Search

Search list matched with tags “class”

India Connects Bangladesh and Bhutan

The Minister of State for Shipping, digitally flagged off a ship of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), carrying stone from Bhutan to be...

13 Jul 2019 News Analysis
India to become Fifth Largest Economy

A recent report has revealed that India will overtake the United Kingdom to become the world's fifth-biggest economy in 2019. India with Gross...

13 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Evidence of Ancient Human Cognition

Recently, In China, archaeologists have found the earliest evidence of Ochre on bone engravings. The discovery of abstract engravings is...

13 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Turkey Receives S-400 Missile System

Turkey has received its first shipment of an advanced Russian air defence system, setting the stage for the escalation of a dispute with the...

13 Jul 2019 News Analysis
LaQshya: Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative

Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched “LaQshya” (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative) to improve...

13 Jul 2019 News Analysis
In Depth – DNA Technology Bill

The DNA Technology (Use And Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The bill which is also known as the DNA profiling...

13 Jul 2019 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
India’s Interest in Iran-Afganistan

This article is based on editorial “Delhi to Tehran via US” which appeared in The Indian Express on 12 July 2019. It talks about the...

12 Jul 2019 News Editorials
Food Security

As per the Economic Survey (2018-19), India needs to take big initiatives to improve its food security as it faces supply constraints, water...

12 Jul 2019 Paper 3
Draft Model Tenancy Act, 2019

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has drafted a ‘Model Tenancy Act’ (MTA), 2019. The Tenancy law is a ‘model...

12 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Silk Samagra

The Government of India has allocated Rs. 2161.68 crore for three years i.e. 2017-2020 to its Central Sector Scheme “Silk Samagra” for...

12 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Role of Forest in Climate Change

This article is based on editorial “Turning down the heat: on forest restoration”, which appeared in The Hindu on 11 July 2019. It...

11 Jul 2019 News Editorials
Saubhagya Scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (PM Saubhagya) lapsed on March 31, 2019, but its target of 100% electrification nationwide is yet to...

11 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Immune Thrombocytopenia

Intas Pharmaceuticals (Indian drug maker) has launched an affordable drug Romiplostim (Romy) at one-fifth of the price of the currently available...

11 Jul 2019 News Analysis
The Big Picture – Cashless Economy

Presenting the Union Budget for 2019-20, the Finance Minister said that 2% tax deducted at source (TDS) will be levied on cash withdrawals exceeding...

11 Jul 2019 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti

In a major boost to Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Intellectual Property Facilitation...

11 Jul 2019 News Analysis
World Population Day

11 July is celebrated as World Population Day In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended that 11 July...

11 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Eastern Economic Forum

Russia has conveyed to India that it has not invited Pakistan’s Prime Minister to the Eastern Economic Forum, to be held from 4th- 6th...

11 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Malnutrition in India

This article is based on the editorial “The malaise of malnutrition”. It talks about the reasons and challenges associated with...

10 Jul 2019 News Editorials
Indian Classical Dances

Excavations, inscriptions, chronicles, genealogies of kings and artists, literary sources, sculpture and painting of different periods provide...

10 Jul 2019 Paper 1
Basel Committee Lauds RBI on Strict Rules

According to a regulatory consistency assessment programme (RCAP) conducted by the Basel committee on banking supervision, the Reserve Bank of...

10 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) {}
	],
	'searchdata' => [],
	'searchlist' => [
		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'India Connects Bangladesh and Bhutan',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Minister of State for Shipping, digitally flagged off a <strong>ship of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)</strong>, carrying <strong>stone from Bhutan</strong> to be delivered in <strong>Bangladesh</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the first time an Indian waterway is being used as a channel for transport of cargo between the two countries, implying using <strong>India for transit</strong>.</li>
<li>This is beneficial to India as well as Bhutan and Bangladesh, and will strengthen relations between the neighbouring countries. Also, waterways are more friendly mode of transport.</li>
<li>The ship, MV AAI, has set sail from Dhubri in Assam and will travel to Narayanganj in Bangladesh, over river Brahmaputra and the <strong>Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The stone aggregates were transported by trucks from Phuentsholing in Bhutan which is 160 km from IWAI&rsquo;s Dhubri jetty in Assam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The transport of cargo through this route will cut short travel time by 8 to 10 days, and reduce transportation cost by 30%, bringing down logistics costs.</li>
<li>It also opens up an <strong>alternate route to the North Eastern states</strong>, making it easier and cheaper to reach goods to these places from other parts of the country.</li>
<li>Till now, Bhutan has been exporting significant quantity of stone aggregates to Bangladesh through the land route.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/645image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/645image1.jpg" width="400" height="448" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>The Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An<strong> inland water transit and trade protocol</strong> exists between India and Bangladesh under which inland vessels of one country can transit through the specified routes of the other country.</li>
<li>The existing protocol routes include Kolkata-Pandu-Kolkata, Kolkata-Karimganj - Kolkata, Rajshahi-Dhulian-Rajshahi and Pandu-Karimganj-Pandu. The other routes can be prescribed by the Competent Authorities from time to time.</li>
<li>For inter-country trade, equal number of <strong>ports of call</strong> have been designated in each country and includes Haldia, Kolkata, Pandu and Karimganj in India and Narayanganj, Khulna, Mongla and Sirajganj in Bangladesh. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A port of call is an intermediate port where ships customarily stop for supplies, repairs, or transshipment of cargo.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the Protocol, 50:50 cargo sharing by Indian and Bangladeshi vessels is permitted both for transit and inter country trade.</li>
<li><strong>IWAI is the Competent Authority</strong> on Indian side.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) came into existence on 27th October 1986 for development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.</li>
<li>The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of Inland Water Transport (IWT) infrastructure on <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ladis-least-available-depth-information-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national waterways</a></strong> through grant received from <strong>Ministry of Shipping</strong>.</li>
<li>The head office of the Authority is at Noida.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives to increase the use of Inland Waterways</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government is taking various initiatives to increase the use of inland waterways and coastal shipping for greater cargo shipment. These include providing <strong>assured depth</strong> of water in the channels, <strong>navigation aids</strong> like GPS and <strong>River Information System</strong>, terminals at regular intervals, facilities for mechanized handling of cargo handling etc.</li>
<li>A minimum <strong>40% discount</strong> and priority in berthing is being given to coastal vessels at major ports.</li>
<li><strong>Licensing relaxations</strong> have been made under section 406 and 407 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1958 for fertilizers, agricultural products, fisheries, horticultural, and animal husbandry products, empty containers and containers being transhipped from another Indian port.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-connects-bangladesh-and-bhutan'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'India to become Fifth Largest Economy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A recent report has revealed that India will overtake the United Kingdom to become the world's fifth-biggest economy in 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India with Gross Domestic Product of <strong>$5.9 trillion</strong> in <strong>2025,</strong> will become the world's <strong>third-largest</strong> economy (in terms of GDP) by surpassing <strong>Japanese</strong> GDP.</li>
<li>The size of the <strong>Indian consumer market</strong> is forecasted to increase from $1.9 trillion in 2019 to <strong>$3.6 trillion</strong> by <strong>2025</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As the size of India&rsquo;s consumer market continues to grow at a rapid pace, India will also play an increasingly important role as one of the <strong>Asia-Pacific region's</strong> major economic growth engines.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Factors for Sustaining India&rsquo;s Economic Growth<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/142image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/142image2.jpg" width="246" height="242" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Investment:</strong> is seen as a critical enabler for innovation, rapid <strong>productivity growth</strong>, and new <strong>technology</strong>, that in turn will help in increasing <strong>jobs growth</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Economic Survey</a></strong> highlights the importance of creating a favourable ecosystem for <strong>private investment</strong>.</li>
<li>Development of <strong>startups</strong> is a critical strategy for creating <strong>value-added and skilled jobs growth</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Savings:</strong> level of savings equals the level of <strong>investment</strong>, as investment needs to be financed from saving so If people save more, it enables the banks to lend more to firms for investment.</li>
<li><strong>Exports:</strong> Exports plays an important role in influencing the level of <strong>employment</strong> and the <strong>balance of payments</strong> that in turn accelerates economic growth of the nation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure:</strong> India&rsquo;s total <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/population-crisis-challenges-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener">population</a> between 2015 and 2050 is projected at around 350 million people, creating significant fiscal challenges in terms of adequate physical infrastructures for delivering basic services like electricity, sanitation, affordable housing, and public transport.</li>
<li><strong>Ageing:</strong> a slowdown in India&rsquo;s population growth rate (in coming two decades) will result into the problem of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/elderly-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ageing</a> of the population that in turn will bring additional <strong>fiscal challenges</strong> relating to healthcare, pensions and social welfare for senior citizens.</li>
<li><strong>Legal System:</strong> based on the India&rsquo;s low ranking (163) in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-banks-ease-of-doing-business-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report</a> (in <strong>contract enforcement</strong>), the Economic Survey highlights the importance of reforms in the <strong>legal system</strong> and recommends the <strong>hiring of additional judges</strong> to rapidly reduce the number of <strong>unfilled vacancies</strong> and clear long <strong>backlogs</strong> in the court system.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-to-become-fifth-largest-economy'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Evidence of Ancient Human Cognition',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, In China, archaeologists have found the earliest evidence of Ochre on bone engravings.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/520image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/520image3.jpg" width="188" height="176" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The discovery of abstract engravings is considered an indicator of modern human cognition which researchers say led to the development of symbols, drawings, art and language.</li>
<li>The bones discovered there had seven engraved lines with the presence of a red residue.</li>
<li>Population which inhabited the region might have used the bone as a medium on which they could permanently record sequential markings and used ochre as a way of highlighting them.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Human cognition refers to the capacity of making complex tools and producing different art forms such as painting, engraving and music.</li>
<li>Ochre is a natural clay earth pigment which is a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/evidence-of-ancient-human-cognition'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Turkey Receives S-400 Missile System',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Turkey has received its first shipment of an advanced Russian air defence system, setting the stage for the escalation of a dispute with the US.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The S-400 includes advanced radar designed to detect stealth fighters like the F-35.</li>
<li>Turkey is set to deploy the system along the border it shares with war-torn Syria.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/593turk-MMAP-md.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/593turk-MMAP-md.jpg" width="366" height="258" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>S-400 Triumf</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-going-ahead-with-purchase-of-S-400-air-defence-systems" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S-400 Triumf</a></strong> is one of the world&rsquo;s most advanced air defence systems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects &mdash; all kinds of aircraft, missiles and UAVs &mdash; in a radius of a few hundred kilometres and launch appropriate missiles to neutralise them.</p>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United States had warned Turkey it will face economic sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase of a Russian missile defense system.</li>
<li>The US told the Turkish government that it cannot invest in both the Russian S-400 system and the ongoing F-35 fighter jet programme.</li>
<li>Under the Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), the US is mandated to impose sanctions on any country making an arms deal with Russia.</li>
<li>Turkey has been a key ally within NATO and long-standing US partner in the Middle East, the Black Sea area and in Southeast Europe.</li>
<li>NATO countries believe that the Russian missile system would be incompatible with existing defence infrastructure and could allow Russia to access secret F-35 information.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a United States federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia.</li>
<li>It includes sanctions against countries that engage in significant transactions with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors.</li>
<li>India could face US sanctions for purchasing high-value military defense items, in particular, state-of-the-art S-400 Triumf missile defense system, from Russia under the act. India is set to receive its first delivery of the system in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/turkey-receives-s-400-missile-system'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'LaQshya: Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched &ldquo;LaQshya&rdquo; (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative) to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Aim of the LaQshya program is to reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in the Labour Room and Maternity Operation Theatre (OT) and ensure respectful maternity care.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Implementation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The LaQshya program will be implemented by all Medical College Hospitals, District Hospitals and First Referral Unit (FRU), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) and will benefit every pregnant woman and new-born delivering in public health institutions.</li>
<li>Under the initiative, a multi-pronged strategy has been adopted such as improving infrastructure up-gradation, ensuring the availability of essential equipment, providing adequate human resources, capacity building of health care workers and improving quality processes in the labour room.</li>
<li>The Quality Improvement in the labour room and maternity OT will be assessed through NQAS (National Quality Assurance Standards).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has come a long way in improving maternal survival as Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has reduced from 167 in 2011-13 to 130 in 2014-16, an impressive decline of 22% in the last few years.</li>
<li>India is further committed to ensuring safe motherhood to every pregnant woman in the country.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Maternal Mortality Ratio</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is a key performance indicator for efforts to improve the health and safety of mothers before, during, and after childbirth.</li>
<li>MMR is the annual number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.</li>
<li>Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/laqshya-labour-room-quality-improvement-initiative'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'In Depth – DNA Technology Bill',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JWETI8z85cA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>The DNA Technology (Use And Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The bill which is <strong>also known as the</strong> <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/human-dna-profiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA profiling</a> bill</strong>, tries to check use of DNA technology to establish the identity of a person. According to the government, the DNA technology bill aims to establish the identity of missing persons, victims, offenders, under trials and unknown deceased persons. The Lok Sabha passed a similar bill in January, 2019 but it lapsed when the Rajya Sabha could not clear it due to lack of support from the opposition.</p>
<h3>Provisions of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It seeks to establish a <strong>national data bank</strong> and regional DNA data banks.</li>
<li>It envisages that every databank will maintain indices like <strong>the crime scene index, suspects' or undertrials' index,</strong> offenders' index, <strong>missing persons' index</strong> and unknown deceased persons' index.</li>
<li>It also seeks to establish a <strong>DNA Regulatory Board</strong>. Every laboratory that analyses DNA samples to establish the identity of an individual, has to be accredited by the board.</li>
<li>The bill also proposes a <strong>written consent</strong> by individuals be obtained before collection of their DNA samples. However, consent is not required for offences with punishment of more than seven years in jail or death.</li>
<li>It also provides for the <strong>removal of DNA profiles</strong> of suspects on the filing of a police report or court order, and of undertrials on the basis of a court order. Profiles in the crime scene and missing persons' index will be removed on a written request.</li>
</ul>
<h3>DNA Profiling Bill and India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DNA evidence was first accepted by the Indian courts in 1985, but it was not till January, 2019 that a bill on the issue was first introduced in Parliament and even passed by the Lok Sabha.</li>
<li>The <strong>initiative</strong> to draft a bill regulating the use of DNA samples for crime related reasons began in the year <strong>2003</strong>.</li>
<li>The Department of Biotechnology established a committee known as the <strong>DNA Profiling Advisory Committee</strong> to make recommendations for the drafting of the DNA profiling bill 2006. This eventually became the Human DNA Profiling Bill, 2007.</li>
<li>The <strong>2007 draft bill</strong> was prepared by the Department of Biotechnology along with the Union Government for <strong>DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics</strong>.</li>
<li>In 2007, the draft Human DNA Profiling was made public. However, it was never introduced in the Parliament. It was criticized by civil society members and non-government organizations for not addressing the privacy concerns.</li>
<li><strong>In 2013,</strong> the Department of Biotechnology formulated <strong>an expert committee</strong> to deliberate on concerns raised about the bill and also to finalize the text.</li>
<li>In 2015, the government planned to table the bill in the Parliament during its monsoon session but did not do so due to widespread criticism over privacy and data security safeguards.</li>
<li>In 2016, the Use and Regulation of DNA based technology in Civil and Criminal Proceedings, Identification of Missing Persons and Human Remains Bill was listed for introduction, consideration and passing. Activists and experts raised concerns over the 2016 version of the bill as well.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They raised questions of how the bill plans to safeguard the privacy of those whose DNA profiles will be stored in the databank, the safeguards the samples and data banks will have against contamination and theft and the terms of use and availability of the profiles among law enforcement officials, scientists and foreign agencies.</li>
<li>However, in 2016, <strong>Andhra Pradesh became the first state</strong> in India to start DNA profiling to stop crimes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2018, the <strong>Law Commision of India in its 271<sup>st</sup> report</strong> prepared the draft bill named the DNA Based Technology (Use and Regulation) Bill 2017.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The commission examined various judicial pronouncements and constitutional provisions and recorded that DNA profiling was indeed used for disaster victim identification, investigations of crime, identification of missing persons and human remains and also for medical research purposes.</li>
<li>However, it also flagged the privacy concerns and the ethics involved in this scientific collection of data were very high.</li>
<li>The commission said the procedure for DNA profiling if given statutory recognition should be done legitimately as per the constitutional provisions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>DNA Profiling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deoxyribonucleic acid,</strong> commonly known as DNA, is the hereditary complex molecule present in humans and almost all other organisms.</li>
<li>Nearly every cell in a multicellular organism possesses the full set of DNA required for that organism. Most DNA molecules consist of two bio polymer strands coiled around each other to form a <strong>double helix</strong>. The two strands are called <strong>polynucleotides</strong> since they are composed of simpler monomeric units called nucleotides.</li>
<li>Each nucleotide is composed of one of <strong>four chemical bases: cytosine (C), guanine (G), adenine (A), thymine (T)</strong>.</li>
<li>It also has a sugar called deoxyribose and a phosphate group. These nucleotides create proteins that is needed for the cell.</li>
<li>DNA contains all of the information necessary to build and maintain an organism including biological information.</li>
<li>Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, some of the <strong>DNA is unique</strong> that makes it possible to distinguish one individual from another.</li>
<li>DNA can be <strong>extracted</strong> from the saliva, hair, blood samples, any small amount of the muscles or tissues of a person, nail scraping.</li>
<li>DNA&rsquo;s molecular structure was <strong>first identified by James Watson and Francis Crick</strong> in 1953. They won the <strong>nobel prize</strong> for the same in 1962.</li>
<li>With time, DNA technology evolved and in <strong>1984</strong>, Bristish scientist <strong>Sir Alec John Jeffrey</strong> discovered the modern technology of <strong>DNA profiling</strong>.</li>
<li>DNA Profiling is the process of <strong>determining an individual characteristics</strong> and most commonly used as a forensic technology to identify a person.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>DNA Index System</em></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a first-of-its-kind initiative which allows <strong>generation of DNA profiles from live samples</strong> like saliva and blood stains within <strong>90-120 minutes</strong>.</li>
<li>This system uses the latest DNA technology developed by IntegenX, Inc USA, known as the RapidHit DNA system.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Benefits of DNA Profiling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Through DNA profiling technique, heinous crimes can be easily solved.</li>
<li>It can also help to <strong>nab criminals</strong>.</li>
<li>DNA profiles taken from the place of crime can be matched with the samples of criminals arrested even after several years.</li>
<li>This technique is very effective in identifying accident victims, missing people or identifying disaster victims.</li>
<li>The <strong>identification of parents</strong> is also possible with the use of the DNA profiling.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Criticism</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DNA profiling is being criticized as a technique that <strong>breaches an individual&rsquo;s privacy</strong>. It is being seen as interfering in someone&rsquo;s privacy by collecting his/her genetic data.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>International Guidelines on DNA Profiling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the international platform, in the case of DNA sampling and profiling, the privacy of an individual has not only been done through human rights but also through the guidelines issued for the use and maintenance of DNA.</li>
<li>The <strong>DNA Commission</strong> constituted by the <strong>International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG)</strong> has issued strict guidelines in this regard.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In case of an emergency, the Forensic DNA laboratory is required to first inform the concerned officer.</li>
<li>Before taking the DNA sample of an injured or the deceased person, it is necessary to seek an opinion from the person or his family.</li>
<li>At the time when a person&rsquo;s DNA is taken, the name of officer on duty should be clearly mentioned.</li>
<li>There should be a <strong>guarantee to keep the investigation and collection private</strong>. At the same time, proper maintenance should be ensured.</li>
<li>It is clearly mentioned in the ISFG&rsquo;s report that to streamline the process of DNA collection, it is important to make an accurate system and report. If many agencies are collecting DNA sample, then the clarity of the number of people and correct data must be ensured.</li>
<li>Besides, there are strict provisions for getting the DNA test of a missing person done from a recognised laboratory. The laboratory should have long and authentic work experience. Apart from this, it is also necessary to have a <strong>centralised electronic database</strong> to collect all DNA samples.</li>
<li><strong>All countries including India has been following these guidelines.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>DNA Profiling in Other Countries</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over 60 countries have made legal provisions for the use of DNA technology to <strong>investigate criminal cases</strong>. These countries include Argentina, United States, China, Britain and Canada.</li>
<li>DNA Profiling is <strong>allowed only in serious criminal cases</strong> in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria. This provision also exists in India. By taking prior permission from the court, biological samples of suspects in criminal cases can be taken for DNA profiling.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Arguments Against the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Many claim that the DNA profiling bill is a <strong>violation of human rights</strong> as it could compromise with the privacy of the individuals, that is because all the details of the person&rsquo;s body and his DNA profile will be with the state. <strong>The Supreme Court has recognised the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right.</strong></li>
<li>It will be used not only in the settlement of criminal cases <strong>but also in civil matters</strong> like using DNA profiling in matters such as surrogacy, maternity or paternity check, organ transplantation and immigration.</li>
<li>The <strong>International Human Rights Declaration</strong> and the <strong>1964 Helsinki agreement</strong> are also being cited for the case against it.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948</strong> adopted by the United Nations General Assembly expresses concern about the rights of human beings against involuntary maltreatment.</li>
<li><strong>The Declaration of Helsinki, 1964,</strong> set the guidelines adopted by the 18th World Medical Association General Assembly. It contains 32 principles, which stress on informed consent, confidentiality of data, vulnerable population and requirement of a protocol, including the scientific reasons of the study, to be reviewed by an Ethics Committee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Arguments in favour of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Individual privacy is ensured</strong> as the custodian of the databank will not release any information without a formal requisition. The one who is need of the DNA process i.e. investigator has to go through a requisition process via police. Data will be accepted from the investigators which will be matched with the data available in the databank.</li>
<li>The DNA pattern will be kept in the DNA bank and that will be used whenever <strong>required</strong> for any purpose <strong>in national interest</strong>, police interest or forensic interest.</li>
<li>DNA profiles will be kept under a government regulatory body with certain terms and references. There are a least chances of any misuse.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Whenever a new law is brought or changes are made in the existing law, privacy and human rights should be a top priority.</em></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-dna-technology-bill'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Interest in Iran-Afganistan',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on editorial <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/delhi-to-tehran-via-us-sanctions-afghanistan-oil-import-5825730/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Delhi to Tehran via US&rdquo;</strong></a> which appeared in The Indian Express on 12 July 2019. It talks about the impact of the US&rsquo;s foreign policy in the middle east, on India&rsquo;s interest regarding Iran and Afghanistan.</p>
</div>
<p>Iran and Afghanistan represent the two pillars of India&rsquo;s regional foreign policy but because of the American strategy in the Middle East, the relationships and interests of India with Iran and Afghanistan are compromised.</p>
<p>Relationship between India and Iran got jeopardized as India, in order to comply with the American sanctions, had to cut its oil imports to zero. Also, India's interest in Afghanistan will be affected due to the hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Thus Indian foreign policy needs to be more pragmatic.</p>
<h3>What is the strategic importance of Iran-Afghanistan for India?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India shared a cultural and historical relationship with both these countries, but since the start of the 21st century these two countries have formed the core of strategic attention of global politics:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Iran:</strong> A regional hegemon, asserts itself in the middle east flux and challenging US's dominance in the region.</li>
<li><strong>Afghanistan:</strong> Since Operation &ldquo;Enduring Freedom&rdquo;, which was US's global war on terrorism post 9/11 attacks, Afghanistan has been the centre of Great Game- involving all major power of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostrategic importance of Iran for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Iran grants India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia and can help mitigate China&rsquo;s growing influence among India&rsquo;s neighbours.</li>
<li>India is pursuing connectivity initiatives like the Chabahar Port, which is in sync with India&rsquo;s pursuit to reduce Pakistani influence in Afghanistan, combat extremist groups, and break a strategic encirclement by China.</li>
<li>Also, India and China are currently competing for influence in Iran.</li>
<li>Economically, Iran is a significant source of energy to India, as well as a possible avenue to access markets in neighbouring countries.</li>
<li>Iran is an important partner for its regional policy. As &ldquo;an extended neighbour&rdquo; sharing cultural affinities, it could help India to encircle Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostrategic importance of Afghanistan for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Afghanistan's main advantage is its geography</li>
<li>Anyone who controls Afghanistan controls the land routes between the Indian subcontinent, Iran, and resource-rich Central Asia. Almost every major power, therefore, wanted to play an assertive role in the region.</li>
<li>Economically, it is a gateway to the oil and mineral-rich Central Asian republics. Also, the massive reconstruction plans for the country offer a lot of opportunities for Indian companies.</li>
<li>Afghanistan has become the second-largest recipient of Indian foreign aid over the last five years.</li>
<li>India has become more and more popular in Afghanistan, not only because of its soft power, but also by setting up infrastructure, including hospitals, roads and dams, and contributing to the fabric of a democratic nation-state.</li>
<li>Apart from this, India had two priorities in Afghanistan:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To prevent Pakistan from setting up a friendly government in Afghanistan again.</li>
<li>To avoid the return of jihadi groups, like al Qaeda, which could strike in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the US's policy in the Middle East impacting Indian interest?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In light of Iran's nuclear program, Iran has become a state condemned and isolated by the United States, particularly under President Trump.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is also viewed as a major regional threat by several Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel.</li>
<li>This has led to pressure on India, creating a tussle in ties with Iran.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is losing ground in Afghanistan, largely because of the USA's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US promised to end the war in Afghanistan and withdraw American troops, but it is being done impatiently.</li>
<li>As a result, the American administration has intensified negotiations with the Taliban, bypassing Afghanistan's government.</li>
<li>The US is now prepared to withdraw troops in exchange for a Taliban commitment not to let Afghanistan be used as a base for international terrorism.</li>
<li>But trusting the Taliban to not disrupt the region is not pragmatic.</li>
<li>Further, Pakistan is now involved in the intra-Afghan dialogue by the US itself.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What should India do in this scenario?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should now upgrade its channels of communication with the Taliban</li>
<li>Try to persuade Iran that cooperation between both countries is still possible.</li>
<li>India will probably have to reassess its strategic convergence with the US because the US's foreign policy is acting against India's strategic interest.</li>
<li>Last but not least India must realise that it is not easy to isolate Pakistan <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Not only because of US duplicity and the China factor but also because of the tyranny of geography.</li>
<li>Indeed, if India-Afghanistan relations are so badly affected today, it&rsquo;s also because of animosity with Pakistan</li>
<li>In this scenario, India must think and act pragmatically vis-a-vis Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>As an emerging power, India cannot remain confined to South Asia, a peaceful extended neighbourhood(Iran-Afghanistan) is not only good for Indian trade and energy security but also plays a vital role in India's aspirations of becoming a superpower.<br /><br /></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ff0000;">
<td style="width: 517px; background-color: #f0e6c0; border-color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br />India&rsquo;s must reassess its strategic convergence with the US, as the foreign policy of the USA in the middle east is impacting India&rsquo;s interest. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-interest-in-iran-afganistan'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Food Security',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<p>As per the Economic Survey (2018-19), India needs to take big initiatives to improve its food security as it faces supply constraints, water scarcity, small landholdings, low per capita GDP and inadequate irrigation.</p>
<h3>What is Food Security?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Food security, as defined by the United Nations&rsquo; Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.</li>
<li>Food security is the combination of the following three elements:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Food availability</strong> i.e. food must be available in sufficient quantities and on a consistent basis. It considers stock and production in a given area and the capacity to bring in food from elsewhere, through trade or aid.</li>
<li><strong>Food access</strong> i.e. people must be able to regularly acquire adequate quantities of food, through purchase, home production, barter, gifts, borrowing or food aid.</li>
<li><strong>Food utilization:</strong> Consumed food must have a positive nutritional impact on people. It entails cooking, storage and hygiene practices, individuals health, water and sanitations, feeding and sharing practices within the household.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Food security is closely related to household resources, disposable income and socioeconomic status. It is also strongly interlinked with other issues, such as food prices, global environment change, water, energy and agriculture growth.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Food Security is Important for a Nation?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For boosting the agricultural sector.</li>
<li>For having a control on food prices.</li>
<li>For economic growth and job creation leading to poverty reduction</li>
<li>For trade opportunities</li>
<li>For increased global security and stability</li>
<li>For improved health and healthcare</li>
</ul>
<h3>Food Security in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Food security concerns can be traced back to the experience of the <strong>Bengal Famine in 1943</strong> during British colonial rule, during which about 2 million to 3 million people perished due to starvation.</li>
<li>Since attaining independence, an initial rush to industrialize while ignoring agriculture, two successive droughts in the mid-1960s, and dependence on food aid from the United States exposed India&rsquo;s vulnerability to several shocks on the food security front.</li>
<li>The country went through a <strong>Green Revolution</strong> in the late 1960s and early 1970s, enabling it to overcome productivity stagnation and to significantly improve food grain production.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Despite its success, the Green Revolution is often criticized for being focused on only two cereals, wheat and rice; being confined to a few resource abundant regions in the northwestern and southern parts of the country that benefited mostly rich farmers; and putting too much stress on the ecology of these regions, especially soil and water.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Green Revolution was followed by the <strong>White Revolution</strong>, which was initiated by <strong>Operation Flood</strong> during the 1970s and 1980s. This national initiative has revolutionized liquid milk production and marketing in India, making it the largest producer of milk.</li>
<li>Of late, especially during the post-2000 period, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iari-breeds-nutrient-rich-hybrid-maize" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hybrid maize for poultry and industrial</a> use and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unapproved-sowing-of-genetically-modified-crops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)</a> cotton have shown great strides in production, leading to sizeable exports of cotton, which made India the second largest exporter of cotton in 2007&ndash;2008.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns vis-a-vis Food Security in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, currently has the <strong>largest number of undernourished people in the world</strong> i.e. around 195 million.</li>
<li>Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India do not meet their full human potential because of <strong>chronic undernutrition or stunting</strong>.</li>
<li>Agricultural productivity in India is extremely low. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to World Bank figures, cereal yield in India is estimated to be 2,992 kg per hectare as against 7,318.4 kg per hectare in North America.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The composition of the food basket is increasingly shifting away from cereals to high⎯value agricultural commodities like fish, eggs, milk and meat. As incomes continue to rise, this trend will continue and the indirect demand for food from feed will grow rapidly in India.</li>
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/looming-threat-to-food-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAO</a> estimates in &lsquo;The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2018&rdquo; report, about 14.8% of the population is undernourished in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, 51.4% of women in reproductive age between 15 to 49 years are anaemic.</li>
<li>Further according to the report 38.4% of children aged under five in India are stunted (too short for their age), while 21% suffer from wasting, meaning their weight is too low for their height.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India ranked 76<sup>th</sup> in 113 countries assessed by The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) in the year 2018, based on four parameters&mdash;affordability, availability and quality and safety.</li>
<li>As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-hunger-index-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Hunger Index, 2018</a>, India was ranked 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges to Food Security</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> Higher temperatures and unreliable rainfall makes farming difficult. Climate change not only impacts crop but also livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and can cause grave social and economic consequences in the form of reduced incomes, eroded livelihoods, trade disruption and adverse health impacts.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of access to remote areas:</strong> For the tribal communities, habitation in remote difficult terrains and practice of subsistence farming has led to significant economic backwardness.</li>
<li>Increase in <strong>rural-to-urban migration,</strong> large proportion of informal workforce resulting in unplanned growth of slums which lack in the basic health and hygiene facilities, insufficient housing and increased food insecurity.</li>
<li><strong>Overpopulation, poverty, lack of education and gender inequality.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Inadequate distribution of food</strong> through public distribution mechanisms (PDS i.e. Public Distribution System). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deserving beneficiaries of the subsidy are excluded on the basis of non-ownership of below poverty line (BPL) status, as the criterion for identifying a household as BPL is arbitrary and varies from state to state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Biofuels:</strong> The growth of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuel</a> market has reduced the land used for growing food crops.</li>
<li><strong>Conflict:</strong> Food can be used as a weapon, with enemies cutting off food supplies in order to gain ground. Crops can also be destroyed during the conflict.</li>
<li><strong>Unmonitored nutrition programmes:</strong> Although a number of programmes with improving nutrition as their main component are planned in the country but these are not properly implemented.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of coherent food and nutrition policies</strong> along with the <strong>absence of intersectoral coordination</strong> between various ministries.</li>
<li><strong>Corruption:</strong> Diverting the grains to open market to get better margin, selling poor quality grains at ration shops, irregular opening of the shops add to the issue of food insecurity.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recent Government Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Food Security Mission</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2007.</li>
<li>It aims to increase production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and commercial crops, through area expansion and productivity enhancement.</li>
<li>It works toward restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level and enhancing farm level economy.</li>
<li>It further aims to augment the availability of vegetable oils and to reduce the import of edible oils.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was initiated in 2007, and allowed states to choose their own agriculture and allied sector development activities as per the district/state agriculture plan.</li>
<li>It was converted into a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in 2014-15 also with 100% central assistance.</li>
<li>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) has been named as <strong>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR)</strong> for three years i.e. from 2017-18 to 2019-20.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong> Making farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmer&rsquo;s effort, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship. Major focus is on pre &amp; post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri-entrepreneurship and innovations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://dpd.dacnet.nic.in/npdp/chapter2.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Integrated Schemes on Oilseeds, Pulses, Palm oil and Maize (ISOPOM)</a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-fasal-bima-yojanas-failure-in-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana</a></li>
<li><strong>E-marketplace:</strong> 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><strong>Massive irrigation and soil and water harvesting programme</strong> to increase the country&rsquo;s gross irrigated area from 90 million hectares to 103 million hectares by 2017.</li>
<li>The government has also taken significant steps to combat under- and malnutrition over the past two decades, through
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The introduction of <strong>mid-day meals</strong> at schools. It is a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme which covers all school children studying in Classes I-VIII of Government, Government-Aided Schools.</li>
<li><strong>Anganwadi systems</strong> to provide rations to pregnant and lactating mothers,</li>
<li><strong>Subsidised grain</strong> for those living below the poverty line through a public distribution system.</li>
<li>Food fortification</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013,</strong> legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards under the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Organizations involved in ensuring Food Security</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Established as a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1945.</li>
<li>One of FAO's strategic objectives is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>World Food Programme (WFP)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded in 1963, WFP is the lead UN agency that responds to food emergencies and has programmes to combat hunger worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded in 1977, IFAD focuses on rural poverty reduction, working with poor rural populations in developing countries to eliminate poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.</li>
<li>It is a specialized agency of the United Nations and was one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded in 1944, the World Bank is actively involved in funding food projects and programmes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was established in 1972 as the international arm providing guidance and governance to environmental issues. One of the topics that UNEP addresses currently is food security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Global Food and Nutrition Security</strong> was established by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2008.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to promote a comprehensive and unified response of the international community to the challenge of achieving global food and nutrition security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Formulation of the <strong>First Millennium Development Goal (MDG 1)</strong>, which included among its targets cutting by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015.</li>
<li>The United Nations Secretary-General launched the <strong>Zero Hunger Challenge</strong> in 2012 during the Rio+20 World Conference on Sustainable Development. The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched to inspire a global movement towards a world free from hunger within a generation. It calls for:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Zero stunted children under the age of two</li>
<li>100% access to adequate food all year round</li>
<li>All food systems are sustainable</li>
<li>100% increase in smallholder productivity and income</li>
<li>Zero loss or waste of food</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>SDG Goal 2.</strong> End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps to be Taken to Ensure Food Security</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government policy needs to adopt an integrated policy framework to facilitate agriculture productivity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The measures should focus mainly on rationale <strong>distribution of cultivable land, improving the size of the farms</strong> and providing security to the tenant cultivators apart from providing the farmers with improved technology for cultivation and improved inputs like irrigation facilities, availability of better quality seeds, fertilizers and credits at lower interest rates.</li>
<li><strong>Aeroponics</strong> and <strong>hydroponics</strong> are systems that allow plants to be grown without soil. Plants grown in this way take in water and nutrients efficiently. These methods can be used in the areas of poor soil quality and soil erosion.</li>
<li><strong>Adoption of crops and techniques with lower water requirements,</strong> such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of rice production, contributes to resilience by enabling equal or better yields to be achieved with less water withdrawal.</li>
<li><strong>Planting crops with lower water requirements and agricultural practices that maintain soil moisture,</strong> such as maintaining vegetative cover between crops, can also contribute to resilience.</li>
<li><strong>Crop diversification:</strong> Higher profitability and stability in production highlight the importance of crop diversification, e.g. legumes alternative with rice and wheat. Growing of non-cereal crops such as oilseeds, fruits and vegetables etc need to be encouraged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strategies for <strong>better food storage</strong> should be adopted.</li>
<li><strong>The Blue Revolution:</strong> Sea, lakes and rivers can be used to provide food and nutrition. Fish are a very good source of protein and do not require good soil.</li>
<li><strong>Biotechnology and appropriate technology:</strong> Selective breeding or genetic modification (GM) of plants and animals can be done to produce specific features and <strong>adaptations</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, selective breeding has been used on dairy cows to increase milk yields. GM has been used on wheat to produce crops that are disease <strong>resistant</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Existing direct nutrition programmes should be revamped</strong> to enable management by women&rsquo;s Self Help Groups (SHGs) and /or local bodies along with orientation and training of community health workers, Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members, other opinion leaders, caregivers and other stakeholders can be another area.</li>
<li>Efforts should be made by the concerned health departments and authorities to initiate and supervise the functioning of the nutrition related schemes in an efficient way.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Annual surveys and rapid assessments surveys could be some of the ways through which program outcomes can be measured.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Focus needs to be shifted to the workers in the informal sector by providing decent wages and healthy working conditions.</li>
<li><strong>Local community education on key family health and nutrition practices</strong> using participatory and planned communication methodologies will be helpful.</li>
<li>The <strong>cooperatives</strong> play an important role in food security in India especially in the southern and western parts of the country. The cooperative societies set up shops to sell low priced goods to poor people. The cooperatives should be encouraged.</li>
<li><strong>Fostering rural-urban economic linkages can be an important</strong> step towards ensuring food security by-
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>enhancing and diversifying rural employment opportunities, especially for women and youth,</li>
<li>enabling the poor to better manage risks through social protection,</li>
<li>leveraging remittances for investments in the rural sector as a viable means for improving livelihoods</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Food security of a nation is ensured if all of its citizens have <strong>enough nutritious food available</strong>, all persons have the <strong>capacity to buy food of acceptable quality</strong> and there is <strong>no barrier on access to food</strong>.</li>
<li>The right to food is a well established principle of international human rights law. It has evolved to include an <strong>obligation for state parties to respect, protect, and fulfil their citizens&rsquo; right to food security</strong>.</li>
<li>As a state party to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, India has the obligation to ensure the right to be free from hunger and the right to adequate food.</li>
<li>India needs to adopt a <strong>policy that brings together diverse issues such as inequality, food diversity, indigenous rights and environmental justice</strong> to ensure sustainable food security.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Draft Model Tenancy Act, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has drafted a &lsquo;Model Tenancy Act&rsquo; (MTA), 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Tenancy law is a &lsquo;model act&rsquo;, because land is a state subject and states will have the option to adopt or reject it.</li>
<li>It envisages to balance the interest and rights of both the owner and tenant and to create an accountable and transparent ecosystem for renting the premises in disciplined and efficient manner.</li>
<li>Salient features of the draft:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MTA stipulates a robust grievance redressal mechanism comprising of Rent Authority, Rent Court and Rent Tribunal.</li>
<li>Landlords will also be able to charge rents that are to be decided by the respective state governments, on par with market rates.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Also, It has been proposed to cap the security deposit equal to a maximum of two month&rsquo;s rent in case of residential properties and, a minimum of one month&rsquo;s rent in case of non-residential property.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After coming into force of this Act, no person shall let or take on rent any premises except by an agreement in writing.</li>
<li>The Model Act provides for its applicability for the whole of the State i.e. urban as well as rural areas in the State.</li>
<li>It will be mandatory for both the landlord and the tenant to inform the rent authority after getting into an agreement.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This will ensure that a landlord does not arbitrarily increase the rent in variance with what has been agreed to in the agreement.</li>
<li>It will also ensure that the tenant is not evicted at the whim of the landlord</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A digital platform will be set up in the local vernacular language of the State for submitting tenancy agreement and other documents.</li>
<li>This MTA will be applicable prospectively and will not affect the existing tenancies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Significance of the draft MTA<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is expected to give a fillip to private participation in rental housing for addressing the huge housing shortage across the country.</li>
<li>It will enable creation of adequate rental housing stock for various income segments of society including migrants, formal and informal sector workers, professionals, students etc. and increase access to quality rented accommodation, enable gradual formalization of rental housing market.</li>
<li>The move could provide relief for both tenants and landlords and help take some load off India&rsquo;s overburdened litigation process.</li>
<li>As per Census 2011, nearly 1.1 crore houses were lying vacant in the country and making these houses available on rent will complement the vision of &lsquo;Housing for All&rsquo; by 2022.</li>
<li>The draft seeks to unlock the potential of the vacant houses In India, by bringing transparency and accountability in the existing system of renting of premises and to balance the interests of both the property owner and tenant in a judicious manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)</strong></p>
<p>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is an initiative by the Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided. Under PMAY, it is proposed to build 2 crore houses for urban poor including Economically Weaker Sections and Low Income Groups in urban areas by the year 2022.</p>
<p>Scheme has four components</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Slum rehabilitation of Slum Dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a resource;</li>
<li>Promotion of affordable housing for weaker section through credit linked subsidy;</li>
<li>Affordable housing in partnership with Public &amp; Private sectors and</li>
<li>Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction or enhancement.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-model-tenancy-act-2019'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Silk Samagra',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Government of India has allocated Rs. 2161.68 crore for three years i.e. 2017-2020 to its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme</strong></a> &ldquo;Silk Samagra&rdquo; for the development of sericulture in the country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme is being implemented by the Central Silk Board (CSB).</li>
<li>It focuses on improving the quality and productivity of domestic silk thereby reducing the country&rsquo;s dependence on imported silk.</li>
<li>It comprises the following <strong>four components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Research &amp; Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and I.T. Initiatives</li>
<li>Seed Organizations</li>
<li>Coordination and Market Development, and</li>
<li>Quality Certification Systems (QCS)/Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While the R&amp;D units develop technology packages, impart training on improved technology programmes to stakeholders and transfer the technology to the field through front line demonstration, the seed production units produce basic and commercial seed of the improved Silkworm breeds developed by the Research Institutes.</li>
<li>The units under the Quality Certification System maintain and certify the quality standards set by the R&amp;D units for Silkworm seed, cocoon, raw Silk and Silk products covering the entire Silk value chain.</li>
<li>Under the scheme, <strong>assistance</strong> is extended to sericulture stakeholders for the beneficiary oriented components like, raising of Kissan nursery, plantation with improved Mulberry varieties, Irrigation, chawki rearing centres with incubation facility and rearing equipments.</li>
<li>The scheme also provides assistance for door to door service agents for disinfection and input supply, support for improved reeling units like automatic reeling units, multi-end reeling machines, improved twisting machines and support for post yarn facilities for quality silk and fabric production.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Silk Production in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are <strong>five major types of silk</strong> of commercial importance, obtained from different species of silkworms. These are Mulberry, Oak Tasar &amp; Tropical Tasar, Muga and Eri.</li>
<li>Except mulberry, other non-mulberry varieties of silks are wild silks, known as vanya silks.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> has the unique distinction of producing <strong>all these commercial varieties</strong> of silk.</li>
<li><strong>South India</strong> is the leading silk producing area of the country and is also known for its famous silk weaving enclaves like Kancheepuram, Dharmavaram, Arni, etc.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Central Silk Board</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>statutory body</strong> established in the year 1948 by an Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>It is working under the administrative control of <strong>Ministry of Textiles,</strong> Government of India.</li>
<li>Its headquarter is located in <strong>Bangalore.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>mandated</strong> with:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoting the development of Silk Industry by such measures as it thinks fit.</li>
<li>Undertaking ,assisting or encouraging scientific, technological and economic research.</li>
<li>Advising the Central Government on all matters relating to the development of silk industry including import and export of raw silk.</li>
<li>Preparing and furnishing such other reports relating to the silk industry as may be required by the Central Government from time to time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/silk-samagra'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Role of Forest in Climate Change',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/turning-down-the-heat/article28363958.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Turning down the heat: on forest restoration&rdquo;</a>, which appeared in The Hindu on 11 July 2019. It talks about the role of forest in climate change mitigation.</p>
</div>
<p>Forest has an enormous potential in mitigating climate change through forest restoration. <strong>Trees and other vegetation fix carbon as part of photosynthesis and soil too holds organic carbon from plants and animals.</strong> The amount of soil carbon varies with land management practices, farming methods, soil nutrition and temperature.</p>
<p>Recently, a study has estimated that it is possible to add 0.9 billion hectares of canopy cover worldwide which can then mitigate up to two-thirds of historical greenhouse gas emissions. This would then prevent or delay the worst impacts of climate change. But forest restoration always remains on the back burner in global as well as national policy matters.</p>
<p>During the run-up to the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-climate-change-act-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paris climate change</a> meeting in 2015 (COP-21) under the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change</a>, each country decided the level and kind of effort it would undertake to solve the global problem of climate change through Nationally determined contributions (NDCs).</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India's INDC, to be achieved primarily, by 2030</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To reduce the emissions intensity of the GDP by about a third.</li>
<li>A total of 40% of the installed capacity for electricity will be from non-fossil fuel sources.</li>
<li>India also promised an additional carbon sink (a means to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by the year 2030.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Though in a recent study, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has estimated, along with the costs involved, the opportunities and potential actions for additional forest and tree cover to meet the NDC target.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Apart from the direct impact of forest on climate mitigation, its other benefits in support of both people and nature are considerable:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, 1.6 billion people (nearly 25% of the world&rsquo;s population) rely on forests for their livelihoods, many of whom are the world&rsquo;s poorest.</li>
<li>Forests provide US$ 75&ndash;100 billion per year in goods and services such as clean water and healthy soils.</li>
<li>Forests are home to 80% of the world&rsquo;s terrestrial biodiversity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Therefore, the additional increase in carbon sinks, as recommended in this report, is to be achieved in the following ways:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Restoring impaired and open forests</li>
<li>Afforesting wastelands</li>
<li>Agroforestry</li>
<li>Through green corridors</li>
<li>Plantations along railways, canals, other roads, on railway sidings and rivers</li>
<li>Urban green spaces</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The FSI study concludes that if 70% of impaired forests is restored. The total increase in the carbon sink will amount to 3.39 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030, at would cost around ₹2.46 lakh crore.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Natural Forests</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has yet to determine how its carbon sink objectives can be met.</li>
<li>Locking up the carbon from the atmosphere in trees, ground vegetation and soils is one of the safest ways with which to remove carbon.</li>
<li>Natural Forests improve water quality, store water in wetlands, prevent soil erosion, protect biodiversity, and potentially provide new jobs.</li>
<li>According to the estimates, allowing land to be converted into forests naturally will sequester 42 times the carbon compared to land converted to the plantation, or six times for land converted to agroforestry.</li>
<li>Forms of green cover like plantations, do not mitigate climate change and also do not improve biodiversity or provide related benefits.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Type of Restoration</h3>
<p>The amount of carbon stored depends on the type of forest restoration carried out.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vast monocultures of plantations are being proposed in some countries, including in India, but these hold very little carbon; when they are harvested, carbon is released as the wood is burned.</li>
<li>India, therefore, needs to ensure that deforestation is curtailed to the maximum extent. Also, the area allocated to the restoration of impaired and open forests and wastelands in the FSI report should be focussed entirely on natural forests and agroforestry.</li>
<li>Once natural forests are established, they need to be protected.</li>
<li>Instead of plantations, growing food forests managed by local communities would have additional co-benefits. Active forest management by local people has a long history in India and needs to expand to meet climate, environment and social justice goals.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What can be done globally?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Initiating and supporting international efforts to combat forest loss and degradation, including those under the <strong>New York Declaration on Forests</strong> to halve global natural forest loss by 2020, and end it by 2030.</li>
<li>Driving the restoration of 150 million hectares of degraded landscapes and forest lands by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030 through the Bonn Challenge.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reaching the 350 million hectare target could sequester up to 1.7 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enabling rights-based land use</strong> ensures <strong>community involvement</strong> in land-use outcomes.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Strengthening community control over forests</strong> will also help to alleviate poverty, empower women and men, enhance biodiversity, and sustainably manage forests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Engaging the private sector and striving to make sure benefits &ndash; such as those from Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) &ndash; are equitably shared with local landowners and forest communities.</li>
</ul>
<p>Forests are one of the most important solutions to addressing the effects of climate change. Approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, one-third of the CO<sub>2</sub> released from burning fossil fuels, is absorbed by forests every year. Therefore increasing and maintaining forests is an essential solution to climate change.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #cbf2f7; border-color: #038394; border-style: dashed;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Climate adaptation needs to be equally accompanied by climate mitigation. Discuss the statement in light of the role played by the forest in mitigating climate change?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-forest-in-climate-change'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Saubhagya Scheme ',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (PM Saubhagya) lapsed on March 31, 2019, but its target of 100% electrification nationwide is yet to be achieved.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme was launched in September 2017 with a target to electrify all households by December 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This target was moved forward to March 31, 2019, and eventually the Centre declared that all &lsquo;willing&rsquo; homes have been provided with electricity connections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since the Saubhagya Scheme has no allocation in the latest Budget, these connections will be funded through the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Rajasthan government has informed that <strong>around 1.56 lakh households are un-electrified</strong> and are willing to take electric connections.</li>
<li>Owing to <strong>regions hit by Left-wing extremism,</strong> even in Chhattisgarh number of villages are yet to be provided with electricity connections.</li>
<li>The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to request the Centre to reopen the Saubhagya Scheme, in the state to give another chance to the poor to get free electricity connection in case they did not get one earlier.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The families that refused to take power connections had apprehensions of getting inflated bills or were already using electricity illegally through &lsquo;katias&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Power Sector in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry of Power which started functioning independently in 1992 is primarily responsible for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-panel-to-study-stressed-power-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>development of electrical energy in the country.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>India ranks third globally in terms of electricity production.</strong></li>
<li>As per the Paris Accord on Climate Change, India made a pledge that by 2030, 40% of installed power generation capacity shall be based on clean sources, it was determined that 175 GW of renewable energy capacity will be installed by 2022. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro power.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has 5th Global position for overall installed renewable energy capacity, 4th position for wind power and 5th position for solar power.</li>
<li>As of October, 2018, a total of around 73.35 GW of renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country, which includes around 34.98 GW from Wind, 24.33 GW from solar, 4.5 GW from Small Hydro Power and 9.54 GW from Bio-power.</li>
<li>Power sector has a 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) permit, which boosted FDI inflows in the sector.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" p=""><strong>Recent Initiatives</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY):</strong> The rural electrification scheme provides for (a) separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders; (b) strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas including metering at distribution transformers, feeders and consumers end.</li>
<li><strong>Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS):</strong> The scheme provides for (a) strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks in urban areas; (b) metering of distribution transformers/feeders/consumers in urban areas; and (c) IT enablement of distribution sector and strengthening of distribution network.</li>
<li><strong>Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY):</strong> The scheme has been launched for operational and financial turnaround of Discoms.</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;4 Es&rsquo; in the revised Tariff Policy:</strong> The 4Es include Electricity for all, Efficiency to ensure affordable tariffs, Environment for a sustainable future, Ease of doing business to attract investments and ensure financial viability.</li>
<li><strong>GARV (Grameen Vidyutikaran) App:</strong> To monitor transparency in implementation of the electrification schemes, Grameen Vidyut Abhiyantas (GVAs) have been appointed by the government to report progress through GARV app.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the government data, with 100% electrification target being achieved, the government's focus is now to provide consistent electricity at affordable rates, power tariff reforms, last-mile connectivity and electricity connections to all households in rural and urban areas . Therefore, "One Nation, One Grid" initiative was announced in the budget to bring affordable power to all states.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saubhagya-scheme'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Immune Thrombocytopenia',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Intas Pharmaceuticals (Indian drug maker) has launched an affordable drug <strong>Romiplostim</strong> (Romy) at one-fifth of the price of the currently available drugs for the treatment of <strong>Immune Thrombocytopenia</strong> (a chronic autoimmune blood disorder).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Romiplostim represents the standard of care but has been available only internationally since 2008.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Immune Thrombocytopenia</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/celiac-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>autoimmune</strong></a> <strong>bleeding disorder</strong> characterized by abnormally <strong>low levels of platelets.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Platelets are specialized blood cells that maintain the integrity of our blood vessel walls and help <strong>prevent and stop bleeding</strong> by accelerating <strong>clotting.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As the platelet count falls, the risk of developing <strong>bleeding symptoms</strong> increases.</li>
<li>In ITP, an <strong>abnormal immune reactio</strong>n leads to destruction of the individual&rsquo;s own platelets.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Symptoms</h3>
<p>A child or adult with immune thrombocytopenia may display no symptoms <strong>(asymptomatic)</strong> or the symptoms may not appear until the platelet count is extremely low.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Skin that bruises very easily and even spontaneously.</li>
<li>A <strong>rash</strong> consisting of small<strong> red dots</strong> (petechiae) that represent small hemorrhages caused by broken blood vessels or leaks in a capillary wall.</li>
<li><strong>Bleeding</strong> from the gums, nose or any area of the body, e.g. in urine or feces</li>
<li>Blood <strong>blisters</strong> on the inside of cheeks.</li>
<li>Excessive and prolonged <strong>menstrual bleeding.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The genetic cause of immune thrombocytopenia is unclear but this condition occurs when the body's <strong>own immune system malfunctions</strong> and attacks the body's tissues and organs (autoimmunity). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Normally, the immune system produces proteins called <strong>antibodies,</strong> which attach to specific foreign particles and germs, marking them for destruction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Immune Thrombocytopenia in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is estimated that around <strong>42,000 patients</strong> are diagnosed with ITP in India every year.</li>
<li>Less than <strong>10%</strong> of patients have access to the treatment, which is required to maintain adequate platelet counts for a longer duration.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/immune-thrombocytopenia'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture – Cashless Economy',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RbNFChG7_dY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Presenting the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-budget-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Union Budget for 2019-20</a>, the Finance Minister said that <strong>2% tax deducted at source (TDS)</strong> will be levied on <strong>cash withdrawals exceeding Rs 1 crore in a year</strong> from a bank account to discourage the practice of making business payments in cash.</p>
<p>Also, the government has said that businesses with an <strong>annual turnover of over Rs 50 crore</strong> can offer low-cost digital modes of payments and <strong>no charges on</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-4th-march-2019-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Merchant Discount Rate (MDR)</a> will be imposed on them or their customers.</p>
<p>The <strong>Reserve Bank of India and banks will absorb these costs</strong> from the savings that will accrue to them on account of handling less cash as people move to these <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/niti-aayog-digital-payments-trends-issues-and-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital modes of payment</a>.</p>
<h3>Analysis of the Proposals Made in the Budget</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The TDS proposal is kind of a <strong>preventive measure</strong> i.e. it will not encourage one to withdraw money from the bank account for cash payment more than a crore in the year. There is no penal tax and its imposition implies that <strong>one&rsquo;s transactions are under the scanner of the government</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the year 2005, the government introduced more or less same proposal i.e. <strong>Banking Cash Transaction Tax (BCTT)</strong>. The BCTT of 0.1% was introduced for withdrawal of cash on a single day of over Rs 25,000. The 2006 budget showed that only 350 crores had been collected by the banks for paying government on that account. The amount was not considered enough to continue with the implementation of the program.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The second proposal of eliminating MDR can be a bit controversial.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This proposal will <strong>incentivise merchants</strong> to offer the option of digital payments including UPI, credit/debit cards, RTGS, NEFT to their customers.</li>
<li>It is based on the <strong>number of transactions</strong> rather than the value of transactions as in the case of TDS proposal.</li>
<li>A penalty of Rs. 5,000 a if the merchants do not offer digital modes of payments to their customers by a particular date makes it <strong>binding to the merchants</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The boost to digitisation should not result in losses to anyone, expecting the banks and companies having a turnover of over Rs 50 crore to bear the cost of digitization is not fair. It is quite possible that such companies may witness a negative impact on their transactions.</li>
<li>There is a <strong>need to create incentives and disincentives structure</strong> by which people automatically get encouraged to move towards more digital transactions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cashless Economy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is not that any economy can ever be completely cashless, cash will continue to play its role. Even in the developed countries, the prevalence of cash is not completely being eliminated.</li>
<li>If one reduces the use of cash, <strong>the compliance level</strong> in various things gets better. For example, better recognition of economic activities, <strong>more efficient collection of tax</strong> etc.</li>
<li>The GDP can get positively impacted by 0.5-0.6% due to digitization.</li>
<li>However, using cash in small amounts has its own set of benefits. It offers security and protects the privacy of an individual. Also, it does not have an associated cyberthreat as in the case of digital transactions.</li>
<li>Transition to cashless economy also has the burden of financial exclusion due to lack of digital literacy, especially in the case of <strong>poor and elderly</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>The Government&rsquo;s Initiatives for Digitizing the Economy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The first move taken was the <strong>demonetisation</strong> in November 2016. At the time of demonetisation, India&rsquo;s cash to GDP ratio was around 12%. After demonetisation, that ratio came down to around 9% of the GDP. But after that, it grew at a lower pace but steadily. The latest 2019 end figure shows that the ratio presently is around 11% of the GDP.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The proponents of the demonetisation argue that if it had not happened, further quick measures to encourage digital transactions like increase in the number of point of sale machines, <strong>introduction of mobile wallets</strong> like Paytm and PhonePe had not happened.</li>
<li>There were 18 trillion rupees approximately in circulation before the demonetisation, at the end of that fiscal it was around 13.5 million and presently, 20-21.5 trillion, less by 4.5 around trillion.</li>
<li>In the year 2013, the value of digital transactions was around 0.7 trillion, it is now 5 times i.e. 3.5 trillion. This can be the result of the 4.5 trillion rupees being less in circulation now.</li>
<li>Some see the <strong>growth of digital transactions during demonetisation as a bit of compulsion</strong> as there was not enough cash in the economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/upi-20-launched-by-npci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)</a> created the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)</strong> which is a payment platform in which funds can be transferred between the banks effortlessly. It created the <strong>digital infrastructure for private players</strong> to come and offer apps for payment services to the citizens. <strong>PhonePe, Paytms, mobiquicks</strong> are examples. The private players also helped in popularising the digitisation in the economy.</li>
<li>The government and the private sector have also started using <strong>Big Data techniques</strong> for improving the financial services provided by them. Credit offerings are now being based on the transaction history of the consumers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The number of smartphones in the country is going to increase manyfold, now it is around 30%. As the percentage increases, the number of people using digital payments would also multiply.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Presently, 10% of the internet users in the world are in India and per month use of data in India is 9GB, that means that people are moving towards digitization.</li>
<li>Also, India needs to have a <strong>consistent broadband network and power connection in order to include the rural consumers</strong>. The government has already launched <strong>Bharatnet</strong> in this direction and background infrastructure for rural area is expanding slowly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nilekani-recommendations-on-digital-payments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nandan Nilekani panel</a>, India can triple the transactions in the couple of years. To achieve that, it has given 73 <strong>recommendations</strong>, the government can consider the same. The recommendations include:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All the government transactions should be done using digital payments.</li>
<li>The government should facilitate payment of tolls, purchase of railway tickets, subsidy payments to farmers through a digital medium.</li>
<li>The government should create <strong>cash-in cash-out machines (CICO)</strong> instead of ATMS which are now becoming very bulky and difficult to build and maintain. CICO machines can operate with a sim card whereas ATMs require a broadband connection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s transition to a cashless economy needs more focus on behavioral change (as observed during demonetization). The government is moving in the right direction as supply of digital infrastructure will eventually create demand for digitalization. This can have a multiplier effect on the economy.</li>
<li>Sweden and China are leading in digitization. In China, a reasonable amount of money is transacted through &lsquo;Wechat&rsquo;. Whatsapp is trying the same in India but is suffering due to <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-localisation-and-undivided-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data localisation</a> issues</strong>. Such issues needs to be resolved soon.</li>
</ul>
<p>The switch to digital economy should not be based on compulsions and should be left on the market forces. Incentivizing is better than imposing financial burden on either companies or banks. Also, the policy framing in this regard should be more inclined towards the consumer and less on the digital companies.</p>
<p>India&rsquo;s demographic dividend offers hope to this transition. Private sector participation and rural inclusion should remain the focus areas while moving forward towards &lsquo;Digital India&rsquo;.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-cashless-economy'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>In a major boost to Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the <strong>Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell</strong> (IPFC), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and <strong>National Research Development Corporation</strong> (NRDC), Ministry of Science and Technology to provide a major fillip to the ongoing efforts towards promoting <strong>a culture of Innovation</strong> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institutions-international-world-intellectual-property-organisation-wipo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)</strong></a> in Indian Defence industry.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti</strong> was launched in the year <strong>2018</strong> with the aim <strong>to inculcate IP culture</strong> in <strong>Indian defence manufacturing</strong> ecosystem.</li>
<li>Under this mission, an Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC) was established under the aegis of Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA).</li>
<li>The centre, within a short span of a year, has achieved the challenging <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-raksha-gyan-shakti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>target</strong></a> of training more than 12,000 personnel on IPR and facilitating filing of more than 1000 new IPR applications.</li>
<li><strong>The Action Plan 2019-20 of MRGS</strong> includes training of additional 20,000 personnel from Public / Private Sector Industry and Armed Forces on relevance of IP Culture to Indian Defence manufacturing industry and to institute a framework which enables full utilization of new ideas and innovation towards achieving self-reliance in defence sector.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Research Development Corporation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) was established in the year <strong>1953</strong> by the Government of India, with the primary objective to promote, develop and commercialise the technologies / know-how / inventions / patents / processes emanating from various national R&amp;D institutions / Universities</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Directorate General Quality Assurance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) is under the Department Of Defence Production , Ministry of Defence. The organisation provides Quality Assurance (QA) cover for the entire range of Arms, Ammunitions, Equipments and Stores supplied to Armed Forces.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-raksha-gyan-shakti-1'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'World Population Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>11 July is celebrated as World Population Day</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended that 11 July be observed by the international community as World Population Day, a day to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues.</li>
<li>The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) seeks to create awareness about the<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-population-boon-or-bane-rajya-sabha-lok-sabha-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> issues</strong></a> associated with population.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Population Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN organization. It was created in 1969.</li>
<li>UNFPA works to support family planning by ensuring a steady, reliable supply of quality contraceptives; strengthening national health systems; advocating for policies supportive of family planning; and gathering data to support this work.</li>
<li>UNFPA also provides global leadership in increasing access to family planning, by convening partners &ndash; including governments &ndash; to develop evidence and policies, and by offering programmatic, technical and financial assistance to developing countries.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Present Population Trends</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Current estimates indicate that roughly 83 million people are being added to the world&rsquo;s population every year.</li>
<li>Even assuming that fertility levels will continue to decline, the global population is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100</li>
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-world-population-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;The World Population Prospects 2019&rsquo;</strong> </a>published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, India is projected to surpass China as the world&rsquo;s most populous country by 2027.</li>
<li>But according to the Economic Survey 2018-19, India&rsquo;s population growth rate will <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/changing-demographic-profile-faster-than-expectation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>decline faster</strong> </a>than assumed as the fertility rate in many states has reached the replacement rate.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-population-day'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Eastern Economic Forum',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Russia has conveyed to India that it has not invited Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister to the <strong>Eastern Economic Forum,</strong> to be held from 4<sup>th</sup>- 6<sup>th</sup> September, 2019 in Vladivostok, where Indian Prime Minister has been invited as the chief guest.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a build up to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Vladivostok visit, both the countries held a <strong>Strategic Economic Dialogue</strong> in New Delhi on 10<sup>th</sup> July, 2019.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Eastern Economic Forum</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Eastern Economic Forum was established by the <strong>decree of the President</strong> of the Russian Federation in the year <strong>2015.</strong></li>
<li>It takes place <strong>each year</strong> in <strong>Vladivostok</strong>, a city in Russia.</li>
<li>It serves as a platform for the discussion of key issues in the world economy, regional integration, and the development of new industrial and technological sectors, as well as of the global challenges facing Russia and other nations.</li>
<li>The Forum business programme includes a number of business dialogues with leading partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and with <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN</a></strong>, a key integration organization of dynamically developing nations in Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>Over the years, it has emerged as an international platform for discussing the <strong>strategy</strong> for developing <strong>political, economic</strong> and <strong>cultural ties</strong> between <strong>Russia and Asia Pacific.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue (IRSED)</strong> was established following a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-summit-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>19<sup>th</sup> edition</strong></a> of the annual India-Russia Bilateral Summit in the year <strong>2018.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-strategic-economic-dialogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>First India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue</strong></a> was held in <strong>St. Petersburg</strong> in the year 2018.</li>
<li>The <strong>recent one is the second such dialogue</strong> and focusses on <strong>six core areas of</strong> <strong>cooperation,</strong> namely, <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Development of transport infrastructure and technologies;</li>
<li>Development of Agriculture and Agro-Processing sector;</li>
<li>Small and medium business support;</li>
<li>Digital transformation and frontier technologies;</li>
<li>Cooperation in trade, banking, finance, and Industry;</li>
<li>Tourism &amp; Connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India-Russia Relations<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/658image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/658image1.jpg" width="278" height="178" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/gs-special/gs-foreign-policy-corner/india-russia-bilateral-relations-longstanding-time-tested-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-Russia cooperation</strong></a> is based on the solid foundations of<strong> the 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation</strong> between the Republic of India and the USSR, <strong>1993 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation</strong>, 2000 Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation and 2010 Joint Statement elevating the Partnership to a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Cooperation between India and Russia spans across the whole gamut of sectors and rests on the fundamental pillars of political and strategic cooperation, military and security cooperation, cooperation in the spheres of economy, energy, industry, science and technology, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eastern-economic-forum'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Malnutrition in India',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-malaise-of-malnutrition/article28335228.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The malaise of malnutrition&rdquo;</strong></a>. It talks about the reasons and challenges associated with malnutrition in India</p>
</div>
<p>Modern-day India represents a paradoxical situation where a large section of society (the poorest two-fifths of the country&rsquo;s population) is still largely untouched by the modern economy which the rest of the country inhabits.</p>
<p>Despite rapid economic growth, declining levels of poverty, enough food to export, and a multiplicity of government programmes, malnutrition amongst the poorest in India remains high.</p>
<p>According to the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-food-and-nutrition-security-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Food and Nutrition Security Analysis, India, 2019&rsquo;</a></strong> report authored by the Government of India and the United Nations World Food Programme malnutrition amongst children in India is projected to remain high, despite all the progress made in food security.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Some progress has been made in reducing the extent of malnutrition:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Chronic malnutrition decreased from 48% percent in 2005-06 to 38.4% in 2015-16.</li>
<li>The percentage of underweight children decreased from 42.5% to 35.7% over the same period.</li>
<li>Anaemia in young children decreased from 69.5% to 58.5% during this period.</li>
<li>However, many studies over the last five years have exposed the failure of the Indian state to ensure that its most vulnerable citizens are provided adequate nutrition in their early years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty and Malnutrition in India</h3>
<p>The report shows the poorest sections of a society caught in a <strong>vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition which is passed on from generation to generation.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mothers who are hungry, anaemic and malnourished produce children who are stunted, underweight and unlikely to develop to achieve their full human potential.</li>
<li>The lack of nutrition in their childhood years can reduce their mental as well as physical development and condemn them to live in the margins of society.</li>
<li>These disadvantaged children are likely to do poorly in school and subsequently have low incomes, high fertility, and provide poor care for their children continuing the intergenerational transmission of poverty and malnutrition.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Malnutrition</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Malnutrition is a complex and multi-dimensional issue.</li>
<li>It is primarily caused by several factors, including poverty, inadequate food consumption, inequitable food distribution, improper maternal, infant and child feeding, and care practices, inequity and gender imbalances, poor sanitary and environmental conditions, and restricted access to quality health, education and social care services.</li>
<li>Malnutrition in India also persists because of the age-old patterns of <strong>social and economic exclusion.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over 40% of children from Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes are stunted.</li>
<li>Close to 40% of children from the Other Backward Classes are stunted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In April 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming the <strong>UN Decade of Action on Nutrition from 2016 to 2025.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Sustainable Development Goal (SD Goal 2: Zero hunger)</strong> aims to <strong>end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030,</strong> making sure all people &ndash; especially children &ndash; have access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round. This involves promoting sustainable agricultural practices: supporting small scale farmers and allowing equal access to land, technology and markets.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>National Nutrition Mission</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government launched <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poshan-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Nutrition Mission</strong></a> (renamed as Poshan Abhiyaan) in March 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to <strong>reduce undernutrition, anemia</strong> (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and<strong> low birth weight</strong> by 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.</li>
<li>It also aims to <strong>reduce stunting</strong> (a measure of malnutrition that is defined as the height that is significantly below the norm for age) <strong>by 2% a year,</strong> bringing down the proportion of stunted children in the population to 25% by 2022.</li>
<li>The policy aims to map various schemes that address malnutrition and set up a robust convergence mechanism, and an information and communications technology-based real-time monitoring system, besides incentivising states and Union territories to meet the targets.</li>
<li>National Nutrition Mission is backed by a National Nutrition Strategy prepared by the NITI Aayog with the goal of attaining <strong>&ldquo;Kuposhan Mukt Bharat" or malnutrition-free India,</strong> by 2022.</li>
<li><strong>However, achieving this target will require doubling the current annual rate of reduction in stunting.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges related to National Nutrition Mission</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of coordination between various ministries</strong> affects the programme&rsquo;s implementation.</li>
<li>The scheme also suffers from <strong>under-utilisation of allocated funds.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Till now, State and Union Territory governments have only used 16% of the funds allocated to them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of real-time data monitoring</strong>, sustainability and accountability also impact the National Nutrition Mission (NNM).</li>
<li>Anganwadis are key to the distribution of services to mothers and children. But many States, including Bihar and Odisha, which have large vulnerable populations, are <strong>struggling to set up functioning anganwadis, and recruit staff.</strong></li>
<li>The Mission does not have differential approach to the issue of malnutrition, more focus is needed on the areas where malnutrition levels are comparatively high. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example- the highest levels of stunted and underweight children are found in Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Key recommendations of the &lsquo;Food and Nutrition Security Analysis, India, 2019&rsquo; report can be followed by India to curb the challenge of malnutrition.</p>
<p><strong>Key Recommendations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Farmers should be encouraged and incentivised for <strong>agricultural diversification.</strong></li>
<li>Innovative and low-cost farming technologies, increase in the irrigation coverage and enhancing knowledge of farmers in areas such as appropriate use of land and water should be encouraged to <strong>improve the sustainability of food productivity.</strong></li>
<li>The government should improve policy support for <strong>improving agricultural produce of traditional crops in the country.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Storage capacity should be improved</strong> to prevent post-harvest losses.</li>
<li>The targeting <strong>efficiency of all food safety nets should be improved,</strong> especially that of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), to ensure that the poorest are included. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition,<strong> fortification of government-approved commodities</strong> within the social safety net programmes can improve nutritional outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Child feeding practices should be improved</strong> in the country, especially at the critical ages when solid foods are introduced to the diet. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fortification, diversification and supplementation</strong> may be used as simultaneous strategies to address micro and macronutrient deficiencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a need for more robust measures that can take cognizance of all aspects of SDG 2 which seeks to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition.</li>
<li>All the major welfare programmes need to be gender sensitive.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p><strong>As Amartya Sen noted, famines are caused not by shortages of food, but by inadequate access to food.</strong> For the poor and marginalised, access to food is impeded by social, administrative and economic barriers.</p>
<p>If India wants to be malnutrition free, it will not be achieved only through government intervention, but through a cultural revolution or Jan Andolan like Kuposhan Bharat Choro (Malnutrition Free India).</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" height="67">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; background-color: #f2efd5;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br />Malnutrition in India is a scar on India&rsquo;s in pursuit of becoming a superpower. Discuss the reasons and challenges associated with the high level of malnutrition in India?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/malnutrition-in-india'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Indian Classical Dances',
			'catname' => 'Paper 1',
			'desc' => '<p>Excavations, inscriptions, chronicles, genealogies of kings and artists, literary sources, sculpture and painting of different periods provide extensive evidence on dance in India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Contemporary classical dance forms have evolved out of the musical play or sangeet-nataka performed from the 12<sup>th</sup> century to the 19th century.</li>
<li>The Indian classical dances have two basic aspects - Tandava (movement &amp; rhythm) and Lasya (grace, bhava &amp; rasa).</li>
<li>The three main components are-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Natya</strong> (the dramatic element of the dance i.e. the imitation of characters)</li>
<li><strong>Nritta</strong> (the dance movements in their basic form)</li>
<li><strong>Nritya</strong> (expressional component i.e. mudras or gestures).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The nine rasas are - Love, Heroism, Pathos, Humour, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Wonder and Peace. The <strong>Natya Shastra written by Bharat Muni</strong> is the most prominent source for the Indian aestheticians for establishing the characteristics of the dances.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Classical Dances of India</h3>
<p><strong>Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219456_1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219456_1.jpg" width="238" height="238" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikesvara</strong> is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance.</li>
<li>Bharatnatyam dance is known to be <strong>ekaharya,</strong> where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance.</li>
<li>The dance involves transitional movements of leg, hip and arm. Expressive eye movements and hand gestures are used to convey emotions.</li>
<li>The accompanying orchestra consists of a vocalist, a mridangam player, violinist or veena player, a flautist and a cymbal player. The person who conducts the dance recitation is the <strong>Nattuvanar.</strong></li>
<li>In its usual form the dance is generally broken into seven main parts &ndash; Alarippu, Jatiswaran, Shabda, Varna, Pada, Thillana and Sloka.</li>
<li>Bharatnatyam poses are depicted on the <strong>gopurams of the Chidambaram temple</strong> (Tamil Nadu).</li>
<li>E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale had played a significant role in helping the dance regain its lost popularity and position.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kathak (North India)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219497_Kathak.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219497_Kathak.jpg" width="238" height="257" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The word Kathak has been derived from the word Katha which means a story.</li>
<li>It was primarily a temple or village performance wherein the dancers narrated stories from ancient scriptures.</li>
<li>Kathak began evolving into a distinct mode of dance in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with the spread of the bhakti movement. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The legends of Radha-Krishna were enacted in folk plays called rasa lila, which combined folk dance with the basic gestures of the kathak story-tellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the Mughal emperors and their nobles, Kathak was performed in the court, where it acquired its present features and developed into a form of dance with a distinctive style.</li>
<li>Under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, it grew into a major art form.</li>
<li>Usually a solo performance, the dancer often pauses to recite verses followed by their execution through movement.</li>
<li>The focus is more on footwork; the movements are skillfully controlled and performed straight legged by dancers wearing ankle-bells.</li>
<li>Kathak is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani or the North Indian music.</li>
<li>Lady Leela Sokhey (Menaka) revived the classical style. Some prominent dancers include Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kathakali (Kerala)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219557_kathakali_2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219557_kathakali_2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="238" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Chakiarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Krishnattam</strong> and <strong>Ramanattam</strong> are few of the ritual performing arts of Kerala which have had a direct influence on Kathakali in its form and technique.</li>
<li>Kathakali is a blend of dance, music and acting and dramatizes stories, which are mostly adapted from the Indian epics.</li>
<li>Heavy make-up and stunning costumes (elaborate masks, huge skirts and big head-dresses) are used.</li>
<li>The dancers enact the roles (kings, gods, demons etc.) of the stories with particular make-up and costume, the vocalists narrate the legend and the percussionists play the musical instruments.</li>
<li>Different facial colours indicate different mental stages &amp; character, e.g. green &ndash; nobility, black &ndash; wicked, red patches &ndash; combining royalty &amp; evil.</li>
<li>Hand gestures, facial expressions and eye movements are important.</li>
<li>Weight of the body is on the outer edges of the feet which are slightly bent and curved.</li>
<li>Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi were the prominent artists.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh which has a very long tradition of dance-drama. It was known under the generic name of Yakshagaana.</li>
<li>In 17<sup>th</sup> century Kuchipudi style of Yakshagaana was conceived by <strong>Siddhendra Yogi.</strong> He was steeped in the literary Yakshagaana tradition being guided by his guru Teerthanaaraayana Yogi who composed the <strong>Krishna-Leelatarangini,</strong> a kaavya in Sanskrit.</li>
<li>It is performed as dance drama i.e. performance in groups and also as solo items.</li>
<li>Costumes, ornaments and jewellery occupy an important place.</li>
<li>The solo items are Manduka Shabdam (story of frog maiden), Balgopala Taranga (dance on the edges of brass plate with a pitcher full of water on head) and Tala Chitra Nritya (drawing pictures with dancing toes).</li>
<li>Yamini Krishnamurthy and Raja Reddy are prominent dancers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mohiniyattam (Kerala)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219602_images.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219602_images.jpg" width="238" height="173" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mohiniyattam or dance of Mohini (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) is the classical solo dance form of Kerala.</li>
<li>References of Mohiniyattam can be found in the texts <strong>Vyavaharamala written in 1709 by Mazhamagalam Narayanan Namputiri</strong> and in <strong>Ghoshayatra,</strong> written later by poet Kunjan Nambiar.</li>
<li>It was structured into the present day classical format by the Travancore Kings, Maharaja Kartika Tirunal and his successor Maharaja Swati Tirunal (18<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> century)</li>
<li>Mostly a solo performance by girls with circular movements, delicate footsteps and subtle expressions.</li>
<li>Movements have been borrowed from <strong>Nangiar Koothu</strong> and female folk dances <strong>Kaikottikali</strong> and the <strong>Tiruvatirakali.</strong></li>
<li>It has elements of Bharatanatyam (grace &amp; elegance) and Kathakali (vigour) but is more erotic, lyrical and delicate.</li>
<li>Realistic make-up and simple dressing (in Kasavu saree of Kerala) are used.</li>
<li>The lyrics are in Manipravala (a medieval south Indian language combining Tamil-Malayalam and Sanskrit).</li>
<li>Sunanda Nair and Pallavi Krishnan are the notable artists.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Odissi (Odisha)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219650_Odissi-Dance-Style-with-Jewelry3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219650_Odissi-Dance-Style-with-Jewelry3.jpg" width="201" caption="false" style="float: right;" height="249" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The major subjects of performance are lores of incarnations of Lord Vishnu and verses of Jayadeva&rsquo;s Gita Govinda.</li>
<li>A soft dance backed by soothing lyrics and is similar to Bharatanatyam in terms of the mudras and expressions.</li>
<li>Termed as &lsquo;mobile sculpture&rsquo; it incorporates two major postures - <strong>Tribhanga</strong> (the body is deflected at the neck, torso and the knees) and <strong>Chowk</strong> (a position imitating a square).</li>
<li>Sonal Mansingh and Kelucharan Mohapatra are the eminent performers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sattriya (Assam)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Sattriya dance form was introduced in the 15<sup>th</sup> century A.D by the Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Sankaradeva as a medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith.</li>
<li>The dance form evolved and expanded as a distinctive style of dance later on.</li>
<li>Because of its religious character and association with the Sattras (Vaishnava maths or monasteries), this dance style has been named Sattriya.<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219705_Sattriya-dance.jpg" width="238" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></li>
<li>Sattriya dance tradition is governed by strictly laid down principles in respect of hastamudras, footworks, aharyas, music etc.</li>
<li>This tradition, has two distinctly separate streams - the Bhaona-related repertoire starting from the Gayan-Bhayanar Nach to the Kharmanar Nach, secondly the dance numbers which are independent, such as Chali, Rajagharia Chali, Jhumura, Nadu Bhangi etc.</li>
<li>Among them the Chali is characterized by gracefulness and elegance, while the Jhumura is marked by vigor and majestic beauty.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Manipuri (Manipur)<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219760_manipuri.jpg" width="238" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The origin of Manipuri dance can be traced back to ancient times that go beyond recorded history.</li>
<li>The dance in Manipur is associated with rituals and traditional festivals, there are legendary references to the dances of Shiva and Parvati and other gods and goddesses who created the universe.</li>
<li><strong>Lai Haraoba</strong> is the earliest form of dance which forms the basis of all stylised dances in Manipur.&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Literally meaning - the merrymaking of the gods, it is performed as a ceremonial offering of song and dance.</li>
<li>The principal performers are the <strong>maibas and maibis</strong> (priests and priestesses) who re-enact the theme of the creation of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The popular Rasleela dances of Manipur originated in the reign of 18<sup>th</sup> century King Bhagyachandra.</li>
<li>Manipur dance has a large repertoire, however, the most popular forms are the <strong>Ras,</strong> the <strong>Sankirtana and</strong> the <strong>Thang-Ta.</strong></li>
<li>The Kirtan form of congregational singing accompanies the dance which is known as Sankirtana in Manipur. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The male dancers play the Pung and Kartal while dancing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The dancers do not wear ankle bells to stamp out the rhythms in a theatrical display, as this interferes with the delicate body movements.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/indian-classical-dances'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Basel Committee Lauds RBI on Strict Rules',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>According to a regulatory consistency assessment programme (RCAP) conducted by the Basel committee on banking supervision, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India&rsquo;s (RBI)</strong></a> rules on large exposures framework (LEF) are stricter those recommended by the Basel committee.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The assessment focused on the completeness and consistency of the domestic regulations in force on 7 June 2019, as applied to commercial banks in India.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basel-iii-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)</strong></a> is the primary global standard setter for the prudential regulation of banks. It has 45 members, comprising central banks and bank supervisors from 28 jurisdictions.</li>
<li>The RBI implemented the large exposures framework in December 2016 through a circular modified in June 2019. Most of the requirements came into effect on April 1, 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The requirements apply to all scheduled commercial banks with the exception of regional rural banks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Basel Committee established a comprehensive Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme (RCAP) in 2012 to monitor and assess the adoption and implementation of its standards, while encouraging a predictable and transparent regulatory environment for internationally active banks.</li>
<li>The RCAP consists of two distinct but complementary workstreams:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Monitoring:</strong> The transposition of Basel III regulatory standards into domestic regulations is monitored on a semiannual basis based on information provided by each member jurisdiction.</li>
<li><strong>Assessment:</strong> The committee evaluates the consistency and completeness of the adopted standards, including the significance of any deviations from the Basel III regulatory framework. These consistency assessments are carried out on a jurisdictional and thematic basis.</li>
<li><strong>Jurisdictional assessments (consistency) review</strong> the extent to which domestic regulations are aligned with the minimum Basel requirements agreed by the Committee and help identify material gaps in such regulations.</li>
<li><strong>Thematic assessments (outcomes) examine</strong> the implementation of the Basel requirements at the individual bank level and seek to ensure that prudential ratios are calculated consistently by banks across jurisdictions to improve comparability across outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>While Basel large exposures framework limits the sum of all exposures of a bank to a single counterparty to 25% of Tier 1 capital, Indian regulations establish the large exposure limit at 20%.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In exceptional cases, bank&rsquo;s boards may allow an additional 5% exposure of the bank&rsquo;s available eligible capital base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In case of India, banks&rsquo; exposures to global systemically important banks are subject to stricter limits, in line with the letter and spirit of the Basel Guidelines, and the scope of application of the Indian standards is wider than just the internationally active banks covered by the Basel framework.</li>
<li>The Basel large exposures framework requires banks to identify third parties that may constitute an additional risk factor inherent in the structure itself rather than in underlying assets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Third parties can include originator, fund manager, liquidity provider and credit protection provider.</li>
<li>In cases where there are multiple third parties considered to be potential drivers of additional risk, the bank must assign the exposures resulting from the investment in the structures to each of the third parties. However, the RBI&rsquo;s large exposures framework does not specify the identification of additional risks, nor provide instructions for banks to group these exposures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI&rsquo;s Response</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Based on these findings, the RBI has decided to incorporate economic interdependence criteria for determining a group of connected counterparties in all cases where the sum of all exposures to each such counter-party exceeds 5% of the eligible capital base.</li>
<li>In order to provide time to the banks to adjust to the new requirement, the introduction of economic interdependence criteria in the definition of connected counterparties will be effective from April 1, 2020.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basel-committee-lauds-rbi-on-strict-rules'
		]
	],
	'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`, articles.star_rating AS `articles__star_rating`, articles.display_in_states AS `articles__display_in_states` 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) 238,
	'search' => 'class',
	'totalPages' => (float) 337,
	'title' => 'Search'
]
$progress = []
$bookmarks = []
$notes = []
$mynote = []
$topdata = [
	(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/careers',
		'title' => 'We are hiring Full Time Content Developers, to know more, please click here.',
		'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' => 'India Connects Bangladesh and Bhutan',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Minister of State for Shipping, digitally flagged off a <strong>ship of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)</strong>, carrying <strong>stone from Bhutan</strong> to be delivered in <strong>Bangladesh</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the first time an Indian waterway is being used as a channel for transport of cargo between the two countries, implying using <strong>India for transit</strong>.</li>
<li>This is beneficial to India as well as Bhutan and Bangladesh, and will strengthen relations between the neighbouring countries. Also, waterways are more friendly mode of transport.</li>
<li>The ship, MV AAI, has set sail from Dhubri in Assam and will travel to Narayanganj in Bangladesh, over river Brahmaputra and the <strong>Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The stone aggregates were transported by trucks from Phuentsholing in Bhutan which is 160 km from IWAI&rsquo;s Dhubri jetty in Assam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The transport of cargo through this route will cut short travel time by 8 to 10 days, and reduce transportation cost by 30%, bringing down logistics costs.</li>
<li>It also opens up an <strong>alternate route to the North Eastern states</strong>, making it easier and cheaper to reach goods to these places from other parts of the country.</li>
<li>Till now, Bhutan has been exporting significant quantity of stone aggregates to Bangladesh through the land route.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/645image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/645image1.jpg" width="400" height="448" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>The Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An<strong> inland water transit and trade protocol</strong> exists between India and Bangladesh under which inland vessels of one country can transit through the specified routes of the other country.</li>
<li>The existing protocol routes include Kolkata-Pandu-Kolkata, Kolkata-Karimganj - Kolkata, Rajshahi-Dhulian-Rajshahi and Pandu-Karimganj-Pandu. The other routes can be prescribed by the Competent Authorities from time to time.</li>
<li>For inter-country trade, equal number of <strong>ports of call</strong> have been designated in each country and includes Haldia, Kolkata, Pandu and Karimganj in India and Narayanganj, Khulna, Mongla and Sirajganj in Bangladesh. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A port of call is an intermediate port where ships customarily stop for supplies, repairs, or transshipment of cargo.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the Protocol, 50:50 cargo sharing by Indian and Bangladeshi vessels is permitted both for transit and inter country trade.</li>
<li><strong>IWAI is the Competent Authority</strong> on Indian side.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) came into existence on 27th October 1986 for development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.</li>
<li>The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of Inland Water Transport (IWT) infrastructure on <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ladis-least-available-depth-information-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national waterways</a></strong> through grant received from <strong>Ministry of Shipping</strong>.</li>
<li>The head office of the Authority is at Noida.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives to increase the use of Inland Waterways</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government is taking various initiatives to increase the use of inland waterways and coastal shipping for greater cargo shipment. These include providing <strong>assured depth</strong> of water in the channels, <strong>navigation aids</strong> like GPS and <strong>River Information System</strong>, terminals at regular intervals, facilities for mechanized handling of cargo handling etc.</li>
<li>A minimum <strong>40% discount</strong> and priority in berthing is being given to coastal vessels at major ports.</li>
<li><strong>Licensing relaxations</strong> have been made under section 406 and 407 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1958 for fertilizers, agricultural products, fisheries, horticultural, and animal husbandry products, empty containers and containers being transhipped from another Indian port.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-connects-bangladesh-and-bhutan'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'India to become Fifth Largest Economy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A recent report has revealed that India will overtake the United Kingdom to become the world's fifth-biggest economy in 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India with Gross Domestic Product of <strong>$5.9 trillion</strong> in <strong>2025,</strong> will become the world's <strong>third-largest</strong> economy (in terms of GDP) by surpassing <strong>Japanese</strong> GDP.</li>
<li>The size of the <strong>Indian consumer market</strong> is forecasted to increase from $1.9 trillion in 2019 to <strong>$3.6 trillion</strong> by <strong>2025</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As the size of India&rsquo;s consumer market continues to grow at a rapid pace, India will also play an increasingly important role as one of the <strong>Asia-Pacific region's</strong> major economic growth engines.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Factors for Sustaining India&rsquo;s Economic Growth<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/142image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/142image2.jpg" width="246" height="242" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Investment:</strong> is seen as a critical enabler for innovation, rapid <strong>productivity growth</strong>, and new <strong>technology</strong>, that in turn will help in increasing <strong>jobs growth</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Economic Survey</a></strong> highlights the importance of creating a favourable ecosystem for <strong>private investment</strong>.</li>
<li>Development of <strong>startups</strong> is a critical strategy for creating <strong>value-added and skilled jobs growth</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Savings:</strong> level of savings equals the level of <strong>investment</strong>, as investment needs to be financed from saving so If people save more, it enables the banks to lend more to firms for investment.</li>
<li><strong>Exports:</strong> Exports plays an important role in influencing the level of <strong>employment</strong> and the <strong>balance of payments</strong> that in turn accelerates economic growth of the nation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure:</strong> India&rsquo;s total <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/population-crisis-challenges-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener">population</a> between 2015 and 2050 is projected at around 350 million people, creating significant fiscal challenges in terms of adequate physical infrastructures for delivering basic services like electricity, sanitation, affordable housing, and public transport.</li>
<li><strong>Ageing:</strong> a slowdown in India&rsquo;s population growth rate (in coming two decades) will result into the problem of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/elderly-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ageing</a> of the population that in turn will bring additional <strong>fiscal challenges</strong> relating to healthcare, pensions and social welfare for senior citizens.</li>
<li><strong>Legal System:</strong> based on the India&rsquo;s low ranking (163) in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-banks-ease-of-doing-business-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report</a> (in <strong>contract enforcement</strong>), the Economic Survey highlights the importance of reforms in the <strong>legal system</strong> and recommends the <strong>hiring of additional judges</strong> to rapidly reduce the number of <strong>unfilled vacancies</strong> and clear long <strong>backlogs</strong> in the court system.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-to-become-fifth-largest-economy'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Evidence of Ancient Human Cognition',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, In China, archaeologists have found the earliest evidence of Ochre on bone engravings.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/520image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/520image3.jpg" width="188" height="176" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The discovery of abstract engravings is considered an indicator of modern human cognition which researchers say led to the development of symbols, drawings, art and language.</li>
<li>The bones discovered there had seven engraved lines with the presence of a red residue.</li>
<li>Population which inhabited the region might have used the bone as a medium on which they could permanently record sequential markings and used ochre as a way of highlighting them.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Human cognition refers to the capacity of making complex tools and producing different art forms such as painting, engraving and music.</li>
<li>Ochre is a natural clay earth pigment which is a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/evidence-of-ancient-human-cognition'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Turkey Receives S-400 Missile System',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Turkey has received its first shipment of an advanced Russian air defence system, setting the stage for the escalation of a dispute with the US.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The S-400 includes advanced radar designed to detect stealth fighters like the F-35.</li>
<li>Turkey is set to deploy the system along the border it shares with war-torn Syria.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/593turk-MMAP-md.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/593turk-MMAP-md.jpg" width="366" height="258" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>S-400 Triumf</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-going-ahead-with-purchase-of-S-400-air-defence-systems" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S-400 Triumf</a></strong> is one of the world&rsquo;s most advanced air defence systems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects &mdash; all kinds of aircraft, missiles and UAVs &mdash; in a radius of a few hundred kilometres and launch appropriate missiles to neutralise them.</p>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United States had warned Turkey it will face economic sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase of a Russian missile defense system.</li>
<li>The US told the Turkish government that it cannot invest in both the Russian S-400 system and the ongoing F-35 fighter jet programme.</li>
<li>Under the Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), the US is mandated to impose sanctions on any country making an arms deal with Russia.</li>
<li>Turkey has been a key ally within NATO and long-standing US partner in the Middle East, the Black Sea area and in Southeast Europe.</li>
<li>NATO countries believe that the Russian missile system would be incompatible with existing defence infrastructure and could allow Russia to access secret F-35 information.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a United States federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia.</li>
<li>It includes sanctions against countries that engage in significant transactions with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors.</li>
<li>India could face US sanctions for purchasing high-value military defense items, in particular, state-of-the-art S-400 Triumf missile defense system, from Russia under the act. India is set to receive its first delivery of the system in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/turkey-receives-s-400-missile-system'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'LaQshya: Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched &ldquo;LaQshya&rdquo; (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative) to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Aim of the LaQshya program is to reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality, morbidity and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in the Labour Room and Maternity Operation Theatre (OT) and ensure respectful maternity care.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Implementation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The LaQshya program will be implemented by all Medical College Hospitals, District Hospitals and First Referral Unit (FRU), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) and will benefit every pregnant woman and new-born delivering in public health institutions.</li>
<li>Under the initiative, a multi-pronged strategy has been adopted such as improving infrastructure up-gradation, ensuring the availability of essential equipment, providing adequate human resources, capacity building of health care workers and improving quality processes in the labour room.</li>
<li>The Quality Improvement in the labour room and maternity OT will be assessed through NQAS (National Quality Assurance Standards).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has come a long way in improving maternal survival as Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has reduced from 167 in 2011-13 to 130 in 2014-16, an impressive decline of 22% in the last few years.</li>
<li>India is further committed to ensuring safe motherhood to every pregnant woman in the country.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Maternal Mortality Ratio</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is a key performance indicator for efforts to improve the health and safety of mothers before, during, and after childbirth.</li>
<li>MMR is the annual number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.</li>
<li>Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/laqshya-labour-room-quality-improvement-initiative'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'In Depth – DNA Technology Bill',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JWETI8z85cA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>The DNA Technology (Use And Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The bill which is <strong>also known as the</strong> <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/human-dna-profiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA profiling</a> bill</strong>, tries to check use of DNA technology to establish the identity of a person. According to the government, the DNA technology bill aims to establish the identity of missing persons, victims, offenders, under trials and unknown deceased persons. The Lok Sabha passed a similar bill in January, 2019 but it lapsed when the Rajya Sabha could not clear it due to lack of support from the opposition.</p>
<h3>Provisions of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It seeks to establish a <strong>national data bank</strong> and regional DNA data banks.</li>
<li>It envisages that every databank will maintain indices like <strong>the crime scene index, suspects' or undertrials' index,</strong> offenders' index, <strong>missing persons' index</strong> and unknown deceased persons' index.</li>
<li>It also seeks to establish a <strong>DNA Regulatory Board</strong>. Every laboratory that analyses DNA samples to establish the identity of an individual, has to be accredited by the board.</li>
<li>The bill also proposes a <strong>written consent</strong> by individuals be obtained before collection of their DNA samples. However, consent is not required for offences with punishment of more than seven years in jail or death.</li>
<li>It also provides for the <strong>removal of DNA profiles</strong> of suspects on the filing of a police report or court order, and of undertrials on the basis of a court order. Profiles in the crime scene and missing persons' index will be removed on a written request.</li>
</ul>
<h3>DNA Profiling Bill and India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DNA evidence was first accepted by the Indian courts in 1985, but it was not till January, 2019 that a bill on the issue was first introduced in Parliament and even passed by the Lok Sabha.</li>
<li>The <strong>initiative</strong> to draft a bill regulating the use of DNA samples for crime related reasons began in the year <strong>2003</strong>.</li>
<li>The Department of Biotechnology established a committee known as the <strong>DNA Profiling Advisory Committee</strong> to make recommendations for the drafting of the DNA profiling bill 2006. This eventually became the Human DNA Profiling Bill, 2007.</li>
<li>The <strong>2007 draft bill</strong> was prepared by the Department of Biotechnology along with the Union Government for <strong>DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics</strong>.</li>
<li>In 2007, the draft Human DNA Profiling was made public. However, it was never introduced in the Parliament. It was criticized by civil society members and non-government organizations for not addressing the privacy concerns.</li>
<li><strong>In 2013,</strong> the Department of Biotechnology formulated <strong>an expert committee</strong> to deliberate on concerns raised about the bill and also to finalize the text.</li>
<li>In 2015, the government planned to table the bill in the Parliament during its monsoon session but did not do so due to widespread criticism over privacy and data security safeguards.</li>
<li>In 2016, the Use and Regulation of DNA based technology in Civil and Criminal Proceedings, Identification of Missing Persons and Human Remains Bill was listed for introduction, consideration and passing. Activists and experts raised concerns over the 2016 version of the bill as well.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They raised questions of how the bill plans to safeguard the privacy of those whose DNA profiles will be stored in the databank, the safeguards the samples and data banks will have against contamination and theft and the terms of use and availability of the profiles among law enforcement officials, scientists and foreign agencies.</li>
<li>However, in 2016, <strong>Andhra Pradesh became the first state</strong> in India to start DNA profiling to stop crimes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2018, the <strong>Law Commision of India in its 271<sup>st</sup> report</strong> prepared the draft bill named the DNA Based Technology (Use and Regulation) Bill 2017.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The commission examined various judicial pronouncements and constitutional provisions and recorded that DNA profiling was indeed used for disaster victim identification, investigations of crime, identification of missing persons and human remains and also for medical research purposes.</li>
<li>However, it also flagged the privacy concerns and the ethics involved in this scientific collection of data were very high.</li>
<li>The commission said the procedure for DNA profiling if given statutory recognition should be done legitimately as per the constitutional provisions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>DNA Profiling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deoxyribonucleic acid,</strong> commonly known as DNA, is the hereditary complex molecule present in humans and almost all other organisms.</li>
<li>Nearly every cell in a multicellular organism possesses the full set of DNA required for that organism. Most DNA molecules consist of two bio polymer strands coiled around each other to form a <strong>double helix</strong>. The two strands are called <strong>polynucleotides</strong> since they are composed of simpler monomeric units called nucleotides.</li>
<li>Each nucleotide is composed of one of <strong>four chemical bases: cytosine (C), guanine (G), adenine (A), thymine (T)</strong>.</li>
<li>It also has a sugar called deoxyribose and a phosphate group. These nucleotides create proteins that is needed for the cell.</li>
<li>DNA contains all of the information necessary to build and maintain an organism including biological information.</li>
<li>Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, some of the <strong>DNA is unique</strong> that makes it possible to distinguish one individual from another.</li>
<li>DNA can be <strong>extracted</strong> from the saliva, hair, blood samples, any small amount of the muscles or tissues of a person, nail scraping.</li>
<li>DNA&rsquo;s molecular structure was <strong>first identified by James Watson and Francis Crick</strong> in 1953. They won the <strong>nobel prize</strong> for the same in 1962.</li>
<li>With time, DNA technology evolved and in <strong>1984</strong>, Bristish scientist <strong>Sir Alec John Jeffrey</strong> discovered the modern technology of <strong>DNA profiling</strong>.</li>
<li>DNA Profiling is the process of <strong>determining an individual characteristics</strong> and most commonly used as a forensic technology to identify a person.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>DNA Index System</em></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a first-of-its-kind initiative which allows <strong>generation of DNA profiles from live samples</strong> like saliva and blood stains within <strong>90-120 minutes</strong>.</li>
<li>This system uses the latest DNA technology developed by IntegenX, Inc USA, known as the RapidHit DNA system.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Benefits of DNA Profiling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Through DNA profiling technique, heinous crimes can be easily solved.</li>
<li>It can also help to <strong>nab criminals</strong>.</li>
<li>DNA profiles taken from the place of crime can be matched with the samples of criminals arrested even after several years.</li>
<li>This technique is very effective in identifying accident victims, missing people or identifying disaster victims.</li>
<li>The <strong>identification of parents</strong> is also possible with the use of the DNA profiling.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Criticism</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DNA profiling is being criticized as a technique that <strong>breaches an individual&rsquo;s privacy</strong>. It is being seen as interfering in someone&rsquo;s privacy by collecting his/her genetic data.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>International Guidelines on DNA Profiling</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the international platform, in the case of DNA sampling and profiling, the privacy of an individual has not only been done through human rights but also through the guidelines issued for the use and maintenance of DNA.</li>
<li>The <strong>DNA Commission</strong> constituted by the <strong>International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG)</strong> has issued strict guidelines in this regard.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In case of an emergency, the Forensic DNA laboratory is required to first inform the concerned officer.</li>
<li>Before taking the DNA sample of an injured or the deceased person, it is necessary to seek an opinion from the person or his family.</li>
<li>At the time when a person&rsquo;s DNA is taken, the name of officer on duty should be clearly mentioned.</li>
<li>There should be a <strong>guarantee to keep the investigation and collection private</strong>. At the same time, proper maintenance should be ensured.</li>
<li>It is clearly mentioned in the ISFG&rsquo;s report that to streamline the process of DNA collection, it is important to make an accurate system and report. If many agencies are collecting DNA sample, then the clarity of the number of people and correct data must be ensured.</li>
<li>Besides, there are strict provisions for getting the DNA test of a missing person done from a recognised laboratory. The laboratory should have long and authentic work experience. Apart from this, it is also necessary to have a <strong>centralised electronic database</strong> to collect all DNA samples.</li>
<li><strong>All countries including India has been following these guidelines.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>DNA Profiling in Other Countries</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over 60 countries have made legal provisions for the use of DNA technology to <strong>investigate criminal cases</strong>. These countries include Argentina, United States, China, Britain and Canada.</li>
<li>DNA Profiling is <strong>allowed only in serious criminal cases</strong> in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria. This provision also exists in India. By taking prior permission from the court, biological samples of suspects in criminal cases can be taken for DNA profiling.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Arguments Against the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Many claim that the DNA profiling bill is a <strong>violation of human rights</strong> as it could compromise with the privacy of the individuals, that is because all the details of the person&rsquo;s body and his DNA profile will be with the state. <strong>The Supreme Court has recognised the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right.</strong></li>
<li>It will be used not only in the settlement of criminal cases <strong>but also in civil matters</strong> like using DNA profiling in matters such as surrogacy, maternity or paternity check, organ transplantation and immigration.</li>
<li>The <strong>International Human Rights Declaration</strong> and the <strong>1964 Helsinki agreement</strong> are also being cited for the case against it.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948</strong> adopted by the United Nations General Assembly expresses concern about the rights of human beings against involuntary maltreatment.</li>
<li><strong>The Declaration of Helsinki, 1964,</strong> set the guidelines adopted by the 18th World Medical Association General Assembly. It contains 32 principles, which stress on informed consent, confidentiality of data, vulnerable population and requirement of a protocol, including the scientific reasons of the study, to be reviewed by an Ethics Committee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Arguments in favour of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Individual privacy is ensured</strong> as the custodian of the databank will not release any information without a formal requisition. The one who is need of the DNA process i.e. investigator has to go through a requisition process via police. Data will be accepted from the investigators which will be matched with the data available in the databank.</li>
<li>The DNA pattern will be kept in the DNA bank and that will be used whenever <strong>required</strong> for any purpose <strong>in national interest</strong>, police interest or forensic interest.</li>
<li>DNA profiles will be kept under a government regulatory body with certain terms and references. There are a least chances of any misuse.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Whenever a new law is brought or changes are made in the existing law, privacy and human rights should be a top priority.</em></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-dna-technology-bill'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Interest in Iran-Afganistan',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on editorial <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/delhi-to-tehran-via-us-sanctions-afghanistan-oil-import-5825730/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Delhi to Tehran via US&rdquo;</strong></a> which appeared in The Indian Express on 12 July 2019. It talks about the impact of the US&rsquo;s foreign policy in the middle east, on India&rsquo;s interest regarding Iran and Afghanistan.</p>
</div>
<p>Iran and Afghanistan represent the two pillars of India&rsquo;s regional foreign policy but because of the American strategy in the Middle East, the relationships and interests of India with Iran and Afghanistan are compromised.</p>
<p>Relationship between India and Iran got jeopardized as India, in order to comply with the American sanctions, had to cut its oil imports to zero. Also, India's interest in Afghanistan will be affected due to the hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Thus Indian foreign policy needs to be more pragmatic.</p>
<h3>What is the strategic importance of Iran-Afghanistan for India?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India shared a cultural and historical relationship with both these countries, but since the start of the 21st century these two countries have formed the core of strategic attention of global politics:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Iran:</strong> A regional hegemon, asserts itself in the middle east flux and challenging US's dominance in the region.</li>
<li><strong>Afghanistan:</strong> Since Operation &ldquo;Enduring Freedom&rdquo;, which was US's global war on terrorism post 9/11 attacks, Afghanistan has been the centre of Great Game- involving all major power of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostrategic importance of Iran for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Iran grants India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia and can help mitigate China&rsquo;s growing influence among India&rsquo;s neighbours.</li>
<li>India is pursuing connectivity initiatives like the Chabahar Port, which is in sync with India&rsquo;s pursuit to reduce Pakistani influence in Afghanistan, combat extremist groups, and break a strategic encirclement by China.</li>
<li>Also, India and China are currently competing for influence in Iran.</li>
<li>Economically, Iran is a significant source of energy to India, as well as a possible avenue to access markets in neighbouring countries.</li>
<li>Iran is an important partner for its regional policy. As &ldquo;an extended neighbour&rdquo; sharing cultural affinities, it could help India to encircle Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostrategic importance of Afghanistan for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Afghanistan's main advantage is its geography</li>
<li>Anyone who controls Afghanistan controls the land routes between the Indian subcontinent, Iran, and resource-rich Central Asia. Almost every major power, therefore, wanted to play an assertive role in the region.</li>
<li>Economically, it is a gateway to the oil and mineral-rich Central Asian republics. Also, the massive reconstruction plans for the country offer a lot of opportunities for Indian companies.</li>
<li>Afghanistan has become the second-largest recipient of Indian foreign aid over the last five years.</li>
<li>India has become more and more popular in Afghanistan, not only because of its soft power, but also by setting up infrastructure, including hospitals, roads and dams, and contributing to the fabric of a democratic nation-state.</li>
<li>Apart from this, India had two priorities in Afghanistan:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To prevent Pakistan from setting up a friendly government in Afghanistan again.</li>
<li>To avoid the return of jihadi groups, like al Qaeda, which could strike in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the US's policy in the Middle East impacting Indian interest?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In light of Iran's nuclear program, Iran has become a state condemned and isolated by the United States, particularly under President Trump.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is also viewed as a major regional threat by several Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel.</li>
<li>This has led to pressure on India, creating a tussle in ties with Iran.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is losing ground in Afghanistan, largely because of the USA's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US promised to end the war in Afghanistan and withdraw American troops, but it is being done impatiently.</li>
<li>As a result, the American administration has intensified negotiations with the Taliban, bypassing Afghanistan's government.</li>
<li>The US is now prepared to withdraw troops in exchange for a Taliban commitment not to let Afghanistan be used as a base for international terrorism.</li>
<li>But trusting the Taliban to not disrupt the region is not pragmatic.</li>
<li>Further, Pakistan is now involved in the intra-Afghan dialogue by the US itself.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What should India do in this scenario?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should now upgrade its channels of communication with the Taliban</li>
<li>Try to persuade Iran that cooperation between both countries is still possible.</li>
<li>India will probably have to reassess its strategic convergence with the US because the US's foreign policy is acting against India's strategic interest.</li>
<li>Last but not least India must realise that it is not easy to isolate Pakistan <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Not only because of US duplicity and the China factor but also because of the tyranny of geography.</li>
<li>Indeed, if India-Afghanistan relations are so badly affected today, it&rsquo;s also because of animosity with Pakistan</li>
<li>In this scenario, India must think and act pragmatically vis-a-vis Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>As an emerging power, India cannot remain confined to South Asia, a peaceful extended neighbourhood(Iran-Afghanistan) is not only good for Indian trade and energy security but also plays a vital role in India's aspirations of becoming a superpower.<br /><br /></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ff0000;">
<td style="width: 517px; background-color: #f0e6c0; border-color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br />India&rsquo;s must reassess its strategic convergence with the US, as the foreign policy of the USA in the middle east is impacting India&rsquo;s interest. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-interest-in-iran-afganistan'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Food Security',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<p>As per the Economic Survey (2018-19), India needs to take big initiatives to improve its food security as it faces supply constraints, water scarcity, small landholdings, low per capita GDP and inadequate irrigation.</p>
<h3>What is Food Security?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Food security, as defined by the United Nations&rsquo; Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.</li>
<li>Food security is the combination of the following three elements:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Food availability</strong> i.e. food must be available in sufficient quantities and on a consistent basis. It considers stock and production in a given area and the capacity to bring in food from elsewhere, through trade or aid.</li>
<li><strong>Food access</strong> i.e. people must be able to regularly acquire adequate quantities of food, through purchase, home production, barter, gifts, borrowing or food aid.</li>
<li><strong>Food utilization:</strong> Consumed food must have a positive nutritional impact on people. It entails cooking, storage and hygiene practices, individuals health, water and sanitations, feeding and sharing practices within the household.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Food security is closely related to household resources, disposable income and socioeconomic status. It is also strongly interlinked with other issues, such as food prices, global environment change, water, energy and agriculture growth.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Food Security is Important for a Nation?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For boosting the agricultural sector.</li>
<li>For having a control on food prices.</li>
<li>For economic growth and job creation leading to poverty reduction</li>
<li>For trade opportunities</li>
<li>For increased global security and stability</li>
<li>For improved health and healthcare</li>
</ul>
<h3>Food Security in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Food security concerns can be traced back to the experience of the <strong>Bengal Famine in 1943</strong> during British colonial rule, during which about 2 million to 3 million people perished due to starvation.</li>
<li>Since attaining independence, an initial rush to industrialize while ignoring agriculture, two successive droughts in the mid-1960s, and dependence on food aid from the United States exposed India&rsquo;s vulnerability to several shocks on the food security front.</li>
<li>The country went through a <strong>Green Revolution</strong> in the late 1960s and early 1970s, enabling it to overcome productivity stagnation and to significantly improve food grain production.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Despite its success, the Green Revolution is often criticized for being focused on only two cereals, wheat and rice; being confined to a few resource abundant regions in the northwestern and southern parts of the country that benefited mostly rich farmers; and putting too much stress on the ecology of these regions, especially soil and water.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Green Revolution was followed by the <strong>White Revolution</strong>, which was initiated by <strong>Operation Flood</strong> during the 1970s and 1980s. This national initiative has revolutionized liquid milk production and marketing in India, making it the largest producer of milk.</li>
<li>Of late, especially during the post-2000 period, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iari-breeds-nutrient-rich-hybrid-maize" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hybrid maize for poultry and industrial</a> use and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unapproved-sowing-of-genetically-modified-crops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)</a> cotton have shown great strides in production, leading to sizeable exports of cotton, which made India the second largest exporter of cotton in 2007&ndash;2008.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns vis-a-vis Food Security in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, currently has the <strong>largest number of undernourished people in the world</strong> i.e. around 195 million.</li>
<li>Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India do not meet their full human potential because of <strong>chronic undernutrition or stunting</strong>.</li>
<li>Agricultural productivity in India is extremely low. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to World Bank figures, cereal yield in India is estimated to be 2,992 kg per hectare as against 7,318.4 kg per hectare in North America.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The composition of the food basket is increasingly shifting away from cereals to high⎯value agricultural commodities like fish, eggs, milk and meat. As incomes continue to rise, this trend will continue and the indirect demand for food from feed will grow rapidly in India.</li>
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/looming-threat-to-food-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAO</a> estimates in &lsquo;The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2018&rdquo; report, about 14.8% of the population is undernourished in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, 51.4% of women in reproductive age between 15 to 49 years are anaemic.</li>
<li>Further according to the report 38.4% of children aged under five in India are stunted (too short for their age), while 21% suffer from wasting, meaning their weight is too low for their height.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India ranked 76<sup>th</sup> in 113 countries assessed by The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) in the year 2018, based on four parameters&mdash;affordability, availability and quality and safety.</li>
<li>As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-hunger-index-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Hunger Index, 2018</a>, India was ranked 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges to Food Security</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> Higher temperatures and unreliable rainfall makes farming difficult. Climate change not only impacts crop but also livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and can cause grave social and economic consequences in the form of reduced incomes, eroded livelihoods, trade disruption and adverse health impacts.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of access to remote areas:</strong> For the tribal communities, habitation in remote difficult terrains and practice of subsistence farming has led to significant economic backwardness.</li>
<li>Increase in <strong>rural-to-urban migration,</strong> large proportion of informal workforce resulting in unplanned growth of slums which lack in the basic health and hygiene facilities, insufficient housing and increased food insecurity.</li>
<li><strong>Overpopulation, poverty, lack of education and gender inequality.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Inadequate distribution of food</strong> through public distribution mechanisms (PDS i.e. Public Distribution System). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deserving beneficiaries of the subsidy are excluded on the basis of non-ownership of below poverty line (BPL) status, as the criterion for identifying a household as BPL is arbitrary and varies from state to state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Biofuels:</strong> The growth of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuel</a> market has reduced the land used for growing food crops.</li>
<li><strong>Conflict:</strong> Food can be used as a weapon, with enemies cutting off food supplies in order to gain ground. Crops can also be destroyed during the conflict.</li>
<li><strong>Unmonitored nutrition programmes:</strong> Although a number of programmes with improving nutrition as their main component are planned in the country but these are not properly implemented.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of coherent food and nutrition policies</strong> along with the <strong>absence of intersectoral coordination</strong> between various ministries.</li>
<li><strong>Corruption:</strong> Diverting the grains to open market to get better margin, selling poor quality grains at ration shops, irregular opening of the shops add to the issue of food insecurity.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recent Government Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Food Security Mission</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2007.</li>
<li>It aims to increase production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and commercial crops, through area expansion and productivity enhancement.</li>
<li>It works toward restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level and enhancing farm level economy.</li>
<li>It further aims to augment the availability of vegetable oils and to reduce the import of edible oils.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was initiated in 2007, and allowed states to choose their own agriculture and allied sector development activities as per the district/state agriculture plan.</li>
<li>It was converted into a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in 2014-15 also with 100% central assistance.</li>
<li>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) has been named as <strong>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR)</strong> for three years i.e. from 2017-18 to 2019-20.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong> Making farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmer&rsquo;s effort, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship. Major focus is on pre &amp; post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri-entrepreneurship and innovations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://dpd.dacnet.nic.in/npdp/chapter2.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Integrated Schemes on Oilseeds, Pulses, Palm oil and Maize (ISOPOM)</a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-fasal-bima-yojanas-failure-in-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana</a></li>
<li><strong>E-marketplace:</strong> 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><strong>Massive irrigation and soil and water harvesting programme</strong> to increase the country&rsquo;s gross irrigated area from 90 million hectares to 103 million hectares by 2017.</li>
<li>The government has also taken significant steps to combat under- and malnutrition over the past two decades, through
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The introduction of <strong>mid-day meals</strong> at schools. It is a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme which covers all school children studying in Classes I-VIII of Government, Government-Aided Schools.</li>
<li><strong>Anganwadi systems</strong> to provide rations to pregnant and lactating mothers,</li>
<li><strong>Subsidised grain</strong> for those living below the poverty line through a public distribution system.</li>
<li>Food fortification</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013,</strong> legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing of ration cards under the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Organizations involved in ensuring Food Security</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Established as a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1945.</li>
<li>One of FAO's strategic objectives is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>World Food Programme (WFP)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded in 1963, WFP is the lead UN agency that responds to food emergencies and has programmes to combat hunger worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded in 1977, IFAD focuses on rural poverty reduction, working with poor rural populations in developing countries to eliminate poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.</li>
<li>It is a specialized agency of the United Nations and was one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded in 1944, the World Bank is actively involved in funding food projects and programmes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was established in 1972 as the international arm providing guidance and governance to environmental issues. One of the topics that UNEP addresses currently is food security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Global Food and Nutrition Security</strong> was established by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2008.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to promote a comprehensive and unified response of the international community to the challenge of achieving global food and nutrition security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Formulation of the <strong>First Millennium Development Goal (MDG 1)</strong>, which included among its targets cutting by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015.</li>
<li>The United Nations Secretary-General launched the <strong>Zero Hunger Challenge</strong> in 2012 during the Rio+20 World Conference on Sustainable Development. The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched to inspire a global movement towards a world free from hunger within a generation. It calls for:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Zero stunted children under the age of two</li>
<li>100% access to adequate food all year round</li>
<li>All food systems are sustainable</li>
<li>100% increase in smallholder productivity and income</li>
<li>Zero loss or waste of food</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>SDG Goal 2.</strong> End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps to be Taken to Ensure Food Security</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government policy needs to adopt an integrated policy framework to facilitate agriculture productivity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The measures should focus mainly on rationale <strong>distribution of cultivable land, improving the size of the farms</strong> and providing security to the tenant cultivators apart from providing the farmers with improved technology for cultivation and improved inputs like irrigation facilities, availability of better quality seeds, fertilizers and credits at lower interest rates.</li>
<li><strong>Aeroponics</strong> and <strong>hydroponics</strong> are systems that allow plants to be grown without soil. Plants grown in this way take in water and nutrients efficiently. These methods can be used in the areas of poor soil quality and soil erosion.</li>
<li><strong>Adoption of crops and techniques with lower water requirements,</strong> such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of rice production, contributes to resilience by enabling equal or better yields to be achieved with less water withdrawal.</li>
<li><strong>Planting crops with lower water requirements and agricultural practices that maintain soil moisture,</strong> such as maintaining vegetative cover between crops, can also contribute to resilience.</li>
<li><strong>Crop diversification:</strong> Higher profitability and stability in production highlight the importance of crop diversification, e.g. legumes alternative with rice and wheat. Growing of non-cereal crops such as oilseeds, fruits and vegetables etc need to be encouraged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strategies for <strong>better food storage</strong> should be adopted.</li>
<li><strong>The Blue Revolution:</strong> Sea, lakes and rivers can be used to provide food and nutrition. Fish are a very good source of protein and do not require good soil.</li>
<li><strong>Biotechnology and appropriate technology:</strong> Selective breeding or genetic modification (GM) of plants and animals can be done to produce specific features and <strong>adaptations</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, selective breeding has been used on dairy cows to increase milk yields. GM has been used on wheat to produce crops that are disease <strong>resistant</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Existing direct nutrition programmes should be revamped</strong> to enable management by women&rsquo;s Self Help Groups (SHGs) and /or local bodies along with orientation and training of community health workers, Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members, other opinion leaders, caregivers and other stakeholders can be another area.</li>
<li>Efforts should be made by the concerned health departments and authorities to initiate and supervise the functioning of the nutrition related schemes in an efficient way.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Annual surveys and rapid assessments surveys could be some of the ways through which program outcomes can be measured.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Focus needs to be shifted to the workers in the informal sector by providing decent wages and healthy working conditions.</li>
<li><strong>Local community education on key family health and nutrition practices</strong> using participatory and planned communication methodologies will be helpful.</li>
<li>The <strong>cooperatives</strong> play an important role in food security in India especially in the southern and western parts of the country. The cooperative societies set up shops to sell low priced goods to poor people. The cooperatives should be encouraged.</li>
<li><strong>Fostering rural-urban economic linkages can be an important</strong> step towards ensuring food security by-
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>enhancing and diversifying rural employment opportunities, especially for women and youth,</li>
<li>enabling the poor to better manage risks through social protection,</li>
<li>leveraging remittances for investments in the rural sector as a viable means for improving livelihoods</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Food security of a nation is ensured if all of its citizens have <strong>enough nutritious food available</strong>, all persons have the <strong>capacity to buy food of acceptable quality</strong> and there is <strong>no barrier on access to food</strong>.</li>
<li>The right to food is a well established principle of international human rights law. It has evolved to include an <strong>obligation for state parties to respect, protect, and fulfil their citizens&rsquo; right to food security</strong>.</li>
<li>As a state party to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, India has the obligation to ensure the right to be free from hunger and the right to adequate food.</li>
<li>India needs to adopt a <strong>policy that brings together diverse issues such as inequality, food diversity, indigenous rights and environmental justice</strong> to ensure sustainable food security.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Draft Model Tenancy Act, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has drafted a &lsquo;Model Tenancy Act&rsquo; (MTA), 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Tenancy law is a &lsquo;model act&rsquo;, because land is a state subject and states will have the option to adopt or reject it.</li>
<li>It envisages to balance the interest and rights of both the owner and tenant and to create an accountable and transparent ecosystem for renting the premises in disciplined and efficient manner.</li>
<li>Salient features of the draft:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MTA stipulates a robust grievance redressal mechanism comprising of Rent Authority, Rent Court and Rent Tribunal.</li>
<li>Landlords will also be able to charge rents that are to be decided by the respective state governments, on par with market rates.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Also, It has been proposed to cap the security deposit equal to a maximum of two month&rsquo;s rent in case of residential properties and, a minimum of one month&rsquo;s rent in case of non-residential property.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After coming into force of this Act, no person shall let or take on rent any premises except by an agreement in writing.</li>
<li>The Model Act provides for its applicability for the whole of the State i.e. urban as well as rural areas in the State.</li>
<li>It will be mandatory for both the landlord and the tenant to inform the rent authority after getting into an agreement.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This will ensure that a landlord does not arbitrarily increase the rent in variance with what has been agreed to in the agreement.</li>
<li>It will also ensure that the tenant is not evicted at the whim of the landlord</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A digital platform will be set up in the local vernacular language of the State for submitting tenancy agreement and other documents.</li>
<li>This MTA will be applicable prospectively and will not affect the existing tenancies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Significance of the draft MTA<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is expected to give a fillip to private participation in rental housing for addressing the huge housing shortage across the country.</li>
<li>It will enable creation of adequate rental housing stock for various income segments of society including migrants, formal and informal sector workers, professionals, students etc. and increase access to quality rented accommodation, enable gradual formalization of rental housing market.</li>
<li>The move could provide relief for both tenants and landlords and help take some load off India&rsquo;s overburdened litigation process.</li>
<li>As per Census 2011, nearly 1.1 crore houses were lying vacant in the country and making these houses available on rent will complement the vision of &lsquo;Housing for All&rsquo; by 2022.</li>
<li>The draft seeks to unlock the potential of the vacant houses In India, by bringing transparency and accountability in the existing system of renting of premises and to balance the interests of both the property owner and tenant in a judicious manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)</strong></p>
<p>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is an initiative by the Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided. Under PMAY, it is proposed to build 2 crore houses for urban poor including Economically Weaker Sections and Low Income Groups in urban areas by the year 2022.</p>
<p>Scheme has four components</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Slum rehabilitation of Slum Dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a resource;</li>
<li>Promotion of affordable housing for weaker section through credit linked subsidy;</li>
<li>Affordable housing in partnership with Public &amp; Private sectors and</li>
<li>Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction or enhancement.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-model-tenancy-act-2019'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Silk Samagra',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Government of India has allocated Rs. 2161.68 crore for three years i.e. 2017-2020 to its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme</strong></a> &ldquo;Silk Samagra&rdquo; for the development of sericulture in the country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme is being implemented by the Central Silk Board (CSB).</li>
<li>It focuses on improving the quality and productivity of domestic silk thereby reducing the country&rsquo;s dependence on imported silk.</li>
<li>It comprises the following <strong>four components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Research &amp; Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and I.T. Initiatives</li>
<li>Seed Organizations</li>
<li>Coordination and Market Development, and</li>
<li>Quality Certification Systems (QCS)/Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While the R&amp;D units develop technology packages, impart training on improved technology programmes to stakeholders and transfer the technology to the field through front line demonstration, the seed production units produce basic and commercial seed of the improved Silkworm breeds developed by the Research Institutes.</li>
<li>The units under the Quality Certification System maintain and certify the quality standards set by the R&amp;D units for Silkworm seed, cocoon, raw Silk and Silk products covering the entire Silk value chain.</li>
<li>Under the scheme, <strong>assistance</strong> is extended to sericulture stakeholders for the beneficiary oriented components like, raising of Kissan nursery, plantation with improved Mulberry varieties, Irrigation, chawki rearing centres with incubation facility and rearing equipments.</li>
<li>The scheme also provides assistance for door to door service agents for disinfection and input supply, support for improved reeling units like automatic reeling units, multi-end reeling machines, improved twisting machines and support for post yarn facilities for quality silk and fabric production.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Silk Production in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are <strong>five major types of silk</strong> of commercial importance, obtained from different species of silkworms. These are Mulberry, Oak Tasar &amp; Tropical Tasar, Muga and Eri.</li>
<li>Except mulberry, other non-mulberry varieties of silks are wild silks, known as vanya silks.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> has the unique distinction of producing <strong>all these commercial varieties</strong> of silk.</li>
<li><strong>South India</strong> is the leading silk producing area of the country and is also known for its famous silk weaving enclaves like Kancheepuram, Dharmavaram, Arni, etc.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Central Silk Board</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>statutory body</strong> established in the year 1948 by an Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>It is working under the administrative control of <strong>Ministry of Textiles,</strong> Government of India.</li>
<li>Its headquarter is located in <strong>Bangalore.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>mandated</strong> with:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoting the development of Silk Industry by such measures as it thinks fit.</li>
<li>Undertaking ,assisting or encouraging scientific, technological and economic research.</li>
<li>Advising the Central Government on all matters relating to the development of silk industry including import and export of raw silk.</li>
<li>Preparing and furnishing such other reports relating to the silk industry as may be required by the Central Government from time to time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/silk-samagra'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Role of Forest in Climate Change',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/turning-down-the-heat/article28363958.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Turning down the heat: on forest restoration&rdquo;</a>, which appeared in The Hindu on 11 July 2019. It talks about the role of forest in climate change mitigation.</p>
</div>
<p>Forest has an enormous potential in mitigating climate change through forest restoration. <strong>Trees and other vegetation fix carbon as part of photosynthesis and soil too holds organic carbon from plants and animals.</strong> The amount of soil carbon varies with land management practices, farming methods, soil nutrition and temperature.</p>
<p>Recently, a study has estimated that it is possible to add 0.9 billion hectares of canopy cover worldwide which can then mitigate up to two-thirds of historical greenhouse gas emissions. This would then prevent or delay the worst impacts of climate change. But forest restoration always remains on the back burner in global as well as national policy matters.</p>
<p>During the run-up to the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-climate-change-act-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paris climate change</a> meeting in 2015 (COP-21) under the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change</a>, each country decided the level and kind of effort it would undertake to solve the global problem of climate change through Nationally determined contributions (NDCs).</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India's INDC, to be achieved primarily, by 2030</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To reduce the emissions intensity of the GDP by about a third.</li>
<li>A total of 40% of the installed capacity for electricity will be from non-fossil fuel sources.</li>
<li>India also promised an additional carbon sink (a means to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by the year 2030.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Though in a recent study, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has estimated, along with the costs involved, the opportunities and potential actions for additional forest and tree cover to meet the NDC target.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Apart from the direct impact of forest on climate mitigation, its other benefits in support of both people and nature are considerable:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, 1.6 billion people (nearly 25% of the world&rsquo;s population) rely on forests for their livelihoods, many of whom are the world&rsquo;s poorest.</li>
<li>Forests provide US$ 75&ndash;100 billion per year in goods and services such as clean water and healthy soils.</li>
<li>Forests are home to 80% of the world&rsquo;s terrestrial biodiversity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Therefore, the additional increase in carbon sinks, as recommended in this report, is to be achieved in the following ways:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Restoring impaired and open forests</li>
<li>Afforesting wastelands</li>
<li>Agroforestry</li>
<li>Through green corridors</li>
<li>Plantations along railways, canals, other roads, on railway sidings and rivers</li>
<li>Urban green spaces</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The FSI study concludes that if 70% of impaired forests is restored. The total increase in the carbon sink will amount to 3.39 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030, at would cost around ₹2.46 lakh crore.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Natural Forests</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has yet to determine how its carbon sink objectives can be met.</li>
<li>Locking up the carbon from the atmosphere in trees, ground vegetation and soils is one of the safest ways with which to remove carbon.</li>
<li>Natural Forests improve water quality, store water in wetlands, prevent soil erosion, protect biodiversity, and potentially provide new jobs.</li>
<li>According to the estimates, allowing land to be converted into forests naturally will sequester 42 times the carbon compared to land converted to the plantation, or six times for land converted to agroforestry.</li>
<li>Forms of green cover like plantations, do not mitigate climate change and also do not improve biodiversity or provide related benefits.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Type of Restoration</h3>
<p>The amount of carbon stored depends on the type of forest restoration carried out.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vast monocultures of plantations are being proposed in some countries, including in India, but these hold very little carbon; when they are harvested, carbon is released as the wood is burned.</li>
<li>India, therefore, needs to ensure that deforestation is curtailed to the maximum extent. Also, the area allocated to the restoration of impaired and open forests and wastelands in the FSI report should be focussed entirely on natural forests and agroforestry.</li>
<li>Once natural forests are established, they need to be protected.</li>
<li>Instead of plantations, growing food forests managed by local communities would have additional co-benefits. Active forest management by local people has a long history in India and needs to expand to meet climate, environment and social justice goals.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What can be done globally?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Initiating and supporting international efforts to combat forest loss and degradation, including those under the <strong>New York Declaration on Forests</strong> to halve global natural forest loss by 2020, and end it by 2030.</li>
<li>Driving the restoration of 150 million hectares of degraded landscapes and forest lands by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030 through the Bonn Challenge.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reaching the 350 million hectare target could sequester up to 1.7 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enabling rights-based land use</strong> ensures <strong>community involvement</strong> in land-use outcomes.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Strengthening community control over forests</strong> will also help to alleviate poverty, empower women and men, enhance biodiversity, and sustainably manage forests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Engaging the private sector and striving to make sure benefits &ndash; such as those from Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) &ndash; are equitably shared with local landowners and forest communities.</li>
</ul>
<p>Forests are one of the most important solutions to addressing the effects of climate change. Approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, one-third of the CO<sub>2</sub> released from burning fossil fuels, is absorbed by forests every year. Therefore increasing and maintaining forests is an essential solution to climate change.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #cbf2f7; border-color: #038394; border-style: dashed;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Climate adaptation needs to be equally accompanied by climate mitigation. Discuss the statement in light of the role played by the forest in mitigating climate change?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-forest-in-climate-change'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Saubhagya Scheme ',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (PM Saubhagya) lapsed on March 31, 2019, but its target of 100% electrification nationwide is yet to be achieved.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme was launched in September 2017 with a target to electrify all households by December 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This target was moved forward to March 31, 2019, and eventually the Centre declared that all &lsquo;willing&rsquo; homes have been provided with electricity connections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since the Saubhagya Scheme has no allocation in the latest Budget, these connections will be funded through the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Rajasthan government has informed that <strong>around 1.56 lakh households are un-electrified</strong> and are willing to take electric connections.</li>
<li>Owing to <strong>regions hit by Left-wing extremism,</strong> even in Chhattisgarh number of villages are yet to be provided with electricity connections.</li>
<li>The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to request the Centre to reopen the Saubhagya Scheme, in the state to give another chance to the poor to get free electricity connection in case they did not get one earlier.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The families that refused to take power connections had apprehensions of getting inflated bills or were already using electricity illegally through &lsquo;katias&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Power Sector in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry of Power which started functioning independently in 1992 is primarily responsible for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-panel-to-study-stressed-power-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>development of electrical energy in the country.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>India ranks third globally in terms of electricity production.</strong></li>
<li>As per the Paris Accord on Climate Change, India made a pledge that by 2030, 40% of installed power generation capacity shall be based on clean sources, it was determined that 175 GW of renewable energy capacity will be installed by 2022. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro power.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has 5th Global position for overall installed renewable energy capacity, 4th position for wind power and 5th position for solar power.</li>
<li>As of October, 2018, a total of around 73.35 GW of renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country, which includes around 34.98 GW from Wind, 24.33 GW from solar, 4.5 GW from Small Hydro Power and 9.54 GW from Bio-power.</li>
<li>Power sector has a 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) permit, which boosted FDI inflows in the sector.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" p=""><strong>Recent Initiatives</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY):</strong> The rural electrification scheme provides for (a) separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders; (b) strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas including metering at distribution transformers, feeders and consumers end.</li>
<li><strong>Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS):</strong> The scheme provides for (a) strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution networks in urban areas; (b) metering of distribution transformers/feeders/consumers in urban areas; and (c) IT enablement of distribution sector and strengthening of distribution network.</li>
<li><strong>Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY):</strong> The scheme has been launched for operational and financial turnaround of Discoms.</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;4 Es&rsquo; in the revised Tariff Policy:</strong> The 4Es include Electricity for all, Efficiency to ensure affordable tariffs, Environment for a sustainable future, Ease of doing business to attract investments and ensure financial viability.</li>
<li><strong>GARV (Grameen Vidyutikaran) App:</strong> To monitor transparency in implementation of the electrification schemes, Grameen Vidyut Abhiyantas (GVAs) have been appointed by the government to report progress through GARV app.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the government data, with 100% electrification target being achieved, the government's focus is now to provide consistent electricity at affordable rates, power tariff reforms, last-mile connectivity and electricity connections to all households in rural and urban areas . Therefore, "One Nation, One Grid" initiative was announced in the budget to bring affordable power to all states.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saubhagya-scheme'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Immune Thrombocytopenia',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Intas Pharmaceuticals (Indian drug maker) has launched an affordable drug <strong>Romiplostim</strong> (Romy) at one-fifth of the price of the currently available drugs for the treatment of <strong>Immune Thrombocytopenia</strong> (a chronic autoimmune blood disorder).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Romiplostim represents the standard of care but has been available only internationally since 2008.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Immune Thrombocytopenia</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/celiac-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>autoimmune</strong></a> <strong>bleeding disorder</strong> characterized by abnormally <strong>low levels of platelets.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Platelets are specialized blood cells that maintain the integrity of our blood vessel walls and help <strong>prevent and stop bleeding</strong> by accelerating <strong>clotting.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As the platelet count falls, the risk of developing <strong>bleeding symptoms</strong> increases.</li>
<li>In ITP, an <strong>abnormal immune reactio</strong>n leads to destruction of the individual&rsquo;s own platelets.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Symptoms</h3>
<p>A child or adult with immune thrombocytopenia may display no symptoms <strong>(asymptomatic)</strong> or the symptoms may not appear until the platelet count is extremely low.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Skin that bruises very easily and even spontaneously.</li>
<li>A <strong>rash</strong> consisting of small<strong> red dots</strong> (petechiae) that represent small hemorrhages caused by broken blood vessels or leaks in a capillary wall.</li>
<li><strong>Bleeding</strong> from the gums, nose or any area of the body, e.g. in urine or feces</li>
<li>Blood <strong>blisters</strong> on the inside of cheeks.</li>
<li>Excessive and prolonged <strong>menstrual bleeding.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The genetic cause of immune thrombocytopenia is unclear but this condition occurs when the body's <strong>own immune system malfunctions</strong> and attacks the body's tissues and organs (autoimmunity). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Normally, the immune system produces proteins called <strong>antibodies,</strong> which attach to specific foreign particles and germs, marking them for destruction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Immune Thrombocytopenia in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is estimated that around <strong>42,000 patients</strong> are diagnosed with ITP in India every year.</li>
<li>Less than <strong>10%</strong> of patients have access to the treatment, which is required to maintain adequate platelet counts for a longer duration.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/immune-thrombocytopenia'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture – Cashless Economy',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RbNFChG7_dY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Presenting the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-budget-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Union Budget for 2019-20</a>, the Finance Minister said that <strong>2% tax deducted at source (TDS)</strong> will be levied on <strong>cash withdrawals exceeding Rs 1 crore in a year</strong> from a bank account to discourage the practice of making business payments in cash.</p>
<p>Also, the government has said that businesses with an <strong>annual turnover of over Rs 50 crore</strong> can offer low-cost digital modes of payments and <strong>no charges on</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-4th-march-2019-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Merchant Discount Rate (MDR)</a> will be imposed on them or their customers.</p>
<p>The <strong>Reserve Bank of India and banks will absorb these costs</strong> from the savings that will accrue to them on account of handling less cash as people move to these <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/niti-aayog-digital-payments-trends-issues-and-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital modes of payment</a>.</p>
<h3>Analysis of the Proposals Made in the Budget</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The TDS proposal is kind of a <strong>preventive measure</strong> i.e. it will not encourage one to withdraw money from the bank account for cash payment more than a crore in the year. There is no penal tax and its imposition implies that <strong>one&rsquo;s transactions are under the scanner of the government</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the year 2005, the government introduced more or less same proposal i.e. <strong>Banking Cash Transaction Tax (BCTT)</strong>. The BCTT of 0.1% was introduced for withdrawal of cash on a single day of over Rs 25,000. The 2006 budget showed that only 350 crores had been collected by the banks for paying government on that account. The amount was not considered enough to continue with the implementation of the program.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The second proposal of eliminating MDR can be a bit controversial.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This proposal will <strong>incentivise merchants</strong> to offer the option of digital payments including UPI, credit/debit cards, RTGS, NEFT to their customers.</li>
<li>It is based on the <strong>number of transactions</strong> rather than the value of transactions as in the case of TDS proposal.</li>
<li>A penalty of Rs. 5,000 a if the merchants do not offer digital modes of payments to their customers by a particular date makes it <strong>binding to the merchants</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The boost to digitisation should not result in losses to anyone, expecting the banks and companies having a turnover of over Rs 50 crore to bear the cost of digitization is not fair. It is quite possible that such companies may witness a negative impact on their transactions.</li>
<li>There is a <strong>need to create incentives and disincentives structure</strong> by which people automatically get encouraged to move towards more digital transactions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cashless Economy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is not that any economy can ever be completely cashless, cash will continue to play its role. Even in the developed countries, the prevalence of cash is not completely being eliminated.</li>
<li>If one reduces the use of cash, <strong>the compliance level</strong> in various things gets better. For example, better recognition of economic activities, <strong>more efficient collection of tax</strong> etc.</li>
<li>The GDP can get positively impacted by 0.5-0.6% due to digitization.</li>
<li>However, using cash in small amounts has its own set of benefits. It offers security and protects the privacy of an individual. Also, it does not have an associated cyberthreat as in the case of digital transactions.</li>
<li>Transition to cashless economy also has the burden of financial exclusion due to lack of digital literacy, especially in the case of <strong>poor and elderly</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>The Government&rsquo;s Initiatives for Digitizing the Economy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The first move taken was the <strong>demonetisation</strong> in November 2016. At the time of demonetisation, India&rsquo;s cash to GDP ratio was around 12%. After demonetisation, that ratio came down to around 9% of the GDP. But after that, it grew at a lower pace but steadily. The latest 2019 end figure shows that the ratio presently is around 11% of the GDP.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The proponents of the demonetisation argue that if it had not happened, further quick measures to encourage digital transactions like increase in the number of point of sale machines, <strong>introduction of mobile wallets</strong> like Paytm and PhonePe had not happened.</li>
<li>There were 18 trillion rupees approximately in circulation before the demonetisation, at the end of that fiscal it was around 13.5 million and presently, 20-21.5 trillion, less by 4.5 around trillion.</li>
<li>In the year 2013, the value of digital transactions was around 0.7 trillion, it is now 5 times i.e. 3.5 trillion. This can be the result of the 4.5 trillion rupees being less in circulation now.</li>
<li>Some see the <strong>growth of digital transactions during demonetisation as a bit of compulsion</strong> as there was not enough cash in the economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/upi-20-launched-by-npci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)</a> created the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)</strong> which is a payment platform in which funds can be transferred between the banks effortlessly. It created the <strong>digital infrastructure for private players</strong> to come and offer apps for payment services to the citizens. <strong>PhonePe, Paytms, mobiquicks</strong> are examples. The private players also helped in popularising the digitisation in the economy.</li>
<li>The government and the private sector have also started using <strong>Big Data techniques</strong> for improving the financial services provided by them. Credit offerings are now being based on the transaction history of the consumers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The number of smartphones in the country is going to increase manyfold, now it is around 30%. As the percentage increases, the number of people using digital payments would also multiply.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Presently, 10% of the internet users in the world are in India and per month use of data in India is 9GB, that means that people are moving towards digitization.</li>
<li>Also, India needs to have a <strong>consistent broadband network and power connection in order to include the rural consumers</strong>. The government has already launched <strong>Bharatnet</strong> in this direction and background infrastructure for rural area is expanding slowly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nilekani-recommendations-on-digital-payments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nandan Nilekani panel</a>, India can triple the transactions in the couple of years. To achieve that, it has given 73 <strong>recommendations</strong>, the government can consider the same. The recommendations include:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All the government transactions should be done using digital payments.</li>
<li>The government should facilitate payment of tolls, purchase of railway tickets, subsidy payments to farmers through a digital medium.</li>
<li>The government should create <strong>cash-in cash-out machines (CICO)</strong> instead of ATMS which are now becoming very bulky and difficult to build and maintain. CICO machines can operate with a sim card whereas ATMs require a broadband connection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s transition to a cashless economy needs more focus on behavioral change (as observed during demonetization). The government is moving in the right direction as supply of digital infrastructure will eventually create demand for digitalization. This can have a multiplier effect on the economy.</li>
<li>Sweden and China are leading in digitization. In China, a reasonable amount of money is transacted through &lsquo;Wechat&rsquo;. Whatsapp is trying the same in India but is suffering due to <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-localisation-and-undivided-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data localisation</a> issues</strong>. Such issues needs to be resolved soon.</li>
</ul>
<p>The switch to digital economy should not be based on compulsions and should be left on the market forces. Incentivizing is better than imposing financial burden on either companies or banks. Also, the policy framing in this regard should be more inclined towards the consumer and less on the digital companies.</p>
<p>India&rsquo;s demographic dividend offers hope to this transition. Private sector participation and rural inclusion should remain the focus areas while moving forward towards &lsquo;Digital India&rsquo;.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-cashless-economy'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>In a major boost to Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the <strong>Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell</strong> (IPFC), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and <strong>National Research Development Corporation</strong> (NRDC), Ministry of Science and Technology to provide a major fillip to the ongoing efforts towards promoting <strong>a culture of Innovation</strong> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institutions-international-world-intellectual-property-organisation-wipo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)</strong></a> in Indian Defence industry.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti</strong> was launched in the year <strong>2018</strong> with the aim <strong>to inculcate IP culture</strong> in <strong>Indian defence manufacturing</strong> ecosystem.</li>
<li>Under this mission, an Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC) was established under the aegis of Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA).</li>
<li>The centre, within a short span of a year, has achieved the challenging <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-raksha-gyan-shakti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>target</strong></a> of training more than 12,000 personnel on IPR and facilitating filing of more than 1000 new IPR applications.</li>
<li><strong>The Action Plan 2019-20 of MRGS</strong> includes training of additional 20,000 personnel from Public / Private Sector Industry and Armed Forces on relevance of IP Culture to Indian Defence manufacturing industry and to institute a framework which enables full utilization of new ideas and innovation towards achieving self-reliance in defence sector.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Research Development Corporation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) was established in the year <strong>1953</strong> by the Government of India, with the primary objective to promote, develop and commercialise the technologies / know-how / inventions / patents / processes emanating from various national R&amp;D institutions / Universities</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Directorate General Quality Assurance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) is under the Department Of Defence Production , Ministry of Defence. The organisation provides Quality Assurance (QA) cover for the entire range of Arms, Ammunitions, Equipments and Stores supplied to Armed Forces.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-raksha-gyan-shakti-1'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'World Population Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>11 July is celebrated as World Population Day</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended that 11 July be observed by the international community as World Population Day, a day to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues.</li>
<li>The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) seeks to create awareness about the<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-population-boon-or-bane-rajya-sabha-lok-sabha-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> issues</strong></a> associated with population.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Population Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN organization. It was created in 1969.</li>
<li>UNFPA works to support family planning by ensuring a steady, reliable supply of quality contraceptives; strengthening national health systems; advocating for policies supportive of family planning; and gathering data to support this work.</li>
<li>UNFPA also provides global leadership in increasing access to family planning, by convening partners &ndash; including governments &ndash; to develop evidence and policies, and by offering programmatic, technical and financial assistance to developing countries.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Present Population Trends</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Current estimates indicate that roughly 83 million people are being added to the world&rsquo;s population every year.</li>
<li>Even assuming that fertility levels will continue to decline, the global population is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100</li>
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-world-population-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;The World Population Prospects 2019&rsquo;</strong> </a>published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, India is projected to surpass China as the world&rsquo;s most populous country by 2027.</li>
<li>But according to the Economic Survey 2018-19, India&rsquo;s population growth rate will <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/changing-demographic-profile-faster-than-expectation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>decline faster</strong> </a>than assumed as the fertility rate in many states has reached the replacement rate.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-population-day'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Eastern Economic Forum',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Russia has conveyed to India that it has not invited Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister to the <strong>Eastern Economic Forum,</strong> to be held from 4<sup>th</sup>- 6<sup>th</sup> September, 2019 in Vladivostok, where Indian Prime Minister has been invited as the chief guest.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a build up to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Vladivostok visit, both the countries held a <strong>Strategic Economic Dialogue</strong> in New Delhi on 10<sup>th</sup> July, 2019.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Eastern Economic Forum</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Eastern Economic Forum was established by the <strong>decree of the President</strong> of the Russian Federation in the year <strong>2015.</strong></li>
<li>It takes place <strong>each year</strong> in <strong>Vladivostok</strong>, a city in Russia.</li>
<li>It serves as a platform for the discussion of key issues in the world economy, regional integration, and the development of new industrial and technological sectors, as well as of the global challenges facing Russia and other nations.</li>
<li>The Forum business programme includes a number of business dialogues with leading partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and with <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN</a></strong>, a key integration organization of dynamically developing nations in Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>Over the years, it has emerged as an international platform for discussing the <strong>strategy</strong> for developing <strong>political, economic</strong> and <strong>cultural ties</strong> between <strong>Russia and Asia Pacific.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue (IRSED)</strong> was established following a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-summit-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>19<sup>th</sup> edition</strong></a> of the annual India-Russia Bilateral Summit in the year <strong>2018.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-strategic-economic-dialogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>First India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue</strong></a> was held in <strong>St. Petersburg</strong> in the year 2018.</li>
<li>The <strong>recent one is the second such dialogue</strong> and focusses on <strong>six core areas of</strong> <strong>cooperation,</strong> namely, <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Development of transport infrastructure and technologies;</li>
<li>Development of Agriculture and Agro-Processing sector;</li>
<li>Small and medium business support;</li>
<li>Digital transformation and frontier technologies;</li>
<li>Cooperation in trade, banking, finance, and Industry;</li>
<li>Tourism &amp; Connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India-Russia Relations<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/658image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/658image1.jpg" width="278" height="178" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/gs-special/gs-foreign-policy-corner/india-russia-bilateral-relations-longstanding-time-tested-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-Russia cooperation</strong></a> is based on the solid foundations of<strong> the 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation</strong> between the Republic of India and the USSR, <strong>1993 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation</strong>, 2000 Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation and 2010 Joint Statement elevating the Partnership to a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Cooperation between India and Russia spans across the whole gamut of sectors and rests on the fundamental pillars of political and strategic cooperation, military and security cooperation, cooperation in the spheres of economy, energy, industry, science and technology, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eastern-economic-forum'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Malnutrition in India',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-malaise-of-malnutrition/article28335228.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The malaise of malnutrition&rdquo;</strong></a>. It talks about the reasons and challenges associated with malnutrition in India</p>
</div>
<p>Modern-day India represents a paradoxical situation where a large section of society (the poorest two-fifths of the country&rsquo;s population) is still largely untouched by the modern economy which the rest of the country inhabits.</p>
<p>Despite rapid economic growth, declining levels of poverty, enough food to export, and a multiplicity of government programmes, malnutrition amongst the poorest in India remains high.</p>
<p>According to the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-food-and-nutrition-security-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Food and Nutrition Security Analysis, India, 2019&rsquo;</a></strong> report authored by the Government of India and the United Nations World Food Programme malnutrition amongst children in India is projected to remain high, despite all the progress made in food security.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Some progress has been made in reducing the extent of malnutrition:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Chronic malnutrition decreased from 48% percent in 2005-06 to 38.4% in 2015-16.</li>
<li>The percentage of underweight children decreased from 42.5% to 35.7% over the same period.</li>
<li>Anaemia in young children decreased from 69.5% to 58.5% during this period.</li>
<li>However, many studies over the last five years have exposed the failure of the Indian state to ensure that its most vulnerable citizens are provided adequate nutrition in their early years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty and Malnutrition in India</h3>
<p>The report shows the poorest sections of a society caught in a <strong>vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition which is passed on from generation to generation.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mothers who are hungry, anaemic and malnourished produce children who are stunted, underweight and unlikely to develop to achieve their full human potential.</li>
<li>The lack of nutrition in their childhood years can reduce their mental as well as physical development and condemn them to live in the margins of society.</li>
<li>These disadvantaged children are likely to do poorly in school and subsequently have low incomes, high fertility, and provide poor care for their children continuing the intergenerational transmission of poverty and malnutrition.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Malnutrition</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Malnutrition is a complex and multi-dimensional issue.</li>
<li>It is primarily caused by several factors, including poverty, inadequate food consumption, inequitable food distribution, improper maternal, infant and child feeding, and care practices, inequity and gender imbalances, poor sanitary and environmental conditions, and restricted access to quality health, education and social care services.</li>
<li>Malnutrition in India also persists because of the age-old patterns of <strong>social and economic exclusion.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over 40% of children from Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes are stunted.</li>
<li>Close to 40% of children from the Other Backward Classes are stunted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In April 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming the <strong>UN Decade of Action on Nutrition from 2016 to 2025.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Sustainable Development Goal (SD Goal 2: Zero hunger)</strong> aims to <strong>end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030,</strong> making sure all people &ndash; especially children &ndash; have access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round. This involves promoting sustainable agricultural practices: supporting small scale farmers and allowing equal access to land, technology and markets.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>National Nutrition Mission</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government launched <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poshan-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Nutrition Mission</strong></a> (renamed as Poshan Abhiyaan) in March 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to <strong>reduce undernutrition, anemia</strong> (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and<strong> low birth weight</strong> by 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.</li>
<li>It also aims to <strong>reduce stunting</strong> (a measure of malnutrition that is defined as the height that is significantly below the norm for age) <strong>by 2% a year,</strong> bringing down the proportion of stunted children in the population to 25% by 2022.</li>
<li>The policy aims to map various schemes that address malnutrition and set up a robust convergence mechanism, and an information and communications technology-based real-time monitoring system, besides incentivising states and Union territories to meet the targets.</li>
<li>National Nutrition Mission is backed by a National Nutrition Strategy prepared by the NITI Aayog with the goal of attaining <strong>&ldquo;Kuposhan Mukt Bharat" or malnutrition-free India,</strong> by 2022.</li>
<li><strong>However, achieving this target will require doubling the current annual rate of reduction in stunting.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges related to National Nutrition Mission</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of coordination between various ministries</strong> affects the programme&rsquo;s implementation.</li>
<li>The scheme also suffers from <strong>under-utilisation of allocated funds.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Till now, State and Union Territory governments have only used 16% of the funds allocated to them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of real-time data monitoring</strong>, sustainability and accountability also impact the National Nutrition Mission (NNM).</li>
<li>Anganwadis are key to the distribution of services to mothers and children. But many States, including Bihar and Odisha, which have large vulnerable populations, are <strong>struggling to set up functioning anganwadis, and recruit staff.</strong></li>
<li>The Mission does not have differential approach to the issue of malnutrition, more focus is needed on the areas where malnutrition levels are comparatively high. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example- the highest levels of stunted and underweight children are found in Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Key recommendations of the &lsquo;Food and Nutrition Security Analysis, India, 2019&rsquo; report can be followed by India to curb the challenge of malnutrition.</p>
<p><strong>Key Recommendations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Farmers should be encouraged and incentivised for <strong>agricultural diversification.</strong></li>
<li>Innovative and low-cost farming technologies, increase in the irrigation coverage and enhancing knowledge of farmers in areas such as appropriate use of land and water should be encouraged to <strong>improve the sustainability of food productivity.</strong></li>
<li>The government should improve policy support for <strong>improving agricultural produce of traditional crops in the country.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Storage capacity should be improved</strong> to prevent post-harvest losses.</li>
<li>The targeting <strong>efficiency of all food safety nets should be improved,</strong> especially that of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), to ensure that the poorest are included. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition,<strong> fortification of government-approved commodities</strong> within the social safety net programmes can improve nutritional outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Child feeding practices should be improved</strong> in the country, especially at the critical ages when solid foods are introduced to the diet. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fortification, diversification and supplementation</strong> may be used as simultaneous strategies to address micro and macronutrient deficiencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a need for more robust measures that can take cognizance of all aspects of SDG 2 which seeks to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition.</li>
<li>All the major welfare programmes need to be gender sensitive.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p><strong>As Amartya Sen noted, famines are caused not by shortages of food, but by inadequate access to food.</strong> For the poor and marginalised, access to food is impeded by social, administrative and economic barriers.</p>
<p>If India wants to be malnutrition free, it will not be achieved only through government intervention, but through a cultural revolution or Jan Andolan like Kuposhan Bharat Choro (Malnutrition Free India).</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" height="67">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; background-color: #f2efd5;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br />Malnutrition in India is a scar on India&rsquo;s in pursuit of becoming a superpower. Discuss the reasons and challenges associated with the high level of malnutrition in India?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/malnutrition-in-india'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Indian Classical Dances',
		'catname' => 'Paper 1',
		'desc' => '<p>Excavations, inscriptions, chronicles, genealogies of kings and artists, literary sources, sculpture and painting of different periods provide extensive evidence on dance in India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Contemporary classical dance forms have evolved out of the musical play or sangeet-nataka performed from the 12<sup>th</sup> century to the 19th century.</li>
<li>The Indian classical dances have two basic aspects - Tandava (movement &amp; rhythm) and Lasya (grace, bhava &amp; rasa).</li>
<li>The three main components are-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Natya</strong> (the dramatic element of the dance i.e. the imitation of characters)</li>
<li><strong>Nritta</strong> (the dance movements in their basic form)</li>
<li><strong>Nritya</strong> (expressional component i.e. mudras or gestures).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The nine rasas are - Love, Heroism, Pathos, Humour, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Wonder and Peace. The <strong>Natya Shastra written by Bharat Muni</strong> is the most prominent source for the Indian aestheticians for establishing the characteristics of the dances.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Classical Dances of India</h3>
<p><strong>Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219456_1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219456_1.jpg" width="238" height="238" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikesvara</strong> is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance.</li>
<li>Bharatnatyam dance is known to be <strong>ekaharya,</strong> where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance.</li>
<li>The dance involves transitional movements of leg, hip and arm. Expressive eye movements and hand gestures are used to convey emotions.</li>
<li>The accompanying orchestra consists of a vocalist, a mridangam player, violinist or veena player, a flautist and a cymbal player. The person who conducts the dance recitation is the <strong>Nattuvanar.</strong></li>
<li>In its usual form the dance is generally broken into seven main parts &ndash; Alarippu, Jatiswaran, Shabda, Varna, Pada, Thillana and Sloka.</li>
<li>Bharatnatyam poses are depicted on the <strong>gopurams of the Chidambaram temple</strong> (Tamil Nadu).</li>
<li>E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale had played a significant role in helping the dance regain its lost popularity and position.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kathak (North India)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219497_Kathak.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219497_Kathak.jpg" width="238" height="257" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The word Kathak has been derived from the word Katha which means a story.</li>
<li>It was primarily a temple or village performance wherein the dancers narrated stories from ancient scriptures.</li>
<li>Kathak began evolving into a distinct mode of dance in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with the spread of the bhakti movement. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The legends of Radha-Krishna were enacted in folk plays called rasa lila, which combined folk dance with the basic gestures of the kathak story-tellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the Mughal emperors and their nobles, Kathak was performed in the court, where it acquired its present features and developed into a form of dance with a distinctive style.</li>
<li>Under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, it grew into a major art form.</li>
<li>Usually a solo performance, the dancer often pauses to recite verses followed by their execution through movement.</li>
<li>The focus is more on footwork; the movements are skillfully controlled and performed straight legged by dancers wearing ankle-bells.</li>
<li>Kathak is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani or the North Indian music.</li>
<li>Lady Leela Sokhey (Menaka) revived the classical style. Some prominent dancers include Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kathakali (Kerala)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219557_kathakali_2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219557_kathakali_2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="238" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Chakiarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Krishnattam</strong> and <strong>Ramanattam</strong> are few of the ritual performing arts of Kerala which have had a direct influence on Kathakali in its form and technique.</li>
<li>Kathakali is a blend of dance, music and acting and dramatizes stories, which are mostly adapted from the Indian epics.</li>
<li>Heavy make-up and stunning costumes (elaborate masks, huge skirts and big head-dresses) are used.</li>
<li>The dancers enact the roles (kings, gods, demons etc.) of the stories with particular make-up and costume, the vocalists narrate the legend and the percussionists play the musical instruments.</li>
<li>Different facial colours indicate different mental stages &amp; character, e.g. green &ndash; nobility, black &ndash; wicked, red patches &ndash; combining royalty &amp; evil.</li>
<li>Hand gestures, facial expressions and eye movements are important.</li>
<li>Weight of the body is on the outer edges of the feet which are slightly bent and curved.</li>
<li>Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi were the prominent artists.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh which has a very long tradition of dance-drama. It was known under the generic name of Yakshagaana.</li>
<li>In 17<sup>th</sup> century Kuchipudi style of Yakshagaana was conceived by <strong>Siddhendra Yogi.</strong> He was steeped in the literary Yakshagaana tradition being guided by his guru Teerthanaaraayana Yogi who composed the <strong>Krishna-Leelatarangini,</strong> a kaavya in Sanskrit.</li>
<li>It is performed as dance drama i.e. performance in groups and also as solo items.</li>
<li>Costumes, ornaments and jewellery occupy an important place.</li>
<li>The solo items are Manduka Shabdam (story of frog maiden), Balgopala Taranga (dance on the edges of brass plate with a pitcher full of water on head) and Tala Chitra Nritya (drawing pictures with dancing toes).</li>
<li>Yamini Krishnamurthy and Raja Reddy are prominent dancers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mohiniyattam (Kerala)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219602_images.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219602_images.jpg" width="238" height="173" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mohiniyattam or dance of Mohini (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) is the classical solo dance form of Kerala.</li>
<li>References of Mohiniyattam can be found in the texts <strong>Vyavaharamala written in 1709 by Mazhamagalam Narayanan Namputiri</strong> and in <strong>Ghoshayatra,</strong> written later by poet Kunjan Nambiar.</li>
<li>It was structured into the present day classical format by the Travancore Kings, Maharaja Kartika Tirunal and his successor Maharaja Swati Tirunal (18<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> century)</li>
<li>Mostly a solo performance by girls with circular movements, delicate footsteps and subtle expressions.</li>
<li>Movements have been borrowed from <strong>Nangiar Koothu</strong> and female folk dances <strong>Kaikottikali</strong> and the <strong>Tiruvatirakali.</strong></li>
<li>It has elements of Bharatanatyam (grace &amp; elegance) and Kathakali (vigour) but is more erotic, lyrical and delicate.</li>
<li>Realistic make-up and simple dressing (in Kasavu saree of Kerala) are used.</li>
<li>The lyrics are in Manipravala (a medieval south Indian language combining Tamil-Malayalam and Sanskrit).</li>
<li>Sunanda Nair and Pallavi Krishnan are the notable artists.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Odissi (Odisha)<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219650_Odissi-Dance-Style-with-Jewelry3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219650_Odissi-Dance-Style-with-Jewelry3.jpg" width="201" caption="false" style="float: right;" height="249" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The major subjects of performance are lores of incarnations of Lord Vishnu and verses of Jayadeva&rsquo;s Gita Govinda.</li>
<li>A soft dance backed by soothing lyrics and is similar to Bharatanatyam in terms of the mudras and expressions.</li>
<li>Termed as &lsquo;mobile sculpture&rsquo; it incorporates two major postures - <strong>Tribhanga</strong> (the body is deflected at the neck, torso and the knees) and <strong>Chowk</strong> (a position imitating a square).</li>
<li>Sonal Mansingh and Kelucharan Mohapatra are the eminent performers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sattriya (Assam)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Sattriya dance form was introduced in the 15<sup>th</sup> century A.D by the Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Sankaradeva as a medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith.</li>
<li>The dance form evolved and expanded as a distinctive style of dance later on.</li>
<li>Because of its religious character and association with the Sattras (Vaishnava maths or monasteries), this dance style has been named Sattriya.<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219705_Sattriya-dance.jpg" width="238" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></li>
<li>Sattriya dance tradition is governed by strictly laid down principles in respect of hastamudras, footworks, aharyas, music etc.</li>
<li>This tradition, has two distinctly separate streams - the Bhaona-related repertoire starting from the Gayan-Bhayanar Nach to the Kharmanar Nach, secondly the dance numbers which are independent, such as Chali, Rajagharia Chali, Jhumura, Nadu Bhangi etc.</li>
<li>Among them the Chali is characterized by gracefulness and elegance, while the Jhumura is marked by vigor and majestic beauty.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Manipuri (Manipur)<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1576219760_manipuri.jpg" width="238" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The origin of Manipuri dance can be traced back to ancient times that go beyond recorded history.</li>
<li>The dance in Manipur is associated with rituals and traditional festivals, there are legendary references to the dances of Shiva and Parvati and other gods and goddesses who created the universe.</li>
<li><strong>Lai Haraoba</strong> is the earliest form of dance which forms the basis of all stylised dances in Manipur.&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Literally meaning - the merrymaking of the gods, it is performed as a ceremonial offering of song and dance.</li>
<li>The principal performers are the <strong>maibas and maibis</strong> (priests and priestesses) who re-enact the theme of the creation of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The popular Rasleela dances of Manipur originated in the reign of 18<sup>th</sup> century King Bhagyachandra.</li>
<li>Manipur dance has a large repertoire, however, the most popular forms are the <strong>Ras,</strong> the <strong>Sankirtana and</strong> the <strong>Thang-Ta.</strong></li>
<li>The Kirtan form of congregational singing accompanies the dance which is known as Sankirtana in Manipur. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The male dancers play the Pung and Kartal while dancing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The dancers do not wear ankle bells to stamp out the rhythms in a theatrical display, as this interferes with the delicate body movements.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/indian-classical-dances'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Basel Committee Lauds RBI on Strict Rules',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>According to a regulatory consistency assessment programme (RCAP) conducted by the Basel committee on banking supervision, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India&rsquo;s (RBI)</strong></a> rules on large exposures framework (LEF) are stricter those recommended by the Basel committee.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The assessment focused on the completeness and consistency of the domestic regulations in force on 7 June 2019, as applied to commercial banks in India.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basel-iii-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)</strong></a> is the primary global standard setter for the prudential regulation of banks. It has 45 members, comprising central banks and bank supervisors from 28 jurisdictions.</li>
<li>The RBI implemented the large exposures framework in December 2016 through a circular modified in June 2019. Most of the requirements came into effect on April 1, 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The requirements apply to all scheduled commercial banks with the exception of regional rural banks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Basel Committee established a comprehensive Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme (RCAP) in 2012 to monitor and assess the adoption and implementation of its standards, while encouraging a predictable and transparent regulatory environment for internationally active banks.</li>
<li>The RCAP consists of two distinct but complementary workstreams:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Monitoring:</strong> The transposition of Basel III regulatory standards into domestic regulations is monitored on a semiannual basis based on information provided by each member jurisdiction.</li>
<li><strong>Assessment:</strong> The committee evaluates the consistency and completeness of the adopted standards, including the significance of any deviations from the Basel III regulatory framework. These consistency assessments are carried out on a jurisdictional and thematic basis.</li>
<li><strong>Jurisdictional assessments (consistency) review</strong> the extent to which domestic regulations are aligned with the minimum Basel requirements agreed by the Committee and help identify material gaps in such regulations.</li>
<li><strong>Thematic assessments (outcomes) examine</strong> the implementation of the Basel requirements at the individual bank level and seek to ensure that prudential ratios are calculated consistently by banks across jurisdictions to improve comparability across outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>While Basel large exposures framework limits the sum of all exposures of a bank to a single counterparty to 25% of Tier 1 capital, Indian regulations establish the large exposure limit at 20%.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In exceptional cases, bank&rsquo;s boards may allow an additional 5% exposure of the bank&rsquo;s available eligible capital base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In case of India, banks&rsquo; exposures to global systemically important banks are subject to stricter limits, in line with the letter and spirit of the Basel Guidelines, and the scope of application of the Indian standards is wider than just the internationally active banks covered by the Basel framework.</li>
<li>The Basel large exposures framework requires banks to identify third parties that may constitute an additional risk factor inherent in the structure itself rather than in underlying assets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Third parties can include originator, fund manager, liquidity provider and credit protection provider.</li>
<li>In cases where there are multiple third parties considered to be potential drivers of additional risk, the bank must assign the exposures resulting from the investment in the structures to each of the third parties. However, the RBI&rsquo;s large exposures framework does not specify the identification of additional risks, nor provide instructions for banks to group these exposures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI&rsquo;s Response</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Based on these findings, the RBI has decided to incorporate economic interdependence criteria for determining a group of connected counterparties in all cases where the sum of all exposures to each such counter-party exceeds 5% of the eligible capital base.</li>
<li>In order to provide time to the banks to adjust to the new requirement, the introduction of economic interdependence criteria in the definition of connected counterparties will be effective from April 1, 2020.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basel-committee-lauds-rbi-on-strict-rules'
	]
]
$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`, articles.star_rating AS `articles__star_rating`, articles.display_in_states AS `articles__display_in_states` 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',
		'articles__star_rating' => 'integer',
		'articles.star_rating' => 'integer',
		'star_rating' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_in_states' => 'string',
		'articles.display_in_states' => 'string',
		'display_in_states' => 'string'
	],
	'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) 238
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 337
$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”