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World Biofuel Day

The World Biofuel Day is observed every year on August 10 to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to...

10 Aug 2018 News Analysis
ISRO to Launch State-of-the-Art Satellites

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch a number of state-of-the-art satellites to further enhance operational...

10 Aug 2018 News Analysis
India’s Inward Remittances Survey 2016-17

The Reserve Bank released the survey on India’s inward remittances in 2016-17, which is the fourth in the series. It captures various...

10 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Indian Telescope Spots Distant Radio Galaxy

The scientists have discovered the most distant radio galaxy ever known, located at a distance of 12 billion light-years. The discovery was done...

10 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Bihar PCS Preliminary & Mains Syllabus

PRELIMINARY TEST COMPULSORY SUBJECT GENERAL STUDIES General Science. Questions on General Science will cover general appreciation and...

09 Aug 2018 State PCS
The Problem of Fake News in India: Issues, Concerns and Regulation

Fake news has existed since the dawn of the printing press but in the age of internet and social media, it has found a tremendous application....

09 Aug 2018 News Editorials
Khangchendzonga To Be Included In The World Network of Biosphere Reserves

The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network...

09 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Government launches Niryat Mitra App

Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the Niryat Mitra Mobile App which has been developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations...

09 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Meghalaya Launched the National Milk Mission to Promote Dairy Production

The North Eastern state of Meghalaya has launched the National Milk Mission to promote dairy production and become self sufficient in terms of milk...

09 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Govt. to get Rs. 50,000 cr. from RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer ₹50,000 crore dividend to the government in line with the Union Budget provisions, which is the...

09 Aug 2018 News Analysis
NITI Aayog and CII Launch Partnership on SDGs

The NITI Aayog entered into a three-year partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to develop vision and action...

09 Aug 2018 News Analysis
25 Years of Local Democracy in India

The editorial traces the historical development and present state of local democracy in India- Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and...

08 Aug 2018 News Editorials
Restricted Area Permit Eased for Foreigners Visiting Andaman Islands

In a bid to boost tourism prospects of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Central government has decided to ease restrictions which will allow the...

08 Aug 2018 News Analysis
CAG Report on Indian Railways

According to a recent CAG report tabled in the Parliament, the focus of Railways’ modernisation plans is misplaced. According to the report...

08 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Earth at Risk of Becoming 'Hothouse'

A recent report titled "Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene", has warned about ill-effects of global temperatures rising more than...

08 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Most Babies Not Breastfed In Their First Hour

The 5th Report of Assessment of India’s Policy and Programmes on Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding, 2018, was recently...

08 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Study Reveals Presence of Scrub Typhus Among Encephalitis Patients

Majority of the patients admitted for treatment of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) have Scrub Typhus according to the recent study of Baba Raghav...

08 Aug 2018 News Analysis
Centre to Form Group of Ministers (GoM) to Decide India’s Fate Regarding Joining RCEP

The Central government will set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to decide the course of action regarding India joining the 16-nation Regional...

07 Aug 2018 News Analysis
China Successfully Tests its First Hypersonic Aircraft

China has successfully tested its first waverider hypersonic flight vehicle, a weapon that can carry nuclear warheads and break through any current...

07 Aug 2018 News Analysis
World’s First Thermal Battery Plant Unveiled in Andhra Pradesh

The world’s first-ever thermal battery plant has been inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh. The plant will be operated by the Bharat Energy Storage...

07 Aug 2018 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'World Biofuel Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>World Biofuel Day</strong> is observed every year on <strong>August 10</strong> to create awareness about the importance of <strong>non-fossil fuels</strong> as an alternative to <strong>conventional fossil fuels.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the <strong>Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas</strong> for the last three years.</li>
<li>Persons from diverse fields like Members of Parliament<g class="gr_ gr_97 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="97" data-gr-id="97">,Students</g><g class="gr_ gr_98 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="98" data-gr-id="98">,farmers</g><g class="gr_ gr_99 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="99" data-gr-id="99">,entrepreneurs</g><g class="gr_ gr_100 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="100" data-gr-id="100">,Ambassadors</g><g class="gr_ gr_101 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="101" data-gr-id="101">,Government</g> officers will participate in the event.</li>
<li>Separate interactive sessions on<strong> ethanol, bio-diesel, bio-CNG</strong> and <strong>2nd Generation biofuels</strong> are also scheduled after the inaugural session.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ethanol</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ethanol</strong> is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials collectively known as <strong>"biomass&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Ethanol is also available as<strong> E85 (or flex fuel)</strong>, which can be used in flexible fuel vehicles, designed to operate on any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%.</li>
<li>Another blend, <strong>E15,</strong> is approved for use in <g class="gr_ gr_104 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="104" data-gr-id="104">model</g> year 2001 and newer vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bio-Diesel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bio-diesel</strong> is an <strong>alternative fuel</strong> similar to conventional or &lsquo;fossil&rsquo; diesel.</li>
<li>Bio-diesel can be produced from straight <strong>vegetable oil, animal oil/fats, tallow <g class="gr_ gr_93 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="93" data-gr-id="93">and</g> waste cooking oil.</strong></li>
<li>The process used to convert these oils to Bio-diesel is called <strong>transesterification</strong>.</li>
<li>The main benefit of bio-diesel is that it can be described as <strong>&lsquo;carbon neutral</strong>&rsquo;. This means that the fuel produces no net output of carbon in the form of <strong>carbon dioxide (CO2)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bio-CNG</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bio-CNG</strong> is the purified form of Biogas where all the unwanted gases are removed to produce<strong> pure methane gas</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Bio-CNG</strong> is exactly similar to the commercially available natural gas in its composition and energy potential. As it is generated from biomass, it is considered a renewable source of energy and thus, attracts all the commercial benefits applicable to other renewable sources of energy.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It aims at <strong>blending ethanol with petrol,</strong> thereby bringing it under the category of biofuels and saving millions of dollars by cutting fuel imports.</li>
<li>Under <g class="gr_ gr_107 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="107" data-gr-id="107">EBP</g> program<g class="gr_ gr_108 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="108" data-gr-id="108">,availability</g> of ethanol will increase due to the higher price for<strong> C heavy <g class="gr_ gr_90 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="90" data-gr-id="90">molasses</g></strong><g class="gr_ gr_90 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="90" data-gr-id="90"> based</g> ethanol and enabling procurement of ethanol from <strong>B heavy molasses</strong> and sugarcane juice for the first time.</li>
<li>The Government has also reduced GST on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sugarcane molasses is a <g class="gr_ gr_89 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="89" data-gr-id="89">viscous</g>, dark and sugar-rich by-product of sugar extraction from the sugarcane.</li>
<li>B molasses (second molasses) has approximately the same DM content as A molasses but contains less sugar and does not spontaneously crystallize.</li>
<li>C molasses (final molasses, blackstrap molasses, treacle) is the end by-product of the processing in the sugar factory. It still contains considerable amounts of <strong>sucrose</strong> (approximately 32 to 42%). C molasses does not crystallize and can be found in liquid or dried form as a commercial feed ingredient.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>National Policy on Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The objective of the Biofuel policy is to achieve <strong>20% ethanol-blending</strong> and<strong> 5% biodiesel-blending</strong> by the year 2030.</li>
<li>The policy also expands the scope of feedstock for ethanol production and has provided for incentives for <g class="gr_ gr_110 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="110" data-gr-id="110">production</g> of <strong>advanced biofuels.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Difference between Basic and <g class="gr_ gr_91 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="91" data-gr-id="91">Advance</g> Biofuels</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Second-generation biofuels,</strong> also known as<strong> advanced biofuels</strong>, are fuels that can be manufactured from various types of <strong>non-food biomass.</strong> Biomass in this context means plant materials and animal waste used especially as a source of fuel.</li>
<li><strong>First-generation biofuels</strong> are made from the sugars and vegetable oils found in food crops using standard processing technologies.</li>
<li>Second-generation biofuels are made from different feedstocks and therefore may require different technology to extract useful energy from them.</li>
<li>Second generation feedstocks include <strong>lignocellulosic biomass or woody crops, agricultural residues or waste,</strong> as well as dedicated non-food energy crops grown on marginal land unsuitable for crop production.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Initiatives Taken by the Government of India on Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Simplifying the procurement procedures of<strong> Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).</strong></li>
<li>Amending the provisions of <strong><g class="gr_ gr_114 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="114" data-gr-id="114">Industries</g> (Development &amp; Regulation) Act, 1951.</strong></li>
<li>Enabling <strong>lignocellulosic route</strong> for ethanol procurement.</li>
<li>Administrative price mechanism for ethanol.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong><strong></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lignocellulosic biomass</strong> refers to <strong>plant biomass</strong> that is composed of <strong>cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Biomass</strong> is increasingly recognized as a valuable <g class="gr_ gr_96 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep gr-progress" id="96" data-gr-id="96">commodity,</g> since it is an alternative to <strong>petroleum</strong> for the production of <strong>biofuels and chemicals.</strong></li>
<li>Even today, <strong>cellulose consumption</strong> is threefold higher than that of steel and is equal to that of cereals, but its current uses are mainly restricted to the<strong> materials sector (wood-based and paper)</strong>.</li>
<li>From an energy point of <g class="gr_ gr_106 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="106" data-gr-id="106">view</g> lignocellulosic biomass can replace <strong>fossil fuels</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Other Facts</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India</strong> is the third <strong>largest consumer of energy</strong> in the world after <strong>China</strong> and the <strong>US</strong>.</li>
<li>Currently, the country is dependent on imports for about 82.1 <g class="gr_ gr_102 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="102" data-gr-id="102">per cent</g> of its <strong>crude oil</strong> requirement and to the extent of about 44.4 <g class="gr_ gr_103 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="103" data-gr-id="103">per cent</g> in case of <strong>natural gas</strong>.</li>
<li>Oil PSUs are also planning to set up <strong><g class="gr_ gr_111 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="111" data-gr-id="111">12 second</g> generation (2G) biorefineries</strong> to augment ethanol supply and address environmental issues arising out of <g class="gr_ gr_109 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="109" data-gr-id="109">burning</g> of <strong>agricultural biomass</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>biofuels programme</strong> is also in sync with other Government of India initiatives like <strong>Make in India and Swachh Bharat Mission.</strong></li>
</ul>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-biofuel-day'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => '  ISRO to Launch State-of-the-Art Satellites',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch a number of state-of-the-art satellites to further enhance operational applications and cater to the needs of emerging applications<g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="65" data-gr-id="65">.The</g> details of the state of the art satellites approved for launch till 2019-20 are</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Third generation Cartosat series satellite for very <g class="gr_ gr_64 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="64" data-gr-id="64">high resolution</g> mapping</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p>
<p>The Cartosat satellites are being launched to provide remote sensing services. Images sent by it will be useful for coastal land use and regulation, road network monitoring, distribution of water and creation of land use maps, among others.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Second generation stereo imaging satellite for Digital Elevation Model.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stereo Satellite imaging also called stereoscopy or 3D imaging is a photography technique originally developed for creating the illusion of depth in an image or set of images.</li>
<li>In remote sensing <g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="52" data-gr-id="52">applications</g> photographs of the earth are taken and 3D topographic maps and computer models can be created using the stereo images.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Geostationary Imaging Satellite (GISAT) for Earth observation from Geostationary Orbit.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GEO Imaging Satellite is an <g class="gr_ gr_50 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="50" data-gr-id="50">earth-observing</g> satellite operating from geostationary orbit to facilitate continuous observation of Indian sub-continent, quick monitoring of natural hazards and disaster.</li>
<li>A geosynchronous orbit is a high Earth orbit that allows satellites to match Earth's rotation. Located at 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth's equator, this position is a valuable spot for monitoring weather, communications <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="51" data-gr-id="51">and</g> surveillance.</li>
<li>Third generation Ocean imaging satellite for ocean <g class="gr_ gr_61 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="61" data-gr-id="61">colour</g>, sea surface temperature mapping and ocean surface wind vector mapping</li>
<li>Third generation ResourceSat series of <g class="gr_ gr_60 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="60" data-gr-id="60">satellite</g> with improved spatial resolution and swath</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ResourceSat satellite is <g class="gr_ gr_59 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="59" data-gr-id="59">a advanced</g> remote sensing satellite built by ISRO</li>
<li>The <g class="gr_ gr_55 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="55" data-gr-id="55">Resourcesat</g>-1 satellite was launched on October 17, 2003, followed by Resourcesat-2 on April 20, 2011, to ensure systematic and repetitive coverage of the earth&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li>The objective of these Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites is to provide data for integrated land and water resource management.</li>
<li>The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 817 km.</li>
<li>The satellites take 101.35 minutes to complete one revolution around the earth and complete about 14 orbits per day.</li>
<li>The constellation of high-resolution imaging satellites for a frequent revisit.</li>
<li>Nanosatellite for Aerosol monitoring.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term "nanosatellite" or "nanosat" is usually applied to the name of an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 1 and 10 kg (2.2&ndash;22 lb). Again designs and proposed designs of these types usually have multiple nanosatellites working together or <g class="gr_ gr_54 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="54" data-gr-id="54">in formation</g> (sometimes the term "swarm" is applied). Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers or for launching and docking with nanosatellites.</li>
<li>Satellite for monitoring chlorophyll fluorescence and radiation environment</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chlorophyll fluorescence is a non-invasive measurement of photosystem II (PSII) activity and is a commonly used technique in plant physiology. The sensitivity of PSII activity to abiotic and biotic factors has made this a key technique not only for understanding the photosynthetic mechanisms but also as a broader indicator of how plants respond to environmental change.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/isro-to-launch-state-of-the-art-satellites'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Inward Remittances Survey 2016-17',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Reserve Bank released the survey on India&rsquo;s inward remittances in 2016-17, which is the fourth in the series.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It captures various aspects relating to remittances &ndash; source; destination; <g class="gr_ gr_74 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="74" data-gr-id="74">purpose</g> of inward remittances; size; prevalent mode of transmission; and receivers&rsquo;/ senders&rsquo; cost of remittances.</li>
<li>It can also be noted that according to the latest <strong>Migration and Development Brief of the World Bank</strong>, India retained the <strong>top position</strong> as recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending about USD 69 billion back home in 2017.</li>
</ul>
<p>NOTE: A <strong>remittance</strong> is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to an individual in his or her home country. Workers' remittances are a significant part of international capital flows, especially with regard to <g class="gr_ gr_76 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="76" data-gr-id="76">labour-exporting</g> countries.</p>
<h3>Highlights of the Survey</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the top source of inward remittances, while Kerala has received the maximum funds sent from abroad</li>
<li>82 <g class="gr_ gr_62 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="62" data-gr-id="62">per cent</g> of the total remittances received by India originated from eight countries, viz., the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, the United Kingdom <g class="gr_ gr_61 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="61" data-gr-id="61">and</g> Malaysia.</li>
<li>Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu together received 58.7 <g class="gr_ gr_59 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="59" data-gr-id="59">per cent</g> of total remittances.</li>
<li>More than half of remittances received by Indian residents were used for family maintenance, i.e., consumption (59.2 <g class="gr_ gr_64 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="64" data-gr-id="64">per cent</g>), followed by deposits in banks (20 <g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="65" data-gr-id="65">per cent</g>) and investments in landed property and shares (8.3 <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="66" data-gr-id="66">per cent</g>)</li>
<li>Remittances to India were mostly routed through private sector banks (74.2 <g class="gr_ gr_67 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="67" data-gr-id="67">per cent</g>), followed by public sector banks (17.3 <g class="gr_ gr_68 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="68" data-gr-id="68">per cent</g>) and foreign banks (8.5 <g class="gr_ gr_69 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="69" data-gr-id="69">per cent</g>)</li>
<li>The<strong> rupee drawing arrangement (RDA)</strong> is the most popular channel of remittances which accounts for 75.2% of remittances, followed by <strong>SWIFT (19.5%)</strong>, direct transfers (3.4%) and cheques and drafts (1.9%).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Rupee Drawing Arrangement (RDA)</strong> is a channel to receive cross-border remittances from overseas jurisdictions. Under this arrangement, the Authorised Category I banks enter into tie-ups with the non-resident Exchange Houses in the<strong> Financial Action Task Force (FATF)</strong> compliant countries to open and maintain their <strong>Vostro Account</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)</strong> is an inter-governmental body established in<strong> 1989</strong> by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions.</li>
<li>The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.</li>
<li>The FATF is <g class="gr_ gr_48 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation replaceWithoutSep" id="48" data-gr-id="48">therefore</g> a<strong> &ldquo;policy-making body&rdquo;</strong> which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A <strong>Vostro Account</strong> is established to enable a foreign correspondent bank to act as an agent or provide services as an intermediary for a domestic bank to execute wire transfers, withdrawals and deposits for customers in countries where the domestic bank does not have a physical presence.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term <g class="gr_ gr_55 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling" id="55" data-gr-id="55">vostro</g> translated from <strong>Latin means "yours," as in your account</strong>. From the correspondent bank&rsquo;s point of view, the funds held on behalf of other banks are referred to as <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="51" data-gr-id="51">vostro</g> accounts and are denominated in the local currency.</li>
<li>From the perspective of domestic banks, the funds deposited at correspondent banks are <g class="gr_ gr_56 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="56" data-gr-id="56">referred</g> as <strong><g class="gr_ gr_53 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="53" data-gr-id="53">nostro</g> accounts.</strong> Nostro translated from <strong>Latin means "ours," as in our accounts</strong>. Nostro accounts are denominated in the foreign currency of the correspondent bank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT)</strong> provides a network that enables financial institutions worldwide to send and receive information about financial transactions in a secure, standardized and reliable environment.</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance of Remittances</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Remittances are crucial as they ensure permanent foreign currency inflows and help finance <g class="gr_ gr_78 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="78" data-gr-id="78">current</g> account deficit.</li>
<li>Unlike NRI deposits that can be repatriated and FDI that can be withdrawn instantly, remittances are more stable.</li>
<li>Experts suggest that the government should work towards safeguarding remittance inflows and find ways to secure overseas markets through its policies to further facilitate migration of workers.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-inward-remittances-survey-2016-17'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Indian Telescope Spots Distant Radio Galaxy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The scientists have discovered the <strong>most distant radio galaxy ever known</strong>, located at a distance of 12 billion light-years.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The discovery was done after studying the data derived from a sky survey done by the <strong>Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)</strong> in Pune seven years ago.</li>
<li>However, the distance of this galaxy was determined using the <strong>Gemini North telescope</strong> in Hawaii and the <strong>Large Binocular Telescope</strong> in Arizona.</li>
<li>This radio galaxy belongs to a time when the <strong>universe was only seven <g class="gr_ gr_63 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="63" data-gr-id="63">per cent</g> of its current age</strong>. This also means that the <strong>light from this galaxy is almost 12 billion years old</strong>.</li>
<li>The unraveling of such radio galaxies at large distances is important for <g class="gr_ gr_59 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="59" data-gr-id="59">understanding</g> of the formation and evolution of galaxies, and formation of primordial black holes.</li>
<li>The <strong>Centaurus A</strong> is the closest radio galaxy at only 10 million light years away from the Earth.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GMRT is an array of <strong>thirty fully steerable parabolic radio telescopes of <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="66" data-gr-id="66">45 <g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="65" data-gr-id="65">metre</g></g> diameter.</strong> It is operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.</li>
<li>GMRT is an <strong>indigenous project</strong>. Its design is based on the <strong>`SMART' concept</strong> - for Stretch Mesh Attached to Rope Trusses.</li>
<li>It functions at the <strong><g class="gr_ gr_48 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="48" data-gr-id="48">metre</g> wavelength part of the radio spectrum</strong> because <strong>man-made radio interference is considerably lower</strong> in this part of the spectrum in India and there are <strong>many outstanding astrophysics problems</strong> which are best studied at <g class="gr_ gr_49 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="49" data-gr-id="49">metre</g> wavelengths.</li>
<li>The location for GMRT, Pune meets several important criteria such as low man-made radio noise, availability of good communication, vicinity of industrial, educational and other infrastructure and,a geographical latitude sufficiently north of the geomagnetic equator in order to have a reasonably quiet ionosphere and yet be able to observe a good part of the southern sky as well.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Radio Galaxy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Radio galaxies are <strong>very rare objects</strong> in the universe. They are <strong>extremely large galaxies</strong> with a supermassive <strong>black hole</strong> in their <g class="gr_ gr_70 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="70" data-gr-id="70">centre</g> that actively accumulates gas and dust from its surroundings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><g class="gr_ gr_71 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="71" data-gr-id="71">Black</g> Hole</strong> is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out. The gravity is so strong because <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="72" data-gr-id="72">matter</g> has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> accumulation of gas and dust i</strong>nitiates the launch of <strong>high-energy jet streams</strong>, which are capable of accelerating charged particles around the supermassive black hole to almost the speed of light.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These jet streams are very clearly observed at radio wavelengths.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Radio galaxies and <strong>Quasars </strong>(believed to be a radio galaxy viewed down the length of the jet) are some of the brightest objects in the universe.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The word quasar is short for <strong>"quasi-stellar radio source",&nbsp;</strong>which means star-like emitters of radio waves. However, most quasars are faint radio emitters.</li>
<li>In addition to radio waves and visible light, quasars also emit ultraviolet rays, infrared waves, X-rays, and gamma-rays.</li>
<li>Most quasars are larger than our solar system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-telescope-spots-distant-radio-galaxy'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Bihar PCS Preliminary & Mains Syllabus',
			'catname' => 'State PCS',
			'desc' => '<h3 style="text-align: center;">PRELIMINARY TEST</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>COMPULSORY SUBJECT</strong></p>
<p><strong>GENERAL STUDIES</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>General Science.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Questions on <strong>General Science</strong> will cover general appreciation and understanding of science, including matters of everyday observation and experience, as may be expected of a <g class="gr_ gr_102 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="102" data-gr-id="102">well educated</g> person who has not made a special study of any scientific discipline.<strong></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current events</strong> of national and international importance.</li>
<li><strong>History</strong> of India and salient features of the history of Bihar.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In History, emphasis will be on <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="72" data-gr-id="72">broad</g> general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects.</li>
<li>The candidates are expected to be familiar with the broad aspects of the history of Bihar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>General <strong>Geography</strong> and geographical division of Bihar and its major river systems.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In Geography, emphasis will be on geography of India and Bihar.</li>
<li>Questions on the Geography of India and Bihar will relate to physical, social and economic Geography of the country including the main features of Indian agricultural and natural resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian <strong>Polity and Economy</strong> and major changes in the economy of Bihar in the <g class="gr_ gr_69 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="69" data-gr-id="69">post independence</g> period.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Questions of Indian Polity and Economy will test knowledge on the country&rsquo;s political system, <g class="gr_ gr_67 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="67" data-gr-id="67">panchayati</g> raj, community development and planning in India and Bihar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian National Movement and the part played by Bihar</strong> in it and also Questions on General Mental Ability.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Question on the Indian National Movement will relate to the nature and character of the <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="66" data-gr-id="66">nineteenth century</g> resurgence, growth of nationalism and attainment of Independence and candidates will be expected to answer questions on the role of Bihar in the freedom movement of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">MAIN EXAMINATION</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>COMPULSORY PAPER</strong></p>
<p><strong>01- GENERAL HINDI (सामान्य हिन्दी)</strong></p>
<p>इस पत्र में प्रश्न बिहार विद्यालय परीक्षा समिति के माध्यमिक (सेकेण्डरी) स्तर के होंगे। इस परीक्षा में सरल हिन्दी में अपने भावों को स्पष्टत: एवं शुद्ध-शुद्ध रूप में व्यक्त करने की क्षमता और सहज बोध शक्ति की जाँच समझी जायेगी।<br />अंकों का विवरण निम्न प्रकार होगा&ndash;<br />निबन्ध &ndash; 30 अंक<br />व्याकरण &ndash; 30 अंक<br />वक्य विन्यास &ndash; 25 अंक<br />संक्षेपण &ndash; 15 अंक</p>
<p><strong>GENERAL STUDIES</strong></p>
<p>General studies papers I and paper II will cover the following areas of knowledge:-</p>
<p><strong>02. GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- I</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Modern History of India and Indian culture.</li>
<li>Current events of national and international importance.</li>
<li>Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams.</li>
</ol>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In paper-I,&nbsp;Modern History of India and Indian Culture will cover the broad history of the country (with special reference to Bihar) from about the middle of <g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="65" data-gr-id="65">nineteenth</g> century.</li>
<li>The modern history of Bihar will include questions on the introduction and expansion of western education (including technical education).</li>
<li>It will also have questions on Bihar&rsquo;s role in the freedom struggle of India.</li>
<li>Questions will relate to the Santhal Uprising, 1857 in Bihar, Birsa movement, Champaran <g class="gr_ gr_58 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="58" data-gr-id="58">Satyagrah</g> and the Quit India Movement 1942.</li>
<li>A knowledge of the chief features of Mauryan and Pal art and Patna Kalam painting will be expected from the examinees.</li>
<li>It would also include questions or Gandhi, Tagore <g class="gr_ gr_56 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="56" data-gr-id="56">and</g> Nehru.</li>
<li>The part relating to statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams will include exercises to test the candidate&rsquo;s ability to draw common sense conclusions from information presented in <g class="gr_ gr_74 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="74" data-gr-id="74">statistical</g>, graphical or diagrammatic form and to point out deficiencies, limitations or inconsistencies therein.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>03. GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Indian Polity</li>
<li>Indian economy and Geography of India</li>
<li>The role and impact of science and technology in the development of India.</li>
</ol>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In Paper II,&nbsp;the part relating to Indian <g class="gr_ gr_57 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="57" data-gr-id="57">Polity,</g> will include questions on the political system in India including Bihar.</li>
<li>In the part pertaining to the Indian Economy and Geography of India, questions will be put on planning in India and the physical, economic and social geography of India and Bihar.</li>
<li>In the third part relating to the role and impact of science and technology in the development of India, questions will be asked to test the candidate&rsquo;s awareness of the role and impact of science and technology in India and Bihar Emphasis will be on applied aspects.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/state-pcs/bihar-pcs-preliminary-&-mains-syllabus'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'The Problem of Fake News in India: Issues, Concerns and Regulation',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<p>Fake news has existed since the dawn of the printing press but in the age of internet and social media, it has found a tremendous application. Manipulation of algorithms of social media and search engines&mdash;to reach large audiences and mislead news consumers is a global trend now. Fake video clips, news stories with morphed media logos, bots, paid commentators for <g class="gr_ gr_133 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="133" data-gr-id="133">favourable</g> online reputation (troll farm) have become very common. Governments are using the threat of fake news to clamp down on free speech.</p>
<p>Globally, Snopes and in India Social Media Hoax Slayer, AltNews are some forums which expose fake news. Editor of Postcard News (India) was arrested for spreading falsehoods aimed at creating communal discord. Russia has been accused of manipulating the 2016 US elections through bots and fake news; it is a well-documented case of inter-national online manipulation. Russian interference in elections in the US and West Europe has been the biggest content manipulation concern in recent years. Facebook in the light of mounting criticism in the wake of Cambridge Analytica data scandal has announced that it will fight fake news and political misinformation, with new controls intended to ensure authenticity and transparency among advertisers and publishers.</p>
<h3>Freedom House&rsquo;s Freedom on the Net 2017 report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Online manipulation and disinformation tactics played an important role in elections in at least <strong>18 countries</strong> over the past year, including the US.</li>
<li>The <strong>Chinese and Russian regimes pioneered</strong> the use of surreptitious methods to distort online discussions and suppress dissent more than a decade ago, but the practice has since gone global.</li>
<li><strong>Paid Government Commentators:</strong> Venezuela, the Philippines, and Turkey were among 30 countries where governments were found to employ armies of &ldquo;opinion shapers&rdquo; to spread government views, drive particular agendas, and counter government critics on social media.</li>
<li><strong>Both state and non-state actors</strong> are increasingly creating automated accounts on social media to manipulate online discussions.</li>
<li>In Mexico, an estimated 75,000 automated accounts known colloquially as <strong>Pe&ntilde;abots</strong> have been employed to overwhelm political opposition on Twitter.</li>
<li>Bots drown out activists with hate speech on the web. Fake news is overwhelming and eclipsing the real truth.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Scale of the Problem in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Misinformation and disinformation spread in media is becoming a serious social challenge. It is leading to the poisonous atmosphere on the web and causing riots and lynchings on the road.</li>
<li>In the age of the internet (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter,) it is a serious problem as <g class="gr_ gr_119 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="119" data-gr-id="119">rumours</g>, morphed images, click-baits, motivated stories, unverified information, planted stories for various interests spread easily among 35 crore internet users in India.</li>
<li>There have been many instances of online <g class="gr_ gr_136 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="136" data-gr-id="136">rumours</g> leading to killings of innocent people. In some cases, ministers have deleted tweets after realizing the fake news which they shared earlier.</li>
<li><strong><em>In India, WhatsApp is the platform most vulnerable to fake news.</em></strong> Millions of Indians (a vast percentage is uneducated) using mobile internet innocently forwarding &lsquo;good morning&rsquo; messages every day are seen as most vulnerable to fake news.</li>
<li>In the recent Karnataka Assembly elections (2018) fake news about rival parties and candidates flooded the media.</li>
<li>It may not be a coincidence that India has the highest number of selfie deaths (person dying while trying to take a selfie) in the world (76 deaths out of 127 reported globally between March 2014 and September 2016). Use and abuse of mobile and internet remain a concern.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Fake News Damages: Popular Examples from India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Muzzafarnagar riots of 2013: fake video fuelled communal passions</li>
<li>UNESCO has declared &lsquo;Jana Gana Mana&rsquo; best national anthem in the world (WhatsApp)</li>
<li>Dawood properties worth Rs 15000 Cr seized in Dubai (Zee News, ABP)</li>
<li>President Kovind makes Twitter debut; gains 3 million followers in one hour (Republic, Zee news, TOI etc.)</li>
<li>Nostradamus had predicted the rise of supreme leader Narendus (Zee News)</li>
<li>Dying Woman Molested, Video shows (The Hindu)</li>
<li>Fatwa in Saudi Arabia; Men can eat wives when hungry (AajTak)</li>
<li>GPS tracking nanochip in 2000 Rupee notes (Nov 2016)</li>
<li>Salt Shortage <g class="gr_ gr_151 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="151" data-gr-id="151">rumours</g> (Nov 2016)</li>
<li>Child kidnapping <g class="gr_ gr_152 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="152" data-gr-id="152">rumours</g> lead to lynchings by a mob in Jharkhand</li>
<li>Minister using a Russian photo to show LED-electrification of streets</li>
<li>Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) annual report used a picture of Spain-Morocco border to show Indian border floodlighting</li>
<li>Missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed has joined the ISIS</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Laws and Regulation to Curb Fake News in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is no specific law against fake news in India. Free publication of news flows from Article 19 of the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech.</li>
<li><strong>Press Council of India</strong>, a regulatory body, can warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist if it finds that a newspaper or a news agency has violated journalistic ethics.</li>
<li><strong>News Broadcasters Association (NBA)</strong> represents the private television news and current affairs broadcasters. The self-regulatory body probes complaints against electronic media.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Broadcast Foundation (IBF)</strong> also looks into the complaints against contents aired by channels.</li>
<li><strong>Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC)</strong> admits complaints against TV broadcasters for objectionable TV content and fake news.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Penal Code (IPC)</strong> has certain sections which could curb fake news: Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) can be invoked to guard against fake news.</li>
<li><strong>Section 66 in The Information Technology Act, 2000</strong>: If any person, dishonestly or fraudulently, does any act referred to in section 43 (damage to computer, computer system), he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to five lakh rupees or with both.</li>
<li><strong>Civil or Criminal Case for Defamation</strong> is another resort against fake news for individuals and groups hurt by the fake news. IPC Section 499 (defamation) and 500 (whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both) provide for a defamation suit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Response and its Withdrawal, April 2018</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 2 April 2018, the government amended the &lsquo;Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists&rsquo;, to tackle fake news across media by providing for cancellation of accreditation of journalists even before the completion of proposed 15-days inquiry.</li>
<li><em><strong>It was withdrawn</strong></em> in fifteen hours after protests by media for being authoritarian. Note that India&rsquo;s rank is 136 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index (2017).</li>
<li>The Rajiv Gandhi government also had to withdraw the 1988 Defamation Bill aimed at curtailing press freedom. In the wake of Bofors and other corruption reporting in media, the bill sought to create new offenses of &lsquo;criminal imputation&rsquo; and &lsquo;scurrilous writings&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion: Education, Awareness, Regulation Needed</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Fake news is often created and circulated for gaining electoral currency and political gains. Often government&rsquo;s own party and agencies (through the undisclosed purchase of political ads and IT cells) may be involved. It is a rising trend seen in many countries led by China and Russia where internet manipulation and control is very high.</li>
<li>Any future legislation to curb fake news should take the whole picture into account and not blame the media and go for knee-jerk reactions; in this age of new media anyone can create and circulate new for undisclosed benefits.</li>
<li>Controlling fake news is a tricky issue: not controlling trolls could lead to national and international instability while doing too much to control it could harm democracy.</li>
<li>Countering content manipulation and fake news to restore faith in social media without undermining internet and media freedom will require public education, strengthening of regulations and effort of tech companies to make suitable algorithms for news curation.</li>
<li>Italy, for example, has experimentally added &lsquo;recognizing fake news&rsquo; in school syllabus. India should also seriously emphasize cybersecurity, internet education, fake news education in the academic curriculum at all levels.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-problem-of-fake-news-in-india-issues-concerns-and-regulation'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Khangchendzonga To Be Included In The World Network of Biosphere Reserves',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The decision was taken at the 30th Session of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia.</li>
<li>India has 18 Biosphere Reserves and with the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated WNBR has become 11, with 7 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="height: 389px; width: 69.5051%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td colspan="3" style="text-align: center; height: 35px; width: 97.7755%;"><strong>List of Biosphere Reserves in India</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;"><strong>Name</strong></td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;"><strong>State</strong></td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;"><strong>Geography</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Great Rann of Kutch</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Gujarat</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Desert</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 17px; text-align: center;">
<td style="height: 17px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Gulf of Mannar</td>
<td style="height: 17px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Tamil Nadu</td>
<td style="height: 17px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Coasts</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Sundarbans</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">West Bengal</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Gangetic Delta</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Cold Desert</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Himachal Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Nanda Devi</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Uttarakhand</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 12px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 12px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka</td>
<td style="height: 12px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Ghats</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Dihang-Dibang</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Arunachal Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Eastern Himalaya</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Madhya Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">SemiArid</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Seshachalam Hills</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Andhra Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Eastern Ghats</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Simlipal</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Odisha</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Deccan Peninsula</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Achanakamar Amarkantak</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Maikala Hills</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Manas</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Assam</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Khangchendzonga</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Sikkim</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="height: 23px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 23px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Kerala, Tamil Nadu</td>
<td style="height: 23px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Ghats</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Andaman and Nicobar Islands</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Islands</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Nokrek</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Meghalaya</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Dibru-Saikhowa</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Assam</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Panna</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Madhya Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Ken River</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve which is located in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level.</li>
<li>It includes a range of ecoclines (a gradation from one ecosystem to another, with no abrupt boundary between the two), varying from sub-tropic to Arctic, as well as natural forests in different biomes, that support an immensely rich diversity of forest types and habitats. <br />Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) was designated <strong>a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the &lsquo;mixed&rsquo; category</strong> (Mixed heritage sites contain elements of both natural and cultural significance).</li>
<li>World&rsquo;s third highest peak, <strong>Mt. Khangchendzonga,</strong> is situated within the Park. Numerous lakes and glaciers, including the 26 km long <strong>Zemu Glacier</strong> are a part of the Biosphere reserve.</li>
<li>Many of the mountains, peaks, lakes, caves, rocks, Stupas (shrines) and hot springs function as pilgrimage sites.</li>
<li>Over 118 species of the large number of medicinal plants found in Dzongu Valley in north Sikkim are of ethno-medical utility.</li>
<li>The transition zone of the Biosphere Reserve is targeted for eco-development activities, afforestation, plantation of medicinal herbs and soil conservation measures.</li>
<li>The core area of the Biosphere Reserve is a major transboundary Wildlife Protected Area and is largely situated in the Greater Himalayas.</li>
<li>The northern part of the area is characterized by trans-Himalayan features.</li>
<li>Buffer zones are being developed in the Park to promote eco-tourism activities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cultural Significance of Khangchendzonga National Park</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>KNP is home to a sacred site of one of the <strong>world's leading religious traditions</strong>. The <strong>notion of beyul or hidden sacred land,</strong> which extends to all of Sikkim, but has its heart in the territory of Khangchendzonga National Park, is important in Tibetan Buddhism, not only intrinsic to Sikkim, but in the neighbouring countries and beyond.</li>
<li>The multi-layered sacred landscape of Khangchendzonga and the cultural and religious relevance of the hidden land (beyul in Tibetan Buddhism and Mayel Lyang, in Lepcha tradition) is specific to Sikkim and is a <strong>unique example of co-existence and exchange between different religious traditions and people.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>indigenous religious and cultural practices of the Lepcha</strong> with regard to the ecology and the specific properties of local plants, stands as an example of traditional knowledge and environmental preservation.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Biosphere Reserves</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/ marine ecosystems or a combination thereof and representative examples of bio-geographic zones/provinces.</li>
<li>The idea of the biosphere reserve was initiated by UNESCO in 1974 under the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB). The objective of the programme was to obtain international cooperation for the conservation of the biospheres.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Core Area, Buffer Zone and Transition Zone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>transition area</strong> is the <strong>outermost part</strong> of a biosphere reserve. This is usually not delimited one and is a zone of cooperation where conservation knowledge and management skills are applied and uses are managed in harmony with the purpose of the biosphere reserve.</li>
<li>The <strong>core area is kept free from human pressures</strong> external to the system. It contains suitable habitat for numerous plant and animal species, including higher order predators and may contain centres of endemism. Core areas often conserve the wild relatives of economic species and also represent important genetic reservoirs having exceptional scientific interest.</li>
<li>The <strong>buffer zone, adjoins or surrounds core zone</strong>, activities are managed in this area in the ways that help in protection of core zone in its natural condition.</li>
<li>These activities include restoration, demonstration sites for enhancing value addition to the resources, limited recreation, tourism, fishing, grazing, etc; which are permitted to reduce its effect on core zone.&nbsp;Research and educational activities are also encouraged.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Man and Biosphere Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched <strong>in 1971</strong>, UNESCO&rsquo;s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.</li>
<li>MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khangchendzonga-to-be-included-in-the-world-network-of-biosphere-reserves'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Government launches  Niryat Mitra  App',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the Niryat Mitra Mobile App which has been developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the largest exporters&rsquo; organisation of the country.</p>
<h3>Niryat Mitra mobile App</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The App provides wide range of information relating to import-export, rates of GST, concessions available for export, fees and the necessary points for reaching markets.</li>
<li>The app works internally to map the ITC HS code of other countries with that of India and provides all the required data without the users bothering about the HS code of any country.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Note: ITC-HS Codes or better known as Indian Trade Clarification based on Harmonized System of Coding was adopted in India for import-export operations. Indian custom uses an eight digit ITC-HS Codes to suit the national trade requirements.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Its most important feature is that all information related to the tariff is available.</li>
<li>The app is available on both Android and on IOS platforms.</li>
<li>Presently, the app comes with the data of 87 countries.</li>
<li>The app will help to create export culture in the country and encourage the artisans,cottage Micro,small nad medium enterprises to plan for exports.</li>
<li>It will furthur increase the Ease of Doing Business and is a step towards Digital India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<h3>The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO)</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Federation of Indian Export Organisations represents the Indian entrepreneurs spirit of enterprise in the global market. It was set up in 1965.</li>
<li>It is an Apex body of the export promotion councils, community boards and development authorities in India.</li>
<li>It provides the crucial interface between international trading community of India &amp; the Central and State Governments, financial institutions, ports, railways and all engaged in export trade facilitation.</li>
<li>It serves the interests of over 100000 exporters from every goods and services sector in the country.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-launches-niryat-mitra -app'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => '  Meghalaya Launched the National Milk Mission to Promote Dairy Production',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><br />The North Eastern state of <strong>Meghalaya</strong> has launched the<strong> National Milk Mission</strong> to promote <strong>dairy production</strong> and become <strong>self sufficient</strong> in terms of milk production by 2022.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the<strong> livestock census of 2012</strong>, Meghalaya has about a million cattle with considerable <strong>milch cows</strong> (cross-bred), which contributes to almost 60 percent of the dairy production in the state.</li>
<li><strong>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare</strong>,while launching the <strong>Meghalaya Milk Mission (2018-22)</strong> pressed its concern regarding the lesser number of milk cooperatives in the state as compared to other states in the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Facts</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The National Co-operative Development Corporation</strong> has sanctioned a Rs 215-crore project under the milk mission <strong>to train people</strong> in dairy farms, to set up <strong>chilling centres</strong> and to <strong>purchase milch animals</strong>, among others.</li>
<li>The state government through the mission is planning to develop <strong>community ranches</strong> at the village level by inducting<strong> indigenous cattle breeds</strong> like<strong> Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi</strong> and <strong>Red Sindhi</strong>.</li>
<li>The State government opines that the promotion of community ranches will help in solving the <strong>land related problems</strong> being faced by the <strong>small and marginal farmers of the state.</strong></li>
<li>The State government through the mission also envisages to <strong>increase district level milk cooperative unions</strong> to eleven from the current three in <strong>Jaintia Hills, West Garo Hills and East Khasi Hills.</strong></li>
<li>It will help in achieving Centre&rsquo;s goal of <strong>doubling farmer&rsquo;s income by 2022</strong> through promotion of milk business in the state.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Meghalaya Milk Mission</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It aims to plug the <strong>demand and supply gap</strong> in the availability of per capita milk in the state.</li>
<li>To generate <strong>alternate livelihood opportunities</strong> for the rural people through the dairy sector and to create and revive <strong>dairy co-operatives.</strong></li>
<li>There is also a provision of Rs 1 crore for the <strong>training of farmers</strong> under the project.</li>
<li>The Mission is expected to benefit 2,000 farmers in the next four years.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages of Ranching</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It makes use of <strong>marginal or range areas</strong> that cannot support any meaningful crop farming.</li>
<li>It leads to the <strong>production of healthier animals.</strong></li>
<li>It creates <strong>employment opportunities.</strong></li>
<li>It leads to the <strong>protection of animals</strong> from <strong>predators</strong>.</li>
<li>It <strong>adds value</strong> to the <strong>farm products</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<h3>National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC)</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)</strong> was established by an <strong>Act of Parliament in 1963</strong> as a <strong>statutory Corporation</strong> under the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare</strong>.</li>
<li>NCDC is engaged in the <strong>promotion</strong> and <strong>development</strong> of<strong> Cooperatives</strong> in agriculture and rural oriented activities</li>
<li>The Act has been<strong> amended</strong> recently to to enable it to fund cooperatives in<strong> the services sector, rural industries, livestock</strong> etc.</li>
<li>NCDC assistance is not i<strong>ndividual beneficiary</strong> oriented but is meant for <strong>institutional development of Cooperatives.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ meghalaya-launched-the-national-milk-mission-to-promote-dairy-production'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Govt. to get Rs. 50,000 cr. from RBI',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer ₹50,000 crore <strong>dividend&nbsp;</strong>to the government in line with the Union Budget provisions, which is the highest since 2015-16.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The transfer gives the government more room to infuse capital into the public sector banks. Earlier in October 2017, the government had decided to infuse Rs. 2.11 trillion into public sector banks through a mix of <strong>recapitalization bonds</strong> (Rs. 1.35 trillion), direct infusion from<strong> budgetary allocations</strong> (Rs. 18,000 crore) and<strong> market borrowing</strong> (Rs. 58,000 crore).</li>
</ul>
<div class="border">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Dividend:</strong> It refers to a reward, cash or otherwise, that a company gives to its shareholders. Dividends can be issued in various forms, such as cash payment, stocks or any other form.</p>
<p><strong>Recapitalisation bonds</strong> are dedicated bonds to be issued at the behest of the government for recapitalizing the trouble hit Public Sector Banks (PSBs).</p>
<p><strong>Market Borrowing</strong> is the money borrowed by the government through issuance of securities, bonds and bills. The government borrows money to make up the difference between revenues and expenditures. The money comes from both the lenders within the country as well as from the foreign lenders.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In FY17, the central bank had transferred a lower surplus owing to the huge costs it incurred in managing the demonetization exercise.</li>
<li>Under the <strong>RBI Act, 1934,</strong> the central bank is required to pay the government its surplus after making provisions for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation in assets and, contribution to staff and superannuation fund among others.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Economic Survey Take</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since, the RBI is one of the most highly capitalized central banks in the world. So, redeployment of excess capital from RBI to the government will be more productive.</li>
<li>The surplus could be used to recapitalize public sector banks and improve the government&rsquo;s fiscal position.</li>
<li>However, it had also warned that the surplus transfer exercise should not undermine the central bank&rsquo;s independence.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/govt-to-get-50000-cr-from-rbi'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'NITI Aayog and CII Launch Partnership on SDGs',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The&nbsp;NITI&nbsp;Aayog entered into a <strong>three-year partnership</strong> with the&nbsp;Confederation of Indian Industry&nbsp;(CII) to develop vision and action agenda for the industry to contribute towards&nbsp;sustainable development&nbsp;goals (SDGs).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The partnership focuses on specific activities that seeks to develop:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vision and Action Agenda for businesses and industries to contribute to SDGs,</li>
<li>Annual Status Reports,</li>
<li>Sector-specific Best Practise Documents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Government reiterated that India will achieve its clean energy goals even earlier than 2022 and the only way to grow and develop sustainably is to use technology to<strong> leapfrog</strong>, use <strong>new and renewable energy</strong> and push for <strong>R&amp;D and innovation</strong> to generate demand for electric vehicles, hydrogen cars, etc. and to <strong>find local solutions</strong> to the diversity of challenges.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Leapfrog:&nbsp;</strong>An&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="advance">advance</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="from">from</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="one">one</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="place">place,</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="position">position,</span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="situation">situation</span>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="another">another</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="without">without</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="progressing">progressing</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="through">through</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="all">all</span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="any">any</span>&nbsp;of<br /><span class="one-click" data-term="the">the&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-term="places">places</span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="stages">stages</span>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="between">between. <strong>E.g.:</strong></span><span class="one-click" data-term="between">India will leapfrog to emission standards of BS-VI from the current BS-IV by 2020, skipping BS-V.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="one-click" data-term="between">Sustainable Development Goals</span></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><span class="one-click" data-term="between">Officially</span> known as <strong>Transforming our world</strong>, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a set of <strong>17 "Global Goals"</strong> with <strong>169 targets</strong> to be achieved over the <strong>next 15 years. </strong></li>
<li>They were adopted on September 25, 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable developmentagenda.</li>
<li>The UN spearh<span class="one-click" data-term="between">eaded SDGs are s<strong>uccessor of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that ended in 2015.</strong></span></li>
<li>The SDGs came into effect in January 2016.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/niti-aayog-and-cii-launch-partnership-on-sdgs'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => '25 Years of Local Democracy in India',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<p><em>The editorial traces the historical development and present state of local democracy in India- Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Municipalities.</em></p>
<p>The &lsquo;Gram&nbsp;<g class="gr_ gr_95 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="95" data-gr-id="95">Sawaraj</g>&rsquo; dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the &lsquo;Power to the People&rsquo; exhortation of Rajiv Gandhi are the essence of true democracy. Twenty-five years of regular elections and the ever-increasing roles of panchayats in local development have contributed to their emergence as a formidable political platform for both national and regional parties. The implementation of all welfare&nbsp;programmes is&nbsp;routed through the panchayats. In fact, the panchayat head is the only elected representative in India who has executive roles as well. Panchayats and Municipalities enabling local democracy have constitutional sanction in India.</p>
<h3>73rd and 74th Amendment Acts, 1993</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It&rsquo;s been 25 years since decentralized democratic governance was introduced in India by the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendments, which came into force on April 24 and June 1, 1993, respectively.</li>
<li>The 73rd Amendment to the Constitution (Part IX) has given constitutional status to the <g class="gr_ gr_293 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="293" data-gr-id="293">Panchayats,</g> and has provided it with a substantial framework. It envisions the Panchayats as the institutions of local self-governance and also the universal platforms for planning and implementing programmes for economic <br />development and social justice.</li>
<li>The creation of lakhs of &ldquo;self-governing&rdquo; village panchayats and gram <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling" id="72" data-gr-id="72">sabhas</g>, with over three million elected representatives mandated to manage local development, was a unique democratic experiment.</li>
<li>Article 243A gives constitutional recognition to the Gram Sabha as a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of the Panchayat at the village level.</li>
<li>The 74th Amendment Act provided for the constitution (Part IXA) of three types of municipalities in urban areas depending upon the size and area.</li>
<li>The Constitution provides for a complete institutional mechanism including reservation for women and formation of State Finance Commissions (SFCs) for local democracy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Problems with Local Democracy in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Inadequate devolution:</strong> All states have not been forthcoming in giving Panchayats and Municipalities enough funds, functions <g class="gr_ gr_76 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="76" data-gr-id="76">and</g> functionaries (3Fs). Functioning of local bodies is hampered by lack of interest in them by the states; devolution is uneven across states.</li>
<li><strong>States violating Provisions: </strong>From postponing the elections to the failure to&nbsp;constitute State Finance Commissions and District Planning Committees (DPCs), States have been seen to violate the&nbsp;various provisions of Parts IX and IXA.</li>
<li><strong>Inadequate Infrastructure:</strong> Insufficient staffing, office space, and infrastructure bottlenecks hamper the functioning of local bodies.</li>
<li>Panchayats and Municipalities have not used their fiscal powers efficiently. Very few Gram Panchayats levy and collect taxes (on markets, fairs, property, business and so on).</li>
<li>There was no real institutional decentralization except in the state of Kerala where local democracy has been very successful.</li>
<li>Most States continue to create parallel bodies (often fiefdoms of ministers and senior bureaucrats) that make inroads into the functional domain of local governments. For example, Haryana has created a Rural Development Agency, presided over by the Chief Minister, to enter into the functional domain of Panchayats.</li>
<li>Increasing allocations to Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) which started in 1993, and their State-level counterparts, known as the MLALADS has further eroded local democracy and grassroots decision making envisaged by the Constitution.</li>
<li>The 13th Finance Commission (FC) made significant steps to carry forward decentralized governance by <strong>linking the grants to local governments to the divisible pool</strong> via <br />Article 275 besides taking various measures to incentivize the process of decentralization. The 14th Finance Commission enhanced the grant substantially but did not take the change forward and the 15th FC which will submit its report in 2019 is also unlikely to incentivize devolution to local bodies.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Local government expenditure as a percentage of total public sector expenditure comprising Union, State and local governments are only around 7% in India as compared to 24% in Europe, 27% in North America and 55% in Denmark.</li>
</ul>
<p>Gram Sabha functioning should be improved. It should fully participate in planning, implementation and performance review (social audit) of various schemes with the participation of all stakeholders including women and other vulnerable groups.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NOTE</strong><br />National Panchayat Day: It is celebrated on 24 April every year. It was on this day in 1993, that the 73rd amendment act had come into force.</li>
<li>Panchayati Raj: The term was coined by PM Nehru who inaugurated the 3-tier Panchayati Raj in Nagaur (Rajasthan, 2 October 1959).</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/25-years-of-local-democracy-in-india'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Restricted Area Permit Eased for Foreigners Visiting  Andaman Islands',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>In a bid to boost tourism prospects of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Central government has decided to ease restrictions which will allow the foreigners to visit 29 inhabited islands without the Restricted Areas Permit (RAP).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 29 inhabited islands have been excluded from the restricted area permit (RAP) notified under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, till December 31, 2022, subject to certain conditions.</li>
<li>Among the de-notified islands are Havelock Island, Neil Island, Little Andaman, Baratang Island and Katchal Island.</li>
<li>As per the Government, Citizens of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and foreign nationals having their origin in these countries would continue to require RAP to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</li>
<li><g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="52" data-gr-id="52">Similarly</g> for visiting Mayabunder and Diglipur, citizens of Myanmar will continue to require RAP, which shall be issued only with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).</li>
<li>Separate approvals of a competent authority would continue to be required for visiting reserved forests, wildlife sanctuaries <g class="gr_ gr_41 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="41" data-gr-id="41">and</g> tribal reserves.</li>
<li>Foreigners will also be allowed to have day visits to another 11 uninhabited Islands, to be notified separately by Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is a Protected Area</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the &lsquo;Inner line&rsquo; and the &ldquo;International Border of the State&rdquo; have been declared as Protected Area.</li>
<li>Protected areas are located in the following states:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><g class="gr_ gr_47 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="47" data-gr-id="47">Whole</g> of Arunachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>Parts of Himachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>Parts of Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
<li>Parts of Rajasthan.</li>
<li><g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="51" data-gr-id="51">Whole</g> of Sikkim(partly in Protected Area and partly in Restricted Area) Further, under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, the following areas have been declared as &lsquo;Restricted Areas&rsquo;:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands (reserved areas)</li>
<li>&nbsp;Sikkim - Part of the State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in a Protected or Restricted Area, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority delegated with powers to issue such a special permit to a foreigner.</li>
<li>In cases where the powers have not been delegated to any subordinate authority by the Government of India, the application for <g class="gr_ gr_44 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="44" data-gr-id="44">special</g> permit should be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs for prior approval.</li>
<li>Indian citizens who are not residents of those areas require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter these places.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restricted-area-permit-eased-for-foreigners-visiting-andaman-islands'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'CAG Report on Indian Railways',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>According to a recent CAG report tabled in the Parliament, the focus of Railways&rsquo; <g class="gr_ gr_35 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="35" data-gr-id="35">modernisation</g> plans is misplaced.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the report titled &lsquo;Augmentation of Station Line Capacity on Selected Stations in Indian Railways&rsquo;, timely movement of trains should be one of the most important parameters to judge the quality of service being provided to the passengers.</li>
<li>The audit studied 15 railway stations across the country with maximum traffic, including Allahabad, Kanpur, Mathura, Mughalsarai, Chennai Central, Howrah, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and New Delhi railway stations.</li>
<li>At <g class="gr_ gr_36 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="36" data-gr-id="36">present</g> the focus is mainly on improving the fa&ccedil;ade and passenger facilities, rather <g class="gr_ gr_28 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="28" data-gr-id="28">that</g> removing bottlenecks to ensure timely movement of trains.</li>
<li>It acknowledged that although there has been a significant increase in the number of trains handled per day in the 15 selected stations, the infrastructure <g class="gr_ gr_37 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="37" data-gr-id="37">were</g> not augmented.</li>
<li>It noted that the trains have to wait at outer signals or the adjacent station until the platform is vacated by the earlier train because of non-availability of platforms. The detention of goods trains was significantly higher.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Major Recommendations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Providing platforms with adequate length for easy boarding of long trains,</li>
<li>Further expansion of the stations by adding more platforms,</li>
<li>Providing adequate facilities for stabling trains (trains that are parked while awaiting their next turn of duty)</li>
<li>Adequate yard capacity</li>
<li>Availability of adequate washing pit lines.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cag-report-on-indian-railways'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Earth at Risk of Becoming 'Hothouse'',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A recent report titled "Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene", has warned about ill-effects of global temperatures rising more than 2&deg;C above pre-industrial levels.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, global average temperatures are just over 1&deg;C above pre-industrial and rising at 0.17&deg;C per decade.</li>
<li>According to the report, &nbsp;a domino effect will kick in leading to "hothouse" conditions even if we manage to keep global temperatures to 2&deg;C above pre-Industrial levels and higher sea levels, making some areas on Earth uninhabitable.</li>
<li>Hothouse is a condition where the global temperatures will be 4-5 degrees higher than the pre-industrial level and sea levels may surge by up to 60 <g class="gr_ gr_78 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="78" data-gr-id="78">metres</g> higher than today even if emission reduction targets under the Paris climate deal are met.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Feedback Processes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Human emissions of greenhouse gas are not the sole determinant of temperature on Earth.</li>
<li>The scientists looked at 10 natural systems, which they term "feedback processes" which help humanity to avoid the worst impacts of carbon and temperature rises. However, if one of these systems tips over and starts pushing large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, the rest could follow like a row of dominoes.</li>
<li>These natural systems <g class="gr_ gr_73 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="73" data-gr-id="73">are:</g> permafrost, methane hydrates trapped in ocean floors, land and ocean carbon sinks, Arctic summer sea ice, Antarctic sea ice, polar ice sheets, etc.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Permafrost</strong> refers to the perennially frozen soil found in the Earth&rsquo;s higher latitudes. Technically, it is ground that remains at or below a temperature of 0&deg;C for at least 2 consecutive years.</li>
<li><strong>Methane hydrate</strong>&nbsp;is a cage-like lattice of ice inside of which are trapped molecules of methane. Hydrate deposits generally occur in two types of settings: under Arctic permafrost, and beneath the ocean floor.</li>
<li><strong>Carbon sinks</strong> are holding tanks for carbon or carbon compounds, like carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon sinks can be natural or man-made. There are three main natural carbon sinks: Plants, Soil, Oceans.<br />Man Made carbon sinks can be created or use existing underground formations, or even the oceans, to store CO2. &nbsp;The main artificial sinks are landfills&nbsp;and carbon capture and storage processes.</li>
<li>The <strong>Sahel region</strong> of Africa&nbsp;is a 3,860-kilometre arc-like land mass lying to the immediate south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the breadth of the African continent. A largely semi-arid belt of barren, sandy and rock-strewn land, the Sahel marks the physical and cultural transition between the continent&rsquo;s more fertile tropical regions to the south and its desert in the north.</li>
<li>The <strong>boreal forest&nbsp;</strong>(also known as the<strong>&nbsp;taiga</strong>,&nbsp;a <g class="gr_ gr_70 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="70" data-gr-id="70">russian</g> word meaning swampy moist forest) is found in a nearly continuous belt across North America and Eurasia.</li>
<li>The deep-ocean currents are driven by differences in the water&rsquo;s density, which is controlled by temperature (<g class="gr_ gr_69 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="69" data-gr-id="69">thermo</g>) and salinity (haline). This process is known as<strong> thermohaline circulation</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)</strong>&nbsp;is a single climate phenomenon comprising of three states. The two opposite phases, &ldquo;El Ni&ntilde;o&rdquo; and &ldquo;La Ni&ntilde;a,&rdquo; and &nbsp;&ldquo;Neutral&rdquo; is in the middle of them. El Ni&ntilde;o is warming of the ocean surface, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. La Ni&ntilde;a is cooling of the ocean surface, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Crossing into a Hothouse Earth period would see a higher global temperature than at any time in the past 1.2 million years.</li>
<li>Although the worst impacts may not be felt for a century or two, it would be irreversible once it starts.</li>
<li>The report says that the extreme weather events being experienced right now around the world cannot be immediately associated with the risk of passing 2 degrees C. However, it may be evidence of the Earth becoming more sensitive to warming than previously thought.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The hothouse scenario can be avoided by fundamentally re-adjusting mankind's&rsquo; &nbsp;relationship with the planet.</li>
<li>A total re-orientation of human values, equity, <g class="gr_ gr_63 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="63" data-gr-id="63">behaviour</g> <g class="gr_ gr_62 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="62" data-gr-id="62">and</g> technologies are required.</li>
<li>Not only burning of fossil fuels must be stopped by the middle of this century, but mitigation measures like planting trees, protecting forests, working out how to block the Sun's rays and developing machines to suck carbon out of the air must be taken up at massive scale.</li>
<li>Maximizing the chances of avoiding a "Hothouse Earth" requires not only reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions but also enhancement and/or creation of new biological carbon stores, for example, through improved forest, agricultural and soil management; biodiversity conservation; and technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it underground.</li>
<li>However, many scientists argue that we have entered a new geological era, the Anthropocene, in which human activity is directly affecting the planet.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pulling-back-from-the-brink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Editorial: Pulling Back From the Brink</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/earth-at-risk-of-becoming-hothouse'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Most Babies Not Breastfed In Their First Hour',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The 5th Report of Assessment of India&rsquo;s Policy and Programmes on Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding, 2018, was recently released.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report has been prepared by a national consortium of public health groups and agencies including government departments, AIIMS and UNICEF, under the aegis of World <g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="52" data-gr-id="52">Breastfeeeding</g> Trends Initiative (WBTI).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India performs better in terms of infant and young child feeding practices scoring 34 out of 50 on five parameters.</li>
<li><strong>6 out of 10 babies</strong> born in the country are not able to begin breastfeeding within one hour of birth despite an improvement in institutional deliveries.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is due to a <strong>lack of <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="66" data-gr-id="66">supportive</g> work environment, inadequate skills of health care providers</strong> as well as <strong><g class="gr_ gr_67 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="67" data-gr-id="67">caesarean</g> deliveries</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study gives India a score of 45 out of 100 on 10 parameters under the category of policy and programmes.</li>
<li>India has made some progress over the years and between National Family Health Survey NFHS-3 (2005-06) and NFHS-4 (2015-16), early initiation of breastfeeding has improved from 23.4% to 41.5% children breastfed within one hour of birth. However, this hasn&rsquo;t kept pace with the increase in institutional deliveries which more than doubled during the same period.</li>
<li>The report notes that <g class="gr_ gr_53 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="53" data-gr-id="53">the the Ministry</g> of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry for Women and Child Development have taken several initiatives on infant and child nutrition but <strong>have not adopted an overall official policy</strong>, which is hindering action plans and budgets.</li>
<li>The replacement of the Baby Friendly Hospitals Initiative, which is a worldwide programme of WHO and UNICEF, with the health ministry&rsquo;s programme called <strong>Mother&rsquo;s Absolute Affection</strong> is problematic.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The health ministry programme <strong>does not provide accreditation to hospitals that are baby friendly</strong> and is not applicable to private sector institutions where a large percentage of deliveries and <g class="gr_ gr_62 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="62" data-gr-id="62">caesarean</g> sections take place.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has <strong>slipped in regulating the marketing of breastmilk substitutes</strong> since the last assessment. The companies are marketing breastmilk substitutes more aggressively since monitoring of the law is weak.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><g class="gr_ gr_56 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="56" data-gr-id="56">Although,</g> India has had a strong law on infant milk substitutes since 1992, it does not have <g class="gr_ gr_57 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="57" data-gr-id="57">authorised</g> government officers and is dependent on NGOs to check if the law is being followed.</li>
<li>Legislative proceedings against violators have also not been quite <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="51" data-gr-id="51">upto</g> the mark.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has performed badly in other key indicators like support for mothers and community outreach, disseminating information on infant and child feeding, feeding children with HIV and feeding children during emergencies.</li>
<li>India has made significant progress in maternity protection. <strong>The Maternity Benefits Act, 2017</strong> passed by the government which <strong>increased the maternity leave for women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks</strong>, has contributed to it. However, this law does not cover <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="72" data-gr-id="72">the large</g> number of women who <g class="gr_ gr_73 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="73" data-gr-id="73">work</g> India&rsquo;s informal sector.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> Mother&rsquo;s Absolute Affection Program was launched in 2016 with a focus on the promotion of breastfeeding practices.</p>
</div>
<h3><g class="gr_ gr_71 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="71" data-gr-id="71">Significance</g> of Mother&rsquo;s Breast Milk</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mother&rsquo;s breast milk within one hour of birth ensures that the infant receives the <strong>colostrum or first milk,</strong> which is extremely <strong>rich in nutrients and antibodies.</strong></li>
<li>The WHO and UNICEF also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to the age of six months and thereafter complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.</li>
<li>Other than health benefits to children, breastfeeding also <strong>reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in the mothers</strong> and <strong>protects the baby from risks of future obesity</strong> and <strong>diabetes</strong> in children.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To improve nutrition standards, India needs to elevate its Infant and Child Feeding guidelines to policy.</li>
<li>The government should also effectively enforce the Infant Milk Substitutes Act with better monitoring and action against violators. The Act calls for specific attention to the Maternity Benefit Act to support women in the informal sector and universal application of the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/most-babies-not-breastfed-in-their first-hour'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Study Reveals Presence of Scrub Typhus Among Encephalitis Patients',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Majority of the patients admitted for treatment of <strong>Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)</strong> have <strong>Scrub Typhus</strong> according to the recent study of Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical college,Gorakhpur.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Acute Encephalitis Syndrome</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is an umbrella term for all symptoms which cause<strong>&nbsp;inflammatory brain diseases</strong>. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006, coined the term AES to signify a group of diseases which seem similar to one another but are difficult to differentiate in the chaotic environment of an outbreak.</li>
<li><span>AES can be caused by a range of factors, including toxins in unripe lychee fruit, viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and chemical poisons.&nbsp;<strong>It is not vaccine-preventable.</strong></span></li>
<li><span>In India,&nbsp;<strong>AES outbreaks in north and eastern India have been linked to children eating unripe lychee fruit on empty stomachs</strong>. Unripe lychees contain the toxins hypoglycin A (naturally occurring amino acid) and methylenecyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG), which cause vomiting if ingested in large quantities.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This findings has also been backed by the research conducted by <strong>National Institute of Epidemiology</strong>.</li>
<li>The finding is important as Scrub Typhus if diagonsed earlier can be easily treated.</li>
<li>As per the &nbsp;paper published in <strong>Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal</strong> in May this year revealed about the efficacy of drug <strong>azithromycin</strong> in treating Scrub Typhus.</li>
<li>Further evidence regarding the role of scrub typhus comes from a study of <strong>trombiculid mites</strong> in eastern Uttar Pradesh by <strong>Chennai&rsquo;s Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC)</strong> which found that &nbsp;the mites carried <strong>Orientia tsutsugumashi,</strong> the bacterium which causes scrub typhus.</li>
<li>The study also found an increase in infestation of <strong>rodents</strong> by trombiculid mites during August-October, a reason behind high occurrence of the disease during monsoon.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Scrub Typhus</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scrub Typhus</strong> is an acute illness caused by a bacterium Orienta Tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected mite larva present in the soil.</li>
<li>Its <strong>symptoms</strong> includes <strong>fever</strong> (often accompanied by an eschar at the bite site), <strong>chills, severe headache, rashes and generalized lymphadenopathy</strong>.</li>
<li>Most cases of scrub typhus occur in rural areas of <strong>Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia</strong>.</li>
<li>Anyone living in or traveling to areas where scrub typhus is found could get infected.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/study-reveals-presence-of-scrub-typhus-among-encephalitis-patients'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Centre to Form  Group of Ministers (GoM) to Decide India’s Fate Regarding Joining RCEP',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Central government will set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to decide the course of action regarding India joining the 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GoM comprises Commerce and Industry Minister, Finance Minister, Defence Minister and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister.</li>
<li>Most ministries and departments have expressed reservations about India joining the proposed RCEP.</li>
<li>The move comes amid pressure from other potential RCEP members to show substantial progress in negotiations by the end of this year.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Programme (RCEP)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RCEP is a proposed FTA between 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Myanmar,Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and their six FTA partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.</li>
<li>The proposed RCEP aspires to cover almost every aspect of economy such as goods, services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property rights (IPR), rules of origin and competition and dispute settlement.</li>
<li>It accounts for 25% of global GDP, 30% of global trade, 26% of FDI flows and 45% of the total population.</li>
<li>From India&rsquo;s point of view, RCEP is critical:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>RCEP countries account for almost 27% of India&rsquo;s total trade.</li>
<li>Exports to RCEP countries account for about 15% of India&rsquo;s total exports and imports from RCEP comprise 35% of India&rsquo;s total imports.</li>
<li>India runs a trade deficit with ASEAN as well as partner countries of RCEP.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since RCEP proposes to eliminate import tariffs on 90% of goods, many across the Government felt that joining the pact could severely dent local manufacturing and jobs in India.</li>
<li>India runs a trade deficit with ASEAN as well as partner countries of RCEP. India&rsquo;s trade deficit with the bloc has risen from $9 billion in 2005 to $83 billion in 2017, of which China alone accounts for over 60% of the deficit. There are concerns that China&rsquo;s $60-billion trade surplus with India will swell even further as it floods the market with cheap goods at zero tariff.</li>
<li>Moreover, India's experience with trade pacts hasn't been very good. India already has trade pacts with Asean, Japan and South Korea.</li>
<li>The view is that it got a raw deal on services, its core strength, under the Asean trade agreement while losing out on market access in goods that is hurting domestic manufacturing.</li>
<li>The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce in December 2017 strongly recommended that India seek better market access for its products and services where India has an edge over ASEAN nations, like leather goods and pharmaceuticals, to improve the trade balance with ASEAN.</li>
<li>The committee also found that while exports of agricultural products from India faced high import tariffs and barriers, leading to a sharp drop in trade, there was &lsquo;near absence of quality norms&rsquo; for import of cheap processed food products from ASEAN countries.</li>
<li>Consequently, India has so far maintained that a speedy and successful conclusion of the agreement would be possible only with the inclusion of a higher level of services and investment in the India-Asean trade basket since India&rsquo;s strength lies in services trade, and negotiation on this is critical.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is vital for India to ensure that the RCEP is truly comprehensive and does not just focus on market access for goods while ignoring services where it has comparative advantages.</li>
<li>India should actively pursue second generation reforms of its domestic economic policies, including those that reform its factor markets, to make its trade more competitive.</li>
</ul>',
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		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'China Successfully Tests its First Hypersonic Aircraft',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>China has successfully tested its first waverider hypersonic flight vehicle, a weapon that can carry nuclear warheads and break through any current generation anti-missile defense system due to its high speed and unpredictable trajectory.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Xingkong-2, or Starry Sky-2,</strong> was launched in a rocket and &nbsp;released in the air after about 10 minutes.</li>
<li>The current generation of anti-missile defense systems are mainly designed to intercept cruise and ballistic missiles, which are either slower or easier to predict, making them possible to intercept.</li>
<li>In addition to its military use, the hypersonic flight vehicle may also see civil use and industrial transport.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" p=""><strong>Hypersonic Aircraft</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the aircrafts which travels at least four times <strong>faster than the speed of sound</strong>.</li>
<li>It flies through the atmosphere at speeds above Mach 5, a speed where dissociation of air begins to become significant and high heat loads exists.</li>
<li>This type of aircraft, also known as the<strong> Waverider</strong> uses the shock waves generated by its own flight as a lifting surface to&nbsp;glide at high speed&nbsp;.</li>
<li>A traditional engine&rsquo;s fan blades cannot be used for these jets, as they would melt if used at hypersonic speeds.</li>
<li>The aircraft instead uses the shockwaves created by travelling at such high speeds to squeeze incoming air.</li>
</ul>
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'World’s First Thermal Battery Plant Unveiled in Andhra Pradesh',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: left;">The world&rsquo;s first-ever thermal battery plant has been inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The plant will be operated by the Bharat Energy Storage Technologies Pvt Ltd (BEST) and is seen as a potential alternative to the energy produced using fossil fuels.</li>
<li>It aims to create a new energy storage form that is expected to have commercial applications, while also maintaining a low carbon footprint.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The solar energy is dependent on external factors like weather and it also requires a robust energy storage infrastructure.</li>
<li>Even the existing energy storage technologies depend on Lithium-based batteries, which are expensive since their replacement is needed every six to seven years. They are also low on energy density and need a high footprint.</li>
<li>Furthermore, Lithium's sensitivity to extreme temperatures requires the energy storage systems to be placed in conditioned temperatures, requiring about eight to ten per cent energy storage for the cause.</li>
<li>Thus, the coming of thermal battery is a landmark development in the field of technology and environmental protection.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Thermal Battery</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li style="text-align: left;">Thermal Battery was invented and patented by Dr Patrick Glynn in India 2016.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">It uses thermal energy to operate, i.e., the energy created by temperature differences. Therefore, the energy transfer in thermal batteries helps store heat when heat travels from one part of the battery setup to the other.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">A thermal battery consists of two parts: a cool zone known as sink, and a hot source called source.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Both these sides consist of compounds known as phase-changing materials (PCMs), which can change their state of matter on the basis of a physical/chemical reaction.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">When the sink of a thermal battery receives heat, it transforms physically or chemically, thereby storing energy, while the source cools down.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">During operation, the sink is cooled down, so it releases the stored energy, while the source heats up.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Depending on the nature of the battery, the system can derive heat from any source, which makes a thermal battery very versatile.</li>
</ul>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C9Tssi526r8" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
<h3>Applications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The energy storage device will help store renewable energy for various purposes and thereby&nbsp;help in mitigating carbon emissions, grid balancing and stabilisations.</li>
<li>It will be used to store energy for telecommunication, commercial establishments, electric vehicles and highway charging stations.</li>
<li>Since thermal batteries function as long as there is a heat source to drive their operation, they could help solve power issues in remote areas, and also address rising energy requirements from regional or national grids.</li>
<li>The batteries are expected to reduce the country&rsquo;s dependence on fossil fuels&nbsp;and other non-renewable sources of energy.</li>
<li>The facility will also manufacture storage devices that are environment-friendly with no use of hard metal or inflammable substances.</li>
<li>It also aims at thriving in the global market by helping curtail global warming and carbon emissions and looks forward to helping achieve the Government of India's vision of electrified mobility by 2030.</li>
</ul>',
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		'title' => 'World Biofuel Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>World Biofuel Day</strong> is observed every year on <strong>August 10</strong> to create awareness about the importance of <strong>non-fossil fuels</strong> as an alternative to <strong>conventional fossil fuels.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the <strong>Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas</strong> for the last three years.</li>
<li>Persons from diverse fields like Members of Parliament<g class="gr_ gr_97 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="97" data-gr-id="97">,Students</g><g class="gr_ gr_98 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="98" data-gr-id="98">,farmers</g><g class="gr_ gr_99 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="99" data-gr-id="99">,entrepreneurs</g><g class="gr_ gr_100 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="100" data-gr-id="100">,Ambassadors</g><g class="gr_ gr_101 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="101" data-gr-id="101">,Government</g> officers will participate in the event.</li>
<li>Separate interactive sessions on<strong> ethanol, bio-diesel, bio-CNG</strong> and <strong>2nd Generation biofuels</strong> are also scheduled after the inaugural session.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ethanol</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ethanol</strong> is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials collectively known as <strong>"biomass&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Ethanol is also available as<strong> E85 (or flex fuel)</strong>, which can be used in flexible fuel vehicles, designed to operate on any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%.</li>
<li>Another blend, <strong>E15,</strong> is approved for use in <g class="gr_ gr_104 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="104" data-gr-id="104">model</g> year 2001 and newer vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bio-Diesel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bio-diesel</strong> is an <strong>alternative fuel</strong> similar to conventional or &lsquo;fossil&rsquo; diesel.</li>
<li>Bio-diesel can be produced from straight <strong>vegetable oil, animal oil/fats, tallow <g class="gr_ gr_93 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="93" data-gr-id="93">and</g> waste cooking oil.</strong></li>
<li>The process used to convert these oils to Bio-diesel is called <strong>transesterification</strong>.</li>
<li>The main benefit of bio-diesel is that it can be described as <strong>&lsquo;carbon neutral</strong>&rsquo;. This means that the fuel produces no net output of carbon in the form of <strong>carbon dioxide (CO2)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bio-CNG</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bio-CNG</strong> is the purified form of Biogas where all the unwanted gases are removed to produce<strong> pure methane gas</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Bio-CNG</strong> is exactly similar to the commercially available natural gas in its composition and energy potential. As it is generated from biomass, it is considered a renewable source of energy and thus, attracts all the commercial benefits applicable to other renewable sources of energy.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It aims at <strong>blending ethanol with petrol,</strong> thereby bringing it under the category of biofuels and saving millions of dollars by cutting fuel imports.</li>
<li>Under <g class="gr_ gr_107 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="107" data-gr-id="107">EBP</g> program<g class="gr_ gr_108 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="108" data-gr-id="108">,availability</g> of ethanol will increase due to the higher price for<strong> C heavy <g class="gr_ gr_90 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="90" data-gr-id="90">molasses</g></strong><g class="gr_ gr_90 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="90" data-gr-id="90"> based</g> ethanol and enabling procurement of ethanol from <strong>B heavy molasses</strong> and sugarcane juice for the first time.</li>
<li>The Government has also reduced GST on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sugarcane molasses is a <g class="gr_ gr_89 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="89" data-gr-id="89">viscous</g>, dark and sugar-rich by-product of sugar extraction from the sugarcane.</li>
<li>B molasses (second molasses) has approximately the same DM content as A molasses but contains less sugar and does not spontaneously crystallize.</li>
<li>C molasses (final molasses, blackstrap molasses, treacle) is the end by-product of the processing in the sugar factory. It still contains considerable amounts of <strong>sucrose</strong> (approximately 32 to 42%). C molasses does not crystallize and can be found in liquid or dried form as a commercial feed ingredient.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>National Policy on Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The objective of the Biofuel policy is to achieve <strong>20% ethanol-blending</strong> and<strong> 5% biodiesel-blending</strong> by the year 2030.</li>
<li>The policy also expands the scope of feedstock for ethanol production and has provided for incentives for <g class="gr_ gr_110 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="110" data-gr-id="110">production</g> of <strong>advanced biofuels.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Difference between Basic and <g class="gr_ gr_91 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="91" data-gr-id="91">Advance</g> Biofuels</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Second-generation biofuels,</strong> also known as<strong> advanced biofuels</strong>, are fuels that can be manufactured from various types of <strong>non-food biomass.</strong> Biomass in this context means plant materials and animal waste used especially as a source of fuel.</li>
<li><strong>First-generation biofuels</strong> are made from the sugars and vegetable oils found in food crops using standard processing technologies.</li>
<li>Second-generation biofuels are made from different feedstocks and therefore may require different technology to extract useful energy from them.</li>
<li>Second generation feedstocks include <strong>lignocellulosic biomass or woody crops, agricultural residues or waste,</strong> as well as dedicated non-food energy crops grown on marginal land unsuitable for crop production.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Initiatives Taken by the Government of India on Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Simplifying the procurement procedures of<strong> Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).</strong></li>
<li>Amending the provisions of <strong><g class="gr_ gr_114 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="114" data-gr-id="114">Industries</g> (Development &amp; Regulation) Act, 1951.</strong></li>
<li>Enabling <strong>lignocellulosic route</strong> for ethanol procurement.</li>
<li>Administrative price mechanism for ethanol.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong><strong></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lignocellulosic biomass</strong> refers to <strong>plant biomass</strong> that is composed of <strong>cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Biomass</strong> is increasingly recognized as a valuable <g class="gr_ gr_96 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep gr-progress" id="96" data-gr-id="96">commodity,</g> since it is an alternative to <strong>petroleum</strong> for the production of <strong>biofuels and chemicals.</strong></li>
<li>Even today, <strong>cellulose consumption</strong> is threefold higher than that of steel and is equal to that of cereals, but its current uses are mainly restricted to the<strong> materials sector (wood-based and paper)</strong>.</li>
<li>From an energy point of <g class="gr_ gr_106 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="106" data-gr-id="106">view</g> lignocellulosic biomass can replace <strong>fossil fuels</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Other Facts</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India</strong> is the third <strong>largest consumer of energy</strong> in the world after <strong>China</strong> and the <strong>US</strong>.</li>
<li>Currently, the country is dependent on imports for about 82.1 <g class="gr_ gr_102 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="102" data-gr-id="102">per cent</g> of its <strong>crude oil</strong> requirement and to the extent of about 44.4 <g class="gr_ gr_103 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="103" data-gr-id="103">per cent</g> in case of <strong>natural gas</strong>.</li>
<li>Oil PSUs are also planning to set up <strong><g class="gr_ gr_111 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="111" data-gr-id="111">12 second</g> generation (2G) biorefineries</strong> to augment ethanol supply and address environmental issues arising out of <g class="gr_ gr_109 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="109" data-gr-id="109">burning</g> of <strong>agricultural biomass</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>biofuels programme</strong> is also in sync with other Government of India initiatives like <strong>Make in India and Swachh Bharat Mission.</strong></li>
</ul>',
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	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => '  ISRO to Launch State-of-the-Art Satellites',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch a number of state-of-the-art satellites to further enhance operational applications and cater to the needs of emerging applications<g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Style replaceWithoutSep" id="65" data-gr-id="65">.The</g> details of the state of the art satellites approved for launch till 2019-20 are</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Third generation Cartosat series satellite for very <g class="gr_ gr_64 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="64" data-gr-id="64">high resolution</g> mapping</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p>
<p>The Cartosat satellites are being launched to provide remote sensing services. Images sent by it will be useful for coastal land use and regulation, road network monitoring, distribution of water and creation of land use maps, among others.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Second generation stereo imaging satellite for Digital Elevation Model.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stereo Satellite imaging also called stereoscopy or 3D imaging is a photography technique originally developed for creating the illusion of depth in an image or set of images.</li>
<li>In remote sensing <g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="52" data-gr-id="52">applications</g> photographs of the earth are taken and 3D topographic maps and computer models can be created using the stereo images.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Geostationary Imaging Satellite (GISAT) for Earth observation from Geostationary Orbit.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GEO Imaging Satellite is an <g class="gr_ gr_50 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="50" data-gr-id="50">earth-observing</g> satellite operating from geostationary orbit to facilitate continuous observation of Indian sub-continent, quick monitoring of natural hazards and disaster.</li>
<li>A geosynchronous orbit is a high Earth orbit that allows satellites to match Earth's rotation. Located at 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth's equator, this position is a valuable spot for monitoring weather, communications <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="51" data-gr-id="51">and</g> surveillance.</li>
<li>Third generation Ocean imaging satellite for ocean <g class="gr_ gr_61 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="61" data-gr-id="61">colour</g>, sea surface temperature mapping and ocean surface wind vector mapping</li>
<li>Third generation ResourceSat series of <g class="gr_ gr_60 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="60" data-gr-id="60">satellite</g> with improved spatial resolution and swath</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ResourceSat satellite is <g class="gr_ gr_59 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="59" data-gr-id="59">a advanced</g> remote sensing satellite built by ISRO</li>
<li>The <g class="gr_ gr_55 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="55" data-gr-id="55">Resourcesat</g>-1 satellite was launched on October 17, 2003, followed by Resourcesat-2 on April 20, 2011, to ensure systematic and repetitive coverage of the earth&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li>The objective of these Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites is to provide data for integrated land and water resource management.</li>
<li>The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 817 km.</li>
<li>The satellites take 101.35 minutes to complete one revolution around the earth and complete about 14 orbits per day.</li>
<li>The constellation of high-resolution imaging satellites for a frequent revisit.</li>
<li>Nanosatellite for Aerosol monitoring.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term "nanosatellite" or "nanosat" is usually applied to the name of an artificial satellite with a wet mass between 1 and 10 kg (2.2&ndash;22 lb). Again designs and proposed designs of these types usually have multiple nanosatellites working together or <g class="gr_ gr_54 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="54" data-gr-id="54">in formation</g> (sometimes the term "swarm" is applied). Some designs require a larger "mother" satellite for communication with ground controllers or for launching and docking with nanosatellites.</li>
<li>Satellite for monitoring chlorophyll fluorescence and radiation environment</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chlorophyll fluorescence is a non-invasive measurement of photosystem II (PSII) activity and is a commonly used technique in plant physiology. The sensitivity of PSII activity to abiotic and biotic factors has made this a key technique not only for understanding the photosynthetic mechanisms but also as a broader indicator of how plants respond to environmental change.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/isro-to-launch-state-of-the-art-satellites'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Inward Remittances Survey 2016-17',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Reserve Bank released the survey on India&rsquo;s inward remittances in 2016-17, which is the fourth in the series.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It captures various aspects relating to remittances &ndash; source; destination; <g class="gr_ gr_74 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="74" data-gr-id="74">purpose</g> of inward remittances; size; prevalent mode of transmission; and receivers&rsquo;/ senders&rsquo; cost of remittances.</li>
<li>It can also be noted that according to the latest <strong>Migration and Development Brief of the World Bank</strong>, India retained the <strong>top position</strong> as recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending about USD 69 billion back home in 2017.</li>
</ul>
<p>NOTE: A <strong>remittance</strong> is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to an individual in his or her home country. Workers' remittances are a significant part of international capital flows, especially with regard to <g class="gr_ gr_76 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="76" data-gr-id="76">labour-exporting</g> countries.</p>
<h3>Highlights of the Survey</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the top source of inward remittances, while Kerala has received the maximum funds sent from abroad</li>
<li>82 <g class="gr_ gr_62 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="62" data-gr-id="62">per cent</g> of the total remittances received by India originated from eight countries, viz., the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, the United Kingdom <g class="gr_ gr_61 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="61" data-gr-id="61">and</g> Malaysia.</li>
<li>Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu together received 58.7 <g class="gr_ gr_59 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="59" data-gr-id="59">per cent</g> of total remittances.</li>
<li>More than half of remittances received by Indian residents were used for family maintenance, i.e., consumption (59.2 <g class="gr_ gr_64 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="64" data-gr-id="64">per cent</g>), followed by deposits in banks (20 <g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="65" data-gr-id="65">per cent</g>) and investments in landed property and shares (8.3 <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="66" data-gr-id="66">per cent</g>)</li>
<li>Remittances to India were mostly routed through private sector banks (74.2 <g class="gr_ gr_67 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="67" data-gr-id="67">per cent</g>), followed by public sector banks (17.3 <g class="gr_ gr_68 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="68" data-gr-id="68">per cent</g>) and foreign banks (8.5 <g class="gr_ gr_69 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="69" data-gr-id="69">per cent</g>)</li>
<li>The<strong> rupee drawing arrangement (RDA)</strong> is the most popular channel of remittances which accounts for 75.2% of remittances, followed by <strong>SWIFT (19.5%)</strong>, direct transfers (3.4%) and cheques and drafts (1.9%).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Rupee Drawing Arrangement (RDA)</strong> is a channel to receive cross-border remittances from overseas jurisdictions. Under this arrangement, the Authorised Category I banks enter into tie-ups with the non-resident Exchange Houses in the<strong> Financial Action Task Force (FATF)</strong> compliant countries to open and maintain their <strong>Vostro Account</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)</strong> is an inter-governmental body established in<strong> 1989</strong> by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions.</li>
<li>The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.</li>
<li>The FATF is <g class="gr_ gr_48 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation replaceWithoutSep" id="48" data-gr-id="48">therefore</g> a<strong> &ldquo;policy-making body&rdquo;</strong> which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A <strong>Vostro Account</strong> is established to enable a foreign correspondent bank to act as an agent or provide services as an intermediary for a domestic bank to execute wire transfers, withdrawals and deposits for customers in countries where the domestic bank does not have a physical presence.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term <g class="gr_ gr_55 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling" id="55" data-gr-id="55">vostro</g> translated from <strong>Latin means "yours," as in your account</strong>. From the correspondent bank&rsquo;s point of view, the funds held on behalf of other banks are referred to as <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="51" data-gr-id="51">vostro</g> accounts and are denominated in the local currency.</li>
<li>From the perspective of domestic banks, the funds deposited at correspondent banks are <g class="gr_ gr_56 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="56" data-gr-id="56">referred</g> as <strong><g class="gr_ gr_53 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="53" data-gr-id="53">nostro</g> accounts.</strong> Nostro translated from <strong>Latin means "ours," as in our accounts</strong>. Nostro accounts are denominated in the foreign currency of the correspondent bank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT)</strong> provides a network that enables financial institutions worldwide to send and receive information about financial transactions in a secure, standardized and reliable environment.</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance of Remittances</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Remittances are crucial as they ensure permanent foreign currency inflows and help finance <g class="gr_ gr_78 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="78" data-gr-id="78">current</g> account deficit.</li>
<li>Unlike NRI deposits that can be repatriated and FDI that can be withdrawn instantly, remittances are more stable.</li>
<li>Experts suggest that the government should work towards safeguarding remittance inflows and find ways to secure overseas markets through its policies to further facilitate migration of workers.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-inward-remittances-survey-2016-17'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Indian Telescope Spots Distant Radio Galaxy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The scientists have discovered the <strong>most distant radio galaxy ever known</strong>, located at a distance of 12 billion light-years.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The discovery was done after studying the data derived from a sky survey done by the <strong>Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)</strong> in Pune seven years ago.</li>
<li>However, the distance of this galaxy was determined using the <strong>Gemini North telescope</strong> in Hawaii and the <strong>Large Binocular Telescope</strong> in Arizona.</li>
<li>This radio galaxy belongs to a time when the <strong>universe was only seven <g class="gr_ gr_63 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="63" data-gr-id="63">per cent</g> of its current age</strong>. This also means that the <strong>light from this galaxy is almost 12 billion years old</strong>.</li>
<li>The unraveling of such radio galaxies at large distances is important for <g class="gr_ gr_59 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="59" data-gr-id="59">understanding</g> of the formation and evolution of galaxies, and formation of primordial black holes.</li>
<li>The <strong>Centaurus A</strong> is the closest radio galaxy at only 10 million light years away from the Earth.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GMRT is an array of <strong>thirty fully steerable parabolic radio telescopes of <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="66" data-gr-id="66">45 <g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="65" data-gr-id="65">metre</g></g> diameter.</strong> It is operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.</li>
<li>GMRT is an <strong>indigenous project</strong>. Its design is based on the <strong>`SMART' concept</strong> - for Stretch Mesh Attached to Rope Trusses.</li>
<li>It functions at the <strong><g class="gr_ gr_48 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="48" data-gr-id="48">metre</g> wavelength part of the radio spectrum</strong> because <strong>man-made radio interference is considerably lower</strong> in this part of the spectrum in India and there are <strong>many outstanding astrophysics problems</strong> which are best studied at <g class="gr_ gr_49 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="49" data-gr-id="49">metre</g> wavelengths.</li>
<li>The location for GMRT, Pune meets several important criteria such as low man-made radio noise, availability of good communication, vicinity of industrial, educational and other infrastructure and,a geographical latitude sufficiently north of the geomagnetic equator in order to have a reasonably quiet ionosphere and yet be able to observe a good part of the southern sky as well.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Radio Galaxy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Radio galaxies are <strong>very rare objects</strong> in the universe. They are <strong>extremely large galaxies</strong> with a supermassive <strong>black hole</strong> in their <g class="gr_ gr_70 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="70" data-gr-id="70">centre</g> that actively accumulates gas and dust from its surroundings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><g class="gr_ gr_71 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="71" data-gr-id="71">Black</g> Hole</strong> is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out. The gravity is so strong because <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="72" data-gr-id="72">matter</g> has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> accumulation of gas and dust i</strong>nitiates the launch of <strong>high-energy jet streams</strong>, which are capable of accelerating charged particles around the supermassive black hole to almost the speed of light.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These jet streams are very clearly observed at radio wavelengths.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Radio galaxies and <strong>Quasars </strong>(believed to be a radio galaxy viewed down the length of the jet) are some of the brightest objects in the universe.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The word quasar is short for <strong>"quasi-stellar radio source",&nbsp;</strong>which means star-like emitters of radio waves. However, most quasars are faint radio emitters.</li>
<li>In addition to radio waves and visible light, quasars also emit ultraviolet rays, infrared waves, X-rays, and gamma-rays.</li>
<li>Most quasars are larger than our solar system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-telescope-spots-distant-radio-galaxy'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Bihar PCS Preliminary & Mains Syllabus',
		'catname' => 'State PCS',
		'desc' => '<h3 style="text-align: center;">PRELIMINARY TEST</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>COMPULSORY SUBJECT</strong></p>
<p><strong>GENERAL STUDIES</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>General Science.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Questions on <strong>General Science</strong> will cover general appreciation and understanding of science, including matters of everyday observation and experience, as may be expected of a <g class="gr_ gr_102 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="102" data-gr-id="102">well educated</g> person who has not made a special study of any scientific discipline.<strong></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current events</strong> of national and international importance.</li>
<li><strong>History</strong> of India and salient features of the history of Bihar.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In History, emphasis will be on <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="72" data-gr-id="72">broad</g> general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects.</li>
<li>The candidates are expected to be familiar with the broad aspects of the history of Bihar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>General <strong>Geography</strong> and geographical division of Bihar and its major river systems.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In Geography, emphasis will be on geography of India and Bihar.</li>
<li>Questions on the Geography of India and Bihar will relate to physical, social and economic Geography of the country including the main features of Indian agricultural and natural resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian <strong>Polity and Economy</strong> and major changes in the economy of Bihar in the <g class="gr_ gr_69 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="69" data-gr-id="69">post independence</g> period.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Questions of Indian Polity and Economy will test knowledge on the country&rsquo;s political system, <g class="gr_ gr_67 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="67" data-gr-id="67">panchayati</g> raj, community development and planning in India and Bihar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian National Movement and the part played by Bihar</strong> in it and also Questions on General Mental Ability.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Question on the Indian National Movement will relate to the nature and character of the <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="66" data-gr-id="66">nineteenth century</g> resurgence, growth of nationalism and attainment of Independence and candidates will be expected to answer questions on the role of Bihar in the freedom movement of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">MAIN EXAMINATION</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>COMPULSORY PAPER</strong></p>
<p><strong>01- GENERAL HINDI (सामान्य हिन्दी)</strong></p>
<p>इस पत्र में प्रश्न बिहार विद्यालय परीक्षा समिति के माध्यमिक (सेकेण्डरी) स्तर के होंगे। इस परीक्षा में सरल हिन्दी में अपने भावों को स्पष्टत: एवं शुद्ध-शुद्ध रूप में व्यक्त करने की क्षमता और सहज बोध शक्ति की जाँच समझी जायेगी।<br />अंकों का विवरण निम्न प्रकार होगा&ndash;<br />निबन्ध &ndash; 30 अंक<br />व्याकरण &ndash; 30 अंक<br />वक्य विन्यास &ndash; 25 अंक<br />संक्षेपण &ndash; 15 अंक</p>
<p><strong>GENERAL STUDIES</strong></p>
<p>General studies papers I and paper II will cover the following areas of knowledge:-</p>
<p><strong>02. GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- I</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Modern History of India and Indian culture.</li>
<li>Current events of national and international importance.</li>
<li>Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams.</li>
</ol>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In paper-I,&nbsp;Modern History of India and Indian Culture will cover the broad history of the country (with special reference to Bihar) from about the middle of <g class="gr_ gr_65 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="65" data-gr-id="65">nineteenth</g> century.</li>
<li>The modern history of Bihar will include questions on the introduction and expansion of western education (including technical education).</li>
<li>It will also have questions on Bihar&rsquo;s role in the freedom struggle of India.</li>
<li>Questions will relate to the Santhal Uprising, 1857 in Bihar, Birsa movement, Champaran <g class="gr_ gr_58 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="58" data-gr-id="58">Satyagrah</g> and the Quit India Movement 1942.</li>
<li>A knowledge of the chief features of Mauryan and Pal art and Patna Kalam painting will be expected from the examinees.</li>
<li>It would also include questions or Gandhi, Tagore <g class="gr_ gr_56 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="56" data-gr-id="56">and</g> Nehru.</li>
<li>The part relating to statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams will include exercises to test the candidate&rsquo;s ability to draw common sense conclusions from information presented in <g class="gr_ gr_74 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="74" data-gr-id="74">statistical</g>, graphical or diagrammatic form and to point out deficiencies, limitations or inconsistencies therein.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>03. GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Indian Polity</li>
<li>Indian economy and Geography of India</li>
<li>The role and impact of science and technology in the development of India.</li>
</ol>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In Paper II,&nbsp;the part relating to Indian <g class="gr_ gr_57 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="57" data-gr-id="57">Polity,</g> will include questions on the political system in India including Bihar.</li>
<li>In the part pertaining to the Indian Economy and Geography of India, questions will be put on planning in India and the physical, economic and social geography of India and Bihar.</li>
<li>In the third part relating to the role and impact of science and technology in the development of India, questions will be asked to test the candidate&rsquo;s awareness of the role and impact of science and technology in India and Bihar Emphasis will be on applied aspects.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/state-pcs/bihar-pcs-preliminary-&-mains-syllabus'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'The Problem of Fake News in India: Issues, Concerns and Regulation',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<p>Fake news has existed since the dawn of the printing press but in the age of internet and social media, it has found a tremendous application. Manipulation of algorithms of social media and search engines&mdash;to reach large audiences and mislead news consumers is a global trend now. Fake video clips, news stories with morphed media logos, bots, paid commentators for <g class="gr_ gr_133 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="133" data-gr-id="133">favourable</g> online reputation (troll farm) have become very common. Governments are using the threat of fake news to clamp down on free speech.</p>
<p>Globally, Snopes and in India Social Media Hoax Slayer, AltNews are some forums which expose fake news. Editor of Postcard News (India) was arrested for spreading falsehoods aimed at creating communal discord. Russia has been accused of manipulating the 2016 US elections through bots and fake news; it is a well-documented case of inter-national online manipulation. Russian interference in elections in the US and West Europe has been the biggest content manipulation concern in recent years. Facebook in the light of mounting criticism in the wake of Cambridge Analytica data scandal has announced that it will fight fake news and political misinformation, with new controls intended to ensure authenticity and transparency among advertisers and publishers.</p>
<h3>Freedom House&rsquo;s Freedom on the Net 2017 report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Online manipulation and disinformation tactics played an important role in elections in at least <strong>18 countries</strong> over the past year, including the US.</li>
<li>The <strong>Chinese and Russian regimes pioneered</strong> the use of surreptitious methods to distort online discussions and suppress dissent more than a decade ago, but the practice has since gone global.</li>
<li><strong>Paid Government Commentators:</strong> Venezuela, the Philippines, and Turkey were among 30 countries where governments were found to employ armies of &ldquo;opinion shapers&rdquo; to spread government views, drive particular agendas, and counter government critics on social media.</li>
<li><strong>Both state and non-state actors</strong> are increasingly creating automated accounts on social media to manipulate online discussions.</li>
<li>In Mexico, an estimated 75,000 automated accounts known colloquially as <strong>Pe&ntilde;abots</strong> have been employed to overwhelm political opposition on Twitter.</li>
<li>Bots drown out activists with hate speech on the web. Fake news is overwhelming and eclipsing the real truth.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Scale of the Problem in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Misinformation and disinformation spread in media is becoming a serious social challenge. It is leading to the poisonous atmosphere on the web and causing riots and lynchings on the road.</li>
<li>In the age of the internet (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter,) it is a serious problem as <g class="gr_ gr_119 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="119" data-gr-id="119">rumours</g>, morphed images, click-baits, motivated stories, unverified information, planted stories for various interests spread easily among 35 crore internet users in India.</li>
<li>There have been many instances of online <g class="gr_ gr_136 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="136" data-gr-id="136">rumours</g> leading to killings of innocent people. In some cases, ministers have deleted tweets after realizing the fake news which they shared earlier.</li>
<li><strong><em>In India, WhatsApp is the platform most vulnerable to fake news.</em></strong> Millions of Indians (a vast percentage is uneducated) using mobile internet innocently forwarding &lsquo;good morning&rsquo; messages every day are seen as most vulnerable to fake news.</li>
<li>In the recent Karnataka Assembly elections (2018) fake news about rival parties and candidates flooded the media.</li>
<li>It may not be a coincidence that India has the highest number of selfie deaths (person dying while trying to take a selfie) in the world (76 deaths out of 127 reported globally between March 2014 and September 2016). Use and abuse of mobile and internet remain a concern.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Fake News Damages: Popular Examples from India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Muzzafarnagar riots of 2013: fake video fuelled communal passions</li>
<li>UNESCO has declared &lsquo;Jana Gana Mana&rsquo; best national anthem in the world (WhatsApp)</li>
<li>Dawood properties worth Rs 15000 Cr seized in Dubai (Zee News, ABP)</li>
<li>President Kovind makes Twitter debut; gains 3 million followers in one hour (Republic, Zee news, TOI etc.)</li>
<li>Nostradamus had predicted the rise of supreme leader Narendus (Zee News)</li>
<li>Dying Woman Molested, Video shows (The Hindu)</li>
<li>Fatwa in Saudi Arabia; Men can eat wives when hungry (AajTak)</li>
<li>GPS tracking nanochip in 2000 Rupee notes (Nov 2016)</li>
<li>Salt Shortage <g class="gr_ gr_151 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="151" data-gr-id="151">rumours</g> (Nov 2016)</li>
<li>Child kidnapping <g class="gr_ gr_152 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="152" data-gr-id="152">rumours</g> lead to lynchings by a mob in Jharkhand</li>
<li>Minister using a Russian photo to show LED-electrification of streets</li>
<li>Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) annual report used a picture of Spain-Morocco border to show Indian border floodlighting</li>
<li>Missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed has joined the ISIS</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Laws and Regulation to Curb Fake News in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is no specific law against fake news in India. Free publication of news flows from Article 19 of the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech.</li>
<li><strong>Press Council of India</strong>, a regulatory body, can warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist if it finds that a newspaper or a news agency has violated journalistic ethics.</li>
<li><strong>News Broadcasters Association (NBA)</strong> represents the private television news and current affairs broadcasters. The self-regulatory body probes complaints against electronic media.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Broadcast Foundation (IBF)</strong> also looks into the complaints against contents aired by channels.</li>
<li><strong>Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC)</strong> admits complaints against TV broadcasters for objectionable TV content and fake news.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Penal Code (IPC)</strong> has certain sections which could curb fake news: Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) can be invoked to guard against fake news.</li>
<li><strong>Section 66 in The Information Technology Act, 2000</strong>: If any person, dishonestly or fraudulently, does any act referred to in section 43 (damage to computer, computer system), he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to five lakh rupees or with both.</li>
<li><strong>Civil or Criminal Case for Defamation</strong> is another resort against fake news for individuals and groups hurt by the fake news. IPC Section 499 (defamation) and 500 (whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both) provide for a defamation suit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Response and its Withdrawal, April 2018</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 2 April 2018, the government amended the &lsquo;Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists&rsquo;, to tackle fake news across media by providing for cancellation of accreditation of journalists even before the completion of proposed 15-days inquiry.</li>
<li><em><strong>It was withdrawn</strong></em> in fifteen hours after protests by media for being authoritarian. Note that India&rsquo;s rank is 136 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index (2017).</li>
<li>The Rajiv Gandhi government also had to withdraw the 1988 Defamation Bill aimed at curtailing press freedom. In the wake of Bofors and other corruption reporting in media, the bill sought to create new offenses of &lsquo;criminal imputation&rsquo; and &lsquo;scurrilous writings&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion: Education, Awareness, Regulation Needed</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Fake news is often created and circulated for gaining electoral currency and political gains. Often government&rsquo;s own party and agencies (through the undisclosed purchase of political ads and IT cells) may be involved. It is a rising trend seen in many countries led by China and Russia where internet manipulation and control is very high.</li>
<li>Any future legislation to curb fake news should take the whole picture into account and not blame the media and go for knee-jerk reactions; in this age of new media anyone can create and circulate new for undisclosed benefits.</li>
<li>Controlling fake news is a tricky issue: not controlling trolls could lead to national and international instability while doing too much to control it could harm democracy.</li>
<li>Countering content manipulation and fake news to restore faith in social media without undermining internet and media freedom will require public education, strengthening of regulations and effort of tech companies to make suitable algorithms for news curation.</li>
<li>Italy, for example, has experimentally added &lsquo;recognizing fake news&rsquo; in school syllabus. India should also seriously emphasize cybersecurity, internet education, fake news education in the academic curriculum at all levels.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-problem-of-fake-news-in-india-issues-concerns-and-regulation'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Khangchendzonga To Be Included In The World Network of Biosphere Reserves',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The decision was taken at the 30th Session of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia.</li>
<li>India has 18 Biosphere Reserves and with the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated WNBR has become 11, with 7 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="height: 389px; width: 69.5051%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td colspan="3" style="text-align: center; height: 35px; width: 97.7755%;"><strong>List of Biosphere Reserves in India</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;"><strong>Name</strong></td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;"><strong>State</strong></td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;"><strong>Geography</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Great Rann of Kutch</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Gujarat</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Desert</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 17px; text-align: center;">
<td style="height: 17px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Gulf of Mannar</td>
<td style="height: 17px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Tamil Nadu</td>
<td style="height: 17px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Coasts</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Sundarbans</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">West Bengal</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Gangetic Delta</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Cold Desert</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Himachal Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Nanda Devi</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Uttarakhand</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 12px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 12px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka</td>
<td style="height: 12px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Ghats</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Dihang-Dibang</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Arunachal Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Eastern Himalaya</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Madhya Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">SemiArid</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Seshachalam Hills</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Andhra Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Eastern Ghats</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Simlipal</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Odisha</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Deccan Peninsula</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Achanakamar Amarkantak</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Maikala Hills</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Manas</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Assam</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Khangchendzonga</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Sikkim</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="height: 23px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 23px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Kerala, Tamil Nadu</td>
<td style="height: 23px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Western Ghats</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Andaman and Nicobar Islands</td>
<td style="height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Islands</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Nokrek</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Meghalaya</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Dibru-Saikhowa</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Assam</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">East Himalayas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Panna</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 34.5339%; text-align: left;">Madhya Pradesh</td>
<td style="height: 19px; vertical-align: middle; width: 28.7077%; text-align: left;">Ken River</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve which is located in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level.</li>
<li>It includes a range of ecoclines (a gradation from one ecosystem to another, with no abrupt boundary between the two), varying from sub-tropic to Arctic, as well as natural forests in different biomes, that support an immensely rich diversity of forest types and habitats. <br />Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) was designated <strong>a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the &lsquo;mixed&rsquo; category</strong> (Mixed heritage sites contain elements of both natural and cultural significance).</li>
<li>World&rsquo;s third highest peak, <strong>Mt. Khangchendzonga,</strong> is situated within the Park. Numerous lakes and glaciers, including the 26 km long <strong>Zemu Glacier</strong> are a part of the Biosphere reserve.</li>
<li>Many of the mountains, peaks, lakes, caves, rocks, Stupas (shrines) and hot springs function as pilgrimage sites.</li>
<li>Over 118 species of the large number of medicinal plants found in Dzongu Valley in north Sikkim are of ethno-medical utility.</li>
<li>The transition zone of the Biosphere Reserve is targeted for eco-development activities, afforestation, plantation of medicinal herbs and soil conservation measures.</li>
<li>The core area of the Biosphere Reserve is a major transboundary Wildlife Protected Area and is largely situated in the Greater Himalayas.</li>
<li>The northern part of the area is characterized by trans-Himalayan features.</li>
<li>Buffer zones are being developed in the Park to promote eco-tourism activities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cultural Significance of Khangchendzonga National Park</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>KNP is home to a sacred site of one of the <strong>world's leading religious traditions</strong>. The <strong>notion of beyul or hidden sacred land,</strong> which extends to all of Sikkim, but has its heart in the territory of Khangchendzonga National Park, is important in Tibetan Buddhism, not only intrinsic to Sikkim, but in the neighbouring countries and beyond.</li>
<li>The multi-layered sacred landscape of Khangchendzonga and the cultural and religious relevance of the hidden land (beyul in Tibetan Buddhism and Mayel Lyang, in Lepcha tradition) is specific to Sikkim and is a <strong>unique example of co-existence and exchange between different religious traditions and people.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>indigenous religious and cultural practices of the Lepcha</strong> with regard to the ecology and the specific properties of local plants, stands as an example of traditional knowledge and environmental preservation.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Biosphere Reserves</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/ marine ecosystems or a combination thereof and representative examples of bio-geographic zones/provinces.</li>
<li>The idea of the biosphere reserve was initiated by UNESCO in 1974 under the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB). The objective of the programme was to obtain international cooperation for the conservation of the biospheres.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Core Area, Buffer Zone and Transition Zone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>transition area</strong> is the <strong>outermost part</strong> of a biosphere reserve. This is usually not delimited one and is a zone of cooperation where conservation knowledge and management skills are applied and uses are managed in harmony with the purpose of the biosphere reserve.</li>
<li>The <strong>core area is kept free from human pressures</strong> external to the system. It contains suitable habitat for numerous plant and animal species, including higher order predators and may contain centres of endemism. Core areas often conserve the wild relatives of economic species and also represent important genetic reservoirs having exceptional scientific interest.</li>
<li>The <strong>buffer zone, adjoins or surrounds core zone</strong>, activities are managed in this area in the ways that help in protection of core zone in its natural condition.</li>
<li>These activities include restoration, demonstration sites for enhancing value addition to the resources, limited recreation, tourism, fishing, grazing, etc; which are permitted to reduce its effect on core zone.&nbsp;Research and educational activities are also encouraged.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Man and Biosphere Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched <strong>in 1971</strong>, UNESCO&rsquo;s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.</li>
<li>MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khangchendzonga-to-be-included-in-the-world-network-of-biosphere-reserves'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Government launches  Niryat Mitra  App',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the Niryat Mitra Mobile App which has been developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the largest exporters&rsquo; organisation of the country.</p>
<h3>Niryat Mitra mobile App</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The App provides wide range of information relating to import-export, rates of GST, concessions available for export, fees and the necessary points for reaching markets.</li>
<li>The app works internally to map the ITC HS code of other countries with that of India and provides all the required data without the users bothering about the HS code of any country.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Note: ITC-HS Codes or better known as Indian Trade Clarification based on Harmonized System of Coding was adopted in India for import-export operations. Indian custom uses an eight digit ITC-HS Codes to suit the national trade requirements.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Its most important feature is that all information related to the tariff is available.</li>
<li>The app is available on both Android and on IOS platforms.</li>
<li>Presently, the app comes with the data of 87 countries.</li>
<li>The app will help to create export culture in the country and encourage the artisans,cottage Micro,small nad medium enterprises to plan for exports.</li>
<li>It will furthur increase the Ease of Doing Business and is a step towards Digital India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<h3>The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO)</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Federation of Indian Export Organisations represents the Indian entrepreneurs spirit of enterprise in the global market. It was set up in 1965.</li>
<li>It is an Apex body of the export promotion councils, community boards and development authorities in India.</li>
<li>It provides the crucial interface between international trading community of India &amp; the Central and State Governments, financial institutions, ports, railways and all engaged in export trade facilitation.</li>
<li>It serves the interests of over 100000 exporters from every goods and services sector in the country.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-launches-niryat-mitra -app'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => '  Meghalaya Launched the National Milk Mission to Promote Dairy Production',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><br />The North Eastern state of <strong>Meghalaya</strong> has launched the<strong> National Milk Mission</strong> to promote <strong>dairy production</strong> and become <strong>self sufficient</strong> in terms of milk production by 2022.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the<strong> livestock census of 2012</strong>, Meghalaya has about a million cattle with considerable <strong>milch cows</strong> (cross-bred), which contributes to almost 60 percent of the dairy production in the state.</li>
<li><strong>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare</strong>,while launching the <strong>Meghalaya Milk Mission (2018-22)</strong> pressed its concern regarding the lesser number of milk cooperatives in the state as compared to other states in the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Facts</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The National Co-operative Development Corporation</strong> has sanctioned a Rs 215-crore project under the milk mission <strong>to train people</strong> in dairy farms, to set up <strong>chilling centres</strong> and to <strong>purchase milch animals</strong>, among others.</li>
<li>The state government through the mission is planning to develop <strong>community ranches</strong> at the village level by inducting<strong> indigenous cattle breeds</strong> like<strong> Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi</strong> and <strong>Red Sindhi</strong>.</li>
<li>The State government opines that the promotion of community ranches will help in solving the <strong>land related problems</strong> being faced by the <strong>small and marginal farmers of the state.</strong></li>
<li>The State government through the mission also envisages to <strong>increase district level milk cooperative unions</strong> to eleven from the current three in <strong>Jaintia Hills, West Garo Hills and East Khasi Hills.</strong></li>
<li>It will help in achieving Centre&rsquo;s goal of <strong>doubling farmer&rsquo;s income by 2022</strong> through promotion of milk business in the state.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Meghalaya Milk Mission</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It aims to plug the <strong>demand and supply gap</strong> in the availability of per capita milk in the state.</li>
<li>To generate <strong>alternate livelihood opportunities</strong> for the rural people through the dairy sector and to create and revive <strong>dairy co-operatives.</strong></li>
<li>There is also a provision of Rs 1 crore for the <strong>training of farmers</strong> under the project.</li>
<li>The Mission is expected to benefit 2,000 farmers in the next four years.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages of Ranching</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It makes use of <strong>marginal or range areas</strong> that cannot support any meaningful crop farming.</li>
<li>It leads to the <strong>production of healthier animals.</strong></li>
<li>It creates <strong>employment opportunities.</strong></li>
<li>It leads to the <strong>protection of animals</strong> from <strong>predators</strong>.</li>
<li>It <strong>adds value</strong> to the <strong>farm products</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<h3>National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC)</h3>
<p></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)</strong> was established by an <strong>Act of Parliament in 1963</strong> as a <strong>statutory Corporation</strong> under the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers Welfare</strong>.</li>
<li>NCDC is engaged in the <strong>promotion</strong> and <strong>development</strong> of<strong> Cooperatives</strong> in agriculture and rural oriented activities</li>
<li>The Act has been<strong> amended</strong> recently to to enable it to fund cooperatives in<strong> the services sector, rural industries, livestock</strong> etc.</li>
<li>NCDC assistance is not i<strong>ndividual beneficiary</strong> oriented but is meant for <strong>institutional development of Cooperatives.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ meghalaya-launched-the-national-milk-mission-to-promote-dairy-production'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Govt. to get Rs. 50,000 cr. from RBI',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer ₹50,000 crore <strong>dividend&nbsp;</strong>to the government in line with the Union Budget provisions, which is the highest since 2015-16.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The transfer gives the government more room to infuse capital into the public sector banks. Earlier in October 2017, the government had decided to infuse Rs. 2.11 trillion into public sector banks through a mix of <strong>recapitalization bonds</strong> (Rs. 1.35 trillion), direct infusion from<strong> budgetary allocations</strong> (Rs. 18,000 crore) and<strong> market borrowing</strong> (Rs. 58,000 crore).</li>
</ul>
<div class="border">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Dividend:</strong> It refers to a reward, cash or otherwise, that a company gives to its shareholders. Dividends can be issued in various forms, such as cash payment, stocks or any other form.</p>
<p><strong>Recapitalisation bonds</strong> are dedicated bonds to be issued at the behest of the government for recapitalizing the trouble hit Public Sector Banks (PSBs).</p>
<p><strong>Market Borrowing</strong> is the money borrowed by the government through issuance of securities, bonds and bills. The government borrows money to make up the difference between revenues and expenditures. The money comes from both the lenders within the country as well as from the foreign lenders.</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In FY17, the central bank had transferred a lower surplus owing to the huge costs it incurred in managing the demonetization exercise.</li>
<li>Under the <strong>RBI Act, 1934,</strong> the central bank is required to pay the government its surplus after making provisions for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation in assets and, contribution to staff and superannuation fund among others.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Economic Survey Take</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since, the RBI is one of the most highly capitalized central banks in the world. So, redeployment of excess capital from RBI to the government will be more productive.</li>
<li>The surplus could be used to recapitalize public sector banks and improve the government&rsquo;s fiscal position.</li>
<li>However, it had also warned that the surplus transfer exercise should not undermine the central bank&rsquo;s independence.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/govt-to-get-50000-cr-from-rbi'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'NITI Aayog and CII Launch Partnership on SDGs',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The&nbsp;NITI&nbsp;Aayog entered into a <strong>three-year partnership</strong> with the&nbsp;Confederation of Indian Industry&nbsp;(CII) to develop vision and action agenda for the industry to contribute towards&nbsp;sustainable development&nbsp;goals (SDGs).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The partnership focuses on specific activities that seeks to develop:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vision and Action Agenda for businesses and industries to contribute to SDGs,</li>
<li>Annual Status Reports,</li>
<li>Sector-specific Best Practise Documents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Government reiterated that India will achieve its clean energy goals even earlier than 2022 and the only way to grow and develop sustainably is to use technology to<strong> leapfrog</strong>, use <strong>new and renewable energy</strong> and push for <strong>R&amp;D and innovation</strong> to generate demand for electric vehicles, hydrogen cars, etc. and to <strong>find local solutions</strong> to the diversity of challenges.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Leapfrog:&nbsp;</strong>An&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="advance">advance</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="from">from</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="one">one</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="place">place,</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="position">position,</span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="situation">situation</span>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="another">another</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="without">without</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="progressing">progressing</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="through">through</span>&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="all">all</span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="any">any</span>&nbsp;of<br /><span class="one-click" data-term="the">the&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-term="places">places</span>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="stages">stages</span>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-term="between">between. <strong>E.g.:</strong></span><span class="one-click" data-term="between">India will leapfrog to emission standards of BS-VI from the current BS-IV by 2020, skipping BS-V.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="one-click" data-term="between">Sustainable Development Goals</span></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><span class="one-click" data-term="between">Officially</span> known as <strong>Transforming our world</strong>, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a set of <strong>17 "Global Goals"</strong> with <strong>169 targets</strong> to be achieved over the <strong>next 15 years. </strong></li>
<li>They were adopted on September 25, 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable developmentagenda.</li>
<li>The UN spearh<span class="one-click" data-term="between">eaded SDGs are s<strong>uccessor of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that ended in 2015.</strong></span></li>
<li>The SDGs came into effect in January 2016.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/niti-aayog-and-cii-launch-partnership-on-sdgs'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => '25 Years of Local Democracy in India',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<p><em>The editorial traces the historical development and present state of local democracy in India- Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Municipalities.</em></p>
<p>The &lsquo;Gram&nbsp;<g class="gr_ gr_95 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="95" data-gr-id="95">Sawaraj</g>&rsquo; dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the &lsquo;Power to the People&rsquo; exhortation of Rajiv Gandhi are the essence of true democracy. Twenty-five years of regular elections and the ever-increasing roles of panchayats in local development have contributed to their emergence as a formidable political platform for both national and regional parties. The implementation of all welfare&nbsp;programmes is&nbsp;routed through the panchayats. In fact, the panchayat head is the only elected representative in India who has executive roles as well. Panchayats and Municipalities enabling local democracy have constitutional sanction in India.</p>
<h3>73rd and 74th Amendment Acts, 1993</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It&rsquo;s been 25 years since decentralized democratic governance was introduced in India by the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendments, which came into force on April 24 and June 1, 1993, respectively.</li>
<li>The 73rd Amendment to the Constitution (Part IX) has given constitutional status to the <g class="gr_ gr_293 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="293" data-gr-id="293">Panchayats,</g> and has provided it with a substantial framework. It envisions the Panchayats as the institutions of local self-governance and also the universal platforms for planning and implementing programmes for economic <br />development and social justice.</li>
<li>The creation of lakhs of &ldquo;self-governing&rdquo; village panchayats and gram <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling" id="72" data-gr-id="72">sabhas</g>, with over three million elected representatives mandated to manage local development, was a unique democratic experiment.</li>
<li>Article 243A gives constitutional recognition to the Gram Sabha as a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of the Panchayat at the village level.</li>
<li>The 74th Amendment Act provided for the constitution (Part IXA) of three types of municipalities in urban areas depending upon the size and area.</li>
<li>The Constitution provides for a complete institutional mechanism including reservation for women and formation of State Finance Commissions (SFCs) for local democracy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Problems with Local Democracy in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Inadequate devolution:</strong> All states have not been forthcoming in giving Panchayats and Municipalities enough funds, functions <g class="gr_ gr_76 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="76" data-gr-id="76">and</g> functionaries (3Fs). Functioning of local bodies is hampered by lack of interest in them by the states; devolution is uneven across states.</li>
<li><strong>States violating Provisions: </strong>From postponing the elections to the failure to&nbsp;constitute State Finance Commissions and District Planning Committees (DPCs), States have been seen to violate the&nbsp;various provisions of Parts IX and IXA.</li>
<li><strong>Inadequate Infrastructure:</strong> Insufficient staffing, office space, and infrastructure bottlenecks hamper the functioning of local bodies.</li>
<li>Panchayats and Municipalities have not used their fiscal powers efficiently. Very few Gram Panchayats levy and collect taxes (on markets, fairs, property, business and so on).</li>
<li>There was no real institutional decentralization except in the state of Kerala where local democracy has been very successful.</li>
<li>Most States continue to create parallel bodies (often fiefdoms of ministers and senior bureaucrats) that make inroads into the functional domain of local governments. For example, Haryana has created a Rural Development Agency, presided over by the Chief Minister, to enter into the functional domain of Panchayats.</li>
<li>Increasing allocations to Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) which started in 1993, and their State-level counterparts, known as the MLALADS has further eroded local democracy and grassroots decision making envisaged by the Constitution.</li>
<li>The 13th Finance Commission (FC) made significant steps to carry forward decentralized governance by <strong>linking the grants to local governments to the divisible pool</strong> via <br />Article 275 besides taking various measures to incentivize the process of decentralization. The 14th Finance Commission enhanced the grant substantially but did not take the change forward and the 15th FC which will submit its report in 2019 is also unlikely to incentivize devolution to local bodies.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Local government expenditure as a percentage of total public sector expenditure comprising Union, State and local governments are only around 7% in India as compared to 24% in Europe, 27% in North America and 55% in Denmark.</li>
</ul>
<p>Gram Sabha functioning should be improved. It should fully participate in planning, implementation and performance review (social audit) of various schemes with the participation of all stakeholders including women and other vulnerable groups.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NOTE</strong><br />National Panchayat Day: It is celebrated on 24 April every year. It was on this day in 1993, that the 73rd amendment act had come into force.</li>
<li>Panchayati Raj: The term was coined by PM Nehru who inaugurated the 3-tier Panchayati Raj in Nagaur (Rajasthan, 2 October 1959).</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/25-years-of-local-democracy-in-india'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Restricted Area Permit Eased for Foreigners Visiting  Andaman Islands',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>In a bid to boost tourism prospects of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Central government has decided to ease restrictions which will allow the foreigners to visit 29 inhabited islands without the Restricted Areas Permit (RAP).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 29 inhabited islands have been excluded from the restricted area permit (RAP) notified under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, till December 31, 2022, subject to certain conditions.</li>
<li>Among the de-notified islands are Havelock Island, Neil Island, Little Andaman, Baratang Island and Katchal Island.</li>
<li>As per the Government, Citizens of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and foreign nationals having their origin in these countries would continue to require RAP to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</li>
<li><g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="52" data-gr-id="52">Similarly</g> for visiting Mayabunder and Diglipur, citizens of Myanmar will continue to require RAP, which shall be issued only with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).</li>
<li>Separate approvals of a competent authority would continue to be required for visiting reserved forests, wildlife sanctuaries <g class="gr_ gr_41 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="41" data-gr-id="41">and</g> tribal reserves.</li>
<li>Foreigners will also be allowed to have day visits to another 11 uninhabited Islands, to be notified separately by Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is a Protected Area</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the &lsquo;Inner line&rsquo; and the &ldquo;International Border of the State&rdquo; have been declared as Protected Area.</li>
<li>Protected areas are located in the following states:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><g class="gr_ gr_47 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="47" data-gr-id="47">Whole</g> of Arunachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>Parts of Himachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>Parts of Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
<li>Parts of Rajasthan.</li>
<li><g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="51" data-gr-id="51">Whole</g> of Sikkim(partly in Protected Area and partly in Restricted Area) Further, under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, the following areas have been declared as &lsquo;Restricted Areas&rsquo;:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands (reserved areas)</li>
<li>&nbsp;Sikkim - Part of the State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in a Protected or Restricted Area, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority delegated with powers to issue such a special permit to a foreigner.</li>
<li>In cases where the powers have not been delegated to any subordinate authority by the Government of India, the application for <g class="gr_ gr_44 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="44" data-gr-id="44">special</g> permit should be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs for prior approval.</li>
<li>Indian citizens who are not residents of those areas require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter these places.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restricted-area-permit-eased-for-foreigners-visiting-andaman-islands'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'CAG Report on Indian Railways',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>According to a recent CAG report tabled in the Parliament, the focus of Railways&rsquo; <g class="gr_ gr_35 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="35" data-gr-id="35">modernisation</g> plans is misplaced.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the report titled &lsquo;Augmentation of Station Line Capacity on Selected Stations in Indian Railways&rsquo;, timely movement of trains should be one of the most important parameters to judge the quality of service being provided to the passengers.</li>
<li>The audit studied 15 railway stations across the country with maximum traffic, including Allahabad, Kanpur, Mathura, Mughalsarai, Chennai Central, Howrah, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and New Delhi railway stations.</li>
<li>At <g class="gr_ gr_36 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="36" data-gr-id="36">present</g> the focus is mainly on improving the fa&ccedil;ade and passenger facilities, rather <g class="gr_ gr_28 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" id="28" data-gr-id="28">that</g> removing bottlenecks to ensure timely movement of trains.</li>
<li>It acknowledged that although there has been a significant increase in the number of trains handled per day in the 15 selected stations, the infrastructure <g class="gr_ gr_37 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="37" data-gr-id="37">were</g> not augmented.</li>
<li>It noted that the trains have to wait at outer signals or the adjacent station until the platform is vacated by the earlier train because of non-availability of platforms. The detention of goods trains was significantly higher.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Major Recommendations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Providing platforms with adequate length for easy boarding of long trains,</li>
<li>Further expansion of the stations by adding more platforms,</li>
<li>Providing adequate facilities for stabling trains (trains that are parked while awaiting their next turn of duty)</li>
<li>Adequate yard capacity</li>
<li>Availability of adequate washing pit lines.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cag-report-on-indian-railways'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Earth at Risk of Becoming 'Hothouse'',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A recent report titled "Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene", has warned about ill-effects of global temperatures rising more than 2&deg;C above pre-industrial levels.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, global average temperatures are just over 1&deg;C above pre-industrial and rising at 0.17&deg;C per decade.</li>
<li>According to the report, &nbsp;a domino effect will kick in leading to "hothouse" conditions even if we manage to keep global temperatures to 2&deg;C above pre-Industrial levels and higher sea levels, making some areas on Earth uninhabitable.</li>
<li>Hothouse is a condition where the global temperatures will be 4-5 degrees higher than the pre-industrial level and sea levels may surge by up to 60 <g class="gr_ gr_78 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="78" data-gr-id="78">metres</g> higher than today even if emission reduction targets under the Paris climate deal are met.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Feedback Processes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Human emissions of greenhouse gas are not the sole determinant of temperature on Earth.</li>
<li>The scientists looked at 10 natural systems, which they term "feedback processes" which help humanity to avoid the worst impacts of carbon and temperature rises. However, if one of these systems tips over and starts pushing large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, the rest could follow like a row of dominoes.</li>
<li>These natural systems <g class="gr_ gr_73 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="73" data-gr-id="73">are:</g> permafrost, methane hydrates trapped in ocean floors, land and ocean carbon sinks, Arctic summer sea ice, Antarctic sea ice, polar ice sheets, etc.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Permafrost</strong> refers to the perennially frozen soil found in the Earth&rsquo;s higher latitudes. Technically, it is ground that remains at or below a temperature of 0&deg;C for at least 2 consecutive years.</li>
<li><strong>Methane hydrate</strong>&nbsp;is a cage-like lattice of ice inside of which are trapped molecules of methane. Hydrate deposits generally occur in two types of settings: under Arctic permafrost, and beneath the ocean floor.</li>
<li><strong>Carbon sinks</strong> are holding tanks for carbon or carbon compounds, like carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon sinks can be natural or man-made. There are three main natural carbon sinks: Plants, Soil, Oceans.<br />Man Made carbon sinks can be created or use existing underground formations, or even the oceans, to store CO2. &nbsp;The main artificial sinks are landfills&nbsp;and carbon capture and storage processes.</li>
<li>The <strong>Sahel region</strong> of Africa&nbsp;is a 3,860-kilometre arc-like land mass lying to the immediate south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the breadth of the African continent. A largely semi-arid belt of barren, sandy and rock-strewn land, the Sahel marks the physical and cultural transition between the continent&rsquo;s more fertile tropical regions to the south and its desert in the north.</li>
<li>The <strong>boreal forest&nbsp;</strong>(also known as the<strong>&nbsp;taiga</strong>,&nbsp;a <g class="gr_ gr_70 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="70" data-gr-id="70">russian</g> word meaning swampy moist forest) is found in a nearly continuous belt across North America and Eurasia.</li>
<li>The deep-ocean currents are driven by differences in the water&rsquo;s density, which is controlled by temperature (<g class="gr_ gr_69 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="69" data-gr-id="69">thermo</g>) and salinity (haline). This process is known as<strong> thermohaline circulation</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)</strong>&nbsp;is a single climate phenomenon comprising of three states. The two opposite phases, &ldquo;El Ni&ntilde;o&rdquo; and &ldquo;La Ni&ntilde;a,&rdquo; and &nbsp;&ldquo;Neutral&rdquo; is in the middle of them. El Ni&ntilde;o is warming of the ocean surface, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. La Ni&ntilde;a is cooling of the ocean surface, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Crossing into a Hothouse Earth period would see a higher global temperature than at any time in the past 1.2 million years.</li>
<li>Although the worst impacts may not be felt for a century or two, it would be irreversible once it starts.</li>
<li>The report says that the extreme weather events being experienced right now around the world cannot be immediately associated with the risk of passing 2 degrees C. However, it may be evidence of the Earth becoming more sensitive to warming than previously thought.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The hothouse scenario can be avoided by fundamentally re-adjusting mankind's&rsquo; &nbsp;relationship with the planet.</li>
<li>A total re-orientation of human values, equity, <g class="gr_ gr_63 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="63" data-gr-id="63">behaviour</g> <g class="gr_ gr_62 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="62" data-gr-id="62">and</g> technologies are required.</li>
<li>Not only burning of fossil fuels must be stopped by the middle of this century, but mitigation measures like planting trees, protecting forests, working out how to block the Sun's rays and developing machines to suck carbon out of the air must be taken up at massive scale.</li>
<li>Maximizing the chances of avoiding a "Hothouse Earth" requires not only reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions but also enhancement and/or creation of new biological carbon stores, for example, through improved forest, agricultural and soil management; biodiversity conservation; and technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it underground.</li>
<li>However, many scientists argue that we have entered a new geological era, the Anthropocene, in which human activity is directly affecting the planet.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pulling-back-from-the-brink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Editorial: Pulling Back From the Brink</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/earth-at-risk-of-becoming-hothouse'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Most Babies Not Breastfed In Their First Hour',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The 5th Report of Assessment of India&rsquo;s Policy and Programmes on Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding, 2018, was recently released.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report has been prepared by a national consortium of public health groups and agencies including government departments, AIIMS and UNICEF, under the aegis of World <g class="gr_ gr_52 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="52" data-gr-id="52">Breastfeeeding</g> Trends Initiative (WBTI).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India performs better in terms of infant and young child feeding practices scoring 34 out of 50 on five parameters.</li>
<li><strong>6 out of 10 babies</strong> born in the country are not able to begin breastfeeding within one hour of birth despite an improvement in institutional deliveries.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is due to a <strong>lack of <g class="gr_ gr_66 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="66" data-gr-id="66">supportive</g> work environment, inadequate skills of health care providers</strong> as well as <strong><g class="gr_ gr_67 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="67" data-gr-id="67">caesarean</g> deliveries</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study gives India a score of 45 out of 100 on 10 parameters under the category of policy and programmes.</li>
<li>India has made some progress over the years and between National Family Health Survey NFHS-3 (2005-06) and NFHS-4 (2015-16), early initiation of breastfeeding has improved from 23.4% to 41.5% children breastfed within one hour of birth. However, this hasn&rsquo;t kept pace with the increase in institutional deliveries which more than doubled during the same period.</li>
<li>The report notes that <g class="gr_ gr_53 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="53" data-gr-id="53">the the Ministry</g> of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry for Women and Child Development have taken several initiatives on infant and child nutrition but <strong>have not adopted an overall official policy</strong>, which is hindering action plans and budgets.</li>
<li>The replacement of the Baby Friendly Hospitals Initiative, which is a worldwide programme of WHO and UNICEF, with the health ministry&rsquo;s programme called <strong>Mother&rsquo;s Absolute Affection</strong> is problematic.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The health ministry programme <strong>does not provide accreditation to hospitals that are baby friendly</strong> and is not applicable to private sector institutions where a large percentage of deliveries and <g class="gr_ gr_62 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="62" data-gr-id="62">caesarean</g> sections take place.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has <strong>slipped in regulating the marketing of breastmilk substitutes</strong> since the last assessment. The companies are marketing breastmilk substitutes more aggressively since monitoring of the law is weak.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><g class="gr_ gr_56 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="56" data-gr-id="56">Although,</g> India has had a strong law on infant milk substitutes since 1992, it does not have <g class="gr_ gr_57 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="57" data-gr-id="57">authorised</g> government officers and is dependent on NGOs to check if the law is being followed.</li>
<li>Legislative proceedings against violators have also not been quite <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="51" data-gr-id="51">upto</g> the mark.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has performed badly in other key indicators like support for mothers and community outreach, disseminating information on infant and child feeding, feeding children with HIV and feeding children during emergencies.</li>
<li>India has made significant progress in maternity protection. <strong>The Maternity Benefits Act, 2017</strong> passed by the government which <strong>increased the maternity leave for women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks</strong>, has contributed to it. However, this law does not cover <g class="gr_ gr_72 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="72" data-gr-id="72">the large</g> number of women who <g class="gr_ gr_73 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="73" data-gr-id="73">work</g> India&rsquo;s informal sector.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> Mother&rsquo;s Absolute Affection Program was launched in 2016 with a focus on the promotion of breastfeeding practices.</p>
</div>
<h3><g class="gr_ gr_71 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="71" data-gr-id="71">Significance</g> of Mother&rsquo;s Breast Milk</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mother&rsquo;s breast milk within one hour of birth ensures that the infant receives the <strong>colostrum or first milk,</strong> which is extremely <strong>rich in nutrients and antibodies.</strong></li>
<li>The WHO and UNICEF also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to the age of six months and thereafter complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.</li>
<li>Other than health benefits to children, breastfeeding also <strong>reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in the mothers</strong> and <strong>protects the baby from risks of future obesity</strong> and <strong>diabetes</strong> in children.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To improve nutrition standards, India needs to elevate its Infant and Child Feeding guidelines to policy.</li>
<li>The government should also effectively enforce the Infant Milk Substitutes Act with better monitoring and action against violators. The Act calls for specific attention to the Maternity Benefit Act to support women in the informal sector and universal application of the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana.</li>
</ul>',
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	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Study Reveals Presence of Scrub Typhus Among Encephalitis Patients',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Majority of the patients admitted for treatment of <strong>Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)</strong> have <strong>Scrub Typhus</strong> according to the recent study of Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical college,Gorakhpur.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Acute Encephalitis Syndrome</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is an umbrella term for all symptoms which cause<strong>&nbsp;inflammatory brain diseases</strong>. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006, coined the term AES to signify a group of diseases which seem similar to one another but are difficult to differentiate in the chaotic environment of an outbreak.</li>
<li><span>AES can be caused by a range of factors, including toxins in unripe lychee fruit, viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and chemical poisons.&nbsp;<strong>It is not vaccine-preventable.</strong></span></li>
<li><span>In India,&nbsp;<strong>AES outbreaks in north and eastern India have been linked to children eating unripe lychee fruit on empty stomachs</strong>. Unripe lychees contain the toxins hypoglycin A (naturally occurring amino acid) and methylenecyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG), which cause vomiting if ingested in large quantities.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This findings has also been backed by the research conducted by <strong>National Institute of Epidemiology</strong>.</li>
<li>The finding is important as Scrub Typhus if diagonsed earlier can be easily treated.</li>
<li>As per the &nbsp;paper published in <strong>Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal</strong> in May this year revealed about the efficacy of drug <strong>azithromycin</strong> in treating Scrub Typhus.</li>
<li>Further evidence regarding the role of scrub typhus comes from a study of <strong>trombiculid mites</strong> in eastern Uttar Pradesh by <strong>Chennai&rsquo;s Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC)</strong> which found that &nbsp;the mites carried <strong>Orientia tsutsugumashi,</strong> the bacterium which causes scrub typhus.</li>
<li>The study also found an increase in infestation of <strong>rodents</strong> by trombiculid mites during August-October, a reason behind high occurrence of the disease during monsoon.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Scrub Typhus</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scrub Typhus</strong> is an acute illness caused by a bacterium Orienta Tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected mite larva present in the soil.</li>
<li>Its <strong>symptoms</strong> includes <strong>fever</strong> (often accompanied by an eschar at the bite site), <strong>chills, severe headache, rashes and generalized lymphadenopathy</strong>.</li>
<li>Most cases of scrub typhus occur in rural areas of <strong>Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia</strong>.</li>
<li>Anyone living in or traveling to areas where scrub typhus is found could get infected.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
</div>',
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	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Centre to Form  Group of Ministers (GoM) to Decide India’s Fate Regarding Joining RCEP',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Central government will set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to decide the course of action regarding India joining the 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GoM comprises Commerce and Industry Minister, Finance Minister, Defence Minister and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister.</li>
<li>Most ministries and departments have expressed reservations about India joining the proposed RCEP.</li>
<li>The move comes amid pressure from other potential RCEP members to show substantial progress in negotiations by the end of this year.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Programme (RCEP)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RCEP is a proposed FTA between 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Myanmar,Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and their six FTA partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.</li>
<li>The proposed RCEP aspires to cover almost every aspect of economy such as goods, services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property rights (IPR), rules of origin and competition and dispute settlement.</li>
<li>It accounts for 25% of global GDP, 30% of global trade, 26% of FDI flows and 45% of the total population.</li>
<li>From India&rsquo;s point of view, RCEP is critical:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>RCEP countries account for almost 27% of India&rsquo;s total trade.</li>
<li>Exports to RCEP countries account for about 15% of India&rsquo;s total exports and imports from RCEP comprise 35% of India&rsquo;s total imports.</li>
<li>India runs a trade deficit with ASEAN as well as partner countries of RCEP.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since RCEP proposes to eliminate import tariffs on 90% of goods, many across the Government felt that joining the pact could severely dent local manufacturing and jobs in India.</li>
<li>India runs a trade deficit with ASEAN as well as partner countries of RCEP. India&rsquo;s trade deficit with the bloc has risen from $9 billion in 2005 to $83 billion in 2017, of which China alone accounts for over 60% of the deficit. There are concerns that China&rsquo;s $60-billion trade surplus with India will swell even further as it floods the market with cheap goods at zero tariff.</li>
<li>Moreover, India's experience with trade pacts hasn't been very good. India already has trade pacts with Asean, Japan and South Korea.</li>
<li>The view is that it got a raw deal on services, its core strength, under the Asean trade agreement while losing out on market access in goods that is hurting domestic manufacturing.</li>
<li>The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce in December 2017 strongly recommended that India seek better market access for its products and services where India has an edge over ASEAN nations, like leather goods and pharmaceuticals, to improve the trade balance with ASEAN.</li>
<li>The committee also found that while exports of agricultural products from India faced high import tariffs and barriers, leading to a sharp drop in trade, there was &lsquo;near absence of quality norms&rsquo; for import of cheap processed food products from ASEAN countries.</li>
<li>Consequently, India has so far maintained that a speedy and successful conclusion of the agreement would be possible only with the inclusion of a higher level of services and investment in the India-Asean trade basket since India&rsquo;s strength lies in services trade, and negotiation on this is critical.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is vital for India to ensure that the RCEP is truly comprehensive and does not just focus on market access for goods while ignoring services where it has comparative advantages.</li>
<li>India should actively pursue second generation reforms of its domestic economic policies, including those that reform its factor markets, to make its trade more competitive.</li>
</ul>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centre -to -form -group-of-ministers-(GoM)-to-decide-india’s-fate-regarding-joining-rCEP'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'China Successfully Tests its First Hypersonic Aircraft',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>China has successfully tested its first waverider hypersonic flight vehicle, a weapon that can carry nuclear warheads and break through any current generation anti-missile defense system due to its high speed and unpredictable trajectory.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Xingkong-2, or Starry Sky-2,</strong> was launched in a rocket and &nbsp;released in the air after about 10 minutes.</li>
<li>The current generation of anti-missile defense systems are mainly designed to intercept cruise and ballistic missiles, which are either slower or easier to predict, making them possible to intercept.</li>
<li>In addition to its military use, the hypersonic flight vehicle may also see civil use and industrial transport.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" p=""><strong>Hypersonic Aircraft</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the aircrafts which travels at least four times <strong>faster than the speed of sound</strong>.</li>
<li>It flies through the atmosphere at speeds above Mach 5, a speed where dissociation of air begins to become significant and high heat loads exists.</li>
<li>This type of aircraft, also known as the<strong> Waverider</strong> uses the shock waves generated by its own flight as a lifting surface to&nbsp;glide at high speed&nbsp;.</li>
<li>A traditional engine&rsquo;s fan blades cannot be used for these jets, as they would melt if used at hypersonic speeds.</li>
<li>The aircraft instead uses the shockwaves created by travelling at such high speeds to squeeze incoming air.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-successfully-tests-its-first-hypersonic-aircraft'
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'World’s First Thermal Battery Plant Unveiled in Andhra Pradesh',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: left;">The world&rsquo;s first-ever thermal battery plant has been inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The plant will be operated by the Bharat Energy Storage Technologies Pvt Ltd (BEST) and is seen as a potential alternative to the energy produced using fossil fuels.</li>
<li>It aims to create a new energy storage form that is expected to have commercial applications, while also maintaining a low carbon footprint.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The solar energy is dependent on external factors like weather and it also requires a robust energy storage infrastructure.</li>
<li>Even the existing energy storage technologies depend on Lithium-based batteries, which are expensive since their replacement is needed every six to seven years. They are also low on energy density and need a high footprint.</li>
<li>Furthermore, Lithium's sensitivity to extreme temperatures requires the energy storage systems to be placed in conditioned temperatures, requiring about eight to ten per cent energy storage for the cause.</li>
<li>Thus, the coming of thermal battery is a landmark development in the field of technology and environmental protection.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Thermal Battery</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li style="text-align: left;">Thermal Battery was invented and patented by Dr Patrick Glynn in India 2016.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">It uses thermal energy to operate, i.e., the energy created by temperature differences. Therefore, the energy transfer in thermal batteries helps store heat when heat travels from one part of the battery setup to the other.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">A thermal battery consists of two parts: a cool zone known as sink, and a hot source called source.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Both these sides consist of compounds known as phase-changing materials (PCMs), which can change their state of matter on the basis of a physical/chemical reaction.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">When the sink of a thermal battery receives heat, it transforms physically or chemically, thereby storing energy, while the source cools down.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">During operation, the sink is cooled down, so it releases the stored energy, while the source heats up.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Depending on the nature of the battery, the system can derive heat from any source, which makes a thermal battery very versatile.</li>
</ul>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C9Tssi526r8" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
<h3>Applications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The energy storage device will help store renewable energy for various purposes and thereby&nbsp;help in mitigating carbon emissions, grid balancing and stabilisations.</li>
<li>It will be used to store energy for telecommunication, commercial establishments, electric vehicles and highway charging stations.</li>
<li>Since thermal batteries function as long as there is a heat source to drive their operation, they could help solve power issues in remote areas, and also address rising energy requirements from regional or national grids.</li>
<li>The batteries are expected to reduce the country&rsquo;s dependence on fossil fuels&nbsp;and other non-renewable sources of energy.</li>
<li>The facility will also manufacture storage devices that are environment-friendly with no use of hard metal or inflammable substances.</li>
<li>It also aims at thriving in the global market by helping curtail global warming and carbon emissions and looks forward to helping achieve the Government of India's vision of electrified mobility by 2030.</li>
</ul>',
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