for a fee.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian government is working on finalising the personal data protection policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/welfare-database-of-citizens'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Cosmic Rays Impacting Earth’s Climate',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>According to a study published in the <strong>Scientific Reports</strong> journal,the cosmic rays are impacting earth climate by adding low-cloud cover.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Besides atmospheric temperature and the amount of water vapour in the air, cosmic rays beaming down through space also contribute towards cloud formation.</li>
<li>According to scientists: Cosmic rays can affect the earth's climate by increasing cloud cover and cause an &ldquo;umbrella effect&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cosmic Rays</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cosmic rays are atom fragments that rain down on the Earth from outside of the solar system. Most cosmic rays are atomic nuclei: most are hydrogen nuclei, some are helium nuclei, and the rest are heavier elements.</li>
<li>Though cosmic rays were discovered in 1912 but still the origins of the highest energy cosmic rays remains unknown and a topic of much research, most scientists suspect their origins are related to supernovas (star explosions)</li>
<li>Cosmic rays travels at the speed of light and have been blamed for electronics problems in satellites and other machinery.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Umbrella Effect</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this case Umbrella effect refers to the cooling of earth, as cosmic rays increases low level clouds which blocks the sunlight thereby acting as an Umbrella.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Previous studies using data from the meteorological observation showed that there are only minute changes in the amounts of cosmic rays and cloud cover.</li>
<li>However, the researchers from the Kobe University in Japan, analysed Earth&rsquo;s last geomagnetic reversal (a phenomenon where the planet's overall magnetic field flips) transition 780,000 years ago and figured out that :<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During the period, the Earth&rsquo;s magnetic strength fell to less than one-fourth and cosmic rays increased by over 50 per cent.</li>
<li>This spiked the global cloud cover and enabled detection of the impact of cosmic rays on climate.</li>
<li>The Cosmic rays can enhance the formation of low-lying clouds or increase the global cloud cover ultimately leading to the cooling of Earth's atmosphere.</li>
<li>Combined effect of rays and cloud cover, led to a high atmospheric pressure in Siberia. The effect caused the East Asian winter monsoon to become stronger.</li>
<li>Focusing on the phenomenon, the researchers also investigated changes in particle size and accumulation speed of loess layer dust (sediment created by the accumulation of wind-blown silt) in two locations of China&rsquo;s Loess Plateau.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The particles became coarser and silt was accumulated up to three times faster in both locations. due to this during the last geomagnetic reversal, the researchers found evidence of stronger winter monsoons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>So this study provides an opportunity to rethink the impact of clouds on climate. When galactic cosmic rays increase, so do low clouds, and when cosmic rays decrease clouds do as well, so climate warming may be caused by an opposite-umbrella effect</li>
<li>Earlier the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-warming-of-1-5-c-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</strong></a> has discussed the impact of cloud cover on climate but this phenomenon has never been considered in climate predictions due to the insufficient physical understanding of it.</li>
<li>Thus with the increase in climate change events, understanding the cosmic rays&rsquo; role in global warming may be important.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cosmic-rays-impacting-earth-s-climate'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Gangetic Dolphins Found in Mahananda River',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>For the first time, a population of Gangetic River Dolphins has been found in the Mahananda river, in Bihar&rsquo;s Kishanganj district.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dolphins were spotted during a survey conducted by a team of scientists from Vikramshila Biodiversity Research and Education Centre (VBREC) of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mahananda River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mahananda river is a tributary of the Ganga.</li>
<li>It originates from the Himalayas in Darjeeling, West Bengal.</li>
<li>The river flows through Bihar, West Bengal, and then continues southeastward to join the Ganga at Godagari in Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to scientists, the number of dolphins in the Mahananda and its tributaries can be much more than this, as the survey was not conducted in a suitable season.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Post monsoon is a suitable season when there is adequate water level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The presence of dolphins is the sign of a healthy river ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gangetic Dolphins</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Ganges river dolphin</strong> is found in parts of the Ganges, Meghna, and Brahmaputra river systems in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are locally known as Susu, which refers to the noise the dolphin is said to make when it breathes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Gangetic river dolphin is India's national aquatic animal.</li>
<li><strong>Behaviour and Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Gangetic Dolphins are generally blind and can detect only the direction of light.</li>
<li>They emit an ultrasonic sound which reaches the prey. The dolphin then registers this image in its mind and subsequently catches hold of its prey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In fact, these dolphins live by echolocation. They navigate, feed, escape danger, find mates, breed, and nurse babies by echolocation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dolphins prefer water that is at least five to eight feet deep.</li>
<li>Gangetic dolphins live in a zone where there is little or no current, helping them save energy. If they sense danger, they can dive into deep waters.</li>
<li>The dolphins swim from the no-current zone to the edges (Turbulent waters) to hunt for fish and return.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Water Level:</strong> Declining water in the river, putting more pressure on the dolphins to manage their life cycle.</li>
<li><strong>Climate change</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> increasing pollution</strong> due to large scale discharge of industrial and municipal waste, siltation, and mechanised boats pose one of the biggest threats to these freshwater dolphins.</li>
<li><strong>Poaching:</strong> They frequently fall prey to poachers. Their carcasses are found regularly on river banks.</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>IUCN Status: Endangered</li>
<li>It is listed on CITES Appendix I.</li>
<li>It is classified under Schedule 1, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 providing absolute protection as offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)</strong> is an international agreement which aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Gangetic river dolphin is one of the four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China, the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river in South America.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Amazon river dolphin</strong> is also known as the boto or &lsquo;pink river dolphin. It is characterized by its long snout and pale pink color.</li>
<li><strong>The Indus river dolphins</strong> locally as the Bhulan. They are found in the lower parts of the Indus River in Pakistan. Another small, isolated population <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-4th-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>can be found in the Beas River in India.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India.</li>
<li>The sanctuary is a 50 km stretch of the Ganges River from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon.</li>
<li>It was designated as a protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins in 1991.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphins-found-in-mahananda-river'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Project Manav',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>A human atlas initiative</strong> named <strong>Manav</strong> has been launched by the <strong>Department of Biotechnology (DBT)</strong> and Persistent Systems, a biotechnology company.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>
<p>The aim is to create <strong>a unified database of molecular network</strong> of all the tissues in the human body and to derive a holistic picture of working of the human body.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>In this <strong>public-private venture,</strong> DBT and Persistent Systems will invest Rs 13 crore and Rs 7 crore respectively.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>There is already a similar <strong>Human Cell Atlas project</strong> (launched in the year 2016), which is a collaborative effort between the <strong>world-leading scientists,</strong> to generate data pertaining to cellular and molecular activities of various cell types in the body in both its normal and disease state using techniques such as single cell genomics.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The <strong>Indian project,</strong> on the other hand, depends on the knowledge already available in scientific literature to derive information on cellular network.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="western">About the Project</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>
<p>This mega project will collate and integrate molecular information on human tissues and organs that currently remain in research articles in an unstructured and disorganised form.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The project would <strong>utilise large biological community,</strong> both students and scientists, for extracting and adding the information from scientific literature at the level of cells and organs.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The database, that would get created, would eventually help researchers <strong>identify gaps in current knowledge</strong> and help in future projects in diagnostics and disease biology.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Also, the information gathered in the project will help scientists to understand the differential molecular factors which vary between diseased states vis-a-vis a healthy state of an organ.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The project will be executed by the <strong>Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)</strong> and the <strong>National Center for Cell Sciences (NCCS)</strong> based in Pune.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>
<p>While the institutes will train students, the technology platform and data management will be provided by the private partner.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>IISER</strong> is an autonomous institution established by the <strong>Ministry of Human Resource Development.</strong></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>NCCS</strong> is an autonomous organisation aided by the Department of Biotechnology, <strong>Ministry of Science and Technology.</strong></p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>This initiative will also help in creating a<strong> trained population of biologists.</strong> With the data curation and analysis skills imparted during this project, students will have better opportunities for jobs in the life science sector.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The data methodology and technical platform developed during this project can also be extrapolated to do other science projects on biodiversity, ecology, environment etc. which may be relevant nationally or globally.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/project-manav'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'ISRO: Challenges and Opportunities',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/expanding-indias-share-in-global-space-economy/article28286469.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Expanding India&rsquo;s share in global space economy&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Hindu on 5th July 2019. It talks about the challenges and opportunities for ISRO in the new space age.</p>
</div>
<p>Today, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)&rsquo;s</a> success has made India to be inducted in an elite group of countries, where India is rightfully acknowledged as a space power in the world. Space technology is dual-use technology, in this feat, apart from space research, ISRO has delivered many projects serving military as well as socio-economic needs of India.</p>
<p>However, demand for space-based services in India is far greater than what ISRO can supply. Therefore private sector investment is critical, for which a suitable policy environment needs to be created.</p>
<h3>What is the current status of ISRO?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ISRO was established in 1969 and has been guided by a set of mission and vision statements covering both the societal objectives and the thrust areas.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The first area was of <strong>satellite communication,</strong> which sought to address the national needs for telecommunication, broadcasting and broadband infrastructure.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>INSAT and GSAT</strong> are the core of satellite communication</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The second area of focus was <strong>earth observation</strong> and using space-based imagery for a slew of national demands, ranging from weather forecasting, disaster management and national resource mapping and national security.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Beginning with the <strong>Indian Remote Sensing (IRS)</strong> series in the 1980s, today the <strong>RISAT, Cartosat and Resourcesat series</strong> provide wide-field and multispectral high-resolution data for land, ocean and atmospheric observations.</li>
<li>With higher resolution and precise positioning, <strong>Geographical Information Systems&rsquo;</strong> applications today cover all aspects of rural and urban development and planning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The third and more recent focus area is <strong>satellite-aided navigation</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation (GAGAN),</strong> a joint project between ISRO and Airports Authority of India, augmented the GPS coverage of the region, improving the accuracy and integrity, primarily for civil aviation applications and better air traffic management over Indian airspace.</li>
<li>This was followed up with the <strong>Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS),</strong> a system based on seven satellites in geostationary and geosynchronous orbits. In 2016, the system was renamed <strong>NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deep space probes</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The most notable of these have been the <strong>Chandrayaan</strong> and the <strong>Mangalyaan</strong> missions, with a manned space mission, <strong>Gaganyaan</strong>, planned for its first test flight in 2021.</li>
<li>These missions are not just for technology demonstration but also for expanding the frontiers of knowledge in space sciences.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>None of this would have been possible without mastering the <strong>launch-vehicle technology</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Beginning with the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) and the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), ISRO has developed and refined the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) as its workhorse for placing satellites in low earth and sun-synchronous orbits.</li>
<li>The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) programme is still developing with its <strong>MkIII variant,</strong> having undertaken three missions, and is capable of carrying a 3.5 MT payload into a geostationary orbit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What are the potential areas and challenges for ISRO?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Today, the value of the global space industry is estimated to be $350 billion and is likely to exceed $550 billion by 2025.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Despite ISRO&rsquo;s impressive capabilities, India&rsquo;s share is estimated at $7 billion (just 2% of the global market) covering broadband and Direct-to-Home television (accounting for two-thirds of the share), satellite imagery and navigation.</li>
<li>Already, over a third of transponders used for Indian services are leased from foreign satellites and this proportion will rise as the demand grows.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analytics has led to the emergence of <strong>&lsquo;New Space&rsquo;</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>New Space entrepreneurship</strong> has emerged in India with many start-ups which seek value in exploring end-to-end services in the Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer segments using new space. However, these startups have yet to take off in the absence of regulatory clarity.</li>
<li>So they need an enabling ecosystem, a culture of accelerators, incubators, venture capitalists and mentors that exists in cities like Bengaluru which is where most New Space start-ups have mushroomed.</li>
<li>Also, the New Space start-ups discern a synergy with government&rsquo;s flagship programmes like Digital India, Startup India, Skill India and schemes like Smart Cities Mission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is New Space?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term New Space is used to refer to a global sector of new aerospace companies and ventures working independently of governments to develop faster, better, and cheaper access to space and spaceflight technologies, driven by commercial ends as distinct from political or socio economically-oriented ends.</li>
<li>New space ventures may include: Space tourism, Asteroid mining, Satellite servicing etc.</li>
<li>SpaceX, Blue origin are some examples of companies involved in New Space.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Another revolution underway is the small satellite revolution.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, 17,000 small satellites are expected to be launched between now and 2030.</li>
<li>ISRO is developing a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) expected to be ready in 2019.</li>
<li>It is a prime candidate, along with the proven PSLV, to be farmed out to the private sector.</li>
<li>In this context, The Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) role, which is restricted to ISRO must now be outsourced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also years ago, ISRO launched the idea of Village Resource Centres to work in collaboration with local panchayats and NGOs but only 460 pilots have begun.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Expanding this for rural areas is a formidable challenge but has the potential to transform rural India if properly conceived as a part of the India Stack and the Jan Dhan Yojana.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is India stack?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India Stack refers to the ambitious project of creating a unified software platform to bring India's population into the digital age.</li>
<li>India Stack is a set of APIs that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilize a unique digital infrastructure to solve India&rsquo;s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery</li>
<li>Aadhaar forms the core of India stack.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Further, with the Ministry of Defence now setting up a Defence Space Agency and a Defence Space Research Organisation, ISRO should now actively embrace an exclusively civilian identity.</li>
</ul>
<p>So with increasing competition, complexity and demand for space-related activities, there is a growing realisation that national legislation is needed to ensure overall growth of the space sector. A New Space law for India should aim at facilitating growing India&rsquo;s share of the global space economy to 10% in the coming decade.</p>
<p>The government now has an opportunity to give priority to a new Bill that can be welcomed by the private sector, both the larger players and the start-ups alike.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #facaca; border-color: #ff0000; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />ISRO&rsquo;s role has been impeccable in making India a global space power, however, there are many challenges and opportunities in the new space age that ISRO needs to address.Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/isro-challenges-and-opportunities'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Privilege Motion',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, a member of the Indian parliament has <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/breach-of-privilege" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>moved a privilege motion</strong></a> against a TV channel.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The breach of privilege motion is moved against a private Hindi news channel and its Editor for <strong>reporting that members' first speech in the Lok Sabha was plagiarised.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Plagiarism is a practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Parliamentary privileges are <strong>certain rights</strong> and <strong>immunities</strong> enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can<strong> effectively discharge their functions.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> Constitution (Article 105)</strong> mentions two privileges,i.e<strong>. freedom of speech in Parliament</strong> and<strong> right of publication of its proceedings.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book</strong> and correspondingly <strong>Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook</strong> governs<strong> privilege.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> Speaker of Loksabha</strong> and <strong>Rajya Sabha Chairperson</strong> is the <strong>first level of scrutiny</strong> of a privilege motion.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Speaker/Chairperson can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself</strong> or <strong>refer it to the privileges committee</strong> of Parliament.</li>
<li>If the Speaker/Chairperson gives consent under respective rules, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Privilege Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lok Sabha:</strong> The <strong>Speaker nominates</strong> a committee of privileges <strong>consisting of 15 members</strong> as per respective party strengths.</li>
<li><strong>Rajya Sabha:</strong> The <strong>deputy chairperson</strong> heads the committee of privileges, that <strong>consists of 10 members.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/privilege-motion'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Hydrogen-Enriched Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Delhi will be the first city in the country to roll out hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) buses for public transport from November 2020.</li>
<li>It will start as a pilot project with 50 CNG buses retrofitted with HCNG.</li>
<li>Since Air pollution is fast becoming a serious global problem with increasing population and its subsequent demands. This has resulted in increased usage of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines.</li>
<li>Also, the Delhi government along with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) began work to set up India&rsquo;s first semi-commercial HCNG station.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is HCNG</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The blending of hydrogen with CNG provides a blended gas termed as HCNG.</li>
<li>HCNG stands for hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas and it combines the advantages of both hydrogen and methane.</li>
<li>HCNG allows customers early hydrogen deployment with nearly commercial technology. It is being treated as the first step towards future hydrogen economy.</li>
<li>Hydrogen has been regarded as a future secondary fuel for power system due to carbon-free operation.</li>
<li>The rapid increase in the emission of greenhouse gases and very strict environmental legislation are major motivating factors for the usage of hydrogen in fuel cells and internal combustion engines.</li>
<li>Hydrogen is an excellent additive to improve the combustion of hydrocarbon fuel due to its low ignition energy, high reactivity, diffusivity and burning velocity.</li>
<li>Since hydrogen infrastructure and refuelling stations are not meeting the demand, the widespread introduction of hydrogen vehicles is not possible in the near future. One of the solutions for this hurdle is to blend hydrogen with methane</li>
<li>However, Hydrogen-Enriched Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) is still under research as though it increases fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emission but it has also led to increased NOx emissions.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hydrogen-enriched-compressed-natural-gas-hcng'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Highlights of Economic Survey 2018-19',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs</strong> tabled the Economic Survey 2018-19 in the Parliament.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the <strong>first survey</strong> by the n<strong>ew chief economic advisor Krishnamurthy V Subramanian.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> of Economic Survey, 2018-19 is <strong>"Shifting Gears towards a $5 trillion Indian economy by 2024-25&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Other focus areas:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>"Blue Sky" thinking - New Ideas for Policymaking; </li>
<li>Behavioral <em>'nudges'</em> for Optimal Outcomes; </li>
<li>Policies to unshackle MSMEs;</li>
<li>Data as a public good "of the <em>people,</em> for the <em>people</em> and by the <em>people";</em> </li>
<li>Legal Reforms;</li>
<li>Policy Consistency; </li>
<li>Efficient Labour Markets;</li>
<li>Use of Technology</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Economic Survey</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Economic Survey is prepared by the <strong>Economic Division</strong> of the <strong>Department of Economic Affairs</strong> in the Finance Ministry under the overall guidance of the <strong>Chief Economic Adviser.</strong></li>
<li>The survey was <strong>de-linked</strong> from the <strong>Budget in the year 1964</strong> and is circulated in advance to provide the context of the Budget.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s<strong> first</strong> Economic Survey was <strong>presented in the year 1950-51.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>GDP Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>A sustained real GDP growth rate of 8% is needed for India to become a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The survey suggests that this can be achieved by a <strong>&ldquo;Virtuous Cycle&rdquo;</strong> of savings, investment, and exports. The <strong>private&nbsp;investment</strong> being the key driver.</li>
<li>This cycle will be catalyzed and supported by a <strong>favorable demographic phase.</strong></li>
<li>This virtuous cycle should be<strong> sustained</strong> and in <strong>equilibrium.</strong> A <strong>departure from traditional Anglo-Saxon thinking</strong> by viewing the economy as being either in a virtuous or a vicious cycle, and thus never in equilibrium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Behavioural Economics for Social Change</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The survey has drawn on <strong>Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler&rsquo;s Behavioural Economics Theory</strong> to lay out an &ldquo;ambitious agenda" for behavior change that will bring in social change, which in turn, will help India transit to a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Decisions by real people deviate from impractical robots theorized in classical economics. Behavioral economics provides insights to &lsquo;nudge&rsquo; people towards desirable behavior.</li>
<li>It pitches for behavioral change by applying the principles of behavioral economics to several issues including gender equality, a healthy and beautiful India, savings, tax compliance, and credit quality.</li>
<li>This includes a transition from <strong>&lsquo;Beti Bachao Beti Padhao&rsquo; to &lsquo;BADLAV&rsquo; (Beti Aapki Dhan Lakshmi Aur Vijay Lakshmi)</strong>, from <strong>&lsquo;Swachh Bharat&rsquo; to &lsquo;Sundar Bharat&rsquo;,</strong> from <strong>&lsquo;Give it up&rdquo;</strong> for the LPG subsidy to <strong>&lsquo;Think about the Subsidy&rsquo;</strong> and from<strong> &lsquo;Tax</strong> <strong>evasion&rsquo; to &lsquo;Tax compliance&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nudge Theory</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to Nudge theory, people, rather than being forced, can be<strong> encouraged and influenced</strong> to pursue or desist from certain actions through nudges.</li>
<li>It <strong>does not talk about penalizing people</strong> if they do not behave in a particular manner, rather it <strong>encourages</strong> them to make desirable decisions.</li>
<li>It believes that <strong>Humans are not-so-rational</strong> and often <strong>need encouragement</strong> or intervention &mdash; a nudge &mdash; to get going and do what&rsquo;s best for the country or society at large.</li>
<li>American economist <strong>Richard Thaler has won the 2017 Nobel Prize in economics</strong> for his contributions to behavioural economics.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Policies for MSME Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The survey highlights the importance of intervention in the case of <strong>&ldquo;Dwarfs&rdquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dwarfs are the firms with <strong>less than 100 workers despite being more than 10 years old.</strong></li>
<li>They account for <strong>more than 50%</strong> of all organized firms in manufacturing by number.</li>
<li>Contribution of dwarfs to <strong>employment is only 14%</strong> and to the <strong>productivity is a mere 8%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large firms (more than 100 employees)</strong> account for 75% employment and close to 90% of productivity despite accounting for about 15% by number.</li>
<li>The interventions are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>sunset clause of less than 10 years</strong>, with necessary grand-fathering, for all size-based incentives.</li>
<li>Deregulating labor law restrictions to create significantly more jobs.</li>
<li>Re-calibrating <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-norms-for-co-origination-of-loans" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Priority Sector Lending (PSL)</strong></a> guidelines for direct credit flow to young firms in high employment elastic sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sunset Clause &amp; Size Based Incentives</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sunset clause is a provision of a law that it will <strong>automatically be terminated</strong> after a fixed period unless it is extended by law.</li>
<li>The Economic Survey <strong>slammed the practice of perpetual support</strong> to small and medium-sized enterprises on the grounds that they are mega job creators. Such a <strong>continuous hand-holding merely encourages</strong> these entities to keep a check on their scale of operations, i.e. <strong>they deliberately stay small.</strong></li>
<li>The governments should shift their focus to <strong>nurturing &ldquo;infant&rdquo; firms only.</strong></li>
<li>Policymakers must ensure that <strong>support to small units is withdrawn</strong> after a specified time, forcing them to expand their operations and not live off government relief forever.</li>
<li>The survey also cites <strong>&ldquo;size-based incentives&rdquo;</strong> irrespective of the firm&rsquo;s age.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Minimum Wage System &amp; Inclusive Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Survey <strong>proposes a well-designed minimum wage system</strong> as a potent tool for protecting workers and alleviating poverty.</li>
<li>The survey <strong>supports rationalization of minimum wages</strong> as proposed under the Code on Wages Bill. Minimum wages to all employments/workers.</li>
<li><strong>Current Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Present minimum wage system in India has 1,915 minimum wages for various scheduled job categories across states.</li>
<li>1 in every 3 wage worker in India is not protected by the minimum wage law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;National Floor Minimum Wage&rsquo;</strong> should be notified by the Central Government, varying across five geographical regions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Minimum wages by states should be <strong>fixed at levels not lower than the &lsquo;floor wage&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Minimum wages can be <strong>notified based either on the skills</strong> or on<strong> geographical region</strong> or on<strong> both grounds.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;National level dashboard&rsquo;</strong> under the Ministry of Labour &amp; Employment for regular notifications on minimum wages, proposed by the survey.</li>
<li><strong>Toll-free number</strong> to register grievance on non-payment of the statutory minimum wages.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Minimum Wage</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100th-anniversary-of-ilo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Labour Organization (ILO)</strong></a>, minimum wages have been defined as the <strong>minimum amount</strong> of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, <strong>which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India's Demography</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A sharp slowdown in population growth is expected in the next 2 decades. National <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-population-boon-or-bane-rajya-sabha-lok-sabha-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Total Fertility Rate</strong></a> is expected to be below the replacement rate by 2021.</li>
<li>Significant <strong>decline is to be witnessed in elementary school-going children (5-14 age group)</strong> over the next two decades.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>States need to consolidate/merge schools</strong> to make them viable rather than build new ones.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Policy makers need to<strong> prepare for aging</strong> by investing in health care and by <strong>increasing the retirement age</strong> in a phased manner.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reforms in the Lower Judiciary</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The section on ways to ramp up capacity in the lower judiciary is titled<strong> &lsquo;Ending Matsyanyaya&rsquo; (the law of the fish/jungle).</strong></li>
<li>Delays in contract enforcement and disposal resolution are now the single biggest hurdle to the ease of doing business and higher GDP growth in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the survey highlights the profound impact that the Government&rsquo;s efforts of introducing the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code</strong></a> and the adoption of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-national-anti-profiteering-authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></a>, have had on improving <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-banks-ease-of-doing-business-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ease of Doing Business</strong> </a>in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Data &ldquo;Of the People, By the People, For the People&rdquo;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As data is generated by the people, data can be created as a public good within the<strong> legal framework of data privacy.</strong></li>
<li>The government must intervene in c<strong>reating data as a public good, especially of the poor and in social sectors.</strong></li>
<li>Merging the distinct datasets held by the Government already would generate multiple benefits.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'US Drags India to WTO',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The United States has dragged India to the World Trade Organisation, requesting dispute consultations on the 'retaliatory duties' imposed by India on 28 US goods in June, 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has imposed the duties as a tit-for-tat move against the US decision to impose unilateral additional tariffs on steel and aluminium imported from India.</li>
<li>The US claims that the additional duties are inconsistent with the provisions of the&nbsp;<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade</strong></a>.<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong></strong></a></li>
<li>India's argument in support of its duties is that retaliation is permitted under the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards.</li>
<li>To this, the US maintains that its tariffs are not a safeguard measure but were taken under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on grounds of national security.</li>
<li>If the dispute consultations between the two countries fail to resolve the matter then the US can ask the WTO to set up a panel to decide on the matter.</li>
<li>This mini-tariff war between the US and India sparked from USA's decision to withdraw <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-withdraws-gsp-for-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GSP</strong></a> status from India and other economic issues.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/613image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/613image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="272" height="128" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>Also, it is not the first time the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-us-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA and India had there trade issues</strong></a> settled at WTO. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently India has won a major trade dispute against the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-and-usa-at-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>domestic content requirements and subsidies.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-drags-india-to-wto'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Shrinking Sea Ice Extent',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>As per the study of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mars-colonisation-through-sperm-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</strong></a>, after decades of gradual increases, Antarctic sea ice is now decreasing, faster than that in the Arctic.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The sea ice extent</strong> is a measure of the surface area of the ocean covered by ice.</li>
<li>The Arctic and Antarctic both are experiencing shrinking of the sea ice extent which proves the effect of global warming on Frigid Zones.</li>
<li>The satellite observations of Antarctic sea ice coverage since the late 1970s show that after a gradual increase in the Antarctic sea ice over decades until 2014, the trend suddenly reversed completely in the 2014- 2017 period. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During 2014-2017, the rate of sea ice loss in the Antarctic far exceeded those recorded for the Arctic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Climate scientists have been warning of an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, increased variability and instability of climatic patterns because of global warming. The findings of the study indicate that the Earth has the potential for significant and rapid change.</li>
<li>The sea surface temperatures in the open waters of the Arctic have been unusually high, up to 5 degrees Celsius above average in the Chukchi Sea, a marginal area of the Arctic Ocean.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The sea surface temperature is a measure of the energy due to the motion of molecules at the top layer of the sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/832image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/832image2.jpg" width="629" height="422" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-the-global-climate-wmo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)</strong></a> has stated that 2015 to 2019 were the warmest five years on record.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Possible Causes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Antarctica is largely protected from atmospheric warming by the westerly winds which surround the continent and Antarctic sea ice does not respond directly to global warming averaged over the whole planet. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Apart from the climate change, the ozone hole and short-term cycles like El Nino also affect the westerly winds.</li>
<li>The sea ice also responds to the level of ocean mixing, which is affected by meltwater from the Antarctic Ice Sheet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Decreasing Sea Ice</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Increased Global Warming:</strong> The bright surface of sea ice reflects 50% to 70% of sunlight back into space. But when sea ice melts, it turns into dark ocean surface, which absorbs 90% of the sunlight. The more light is absorbed, the warmer global systems become.</li>
<li><strong>Effect on ecosystem:</strong> Sea ice also affects the polar ecosystem, including penguins and whales and seals, petrels and albatrosses, krill, and a whole range of additional animals and marine plant life.</li>
<li>Warming of the poles can lead to greater persistence in seasonal patterns and an increased frequency of extreme events resulting in increased variability and instability in climate.</li>
<li>The sea ice situation, a clear demonstration of greenhouse gas warming, is a warning of likely future disasters.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shrinking-sea-ice-extent'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Miyawaki Method',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Telangana government has introduced the <strong>Japanese &ldquo;Miyawaki&rdquo;</strong> method of <strong>afforestation</strong> to grow urban forests and expand the green cover as well as to meet the stipulated plantation target under the Telanganaku Haritha Haaram (TKHH).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build <strong>dense,</strong> <strong>native forests</strong> in a <strong>short time.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/657Image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/657Image4.jpg" width="632" height="448" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has revolutionised the concept of <strong>urban afforestation</strong> by turning backyards into mini-forests.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This method includes planting trees <strong>(only native species)</strong> as close as possible in the same area which not only <strong>saves space,</strong> but the planted saplings also support each other in growth and block sunlight reaching the ground, thereby preventing the <strong>growth of weed.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The saplings</strong> become <strong>maintenance-free</strong> (self sustainable) after the first three years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The approach is supposed to ensure that<strong> plant growth</strong> is 10 times faster and the resulting plantation is <strong>30 times denser</strong> than usual.</li>
<li>Miyawaki method helps to create a forest in just 20 to 30 years, while through conventional methods it takes anywhere between 200 to 300 years.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Miyawaki Process</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers &mdash; shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy.</li>
<li>The quality of soil is analysed and biomass which would help enhance the perforation capacity, water retention capacity, and nutrients in it, is mixed with it.</li>
<li>A mound is built with the soil and <strong>the seeds are planted</strong> at a very high density &mdash; three to five sapling per square meter.</li>
<li>The ground is covered with a thick <strong>layer of mulch.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Such forests lack some qualities of natural forests, such as <strong>medicinal</strong> <strong>properties</strong> and the ability to <strong>bring rain.</strong></li>
<li>Such fast-growing plantations are actually <strong>wood lots</strong> (a parcel of a woodland or forest capable of small-scale production of forest products (such as <strong>wood</strong> fuel, sap for maple syrup, sawlogs, and pulpwood) as well as recreational uses like bird watching, bushwalking, and wildflower appreciation) and cannot be termed as forests.</li>
<li>Several environmentalists have questioned the efficacy of the method that accelerates the growth of trees and claims to match a forest&rsquo;s complex ecosystem (as it is not a good idea to force plants to <strong>photosynthesize fast</strong>).</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/miyawaki-method'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'LIBRA',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>Facebook has announced the launch of a <strong>cryptocurrency</strong> called <strong>Libra</strong> by <strong>2020.</strong> While this signals facebook&rsquo;s plans to expand into the <strong>global digital currency market,</strong> it has also raised <strong>privacy concerns</strong>.</p>
<h3>LIBRA</h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1578481429_image43.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1578481429_image43.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="759" height="422" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Digi Currency:</strong> Facebook&rsquo;s <strong>cryptocurrency <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/libra-cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Libra</a></strong> will allow <strong>smartphone</strong> users to buy services digitally from their phone.</li>
<li><strong>Digital Wallet:</strong> Libra will be stored in a <strong>digital wallet</strong> called <strong>Calibra.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Calibra is a standalone app on a user's smartphone or housed within Facebook-owned services such as WhatsApp and Messenger.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>How can users buy Libra?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Users will need to sign up for an account using a government-issued ID to use Calibra wallet.</li>
<li>Users will then be able to convert their money into Libra and add it to their digital wallet.</li>
<li>Once in place, the currency can be used to pay for everyday transactions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Libra Association:</strong> The cryptocurrency will be run by the Libra Association, a <strong>Geneva-</strong>based entity that has founding partners, including Facebook, Mastercard, Visa, Uber, and the Vodafone group.</li>
<li><strong>Libra Reserve:</strong> Libra will be backed by a reserve of assets in the form of <strong>securities</strong> (bank deposits and short-term government securities) and <strong>fiat currencies</strong> (like dollar, pound) to give it an intrinsic value and ensure stability. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Anyone with Libra will have an assurance that they can convert their <strong>digital currency</strong> into <strong>local fiat currency</strong> based on an exchange rate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Libra Blockchain:</strong> Every Libra payment is permanently written into the Libra blockchain which is a <strong>cryptographically authenticated database</strong> and acts as a public online ledger designed to handle 1,000 transactions per second.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Libra blockchain would be much<strong> faster</strong> than Bitcoin&rsquo;s 7 transactions per second or Ethereum&rsquo;s 15.</li>
<li>The blockchain is operated and constantly verified by founding members of the Libra Association.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Libra is planned as a <strong>&ldquo;global currency&rdquo;</strong> for use anywhere in the world without transaction fees.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cryptocurrency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cryptocurrencies-will-boost-illegal-transactions-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cryptocurrency</strong></a> is a <strong>virtual or digital</strong> currency for which <strong>encryption techniques</strong> (the process of encoding a message or information in such a way that only authorized parties can access it) are used to control its creation as a monetary unit and to verify the transfer of funds involved.</li>
<li><strong>Decentralized:</strong> unlike, fiat currencies (like INR, USD, EUR, etc) cryptocurrencies are not regulated or controlled by any bank, government or centralized financial authorities instead they are created and stored electronically through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-15th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>blockchain technology</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Cryptocurrencies are transferred from <strong>&ldquo;peer to peer"</strong> without the intervention of financial institutions, with transactions moderated by miners who record them in a blockchain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has <strong>no physical existence</strong> and cannot be redeemed in another commodity like gold.</li>
<li><strong>Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum, PPcoin, Dogecoin, Coinye, Namecoin,</strong> etc. are some of the examples of cryptocurrencies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Facebook Libra vs. Other Cryptocurrencies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Regulatory Compliance:</strong> Unlike other cryptocurrencies which are outside the regulation and control of the government or any other financial intermediaries, Libra is intended to set up regulatory compliance and work with regulators to find the best ways to curb <strong>its illegitimate use</strong> for <strong>money-laundering,</strong> or <strong>tax avoidance,</strong> or any other potential purposes that involve <strong>personal privacy.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Centralized Payment System:</strong> Other cryptocurrencies (entirely decentralized) are based on peer to peer transaction system or permission less blockchain but Libra will start as a <strong>permissioned blockchain</strong> (at least for the first five years).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Which implies that verifications for each transaction can only be done by insiders who set up the network (like Facebook, Mastercard, Visa, PayPay, Stripe, eBay, Lyft, Spotify and Uber).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Permissioned or Permissionless Blockchains</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Blockchains are described as either permissioned or permissionless in relation to the ability to participate as a validator node.</li>
<li><strong>Permissioned or private blockchains</strong> act as closed ecosystems, where users are not freely able to join the network, see the recorded history, or issue transactions of their own.</li>
<li><strong>Permissionless or Public Blockchains</strong> networks power up most of the market&rsquo;s digital currencies. They allow every user to create a personal address and begin interacting with the network, by submitting transactions, and hence adding entries to the ledger.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Stablecoin:</strong> Unlike the majority of cryptocurrencies which involve very high risk in investment (because of the high price volatility) and can not be converted into fiat currencies, Libra is designed to be a <strong>stable digital cryptocurrency</strong> (backed by a reserve of real assets) supported by a competitive network of exchanges buying and selling Libra and can be converted into fiat currencies.</li>
<li><strong>Complete Tracking Of All Minting &amp; Burning:</strong> Libras will not be mined like other cryptocurrencies but will be minted (created) and burned (destroyed) only by the members of Libra Association.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Coins are only minted when authorized resellers have purchased those coins from the association with fiat assets to fully back the new coins.</li>
<li>Coins are only burned when the authorized resellers sell Libra coin to the association in exchange for the underlying assets.</li>
<li>Which implies that entry and exit of normal currencies in and out of the Libra wallets is entirely trackable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Non-profit association:</strong> Unlike other cryptocurrencies that are driven by a <strong>profit motive</strong>, Libra Association is not a non-profit association.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Interest</strong> on the reserve assets will be used to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Cover the costs of the system</li>
<li>Ensure low transaction fees</li>
<li>Pay dividends to investors who provided capital to jumpstart the ecosystem</li>
<li>Support further growth and adoption</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Financial Inclusion:</strong> Libra could address the issue of financial exclusion, inflation or volatility (attached with currency) by providing a universal, stable currency that is easily transferable between persons or businesses without setting up an entire financial or payment infrastructure.</li>
<li><strong>Cross-Border Transaction:</strong> Libra can be transferred across multiple cell phone networks and can help in cross-border transaction, with minimum regulatory intervention and cost payment.</li>
<li><strong>Remitting Money:</strong> Without central banks&rsquo; intervention, Libra can deliver much lower transaction costs and convenience to migrants and their families, letting them hoard and carry less cash.</li>
<li><strong>Zero Cost:</strong> According to the World Bank, high cost attached to financial transactions is one of the biggest reasons for financial exclusion in developing countries. Libra would have a near-zero cost attached to it.</li>
<li><strong>Wider Reach:</strong> Facebook&rsquo;s (with its over 2 billion users) wider acceptability can be used to tap the unbanked areas.</li>
<li><strong>Secure and Safe:</strong> Libra, is based on a new programming language called &lsquo;Move&rsquo;, which is claimed by facebook as more secure and private.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Facebook has stated that, if someone loses their Libra coins from Calibra wallet, they will get a refund.</li>
<li>Facebook has said that account details will not be shared with facebook or third parties for advertising purposes, except for cases of data sharing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Privacy and Security:</strong> Regulators, lawmakers and government officials around the world are critical about Libra, as Cambridge Analytica scandal has exposed Facebook&rsquo;s lapses of data privacy and security.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are concerns that Libra can disrupt the entire global payment system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<p>Cambridge Analytica (political consulting firm) had harvested the personal data of millions of people's facebook profiles without their consent and used it for political advertising purposes.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unchecked power and influence</strong> of facebook (because of its large user base) could result in a<strong> shift of power</strong> away from the developing countries&rsquo; central banks toward multinational corporations and the central banks of the largest economies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Libra would hand over much of the control of monetary policy from central banks to private companies, like Visa, Uber, and Vodafone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shadow Bank:</strong> Libra, being a form of <strong>electronic money</strong> linked to many national currencies, has raised concerns that it might someday be recognized as a<strong> sovereign currency,</strong> with Facebook acting as a &ldquo;shadow bank&rdquo; that could compete with the central banks of countries around the world.</li>
<li><strong>Anonymous Digital Cash:</strong> Facebook has the blockchain and encryption technology to create traceable credit card or anonymous digital cash like system, or a private digital currency, which has not been created yet.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Anonymity would heighten the risks of abuse such as money laundering.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Control Over Financial Data:</strong> Governments have raised issues related to the dangers of combining <strong>financial data with behavioral data.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of the <strong>openness of the blockchain</strong> for value-addition more and more developers build products on the Libra blockchain, and more people use it, more data is generated with the expansion of the network. This reinforces the ownership and control of the Libra Association (at least its major stakeholders) over the payments system and data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Libra in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To run a payment system in India, or any system that enables payment between a payer and a beneficiary, authorization from the RBI is required under the <strong>Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government of India&rsquo;s tough regulatory stance on virtual currencies, will act as an impediment in authorisation of cryptocurrency based payment system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Draft Banning of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill 2019</strong> has proposed a ten-year jail term for holding cryptocurrencies in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The law proposes to punish mining, holding, generating, selling, transferring, disposing of, issuing or dealing with cryptocurrencies.</li>
<li>With the enactment of such laws mere holding of Libra or any other virtual currency would be an offense.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ministry of Corporate Affairs&rsquo;s <strong>Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority favours</strong> a ban on cryptocurrencies by considering it equivalent to a Ponzi scheme (Ponzi scheme is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any such ban would hugely restrict the reach of Libra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Risk Assessment:</strong> Government, financial regulators and central bank authorities should scrutinize all aspects of Libra because Facebook has a long history of launching products and services, like political ads and live-streaming video, without fully considering their potential to damage democracy, privacy, security and the global society at large.</li>
<li><strong>Protecting the Global Financial System:</strong> Development of new digital financial services, methods of electronic payment and currencies should not be allowed to undermine long-standing financial safety systems in terms of financial regulations (monetary and fiscal policy), even in the name of smoother, cheaper transactions.</li>
<li><strong>Financial Rules and Regulations:</strong> In order to protect consumers&rsquo; interest, regulators must come out with a new set of financial rules and regulations to shield the existing financial system from any harm if the Libra becomes more popular than national currencies.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/libra-3'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Agriculture Produce to Agriculture Marketing',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the news <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/creating-the-right-market-connect-for-boosting-farm-incomes-5813691/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Creating the right 'market connect' for boosting farm incomes"</a>. It talks about the needs to shift the focus of agricultural policy making from increasing agricultural production to reforming agricultural markets</p>
</div>
<p>At the dawn of Independence, Indian policymakers faced with the daunting task of poverty alleviation. In this scenario, land reforms and state-led industrialization were sought to be the prime moving force for the economy. But both the initiatives failed and India didn't have enough food to feed its population and had to go for the USA's food assistance program under PL 480.</p>
<p>Post this experience, India went for Green Revolution in the 1960s and 70's to attain self sufficiency in food production. Since then, successive governments have emphasised raising agriculture production to make India self-reliant in feeding its growing population. However, agricultural marketing hasn&rsquo;t received the corresponding attention, despite having a direct relationship to increased crop production.</p>
<h3>What are the issues in agricultural marketing?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian farmers today can their sell their produce at:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farmgate or local market (haat) to village aggregators;</li>
<li>APMC (agricultural produce market committee) wholesale mandi to private traders</li>
<li>To government at the minimum support price (MSP)</li>
<li><strong>But all three selling options are marred by several issues.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>MSP</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Announced for 23 crops but given for only 3 crops.</li>
<li>MSP is given only on produce meeting &ldquo;fair average quality&rdquo; norms</li>
<li>Government procurement facilities are not available throughout the country.</li>
<li>Also, next phase to growth in agricultural income will come from high yield commodities like dairy products, vegetables, fruits etc. but the government still providing MSP in cereals</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>APMC</strong>&nbsp;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>APMCs technically have multiple buyers, but the system of open auctions for determining prices through transparent bidding is, in practice, non-existent.</li>
<li>In most APMCs, buyers have to route all purchases through licenced aadhatiyas(middlemen).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These middlemen charge a commission for their &ldquo;services&rdquo; &mdash; many times, both from the buyer and seller.</li>
<li>The aadhatiya is also often a moneylender, supplying seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers on credit. They, then, are forced to sell through him and settle their dues in perpetuity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, mandi fees ranges from 0.5% to 5% on the value of the sale, while varying across states and commodities</li>
<li>Further mandi fees on inter-state trade amount to double taxation, besides violating the idea of a single national market.</li>
<li><strong>Distress sale</strong> due to lack of storage infrastructure<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At mandis the lowest prices are during the 3-4 post-harvest months and highest in the immediate pre-harvest period.</li>
<li>Farmers undertake maximum sales just after harvest, as they need to purchase inputs for the next sowing season.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To rectify this APMC issue:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Union Agriculture Ministry has formulated the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (APLM) Act</li>
<li>The Act seeks to expand farmers&rsquo; marketing choices &mdash; by allowing private markets (as against only APMCs), permitting direct bulk purchases from the farm gate, declaring warehouses or cold storages as deemed markets, and demolishing the existing concept of a <strong>&ldquo;market area&rdquo;</strong></li>
<li>But APLM act is witnessing opposition, primarily due to the delineation of &ldquo;market area&rdquo;, which has a bearing on the earnings of APMCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Price volatility</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The root cause of price volatility is the uncontrolled cycles of excesses and shortages.</li>
<li>Price projections in a particular commodity are often made based on previous years&rsquo; trends that may not hold true, leading to excess or low plantings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is Market Area as per APMC?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, an APMC&rsquo;s purview extends to the entire tehsil and villages in that sub-district, with any trade undertaken in this so-called market area being liable for payment of mandi fee.</li>
<li>The Model APLM Act recognises only the market yard, i.e the area within the boundary walls where actual trade in the mandi takes place</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What are the reforms required?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Uniform mandi fees:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is proposed that a uniform mandi fee of 0.25% or 0.50% be levied nationwide for foodgrains, oilseeds and fruits &amp; vegetables.</li>
<li>The consequent losses to APMCs may be compensated by the Centre and state governments, as in the case of the Goods and Services Tax.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eliminate Aadhatiya-based trading:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All trade in APMCs should be through open auctioning, involving multiple bidders for each lot. Such trades should be directly between buyers and sellers, with no middlemen charging commission.</li>
<li>The aadhatiya can participate only as a trader.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enable sample-based sales:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The farmer today brings his whole produce to the APMC and the buyers do the physical inspection before bidding.</li>
<li>This results in double transportation &mdash; from the farm gate to APMC and from the APMC to the ultimate destination.</li>
<li>If grading and sorting facilities exist closer to the farm gate, the farmer needs to take only a sample of his produce, along with the relevant quality certification documents, to the mandi. It would save both time and cost.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Storage and banking facilities near APMCs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Distress sales can be avoided if facilities for bagging and storage, along with loans against warehouse receipts, are available to meet immediate cash requirements. These should exist in the vicinity of APMCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promote FPOs in marketing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farmer producer organisations/companies should be encouraged to take up direct marketing of their members&rsquo; produce to large buyers and processors.</li>
<li>It will result in more competition and better prices at APMCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Relax/abolish Essential Commodities Act(ECA):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>ECA places restrictions on the movement of produce, stockholding, pricing and adoption of new technologies</li>
<li>The dismantling of such controls under ECA and other regulations would expand trade and lead to better realisations for cultivators.</li>
<li>The narrative of &ldquo;ease of doing business&rdquo; is necessary as much for agriculture as other businesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>e-NAM:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government has created an electronic national agriculture market (eNAM) to connect all regulated wholesale produce markets through a pan-India trading portal.</li>
<li>Its effectiveness is, however, dependent on the participation of traders from these mandis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk management:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Crop Insurance schemes offer protection to farmers against weather risks.</li>
<li>The premium in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is largely borne by the Government.</li>
<li>While still a work in progress, it is a more comprehensive and farmer-friendly scheme than any other one previously rolled out.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase the number of markets:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to Ashok Dalwai Committee, India needs at least 30,000 farms produce markets, as against the approximately 6,500 now.</li>
<li>There is a need for a &ldquo;mini-market&rdquo; concept to bridge this wide gap.</li>
<li>Government&rsquo;s announcement of GRAMs(Gramin rural agricultural market) is a step in the right direction</li>
<li>Also with ubiquitous electronic communication and reliable rural roads, GRAMs can become viable hubs for economic activity and employment generation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>AgTech startups should be roped in for price discovery mechanism, so that price volatility can be controlled.</li>
<li><strong>Producer consolidation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consolidation of small and fragmented farms into more viable holdings will improve producers&rsquo; access to finance and quality inputs, besides enabling better price realisations.</li>
<li>This will also incentivize much-needed investments in land development/ improvement and farm mechanisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Addressing the challenges of the agricultural market is complex, yet doable, as the doubling of farmers income cannot come without developing a thriving market of agriculture. Hence, it is high time that focus must shift from agricultural production to agricultural marketing.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #beebfa; border-color: #02779e; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Doubling of farmers income cannot be realised without a thriving agriculture market. In this context, apart from focusing on increasing agriculture production, the government must focus on agricultural marketing reforms. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agriculture-produce-to-agriculture-marketing'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Longest Electrified Railway Tunnel',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The South Central Railway (SCR) had commissioned the longest electrified tunnel of 6.6 km between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations in the state of Andhra Pradesh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The tunnel is part of the recently completed Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam new railway line.</li>
<li>The new line also facilitates direct and viable connectivity between South Coast and West Coast.</li>
<li>It also opens up the viable rail connectivity between Krishnapatnam Port and its hinterland for freight train services.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/681image7.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/681image7.jpg" width="483" height="322" caption="false" /></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/longest-electrified-railway-tunnel'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Disability and RTE: UNESCO Report',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/architectural-heritage-of-orchha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization</strong></a> (UNESCO) and the <strong>Tata Institute of Social Sciences</strong> have released a report titled <strong>'State of the Education Report for India 2019: Children with Disabilities.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report states that in India, 75% of five-year-olds with disabilities and a quarter (more than one in four ) of children with disabilities ( in the age group of 5 to 19 years) do not attend any educational institution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The report is in synchronization with the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goal</strong></a>-4 which aims to ensure <strong>"inclusive and equitable quality education&rdquo;</strong> and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are more than <strong>78 lakh</strong> children with disabilities in India between <strong>5-19 years.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only<strong> 61%</strong> of them were attending an educational institution.</li>
<li>About <strong>12%</strong> had <strong>dropped out,</strong> while <strong>27%</strong> had <strong>never been</strong> to school at all.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are <strong>fewer girls</strong> with <strong>disabilities</strong> in schools than boys but when it comes to school enrollment , more girls with disabilities get left behind than boys.</li>
<li>According to UNESCO, India is home to <strong>8 million children with disabilities,</strong> and 45% of them fail to attain literacy. Globally 15% of people are disabled.</li>
<li>There are also differences among various types of disabilities like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>20%</strong> of children with <strong>visual</strong> and <strong>hearing impairments</strong> had never been in school.</li>
<li>The percentage of children attending schools is the lowest among those with <strong>multiple disabilities</strong>, mental illnesses, and mental retardation. (<strong>more than 50%</strong> do not attend schoo).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A large number of children with disabilities do not go to regular schools but are enrolled at the <strong>National Institute of Open Schooling</strong> (NIOS).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>enrolment figures at NIOS shows a decline for most categories of disabilities between 2009 and 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Institute of Open Schooling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NIOS is "Open School" to cater to the needs of a heterogeneous group of learners up to pre-degree level.</li>
<li>It was started as a project by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).</li>
<li><strong>The National Policy on Education</strong> suggested strengthening of Open School System for extending open learning facilities at secondary level all over the country as an independent system with its own curriculum and examination leading to certification.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aser-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Right to Education Act</strong> </a>mandates <strong>enrolment</strong>, but not the provision of <strong>resources</strong> needed for the actual education of a child with disabilities.</li>
<li>In many parts of rural India, if a parent opts for <strong>home-based education,</strong> the child may not be getting an education at all.</li>
<li>Laws relating to right to education and disabilities have certain ambiguities in terms of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Where children with disabilities should study.</li>
<li>Who should teach them.</li>
<li>Gaps in terms of appropriate <strong>norms and standards</strong> applicable to all educational institutions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>lack of accessible physical<strong> infrastructure, assistive technologies,</strong> information and communication <strong>technology,</strong> and <strong>devices</strong> aggravates the situation of school dropout among disabled children.</li>
<li>Inadequate <strong>allocations, delays</strong> in releasing funds and <strong>under-utilization</strong> of allocation are key challenges in <strong>financing education</strong> for children with disabilities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recommendations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Amendments to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), so that it can be aligned with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-on-implementation-of-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-act-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Need for <strong>structural, funding and attitudinal</strong> changes to ensure that no child is left out of the right to education.</li>
<li>There should be concentrated <strong>campaigns</strong> and large scale <strong>awareness drives</strong> which can improve the attitude towards children with disabilities in the classroom and beyond.</li>
<li>Transformation of <strong>teaching practices</strong> is the need of the hour to aid the inclusion of diverse learners.</li>
<li>Establish a coordinating mechanism under the Ministry of Human Resource Development for effective <strong>convergence of all education programs</strong> of children with disabilities,</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disability-and-rte-unesco-report'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Working Group on Core Investment Companies',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a working group to review the regulatory guidelines and supervisory framework applicable for Core Investment Companies (CIC).</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In August 2010, the Reserve Bank had introduced a separate framework for the regulation of systemically important Core Investment Companies (CICs).</li>
<li>This was done because of the differences in the business model of a holding company relative to other non-banking financial companies.</li>
<li>Over the years, corporate group structures have become more complex involving multiple layering and leveraging, which has led to greater inter-connectedness with the financial system through their access to public funds.</li>
<li>Further, in light of recent developments, there is a need to strengthen the corporate governance framework of CICs.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Terms of Reference</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Terms of Reference of the Working Group are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To examine the current regulatory framework for CICs in terms of adequacy, efficacy and effectiveness of every component thereof and suggest changes therein.</li>
<li>To assess the appropriateness of and suggest changes to the current approach of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reserve Bank of India</a> towards registration of CICs including the practice of multiple CICs being allowed within a group.</li>
<li>To suggest measures to strengthen <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mechanism-to-prevent-insider-trading-t-k-viswanathan-committee-kotak-panel-recommendations-sebi-gs-ias-upsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corporate governance</a> and disclosure requirements for CICs.</li>
<li>To assess the adequacy of supervisory returns submitted by CICs and suggest changes therein.</li>
<li>To suggest appropriate measures to enhance RBI&rsquo;s off-site surveillance and on-site supervision over CICs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The working group, headed by Tapan Ray, shall submit its report by October 31, 2019.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Core Investment Company</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Core Investment Companies (CICs) are a specialized <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/shadow-banking-and-the-crisis-in-the-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)</a>.</li>
<li>They have asset size of Rs 100 crore and above.</li>
<li>Their main business is acquisition of shares and securities with certain conditions.</li>
<li>It holds not less than 90% of its net assets in the form of investment in equity shares, preference shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in group companies.</li>
<li>Its investments in the equity shares (including instruments compulsorily convertible into equity shares within a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of issue) in group companies constitutes not less than 60% of its net assets as mentioned in clause (iii) above.</li>
<li>It does not trade in its investments in shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in <strong>group companies</strong> except through block sale for the purpose of dilution or disinvestment.</li>
<li>It does not carry on any other financial activity referred to in RBI Act, 1934 except investment in bank deposits, money market instruments, government securities, loans to and investments in debt issuances of group companies or guarantees issued on behalf of <strong>group companies.</strong></li>
<li>It accepts public funds.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Group Companies</strong></p>
<p>Group companies are an arrangement involving two or more entities related to each other through any of the following relationships, viz.,Subsidiary, Joint venture, Associate, Promoter-promotee for listed companies, a related party, Common brand name, and investment in equity shares of 20% and above.</p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/working-group-on-core-investment-companies'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Total Solar Eclipse 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A Total Solar Eclipse was witnessed in the region of the South Pacific and parts of South America (Mainly Chile and Argentina)</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This was the only Total Solar Eclipse of 2019.</li>
<li>The astonishing thing about this Total eclipse was that it was viewed from the world&rsquo;s clearest skies (Atacama desert).</li>
<li>The Total Solar Eclipse was not visible in India,</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solar and Lunar Eclipse</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eclipses are divided into two major types: Solar and Lunar. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Solar eclipses</strong> occur when the Sun, Moon and earth all fall in the same line so that the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, leaving a moving region of shadow on Earth&rsquo;s surface.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/928image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/928image4.jpg" width="487" height="211" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lunar eclipses</strong> occur when the Sun, Moon and earth all fall in the same line and Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/629image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/629image2.jpg" width="543" height="325" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eclipses may be classified into 4 types i.e. Annular, Total, Partial and Hybrid</li>
<li>The type of eclipse we experience depends on the type of shadow that is involved.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the Moon and Earth cast 3 shadows: umbra, penumbra, and an antumbra.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/882image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/882image5.jpg" width="316" height="172" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The umbra is a shadow's dark core: It means If you are standing within the umbra, you will not be able to see any part of the light source as the object blocks all direct light rays.</li>
<li>The penumbra is a half-shadow that occurs when a light source is only partly covered by an object</li>
<li>Antumbra &ndash; the lighter part of the shadow that begins where the umbra ends.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In Total or annular solar eclipse:</strong> The Moon completely covers the Sun completely but whether an eclipse is total or annular depends on the distance between these three objects(Sun, Moon and Earth)<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earth travels in an elliptical orbit around the Sun, and the Moon travels in an elliptical orbit around Earth, so the distance between these celestial bodies changes.</li>
<li><strong>Annular solar eclipse:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/195image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/195image8.jpg" width="144" height="210" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>When the Sun is nearest to Earth and the Moon is at or near its greatest distance, the Moon appears smaller than the Sun in the sky. When an eclipse of the Sun happens in this situation, the Moon will not appear large enough to cover the disk of the Sun completely, and a rim or ring of light will remain visible in the sky.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Total solar eclipse:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Total solar eclipses occur when the New Moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow, the umbra, on Earth. A full solar eclipse, known as totality, is almost as dark as night.</li>
<li>During a total eclipse of the Sun, the Moon covers the entire disk of the Sun. In partial and annular solar eclipses, the Moon blocks only part of the Sun.</li>
<li>When Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun, only the Sun's corona is visible.</li>
<li>It is called Total eclipse because at the maximum point of the eclipse( midpoint of time of totality), the sky goes dark and temperatures can fall.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/708image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/708image3.jpg" width="256" height="144" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>The reason why solar eclipses are so rare is that the Moon's umbra rarely hits the Earth's surface. Even during a total solar eclipse, the umbra only covers a small area on earth(path of totality)</li>
<li>That's why viewing a solar eclipse often depends upon where the viewer observes the event. A partial eclipse may be seen by viewers who stand outside of the region of shadow created by the umbra&mdash;the path of totality&mdash;but who remain within the large region of shadow covered by the penumbra, a region of lesser shadow where some light still penetrates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hybrid Eclipse :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A hybrid eclipse is a rare type of solar eclipse that changes its appearance as the Moon's shadow moves across the Earth's surface.</li>
<li>A hybrid eclipse is a type of solar eclipse that looks like an annular solar eclipse or a total solar eclipse, depending on the observer's location along the central eclipse path.</li>
<li>During a hybrid solar eclipse, the Earth's curvature brings some sections of the eclipse path into the Moon's umbra, the darkest part of its shadow that creates total solar eclipses, while other areas remain outside the umbra's reach, causing an annular eclipse.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both solar and lunar eclipses may also occur as <strong>Partial Eclipses.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A partial eclipse of the Sun also results when the Moon&rsquo;s penumbra falls on Earth but its umbra does not.</li>
<li>A partial eclipse of the Moon occurs when the Moon passes through only part of Earth&rsquo;s umbra or only its penumbra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Moon does experience total eclipses. If the eclipse is a total lunar eclipse, the Moon will pass through the umbra (area of total shadow) created by Earth over the course of about two hours.</li>
<li><strong>There are no Annular lunar eclipse because the Earth is much bigger than the Moon, and its shadow will never be small enough to leave a ring.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Since Moon is much smaller than Earth, there is no path of totality in a lunar eclipse. The eclipse will be visible to any observer on the night side of Earth when the eclipse occurs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>During lunar eclipse, Moon does not typically go completely dark; it often takes on a red color, because the redder parts of sunlight that penetrate Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere are refracted into the umbra, and this light reaches the Moon.</strong></li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/total-solar-eclipse-2019'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Ascent Abort Test-2',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>NASA has carried out a successful test of a <strong>Launch-Abort System (LAS)</strong> for the <strong>Orion capsule</strong> designed to take U.S. astronauts to the Moon.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The test of the Orion&rsquo;s LAS is also called the <strong>Ascent Abort Test-2 (AA-2).<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/880image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/880image1.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="249" height="640" /></a></strong></li>
<li>The <strong>aim</strong> was to test in almost real-life conditions the evacuation of astronauts from the capsule in the event of an explosion or rocket booster failure.</li>
<li>The test is a milestone in NASA's <strong>preparation for Artemis missions</strong> to the Moon that will ultimately lead to astronaut missions to Mars.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Artemis program</strong> will send the <strong>first woman and the next man to the Moon by the year 2024</strong> and develop a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the year 2028.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Orion Capsule</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The safest spacecraft ever built, Orion, will <strong>execute the Artemis program.</strong></li>
<li>An integral part of ensuring safe spaceflight is Orion&rsquo;s Launch Abort System, or LAS. This<strong> state-of-the-art crew escape system</strong> is attached to the top of the spacecraft and can propel the crew module away from the rocket within milliseconds should a life-threatening event arise during launch.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Demonstration by the test</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the test, an unmanned Orion capsule was launched by a mini-rocket.</li>
<li>Fifty-five seconds after the launch, at an altitude of 9,500 m, a rocket-powered tower on top of the crew module ignited its engines to quickly <strong>pull the Orion away from a hypothetical rocket experiencing problems.</strong></li>
<li>In just 15 seconds, the capsule gained two miles of altitude. Then the tower reoriented the capsule to prepare it for descent and disengagement from the tower, finally <strong>the crew module fell into the Atlantic Ocean.</strong></li>
<li>In real-life conditions, parachutes would also open to ease the manned capsule's fall toward the Atlantic Ocean.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ascent-abort-test-2'
		]
	],
	'updates' => object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

		'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
		'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
		'params' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'defaultTypes' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'decorators' => (int) 0,
		'executed' => false,
		'hydrate' => true,
		'buffered' => true,
		'formatters' => (int) 0,
		'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
		'contain' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'matching' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'extraOptions' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}
	
	},
	'page' => (int) 207,
	'search' => 'class',
	'totalPages' => (float) 303,
	'title' => 'Search'
]
$progress = []
$bookmarks = []
$notes = []
$mynote = []
$topdata = [
	(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/UPSC_Press%20Release_19042021%20Drishti%20IAS.pdf',
		'title' => 'UPSC Press Release April 2021',
		'type' => (int) 1,
		'date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'news'
	
	},
	(int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/estore/english-books/all-english-books/Indian-and-World-Geography',
		'title' => 'New book release: Indian and World Geography - Prelims Practice Series (PPS)',
		'type' => (int) 1,
		'date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'news'
	
	}
]
$searchdata = []
$searchlist = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Highlights of Budget 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Union Minister for Finance </strong>presented the Union Budget 2019-20 before the Parliament.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Constitutional Provisions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>term &lsquo;budget&rsquo; has nowhere</strong> been used in the Constitution. It is the popular name for the <strong>&lsquo;Annual Financial Statement&rsquo;</strong> that has been dealt with in <strong>Article 112 of the Constitution.</strong></li>
<li>The budget is a statement of the <strong>estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India</strong> in a financial year (FY), which begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the following year.</li>
<li>In addition to the estimates of receipts and expenditure, the budget contains certain other elements. Overall, the budget contains the following:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Estimates of revenue and capital receipts;</li>
<li>Ways and means to raise revenue;</li>
<li>Estimates of expenditure;</li>
<li>Details of the actual receipts and expenditure of the closing financial year and the reasons for any deficit or surplus in that year; and</li>
<li>Economic and financial policy of the coming year, that is, taxation proposals, prospects of revenue, spending programme and introduction of new schemes/projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Railway Budget</strong> was separated from the <strong>General Budget in 1921</strong> on the recommendations of<strong> the Acworth Committee</strong>. In August 2016, the Central Government decided to <strong>merge the railway budget into the general budget.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Economy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Fiscal deficit in FY 19 has been set at 3.3% of the GDP.</li>
<li>Indian economy will become a 3 trillion dollar economy in 2019. Government aspires to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024-25. To achieve this, there is a need for investment in:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure</strong></li>
<li><strong>Digital economy</strong></li>
<li><strong>Job creation in small and medium firms</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>PAN and Aadhaar will become interchangeable. One can use Aadhaar number to file I-T Returns.</li>
<li>Rs. 5 lakh minimum limit announced for taxpayers.</li>
<li>In view of rising income levels, those in the ₹2-5 crore and ₹5 crore-and-above brackets will see an increase in effective tax rate by 3% (39%) and 7% (42.74%), respectively.</li>
<li>No change in personal income tax rates.</li>
<li>Increase in cess on fuel by 1 rupee, petrol &amp; diesel to get costlier; while customs duty on gold and precious items increased.</li>
<li>Corporate tax with a turnover of up to Rs 400 crore slashed to 25% from a current rate of 30%.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-national-anti-profiteering-authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST Council</strong> </a>advised to reduce tax rate on Electric Vehicles from 12% to 5%.</li>
<li>No charge on digital payments: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-4th-march-2019-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Merchant Discount Rate</strong></a> charges waived on cashless payment.</li>
<li><strong>Measures related to MSMEs:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Proposed <strong>easing angel tax</strong> for startups.</li>
<li>E-verification mechanism for establishing investor identity and source of funds for startups.</li>
<li>2% interest subvention for GST-registered MSME on fresh or incremental loans.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/unemployment-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Stand Up India' Scheme</strong> </a>to continue till 2025.</li>
<li>New television channel for start-ups.</li>
<li>Pension benefit extended to retail traders with annual turnover less than Rs 1.5 crore.</li>
<li>New payment platform for MSMEs to be created.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Proposal to provide Rs 70,000 crore capital for PSU Banks.</li>
<li>Regulation of HFCs (Housing Finance Cos) to move to RBI from National Housing Bank.</li>
<li>Govt to <strong>modify</strong> the present policy of <strong>retaining 51% stake in PSUs. </strong></li>
<li>Govt to continue with <strong>strategic divestment of select CPSEs. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Divestment target of Rs 1.05 lakh crore for FY 20. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Strategic disinvestment of Air India</strong> proposed to be re-initiated.</li>
<li><strong>Global Investors Meet</strong> to be held in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Rural India and Agriculture</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gaon, Garib and Kisan</strong> are the focus of the government.</li>
<li><strong>New <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-shakti-mantralaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jal Shakti ministry</a></strong> will work with states to ensure Har Ghar Jal for all rural houses by 2024.</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana phase 3</strong> is envisaged to upgrade 1,25,000 km of road length over the next 5 years.</li>
<li>Govt will set up 100 new clusters for 50,000 artisans in FY 20.</li>
<li>Every single rural family, to have electricity by 2022.</li>
<li>Govt to promote <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-11th-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zero Budget Farming. </strong></a></li>
<li>10,000 new farm produce organisations.</li>
<li>80 Livelihood business incubators and 20 technology business incubators to be set up in 2019-20 under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-elixir-for-msmes-access-to-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE)</strong></a> to develop 75,000 skilled entrepreneurs in agro-rural industries.</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A robust fisheries management framework through PMMSY to be established by the <strong>Department of Fisheries</strong>.</li>
<li>To address critical gaps in the value chain including infrastructure, modernization, traceability, production, productivity, post-harvest management, and quality control.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Youth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To popularise sports at all levels, <strong>National Sports Education Board</strong> for development of sportspersons to be set up under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-28-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>'Khelo India.' </strong></a></li>
<li>Govt to launch 'Study in India' programme to attract foreign students in higher education.</li>
<li>Rs 400 crore allocated for <strong>world-class higher education institutions in FY 20 . </strong></li>
<li><strong>National research foundation</strong> to fund, coordinate and to promote research in the country.</li>
<li><strong>New Higher Education Commission</strong> with focus on higher autonomy.</li>
<li><strong>New national education policy</strong> to propose changes in school, higher education.</li>
<li>To make the Indian youth ready to take up jobs in foreign countries, more emphasis on new-age skills like <strong>Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data, etc.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Study in India</strong> proposed to bring foreign students to study in Indian higher educational institutions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Social</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nari tu Narayani:</strong> Women SHG Interest Subvention Programme to be expanded to all districts in India.</li>
<li><strong>Rs 1 lakh loan</strong> to be provided for <strong>SHG women</strong> members under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-panel-s-recommendations-on-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mudra Scheme. </strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Rs 3,000 pension per month</strong> for workers from <strong>the informal sector. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Gandhipedia</strong> being developed by the<strong> National Council for Science Museums</strong> to sensitize youth and society about positive Gandhian values.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Infrastructure</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>State road networks to be developed in the second phase of <strong>Bharatmala project.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Rs. 50 lakh crore investment</strong> needed in <strong>Railway Infrastructure</strong> during 2018-2030.</li>
<li>Public-Private-Partnership proposed for development and completion of tracks, rolling stock manufacturing and delivery of passenger freight services.</li>
<li>Policy interventions to be made for the development of <strong>Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO),</strong> to achieve self- reliance in the <strong>aviation segment.</strong></li>
<li>Outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore for 3 years approved for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fame-ii-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Phase-II of FAME Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li>National Highway Programme to be restructured to ensure a<strong> National Highway Grid, using a financeable model. </strong></li>
<li>Power at affordable rates to states ensured under <strong>&ldquo;One Nation, One Grid‟.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Blueprints to be made available for <strong>gas grids, water grids, i-ways, and regional airports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Space</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has emerged as a major space power. It is time to harness our ability commercially.</li>
<li>A public sector enterprise, <strong>New Space India Limited (NSIL)</strong> has been incorporated to tap benefits of ISRO.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Roadmap for Future</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Simplification of procedures.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Incentivizing performance.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Red-tape reduction.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Making the best use of technology.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Accelerating mega programmes and services initiated and delivered so far.</strong></li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-budget-2019'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Changing Demographic Profile: Faster Than Expectation',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Economic Survey 2018-19</strong></a>, India&rsquo;s population growth rate will decline faster than assumed as the fertility rate in many states has reached the replacement rate.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The survey predicts that India will have a total fertility rate below the replacement rate in the next two years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Projected values for 2021-41 suggest that TFR at the national level will continue to decline rapidly and will lie below replacement level fertility at 1.8 as early as 2021.</li>
<li>It noted that India&rsquo;s population in the 0-19 age bracket has &ldquo;already peaked due to sharp declines in total fertility rates (TFR) across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also the threat of managing an ageing population is very real now as some states will start transitioning to an ageing society by the 2030s.</li>
<li>Nine states &mdash; Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh &mdash; have fertility rates well below the replacement rate.</li>
<li>States known for high population growth rates (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana) also witnessed population decline and population is now growing below 1 per cent in the southern states as well as West Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam and Himachal Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
<p>While India is already struggling with high unemployment, the changing demography will add to the challenge of fulfilling aspirations of New India.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Replacement level fertility</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the total fertility rate( the average number of children born per woman) at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, without migration.</li>
<li>This rate is roughly 2.1 children per woman for most countries, although it may modestly vary with mortality rates</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/changing-demographic-profile-faster-than-expectation'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Welfare Database of Citizens',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Economic Survey 2018-19</strong></a> has recommended setting up of a <strong>central welfare database of citizens</strong> by <strong>merging different data</strong> maintained by separate ministries and departments.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/332Image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/332Image 1.jpg" width="688" height="365" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The principle behind the recommendation is that the most data generated by the people, of the people, should be used for the people.</li>
<li>The government already held a rich repository of administrative, survey, institutional and transactions data about citizens, but these data are scattered across numerous government bodies.</li>
<li>The government would be able to utilise the information embedded in the database <strong>for enhancing ease of living for citizens,</strong> enable truly evidence-based policy, improve targeting in welfare schemes, uncover unmet needs, integrate fragmented markets, bring greater accountability in public services and generate greater citizen participation in governance, etc.</li>
<li>The <strong>datasets that can be merged</strong> include birth and death records, pensions, tax records, marriage records; survey data such as census data, national sample survey data; transactions data such as e-national agriculture market data, UPI data, institutional data and public hospital data on patients.</li>
<li>It has been suggested that <strong>database be created as a public good</strong> within the legal framework of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/challenges-of-digitisation-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>data privacy.</strong></a> Even, a part of the generated data can be monetised to ease the pressure on government finances. <strong>Access to a selected database can be provided to the private sector for a fee.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian government is working on finalising the personal data protection policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/welfare-database-of-citizens'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Cosmic Rays Impacting Earth’s Climate',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>According to a study published in the <strong>Scientific Reports</strong> journal,the cosmic rays are impacting earth climate by adding low-cloud cover.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Besides atmospheric temperature and the amount of water vapour in the air, cosmic rays beaming down through space also contribute towards cloud formation.</li>
<li>According to scientists: Cosmic rays can affect the earth's climate by increasing cloud cover and cause an &ldquo;umbrella effect&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cosmic Rays</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cosmic rays are atom fragments that rain down on the Earth from outside of the solar system. Most cosmic rays are atomic nuclei: most are hydrogen nuclei, some are helium nuclei, and the rest are heavier elements.</li>
<li>Though cosmic rays were discovered in 1912 but still the origins of the highest energy cosmic rays remains unknown and a topic of much research, most scientists suspect their origins are related to supernovas (star explosions)</li>
<li>Cosmic rays travels at the speed of light and have been blamed for electronics problems in satellites and other machinery.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Umbrella Effect</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this case Umbrella effect refers to the cooling of earth, as cosmic rays increases low level clouds which blocks the sunlight thereby acting as an Umbrella.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Previous studies using data from the meteorological observation showed that there are only minute changes in the amounts of cosmic rays and cloud cover.</li>
<li>However, the researchers from the Kobe University in Japan, analysed Earth&rsquo;s last geomagnetic reversal (a phenomenon where the planet's overall magnetic field flips) transition 780,000 years ago and figured out that :<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During the period, the Earth&rsquo;s magnetic strength fell to less than one-fourth and cosmic rays increased by over 50 per cent.</li>
<li>This spiked the global cloud cover and enabled detection of the impact of cosmic rays on climate.</li>
<li>The Cosmic rays can enhance the formation of low-lying clouds or increase the global cloud cover ultimately leading to the cooling of Earth's atmosphere.</li>
<li>Combined effect of rays and cloud cover, led to a high atmospheric pressure in Siberia. The effect caused the East Asian winter monsoon to become stronger.</li>
<li>Focusing on the phenomenon, the researchers also investigated changes in particle size and accumulation speed of loess layer dust (sediment created by the accumulation of wind-blown silt) in two locations of China&rsquo;s Loess Plateau.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The particles became coarser and silt was accumulated up to three times faster in both locations. due to this during the last geomagnetic reversal, the researchers found evidence of stronger winter monsoons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>So this study provides an opportunity to rethink the impact of clouds on climate. When galactic cosmic rays increase, so do low clouds, and when cosmic rays decrease clouds do as well, so climate warming may be caused by an opposite-umbrella effect</li>
<li>Earlier the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-warming-of-1-5-c-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</strong></a> has discussed the impact of cloud cover on climate but this phenomenon has never been considered in climate predictions due to the insufficient physical understanding of it.</li>
<li>Thus with the increase in climate change events, understanding the cosmic rays&rsquo; role in global warming may be important.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cosmic-rays-impacting-earth-s-climate'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Gangetic Dolphins Found in Mahananda River',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>For the first time, a population of Gangetic River Dolphins has been found in the Mahananda river, in Bihar&rsquo;s Kishanganj district.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dolphins were spotted during a survey conducted by a team of scientists from Vikramshila Biodiversity Research and Education Centre (VBREC) of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mahananda River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mahananda river is a tributary of the Ganga.</li>
<li>It originates from the Himalayas in Darjeeling, West Bengal.</li>
<li>The river flows through Bihar, West Bengal, and then continues southeastward to join the Ganga at Godagari in Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to scientists, the number of dolphins in the Mahananda and its tributaries can be much more than this, as the survey was not conducted in a suitable season.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Post monsoon is a suitable season when there is adequate water level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The presence of dolphins is the sign of a healthy river ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gangetic Dolphins</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Ganges river dolphin</strong> is found in parts of the Ganges, Meghna, and Brahmaputra river systems in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are locally known as Susu, which refers to the noise the dolphin is said to make when it breathes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Gangetic river dolphin is India's national aquatic animal.</li>
<li><strong>Behaviour and Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Gangetic Dolphins are generally blind and can detect only the direction of light.</li>
<li>They emit an ultrasonic sound which reaches the prey. The dolphin then registers this image in its mind and subsequently catches hold of its prey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In fact, these dolphins live by echolocation. They navigate, feed, escape danger, find mates, breed, and nurse babies by echolocation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dolphins prefer water that is at least five to eight feet deep.</li>
<li>Gangetic dolphins live in a zone where there is little or no current, helping them save energy. If they sense danger, they can dive into deep waters.</li>
<li>The dolphins swim from the no-current zone to the edges (Turbulent waters) to hunt for fish and return.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Water Level:</strong> Declining water in the river, putting more pressure on the dolphins to manage their life cycle.</li>
<li><strong>Climate change</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> increasing pollution</strong> due to large scale discharge of industrial and municipal waste, siltation, and mechanised boats pose one of the biggest threats to these freshwater dolphins.</li>
<li><strong>Poaching:</strong> They frequently fall prey to poachers. Their carcasses are found regularly on river banks.</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>IUCN Status: Endangered</li>
<li>It is listed on CITES Appendix I.</li>
<li>It is classified under Schedule 1, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 providing absolute protection as offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)</strong> is an international agreement which aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Gangetic river dolphin is one of the four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China, the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river in South America.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Amazon river dolphin</strong> is also known as the boto or &lsquo;pink river dolphin. It is characterized by its long snout and pale pink color.</li>
<li><strong>The Indus river dolphins</strong> locally as the Bhulan. They are found in the lower parts of the Indus River in Pakistan. Another small, isolated population <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-4th-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>can be found in the Beas River in India.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India.</li>
<li>The sanctuary is a 50 km stretch of the Ganges River from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon.</li>
<li>It was designated as a protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins in 1991.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphins-found-in-mahananda-river'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Project Manav',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>A human atlas initiative</strong> named <strong>Manav</strong> has been launched by the <strong>Department of Biotechnology (DBT)</strong> and Persistent Systems, a biotechnology company.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>
<p>The aim is to create <strong>a unified database of molecular network</strong> of all the tissues in the human body and to derive a holistic picture of working of the human body.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>In this <strong>public-private venture,</strong> DBT and Persistent Systems will invest Rs 13 crore and Rs 7 crore respectively.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>There is already a similar <strong>Human Cell Atlas project</strong> (launched in the year 2016), which is a collaborative effort between the <strong>world-leading scientists,</strong> to generate data pertaining to cellular and molecular activities of various cell types in the body in both its normal and disease state using techniques such as single cell genomics.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The <strong>Indian project,</strong> on the other hand, depends on the knowledge already available in scientific literature to derive information on cellular network.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="western">About the Project</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>
<p>This mega project will collate and integrate molecular information on human tissues and organs that currently remain in research articles in an unstructured and disorganised form.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The project would <strong>utilise large biological community,</strong> both students and scientists, for extracting and adding the information from scientific literature at the level of cells and organs.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The database, that would get created, would eventually help researchers <strong>identify gaps in current knowledge</strong> and help in future projects in diagnostics and disease biology.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Also, the information gathered in the project will help scientists to understand the differential molecular factors which vary between diseased states vis-a-vis a healthy state of an organ.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The project will be executed by the <strong>Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)</strong> and the <strong>National Center for Cell Sciences (NCCS)</strong> based in Pune.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>
<p>While the institutes will train students, the technology platform and data management will be provided by the private partner.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>IISER</strong> is an autonomous institution established by the <strong>Ministry of Human Resource Development.</strong></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>NCCS</strong> is an autonomous organisation aided by the Department of Biotechnology, <strong>Ministry of Science and Technology.</strong></p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>This initiative will also help in creating a<strong> trained population of biologists.</strong> With the data curation and analysis skills imparted during this project, students will have better opportunities for jobs in the life science sector.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The data methodology and technical platform developed during this project can also be extrapolated to do other science projects on biodiversity, ecology, environment etc. which may be relevant nationally or globally.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/project-manav'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'ISRO: Challenges and Opportunities',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/expanding-indias-share-in-global-space-economy/article28286469.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Expanding India&rsquo;s share in global space economy&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Hindu on 5th July 2019. It talks about the challenges and opportunities for ISRO in the new space age.</p>
</div>
<p>Today, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)&rsquo;s</a> success has made India to be inducted in an elite group of countries, where India is rightfully acknowledged as a space power in the world. Space technology is dual-use technology, in this feat, apart from space research, ISRO has delivered many projects serving military as well as socio-economic needs of India.</p>
<p>However, demand for space-based services in India is far greater than what ISRO can supply. Therefore private sector investment is critical, for which a suitable policy environment needs to be created.</p>
<h3>What is the current status of ISRO?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ISRO was established in 1969 and has been guided by a set of mission and vision statements covering both the societal objectives and the thrust areas.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The first area was of <strong>satellite communication,</strong> which sought to address the national needs for telecommunication, broadcasting and broadband infrastructure.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>INSAT and GSAT</strong> are the core of satellite communication</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The second area of focus was <strong>earth observation</strong> and using space-based imagery for a slew of national demands, ranging from weather forecasting, disaster management and national resource mapping and national security.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Beginning with the <strong>Indian Remote Sensing (IRS)</strong> series in the 1980s, today the <strong>RISAT, Cartosat and Resourcesat series</strong> provide wide-field and multispectral high-resolution data for land, ocean and atmospheric observations.</li>
<li>With higher resolution and precise positioning, <strong>Geographical Information Systems&rsquo;</strong> applications today cover all aspects of rural and urban development and planning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The third and more recent focus area is <strong>satellite-aided navigation</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation (GAGAN),</strong> a joint project between ISRO and Airports Authority of India, augmented the GPS coverage of the region, improving the accuracy and integrity, primarily for civil aviation applications and better air traffic management over Indian airspace.</li>
<li>This was followed up with the <strong>Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS),</strong> a system based on seven satellites in geostationary and geosynchronous orbits. In 2016, the system was renamed <strong>NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deep space probes</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The most notable of these have been the <strong>Chandrayaan</strong> and the <strong>Mangalyaan</strong> missions, with a manned space mission, <strong>Gaganyaan</strong>, planned for its first test flight in 2021.</li>
<li>These missions are not just for technology demonstration but also for expanding the frontiers of knowledge in space sciences.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>None of this would have been possible without mastering the <strong>launch-vehicle technology</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Beginning with the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) and the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), ISRO has developed and refined the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) as its workhorse for placing satellites in low earth and sun-synchronous orbits.</li>
<li>The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) programme is still developing with its <strong>MkIII variant,</strong> having undertaken three missions, and is capable of carrying a 3.5 MT payload into a geostationary orbit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What are the potential areas and challenges for ISRO?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Today, the value of the global space industry is estimated to be $350 billion and is likely to exceed $550 billion by 2025.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Despite ISRO&rsquo;s impressive capabilities, India&rsquo;s share is estimated at $7 billion (just 2% of the global market) covering broadband and Direct-to-Home television (accounting for two-thirds of the share), satellite imagery and navigation.</li>
<li>Already, over a third of transponders used for Indian services are leased from foreign satellites and this proportion will rise as the demand grows.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analytics has led to the emergence of <strong>&lsquo;New Space&rsquo;</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>New Space entrepreneurship</strong> has emerged in India with many start-ups which seek value in exploring end-to-end services in the Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer segments using new space. However, these startups have yet to take off in the absence of regulatory clarity.</li>
<li>So they need an enabling ecosystem, a culture of accelerators, incubators, venture capitalists and mentors that exists in cities like Bengaluru which is where most New Space start-ups have mushroomed.</li>
<li>Also, the New Space start-ups discern a synergy with government&rsquo;s flagship programmes like Digital India, Startup India, Skill India and schemes like Smart Cities Mission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is New Space?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term New Space is used to refer to a global sector of new aerospace companies and ventures working independently of governments to develop faster, better, and cheaper access to space and spaceflight technologies, driven by commercial ends as distinct from political or socio economically-oriented ends.</li>
<li>New space ventures may include: Space tourism, Asteroid mining, Satellite servicing etc.</li>
<li>SpaceX, Blue origin are some examples of companies involved in New Space.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Another revolution underway is the small satellite revolution.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, 17,000 small satellites are expected to be launched between now and 2030.</li>
<li>ISRO is developing a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) expected to be ready in 2019.</li>
<li>It is a prime candidate, along with the proven PSLV, to be farmed out to the private sector.</li>
<li>In this context, The Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) role, which is restricted to ISRO must now be outsourced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also years ago, ISRO launched the idea of Village Resource Centres to work in collaboration with local panchayats and NGOs but only 460 pilots have begun.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Expanding this for rural areas is a formidable challenge but has the potential to transform rural India if properly conceived as a part of the India Stack and the Jan Dhan Yojana.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is India stack?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India Stack refers to the ambitious project of creating a unified software platform to bring India's population into the digital age.</li>
<li>India Stack is a set of APIs that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilize a unique digital infrastructure to solve India&rsquo;s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery</li>
<li>Aadhaar forms the core of India stack.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Further, with the Ministry of Defence now setting up a Defence Space Agency and a Defence Space Research Organisation, ISRO should now actively embrace an exclusively civilian identity.</li>
</ul>
<p>So with increasing competition, complexity and demand for space-related activities, there is a growing realisation that national legislation is needed to ensure overall growth of the space sector. A New Space law for India should aim at facilitating growing India&rsquo;s share of the global space economy to 10% in the coming decade.</p>
<p>The government now has an opportunity to give priority to a new Bill that can be welcomed by the private sector, both the larger players and the start-ups alike.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #facaca; border-color: #ff0000; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />ISRO&rsquo;s role has been impeccable in making India a global space power, however, there are many challenges and opportunities in the new space age that ISRO needs to address.Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/isro-challenges-and-opportunities'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Privilege Motion',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, a member of the Indian parliament has <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/breach-of-privilege" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>moved a privilege motion</strong></a> against a TV channel.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The breach of privilege motion is moved against a private Hindi news channel and its Editor for <strong>reporting that members' first speech in the Lok Sabha was plagiarised.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Plagiarism is a practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Parliamentary privileges are <strong>certain rights</strong> and <strong>immunities</strong> enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can<strong> effectively discharge their functions.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> Constitution (Article 105)</strong> mentions two privileges,i.e<strong>. freedom of speech in Parliament</strong> and<strong> right of publication of its proceedings.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book</strong> and correspondingly <strong>Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook</strong> governs<strong> privilege.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> Speaker of Loksabha</strong> and <strong>Rajya Sabha Chairperson</strong> is the <strong>first level of scrutiny</strong> of a privilege motion.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Speaker/Chairperson can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself</strong> or <strong>refer it to the privileges committee</strong> of Parliament.</li>
<li>If the Speaker/Chairperson gives consent under respective rules, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Privilege Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lok Sabha:</strong> The <strong>Speaker nominates</strong> a committee of privileges <strong>consisting of 15 members</strong> as per respective party strengths.</li>
<li><strong>Rajya Sabha:</strong> The <strong>deputy chairperson</strong> heads the committee of privileges, that <strong>consists of 10 members.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/privilege-motion'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Hydrogen-Enriched Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Delhi will be the first city in the country to roll out hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) buses for public transport from November 2020.</li>
<li>It will start as a pilot project with 50 CNG buses retrofitted with HCNG.</li>
<li>Since Air pollution is fast becoming a serious global problem with increasing population and its subsequent demands. This has resulted in increased usage of hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines.</li>
<li>Also, the Delhi government along with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) began work to set up India&rsquo;s first semi-commercial HCNG station.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is HCNG</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The blending of hydrogen with CNG provides a blended gas termed as HCNG.</li>
<li>HCNG stands for hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas and it combines the advantages of both hydrogen and methane.</li>
<li>HCNG allows customers early hydrogen deployment with nearly commercial technology. It is being treated as the first step towards future hydrogen economy.</li>
<li>Hydrogen has been regarded as a future secondary fuel for power system due to carbon-free operation.</li>
<li>The rapid increase in the emission of greenhouse gases and very strict environmental legislation are major motivating factors for the usage of hydrogen in fuel cells and internal combustion engines.</li>
<li>Hydrogen is an excellent additive to improve the combustion of hydrocarbon fuel due to its low ignition energy, high reactivity, diffusivity and burning velocity.</li>
<li>Since hydrogen infrastructure and refuelling stations are not meeting the demand, the widespread introduction of hydrogen vehicles is not possible in the near future. One of the solutions for this hurdle is to blend hydrogen with methane</li>
<li>However, Hydrogen-Enriched Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) is still under research as though it increases fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emission but it has also led to increased NOx emissions.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hydrogen-enriched-compressed-natural-gas-hcng'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Highlights of Economic Survey 2018-19',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs</strong> tabled the Economic Survey 2018-19 in the Parliament.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the <strong>first survey</strong> by the n<strong>ew chief economic advisor Krishnamurthy V Subramanian.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> of Economic Survey, 2018-19 is <strong>"Shifting Gears towards a $5 trillion Indian economy by 2024-25&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Other focus areas:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>"Blue Sky" thinking - New Ideas for Policymaking; </li>
<li>Behavioral <em>'nudges'</em> for Optimal Outcomes; </li>
<li>Policies to unshackle MSMEs;</li>
<li>Data as a public good "of the <em>people,</em> for the <em>people</em> and by the <em>people";</em> </li>
<li>Legal Reforms;</li>
<li>Policy Consistency; </li>
<li>Efficient Labour Markets;</li>
<li>Use of Technology</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Economic Survey</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Economic Survey is prepared by the <strong>Economic Division</strong> of the <strong>Department of Economic Affairs</strong> in the Finance Ministry under the overall guidance of the <strong>Chief Economic Adviser.</strong></li>
<li>The survey was <strong>de-linked</strong> from the <strong>Budget in the year 1964</strong> and is circulated in advance to provide the context of the Budget.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s<strong> first</strong> Economic Survey was <strong>presented in the year 1950-51.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>GDP Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>A sustained real GDP growth rate of 8% is needed for India to become a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The survey suggests that this can be achieved by a <strong>&ldquo;Virtuous Cycle&rdquo;</strong> of savings, investment, and exports. The <strong>private&nbsp;investment</strong> being the key driver.</li>
<li>This cycle will be catalyzed and supported by a <strong>favorable demographic phase.</strong></li>
<li>This virtuous cycle should be<strong> sustained</strong> and in <strong>equilibrium.</strong> A <strong>departure from traditional Anglo-Saxon thinking</strong> by viewing the economy as being either in a virtuous or a vicious cycle, and thus never in equilibrium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Behavioural Economics for Social Change</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The survey has drawn on <strong>Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler&rsquo;s Behavioural Economics Theory</strong> to lay out an &ldquo;ambitious agenda" for behavior change that will bring in social change, which in turn, will help India transit to a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Decisions by real people deviate from impractical robots theorized in classical economics. Behavioral economics provides insights to &lsquo;nudge&rsquo; people towards desirable behavior.</li>
<li>It pitches for behavioral change by applying the principles of behavioral economics to several issues including gender equality, a healthy and beautiful India, savings, tax compliance, and credit quality.</li>
<li>This includes a transition from <strong>&lsquo;Beti Bachao Beti Padhao&rsquo; to &lsquo;BADLAV&rsquo; (Beti Aapki Dhan Lakshmi Aur Vijay Lakshmi)</strong>, from <strong>&lsquo;Swachh Bharat&rsquo; to &lsquo;Sundar Bharat&rsquo;,</strong> from <strong>&lsquo;Give it up&rdquo;</strong> for the LPG subsidy to <strong>&lsquo;Think about the Subsidy&rsquo;</strong> and from<strong> &lsquo;Tax</strong> <strong>evasion&rsquo; to &lsquo;Tax compliance&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nudge Theory</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to Nudge theory, people, rather than being forced, can be<strong> encouraged and influenced</strong> to pursue or desist from certain actions through nudges.</li>
<li>It <strong>does not talk about penalizing people</strong> if they do not behave in a particular manner, rather it <strong>encourages</strong> them to make desirable decisions.</li>
<li>It believes that <strong>Humans are not-so-rational</strong> and often <strong>need encouragement</strong> or intervention &mdash; a nudge &mdash; to get going and do what&rsquo;s best for the country or society at large.</li>
<li>American economist <strong>Richard Thaler has won the 2017 Nobel Prize in economics</strong> for his contributions to behavioural economics.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Policies for MSME Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The survey highlights the importance of intervention in the case of <strong>&ldquo;Dwarfs&rdquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dwarfs are the firms with <strong>less than 100 workers despite being more than 10 years old.</strong></li>
<li>They account for <strong>more than 50%</strong> of all organized firms in manufacturing by number.</li>
<li>Contribution of dwarfs to <strong>employment is only 14%</strong> and to the <strong>productivity is a mere 8%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large firms (more than 100 employees)</strong> account for 75% employment and close to 90% of productivity despite accounting for about 15% by number.</li>
<li>The interventions are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>sunset clause of less than 10 years</strong>, with necessary grand-fathering, for all size-based incentives.</li>
<li>Deregulating labor law restrictions to create significantly more jobs.</li>
<li>Re-calibrating <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-norms-for-co-origination-of-loans" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Priority Sector Lending (PSL)</strong></a> guidelines for direct credit flow to young firms in high employment elastic sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sunset Clause &amp; Size Based Incentives</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sunset clause is a provision of a law that it will <strong>automatically be terminated</strong> after a fixed period unless it is extended by law.</li>
<li>The Economic Survey <strong>slammed the practice of perpetual support</strong> to small and medium-sized enterprises on the grounds that they are mega job creators. Such a <strong>continuous hand-holding merely encourages</strong> these entities to keep a check on their scale of operations, i.e. <strong>they deliberately stay small.</strong></li>
<li>The governments should shift their focus to <strong>nurturing &ldquo;infant&rdquo; firms only.</strong></li>
<li>Policymakers must ensure that <strong>support to small units is withdrawn</strong> after a specified time, forcing them to expand their operations and not live off government relief forever.</li>
<li>The survey also cites <strong>&ldquo;size-based incentives&rdquo;</strong> irrespective of the firm&rsquo;s age.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Minimum Wage System &amp; Inclusive Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Survey <strong>proposes a well-designed minimum wage system</strong> as a potent tool for protecting workers and alleviating poverty.</li>
<li>The survey <strong>supports rationalization of minimum wages</strong> as proposed under the Code on Wages Bill. Minimum wages to all employments/workers.</li>
<li><strong>Current Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Present minimum wage system in India has 1,915 minimum wages for various scheduled job categories across states.</li>
<li>1 in every 3 wage worker in India is not protected by the minimum wage law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;National Floor Minimum Wage&rsquo;</strong> should be notified by the Central Government, varying across five geographical regions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Minimum wages by states should be <strong>fixed at levels not lower than the &lsquo;floor wage&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Minimum wages can be <strong>notified based either on the skills</strong> or on<strong> geographical region</strong> or on<strong> both grounds.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;National level dashboard&rsquo;</strong> under the Ministry of Labour &amp; Employment for regular notifications on minimum wages, proposed by the survey.</li>
<li><strong>Toll-free number</strong> to register grievance on non-payment of the statutory minimum wages.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Minimum Wage</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100th-anniversary-of-ilo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Labour Organization (ILO)</strong></a>, minimum wages have been defined as the <strong>minimum amount</strong> of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, <strong>which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India's Demography</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A sharp slowdown in population growth is expected in the next 2 decades. National <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-population-boon-or-bane-rajya-sabha-lok-sabha-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Total Fertility Rate</strong></a> is expected to be below the replacement rate by 2021.</li>
<li>Significant <strong>decline is to be witnessed in elementary school-going children (5-14 age group)</strong> over the next two decades.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>States need to consolidate/merge schools</strong> to make them viable rather than build new ones.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Policy makers need to<strong> prepare for aging</strong> by investing in health care and by <strong>increasing the retirement age</strong> in a phased manner.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reforms in the Lower Judiciary</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The section on ways to ramp up capacity in the lower judiciary is titled<strong> &lsquo;Ending Matsyanyaya&rsquo; (the law of the fish/jungle).</strong></li>
<li>Delays in contract enforcement and disposal resolution are now the single biggest hurdle to the ease of doing business and higher GDP growth in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the survey highlights the profound impact that the Government&rsquo;s efforts of introducing the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code</strong></a> and the adoption of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-national-anti-profiteering-authority" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></a>, have had on improving <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-banks-ease-of-doing-business-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ease of Doing Business</strong> </a>in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Data &ldquo;Of the People, By the People, For the People&rdquo;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As data is generated by the people, data can be created as a public good within the<strong> legal framework of data privacy.</strong></li>
<li>The government must intervene in c<strong>reating data as a public good, especially of the poor and in social sectors.</strong></li>
<li>Merging the distinct datasets held by the Government already would generate multiple benefits.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'US Drags India to WTO',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The United States has dragged India to the World Trade Organisation, requesting dispute consultations on the 'retaliatory duties' imposed by India on 28 US goods in June, 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has imposed the duties as a tit-for-tat move against the US decision to impose unilateral additional tariffs on steel and aluminium imported from India.</li>
<li>The US claims that the additional duties are inconsistent with the provisions of the&nbsp;<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade</strong></a>.<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong></strong></a></li>
<li>India's argument in support of its duties is that retaliation is permitted under the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards.</li>
<li>To this, the US maintains that its tariffs are not a safeguard measure but were taken under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on grounds of national security.</li>
<li>If the dispute consultations between the two countries fail to resolve the matter then the US can ask the WTO to set up a panel to decide on the matter.</li>
<li>This mini-tariff war between the US and India sparked from USA's decision to withdraw <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-withdraws-gsp-for-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GSP</strong></a> status from India and other economic issues.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/613image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/613image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="272" height="128" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>Also, it is not the first time the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-us-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA and India had there trade issues</strong></a> settled at WTO. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently India has won a major trade dispute against the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-and-usa-at-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>domestic content requirements and subsidies.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-drags-india-to-wto'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Shrinking Sea Ice Extent',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>As per the study of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mars-colonisation-through-sperm-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</strong></a>, after decades of gradual increases, Antarctic sea ice is now decreasing, faster than that in the Arctic.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The sea ice extent</strong> is a measure of the surface area of the ocean covered by ice.</li>
<li>The Arctic and Antarctic both are experiencing shrinking of the sea ice extent which proves the effect of global warming on Frigid Zones.</li>
<li>The satellite observations of Antarctic sea ice coverage since the late 1970s show that after a gradual increase in the Antarctic sea ice over decades until 2014, the trend suddenly reversed completely in the 2014- 2017 period. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During 2014-2017, the rate of sea ice loss in the Antarctic far exceeded those recorded for the Arctic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Climate scientists have been warning of an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, increased variability and instability of climatic patterns because of global warming. The findings of the study indicate that the Earth has the potential for significant and rapid change.</li>
<li>The sea surface temperatures in the open waters of the Arctic have been unusually high, up to 5 degrees Celsius above average in the Chukchi Sea, a marginal area of the Arctic Ocean.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The sea surface temperature is a measure of the energy due to the motion of molecules at the top layer of the sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/832image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/832image2.jpg" width="629" height="422" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-the-global-climate-wmo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)</strong></a> has stated that 2015 to 2019 were the warmest five years on record.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Possible Causes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Antarctica is largely protected from atmospheric warming by the westerly winds which surround the continent and Antarctic sea ice does not respond directly to global warming averaged over the whole planet. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Apart from the climate change, the ozone hole and short-term cycles like El Nino also affect the westerly winds.</li>
<li>The sea ice also responds to the level of ocean mixing, which is affected by meltwater from the Antarctic Ice Sheet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Decreasing Sea Ice</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Increased Global Warming:</strong> The bright surface of sea ice reflects 50% to 70% of sunlight back into space. But when sea ice melts, it turns into dark ocean surface, which absorbs 90% of the sunlight. The more light is absorbed, the warmer global systems become.</li>
<li><strong>Effect on ecosystem:</strong> Sea ice also affects the polar ecosystem, including penguins and whales and seals, petrels and albatrosses, krill, and a whole range of additional animals and marine plant life.</li>
<li>Warming of the poles can lead to greater persistence in seasonal patterns and an increased frequency of extreme events resulting in increased variability and instability in climate.</li>
<li>The sea ice situation, a clear demonstration of greenhouse gas warming, is a warning of likely future disasters.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shrinking-sea-ice-extent'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Miyawaki Method',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Telangana government has introduced the <strong>Japanese &ldquo;Miyawaki&rdquo;</strong> method of <strong>afforestation</strong> to grow urban forests and expand the green cover as well as to meet the stipulated plantation target under the Telanganaku Haritha Haaram (TKHH).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build <strong>dense,</strong> <strong>native forests</strong> in a <strong>short time.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/657Image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/657Image4.jpg" width="632" height="448" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has revolutionised the concept of <strong>urban afforestation</strong> by turning backyards into mini-forests.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This method includes planting trees <strong>(only native species)</strong> as close as possible in the same area which not only <strong>saves space,</strong> but the planted saplings also support each other in growth and block sunlight reaching the ground, thereby preventing the <strong>growth of weed.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The saplings</strong> become <strong>maintenance-free</strong> (self sustainable) after the first three years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The approach is supposed to ensure that<strong> plant growth</strong> is 10 times faster and the resulting plantation is <strong>30 times denser</strong> than usual.</li>
<li>Miyawaki method helps to create a forest in just 20 to 30 years, while through conventional methods it takes anywhere between 200 to 300 years.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Miyawaki Process</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers &mdash; shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy.</li>
<li>The quality of soil is analysed and biomass which would help enhance the perforation capacity, water retention capacity, and nutrients in it, is mixed with it.</li>
<li>A mound is built with the soil and <strong>the seeds are planted</strong> at a very high density &mdash; three to five sapling per square meter.</li>
<li>The ground is covered with a thick <strong>layer of mulch.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Such forests lack some qualities of natural forests, such as <strong>medicinal</strong> <strong>properties</strong> and the ability to <strong>bring rain.</strong></li>
<li>Such fast-growing plantations are actually <strong>wood lots</strong> (a parcel of a woodland or forest capable of small-scale production of forest products (such as <strong>wood</strong> fuel, sap for maple syrup, sawlogs, and pulpwood) as well as recreational uses like bird watching, bushwalking, and wildflower appreciation) and cannot be termed as forests.</li>
<li>Several environmentalists have questioned the efficacy of the method that accelerates the growth of trees and claims to match a forest&rsquo;s complex ecosystem (as it is not a good idea to force plants to <strong>photosynthesize fast</strong>).</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/miyawaki-method'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'LIBRA',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>Facebook has announced the launch of a <strong>cryptocurrency</strong> called <strong>Libra</strong> by <strong>2020.</strong> While this signals facebook&rsquo;s plans to expand into the <strong>global digital currency market,</strong> it has also raised <strong>privacy concerns</strong>.</p>
<h3>LIBRA</h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1578481429_image43.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1578481429_image43.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="759" height="422" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Digi Currency:</strong> Facebook&rsquo;s <strong>cryptocurrency <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/libra-cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Libra</a></strong> will allow <strong>smartphone</strong> users to buy services digitally from their phone.</li>
<li><strong>Digital Wallet:</strong> Libra will be stored in a <strong>digital wallet</strong> called <strong>Calibra.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Calibra is a standalone app on a user's smartphone or housed within Facebook-owned services such as WhatsApp and Messenger.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>How can users buy Libra?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Users will need to sign up for an account using a government-issued ID to use Calibra wallet.</li>
<li>Users will then be able to convert their money into Libra and add it to their digital wallet.</li>
<li>Once in place, the currency can be used to pay for everyday transactions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Libra Association:</strong> The cryptocurrency will be run by the Libra Association, a <strong>Geneva-</strong>based entity that has founding partners, including Facebook, Mastercard, Visa, Uber, and the Vodafone group.</li>
<li><strong>Libra Reserve:</strong> Libra will be backed by a reserve of assets in the form of <strong>securities</strong> (bank deposits and short-term government securities) and <strong>fiat currencies</strong> (like dollar, pound) to give it an intrinsic value and ensure stability. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Anyone with Libra will have an assurance that they can convert their <strong>digital currency</strong> into <strong>local fiat currency</strong> based on an exchange rate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Libra Blockchain:</strong> Every Libra payment is permanently written into the Libra blockchain which is a <strong>cryptographically authenticated database</strong> and acts as a public online ledger designed to handle 1,000 transactions per second.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Libra blockchain would be much<strong> faster</strong> than Bitcoin&rsquo;s 7 transactions per second or Ethereum&rsquo;s 15.</li>
<li>The blockchain is operated and constantly verified by founding members of the Libra Association.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Libra is planned as a <strong>&ldquo;global currency&rdquo;</strong> for use anywhere in the world without transaction fees.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cryptocurrency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cryptocurrencies-will-boost-illegal-transactions-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cryptocurrency</strong></a> is a <strong>virtual or digital</strong> currency for which <strong>encryption techniques</strong> (the process of encoding a message or information in such a way that only authorized parties can access it) are used to control its creation as a monetary unit and to verify the transfer of funds involved.</li>
<li><strong>Decentralized:</strong> unlike, fiat currencies (like INR, USD, EUR, etc) cryptocurrencies are not regulated or controlled by any bank, government or centralized financial authorities instead they are created and stored electronically through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-15th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>blockchain technology</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Cryptocurrencies are transferred from <strong>&ldquo;peer to peer"</strong> without the intervention of financial institutions, with transactions moderated by miners who record them in a blockchain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has <strong>no physical existence</strong> and cannot be redeemed in another commodity like gold.</li>
<li><strong>Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum, PPcoin, Dogecoin, Coinye, Namecoin,</strong> etc. are some of the examples of cryptocurrencies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Facebook Libra vs. Other Cryptocurrencies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Regulatory Compliance:</strong> Unlike other cryptocurrencies which are outside the regulation and control of the government or any other financial intermediaries, Libra is intended to set up regulatory compliance and work with regulators to find the best ways to curb <strong>its illegitimate use</strong> for <strong>money-laundering,</strong> or <strong>tax avoidance,</strong> or any other potential purposes that involve <strong>personal privacy.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Centralized Payment System:</strong> Other cryptocurrencies (entirely decentralized) are based on peer to peer transaction system or permission less blockchain but Libra will start as a <strong>permissioned blockchain</strong> (at least for the first five years).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Which implies that verifications for each transaction can only be done by insiders who set up the network (like Facebook, Mastercard, Visa, PayPay, Stripe, eBay, Lyft, Spotify and Uber).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Permissioned or Permissionless Blockchains</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Blockchains are described as either permissioned or permissionless in relation to the ability to participate as a validator node.</li>
<li><strong>Permissioned or private blockchains</strong> act as closed ecosystems, where users are not freely able to join the network, see the recorded history, or issue transactions of their own.</li>
<li><strong>Permissionless or Public Blockchains</strong> networks power up most of the market&rsquo;s digital currencies. They allow every user to create a personal address and begin interacting with the network, by submitting transactions, and hence adding entries to the ledger.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Stablecoin:</strong> Unlike the majority of cryptocurrencies which involve very high risk in investment (because of the high price volatility) and can not be converted into fiat currencies, Libra is designed to be a <strong>stable digital cryptocurrency</strong> (backed by a reserve of real assets) supported by a competitive network of exchanges buying and selling Libra and can be converted into fiat currencies.</li>
<li><strong>Complete Tracking Of All Minting &amp; Burning:</strong> Libras will not be mined like other cryptocurrencies but will be minted (created) and burned (destroyed) only by the members of Libra Association.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Coins are only minted when authorized resellers have purchased those coins from the association with fiat assets to fully back the new coins.</li>
<li>Coins are only burned when the authorized resellers sell Libra coin to the association in exchange for the underlying assets.</li>
<li>Which implies that entry and exit of normal currencies in and out of the Libra wallets is entirely trackable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Non-profit association:</strong> Unlike other cryptocurrencies that are driven by a <strong>profit motive</strong>, Libra Association is not a non-profit association.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Interest</strong> on the reserve assets will be used to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Cover the costs of the system</li>
<li>Ensure low transaction fees</li>
<li>Pay dividends to investors who provided capital to jumpstart the ecosystem</li>
<li>Support further growth and adoption</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Financial Inclusion:</strong> Libra could address the issue of financial exclusion, inflation or volatility (attached with currency) by providing a universal, stable currency that is easily transferable between persons or businesses without setting up an entire financial or payment infrastructure.</li>
<li><strong>Cross-Border Transaction:</strong> Libra can be transferred across multiple cell phone networks and can help in cross-border transaction, with minimum regulatory intervention and cost payment.</li>
<li><strong>Remitting Money:</strong> Without central banks&rsquo; intervention, Libra can deliver much lower transaction costs and convenience to migrants and their families, letting them hoard and carry less cash.</li>
<li><strong>Zero Cost:</strong> According to the World Bank, high cost attached to financial transactions is one of the biggest reasons for financial exclusion in developing countries. Libra would have a near-zero cost attached to it.</li>
<li><strong>Wider Reach:</strong> Facebook&rsquo;s (with its over 2 billion users) wider acceptability can be used to tap the unbanked areas.</li>
<li><strong>Secure and Safe:</strong> Libra, is based on a new programming language called &lsquo;Move&rsquo;, which is claimed by facebook as more secure and private.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Facebook has stated that, if someone loses their Libra coins from Calibra wallet, they will get a refund.</li>
<li>Facebook has said that account details will not be shared with facebook or third parties for advertising purposes, except for cases of data sharing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Privacy and Security:</strong> Regulators, lawmakers and government officials around the world are critical about Libra, as Cambridge Analytica scandal has exposed Facebook&rsquo;s lapses of data privacy and security.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are concerns that Libra can disrupt the entire global payment system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<p>Cambridge Analytica (political consulting firm) had harvested the personal data of millions of people's facebook profiles without their consent and used it for political advertising purposes.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unchecked power and influence</strong> of facebook (because of its large user base) could result in a<strong> shift of power</strong> away from the developing countries&rsquo; central banks toward multinational corporations and the central banks of the largest economies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Libra would hand over much of the control of monetary policy from central banks to private companies, like Visa, Uber, and Vodafone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shadow Bank:</strong> Libra, being a form of <strong>electronic money</strong> linked to many national currencies, has raised concerns that it might someday be recognized as a<strong> sovereign currency,</strong> with Facebook acting as a &ldquo;shadow bank&rdquo; that could compete with the central banks of countries around the world.</li>
<li><strong>Anonymous Digital Cash:</strong> Facebook has the blockchain and encryption technology to create traceable credit card or anonymous digital cash like system, or a private digital currency, which has not been created yet.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Anonymity would heighten the risks of abuse such as money laundering.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Control Over Financial Data:</strong> Governments have raised issues related to the dangers of combining <strong>financial data with behavioral data.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of the <strong>openness of the blockchain</strong> for value-addition more and more developers build products on the Libra blockchain, and more people use it, more data is generated with the expansion of the network. This reinforces the ownership and control of the Libra Association (at least its major stakeholders) over the payments system and data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Libra in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To run a payment system in India, or any system that enables payment between a payer and a beneficiary, authorization from the RBI is required under the <strong>Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government of India&rsquo;s tough regulatory stance on virtual currencies, will act as an impediment in authorisation of cryptocurrency based payment system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Draft Banning of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill 2019</strong> has proposed a ten-year jail term for holding cryptocurrencies in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The law proposes to punish mining, holding, generating, selling, transferring, disposing of, issuing or dealing with cryptocurrencies.</li>
<li>With the enactment of such laws mere holding of Libra or any other virtual currency would be an offense.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ministry of Corporate Affairs&rsquo;s <strong>Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority favours</strong> a ban on cryptocurrencies by considering it equivalent to a Ponzi scheme (Ponzi scheme is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any such ban would hugely restrict the reach of Libra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Risk Assessment:</strong> Government, financial regulators and central bank authorities should scrutinize all aspects of Libra because Facebook has a long history of launching products and services, like political ads and live-streaming video, without fully considering their potential to damage democracy, privacy, security and the global society at large.</li>
<li><strong>Protecting the Global Financial System:</strong> Development of new digital financial services, methods of electronic payment and currencies should not be allowed to undermine long-standing financial safety systems in terms of financial regulations (monetary and fiscal policy), even in the name of smoother, cheaper transactions.</li>
<li><strong>Financial Rules and Regulations:</strong> In order to protect consumers&rsquo; interest, regulators must come out with a new set of financial rules and regulations to shield the existing financial system from any harm if the Libra becomes more popular than national currencies.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/libra-3'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Agriculture Produce to Agriculture Marketing',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the news <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/creating-the-right-market-connect-for-boosting-farm-incomes-5813691/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Creating the right 'market connect' for boosting farm incomes"</a>. It talks about the needs to shift the focus of agricultural policy making from increasing agricultural production to reforming agricultural markets</p>
</div>
<p>At the dawn of Independence, Indian policymakers faced with the daunting task of poverty alleviation. In this scenario, land reforms and state-led industrialization were sought to be the prime moving force for the economy. But both the initiatives failed and India didn't have enough food to feed its population and had to go for the USA's food assistance program under PL 480.</p>
<p>Post this experience, India went for Green Revolution in the 1960s and 70's to attain self sufficiency in food production. Since then, successive governments have emphasised raising agriculture production to make India self-reliant in feeding its growing population. However, agricultural marketing hasn&rsquo;t received the corresponding attention, despite having a direct relationship to increased crop production.</p>
<h3>What are the issues in agricultural marketing?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian farmers today can their sell their produce at:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farmgate or local market (haat) to village aggregators;</li>
<li>APMC (agricultural produce market committee) wholesale mandi to private traders</li>
<li>To government at the minimum support price (MSP)</li>
<li><strong>But all three selling options are marred by several issues.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>MSP</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Announced for 23 crops but given for only 3 crops.</li>
<li>MSP is given only on produce meeting &ldquo;fair average quality&rdquo; norms</li>
<li>Government procurement facilities are not available throughout the country.</li>
<li>Also, next phase to growth in agricultural income will come from high yield commodities like dairy products, vegetables, fruits etc. but the government still providing MSP in cereals</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>APMC</strong>&nbsp;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>APMCs technically have multiple buyers, but the system of open auctions for determining prices through transparent bidding is, in practice, non-existent.</li>
<li>In most APMCs, buyers have to route all purchases through licenced aadhatiyas(middlemen).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These middlemen charge a commission for their &ldquo;services&rdquo; &mdash; many times, both from the buyer and seller.</li>
<li>The aadhatiya is also often a moneylender, supplying seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers on credit. They, then, are forced to sell through him and settle their dues in perpetuity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, mandi fees ranges from 0.5% to 5% on the value of the sale, while varying across states and commodities</li>
<li>Further mandi fees on inter-state trade amount to double taxation, besides violating the idea of a single national market.</li>
<li><strong>Distress sale</strong> due to lack of storage infrastructure<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At mandis the lowest prices are during the 3-4 post-harvest months and highest in the immediate pre-harvest period.</li>
<li>Farmers undertake maximum sales just after harvest, as they need to purchase inputs for the next sowing season.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To rectify this APMC issue:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Union Agriculture Ministry has formulated the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (APLM) Act</li>
<li>The Act seeks to expand farmers&rsquo; marketing choices &mdash; by allowing private markets (as against only APMCs), permitting direct bulk purchases from the farm gate, declaring warehouses or cold storages as deemed markets, and demolishing the existing concept of a <strong>&ldquo;market area&rdquo;</strong></li>
<li>But APLM act is witnessing opposition, primarily due to the delineation of &ldquo;market area&rdquo;, which has a bearing on the earnings of APMCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Price volatility</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The root cause of price volatility is the uncontrolled cycles of excesses and shortages.</li>
<li>Price projections in a particular commodity are often made based on previous years&rsquo; trends that may not hold true, leading to excess or low plantings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is Market Area as per APMC?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, an APMC&rsquo;s purview extends to the entire tehsil and villages in that sub-district, with any trade undertaken in this so-called market area being liable for payment of mandi fee.</li>
<li>The Model APLM Act recognises only the market yard, i.e the area within the boundary walls where actual trade in the mandi takes place</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What are the reforms required?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Uniform mandi fees:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is proposed that a uniform mandi fee of 0.25% or 0.50% be levied nationwide for foodgrains, oilseeds and fruits &amp; vegetables.</li>
<li>The consequent losses to APMCs may be compensated by the Centre and state governments, as in the case of the Goods and Services Tax.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eliminate Aadhatiya-based trading:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All trade in APMCs should be through open auctioning, involving multiple bidders for each lot. Such trades should be directly between buyers and sellers, with no middlemen charging commission.</li>
<li>The aadhatiya can participate only as a trader.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enable sample-based sales:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The farmer today brings his whole produce to the APMC and the buyers do the physical inspection before bidding.</li>
<li>This results in double transportation &mdash; from the farm gate to APMC and from the APMC to the ultimate destination.</li>
<li>If grading and sorting facilities exist closer to the farm gate, the farmer needs to take only a sample of his produce, along with the relevant quality certification documents, to the mandi. It would save both time and cost.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Storage and banking facilities near APMCs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Distress sales can be avoided if facilities for bagging and storage, along with loans against warehouse receipts, are available to meet immediate cash requirements. These should exist in the vicinity of APMCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promote FPOs in marketing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farmer producer organisations/companies should be encouraged to take up direct marketing of their members&rsquo; produce to large buyers and processors.</li>
<li>It will result in more competition and better prices at APMCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Relax/abolish Essential Commodities Act(ECA):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>ECA places restrictions on the movement of produce, stockholding, pricing and adoption of new technologies</li>
<li>The dismantling of such controls under ECA and other regulations would expand trade and lead to better realisations for cultivators.</li>
<li>The narrative of &ldquo;ease of doing business&rdquo; is necessary as much for agriculture as other businesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>e-NAM:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government has created an electronic national agriculture market (eNAM) to connect all regulated wholesale produce markets through a pan-India trading portal.</li>
<li>Its effectiveness is, however, dependent on the participation of traders from these mandis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk management:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Crop Insurance schemes offer protection to farmers against weather risks.</li>
<li>The premium in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is largely borne by the Government.</li>
<li>While still a work in progress, it is a more comprehensive and farmer-friendly scheme than any other one previously rolled out.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase the number of markets:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to Ashok Dalwai Committee, India needs at least 30,000 farms produce markets, as against the approximately 6,500 now.</li>
<li>There is a need for a &ldquo;mini-market&rdquo; concept to bridge this wide gap.</li>
<li>Government&rsquo;s announcement of GRAMs(Gramin rural agricultural market) is a step in the right direction</li>
<li>Also with ubiquitous electronic communication and reliable rural roads, GRAMs can become viable hubs for economic activity and employment generation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>AgTech startups should be roped in for price discovery mechanism, so that price volatility can be controlled.</li>
<li><strong>Producer consolidation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consolidation of small and fragmented farms into more viable holdings will improve producers&rsquo; access to finance and quality inputs, besides enabling better price realisations.</li>
<li>This will also incentivize much-needed investments in land development/ improvement and farm mechanisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Addressing the challenges of the agricultural market is complex, yet doable, as the doubling of farmers income cannot come without developing a thriving market of agriculture. Hence, it is high time that focus must shift from agricultural production to agricultural marketing.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #beebfa; border-color: #02779e; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Doubling of farmers income cannot be realised without a thriving agriculture market. In this context, apart from focusing on increasing agriculture production, the government must focus on agricultural marketing reforms. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agriculture-produce-to-agriculture-marketing'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Longest Electrified Railway Tunnel',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The South Central Railway (SCR) had commissioned the longest electrified tunnel of 6.6 km between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations in the state of Andhra Pradesh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The tunnel is part of the recently completed Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam new railway line.</li>
<li>The new line also facilitates direct and viable connectivity between South Coast and West Coast.</li>
<li>It also opens up the viable rail connectivity between Krishnapatnam Port and its hinterland for freight train services.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/681image7.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/681image7.jpg" width="483" height="322" caption="false" /></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/longest-electrified-railway-tunnel'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Disability and RTE: UNESCO Report',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/architectural-heritage-of-orchha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization</strong></a> (UNESCO) and the <strong>Tata Institute of Social Sciences</strong> have released a report titled <strong>'State of the Education Report for India 2019: Children with Disabilities.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report states that in India, 75% of five-year-olds with disabilities and a quarter (more than one in four ) of children with disabilities ( in the age group of 5 to 19 years) do not attend any educational institution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The report is in synchronization with the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goal</strong></a>-4 which aims to ensure <strong>"inclusive and equitable quality education&rdquo;</strong> and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are more than <strong>78 lakh</strong> children with disabilities in India between <strong>5-19 years.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only<strong> 61%</strong> of them were attending an educational institution.</li>
<li>About <strong>12%</strong> had <strong>dropped out,</strong> while <strong>27%</strong> had <strong>never been</strong> to school at all.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are <strong>fewer girls</strong> with <strong>disabilities</strong> in schools than boys but when it comes to school enrollment , more girls with disabilities get left behind than boys.</li>
<li>According to UNESCO, India is home to <strong>8 million children with disabilities,</strong> and 45% of them fail to attain literacy. Globally 15% of people are disabled.</li>
<li>There are also differences among various types of disabilities like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>20%</strong> of children with <strong>visual</strong> and <strong>hearing impairments</strong> had never been in school.</li>
<li>The percentage of children attending schools is the lowest among those with <strong>multiple disabilities</strong>, mental illnesses, and mental retardation. (<strong>more than 50%</strong> do not attend schoo).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A large number of children with disabilities do not go to regular schools but are enrolled at the <strong>National Institute of Open Schooling</strong> (NIOS).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>enrolment figures at NIOS shows a decline for most categories of disabilities between 2009 and 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Institute of Open Schooling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NIOS is "Open School" to cater to the needs of a heterogeneous group of learners up to pre-degree level.</li>
<li>It was started as a project by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).</li>
<li><strong>The National Policy on Education</strong> suggested strengthening of Open School System for extending open learning facilities at secondary level all over the country as an independent system with its own curriculum and examination leading to certification.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aser-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Right to Education Act</strong> </a>mandates <strong>enrolment</strong>, but not the provision of <strong>resources</strong> needed for the actual education of a child with disabilities.</li>
<li>In many parts of rural India, if a parent opts for <strong>home-based education,</strong> the child may not be getting an education at all.</li>
<li>Laws relating to right to education and disabilities have certain ambiguities in terms of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Where children with disabilities should study.</li>
<li>Who should teach them.</li>
<li>Gaps in terms of appropriate <strong>norms and standards</strong> applicable to all educational institutions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>lack of accessible physical<strong> infrastructure, assistive technologies,</strong> information and communication <strong>technology,</strong> and <strong>devices</strong> aggravates the situation of school dropout among disabled children.</li>
<li>Inadequate <strong>allocations, delays</strong> in releasing funds and <strong>under-utilization</strong> of allocation are key challenges in <strong>financing education</strong> for children with disabilities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recommendations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Amendments to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), so that it can be aligned with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-on-implementation-of-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-act-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Need for <strong>structural, funding and attitudinal</strong> changes to ensure that no child is left out of the right to education.</li>
<li>There should be concentrated <strong>campaigns</strong> and large scale <strong>awareness drives</strong> which can improve the attitude towards children with disabilities in the classroom and beyond.</li>
<li>Transformation of <strong>teaching practices</strong> is the need of the hour to aid the inclusion of diverse learners.</li>
<li>Establish a coordinating mechanism under the Ministry of Human Resource Development for effective <strong>convergence of all education programs</strong> of children with disabilities,</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disability-and-rte-unesco-report'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Working Group on Core Investment Companies',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a working group to review the regulatory guidelines and supervisory framework applicable for Core Investment Companies (CIC).</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In August 2010, the Reserve Bank had introduced a separate framework for the regulation of systemically important Core Investment Companies (CICs).</li>
<li>This was done because of the differences in the business model of a holding company relative to other non-banking financial companies.</li>
<li>Over the years, corporate group structures have become more complex involving multiple layering and leveraging, which has led to greater inter-connectedness with the financial system through their access to public funds.</li>
<li>Further, in light of recent developments, there is a need to strengthen the corporate governance framework of CICs.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Terms of Reference</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Terms of Reference of the Working Group are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To examine the current regulatory framework for CICs in terms of adequacy, efficacy and effectiveness of every component thereof and suggest changes therein.</li>
<li>To assess the appropriateness of and suggest changes to the current approach of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reserve Bank of India</a> towards registration of CICs including the practice of multiple CICs being allowed within a group.</li>
<li>To suggest measures to strengthen <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mechanism-to-prevent-insider-trading-t-k-viswanathan-committee-kotak-panel-recommendations-sebi-gs-ias-upsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corporate governance</a> and disclosure requirements for CICs.</li>
<li>To assess the adequacy of supervisory returns submitted by CICs and suggest changes therein.</li>
<li>To suggest appropriate measures to enhance RBI&rsquo;s off-site surveillance and on-site supervision over CICs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The working group, headed by Tapan Ray, shall submit its report by October 31, 2019.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Core Investment Company</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Core Investment Companies (CICs) are a specialized <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/shadow-banking-and-the-crisis-in-the-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)</a>.</li>
<li>They have asset size of Rs 100 crore and above.</li>
<li>Their main business is acquisition of shares and securities with certain conditions.</li>
<li>It holds not less than 90% of its net assets in the form of investment in equity shares, preference shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in group companies.</li>
<li>Its investments in the equity shares (including instruments compulsorily convertible into equity shares within a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of issue) in group companies constitutes not less than 60% of its net assets as mentioned in clause (iii) above.</li>
<li>It does not trade in its investments in shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in <strong>group companies</strong> except through block sale for the purpose of dilution or disinvestment.</li>
<li>It does not carry on any other financial activity referred to in RBI Act, 1934 except investment in bank deposits, money market instruments, government securities, loans to and investments in debt issuances of group companies or guarantees issued on behalf of <strong>group companies.</strong></li>
<li>It accepts public funds.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Group Companies</strong></p>
<p>Group companies are an arrangement involving two or more entities related to each other through any of the following relationships, viz.,Subsidiary, Joint venture, Associate, Promoter-promotee for listed companies, a related party, Common brand name, and investment in equity shares of 20% and above.</p>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/working-group-on-core-investment-companies'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Total Solar Eclipse 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A Total Solar Eclipse was witnessed in the region of the South Pacific and parts of South America (Mainly Chile and Argentina)</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This was the only Total Solar Eclipse of 2019.</li>
<li>The astonishing thing about this Total eclipse was that it was viewed from the world&rsquo;s clearest skies (Atacama desert).</li>
<li>The Total Solar Eclipse was not visible in India,</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solar and Lunar Eclipse</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eclipses are divided into two major types: Solar and Lunar. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Solar eclipses</strong> occur when the Sun, Moon and earth all fall in the same line so that the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, leaving a moving region of shadow on Earth&rsquo;s surface.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/928image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/928image4.jpg" width="487" height="211" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lunar eclipses</strong> occur when the Sun, Moon and earth all fall in the same line and Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/629image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/629image2.jpg" width="543" height="325" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eclipses may be classified into 4 types i.e. Annular, Total, Partial and Hybrid</li>
<li>The type of eclipse we experience depends on the type of shadow that is involved.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the Moon and Earth cast 3 shadows: umbra, penumbra, and an antumbra.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/882image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/882image5.jpg" width="316" height="172" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The umbra is a shadow's dark core: It means If you are standing within the umbra, you will not be able to see any part of the light source as the object blocks all direct light rays.</li>
<li>The penumbra is a half-shadow that occurs when a light source is only partly covered by an object</li>
<li>Antumbra &ndash; the lighter part of the shadow that begins where the umbra ends.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In Total or annular solar eclipse:</strong> The Moon completely covers the Sun completely but whether an eclipse is total or annular depends on the distance between these three objects(Sun, Moon and Earth)<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earth travels in an elliptical orbit around the Sun, and the Moon travels in an elliptical orbit around Earth, so the distance between these celestial bodies changes.</li>
<li><strong>Annular solar eclipse:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/195image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/195image8.jpg" width="144" height="210" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>When the Sun is nearest to Earth and the Moon is at or near its greatest distance, the Moon appears smaller than the Sun in the sky. When an eclipse of the Sun happens in this situation, the Moon will not appear large enough to cover the disk of the Sun completely, and a rim or ring of light will remain visible in the sky.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Total solar eclipse:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Total solar eclipses occur when the New Moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow, the umbra, on Earth. A full solar eclipse, known as totality, is almost as dark as night.</li>
<li>During a total eclipse of the Sun, the Moon covers the entire disk of the Sun. In partial and annular solar eclipses, the Moon blocks only part of the Sun.</li>
<li>When Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun, only the Sun's corona is visible.</li>
<li>It is called Total eclipse because at the maximum point of the eclipse( midpoint of time of totality), the sky goes dark and temperatures can fall.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/708image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/708image3.jpg" width="256" height="144" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>The reason why solar eclipses are so rare is that the Moon's umbra rarely hits the Earth's surface. Even during a total solar eclipse, the umbra only covers a small area on earth(path of totality)</li>
<li>That's why viewing a solar eclipse often depends upon where the viewer observes the event. A partial eclipse may be seen by viewers who stand outside of the region of shadow created by the umbra&mdash;the path of totality&mdash;but who remain within the large region of shadow covered by the penumbra, a region of lesser shadow where some light still penetrates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hybrid Eclipse :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A hybrid eclipse is a rare type of solar eclipse that changes its appearance as the Moon's shadow moves across the Earth's surface.</li>
<li>A hybrid eclipse is a type of solar eclipse that looks like an annular solar eclipse or a total solar eclipse, depending on the observer's location along the central eclipse path.</li>
<li>During a hybrid solar eclipse, the Earth's curvature brings some sections of the eclipse path into the Moon's umbra, the darkest part of its shadow that creates total solar eclipses, while other areas remain outside the umbra's reach, causing an annular eclipse.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both solar and lunar eclipses may also occur as <strong>Partial Eclipses.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A partial eclipse of the Sun also results when the Moon&rsquo;s penumbra falls on Earth but its umbra does not.</li>
<li>A partial eclipse of the Moon occurs when the Moon passes through only part of Earth&rsquo;s umbra or only its penumbra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Moon does experience total eclipses. If the eclipse is a total lunar eclipse, the Moon will pass through the umbra (area of total shadow) created by Earth over the course of about two hours.</li>
<li><strong>There are no Annular lunar eclipse because the Earth is much bigger than the Moon, and its shadow will never be small enough to leave a ring.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Since Moon is much smaller than Earth, there is no path of totality in a lunar eclipse. The eclipse will be visible to any observer on the night side of Earth when the eclipse occurs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>During lunar eclipse, Moon does not typically go completely dark; it often takes on a red color, because the redder parts of sunlight that penetrate Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere are refracted into the umbra, and this light reaches the Moon.</strong></li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/total-solar-eclipse-2019'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Ascent Abort Test-2',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>NASA has carried out a successful test of a <strong>Launch-Abort System (LAS)</strong> for the <strong>Orion capsule</strong> designed to take U.S. astronauts to the Moon.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The test of the Orion&rsquo;s LAS is also called the <strong>Ascent Abort Test-2 (AA-2).<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/880image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/880image1.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="249" height="640" /></a></strong></li>
<li>The <strong>aim</strong> was to test in almost real-life conditions the evacuation of astronauts from the capsule in the event of an explosion or rocket booster failure.</li>
<li>The test is a milestone in NASA's <strong>preparation for Artemis missions</strong> to the Moon that will ultimately lead to astronaut missions to Mars.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Artemis program</strong> will send the <strong>first woman and the next man to the Moon by the year 2024</strong> and develop a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the year 2028.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Orion Capsule</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The safest spacecraft ever built, Orion, will <strong>execute the Artemis program.</strong></li>
<li>An integral part of ensuring safe spaceflight is Orion&rsquo;s Launch Abort System, or LAS. This<strong> state-of-the-art crew escape system</strong> is attached to the top of the spacecraft and can propel the crew module away from the rocket within milliseconds should a life-threatening event arise during launch.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Demonstration by the test</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the test, an unmanned Orion capsule was launched by a mini-rocket.</li>
<li>Fifty-five seconds after the launch, at an altitude of 9,500 m, a rocket-powered tower on top of the crew module ignited its engines to quickly <strong>pull the Orion away from a hypothetical rocket experiencing problems.</strong></li>
<li>In just 15 seconds, the capsule gained two miles of altitude. Then the tower reoriented the capsule to prepare it for descent and disengagement from the tower, finally <strong>the crew module fell into the Atlantic Ocean.</strong></li>
<li>In real-life conditions, parachutes would also open to ease the manned capsule's fall toward the Atlantic Ocean.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ascent-abort-test-2'
	]
]
$updates = object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

	'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
	'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
	'params' => [
		':c0' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'defaultTypes' => [
		'articles__article_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.article_id' => 'integer',
		'article_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__category_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.category_id' => 'integer',
		'category_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__title' => 'string',
		'articles.title' => 'string',
		'title' => 'string',
		'articles__description' => 'text',
		'articles.description' => 'text',
		'description' => 'text',
		'articles__shortdescription' => 'string',
		'articles.shortdescription' => 'string',
		'shortdescription' => 'string',
		'articles__featuredimage' => 'string',
		'articles.featuredimage' => 'string',
		'featuredimage' => 'string',
		'articles__tag_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.tag_id' => 'integer',
		'tag_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'articles.secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'articles__type' => 'integer',
		'articles.type' => 'integer',
		'type' => 'integer',
		'articles__publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles.publishon' => 'datetime',
		'publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles__posturl' => 'string',
		'articles.posturl' => 'string',
		'posturl' => 'string',
		'articles__metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles.metatitle' => 'string',
		'metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles__metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles.metadescription' => 'string',
		'metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles__metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles.metakeyword' => 'text',
		'metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles__status' => 'integer',
		'articles.status' => 'integer',
		'status' => 'integer',
		'articles__sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles.sort_order' => 'integer',
		'sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles__addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.addedby' => 'integer',
		'addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.updatedby' => 'integer',
		'updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.added' => 'timestamp',
		'added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.modified' => 'timestamp',
		'modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles.whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_comments' => 'integer',
		'display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles__pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles.pdf_name' => 'string',
		'pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles__display_archive' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_archive' => 'integer',
		'display_archive' => 'integer'
	],
	'decorators' => (int) 0,
	'executed' => false,
	'hydrate' => true,
	'buffered' => true,
	'formatters' => (int) 0,
	'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
	'contain' => [],
	'matching' => [],
	'extraOptions' => [],
	'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}

}
$page = (int) 207
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 303
$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

Achievers Corner

Prelims

Mains & Interview

Current Affairs

Drishti Specials

Free Downloads

Test Series

Videos

Search

Search list matched with tags “class”