Search

Search list matched with tags “class”

PPP Investment Model

Introduction Public-private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company that can be used to finance,...

01 May 2019 Paper 3
India’s Development Grants Increases

This editorial is based on the article 'India’s development grants more than double in 5 years' which appeared in "The Live Mint" on 29th...

30 Apr 2019 News Editorials
Important Facts For Prelims (30th April 2019)

Bodhisattva Figure Unearthed Recently, a 1.74-meter Bodhisattva figure was unearthed from Phanigiri in Telangana. It is life size stucco...

30 Apr 2019 News Analysis
AMR could Cause 10 Million Deaths: UN

UN Interagency Coordinating Group has released a report titled "NO TIME TO WAIT: Securing The Future From Drug-resistant Infections". The Report...

30 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Country-by-Country Reports Agreement

India has notified the inter-governmental agreement with the US for exchange of country-by-country (CbC) reports on multinational companies regarding...

30 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Climate-Resistant Chickpea Varieties

An international team led by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has discovered important factors for heat...

30 Apr 2019 News Analysis
International Criminal Court (ICC)

About Governed by an international treaty called 'The Rome Statute', the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal...

30 Apr 2019 International Institutions
A Policy for Disease Control

This editorial is based on the article 'A Rare Opportunity' which appeared in "Indian Express" on 11th April, 2019. The article talks about current...

29 Apr 2019 News Editorials
Governor

29 Apr 2019 Paper 2
Iran Threatens to Close Strait of Hormuz

Iran has said that it could close the strategic Strait of Hormuz shipping route if it faces more “hostility,” from the United...

29 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Delisting of Controlled Substances

In a bid to curb trade of narcotics and other controlled substances on online portals, the government has reached out to the industry, especially...

29 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Space Flight Hazards and Human Health

Astronaut Christina Koch will set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman when she completes her 11-month-long mission aboard the...

29 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Governor

The Governor’s appointment, his powers and everything related to the office of Governor have been discussed under Article 153 to Article 162...

29 Apr 2019 Paper 2
Misuse of Money Bills in India

(This editorial is based on the article 'Trickeries of the money bill' which appeared in 'The Hindu' on 11thApril, 2019. The article talks about...

27 Apr 2019 News Editorials
Important Facts For Prelims (27th April 2019)

Centre for Predictive Human Model Systems Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in collaboration...

27 Apr 2019 News Analysis
PepsiCo Sues Potato Farmers

PepsiCo, a multi-million dollar conglomerate, has sued Gujarati farmers asking them to pay ₹1.05 crore each for alleged violation of Intellectual...

27 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Non-disclosure of Information by RBI

The Supreme Court granted the last opportunity to the Reserve Bank of India to comply with its order to disclose its annual inspection report and...

27 Apr 2019 News Analysis
India-Sri Lanka: Security and Geopolitics

(This editorial is based on the article 'The Easter bombings in Sri Lanka foreshadow a regional challenge' which was published in 'ORF' on 24th...

26 Apr 2019 News Editorials
Important Facts For Prelims (26th April 2019)

Tiwa Tribes The tribe Tiwas (Lalungs) lives both in the hills and plains of Assam and Meghalaya state. Tiwa means people who were lifted from below....

26 Apr 2019 News Analysis
Global Forest Watch

The Global Forest Watch (GFW) is released by World Resources Institute (WRI) which reveals that India has lost over 1.6 million hectare of tree cover...

26 Apr 2019 News Analysis

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

Code Context


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

$viewFile = '/var/www/drishtiias.com/public_html/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp'
$dataForView = [
	'progress' => [],
	'bookmarks' => [],
	'notes' => [],
	'mynote' => [],
	'topdata' => [
		(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {}
	],
	'searchdata' => [],
	'searchlist' => [
		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'PPP Investment Model',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Public-private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects, such as public transportation networks, parks, and convention centers. Financing a project through a public-private partnership can allow a project to be completed sooner or make it a possibility in the first place.</p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In recent years, Indian government has given a greater impetus to metro rail expansion. In 2018 itself, 6 new metro rail projects have been sanctioned.</li>
<li>In recent policy regime change there is a greater involvement of private sector in financing and developing these projects.</li>
<li>In this context, concerns have been raised due to public&ndash;private partnerships in financing and developing metro projects, and the possible implications of these on patterns of urban land use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Metro rail projects in India, until 2017, were broadly guided by a consolidated framework decided by the Ministry of Urban Development.</li>
<li>The consolidated framework had set its preference for executing metro rail projects primarily through government funding.</li>
<li>This framework duly recognised the limitations of PPP models due to risks associated with the metro rail systems and the limited experience of India in executing metro rail systems on a PPP basis.</li>
<li>On 16 August 2017, the Union Cabinet approved a <strong>new Metro Rail Policy</strong> which opens a big window for <strong>private investments in metro operations by making PPP component mandatory</strong> for availing central assistance on metro projects.</li>
<li>Private participation has its own cost because projects are undertaken only if they are able to generate profits in return for their investments.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the current policy framework it appears that expansion of metro rail projects across the country will only accelerate the process of conversion of land in urban and semi-urban areas for consumer-oriented use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Types of Investment Models</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Public Investment Model:</strong> In this model Government requires revenue for investment that mainly comes through taxes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As the world is facing the prospect of an extended period of weak economic growth, by enhancing public-sector investment large pools of savings can be channelized into productivity.</li>
<li>Properly targeted public investment can do much to boost economic performance, generating aggregate demand quickly, fueling productivity growth by improving human capital, encouraging technological innovation, and spurring private-sector investment by increasing returns.</li>
<li>Though public investment cannot fix a large demand shortfall overnight, it can accelerate the recovery and establish more sustainable growth patterns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Private Investment Model:</strong> For a country to grow and increase its production investment is required. Presently tax revenue of India is not adequate to meet this demand so government requires private investment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Private investment can be source from domestic or international market.</li>
<li>From abroad private investment comes in the form of FDI or FPI.</li>
<li>Private investment can generate more efficiency by creating more competition, realization of economies of scale and greater flexibility than is available to the public sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Public-Private Partnership Model:</strong> PPP is an arrangement between government and private sector for the provision of public assets and/or public services. Public-private partnerships allow large-scale government projects, such as roads, bridges, or hospitals, to be completed with private funding.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this type of partnership, investments are undertaken by the private sector entity, for a specified period of time.</li>
<li>These partnerships work well when private sector technology and innovation combine with public sector incentives to complete work on time and within budget.</li>
<li>As PPP involves full retention of responsibility by the government for providing the services, it doesn&rsquo;t amount to privatization.</li>
<li>There is a well defined allocation of risk between the private sector and the public entity.</li>
<li>Private entity is chosen on the basis of open competitive bidding and receives performance linked payments.</li>
<li>PPP route can be alternative in developing countries where governments face various constraints on borrowing money for important projects.</li>
<li>It can also give required expertise in planning or executing large projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Models of Public Private Partnership (PPP)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Commonly adopted model of PPPs include Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) ,Build-Own-Operate (BOO), Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer (BOLT), Design-Build-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT), Lease-Develop-Operate (LDO), Operate-Maintain-Transfer (OMT), etc.</li>
<li>These models are different on level of investment, ownership control, risk sharing, technical collaboration, duration, financing etc.</li>
<li><strong>BOT: </strong>It is <strong>conventional PPP model</strong> in which private partner is responsible to design, build, operate (during the contracted period) and transfer back the facility to the public sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Private sector partner has to bring the finance for the project and take the responsibility to construct and maintain it.</li>
<li>Public sector will allow private sector partner to collect revenue from the users. The national highway projects contracted out by NHAI under PPP mode is a major example for the BOT model.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>BOO:</strong> In this model ownership of the newly built facility will rest with the private party.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>On mutually agreed terms and conditions public sector partner agrees to &lsquo;purchase&rsquo; the goods and services produced by the project.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>BOOT:</strong> In this variant of BOT, after the negotiated period of time, project is ransferred to the government or to the private operator.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>BOOT model is used for the development of highways and ports.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>BOLT:</strong> In this approach, the government gives a concession to a private entity to build a facility (and possibly design it as well), own the facility, lease the facility to the public sector and then at the end of the lease period transfer the ownership of the facility to the government.</li>
<li><strong>DBFO:</strong> In this model, entire responsibility for the design, construction, finance, and operation of the project for the period of concession lies with the private party.</li>
<li><strong>LDO:</strong> In this type of investment model either the government or the public sector entity retains ownership of the newly created infrastructure facility and receives payments in terms of a lease agreement with the private promoter. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is mostly followed in the development of airport facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Problems with PPP Projects</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PPP projects have been stuck in issues such as disputes in existing contracts, non-availability of capital and regulatory hurdles related to the acquisition of land.</li>
<li>Indian government has a poor record in regulating PPPs in practice.</li>
<li>Metro projects become sites of crony capitalism and a means for accumulating land by private companies.</li>
<li>Across the world PPPs are facing problems, performance of PPPs has been very mixed according to study conducted by various research bodies.</li>
<li>It is also argued that PPP is mere a &lsquo;&rsquo;language game&rdquo; by governments who find it difficult to push privatization, or when politically it is difficult to contracting out.</li>
<li>Loans for infrastructure projects are believed to comprise a large share of the non-performing asset portfolio of public sector banks in India.</li>
<li>In many sectors, PPP projects have turned into conduits of crony capitalism.</li>
<li>Many PPP projects in infrastructure sector are run by &ldquo;politically connected firms&rdquo; which have used political connections to win contracts.</li>
<li>PPP firms use every opportunity for renegotiating contracts by citing reasons like lower revenue or rise in costs which becomes a norm in India.</li>
<li>Frequent renegotiations also resulted into drain of larger share of public resources.</li>
<li>These firms create a moral hazard by their opportunistic behavior.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Vijay Kelkar Committee Report on Revisiting and Revitalising PPP Model</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2015-16 announced that the PPP mode of infrastructure development has to be revisited and revitalised.</li>
<li>In pursuance of this announcement, a Committee on Revisiting &amp; Revitalising the PPP model of Infrastructure Development was set-up which was chaired by Dr. Vijay Kelkar.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Key recommendations of the committee:</em></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Contracts need to focus more on <strong>service delivery instead of fiscal benefits</strong>.</li>
<li>Better identification and <strong>allocation of risks</strong> between stakeholders</li>
<li>Prudent utilization of <strong>viability gap funds</strong> where user charges cannot guarantee a robust revenue stream.</li>
<li><strong>Improved fiscal reporting</strong> practices and careful monitoring of performance.</li>
<li>Given the urgency of India&rsquo;s demographic transition, and the experience India has already gathered in managing PPPs, the government must move the PPP model to the next level of maturity and sophistication.</li>
<li>Cost effectiveness of managing the risk needs to be evaluated.</li>
<li>An Infrastructure <strong>PPP Adjudication Tribunal (&ldquo;IPAT&rdquo;)</strong> chaired by a Judicial Member (former Judge SC/Chief Justice HC) with a Technical and/or a Financial member, where benches will be constituted by the Chairperson as per needs of the matter in question.</li>
<li>Projects that have not achieved a prescribed percentage of progress on the ground should be scrapped. Re-bid them once issues have been resolved or complete them through public funds and if viable, bid out for Operations and Maintenance.</li>
<li>Sector specific institutional frameworks may be developed to address issues for PPP infrastructure projects.</li>
<li><strong>Umbrella guidelines may be developed for stressed projects</strong> that provide an overall framework for development and functioning of the sector specific frameworks.</li>
<li><strong>Unsolicited Proposals ("Swiss Challenge")</strong> to be discouraged to avoid information asymmetries and lack of transparency.</li>
<li><strong>Amend the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988</strong> to distinguish between genuine errors in decision-making and acts of corruption.</li>
<li>Set up an institution for invigorating private investments in infrastructure, providing guidance for a national PPP policy and developments in PPP.</li>
<li>An institutionalized mechanism like the <strong>National Facilitation Committee (NFC)</strong> to ensure time bound resolution of issues.</li>
<li>Ensure adoption of principles of good governance by the <strong>Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)</strong>.</li>
<li>Discourage government participation in SPVs that implement PPP projects unless strategically essential.</li>
<li>Ministry of Finance to allow banks and financial institutions to issue Zero Coupon Bonds which will also help to achieve soft landing for user charges in infrastructure sector.</li>
<li>Encourage use of PPPs in sectors like Railways, Urban, etc. Railways to have an independent tariff regulator.</li>
<li>Set up an <strong>institute of excellence in PPP</strong> to inter alia guide the sector, provide policy input, timely advice and undertake sustainable capacity building.</li>
<li>Ensure integrated development of infrastructure with roadmaps for delivery of projects.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>New projects especially large-scale transit projects are significant for increasing mobility and for the series of changes in land use patterns. PPPs have the potential to deliver infrastructure projects better and faster. Currently, PPP contracts focus more on fiscal benefits.</li>
<li>There is need for a serious assessment of the efficacy and the likely benefits of increasing private sector participation in metro rail projects before the adoption of this model.</li>
<li>NITI Aayog in its document <strong>'Strategy for New India @75'</strong>, targeted investment rates to 36 per cent by 2022-23 from 28 percent of 2017-2018.</li>
<li>To raise the rate of investment (gross fixed capital formation as a share of GDP) slew of measures will be required to boost both private and public investment.</li>
<li>Private investment needs be encouraged in infrastructure through a renewed public-private partnership (PPP) mechanism on the lines suggested by the Kelkar Committee.</li>
<li>A mature PPP framework, along with a robust enabling ecosystem shall enable the Government to accomplish, to a considerable extent, what our Prime Minister, has said &ldquo;The Government has no business to do business&rdquo; and thereby promote private sector investments and participation towards the nation building.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Development Grants Increases',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-s-development-grants-more-than-double-in-5-years-1556479303772.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'India&rsquo;s development grants more than double in 5 years'</a> which appeared in "The Live Mint" on 29th April, 2019. The article talks about how increasing India&rsquo;s development grants is important for improving its status in the comity of nations.</p>
</div>
<p>When a country provides &lsquo;grants&rsquo; to another country, it means that the country providing the grants is economically better positioned than the one receiving it. For a developing country like India, being able to provide development grants is a matter of pride because in the past India has itself been the recipient of such grants, especially from western economies.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>In the last 5 years, India&rsquo;s development grants more than doubled! This is definitely a sign of India&rsquo;s progress (and power) in this century.</p>
</div>
<h3>What made the news?</h3>
<p>India&rsquo;s development partnership assistance, extended to countries through concessional loans, has more than doubled in the past five years. India, as the world&rsquo;s fastest-growing major economy, is trying to sustain its influence in Asia, Africa and Latin America amid growing Chinese presence in these regions.</p>
<h3>The Short Gist</h3>
<p><strong>A key reason for the rise in India&rsquo;s lines of credit is greater availability of resources at its disposal.</strong></p>
<p>The size of India&rsquo;s economy is estimated at $2.69 trillion in 2019 (taking the rupee/dollar exchange rate as 70) with its GDP clocking more than 7% growth per annum.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India&rsquo;s development assistance has risen from $11 bn in 2013-14 to $28 bn in 2018-19;</li>
<li>India extended 278 lines of credit totalling about $28 billion to 63 countries&mdash;most of them in Africa and Asia during 2018-19; This is a sharp increase from 195 lines of credit worth $11 billion in 2013-14;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Opinions from the editorial</h3>
<p>A former foreign secretary opined that &lsquo;there is a conscious effort by India to increase its lines of credit portfolio in recent years because of the increased penetration of China in areas and regions seen as India&rsquo;s traditional strongholds&rsquo;. Intention of the government is to position India as a <em>&lsquo;leading power&rsquo;</em> (internationally) and this requires gaining a <em>&lsquo;footprint&rsquo;</em> in countries friendly with India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The current projects may not propel India into the league of China&mdash;</strong>known for its signature infrastructure projects such as ports, roads, airports and bridges across Africa and other parts of the world. <strong>But the potential of Indian companies to execute such projects and deliver according to agreed timelines and internationally accepted quality standards is being recognized.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India scaling up its lines of credit also comes as China embarks on its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)&mdash;</strong>that involves building ports, airports, roads and railways across Asia, Africa and Europe. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>There have been warnings from countries such as the US in recent years that signing up for BRI may mean countries falling into a &ldquo;debt trap</strong>" as the terms favour Chinese companies and inability of recipient nations to repay Chinese loans on time would undermine their sovereignty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In contrast, India&rsquo;s lines of credit and other forms of development partnership are projected as unique as they are demand-driven; they respond to felt needs of people; and they do not impose unacceptable burdens such as debt traps or long-term dependency.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>What are lines of credit?</h3>
<p><strong>Lines of credit are loans extended to foreign governments at concessional rates</strong> from money borrowed at market rates by India&rsquo;s EXIM Bank from the international market.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Analysts say that lines of credit &ndash; one of the major components of India&rsquo;s development partnership that includes grant assistance as well as scholarships &ndash; helps India bolster its image as a credible development partner besides <strong>aiding the creation of political influence and constituencies</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>It also helps India shed the tag of being an aid recipient &ndash; something common in the 1950s and 1960s.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Some of the big-ticket projects completed by India in the past few years include:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The presidential office in Ghana, the National Assembly building in Gambia;</li>
<li>A cricket stadium in Guyana;</li>
<li>The Kosti Power plant in Sudan;</li>
<li>India has also helped refurbish a steel plant in Hama in war-torn Syria, scaling up its annual capacity from 70,000 million tonnes to 300,000 million tonnes.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>To Conclude</h3>
<ol>
<li>India may want to spread its development grant packages to countries outside Asia and Africa. Like Western Europe and Latin America for example.</li>
<li>India should maintain its goodwill by continuing to not exploit borrowing countries. This will serve India&rsquo;s and the recipient countries interests in the long run.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s progress as an economy should also reflect India&rsquo;s ambitions as a global trustworthy power, and continuing and increasing development grants is only going to put India in that position. As such, this method of engaging with the world is definitely a very good strategy for India.</li>
</ol>
<h3>What makes this topic important for UPSC?</h3>
<p>In the past UPSC has asked questions such as this one: <em>"The question of India&rsquo;s Energy Security constitutes the most important part of India&rsquo;s economic progress. Analyze India&rsquo;s energy policy cooperation with West Asian Countries.&rdquo;</em> [GS II - 2017]</p>
<p>Now, if we replace &lsquo;energy&rsquo; with &lsquo;grants&rsquo;, we can end up with a question like this: <em>&ldquo;India&rsquo;s ability to provide development grants to other developing countries is an important sign of India&rsquo;s economic progress. Discuss.&rdquo;</em></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indias-development-grants-increases'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (30th April 2019)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Bodhisattva Figure Unearthed&nbsp;<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203863_image9.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203863_image9.jpg" width="254" height="135" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a 1.74-meter <strong>Bodhisattva</strong> figure was unearthed from Phanigiri in Telangana.</li>
<li>It is life size stucco Bodhisattva figure, which was created by craftsmen at <strong>Phanigiri</strong> at the peak of<strong> Ikshvaku dynasty</strong> rule, nearly 1700 year ago.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bodhisattva</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A person who has<strong> attained prajna, or Enlightenment,</strong> but who <strong>postpones Nirvana</strong> in order to help others to attain Enlightenment. Individual Bodhisattvas are the subjects of devotion in certain sects and are often represented in painting and sculpture.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Phanigiri</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a<strong> Buddhist site in Suryapet district, Telangana.</strong> It dates back to the 1st Century before common era(BCE), The place consists of a Buddhist complex which is adorned with a massive stupa along with two apsidal halls with stupas in it.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Ikshvaku dynasty</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dynasty ruled in the eastern Krishna River valley of India, from their capital at Vijayapuri(modern Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh) during approximately 3rd and 4th centuries CE. The Ikshvakus are also known as the<strong> Andhra Ikshvakus or Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri</strong> to distinguish them from their legendary namesakes.</li>
<li>The Ikshvaku kings were Shaivites and performed Vedic rites, but Buddhism also flourished during their reign. Several Ikshvaku queens and princes contributed to the construction of the Buddhist monuments at present-day Nagarjunakonda.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Loya Jirga</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Politicians and officials from across Afghanistan have gathered in Kabul to discuss the war and U.S. efforts to forge a peace deal with the Taliban.</li>
<li>The meeting is being termed as <strong>&lsquo;Loya Jirga&rsquo;&mdash; literally &ldquo;grand assembly&rdquo; in Pashto</strong>. It is the <strong>largest such assembly in modern Afghan history.</strong></li>
<li>The four-day gathering has about <strong>3200 representatives from every district in Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>According to the afghan constitution, <strong>Loya jirgas decision can take precedence over all state institutions, including the presidency.</strong></li>
<li>Loya jirgas have traditionally been a <strong>forum to discuss and reach a consensus on important political issues among Afghanistan's various ethnic groups, tribes, and factions.</strong></li>
<li>The notion of the Loya jirga dates from<strong> 977 A.D</strong>. when a jirga in southeastern Ghazni province chose the freed Tatar slave Naziruddin to head the Ghaznavid Empire.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Goldman Environmental Prize</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An environmental lawyer and activist from Liberia, <strong>Alfred Brownell</strong> was among the six activists to be awarded <strong>Goldman Environmental Prize.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He <strong>prevented</strong> a company from <strong>converting tropical rainforest into palm oil plantations.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> other five winners</strong> are:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Linda Garcia</strong> of Vancouver, Washington, who successfully prevented the <strong>construction of North America&rsquo;s largest oil terminal.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Ana Colovic Lesoska</strong> of North Macedonia, whose helped <strong>stop hydroelectric projects</strong> from being built in the country&rsquo;s largest national park.</li>
<li><strong>Bayarjargal Agvaantseren</strong> of Mongolia, who led the fight to <strong>create the Tost Tosonbumba Nature Reserve.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Jacqueline Evans</strong> of the Cook Islands, whose work led to the conservation and sustainable management of all of the <strong>Cook Islands&rsquo; ocean territory and creation of 15 marine protected areas.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Alberto Curamil</strong> of Chile, a jailed indigenous activist who had protested several <strong>hydroelectric projects in the country.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Goldman Environmental Prize environmental recognizes and honors<strong> grassroots individuals</strong> for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment, often at great personal risk.</li>
<li>The <strong>prize was created in 1989 by philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman.</strong></li>
<li>Winners are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and others. The prize <strong>carries a $200,000 award.</strong></li>
<li>In addition to a monetary prize, Goldman Prize winners each receive a <strong>bronze sculpture called the Ouroboros.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Common to many cultures around the world,<strong> the Ouroboros</strong>, which depicts a <strong>serpent biting its tail,</strong> is a symbol of <strong>nature&rsquo;s power of renewal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Committee on National Clean Air Programme</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Union Environment Ministry has <strong>constituted a committee to implement the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)</strong>, which aims to <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/govt-launches-mission-to-fight-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduce particulate matter (PM) pollution by 20%-30% in at least 102 cities by 2024.</a></strong></li>
<li>The committee will be <strong>chaired by the Secretary, Union Environment Ministry</strong> and has members from <strong>Ministry of Power, the Energy Resources Institute (TERI), and Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K).</strong></li>
<li>The committee would be <strong>headquartered in New Delhi</strong> and would give overall guidance and directions to effectively implement the NCAP.</li>
<li>The NCAP was <strong>unveiled in January, 2019</strong> is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NCAP is envisioned as a five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year. There would be a <strong>review every five years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>World Health Organisation&rsquo;s (WHO) database</strong> on air pollution over the years has listed Tier I and Tier II Indian cities as some of the most polluted places in the world.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 2018, 14 of the world&rsquo;s 15 most polluted cities were in India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-30th-april-2019'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'AMR could Cause 10 Million Deaths: UN',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>UN Interagency Coordinating Group has released a report titled "<strong>NO TIME TO WAIT: Securing The Future From Drug-resistant Infections</strong>".</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Report says that drug-resistant diseases could cause <strong>10 million deaths each year by 2050.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Highlights</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/to-the-point-paper-3-antimicrobial-resistance-amr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Antimicrobial resistance</strong></a> is a <strong>global crisis</strong> that <strong>threatens</strong> a century of progress in the health and achievement of the <strong>Sustainable Development Goals.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Antimicrobial resistance poses a<strong> formidable challenge to achieving Universal Health Coverage</strong> and <strong>threatens progress against many of the Sustainable Development Goals,</strong> including in health, food security, clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, and poverty and inequality.</li>
<li><strong>Misuse and overuse of existing antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants</strong> are accelerating the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The world has to act <strong>urgently</strong>. If timely actions are not taken antimicrobial resistance will have a disastrous impact within a generation.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, at least<strong> 7,00,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases,</strong> including 2,30,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.</li>
<li>By 2030 antimicrobial resistance could <strong>force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.</strong></li>
<li>Without investment from countries in all income brackets, <strong>future generations will face the disastrous impacts of uncontrolled antimicrobial resistance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The drivers of antimicrobial resistance lie in humans, animals, plants, food and the environment. Thus a sustained<strong> One Health response is essential to engage and unite all stakeholders around a shared vision and goals.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The countries should prioritize national action plans to scale-up financing and capacity-building efforts,</strong> put in place stronger regulatory systems and support awareness programs for responsible use of antimicrobials by professionals.</li>
<li>It is also necessary to invest in research and development for new technologies to combat antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UN Interagency Coordination Group (IACG) on Antimicrobial Resistance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>IACG was established in 2016</strong> in consultation with the <strong>World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).</strong></li>
<li>The IACG&rsquo;s mandate is to <strong>provide practical guidance for approaches needed</strong> to ensure sustained effective global action<strong> to address antimicrobial resistance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Summary of IACG Recommendations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Accelerate Progress In Countries</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Equitable and affordable access</strong> to existing and new quality-assured antimicrobials in member states</li>
<li>Accelerate the <strong>development and implementation of One Health National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan</strong> within the context of the SDGs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Innovate To Secure The Future</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Public, private and philanthropic donors and other funders should increase investment</strong> and innovation in quality-assured, new antimicrobials.</li>
<li>Equitable and affordable access to existing and new, quality-assured antimicrobials should be promoted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaborate For More Effective Action</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Systematic and meaningful <strong>engagement of civil society groups and organizations</strong> is necessary for the One Health response to antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Invest For A Sustainable Response</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> IACG emphasizes the need for increased investments in the response to antimicrobial resistance,</strong> including from <strong>domestic</strong> <strong>financing</strong> in all countries; bilateral and <strong>multilateral</strong> <strong>financing</strong>; <strong>development institutions</strong> and <strong>banks</strong>; and <strong>private</strong> <strong>investors</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strengthen Accountability And Global Governance</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need for the <strong>urgent establishment of a One Health Global Leadership Group on Antimicrobial Resistance,</strong> supported by a Joint Secretariat managed by the Tripartite agencies (FAO, OIE, and WHO).</li>
<li>There is a need to convene an<strong> Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance</strong> to monitor and provide the Member States with regular reports on the science and evidence related to antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amr-could-cause-10-million-deaths-un'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Country-by-Country Reports Agreement',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>India has notified the inter-governmental agreement with the US for exchange of country-by-country (CbC) reports on multinational companies regarding income allocation and taxes paid in order to help check cross-border tax evasion.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This agreement will enable both the<strong> countries to automatically exchange CbC reports filed by the ultimate parent entities of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the respective jurisdictions</strong> to the financial years commencing on or after January 1, 2016.</li>
<li>That is, the Companies headquartered in the US but having operations and taxability in India <strong>now need not file country-by-country (CbC) reports in India.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For such international companies, <strong>filing CbC reports in the US would be sufficient.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This will <strong>reduce the compliance burden</strong> on their subsidiaries operating out of these countries.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Income-tax Act requires Indian subsidiaries of<strong> multinational companies to provide details of key financial statements</strong> from other jurisdictions where they operate.</li>
<li>This provides the I-T Department with a better operational view of such companies, primarily with regards to revenue and income tax paid.</li>
<li>The provision was a<strong> part of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)</strong> action plan and later incorporated in the I-T Act also.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BEPS is a term used to describe<strong> tax planning strategies</strong> that<strong> exploit mismatches</strong> and<strong> gaps that exist between the tax rules of different jurisdictions.</strong></li>
<li>It is done to <strong>minimize the corporation tax</strong> that is payable overall, by either making tax profits &lsquo;disappear&rsquo; or<strong> shift profits to low tax jurisdictions where it is little or no genuine activity.</strong></li>
<li>In general BEPS strategies are <strong>not illegal; rather they take advantage of different tax rules operating in different jurisdictions.</strong></li>
<li>BEPS is of major significance for developing countries due to their heavy reliance on corporate income tax, particularly from multinational enterprises (MNEs).</li>
<li>The BEPS initiative is an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oecds-forecast-for-global-economy-in-2060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OECD</a> initiative, approved by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/g20-summit-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">G20</a>, to identify ways of providing more standardised tax rules globally.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/country-by-country-reports-agreement'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Climate-Resistant Chickpea Varieties',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>An international team led by the <strong>International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)</strong> has discovered important factors for<strong> heat and drought tolerance in chickpea.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study has identified<strong> four important genes for heat tolerance</strong> and <strong>three important genes for drought tolerance.</strong></li>
<li>The study was based on <strong>complete genome sequencing of 429 chickpea lines from 45 countries.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By using such genomics-assisted breeding approach, the<strong> time taken to produce a new heat- and drought-tolerant</strong> chickpea variety can be <strong>halved from about eight to four years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study has found that chickpea <strong>originated in the Mediterranean/south-west Asia</strong> and migrated to south Asia.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It reached India about two centuries ago, <strong>apparently through Afghanistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study provides insights into <strong>chickpea&rsquo;s genetic diversity, domestication too.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World is already witnessing <strong>increase in temperature because of climate change.</strong> So a new variety with heat and drought tolerance will be <strong>highly useful to Indian farmers.</strong></li>
<li>In India, chickpea is <strong>generally sown in September-October and harvested in January-February.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When heat-tolerant chickpeas are developed in future, farmers in India may have a <strong>possibility to go in for a second round of cropping.</strong></li>
<li>Though the yield will be less for the second crop, <strong>farmers will still stand to gain.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chickpea</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chickpea grain is an <strong>excellent source of high-quality protein</strong>, with a wide range of essential amino acids , but low in fat. The crop also <strong>fixes relatively large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen.</strong></li>
<li>More than 90% of chickpea cultivation area is in <strong>South Asia, including India</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is by far the<strong> world largest producer but is also the largest importer.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Chickpeas are susceptible to several major diseases and insect pests and yields can fall precipitously if the crop is <strong>exposed to extreme temperatures or drought.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, <strong>more than 70% yield is lost</strong> due to drought and increasing temperatures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Chickpea is a winter season crop, so in general any further increase in temperature is expected to <strong>further reduce the yield.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)</strong> is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in the <strong>drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>founded in 1972</strong> and is headquartered in <strong>Hyderabad, Telangana State, in India,</strong> with<strong> two regional hubs (Nairobi, Kenya and Bamako, Mali).</strong></li>
<li>ICRISAT conducts research on <strong>six highly nutritious drought-tolerant crops,</strong> also known as <strong>Smart Food: Chickpea, Pigeonpea, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Sorghum, and Groundnut.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Smart Food is food that is define as <strong>good for consumer, the planet and the farmer,</strong> and is one of the solutions that contributes to addressing all these<strong> issues in unison.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-resistant-chickpea-varieties'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'International Criminal Court (ICC)',
			'catname' => 'International Institutions',
			'desc' => '<h3>About</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Governed by an international treaty called <strong>'The Rome Statute',</strong> the ICC is the world&rsquo;s first permanent international criminal court.</li>
<li>It investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.</li>
<li>Through international criminal justice, ICC aims to hold those responsible for their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from happening again.</li>
<li><strong>India is not a party to Rome Statute along with US and China.</strong></li>
<li>Recently <strong>Malaysia has ratified the Rome Statute</strong> and became the 124<sup>th</sup> State party to the ICC.</li>
</ul>
<h3>History</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 17 July, 1998 Rome Statute was adopted by 120 States in direction of creating a more just world.</li>
<li>On 1 July, 2002 Rome Statute took effect upon ratification by 60 states, officially establishing the ICC. Since it has <strong>no retroactive jurisdiction,</strong> the ICC deals with crimes committed on or after this date.</li>
<li>After 2010 amendments &ndash; the Rome Statute also sets <strong>new standards for victims' representation in the Courtroom,</strong> and ensures fair trials and the rights of the defence.</li>
<li>Today the &lsquo;Rome Statute&rsquo; serves as the ICC's guiding legal instrument, which is elaborated in such other legal texts as the Elements of Crimes, Rules of Procedure and Evidence and more.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Facts and Figures</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Today the ICC has over 900 staff members from approximately 100 States.</li>
<li>It has <strong>6 official languages:</strong> English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.</li>
<li>ICC has <strong>6 field offices:</strong> Kinshasa and Bunia (Democratic Republic of the Congo, "DRC"); Kampala (Uganda); Bangui (Central African Republic, "CAR"); Nairobi (Kenya), Abidjan (C&ocirc;te d'Ivoire).</li>
<li>It has <strong>2 working languages:</strong> English and French.</li>
<li>ICC <strong>Headquarters at The Hague, the Netherlands</strong>.</li>
<li>There have thus far been 27 cases before the Court, with some cases having more than one suspect.</li>
<li>16 people have been detained in the ICC detention centre.</li>
<li>The judges have issued 8 convictions and 3 acquittals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Organisation Structure</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Assembly of States Parties provides management oversight for the Court, including electing judges and the Prosecutor and approving the ICC&rsquo;s budget.</li>
<li>Four organs of the ICC
<ol>
<li><strong>Presidency</strong> conducts external relations with States, coordinates judicial matters such as assigning judges, situations and cases to divisions, and oversees the Registry's administrative work.</li>
<li><strong>Judicial Divisions</strong> (18 judges in 3 divisions) Pre-Trial, Trial and Appeals &ndash; conduct judicial proceedings</li>
<li><strong>Office of the Prosecutor</strong> conducts preliminary examinations, investigations, and prosecutions.</li>
<li><strong>Registry</strong> conducts non-judicial activities, such as security, interpretation, outreach, support to Defence and victims' lawyers etc.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Trust Fund for Victims provides assistance, support and reparations to victims.</li>
<li>The ICC has field offices in several of the countries in which investigations are being conducted.</li>
<li>The ICC detention centre is used to hold in safe, secure and humane custody those detained by the ICC.</li>
<li>The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the Detention Centre's inspecting authority and as such has unrestricted access and examine, on unannounced visits.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Jurisdiction and Working of Court</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four main crimes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The crime of Genocide </strong></li>
<li><strong>Crimes against Humanity </strong></li>
<li><strong>War crimes </strong></li>
<li><strong>Crime of Aggression</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Court may exercise jurisdiction in a situation where genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes were committed on or after <strong>1 July 2002</strong>,</li>
<li>The crimes were committed <strong>by a State Party national,</strong> or in the territory of a State Party, or in a State that has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court;</li>
<li>The crimes were <strong>referred to the ICC Prosecutor by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> pursuant to a resolution adopted under chapter VII of the UN charter.</li>
<li>As of 17 July 2018, a situation in which an act of aggression would appear to have occurred could be referred to the Court by the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, irrespective as to whether it involves States Parties or non-States Parties.</li>
<li>The <strong>ICC is intended to complement, not to replace, national criminal systems;</strong> it prosecutes cases only when States do not are unwilling or unable to do so genuinely.</li>
<li><strong>ICC is not a UN organization</strong> but is has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations.</li>
<li>When a situation is not within the Court&rsquo;s jurisdiction, the <strong>United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction</strong>. This has been done in the situations in Darfur (Sudan) and Libya.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Other Facts related to Legal Process</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ICC does not prosecute those under the age of 18 when a crime was committed.</li>
<li>Before the Prosecutor can investigate, he/she must conduct a preliminary examination considering such matters as sufficient evidence, jurisdiction, gravity, complementarity, and the interests of justice.</li>
<li>When investigating, the Prosecutor must collect and disclose both incriminating and exonerating evidence.</li>
<li>The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. The burden of proof lies with the Prosecutor.</li>
<li>During all stages of proceedings (Pre-Trial, Trial and Appeals), the defendant has the right to information in a language he or she fully understands, thus the ICC proceedings are conducted in multiple languages, with teams of interpreters and translators at work.</li>
<li>Pre-Trial judges issue warrants of arrest and ensure there is enough evidence before a case can go to trial.</li>
<li>During the Pre-Trial phase, the defendant is referred to as a suspect. Once the case is committed to trial, since at that point the charges have been confirmed, the defendant is referred to as the accused.</li>
<li>Trial judges hear the evidence from the Prosecutor, Defence, and the Victims&rsquo; lawyers, render a verdict, and if a person is found guilty, the sentence and decision on reparations.</li>
<li>Appeals judges render decisions on appeals from the Prosecutor or Defence.</li>
<li>If a case is closed without a verdict of guilt, it can be reopened if the Prosecutor presents new evidence.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Limitations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As a judicial institution, the <strong>ICC does not have its own police force or enforcement body;</strong> thus, it relies on cooperation with countries worldwide for support, particularly for making arrests, transferring arrested persons to the ICC detention centre in The Hague, freezing suspects&rsquo; assets, and enforcing sentences.</li>
<li>This<strong> State cooperation is problematic</strong> for several reasons. It means that the ICC acts inconsistently in its selection of cases, is prevented from taking on hard cases and loses legitimacy.</li>
<li>It also gives the ICC less deterrent value, as potential perpetrators of war crimes know that they can avoid ICC judgment by taking over government and refusing to cooperate.</li>
<li>There is <strong>insufficient checks and balances</strong> on the authority of the ICC prosecutor and judges.</li>
<li>ICC has been accused of being a <strong>tool of Western imperialism and biased</strong> in favour of powerful countries against weak states.</li>
<li>ICC <strong>cannot impose a death sentence;</strong> it can impose lengthy terms of imprisonment of up to 30 years or life when so justified by the gravity of the cases.</li>
<li>The ICC court has <strong>no retrospective jurisdiction</strong> as it can deal only with crimes committed after 1 July 2002 when the 1998 Rome Statute came into force.</li>
<li>ICC has <strong>automatic jurisdiction only for crimes committed on the territory of a state</strong> which has ratified the treaty; or by a citizen of such a state; or when the United Nations Security Council refers a case to it.</li>
<li>Procedural and substantive deficiencies leading to delays and frustration, have questioned the efficacy of the court.</li>
<li>It also faces <strong>scarcity of human resources and funds</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India and ICC</strong></p>
<p><strong>India did not signed the Rome Statute,</strong> and thus, is not a member of ICC because of following reasons:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>State sovereignty</li>
<li>National interests</li>
<li>Difficulty in collection of evidences</li>
<li>Problem to find impartial prosecutors</li>
<li>Crime definition</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>States should actively encourage cooperation with ICC and support human rights defenders working towards international justice and the fulfilment of the ICC&rsquo;s mandate.</li>
<li>To enhance its credibility the court needs to broaden its ambit by including more permanent members of UN and by strengthening of investigations and prosecutions.</li>
<li>ICC role is very important as international justice can contribute to long‐term peace, stability and equitable development in post‐conflict societies.</li>
<li>Having said so it is also important to know that the ICC actively works to build understanding and cooperation in all regions through seminars and conferences worldwide.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-criminal-court-icc'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'A Policy for Disease Control',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/health-policy-rare-diseases-healthcare-opportunity-5669411/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'A Rare Opportunity'</a> which appeared in "Indian Express" on 11<sup>th</sup> April, 2019. The article talks about current bottlenecks in rare disease policy and ways to address it.</p>
</div>
<p>Human societies have seen a significant decrease in mortality from diseases over the past century. However, as a society, we must still struggle with not only the disease we thought under control but also with the disease that have emerged over last 30 years or are emerging every other day. Such endeavour calls for a sound public health disease control programs. This problem gets further traction due to ever increasing cases like that of <strong>Candida Auris, Nipah Virus, Or The Rare Disease</strong> prevalent in India.</p>
<p>To address this, many programmes are run by the Government of India under the umbrella of <strong>National Health Mission</strong>. However, in dealing with infectious and rare disease, National health Mission has its limitations.</p>
<p>In India, policies have focused largely on medical services. Public health services, and even implementation of basic public health regulations, have been neglected. <strong>There is strong capacity for dealing with outbreaks when they occur, but not to prevent them from occurring.</strong> Impressive capacity also exists for conducting intensive campaigns, but not for sustaining these gains on a continuing basis afterwards.</p>
<h3>What should be the guiding principle for dealing with infectious diseases?</h3>
<p>A sound public-health infectious disease control program require</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Science-based policies,</strong> programs, and infrastructure to be in place to prevent infectious disease morbidity and mortality;</li>
<li><strong>Rapid identification</strong> and controlling of outbreaks;</li>
<li>Support for <strong>disease elimination</strong>;</li>
<li>Prevention and response for re-emerging and emerging infectious disease threats;</li>
</ul>
<p>Evolving risk factors associated with external drivers such as globalization, displacement of people and climate change reinforce the need for robust and sound public health infectious disease programs.</p>
<h3>The existing framework for disease control in India</h3>
<p><strong>Historical structure of public healthcare in India:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Since the time of independence, the focus in India has been on medical care rather than on public health.</strong> This was partly due to spread of democratic institutions, because electorates typically prefer public funds to be used to provide private goods (such as medical care), rather than public goods (such as sanitary measures to protect the health of the population as a whole).</li>
<li><strong>Further, elite capture <em>(of spending, as opposed to grassroots or primary level spending)</em> also played a important role in precarious condition of public health in India.</strong> Public funds for health and education have been funnelled towards tertiary rather than primary levels. Substantial proportions of the health budgets have been spent on expanding subsidised medical training, public sector employment for medical graduates, and high-end tertiary medical services &ndash; all of which largely benefits the middle classes and detracts from the provision of public health services.</li>
<li><strong>Further, an inconsistency between constitutional provisions starved public health systems of funds.</strong> Public health services were designated as the responsibility of the state governments, except for issues such as port quarantine and provisions relating to the spread of diseases between states. Moreover, budgetary provisions left little fiscal room for states to operate programmes for which there is little support from the central government, such as ensuring environmental sanitation and other core functions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Current situation of public health in India</h3>
<table border="1" style="height: 452px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #bbf8fa;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 243px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 243px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Overview</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 243px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Of the total current expenditure on health classified by healthcare functions, preventive care accounts for 6.7%. The money spent on curing people on the other hand is 51% of the expenditure with the remaining money being spent on pharmaceuticals.</li>
<li>With 18% of world population, India accounts for 34% of the global tuberculosis burden and 26 % of the premature mortality due to diarrhea, lower respiratory and other common infectious diseases.</li>
<li>Non-communicable disease (NCD) accounts for 55% morbidity and premature mortality. In this context Kerala and Goa have lowest mortality, and Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have the highest rates.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 133px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 133px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Sub-optimal public health system</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 133px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian public health system makes it challenging to tackle NCDs, which, in the first place, is all about prevention and early detection. It causes us to resort to high-cost secondary and tertiary health care in many cases.</li>
<li>This system also diminishes our preparedness for new and emerging threats such as bioterrorism and compromises our ability to harness the demographic dividend.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Steps taken</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The launch of Mission Indradhanush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush as well as the National AYUSH Mission.</li>
<li>Efforts have been intensified for eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases <em>(NTDs&ndash; a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions)</em>.</li>
<li>The launch of National Strategic Plan 2017 that aims to control Tuberculosis.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 100%; height: 19px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;" colspan="2"><strong>Constraints</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Prevention</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Prevention has been historically, inadequately acknowledged in India.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NCD, for example, requires community level interaction but the condition of lifestyle points towards missing interaction (in India).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Most of the human resource in health management is trained towards curative practices.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Causes and linkages between risk factors and diseases as well discipline is ignored. Hospitals are run by clinicians with little expertise in health management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Accountability for ensuring vital public health actions is spread thin</strong> as manifested in the fact that preventable risk factors is the cause for a major proportion of diseases in India.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Institutional</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>There is no single authority responsible for public health</strong> that is legally empowered to enforce compliance from other public authorities and citizens, even though several factors may require inter-sectoral action to achieve a measurable impact on population health.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3><br />The disjunction between governance and public health management</h3>
<p><strong>The rise of infectious diseases is often described in terms of biological processes, but they cannot be reduced to just this dimension.</strong> A range of factors play a role, in particular increasing urbanisation and human mobility. Because all parts of cities are now hyper-connected, emerging infectious and tropical diseases such as dengue affect both privileged and more deprived areas, be they in the centre or peripheral or rural zones.</p>
<p>The social and spatial ubiquity of the disease demands a re-evaluation of the geographical and governance models that is being used to govern public health.</p>
<p>The problem lies in inequality in disease management, particularly in large cities and the zones between them. Cities get better infrastructure than its adjoining peripheral areas, for example, Delhi has 35 big hospitals, which is more than NCR minus Delhi combined.</p>
<p>Territories and infectious diseases are thus caught in a sort of <strong>&ldquo;local globalisation&rdquo;</strong> that requires a re-evaluation, to question the concepts of borders, mobility and the spread of specific urban models <em>(like scientific/social models to help explain where different types of people tend to live in an urban area)</em>.</p>
<h3>The policy for rare diseases in India</h3>
<p><strong>What is rare disease?</strong></p>
<p><strong>A rare disease is a health condition of low prevalence that affects a small number of people compared with other prevalent diseases in the general population.</strong> It is estimated that globally around 6000 to 8000 rare diseases exist with new rare diseases being reported in the medical literature regularly. <strong>However, 80% of all rare disease patients are affected by approximately 350 rare diseases.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Why it is a challenge?</strong></p>
<p>Globally as well as in India, rare diseases pose a significant challenge to public health systems in terms of &ndash; difficulty in collecting epidemiological data <em>(epidemiology is the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease),</em> which in turn impedes arriving at burden of diseases and cost estimations, difficulty in research and development, making correct and timely diagnosis, complex tertiary level management involving long term care and rehabilitation, and unavailability and prohibitive cost of treatment.</p>
<p><strong>Rare Diseases as a public health issue</strong></p>
<p>The field of rare diseases is complex and heterogeneous and suffers from a deficit of medical and scientific knowledge. The landscape of rare diseases is constantly evolving as there are new rare diseases and conditions being identified and reported regularly. This poses formidable challenges in development of a comprehensive policy on rare diseases.</p>
<p><strong>India&rsquo;s policy towards rare disease</strong></p>
<p><strong>More than 70 million people across India are suffering from rare diseases.</strong> India used to have the National Policy For Treatment Of Rare Diseases (NPTRD), with a corpus fund of 100 Crore, but it was withdrawn in December, 2018. Instead the government announced a one time financial assistance for rare diseases.</p>
<p><strong>Why it is done?</strong></p>
<p>The burden of disease is an ever increasing phenomena in India. <strong>Many parts in India still lack in basic health infrastructure. This creates a resource conflict between public health management and rare disease control policy.</strong> The government therefore have to balance the competing priorities of public health in very resource constrained settings.</p>
<p><strong>What is the way out for rare disease policy?</strong></p>
<p>Various committee/commission has recommended policy changes for rare diseases. These recommendations go beyond treatment funding and take a more holistic approach towards rare diseases, encompassing suggestions towards - prevention, awareness creation, training, research and development in treatment and diagnosis, development and manufacturing of drugs for rare diseases at affordable prices, provision of insurance coverage etc.</p>
<p><strong>Is private sector a way out for rare disease?</strong></p>
<p>Private sector is largely driven by the profit motive. Prevention, cure and development of medication for rare diseases take a significant amount of time and resources and that is why the government had to take the initiative in developing cures for rare diseases.</p>
<h3>Way Forward (public health and rare disease)</h3>
<table border="1" style="height: 285px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f7d7d7;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 209px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 209px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Mobilize public health action at multiple levels</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 209px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Public health spending should be increased in accordance with National Health Policy 2017.</li>
<li>Health choices and behaviour should be encouraged through policy measures like:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Instruction of Yoga at schools through certified Instructors.</li>
<li>Increase Taxes on Tobacco, Alcohol; and sugar-sweetened beverages.</li>
<li>Co-location of AYUSH services in PHCs, CHCs and district hospital.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strengthen the Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Day platform to cover all sections of society instead of focusing only on children.</li>
<li>Steps should be taken towards catalysing behavioural change towards a greater recognition of preventive health care.</li>
<li>Make nutrition, water and sanitation part of the core functions of Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Institute a public health and management cadre in states</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Incentivize state governments to invest in creating a dedicated cadre for public health at the state, district and block levels.</li>
<li>Characteristics of the cadre:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Train officials in public health related disciplines like demography, and social and behavioural sciences.</li>
<li>Hospital management training should be provided.</li>
<li>Healthcare professionals should be provided opportunities to rise in the health cadre based services.</li>
<li>For taking leadership level position, master level qualification should be made mandatory in addition to specific training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Institutional mechanisms</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Develop a model public health and management cadre by drawing upon best practices and engage with states to adapt, refine and institutionalize the model.</li>
<li>Formulate guidelines to create the cadre, primarily by re-aligning the requisite skill sets of existing functionaries with service conditions.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Create a focal point for public health at the central level with state counterparts</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Create a designated and autonomous focal agency with the required capacities and linkages to perform the functions of disease surveillance, information gathering on the health impact of non-health department. An appropriately empowered and capacitated National Centre for Disease Control may be considered to play this role with support from relevant organizations.</li>
<li>Create a counterpart Public Health Agency in each state, where they do not already exist.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Miscellaneous</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Redefine the role of the technical directorate (Directorate General of Health Services) and create a Directorate of Public Health.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>To control these diseases in a more sustainable manner, the health of inhabitants has to become a key factor of urban development. This involves reforming the management of diseases, and hence of urban centres - developing more equitable urban infrastructure - most of all, <strong>developing inclusive cities</strong>. In short, investments are required. However, if the task is important, new approaches and new programmes &ndash; for example, smart cities or sustainable towns &ndash; may be a means of better containing these epidemics.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-policy-for-disease-control'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Governor',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/395Drishti_ias_Governor.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/395Drishti_ias_Governor.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper2/governor-mindmap'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Iran Threatens to Close Strait of Hormuz',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Iran has said that it could close the<strong> strategic Strait of Hormuz shipping route</strong> if it faces more &ldquo;hostility,&rdquo; from the United States.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, US tightened sanctions on Iran and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-oil-import-waiver-lifted" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> lifted off Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs) waivers.</a></li>
<li>However, <strong>Iran has said that it will continue to sell its oil</strong> and <strong>use the Strait of Hormuz.</strong> But if Iran is prevented from doing that it will close the strait.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Hormuz Strait</h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203774_image10.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203774_image10.jpg" width="622" height="672" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Strait of Hormuz, also called Strait of Ormuz, <strong>channel linking the Persian Gulf (west) with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (southeast).</strong></li>
<li>The strait is<strong> 35 to 60 miles (55 to 95 km)</strong> wide and <strong>separates Iran (north) from the Arabian Peninsula (south). </strong></li>
<li>It contains the islands of <strong>Qeshm (Qishm), Hormuz, and Hengām (Henjām).</strong> It is of <strong>great strategic and economic importance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance of Hormuz Strait</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strategic Location</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Strait of Hormuz<strong> connects the Indian Ocean with the Arabian/Persian Gulf.</strong></li>
<li>Strait of Hormuz separates the<strong> modern Iranian state from the countries of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.</strong></li>
<li>The Strait of Hormuz is a <strong>strategic artery linking the Middle East to the Asia Pacific, Europe, North America.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Commercial Shipping</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the all recorded history, the seaway has<strong> connected Arab and Persian civilizations with the Indian subcontinent, Pacific Asia and the Americas.</strong> Porcelain from China and spices from the Indochina peninsula often passed through the strait on their way to Central Asia and Europe.</li>
<li><strong>All shipping traffic from energy-rich Gulf countries converges in the strait</strong>, including crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.</li>
<li><strong>Thirty percent of the world&rsquo;s crude oil trade passes through Strait of Hormuz.</strong> It is also the route for <strong>nearly all the liquefied natural gas (LNG) from lead exporter Qatar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Closure</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Closure of Strait of Hormuz or even threatening can lead to a<strong> rise in crude oil price due to supply concerns and unsettled stock markets.</strong></li>
<li>It may also <strong>disrupt trade between the middle east and the rest of the world</strong> as commercial ships will not risk being confronted by the Iranian Navy.</li>
<li>The closure may also have serious <strong>geopolitical repercussions as United States Navy&rsquo;s Central Command is located in the Persian Gulf.</strong> Any confrontation between the<strong> US and Iran may escalate and will have larger security implication in the whole region.</strong></li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-threatens-to-close-strait-of-hormuz'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Delisting of Controlled Substances',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>In a bid to curb trade of narcotics and other controlled substances on online portals, the government has reached out to the industry, especially <strong>business-to-business (B2B) portals</strong>, to ensure their delisting from such platforms.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government has shared a list of about 400 items including narcotics and psychotropic substances with business-to-business (B2B) portals.</li>
<li>The industry outreach follows a<strong> probe against online B2B marketplace IndiaMART,</strong> which was investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in September 2018 for listing acetic anhydride, a precursor for heroin.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Narcotics Control Bureau</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Narcotics Control Bureau was <strong>constituted by the Government of India in 1986</strong> under the <strong>Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.</strong></li>
<li>The act made an express provision for <strong>constituting a Central Authority</strong> for the purpose of exercising the powers and functions of the Central Government under the Act.</li>
<li>The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances<strong> is based on Article 47 of the Indian Constitution</strong> which directs the State to endeavour to bring about<strong> prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drugs injurious to health.</strong></li>
<li>The drug abuse control is the <strong>responsibility of central government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Following this, the portals have<strong> taken measures</strong> to ensure delisting of such controlled substances on their platform.</li>
<li>Earlier in January 2019, the<strong> International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)</strong> held a workshop in Bangkok to create more awareness among the industry.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>INCB Report 2018</strong> had highlighted the growing evidence of an <strong>emerging modus operandi of drug trafficking</strong> in the region that involves the <strong>use of the Internet as a marketplace for drugs and precursors</strong>, with mail or courier services being used for delivery.</li>
<li>It had also pointed to<strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-key-hub-for-illicit-drug-trade-unodc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India being the transit country for illicitly produced opiates</a>,</strong> in particular heroin, which <strong>originate in Afghanistan and are trafficked through the country via Pakistan en route to Europe and North America (mainly Canada)</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Narcotics Control Board</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the <strong>independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body</strong> for the implementation of the <strong>United Nations international drug control conventions.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1968</strong> in accordance with the <strong>Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961.</strong></li>
<li>It was established by <strong>merging two bodies:</strong> the Permanent Central Narcotics Board, and the Drug Supervisory Body.</li>
<li>The functions of INCB are laid down in the following treaties:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>the <strong>Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961,</strong></li>
<li>the <strong>Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971,</strong>and</li>
<li>the <strong>United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is a<strong> signatory to all the above three</strong> mentioned treaties.</li>
<li>INCB has<strong> 13 members</strong> (<strong>10 of the members are elected from a list of persons nominated by Governments</strong>, and<strong> remaining 3 members are elected from a list of persons nominated by the World Health Organization</strong> for their medical, pharmacological or pharmaceutical experience), each elected by the Economic and Social Council for a period of five years.</li>
<li>INCB members may be<strong> re-elected.</strong></li>
<li>It&rsquo;s <strong>secretariat</strong> is located in<strong> Vienna, Austria.</strong></li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delisting-of-controlled-substances'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Space Flight Hazards and Human Health ',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Astronaut Christina Koch will set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman when she completes her 11-month-long mission aboard the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-27-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Space Station (ISS)</strong> </a>in February 2020. Her long stay on the ISS has to do with NASA&rsquo;s preparation of human missions to the Moon and Mars.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why it is being done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The mission became necessary as the majority of data available is on male astronauts. But male and female bodies respond differently, and health conditions occur at different rates in male and female populations. Moreover, it is being done to access the impact of long space travel, and preparation for it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Five Hazards</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NASA classifies impact of space flight on human in <strong>5 broad criteria</strong> known as<strong> &ldquo;5 Hazards&rdquo;.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Radiation</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Any space flight is outside Earth&rsquo;s protective magnetic field, where radiation is much higher as compare to International space station. (International space station is just within the earth&rsquo;s protective atmosphere; even then radiation is 10 times higher when compared to earth.)</li>
<li>Radiation exposure increases cancer risk, damages the central nervous system, can alter cognitive function, reduce motor function and prompt behavioural changes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Isolation and confinement</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Behavioural issues among astronauts crammed in a small space over a long period of time, are inevitable.</li>
<li>Sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, and work overload compound this issue and may lead to performance decrements, adverse health outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Distance from Earth</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As distance of space flight increases from earth, communication delay increases. For example, there will be a communication delay of 20 minute in space travel to Mars.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gravity</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Different planet have different have different gravitational pull, for example astronauts would need to live and work in three-eighths of Earth&rsquo;s gravitational pull on Mars. Additionally, explorers will experience total weightlessness during course of travel.</li>
<li>To further complicate the problem, when astronauts transition from one gravity field to another, it&rsquo;s usually quite an intense experience.</li>
<li>Blasting off from the surface of a planet or a descent through an atmosphere is many times the force of gravity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hostile/closed environments</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NASA has learned that the ecosystem inside the spacecraft plays a big role in everyday astronaut life. Microbes can change characteristics in space, and microorganisms that naturally live on your body are transferred more easily from person to person in closed habitats like the space station</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact Human Health</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Weightlessness and osteoporosis</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to NASA, without gravity working on your body, your bones lose minerals, with density dropping at over 1% per month. By comparison, the rate of bone loss for elderly men and women on Earth is from 1% to 1.5% per year.</li>
<li>Even after returning to Earth, astronauts bone loss might not be corrected by rehabilitation, so an astronaut could be at greater risk of osteoporosis-related fractures later in life.</li>
<li>The fluids in astronaut&rsquo;s body will shift upwards to his/her head, which could put pressure on eyes causing vision problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Micro-gravity and Osteoporosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.</li>
<li>Bone tissues are continuously remodelled in human body, by osteoblasts and osteoclasts: two types of bone-cells which constitute bone tissue. Osteoblasts are responsible for formation of bones whereas osteoclasts are responsible for breakdown of the bones. <br />In micro-gravity conditions, rate of osteoclasts formation increase their rate of bone resorption , resulting in Bone loss.</li>
<li>This is primary cause for Osteoporosis in astronauts.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Telomeres get longer during spaceflight</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Telomeres are the caps that shield the ends of our chromosomes, protecting DNA strands from damage and degradation. Research has shown that longer telomeres are associated with fewer age-related problems</li>
</ul>
<h3>Decreased body mass and increased folate in orbit</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Folate is one of the B-vitamins and is needed to make red and white blood cells in the bone marrow, convert carbohydrates into energy, and produce DNA and RNA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Spaceflight can Trigger Gene Mutations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stresses of space travel, which can alter the biological pathways within cells, causing them to eject DNA and RNA, which can initiate gene-mutation in human body.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/space-flight-hazards-and-human-health'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Governor',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Governor&rsquo;s appointment, his powers and everything related to the office of Governor have been discussed under <strong>Article 153 to Article 162</strong> of the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>The role of the Governor is quite similar to that of the President of India. The Governor performs the same duties as of President, but for the State. Governor stands as executive head of a State and the working remains the same as of the office of President of India. Under the Constitution of India, the governing machinery is the same as that of the Central Government.</li>
<li>It is stated that the Governor has a dual role. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He is the <strong>constitutional head</strong> of the state, bound by the advice of his council of ministers.</li>
<li>He functions as a <strong>vital link</strong> between the Union Government and the State Government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provisions related to Governor</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The appointment and powers of government can be derived from Part VI of the Indian constitution. <strong>Article 153</strong> says that there shall be a Governor for each State. One person can be appointed as Governor for two or more States.</li>
<li>The governor acts in <strong>'Dual Capacity'</strong> as the Constitutional head of the state and as the representative.</li>
<li>He is the part of federal system of Indian polity and acts as a bridge between union and state governments.</li>
<li><strong>Article 157</strong> and <strong>Article 158</strong> of the Constitution of India specify eligibility requirements for the post of governor. They are as follows:</li>
<li><strong>A governor must:</strong>
<ol>
<li>Be a citizen of India.</li>
<li>Be at least 35 years of age.</li>
<li>Not be a member of the either house of the parliament or house of the state legislature.</li>
<li>Not hold any office of profit.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>The<strong> term of governor's office is normally 5 years</strong> but it can be terminated earlier by:
<ol>
<li>Dismissal by the president on the advice of the council of minister headed by the prime minister of the country.</li>
<li>Dismissal of governors without a valid reason is not permitted. However, it is the duty of the President to dismiss a governor whose acts are upheld by courts as unconstitutional and malafide.</li>
<li>Resignation by the governor.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Historical Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Governors under the Government of India Act 1935 were &ldquo;by the Raj, of the Raj and for the Raj&rdquo;. The constituent assembly wanted elected governors as proposed by a sub-committee of B.G. Kher, K.N. Katju and P. Subbarayan.</li>
<li>The apprehension of the clash between powers of Governor and Chief minister led to the system of appointed Governor in the state.</li>
<li>The draft constitution of 1948 was ambivalent &ndash; the drafting committee leaving it to the constituent assembly to decide whether governors should be elected or nominated.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are numerous examples of the Governor&rsquo;s position being abused, usually at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre. The process of appointment has generally been the cause behind it.</li>
<li>In several cases, politicians and former bureaucrats identifying with a particular political ideology have been appointed as the Governors by the Governments. This goes against the constitutionally mandated neutral seat and has resulted in bias, as appears to have happened in Karnataka and Goa.</li>
<li>Recently, the Governor of Rajasthan has been charged with the violation of the model code of conduct. His support of the ruling party is against the <strong>spirit of nonpartisanship</strong> that is expected from the person sitting on constitutional posts. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to such incidents, negative terms like an&nbsp;<strong>agent of the Centre, Puppet and rubber stamps</strong> are used to describe a governor of the state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Governor&rsquo;s <strong>discretionary powers</strong> to <strong>invite the leader of the largest party/alliance, post-election, to form the government</strong> has often been misused to favour a particular political party.</li>
<li><strong>The Governors Committee (1971)</strong> laid down the responsibility on the governor to see that the administration of the State does not breakdown due to political instability and he must send a regular report about the political situation of the State. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the <strong>imposition of President&rsquo;s rule (Article 356)</strong> in case of breakdown of constitutional machinery in a State has been frequently misused by the central government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Governor&rsquo;s work is bound by the aid and advice of his council of ministers, this has brought down the significance of the office to <strong>a mere rubber stamp</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is reflected in TB. Pattabhi Sitaramayya (a former Governor of Madhya Pradesh) observation that he had no public function to perform except making the fortnightly report to the President.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The arbitrary removal of the Governor</strong> before the expiration of his tenure has also been an important issue in the recent past. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Governor cannot be removed on the ground that he is out of sync with the policies and ideologies of the Union government or the party in power at the Centre. Nor can he be removed on the ground that the Union government has lost confidence in him.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recommendations</h3>
<p><strong>S.R. Bommai Judgment</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>S.R. Bommai case (1994),</strong> following the Sarkaria Commission&rsquo;s recommendations, the Supreme Court underlined that the breakdown of constitutional machinery implied a virtual impossibility, and not a mere difficulty, in carrying out governance in a State.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>SC said that while the subjective satisfaction of the President regarding such a breakdown was beyond judicial scrutiny, the material on which such satisfaction was based could certainly be analysed by the judiciary, including the Governor&rsquo;s report.</li>
<li>The Court reinstated the governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand which were suspended after the arbitrary imposition of the President&rsquo;s Rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Supreme Court classified the instances of failure of constitutional machinery into four heads:
<ol>
<li>Political crises.</li>
<li>Internal subversion.</li>
<li>Physical breakdown.</li>
<li>Non-compliance with constitutional directions of the Union Executive.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Cases and Recommendation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Supreme Court in the <strong>Nabam Rebia judgment (2016)</strong> ruled that <strong>the exercise of Governor&rsquo;s discretion Article 163 is limited</strong> and his choice of action should not be arbitrary or fanciful. It must be a choice dictated by reason, actuated by good faith and tempered by caution.</li>
<li><strong>The Administrative Reforms Commission (1968)</strong> recommended that the report of the governor regarding the president's rule has to be objective and also the governor should exercise his own judgment in this regard.</li>
<li><strong>The Rajamannar Committee (1971)</strong> recommended the <strong>deletion of Articles 356 and 357</strong> from the constitution of India. The necessary provisions for safeguards against arbitrary action of the ruling party at the Centre under <strong>Article 356</strong> should be incorporated in the constitution.</li>
<li>The Rajamannar Committee emphasised that the governor of the state should not consider himself as an agent of the centre but play his role as the constitutional head of the State.</li>
<li><strong>The Sarkaria Commission (1988)</strong> recommended that Article 356 should be used in very rare cases when it becomes unavoidable to restore the breakdown of constitutional machinery in the State.</li>
<li>The commission recommended that before taking action under <strong>Article 356,</strong> a warning should be issued to the state government that it is not functioning according to the constitution.</li>
<li><strong>"Justice V.Chelliah Commission" (2002)</strong> recommended that&nbsp;<strong>Article 356</strong> must be used sparingly and only as a remedy of the last resort after exhausting all actions under <strong>Articles 256, 257 and 355</strong>.</li>
<li>The<strong> "Punchhi commission"</strong> recommended that these <strong>Articles 355 &amp; 356</strong> be amended. It sought to protect the interests of the States by trying to curb their misuse by the Centre.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional provisions </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Article 163:</strong> It talks about the discretionary power of governor.</li>
<li><strong>Article 256:</strong> The executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of such directions to a State as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that purpose.</li>
<li><strong>Article 257:</strong> The executive power of the Union shall also extend to the giving of directions to a State as to the construction and maintenance of means of communication declared in the direction to be of national or military importance:</li>
<li><strong>Article 355:</strong> It entrusts the duty upon Union to protect the states against &ldquo;external aggression&rdquo; and &ldquo;internal disturbance&rdquo; to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of Constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Article 356:&nbsp;</strong>In the event that a state government is unable to function according to constitutional provisions, the Central government can take direct control of the state machinery. The state's governor issues the proclamation, after obtaining the consent of the President of India.</li>
<li><strong>Article 357:</strong> It deals with Exercise of legislative powers under Proclamation issued under Article 356 by the central government.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the smooth functioning of a democratic government, it is equally important that the governor must act <strong>judiciously, impartially and efficiently</strong> while exercising his discretion and personal judgment.</li>
<li>In the current political climate examples being <strong>Goa (2017), Meghalaya (2018), Manipur (2017) and Karnataka (2018),</strong> point to the need to ensure proper checks and balances to streamline the functioning of this office.</li>
<li>In order to enable the governor to successfully discharge his functions under the constitution, an agreed <strong>'Code of Conduct'</strong> approved by the state governments, the central government, the parliament, and the state legislatures should be evolved.</li>
<li><strong>'Code of Conduct' should</strong> lay down certain <strong>'norms and principles'</strong> which should guide the exercise of the governor's 'discretion' and his powers which he is entitled to use and exercise on his personal judgment.</li>
<li>The <strong>'procedure for appointment of governors should be clearly laid down'</strong> and conditions of appointment must also be laid down and must assure a fixed tenure for the governor so that the governor is not under the constant threat of removal by the central government.</li>
<li>It is necessary to invest the office of the Governor with the requisite independence of action and to rid them of the bane of &lsquo;instructions&rsquo; from the Central Government.</li>
<li>It is suggested that the exercise of <strong>'discretionary powers'</strong> by the Governors should be 'guided by the healthy and democratic conventions&rsquo;.</li>
<li>The <strong>Bommai verdict</strong> allows the Supreme Court to investigate claims of malafide in the Governor&rsquo;s report, a similar extension to cover <strong>malafide in the invitation</strong> process could be a potential solution.</li>
<li>The role of governor is indispensable for the successful working of the constitutional democracy. He must refrain from aligning himself to any political ideology. The virtue of <strong>impartiality</strong> must be withheld to ensure a free and fair election in a democracy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/564Drishti_ias_Governor.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/564Drishti_ias_Governor.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/governor'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Misuse of Money Bills in India',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>(This editorial is based on the article '<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/trickeries-of-the-money-bill/article26799226.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trickeries of the money bill</a>' which appeared in 'The Hindu' on 11thApril, 2019. The article talks about ambiguities affecting various types of bills and tries to analyse the constitutional provisions related to money bill.)</p>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>The&nbsp;Constitution&nbsp;is not only an embodiment of charter of rights but also a foundation for republican governance. It establishes provisions which give clearer idea of the type of polity our nation aspires to setup.</p>
<p>However the Constitution&rsquo;s tricky nature has been a source of antipathy to many. It has been called too long, too rigid and its tricky legal language leaves enough loopholes which hampers in smooth functioning of various organs of government.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Finance Act, 2017 is one such act which not only undermined the provisions of separation of power which is an essential feature of Indian polity but it also creates a sense of totalitarianism where one stream of authority becomes powerful enough to sweep away everything else in the time of a flood.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>The Case in Point</h2>
<p></p>
<p>Ordinarily, the Finance Act is enacted at the beginning of every accounting year to give effect to the government&rsquo;s fiscal policies. In 2017, however, the state wielded the statute in an arbitrary manner. While it set the fiscal agenda for the year ahead, it also changed the existing regime governing the working of 26 different judicial bodies such as National Green Tribunal, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal etc.</p>
<p>Until recently, each of these panels was governed by a separate statute, and those&nbsp;laws<strong><b>&nbsp;</b></strong>individually contained a set of principles providing for, among other things, the criteria employed to select and remove members to and from these bodies, and for salaries, allowances and other such service conditions of the members.</p>
<p>The Finance Act not only abolished some of the tribunals but also altogether repealed the standards provided in the different statutes which governed their functioning and divested this power to the executives.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>What is Finance Act?</h2>
<p></p>
<p>Finance Bill is a secret bill&nbsp;introduced every year in&nbsp;Lok&nbsp;Sabha (Lower chamber of the Parliament) immediately after&nbsp;the presentation of the Union Budget, to give effect&nbsp;to the financial proposals of the Government of India&nbsp;for the immediately following financial year.</p>
<p>It is presented at the time of presentation of the&nbsp;Annual Financial Statement&nbsp;before Parliament, in fulfillment&nbsp;of the requirement of&nbsp;Article 110 (1)(a) of the Constitution, detailing the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of taxes proposed in the Budget.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>A Finance Bill is a Money Bill but not all money bills are Finance Bills</strong></p>
<h3>There are four types of Bills, namely:-</h3>
<ul>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Constitution Amendment Bills</b></strong>: These are Bills which seek to amend the Constitution.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Money Bills</b></strong>: A Bill is said to be a Money Bill if it&nbsp;only&nbsp;contains provisions related to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated&nbsp;Fund of India. Bills that only contain provisions that are incidental to these matters would also be regarded as Money Bills.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Financial Bills</b></strong>: A Bill that contains some provisions related to taxation and expenditure, and additionally contains provisions related to any other matter is called a Financial Bill. Therefore, if a Bill merely involves expenditure by the government, and addresses other issues, it will be a financial bill.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Ordinary Bills</b></strong>: All other Bills are called ordinary bills.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<h2>How are these bills passed?</h2>
<ul>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Constitution Amendment Bills</b></strong>: A Constitution Amendment Bill must be passed by both Houses of Parliament. It would require a simple majority of the total membership of that House, and a two thirds majority of all members present and voting.&nbsp;Further, if the Bill relates to matters like the election of the President and Governor, executive and legislative powers of the centre and states, the judiciary, etc., it must be ratified by at least half of the state legislatures.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Money Bills: </b></strong>A Money Bill may only be introduced in Lok Sabha, on the recommendation of the President. It must be passed in Lok Sabha by a simple majority of all members present and voting.&nbsp; Following this, it may be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations, which Lok Sabha may reject if it chooses to.&nbsp; If such recommendations are not given within 14 days, it will deem to be passed by Parliament.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Financial Bills: </b></strong>A Financial Bill may only be introduced in Lok Sabha, on the recommendation of the President. The Bill must be passed by both Houses of Parliament, after the President has recommended that it be taken up for consideration in each House.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Ordinary Bills: </b></strong>An Ordinary Bill may be introduced in either House of Parliament. It must be passed by both Houses by a simple majority of all members present and voting.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<h2>Finance Bill Vs Financial Bill</h2>
<p></p>
<p><strong><b>Finance Bill is different from a &ldquo;Financial Bill&rdquo; which is defined under&nbsp;article 117(1) of&nbsp;the Constitution. Money bills including Finance Bills are a subset of &ldquo;Financial Bills&rdquo;.</b></strong></p>
<p>Whereas a Money Bill deals solely with matters&nbsp;specified in article 110(1) (a) to (g) of the Constitution, a Financial Bill does not exclusively deal with all or any&nbsp;of the matters specified in the said article. It may contain some other provisions also.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Financial Bills can be divided into two categories:</h2>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li><span></span>In the first category are Bills which contain provisions attracting article 110(1)(a) to (f) of&nbsp;the Constitution. They are&nbsp;categorized&nbsp;as Financial Bills&nbsp;under article 117(1) of the Constitution. It is a Bill which has characteristics both of a Money Bill and an ordinary Bill.</li>
<li><span></span>As in the case of a Money Bill, firstly, it cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha, and secondly, it cannot be introduced except on the recommendations of the President.</li>
<li><span></span>Except these two points of difference, a Financial Bill in all other respects is just like any other ordinary Bill. That is other&nbsp;restrictions in regard to Money Bills do not apply to this&nbsp;category of Bills. <strong><b>Financial Bill under article 117(1) of&nbsp;the Constitution can be referred to a Joint Committee&nbsp;of the Houses.</b></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong></strong></p>
<p>In the second category are those Bills which&nbsp;contain&nbsp;provisions which on enactment&nbsp;would involve expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India. Such Bills are&nbsp;categorised&nbsp;as Financial Bills&nbsp;under Article 117 (3) of the Constitution.</p>
<ul>
<li><span></span>Such Bills can&nbsp;be introduced in either House of Parliament. However,&nbsp;recommendation of the President is essential for&nbsp;consideration of these Bills by either House and unless&nbsp;such recommendation is received, neither House can&nbsp;pass the Bill.</li>
<li><span></span>Such Bills are more in the nature of ordinary Bills rather than the Money Bills and Financial Bills mentioned earlier. The only point of difference between this category of Financial Bills and the ordinary Bills is that such a Financial Bill, if enacted and brought into operation, involves expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India and cannot be passed by either House of Parliament unless the President has recommended to that House the consideration of the Bill.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;In all other respects this category of Bills is, just like ordinary Bills, so that such a Financial Bill can be introduced in Rajya Sabha, amended by it or a joint sitting can be held in case of disagreement between the Houses over such a Bill. There is, in other words, no limitation on the power of Rajya Sabha in respect of such Financial Bills.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Issues Involved</h2>
<p></p>
<p>It has been argued that as many of these tribunals perform roles that are originally undertaken by the higher judiciary assigning their functions to the executive&rsquo;s whims therefore is detrimental to the basic principle of separation of powers.</p>
<p>Despite the Supreme Court&rsquo;s previous ruling that the chairperson of a judicial tribunal ought to be equivalent to the Chief Justice of the high courts, as a result of the rules now made in furtherance of the Finance Act, in 13 different tribunals, a person who is merely qualified to be appointed as a judge of a high court can be selected as the presiding officer thus eroding the sanctity of these institutions.</p>
<p>The act not merely challenges the separation of power but the manner of its passage is also dubious. It has been argued that substantive matters concerning the governing of tribunals can scarcely be considered as a fiscal measure. Yet the draft law which introduced these provisions was classified as a money bill.</p>
<p>One such clause, Article 110(1), grants to the Lok Sabha Speaker the authority to certify a draft law as a money bill so long as such legislation <strong><b>deals only with all or any of the matters specifically listed in the provision</b></strong>&nbsp;and his decision cannot be questioned and is beyond judicial review.</p>
<p>An immunity from judicial scrutiny would effectively allow the government to elude the Rajya Sabha&rsquo;s constitutional checks by simply having the Speaker classify a draft law as a money bill regardless of whether it, in fact, meets the conditions stipulated in Article 110(1) or not.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Way Forward</h2>
<p></p>
<p>The idea behind a money bill is derived from British parliamentary custom. But unlike in Britain, where judicial review of the Speaker&rsquo;s opinion is unambiguously prohibited, in India, Article 110 avoids creating any such bar.</p>
<p>Money bills exist simply to ensure that the Rajya Sabha isn&rsquo;t allowed to bring down a government by refusing it access to the exchequer for everyday governance.</p>
<p>&nbsp;To use it as a means to nullify the Upper House&rsquo;s democratic role in making substantive legislation undermines the Constitutional form which Ambedkar and the Constituent Assembly envisaged.</p>
<p>Meanwhile the finality accorded to the speaker&rsquo;s decision in assigning Money bill too cannot be ousted from the court&rsquo;s jurisdiction as the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that Judicial Review is a part of Basic Structure Doctrine and it is the constitutional duty of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to review governmental actions, and issue prerogative writs.</p>
<p><strong><b>It is imperative that Supreme Court continues to provide a sense of sanctity to the Constitution&rsquo;s carefully structured arrangements so that smooth functioning in governance can be realised.</b></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/misuse-of-money-bills-in-india'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (27th April 2019)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Centre for Predictive Human Model Systems</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-3rd-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)</strong></a> in collaboration with <strong>Humane Society International-India (HSI-India)</strong> has launched the Centre for Predictive Human Model systems.</li>
<li>Under this system, computational models and in-vitro models have been developed that can be used for research and testing in life sciences.</li>
<li>The model is not only resource-friendly with reduced costs but also more accurate at predicting human outcomes and are ethical.</li>
<li>The center will be a dedicated facility to enable a new approach methodology instead of animal models.</li>
<li>The center aims at prioritizing investment in human-based, non-animal methodologies in life sciences research in India.</li>
<li>Recently, <strong>&ldquo;world laboratory animal day&rdquo;</strong> was also observed on 24th April.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cyclone Kenneth<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203600_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203600_image8.jpg" style="float: right;" width="286" height="296" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A powerful <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-titli" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tropical cyclone</strong></a> has made landfall in Mozambique, just six weeks after <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-idai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone Idai</strong></a> devastated the central part of the country and left hundreds dead.</li>
<li>Cyclone Kenneth battered northern Mozambique with winds of up to 220 kilometers per hour. The cyclone also struck the island nation of Comoros.</li>
<li>Mozambique is still recovering from the previous powerful storm, which made landfall further south in March 2019.</li>
<li>This is the first time in known history that Mozambique has been hit by two cyclones in one season.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Panel to Review Microinsurance Framework</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI)</strong> has set up a committee to review the regulatory framework on microinsurance.</li>
<li><strong>Microinsurance</strong> products offer coverage to low-income households or to individuals who have little savings and is tailored specifically for lower valued assets and compensation for illness, injury or death.</li>
<li>The 13-member panel has been tasked with suggesting product designs with customer-friendly underwriting, including easy premium payment methods and simple claims settlement procedures.</li>
<li>Its mandate is to suggest changes in the distribution structure, including mobile-based and technology-driven solutions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Kafala System</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Qatar</strong> is set to abolish its <strong>controversial exit visa system</strong> for all foreign workers by the end of 2019.</li>
<li>Under the Kafala system, <strong>a migrant worker&rsquo;s immigration status is legally bound to an individual employer or sponsor (kafeel) for their contract period.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> migrant worker cannot enter the country</strong>,<strong> transfer employment nor leave the country</strong> for any reason without first obtaining explicit written permission from the kafeel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Xenon Decay Observed</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Scientists at <strong>XENON Dark Matter Project</strong> have detected the radioactive decay of liquid <strong>Xenon-124 atomic nuclei for the first time.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> half-life measured for Xenon-124 is 1.8&times;10<sup>22</sup> years</strong>, about one trillion times longer than the age of the universe. This is the <strong>slowest radioactive decay ever spotted.</strong></li>
<li>This makes the <strong>observed radioactive decay the rarest process ever seen in the detector XENON1T.</strong></li>
<li>The new study shows that the XENON detector is also able to measure other rare physical phenomena, such as <strong>double electron capture.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Double Electron Capture</strong></p>
<p>In double electron capture,<strong> two protons in the nucleus simultaneously &ldquo;catch&rdquo; two electrons from the innermost atomic shell,</strong> transform into two neutrons, and emit two neutrinos.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The XENON experiment is a <strong>collaboration of 160 scientists, representing 24 different nationalities, and 27 institutions from the US, Europe, Japan, and UAE.</strong></li>
<li>Xenon Dark Matter Project aims to search for Dark matter particles at Gran Sasso Laboratory of the <strong>National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) in Italy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Southern River Terrapin</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cambodia</strong> has released <strong>twenty critically endangered Southern Terrapin Turtle 'Royal Turtles' into their Cambodian rivers.</strong></li>
<li>Southern River Terrapin was on the <strong>brink of extinction because of hunting, trafficking, and illegal sand mining.</strong></li>
<li>Southern River Terrapin is <strong>found in Cambodia; Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.</strong></li>
<li>It is listed as <strong>critically endangered in the IUCN red list.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Manjira sanctuary situated along the river Manjira in Telangana.</strong> Originally a crocodile sanctuary, today more than 70 species of birds are spotted here and is home for the vulnerable species mugger <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crocodile</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Mugger crocodile</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mugger crocodile most <strong>commonly found in freshwater environments</strong> such as rivers, lakes, hill streams, and village ponds. It can live in fresh water and coastal saltwater lagoons.</li>
<li>It also can live in<strong> human-made reservoirs.</strong></li>
<li>This crocodile <strong>does not migrate seasonally, inhabiting the same locale in wet seasons or dry seasons.</strong> This species makes burrows on land in a wide variety of habitats.</li>
<li>Mugger crocodile has been listed as<strong> vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-27th-april-2019'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'PepsiCo Sues Potato Farmers',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>PepsiCo, a multi-million dollar conglomerate, has sued Gujarati farmers asking them to pay ₹1.05 crore each for alleged violation of Intellectual Property Rights.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The company has said that farmers<strong> infringed its patent rights by growing the potato variety used in its product called as Lays chips.</strong></li>
<li>However, facing boycott calls after it sued Gujarati potato farmers PepsiCo has offered to settle the case if the farmers stop growing the registered potato variety used in its Lays chips.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pepsico&rsquo;s Point of View</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PepsiCo has invoked<strong> Section 64 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights (PPV&amp;FR) Act,</strong> 2001 to claim infringement of its rights.</li>
<li>The section<strong> prohibits anyone other than the breeder of seeds or a registered licensee of that variety to sell, export, import or produces such variety. </strong></li>
<li>The farmers were allegedly growing a variety of potato namely FL 2027, also called FC5, on which PepsiCo claimed exclusive rights by virtue of a Plant Variety Certificate (PVC).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Farmers Point Of View</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>However, farmers groups have said that <strong>section 39 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights (PPV&amp;FR) Act, 2001</strong>&nbsp;allows farmers to grow and sell any variety of crop or even seed as long as they don&rsquo;t sell branded seed of registered varieties.</li>
<li>The farmers have requested the government to interfere on their behalf and ask Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights Authority (PPV&amp;FRA) to make a submission in court and fund legal costs through the National Gene Fund.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights (PPV&amp;FR) Act, 2001</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim of the act is the <strong>establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders</strong> and to encourage the development of new varieties of plant.</li>
<li>The act also <strong>establishes Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The major function of Authority includes&nbsp;<strong>Registration</strong> of new plant varieties; <strong>documentation</strong> of varieties registered; <strong>Preservation of plant genetic resource</strong>; Maintenance of the<strong> National Register of Plant Varieties</strong> and Maintenance of<strong> National Gene Bank (for conserving seeds of registered varieties)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rights under the Act</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Breeders&rsquo; Rights:</strong> Breeders (Seed Producers) will have <strong>exclusive rights to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export the protected variety.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A breeder can exercise for<strong> civil remedy</strong> in case of infringement of rights</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Researchers&rsquo; Rights:</strong> Researcher can <strong>use</strong> <strong>any</strong> of the<strong> registered variety under the Act</strong> for conducting an experiment or research.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Researchers can use the initial source of variety for the purpose of developing another variety but <strong>repeated use needs the prior permission of the registered breeder.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Farmers' Rights:</strong> A farmer<strong> who has evolved or developed a new variety is entitled to registration</strong> and protection in like manner as a breeder of a variety.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A farmer <strong>can save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share or sell his farm produce including seed of a variety protected under the PPV&amp;FR Act, 2001 </strong></li>
<li>However, the farmer<strong> shall not be entitled to sell branded seed of a variety protected under the PPV&amp;FR Act, 2001.</strong></li>
<li>There is also a provision for<strong> compensation to the farmers for non-performance of variety.</strong></li>
<li>The farmer shall<strong> not be liable to pay any fee in any proceeding before the Authority or Registrar or the Tribunal or the High Court</strong> under the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Gene Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2007, the <strong>National Gene Fund was constituted under the PPV&amp;FR Act 2001. </strong></li>
<li>It started with an initial amount of Rs 50 lakh from the Central government and gets a contribution from the money paid by plant breeders as registration and annual fee.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Contract Farming</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Contract farming can be defined as <strong>agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers,</strong> which establishes conditions for the production and marketing of a farm product or products.</li>
<li>In contract farming, the farmer agrees to provide agreed quantities of a specific agricultural product which meet the quality standards of the purchaser and be supplied at the time determined by the purchaser.</li>
<li>On the other hand, the buyer commits to purchase the product and, in some cases, to support production through the supply of farm inputs, land preparation and the provision of technical advice.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Non-disclosure of Information by RBI',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Supreme Court granted the last opportunity to the Reserve Bank of India to comply with its order to disclose its annual inspection report and list of wilful defaulters of banks under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.</p>
<p><strong>What is the annual inspection report?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The RBI conducts an annual financial inspection of commercial banks, both public and private. The central bank is empowered under Section 35 of the Banking Regulation Act to conduct an inspection of banks to ensure they adhere to prescribed rules and regulations.</li>
<li>This report looks into risk-based supervision, credit risk, market risk and operational risk of any bank, to ascertain bank&rsquo;s possibility of failure.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Supreme Court in <strong>Reserve Bank of India Vs Jayantilal N.Mistry and others</strong> had directed disclosure of information on annual inspection report and list of wilful defaulters sought for under the RTI Act relating to individual banks regulated and supervised by the RBI.</li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI&rsquo;s Stand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RBI had earlier refused to disclose such information<strong> on the grounds of economic interest, commercial confidence, fiduciary relationship or public interest</strong> with these individual banks. RBI, also argued that such information was exempt under Section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act read with Section 45NB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Summary of SC&rsquo;s judgement</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RBI is supposed to uphold public interest and not the interest of individual banks.</li>
<li>RBI is clearly not in any fiduciary relationship with any bank. RBI has no legal duty to maximize the benefit of any public sector or private sector bank, and thus there is no relationship of 'trust' between them. Further, withholding rather than disclosing of such information would be detrimental to the economic interest of the nation.</li>
<li>RBI has a statutory duty to uphold the interest of the public at large, the depositors, the country's economy and the banking sector. Thus, RBI ought to act with transparency and not hide information that might embarrass individual banks.</li>
<li>It is duty bound to comply with the provisions of the RTI Act and disclose the information sought.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What will be the Impact of this judgement?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The RBI will be required to provide annual inspection reports and other material.</li>
<li>While this will provide greater transparency about the affairs of banks, it has the potential to affect the regulatory process of the RBI.</li>
<li>Information contained in RBI annual inspection reports relating to banks is highly sensitive. The central bank through these efforts tries to ensure that the banking system remains smooth with minimum disruptions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>RTI Act, 2005</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Right to Information Act or RTI is a central legislation, which enables the citizens to procure information from a public authority.</li>
<li>It provides the mechanism for obtaining information under the control of public authority so that transparency and accountability can be increased.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sec 8 of the RTI ACT</strong></p>
<p>Sec 8 deal with exemption from disclosure of information.&mdash;</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>information which would <strong>prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India</strong></li>
<li>information which has <strong>been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law</strong></li>
<li>information, the <strong>disclosure of which would cause a breach of privilege of Parliament or the State Legislature</strong></li>
<li>information including <strong>commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property,</strong> the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information</li>
<li>information available to a person in his <strong>fiduciary relationship</strong>, unless the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information</li>
<li>information received in confidence from foreign government</li>
<li>information, the disclosure of which would <strong>endanger the life or physical safety of any person</strong> or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes</li>
<li>information which <strong>would impede the process of investigation</strong> or apprehension or prosecution of offenders</li>
<li>information <strong>under the Official Secrets Act</strong><br /><br /></li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/non-disclosure-of-information-by-rbi'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'India-Sri Lanka: Security and Geopolitics',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>(This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-easter-bombings-in-sri-lanka-foreshadow-a-regional-challenge-50222/?amp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'The Easter bombings in Sri Lanka foreshadow a regional challenge'</a> which was published in 'ORF' on 24<sup>th</sup> March, 2019. The article talks about the recent bombings that shook Sri Lanka and its potential repercussion for India.)</p>
</div>
<p>Recently a series of bomb blasts shook Sri Lanka, shattering a decade-long peace on the island nation. The blasts brought to fore the underlying tensions in the nation&rsquo;s society and polity. The gruesome bombings are a stark reminder of the nation&rsquo;s violent past, where a 25-year civil war took more than 70,000 lives and ended only when Sri Lankan forces finally defeated the Tamil Tigers in 2009.</p>
<p>After a decade long silence the island nation seems to be heading towards a tumultuous phase, which recently has witnessed spike in the form of communal tension, breakdown of constitutional machinery and now a series of blasts.</p>
<h3>Background for the Recent Attacks</h3>
<p>The carefully coordinated and meticulously planned attacks targeted busy Easter services and three luxury hotels in the capital city of Colombo. As many as 300 plus people died in the attacks.</p>
<p><strong>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s minority Christian community which accounts for less than 10% of the total population of 21.4 million, was the main target of the attack.</strong> Religious tensions have grown in recent years, with the emergence of radical Islamist groups on the one hand and a surge in ultra-nationalist Buddhism led by the Bodu Bala Sena on the other.</p>
<p><strong>Christians had so far not been the targets of violence in Sri Lanka. But now global narratives are seemingly influencing Sri Lanka&rsquo;s local conflict.</strong></p>
<h3>Significance of the Attack</h3>
<p>The failure on the part of intelligence agencies to act on a sound Intel underlines the gross lack of accountability and responsibility in the country&rsquo;s security apparatus which had &ldquo;prior information&rdquo; on the attacks.</p>
<p>There has also been a tactical failure insofar as Sri Lanka&rsquo;s institutional framework has been found to be wanting at a time of such a grave crisis and clearly was clueless in how to respond to the impending attack.</p>
<p>There has also been a larger strategic failure in keeping track of the evolution of <strong>National Thowheeth Jama&rsquo;at</strong> (NJT - group that has been blamed for carrying out the attacks) from a fringe group into a larger threat, if reports of its involvement are indeed correct.</p>
<p>Tensions between Sri Lankan PM and President will now be further aggravated as the country moves closer to elections. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-constitutional-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[Check Read More]</a></p>
<h3>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Unstable Past</h3>
<p><strong>The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is rooted in the discrimination against the Tamil minority by the Sinhalese majority after the end of British colonial domination in 1948.</strong></p>
<p>In the years following independence, the Sinhalese, who resented British favouritism toward Tamils during the colonial period, disenfranchised Tamil migrant plantation workers from India and made Sinhala the official language.</p>
<p>In 1972, the Sinhalese changed the country&rsquo;s name from Ceylon and made Buddhism the nation&rsquo;s primary religion. As ethnic tension grew, in 1976, the LTTE (Liberation for Tamil Tiger Eelam) was formed under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran, and it began to campaign for a Tamil homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, where most of the island&rsquo;s Tamils reside eventually turning into a full‐fledged civil war in 1983.</p>
<p>The LTTE emerged as the main rebel organization fighting for the establishment of an independent state for Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Tamils in the island&rsquo;s northeast. Their fight against the Sri Lankan state led to an armed conflict that lasted for 26 years.</p>
<p>The war was marked by phases of high intensity (Eelam War I: June 1983‐July 1987; Eelam War II: June 1990‐January 1995; Eelam War III: April 1995‐February 2002; Eelam War IV: July 2006‐May 2009) interrupted by different efforts to find a negotiated solution, which failed altogether.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Engagement During the Civil War</h3>
<p>Despite India and Sri Lanka sharing a relationship with each other for more than 2,500 years, during the civil war the relations between the two nations deteriorated significantly.</p>
<p>Sri Lanka blamed India for playing a crucial role in this conflict and accused the central government under Indira Gandhi of supporting Tamil rebel groups by providing them with military assistance and training, and doing this all from Indian Territory.</p>
<p><strong>However, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, relations under Rajiv Gandhi started to improve who took a more neutral stance on the issue. India assumed a conflict‐management role and attempted to mediate between the conflict parties in the 1980s.</strong></p>
<p><strong>On July 29, 1987, secret negotiations between the Indian and Sri Lankan governments led to the signing of the Indo‐Sri Lanka Agreement (ISLA) and, shortly thereafter, India deployed its Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in the North and the East of the island with the task of supervising the ceasefire and disarming the LTTE.</strong></p>
<p>The IPKF mission soon turned out to be the darkest episode in India&rsquo;s regional policy: The LTTE, which had not been invited to the ISLA negotiations, resisted being disarmed and started fighting the IPKF. After three years, given the increasingly evident failure of the IPKF, which was not adequately trained for a guerrilla war, India withdrew its troops. The IPKF debacle deeply influenced India&rsquo;s approach to conflict management in the region by highlighting the limits of India&rsquo;s military power and the risks of interventionist policies.</p>
<p>Ever since India has resorted to least intervention in the island nation and after the end of civil war the relations have significantly improved between two.</p>
<h3>Improving Ties Between India and Sri Lanka</h3>
<p><strong>Commercial relationship</strong></p>
<p><strong>Sri Lanka is one of India&rsquo;s largest trading partners in SAARC. India in turn is amongst the Sri Lanka&rsquo;s largest trade partners globally.</strong> Trade between the two countries grew particularly rapidly after the entry into force of the <strong>India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement</strong> in March 2000.</p>
<p>Sri Lanka has long been a priority destination for direct investment from India. Investments are in diverse areas including petroleum, retail, IT, financial services, real estate, telecommunication, hospitality &amp; tourism, banking and food processing (tea &amp; fruit juices) etc.</p>
<p><strong>Defence cooperation</strong></p>
<p><strong>India and Sri Lanka conducts one of the largest joint Military exercises called &lsquo;Mitra Shakthi&lsquo; and a Naval exercise called &lsquo;SLINEX&lsquo;.</strong></p>
<p><strong>India is also the largest provider of defence training program to Sri Lankan soldiers and Defence officials.</strong></p>
<p><strong>India, Sri Lanka and Maldives also have trilateral maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. The cooperation aims at improving surveillance, anti-piracy operations and reducing maritime pollution.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Developmental Assistance</strong></p>
<p>The conclusion of the civil war saw the emergence of a major humanitarian challenge, with nearly 300,000 Tamil civilians housed in camps for <strong>Internally Displaced Persons</strong> (IDPs). The Government of India put in place a robust programme of assistance to help IDPs return to normal life as quickly as possible.</p>
<h3>Significance of Sri Lanka</h3>
<p><strong>Sri Lanka, sits at the epicentre of the arc connecting the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca. An island nation with an economy that&rsquo;s mainly reliant on tourism and tea exports, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s blessed geography puts it at a crucial juncture of the busy shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean.</strong></p>
<p><strong>While India has enjoyed the status of being Sri Lanka&rsquo;s main economic partner for most part of its independent history and shares strong cultural and historical bonds, China is fast catching up and even overtook New Delhi as Colombo&rsquo;s largest trading partner in 2017.</strong></p>
<p><strong>The most famous symbol of the burgeoning Sri Lanka-China cooperation is the port of Hambantota at the island&rsquo;s south, viewed as an important cog in the wheel of Beijing&rsquo;s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, or a part of &ldquo;String of Pearls&rdquo; that Beijing seeks to create around its neighbour India in fight for regional, and ultimately, global dominance.</strong></p>
<p>India also has a vital strategic stake in Sri Lanka for its own security interests. An unfriendly Sri Lanka or a Sri Lanka under influence of a power unfriendly to India would strategically discomfit India.</p>
<p>For the Indian Navy, Sri Lanka is important as the switching of naval fleets from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea and vice versa requires the fleets to go around the island nation..</p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is more than 2,500 years old. Both countries have a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction however the nations have had their issues.</p>
<p>In recent times the relations between the two have improved and any disturbing developments in Sri Lanka might pose challenge security challenge to India. Given the volatility that affects the Indian Ocean, an unstable nation will drastically increase the Indian geostrategic problem. Hence, internal stability in Sri Lanka is very desirable for India.<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-constitutional-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-sri-lanka-security-and-geopolitics'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (26th April 2019)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Tiwa Tribes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> tribe Tiwas (Lalungs)</strong> lives both in the hills and plains of<strong> Assam and Meghalaya state</strong>. Tiwa means people who were <strong>lifted from below. </strong></li>
<li>They are recognized as a <strong>Scheduled tribe within the State of Assam.</strong></li>
<li>In the month of April,<strong> Khelchawa festival</strong> is celebrated by Tiwa tribe at the <strong>close of the harvest season.</strong></li>
<li>The hill Tiwa villagers are habitual to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/niti-aayog-report-on-shifting-cultivation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Jhum cultivation,</strong></a> horticulture, vegetables and the crops which are cultivable in the area.</li>
<li>They speak a <strong>Tibeto Burman language.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Cell-based Meat</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-3rd-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)</strong></a>, in collaboration with the National Research Centre on Meat (NRCM), has initiated research aimed at<strong> producing meat through cellular agriculture</strong> or cells sourced from animals and later cultivated into the meat. '</li>
<li>It has also been called as <strong>cell-based meat or clean meat or ahimsa meat</strong> (non-violence meat) which will be is<strong> nutritionally equivalent to conventional animal meat.</strong></li>
<li>Significance of Cell-based Meat
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Protecting <strong>Biodiversity</strong> and <strong>environment</strong></li>
<li>Stop use of animals in <strong>research</strong> <strong>purposes</strong></li>
<li>Can address concerns relating to<strong> food security, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Emperor Penguin</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Researchers at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has found that second largest Emperor penguin colony in the world, in Halley Bay Antarctica has suffered a &ldquo;catastrophic&rdquo; breeding failure.</li>
<li>In the colony, <strong>nearly all chicks born over three years died due to shrinking sea ice. </strong></li>
<li>Emperor Penguins are the<strong> largest of all the different kinds of penguin and are endemic to Antarctica.</strong> They have <strong>near threatened</strong> status in IUCN.</li>
<li><strong>Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, with only one species, the Galapagos penguin, found north of the equator.</strong></li>
<li>Every year the 25th of April is observed as World Penguin Day.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mission DELHI&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)</strong> launched Mission DELHI (<strong>Delhi Emergency Life Heart-Attack Initiative</strong>) project.</li>
<li>In the pilot phase, it will cater only to people living in a three-kilometer radius of the <strong>All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). </strong></li>
<li>The project aims to<strong> reduce the mortality from a serious type of heart attac</strong>k called ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), wherein one of the heart&rsquo;s major artery, supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, gets completely blocked.</li>
<li>It aims to reduce the time it takes for people with a<strong> serious heart attack to receive clot-busting medicine.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI allows Foreign Investors to invest in Municipal Bonds</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Reserve Bank of India has eased norms for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) by allowing them to invest in Municipal Bonds (Muni bond) under prescribed limits.</li>
<li>The limits for investing in Muni bond is same as that of FPI investment in State Development Loans (SDLs), which is currently 2% of outstanding loans.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Municipal Bonds</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Municipal bonds are bonds issued by urban local bodies- municipal bodies and municipal corporates (entities owned by municipal bodies) to raise money for financing specific projects specifically infrastructure projects.</li>
<li>These Bonds has tax-free status if they conform to certain rules and their interest rates are market-linked.</li>
<li>Bangalore Municipal Corporation was the first ULB to issue Municipal Bond in India in 1997.</li>
<li>In 2015, SEBI made fresh guidelines for the issue of municipal bonds for enabling the ULBs to mobilize money.</li>
<li>These bonds are known as revenue bonds when raised for one project.</li>
<li>&lsquo;Muni bond&rsquo; could help corporations directly raise funds without looking to State grants or agencies such as World Bank and help in financing projects such as Smart Cities.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Yakshagana&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Yakshagana is a rare and unique traditional theatre of Karnataka state in India</strong> and has a recorded history of more than 5 centuries.</li>
<li>It is a rich artistic blend of music, dance, speech, and costumes, this art combines the features of opera as well as drama, the characteristics of moral education and mass entertainment.</li>
<li><strong>Yakshagana</strong> is strongly influenced by the Bhakti movement.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg"><strong>Bhakti movement</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bhakti movement<strong> probably began around in 6th and 7th century AD</strong> and achieved a great deal of popularity through the poems of the Alvars and Nayanars, the Vaishnavite and Shaivite poets.</li>
<li>They were often <strong>opposed to the establishment and all authoritarian monastic order.</strong></li>
<li>They also strongly criticized all <strong>sectarian zealotry and caste discrimination in society.</strong></li>
<li>All of them claimed<strong> relevance for religion in social life,</strong> in the sphere of real human aspirations and social relationships. Bhakti poets emphasized surrender to god.</li>
<li>Hailing from <strong>both high and low castes,</strong> these poets created a formidable body of literature that firmly established itself in the popular narratives.</li>
<li>The leader of this revivalist movement was Shankaracharya, a great thinker, and a distinguished philosopher. <strong>And this movement was propounded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Namadeva, Tukaram, Jayadeva in different of India.</strong></li>
<li>The movement's major achievement was its <strong>abolition of idol worship.</strong></li>
<li>It is traditionally presented from dusk to dawn. Its stories are drawn from <strong>Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and other epics</strong> from both Hindu and Jain and other ancient Indic traditions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Special 301 Report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>United States has placed India on its Priority Watch List for alleged violations of intellectual property rights.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Office of the United States Trade Representative released its annual Special 301 Report</strong>, in which it placed 36 countries on the Priority Watch List.</li>
<li>USA places trading partners that currently present the most significant concerns regarding IP rights on the Priority Watch List or Watch List. The &ldquo;Priority Watch List&rdquo; classification indicates that problems exist in that country involving its IP protection, enforcement, or market access.</li>
<li>Consequences of being placed on Special report 301
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>U.S. government may initiate dispute settlement proceedings at the World Trade Organization (WTO) or other relevant trade agreement.</li>
<li>The U.S. government can also eliminate tariff preferences unilaterally granted, such as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-april-2019'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Global Forest Watch',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Global Forest Watch (GFW) is released by <strong>World Resources Institute (WRI) </strong>which reveals that India has lost over 1.6 million hectare of tree cover between 2001 and 2018, about four times the geographical area of Goa.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GFW is an open source web application to monitor global forests in near real time.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India, five north-eastern states &mdash; Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur &mdash; were responsible for over 50% of all tree cover loss in the same period.</li>
<li>The main reason for loss of tree cover in the north-eastern states is diversion of forest land and climate change.</li>
<li>The loss of tree cover contributed to 172 MT of carbon emissions in India during this period.</li>
<li>The analysis reveals the total tree cover which used to be 12% of the country&rsquo;s geographical area in 2000 reduced to 8.9% in 2010.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Methodology</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Global Forest Watch uses a dataset collated by the University of Maryland, Google, US Geological Survey, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), besides satellite images, to map tree cover (at 30 metre resolution) globally for the years 2000 and 2010.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Limitation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The data used by Global Forest Watch for this analysis is very coarse for India as it doesn&rsquo;t cover open forest and scrub forest which is a big composition of forests in India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Resources Institute</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WRI is a global research organization that spans more than 50 countries and focuses on six critical issues at the intersection of environment and development: climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities and transport.</li>
<li>
<p>It was established in 1982. Headquartered in Washington, US.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-forest-watch'
		]
	],
	'updates' => object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

		'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
		'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive`, articles.star_rating AS `articles__star_rating` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
		'params' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'defaultTypes' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'decorators' => (int) 0,
		'executed' => false,
		'hydrate' => true,
		'buffered' => true,
		'formatters' => (int) 0,
		'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
		'contain' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'matching' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'extraOptions' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}
	
	},
	'page' => (int) 257,
	'search' => 'class',
	'totalPages' => (float) 334,
	'title' => 'Search'
]
$progress = []
$bookmarks = []
$notes = []
$mynote = []
$topdata = [
	(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/careers',
		'title' => 'We are hiring Full Time Content Developers, to know more, please click here.',
		'type' => (int) 1,
		'date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'news'
	
	}
]
$searchdata = []
$searchlist = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'PPP Investment Model',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Public-private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects, such as public transportation networks, parks, and convention centers. Financing a project through a public-private partnership can allow a project to be completed sooner or make it a possibility in the first place.</p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In recent years, Indian government has given a greater impetus to metro rail expansion. In 2018 itself, 6 new metro rail projects have been sanctioned.</li>
<li>In recent policy regime change there is a greater involvement of private sector in financing and developing these projects.</li>
<li>In this context, concerns have been raised due to public&ndash;private partnerships in financing and developing metro projects, and the possible implications of these on patterns of urban land use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Metro rail projects in India, until 2017, were broadly guided by a consolidated framework decided by the Ministry of Urban Development.</li>
<li>The consolidated framework had set its preference for executing metro rail projects primarily through government funding.</li>
<li>This framework duly recognised the limitations of PPP models due to risks associated with the metro rail systems and the limited experience of India in executing metro rail systems on a PPP basis.</li>
<li>On 16 August 2017, the Union Cabinet approved a <strong>new Metro Rail Policy</strong> which opens a big window for <strong>private investments in metro operations by making PPP component mandatory</strong> for availing central assistance on metro projects.</li>
<li>Private participation has its own cost because projects are undertaken only if they are able to generate profits in return for their investments.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the current policy framework it appears that expansion of metro rail projects across the country will only accelerate the process of conversion of land in urban and semi-urban areas for consumer-oriented use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Types of Investment Models</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Public Investment Model:</strong> In this model Government requires revenue for investment that mainly comes through taxes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As the world is facing the prospect of an extended period of weak economic growth, by enhancing public-sector investment large pools of savings can be channelized into productivity.</li>
<li>Properly targeted public investment can do much to boost economic performance, generating aggregate demand quickly, fueling productivity growth by improving human capital, encouraging technological innovation, and spurring private-sector investment by increasing returns.</li>
<li>Though public investment cannot fix a large demand shortfall overnight, it can accelerate the recovery and establish more sustainable growth patterns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Private Investment Model:</strong> For a country to grow and increase its production investment is required. Presently tax revenue of India is not adequate to meet this demand so government requires private investment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Private investment can be source from domestic or international market.</li>
<li>From abroad private investment comes in the form of FDI or FPI.</li>
<li>Private investment can generate more efficiency by creating more competition, realization of economies of scale and greater flexibility than is available to the public sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Public-Private Partnership Model:</strong> PPP is an arrangement between government and private sector for the provision of public assets and/or public services. Public-private partnerships allow large-scale government projects, such as roads, bridges, or hospitals, to be completed with private funding.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this type of partnership, investments are undertaken by the private sector entity, for a specified period of time.</li>
<li>These partnerships work well when private sector technology and innovation combine with public sector incentives to complete work on time and within budget.</li>
<li>As PPP involves full retention of responsibility by the government for providing the services, it doesn&rsquo;t amount to privatization.</li>
<li>There is a well defined allocation of risk between the private sector and the public entity.</li>
<li>Private entity is chosen on the basis of open competitive bidding and receives performance linked payments.</li>
<li>PPP route can be alternative in developing countries where governments face various constraints on borrowing money for important projects.</li>
<li>It can also give required expertise in planning or executing large projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Models of Public Private Partnership (PPP)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Commonly adopted model of PPPs include Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) ,Build-Own-Operate (BOO), Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer (BOLT), Design-Build-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT), Lease-Develop-Operate (LDO), Operate-Maintain-Transfer (OMT), etc.</li>
<li>These models are different on level of investment, ownership control, risk sharing, technical collaboration, duration, financing etc.</li>
<li><strong>BOT: </strong>It is <strong>conventional PPP model</strong> in which private partner is responsible to design, build, operate (during the contracted period) and transfer back the facility to the public sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Private sector partner has to bring the finance for the project and take the responsibility to construct and maintain it.</li>
<li>Public sector will allow private sector partner to collect revenue from the users. The national highway projects contracted out by NHAI under PPP mode is a major example for the BOT model.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>BOO:</strong> In this model ownership of the newly built facility will rest with the private party.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>On mutually agreed terms and conditions public sector partner agrees to &lsquo;purchase&rsquo; the goods and services produced by the project.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>BOOT:</strong> In this variant of BOT, after the negotiated period of time, project is ransferred to the government or to the private operator.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>BOOT model is used for the development of highways and ports.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>BOLT:</strong> In this approach, the government gives a concession to a private entity to build a facility (and possibly design it as well), own the facility, lease the facility to the public sector and then at the end of the lease period transfer the ownership of the facility to the government.</li>
<li><strong>DBFO:</strong> In this model, entire responsibility for the design, construction, finance, and operation of the project for the period of concession lies with the private party.</li>
<li><strong>LDO:</strong> In this type of investment model either the government or the public sector entity retains ownership of the newly created infrastructure facility and receives payments in terms of a lease agreement with the private promoter. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is mostly followed in the development of airport facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Problems with PPP Projects</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PPP projects have been stuck in issues such as disputes in existing contracts, non-availability of capital and regulatory hurdles related to the acquisition of land.</li>
<li>Indian government has a poor record in regulating PPPs in practice.</li>
<li>Metro projects become sites of crony capitalism and a means for accumulating land by private companies.</li>
<li>Across the world PPPs are facing problems, performance of PPPs has been very mixed according to study conducted by various research bodies.</li>
<li>It is also argued that PPP is mere a &lsquo;&rsquo;language game&rdquo; by governments who find it difficult to push privatization, or when politically it is difficult to contracting out.</li>
<li>Loans for infrastructure projects are believed to comprise a large share of the non-performing asset portfolio of public sector banks in India.</li>
<li>In many sectors, PPP projects have turned into conduits of crony capitalism.</li>
<li>Many PPP projects in infrastructure sector are run by &ldquo;politically connected firms&rdquo; which have used political connections to win contracts.</li>
<li>PPP firms use every opportunity for renegotiating contracts by citing reasons like lower revenue or rise in costs which becomes a norm in India.</li>
<li>Frequent renegotiations also resulted into drain of larger share of public resources.</li>
<li>These firms create a moral hazard by their opportunistic behavior.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Vijay Kelkar Committee Report on Revisiting and Revitalising PPP Model</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2015-16 announced that the PPP mode of infrastructure development has to be revisited and revitalised.</li>
<li>In pursuance of this announcement, a Committee on Revisiting &amp; Revitalising the PPP model of Infrastructure Development was set-up which was chaired by Dr. Vijay Kelkar.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Key recommendations of the committee:</em></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Contracts need to focus more on <strong>service delivery instead of fiscal benefits</strong>.</li>
<li>Better identification and <strong>allocation of risks</strong> between stakeholders</li>
<li>Prudent utilization of <strong>viability gap funds</strong> where user charges cannot guarantee a robust revenue stream.</li>
<li><strong>Improved fiscal reporting</strong> practices and careful monitoring of performance.</li>
<li>Given the urgency of India&rsquo;s demographic transition, and the experience India has already gathered in managing PPPs, the government must move the PPP model to the next level of maturity and sophistication.</li>
<li>Cost effectiveness of managing the risk needs to be evaluated.</li>
<li>An Infrastructure <strong>PPP Adjudication Tribunal (&ldquo;IPAT&rdquo;)</strong> chaired by a Judicial Member (former Judge SC/Chief Justice HC) with a Technical and/or a Financial member, where benches will be constituted by the Chairperson as per needs of the matter in question.</li>
<li>Projects that have not achieved a prescribed percentage of progress on the ground should be scrapped. Re-bid them once issues have been resolved or complete them through public funds and if viable, bid out for Operations and Maintenance.</li>
<li>Sector specific institutional frameworks may be developed to address issues for PPP infrastructure projects.</li>
<li><strong>Umbrella guidelines may be developed for stressed projects</strong> that provide an overall framework for development and functioning of the sector specific frameworks.</li>
<li><strong>Unsolicited Proposals ("Swiss Challenge")</strong> to be discouraged to avoid information asymmetries and lack of transparency.</li>
<li><strong>Amend the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988</strong> to distinguish between genuine errors in decision-making and acts of corruption.</li>
<li>Set up an institution for invigorating private investments in infrastructure, providing guidance for a national PPP policy and developments in PPP.</li>
<li>An institutionalized mechanism like the <strong>National Facilitation Committee (NFC)</strong> to ensure time bound resolution of issues.</li>
<li>Ensure adoption of principles of good governance by the <strong>Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)</strong>.</li>
<li>Discourage government participation in SPVs that implement PPP projects unless strategically essential.</li>
<li>Ministry of Finance to allow banks and financial institutions to issue Zero Coupon Bonds which will also help to achieve soft landing for user charges in infrastructure sector.</li>
<li>Encourage use of PPPs in sectors like Railways, Urban, etc. Railways to have an independent tariff regulator.</li>
<li>Set up an <strong>institute of excellence in PPP</strong> to inter alia guide the sector, provide policy input, timely advice and undertake sustainable capacity building.</li>
<li>Ensure integrated development of infrastructure with roadmaps for delivery of projects.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>New projects especially large-scale transit projects are significant for increasing mobility and for the series of changes in land use patterns. PPPs have the potential to deliver infrastructure projects better and faster. Currently, PPP contracts focus more on fiscal benefits.</li>
<li>There is need for a serious assessment of the efficacy and the likely benefits of increasing private sector participation in metro rail projects before the adoption of this model.</li>
<li>NITI Aayog in its document <strong>'Strategy for New India @75'</strong>, targeted investment rates to 36 per cent by 2022-23 from 28 percent of 2017-2018.</li>
<li>To raise the rate of investment (gross fixed capital formation as a share of GDP) slew of measures will be required to boost both private and public investment.</li>
<li>Private investment needs be encouraged in infrastructure through a renewed public-private partnership (PPP) mechanism on the lines suggested by the Kelkar Committee.</li>
<li>A mature PPP framework, along with a robust enabling ecosystem shall enable the Government to accomplish, to a considerable extent, what our Prime Minister, has said &ldquo;The Government has no business to do business&rdquo; and thereby promote private sector investments and participation towards the nation building.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Development Grants Increases',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-s-development-grants-more-than-double-in-5-years-1556479303772.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'India&rsquo;s development grants more than double in 5 years'</a> which appeared in "The Live Mint" on 29th April, 2019. The article talks about how increasing India&rsquo;s development grants is important for improving its status in the comity of nations.</p>
</div>
<p>When a country provides &lsquo;grants&rsquo; to another country, it means that the country providing the grants is economically better positioned than the one receiving it. For a developing country like India, being able to provide development grants is a matter of pride because in the past India has itself been the recipient of such grants, especially from western economies.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>In the last 5 years, India&rsquo;s development grants more than doubled! This is definitely a sign of India&rsquo;s progress (and power) in this century.</p>
</div>
<h3>What made the news?</h3>
<p>India&rsquo;s development partnership assistance, extended to countries through concessional loans, has more than doubled in the past five years. India, as the world&rsquo;s fastest-growing major economy, is trying to sustain its influence in Asia, Africa and Latin America amid growing Chinese presence in these regions.</p>
<h3>The Short Gist</h3>
<p><strong>A key reason for the rise in India&rsquo;s lines of credit is greater availability of resources at its disposal.</strong></p>
<p>The size of India&rsquo;s economy is estimated at $2.69 trillion in 2019 (taking the rupee/dollar exchange rate as 70) with its GDP clocking more than 7% growth per annum.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India&rsquo;s development assistance has risen from $11 bn in 2013-14 to $28 bn in 2018-19;</li>
<li>India extended 278 lines of credit totalling about $28 billion to 63 countries&mdash;most of them in Africa and Asia during 2018-19; This is a sharp increase from 195 lines of credit worth $11 billion in 2013-14;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Opinions from the editorial</h3>
<p>A former foreign secretary opined that &lsquo;there is a conscious effort by India to increase its lines of credit portfolio in recent years because of the increased penetration of China in areas and regions seen as India&rsquo;s traditional strongholds&rsquo;. Intention of the government is to position India as a <em>&lsquo;leading power&rsquo;</em> (internationally) and this requires gaining a <em>&lsquo;footprint&rsquo;</em> in countries friendly with India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The current projects may not propel India into the league of China&mdash;</strong>known for its signature infrastructure projects such as ports, roads, airports and bridges across Africa and other parts of the world. <strong>But the potential of Indian companies to execute such projects and deliver according to agreed timelines and internationally accepted quality standards is being recognized.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India scaling up its lines of credit also comes as China embarks on its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)&mdash;</strong>that involves building ports, airports, roads and railways across Asia, Africa and Europe. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>There have been warnings from countries such as the US in recent years that signing up for BRI may mean countries falling into a &ldquo;debt trap</strong>" as the terms favour Chinese companies and inability of recipient nations to repay Chinese loans on time would undermine their sovereignty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In contrast, India&rsquo;s lines of credit and other forms of development partnership are projected as unique as they are demand-driven; they respond to felt needs of people; and they do not impose unacceptable burdens such as debt traps or long-term dependency.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>What are lines of credit?</h3>
<p><strong>Lines of credit are loans extended to foreign governments at concessional rates</strong> from money borrowed at market rates by India&rsquo;s EXIM Bank from the international market.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Analysts say that lines of credit &ndash; one of the major components of India&rsquo;s development partnership that includes grant assistance as well as scholarships &ndash; helps India bolster its image as a credible development partner besides <strong>aiding the creation of political influence and constituencies</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>It also helps India shed the tag of being an aid recipient &ndash; something common in the 1950s and 1960s.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Some of the big-ticket projects completed by India in the past few years include:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The presidential office in Ghana, the National Assembly building in Gambia;</li>
<li>A cricket stadium in Guyana;</li>
<li>The Kosti Power plant in Sudan;</li>
<li>India has also helped refurbish a steel plant in Hama in war-torn Syria, scaling up its annual capacity from 70,000 million tonnes to 300,000 million tonnes.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>To Conclude</h3>
<ol>
<li>India may want to spread its development grant packages to countries outside Asia and Africa. Like Western Europe and Latin America for example.</li>
<li>India should maintain its goodwill by continuing to not exploit borrowing countries. This will serve India&rsquo;s and the recipient countries interests in the long run.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s progress as an economy should also reflect India&rsquo;s ambitions as a global trustworthy power, and continuing and increasing development grants is only going to put India in that position. As such, this method of engaging with the world is definitely a very good strategy for India.</li>
</ol>
<h3>What makes this topic important for UPSC?</h3>
<p>In the past UPSC has asked questions such as this one: <em>"The question of India&rsquo;s Energy Security constitutes the most important part of India&rsquo;s economic progress. Analyze India&rsquo;s energy policy cooperation with West Asian Countries.&rdquo;</em> [GS II - 2017]</p>
<p>Now, if we replace &lsquo;energy&rsquo; with &lsquo;grants&rsquo;, we can end up with a question like this: <em>&ldquo;India&rsquo;s ability to provide development grants to other developing countries is an important sign of India&rsquo;s economic progress. Discuss.&rdquo;</em></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indias-development-grants-increases'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (30th April 2019)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Bodhisattva Figure Unearthed&nbsp;<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203863_image9.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203863_image9.jpg" width="254" height="135" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a 1.74-meter <strong>Bodhisattva</strong> figure was unearthed from Phanigiri in Telangana.</li>
<li>It is life size stucco Bodhisattva figure, which was created by craftsmen at <strong>Phanigiri</strong> at the peak of<strong> Ikshvaku dynasty</strong> rule, nearly 1700 year ago.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bodhisattva</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A person who has<strong> attained prajna, or Enlightenment,</strong> but who <strong>postpones Nirvana</strong> in order to help others to attain Enlightenment. Individual Bodhisattvas are the subjects of devotion in certain sects and are often represented in painting and sculpture.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Phanigiri</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a<strong> Buddhist site in Suryapet district, Telangana.</strong> It dates back to the 1st Century before common era(BCE), The place consists of a Buddhist complex which is adorned with a massive stupa along with two apsidal halls with stupas in it.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Ikshvaku dynasty</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dynasty ruled in the eastern Krishna River valley of India, from their capital at Vijayapuri(modern Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh) during approximately 3rd and 4th centuries CE. The Ikshvakus are also known as the<strong> Andhra Ikshvakus or Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri</strong> to distinguish them from their legendary namesakes.</li>
<li>The Ikshvaku kings were Shaivites and performed Vedic rites, but Buddhism also flourished during their reign. Several Ikshvaku queens and princes contributed to the construction of the Buddhist monuments at present-day Nagarjunakonda.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Loya Jirga</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Politicians and officials from across Afghanistan have gathered in Kabul to discuss the war and U.S. efforts to forge a peace deal with the Taliban.</li>
<li>The meeting is being termed as <strong>&lsquo;Loya Jirga&rsquo;&mdash; literally &ldquo;grand assembly&rdquo; in Pashto</strong>. It is the <strong>largest such assembly in modern Afghan history.</strong></li>
<li>The four-day gathering has about <strong>3200 representatives from every district in Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>According to the afghan constitution, <strong>Loya jirgas decision can take precedence over all state institutions, including the presidency.</strong></li>
<li>Loya jirgas have traditionally been a <strong>forum to discuss and reach a consensus on important political issues among Afghanistan's various ethnic groups, tribes, and factions.</strong></li>
<li>The notion of the Loya jirga dates from<strong> 977 A.D</strong>. when a jirga in southeastern Ghazni province chose the freed Tatar slave Naziruddin to head the Ghaznavid Empire.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Goldman Environmental Prize</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An environmental lawyer and activist from Liberia, <strong>Alfred Brownell</strong> was among the six activists to be awarded <strong>Goldman Environmental Prize.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He <strong>prevented</strong> a company from <strong>converting tropical rainforest into palm oil plantations.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> other five winners</strong> are:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Linda Garcia</strong> of Vancouver, Washington, who successfully prevented the <strong>construction of North America&rsquo;s largest oil terminal.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Ana Colovic Lesoska</strong> of North Macedonia, whose helped <strong>stop hydroelectric projects</strong> from being built in the country&rsquo;s largest national park.</li>
<li><strong>Bayarjargal Agvaantseren</strong> of Mongolia, who led the fight to <strong>create the Tost Tosonbumba Nature Reserve.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Jacqueline Evans</strong> of the Cook Islands, whose work led to the conservation and sustainable management of all of the <strong>Cook Islands&rsquo; ocean territory and creation of 15 marine protected areas.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Alberto Curamil</strong> of Chile, a jailed indigenous activist who had protested several <strong>hydroelectric projects in the country.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Goldman Environmental Prize environmental recognizes and honors<strong> grassroots individuals</strong> for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment, often at great personal risk.</li>
<li>The <strong>prize was created in 1989 by philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman.</strong></li>
<li>Winners are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and others. The prize <strong>carries a $200,000 award.</strong></li>
<li>In addition to a monetary prize, Goldman Prize winners each receive a <strong>bronze sculpture called the Ouroboros.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Common to many cultures around the world,<strong> the Ouroboros</strong>, which depicts a <strong>serpent biting its tail,</strong> is a symbol of <strong>nature&rsquo;s power of renewal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Committee on National Clean Air Programme</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Union Environment Ministry has <strong>constituted a committee to implement the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)</strong>, which aims to <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/govt-launches-mission-to-fight-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduce particulate matter (PM) pollution by 20%-30% in at least 102 cities by 2024.</a></strong></li>
<li>The committee will be <strong>chaired by the Secretary, Union Environment Ministry</strong> and has members from <strong>Ministry of Power, the Energy Resources Institute (TERI), and Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K).</strong></li>
<li>The committee would be <strong>headquartered in New Delhi</strong> and would give overall guidance and directions to effectively implement the NCAP.</li>
<li>The NCAP was <strong>unveiled in January, 2019</strong> is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NCAP is envisioned as a five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year. There would be a <strong>review every five years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>World Health Organisation&rsquo;s (WHO) database</strong> on air pollution over the years has listed Tier I and Tier II Indian cities as some of the most polluted places in the world.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 2018, 14 of the world&rsquo;s 15 most polluted cities were in India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-30th-april-2019'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'AMR could Cause 10 Million Deaths: UN',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>UN Interagency Coordinating Group has released a report titled "<strong>NO TIME TO WAIT: Securing The Future From Drug-resistant Infections</strong>".</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Report says that drug-resistant diseases could cause <strong>10 million deaths each year by 2050.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Highlights</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/to-the-point-paper-3-antimicrobial-resistance-amr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Antimicrobial resistance</strong></a> is a <strong>global crisis</strong> that <strong>threatens</strong> a century of progress in the health and achievement of the <strong>Sustainable Development Goals.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Antimicrobial resistance poses a<strong> formidable challenge to achieving Universal Health Coverage</strong> and <strong>threatens progress against many of the Sustainable Development Goals,</strong> including in health, food security, clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, and poverty and inequality.</li>
<li><strong>Misuse and overuse of existing antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants</strong> are accelerating the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The world has to act <strong>urgently</strong>. If timely actions are not taken antimicrobial resistance will have a disastrous impact within a generation.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, at least<strong> 7,00,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases,</strong> including 2,30,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.</li>
<li>By 2030 antimicrobial resistance could <strong>force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.</strong></li>
<li>Without investment from countries in all income brackets, <strong>future generations will face the disastrous impacts of uncontrolled antimicrobial resistance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The drivers of antimicrobial resistance lie in humans, animals, plants, food and the environment. Thus a sustained<strong> One Health response is essential to engage and unite all stakeholders around a shared vision and goals.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The countries should prioritize national action plans to scale-up financing and capacity-building efforts,</strong> put in place stronger regulatory systems and support awareness programs for responsible use of antimicrobials by professionals.</li>
<li>It is also necessary to invest in research and development for new technologies to combat antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UN Interagency Coordination Group (IACG) on Antimicrobial Resistance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>IACG was established in 2016</strong> in consultation with the <strong>World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).</strong></li>
<li>The IACG&rsquo;s mandate is to <strong>provide practical guidance for approaches needed</strong> to ensure sustained effective global action<strong> to address antimicrobial resistance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Summary of IACG Recommendations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Accelerate Progress In Countries</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Equitable and affordable access</strong> to existing and new quality-assured antimicrobials in member states</li>
<li>Accelerate the <strong>development and implementation of One Health National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan</strong> within the context of the SDGs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Innovate To Secure The Future</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Public, private and philanthropic donors and other funders should increase investment</strong> and innovation in quality-assured, new antimicrobials.</li>
<li>Equitable and affordable access to existing and new, quality-assured antimicrobials should be promoted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaborate For More Effective Action</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Systematic and meaningful <strong>engagement of civil society groups and organizations</strong> is necessary for the One Health response to antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Invest For A Sustainable Response</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> IACG emphasizes the need for increased investments in the response to antimicrobial resistance,</strong> including from <strong>domestic</strong> <strong>financing</strong> in all countries; bilateral and <strong>multilateral</strong> <strong>financing</strong>; <strong>development institutions</strong> and <strong>banks</strong>; and <strong>private</strong> <strong>investors</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strengthen Accountability And Global Governance</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need for the <strong>urgent establishment of a One Health Global Leadership Group on Antimicrobial Resistance,</strong> supported by a Joint Secretariat managed by the Tripartite agencies (FAO, OIE, and WHO).</li>
<li>There is a need to convene an<strong> Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance</strong> to monitor and provide the Member States with regular reports on the science and evidence related to antimicrobial resistance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amr-could-cause-10-million-deaths-un'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Country-by-Country Reports Agreement',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>India has notified the inter-governmental agreement with the US for exchange of country-by-country (CbC) reports on multinational companies regarding income allocation and taxes paid in order to help check cross-border tax evasion.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This agreement will enable both the<strong> countries to automatically exchange CbC reports filed by the ultimate parent entities of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the respective jurisdictions</strong> to the financial years commencing on or after January 1, 2016.</li>
<li>That is, the Companies headquartered in the US but having operations and taxability in India <strong>now need not file country-by-country (CbC) reports in India.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For such international companies, <strong>filing CbC reports in the US would be sufficient.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This will <strong>reduce the compliance burden</strong> on their subsidiaries operating out of these countries.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Income-tax Act requires Indian subsidiaries of<strong> multinational companies to provide details of key financial statements</strong> from other jurisdictions where they operate.</li>
<li>This provides the I-T Department with a better operational view of such companies, primarily with regards to revenue and income tax paid.</li>
<li>The provision was a<strong> part of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)</strong> action plan and later incorporated in the I-T Act also.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BEPS is a term used to describe<strong> tax planning strategies</strong> that<strong> exploit mismatches</strong> and<strong> gaps that exist between the tax rules of different jurisdictions.</strong></li>
<li>It is done to <strong>minimize the corporation tax</strong> that is payable overall, by either making tax profits &lsquo;disappear&rsquo; or<strong> shift profits to low tax jurisdictions where it is little or no genuine activity.</strong></li>
<li>In general BEPS strategies are <strong>not illegal; rather they take advantage of different tax rules operating in different jurisdictions.</strong></li>
<li>BEPS is of major significance for developing countries due to their heavy reliance on corporate income tax, particularly from multinational enterprises (MNEs).</li>
<li>The BEPS initiative is an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oecds-forecast-for-global-economy-in-2060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OECD</a> initiative, approved by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/g20-summit-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">G20</a>, to identify ways of providing more standardised tax rules globally.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/country-by-country-reports-agreement'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Climate-Resistant Chickpea Varieties',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>An international team led by the <strong>International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)</strong> has discovered important factors for<strong> heat and drought tolerance in chickpea.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study has identified<strong> four important genes for heat tolerance</strong> and <strong>three important genes for drought tolerance.</strong></li>
<li>The study was based on <strong>complete genome sequencing of 429 chickpea lines from 45 countries.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By using such genomics-assisted breeding approach, the<strong> time taken to produce a new heat- and drought-tolerant</strong> chickpea variety can be <strong>halved from about eight to four years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study has found that chickpea <strong>originated in the Mediterranean/south-west Asia</strong> and migrated to south Asia.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It reached India about two centuries ago, <strong>apparently through Afghanistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study provides insights into <strong>chickpea&rsquo;s genetic diversity, domestication too.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World is already witnessing <strong>increase in temperature because of climate change.</strong> So a new variety with heat and drought tolerance will be <strong>highly useful to Indian farmers.</strong></li>
<li>In India, chickpea is <strong>generally sown in September-October and harvested in January-February.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When heat-tolerant chickpeas are developed in future, farmers in India may have a <strong>possibility to go in for a second round of cropping.</strong></li>
<li>Though the yield will be less for the second crop, <strong>farmers will still stand to gain.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chickpea</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chickpea grain is an <strong>excellent source of high-quality protein</strong>, with a wide range of essential amino acids , but low in fat. The crop also <strong>fixes relatively large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen.</strong></li>
<li>More than 90% of chickpea cultivation area is in <strong>South Asia, including India</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is by far the<strong> world largest producer but is also the largest importer.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Chickpeas are susceptible to several major diseases and insect pests and yields can fall precipitously if the crop is <strong>exposed to extreme temperatures or drought.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, <strong>more than 70% yield is lost</strong> due to drought and increasing temperatures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Chickpea is a winter season crop, so in general any further increase in temperature is expected to <strong>further reduce the yield.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)</strong> is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in the <strong>drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>founded in 1972</strong> and is headquartered in <strong>Hyderabad, Telangana State, in India,</strong> with<strong> two regional hubs (Nairobi, Kenya and Bamako, Mali).</strong></li>
<li>ICRISAT conducts research on <strong>six highly nutritious drought-tolerant crops,</strong> also known as <strong>Smart Food: Chickpea, Pigeonpea, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Sorghum, and Groundnut.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Smart Food is food that is define as <strong>good for consumer, the planet and the farmer,</strong> and is one of the solutions that contributes to addressing all these<strong> issues in unison.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-resistant-chickpea-varieties'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'International Criminal Court (ICC)',
		'catname' => 'International Institutions',
		'desc' => '<h3>About</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Governed by an international treaty called <strong>'The Rome Statute',</strong> the ICC is the world&rsquo;s first permanent international criminal court.</li>
<li>It investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.</li>
<li>Through international criminal justice, ICC aims to hold those responsible for their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from happening again.</li>
<li><strong>India is not a party to Rome Statute along with US and China.</strong></li>
<li>Recently <strong>Malaysia has ratified the Rome Statute</strong> and became the 124<sup>th</sup> State party to the ICC.</li>
</ul>
<h3>History</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 17 July, 1998 Rome Statute was adopted by 120 States in direction of creating a more just world.</li>
<li>On 1 July, 2002 Rome Statute took effect upon ratification by 60 states, officially establishing the ICC. Since it has <strong>no retroactive jurisdiction,</strong> the ICC deals with crimes committed on or after this date.</li>
<li>After 2010 amendments &ndash; the Rome Statute also sets <strong>new standards for victims' representation in the Courtroom,</strong> and ensures fair trials and the rights of the defence.</li>
<li>Today the &lsquo;Rome Statute&rsquo; serves as the ICC's guiding legal instrument, which is elaborated in such other legal texts as the Elements of Crimes, Rules of Procedure and Evidence and more.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Facts and Figures</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Today the ICC has over 900 staff members from approximately 100 States.</li>
<li>It has <strong>6 official languages:</strong> English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.</li>
<li>ICC has <strong>6 field offices:</strong> Kinshasa and Bunia (Democratic Republic of the Congo, "DRC"); Kampala (Uganda); Bangui (Central African Republic, "CAR"); Nairobi (Kenya), Abidjan (C&ocirc;te d'Ivoire).</li>
<li>It has <strong>2 working languages:</strong> English and French.</li>
<li>ICC <strong>Headquarters at The Hague, the Netherlands</strong>.</li>
<li>There have thus far been 27 cases before the Court, with some cases having more than one suspect.</li>
<li>16 people have been detained in the ICC detention centre.</li>
<li>The judges have issued 8 convictions and 3 acquittals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Organisation Structure</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Assembly of States Parties provides management oversight for the Court, including electing judges and the Prosecutor and approving the ICC&rsquo;s budget.</li>
<li>Four organs of the ICC
<ol>
<li><strong>Presidency</strong> conducts external relations with States, coordinates judicial matters such as assigning judges, situations and cases to divisions, and oversees the Registry's administrative work.</li>
<li><strong>Judicial Divisions</strong> (18 judges in 3 divisions) Pre-Trial, Trial and Appeals &ndash; conduct judicial proceedings</li>
<li><strong>Office of the Prosecutor</strong> conducts preliminary examinations, investigations, and prosecutions.</li>
<li><strong>Registry</strong> conducts non-judicial activities, such as security, interpretation, outreach, support to Defence and victims' lawyers etc.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Trust Fund for Victims provides assistance, support and reparations to victims.</li>
<li>The ICC has field offices in several of the countries in which investigations are being conducted.</li>
<li>The ICC detention centre is used to hold in safe, secure and humane custody those detained by the ICC.</li>
<li>The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the Detention Centre's inspecting authority and as such has unrestricted access and examine, on unannounced visits.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Jurisdiction and Working of Court</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four main crimes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The crime of Genocide </strong></li>
<li><strong>Crimes against Humanity </strong></li>
<li><strong>War crimes </strong></li>
<li><strong>Crime of Aggression</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Court may exercise jurisdiction in a situation where genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes were committed on or after <strong>1 July 2002</strong>,</li>
<li>The crimes were committed <strong>by a State Party national,</strong> or in the territory of a State Party, or in a State that has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court;</li>
<li>The crimes were <strong>referred to the ICC Prosecutor by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> pursuant to a resolution adopted under chapter VII of the UN charter.</li>
<li>As of 17 July 2018, a situation in which an act of aggression would appear to have occurred could be referred to the Court by the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, irrespective as to whether it involves States Parties or non-States Parties.</li>
<li>The <strong>ICC is intended to complement, not to replace, national criminal systems;</strong> it prosecutes cases only when States do not are unwilling or unable to do so genuinely.</li>
<li><strong>ICC is not a UN organization</strong> but is has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations.</li>
<li>When a situation is not within the Court&rsquo;s jurisdiction, the <strong>United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction</strong>. This has been done in the situations in Darfur (Sudan) and Libya.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Other Facts related to Legal Process</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ICC does not prosecute those under the age of 18 when a crime was committed.</li>
<li>Before the Prosecutor can investigate, he/she must conduct a preliminary examination considering such matters as sufficient evidence, jurisdiction, gravity, complementarity, and the interests of justice.</li>
<li>When investigating, the Prosecutor must collect and disclose both incriminating and exonerating evidence.</li>
<li>The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. The burden of proof lies with the Prosecutor.</li>
<li>During all stages of proceedings (Pre-Trial, Trial and Appeals), the defendant has the right to information in a language he or she fully understands, thus the ICC proceedings are conducted in multiple languages, with teams of interpreters and translators at work.</li>
<li>Pre-Trial judges issue warrants of arrest and ensure there is enough evidence before a case can go to trial.</li>
<li>During the Pre-Trial phase, the defendant is referred to as a suspect. Once the case is committed to trial, since at that point the charges have been confirmed, the defendant is referred to as the accused.</li>
<li>Trial judges hear the evidence from the Prosecutor, Defence, and the Victims&rsquo; lawyers, render a verdict, and if a person is found guilty, the sentence and decision on reparations.</li>
<li>Appeals judges render decisions on appeals from the Prosecutor or Defence.</li>
<li>If a case is closed without a verdict of guilt, it can be reopened if the Prosecutor presents new evidence.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Limitations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As a judicial institution, the <strong>ICC does not have its own police force or enforcement body;</strong> thus, it relies on cooperation with countries worldwide for support, particularly for making arrests, transferring arrested persons to the ICC detention centre in The Hague, freezing suspects&rsquo; assets, and enforcing sentences.</li>
<li>This<strong> State cooperation is problematic</strong> for several reasons. It means that the ICC acts inconsistently in its selection of cases, is prevented from taking on hard cases and loses legitimacy.</li>
<li>It also gives the ICC less deterrent value, as potential perpetrators of war crimes know that they can avoid ICC judgment by taking over government and refusing to cooperate.</li>
<li>There is <strong>insufficient checks and balances</strong> on the authority of the ICC prosecutor and judges.</li>
<li>ICC has been accused of being a <strong>tool of Western imperialism and biased</strong> in favour of powerful countries against weak states.</li>
<li>ICC <strong>cannot impose a death sentence;</strong> it can impose lengthy terms of imprisonment of up to 30 years or life when so justified by the gravity of the cases.</li>
<li>The ICC court has <strong>no retrospective jurisdiction</strong> as it can deal only with crimes committed after 1 July 2002 when the 1998 Rome Statute came into force.</li>
<li>ICC has <strong>automatic jurisdiction only for crimes committed on the territory of a state</strong> which has ratified the treaty; or by a citizen of such a state; or when the United Nations Security Council refers a case to it.</li>
<li>Procedural and substantive deficiencies leading to delays and frustration, have questioned the efficacy of the court.</li>
<li>It also faces <strong>scarcity of human resources and funds</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India and ICC</strong></p>
<p><strong>India did not signed the Rome Statute,</strong> and thus, is not a member of ICC because of following reasons:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>State sovereignty</li>
<li>National interests</li>
<li>Difficulty in collection of evidences</li>
<li>Problem to find impartial prosecutors</li>
<li>Crime definition</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>States should actively encourage cooperation with ICC and support human rights defenders working towards international justice and the fulfilment of the ICC&rsquo;s mandate.</li>
<li>To enhance its credibility the court needs to broaden its ambit by including more permanent members of UN and by strengthening of investigations and prosecutions.</li>
<li>ICC role is very important as international justice can contribute to long‐term peace, stability and equitable development in post‐conflict societies.</li>
<li>Having said so it is also important to know that the ICC actively works to build understanding and cooperation in all regions through seminars and conferences worldwide.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-criminal-court-icc'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'A Policy for Disease Control',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/health-policy-rare-diseases-healthcare-opportunity-5669411/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'A Rare Opportunity'</a> which appeared in "Indian Express" on 11<sup>th</sup> April, 2019. The article talks about current bottlenecks in rare disease policy and ways to address it.</p>
</div>
<p>Human societies have seen a significant decrease in mortality from diseases over the past century. However, as a society, we must still struggle with not only the disease we thought under control but also with the disease that have emerged over last 30 years or are emerging every other day. Such endeavour calls for a sound public health disease control programs. This problem gets further traction due to ever increasing cases like that of <strong>Candida Auris, Nipah Virus, Or The Rare Disease</strong> prevalent in India.</p>
<p>To address this, many programmes are run by the Government of India under the umbrella of <strong>National Health Mission</strong>. However, in dealing with infectious and rare disease, National health Mission has its limitations.</p>
<p>In India, policies have focused largely on medical services. Public health services, and even implementation of basic public health regulations, have been neglected. <strong>There is strong capacity for dealing with outbreaks when they occur, but not to prevent them from occurring.</strong> Impressive capacity also exists for conducting intensive campaigns, but not for sustaining these gains on a continuing basis afterwards.</p>
<h3>What should be the guiding principle for dealing with infectious diseases?</h3>
<p>A sound public-health infectious disease control program require</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Science-based policies,</strong> programs, and infrastructure to be in place to prevent infectious disease morbidity and mortality;</li>
<li><strong>Rapid identification</strong> and controlling of outbreaks;</li>
<li>Support for <strong>disease elimination</strong>;</li>
<li>Prevention and response for re-emerging and emerging infectious disease threats;</li>
</ul>
<p>Evolving risk factors associated with external drivers such as globalization, displacement of people and climate change reinforce the need for robust and sound public health infectious disease programs.</p>
<h3>The existing framework for disease control in India</h3>
<p><strong>Historical structure of public healthcare in India:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Since the time of independence, the focus in India has been on medical care rather than on public health.</strong> This was partly due to spread of democratic institutions, because electorates typically prefer public funds to be used to provide private goods (such as medical care), rather than public goods (such as sanitary measures to protect the health of the population as a whole).</li>
<li><strong>Further, elite capture <em>(of spending, as opposed to grassroots or primary level spending)</em> also played a important role in precarious condition of public health in India.</strong> Public funds for health and education have been funnelled towards tertiary rather than primary levels. Substantial proportions of the health budgets have been spent on expanding subsidised medical training, public sector employment for medical graduates, and high-end tertiary medical services &ndash; all of which largely benefits the middle classes and detracts from the provision of public health services.</li>
<li><strong>Further, an inconsistency between constitutional provisions starved public health systems of funds.</strong> Public health services were designated as the responsibility of the state governments, except for issues such as port quarantine and provisions relating to the spread of diseases between states. Moreover, budgetary provisions left little fiscal room for states to operate programmes for which there is little support from the central government, such as ensuring environmental sanitation and other core functions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Current situation of public health in India</h3>
<table border="1" style="height: 452px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #bbf8fa;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 243px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 243px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Overview</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 243px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Of the total current expenditure on health classified by healthcare functions, preventive care accounts for 6.7%. The money spent on curing people on the other hand is 51% of the expenditure with the remaining money being spent on pharmaceuticals.</li>
<li>With 18% of world population, India accounts for 34% of the global tuberculosis burden and 26 % of the premature mortality due to diarrhea, lower respiratory and other common infectious diseases.</li>
<li>Non-communicable disease (NCD) accounts for 55% morbidity and premature mortality. In this context Kerala and Goa have lowest mortality, and Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have the highest rates.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 133px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 133px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Sub-optimal public health system</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 133px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian public health system makes it challenging to tackle NCDs, which, in the first place, is all about prevention and early detection. It causes us to resort to high-cost secondary and tertiary health care in many cases.</li>
<li>This system also diminishes our preparedness for new and emerging threats such as bioterrorism and compromises our ability to harness the demographic dividend.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Steps taken</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The launch of Mission Indradhanush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush as well as the National AYUSH Mission.</li>
<li>Efforts have been intensified for eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases <em>(NTDs&ndash; a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions)</em>.</li>
<li>The launch of National Strategic Plan 2017 that aims to control Tuberculosis.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 100%; height: 19px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;" colspan="2"><strong>Constraints</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Prevention</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Prevention has been historically, inadequately acknowledged in India.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NCD, for example, requires community level interaction but the condition of lifestyle points towards missing interaction (in India).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Most of the human resource in health management is trained towards curative practices.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Causes and linkages between risk factors and diseases as well discipline is ignored. Hospitals are run by clinicians with little expertise in health management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Accountability for ensuring vital public health actions is spread thin</strong> as manifested in the fact that preventable risk factors is the cause for a major proportion of diseases in India.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 13.4844%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Institutional</strong></td>
<td style="width: 86.5156%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>There is no single authority responsible for public health</strong> that is legally empowered to enforce compliance from other public authorities and citizens, even though several factors may require inter-sectoral action to achieve a measurable impact on population health.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3><br />The disjunction between governance and public health management</h3>
<p><strong>The rise of infectious diseases is often described in terms of biological processes, but they cannot be reduced to just this dimension.</strong> A range of factors play a role, in particular increasing urbanisation and human mobility. Because all parts of cities are now hyper-connected, emerging infectious and tropical diseases such as dengue affect both privileged and more deprived areas, be they in the centre or peripheral or rural zones.</p>
<p>The social and spatial ubiquity of the disease demands a re-evaluation of the geographical and governance models that is being used to govern public health.</p>
<p>The problem lies in inequality in disease management, particularly in large cities and the zones between them. Cities get better infrastructure than its adjoining peripheral areas, for example, Delhi has 35 big hospitals, which is more than NCR minus Delhi combined.</p>
<p>Territories and infectious diseases are thus caught in a sort of <strong>&ldquo;local globalisation&rdquo;</strong> that requires a re-evaluation, to question the concepts of borders, mobility and the spread of specific urban models <em>(like scientific/social models to help explain where different types of people tend to live in an urban area)</em>.</p>
<h3>The policy for rare diseases in India</h3>
<p><strong>What is rare disease?</strong></p>
<p><strong>A rare disease is a health condition of low prevalence that affects a small number of people compared with other prevalent diseases in the general population.</strong> It is estimated that globally around 6000 to 8000 rare diseases exist with new rare diseases being reported in the medical literature regularly. <strong>However, 80% of all rare disease patients are affected by approximately 350 rare diseases.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Why it is a challenge?</strong></p>
<p>Globally as well as in India, rare diseases pose a significant challenge to public health systems in terms of &ndash; difficulty in collecting epidemiological data <em>(epidemiology is the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease),</em> which in turn impedes arriving at burden of diseases and cost estimations, difficulty in research and development, making correct and timely diagnosis, complex tertiary level management involving long term care and rehabilitation, and unavailability and prohibitive cost of treatment.</p>
<p><strong>Rare Diseases as a public health issue</strong></p>
<p>The field of rare diseases is complex and heterogeneous and suffers from a deficit of medical and scientific knowledge. The landscape of rare diseases is constantly evolving as there are new rare diseases and conditions being identified and reported regularly. This poses formidable challenges in development of a comprehensive policy on rare diseases.</p>
<p><strong>India&rsquo;s policy towards rare disease</strong></p>
<p><strong>More than 70 million people across India are suffering from rare diseases.</strong> India used to have the National Policy For Treatment Of Rare Diseases (NPTRD), with a corpus fund of 100 Crore, but it was withdrawn in December, 2018. Instead the government announced a one time financial assistance for rare diseases.</p>
<p><strong>Why it is done?</strong></p>
<p>The burden of disease is an ever increasing phenomena in India. <strong>Many parts in India still lack in basic health infrastructure. This creates a resource conflict between public health management and rare disease control policy.</strong> The government therefore have to balance the competing priorities of public health in very resource constrained settings.</p>
<p><strong>What is the way out for rare disease policy?</strong></p>
<p>Various committee/commission has recommended policy changes for rare diseases. These recommendations go beyond treatment funding and take a more holistic approach towards rare diseases, encompassing suggestions towards - prevention, awareness creation, training, research and development in treatment and diagnosis, development and manufacturing of drugs for rare diseases at affordable prices, provision of insurance coverage etc.</p>
<p><strong>Is private sector a way out for rare disease?</strong></p>
<p>Private sector is largely driven by the profit motive. Prevention, cure and development of medication for rare diseases take a significant amount of time and resources and that is why the government had to take the initiative in developing cures for rare diseases.</p>
<h3>Way Forward (public health and rare disease)</h3>
<table border="1" style="height: 285px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f7d7d7;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 209px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 209px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Mobilize public health action at multiple levels</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 209px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Public health spending should be increased in accordance with National Health Policy 2017.</li>
<li>Health choices and behaviour should be encouraged through policy measures like:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Instruction of Yoga at schools through certified Instructors.</li>
<li>Increase Taxes on Tobacco, Alcohol; and sugar-sweetened beverages.</li>
<li>Co-location of AYUSH services in PHCs, CHCs and district hospital.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strengthen the Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Day platform to cover all sections of society instead of focusing only on children.</li>
<li>Steps should be taken towards catalysing behavioural change towards a greater recognition of preventive health care.</li>
<li>Make nutrition, water and sanitation part of the core functions of Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Institute a public health and management cadre in states</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Incentivize state governments to invest in creating a dedicated cadre for public health at the state, district and block levels.</li>
<li>Characteristics of the cadre:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Train officials in public health related disciplines like demography, and social and behavioural sciences.</li>
<li>Hospital management training should be provided.</li>
<li>Healthcare professionals should be provided opportunities to rise in the health cadre based services.</li>
<li>For taking leadership level position, master level qualification should be made mandatory in addition to specific training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Institutional mechanisms</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Develop a model public health and management cadre by drawing upon best practices and engage with states to adapt, refine and institutionalize the model.</li>
<li>Formulate guidelines to create the cadre, primarily by re-aligning the requisite skill sets of existing functionaries with service conditions.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Create a focal point for public health at the central level with state counterparts</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Create a designated and autonomous focal agency with the required capacities and linkages to perform the functions of disease surveillance, information gathering on the health impact of non-health department. An appropriately empowered and capacitated National Centre for Disease Control may be considered to play this role with support from relevant organizations.</li>
<li>Create a counterpart Public Health Agency in each state, where they do not already exist.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 21.2013%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Miscellaneous</strong></td>
<td style="width: 78.7987%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Redefine the role of the technical directorate (Directorate General of Health Services) and create a Directorate of Public Health.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>To control these diseases in a more sustainable manner, the health of inhabitants has to become a key factor of urban development. This involves reforming the management of diseases, and hence of urban centres - developing more equitable urban infrastructure - most of all, <strong>developing inclusive cities</strong>. In short, investments are required. However, if the task is important, new approaches and new programmes &ndash; for example, smart cities or sustainable towns &ndash; may be a means of better containing these epidemics.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-policy-for-disease-control'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Governor',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/395Drishti_ias_Governor.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/395Drishti_ias_Governor.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper2/governor-mindmap'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Iran Threatens to Close Strait of Hormuz',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Iran has said that it could close the<strong> strategic Strait of Hormuz shipping route</strong> if it faces more &ldquo;hostility,&rdquo; from the United States.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, US tightened sanctions on Iran and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-oil-import-waiver-lifted" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> lifted off Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs) waivers.</a></li>
<li>However, <strong>Iran has said that it will continue to sell its oil</strong> and <strong>use the Strait of Hormuz.</strong> But if Iran is prevented from doing that it will close the strait.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Hormuz Strait</h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203774_image10.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203774_image10.jpg" width="622" height="672" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Strait of Hormuz, also called Strait of Ormuz, <strong>channel linking the Persian Gulf (west) with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (southeast).</strong></li>
<li>The strait is<strong> 35 to 60 miles (55 to 95 km)</strong> wide and <strong>separates Iran (north) from the Arabian Peninsula (south). </strong></li>
<li>It contains the islands of <strong>Qeshm (Qishm), Hormuz, and Hengām (Henjām).</strong> It is of <strong>great strategic and economic importance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance of Hormuz Strait</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strategic Location</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Strait of Hormuz<strong> connects the Indian Ocean with the Arabian/Persian Gulf.</strong></li>
<li>Strait of Hormuz separates the<strong> modern Iranian state from the countries of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.</strong></li>
<li>The Strait of Hormuz is a <strong>strategic artery linking the Middle East to the Asia Pacific, Europe, North America.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Commercial Shipping</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the all recorded history, the seaway has<strong> connected Arab and Persian civilizations with the Indian subcontinent, Pacific Asia and the Americas.</strong> Porcelain from China and spices from the Indochina peninsula often passed through the strait on their way to Central Asia and Europe.</li>
<li><strong>All shipping traffic from energy-rich Gulf countries converges in the strait</strong>, including crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.</li>
<li><strong>Thirty percent of the world&rsquo;s crude oil trade passes through Strait of Hormuz.</strong> It is also the route for <strong>nearly all the liquefied natural gas (LNG) from lead exporter Qatar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Closure</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Closure of Strait of Hormuz or even threatening can lead to a<strong> rise in crude oil price due to supply concerns and unsettled stock markets.</strong></li>
<li>It may also <strong>disrupt trade between the middle east and the rest of the world</strong> as commercial ships will not risk being confronted by the Iranian Navy.</li>
<li>The closure may also have serious <strong>geopolitical repercussions as United States Navy&rsquo;s Central Command is located in the Persian Gulf.</strong> Any confrontation between the<strong> US and Iran may escalate and will have larger security implication in the whole region.</strong></li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-threatens-to-close-strait-of-hormuz'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Delisting of Controlled Substances',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>In a bid to curb trade of narcotics and other controlled substances on online portals, the government has reached out to the industry, especially <strong>business-to-business (B2B) portals</strong>, to ensure their delisting from such platforms.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government has shared a list of about 400 items including narcotics and psychotropic substances with business-to-business (B2B) portals.</li>
<li>The industry outreach follows a<strong> probe against online B2B marketplace IndiaMART,</strong> which was investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in September 2018 for listing acetic anhydride, a precursor for heroin.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Narcotics Control Bureau</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Narcotics Control Bureau was <strong>constituted by the Government of India in 1986</strong> under the <strong>Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.</strong></li>
<li>The act made an express provision for <strong>constituting a Central Authority</strong> for the purpose of exercising the powers and functions of the Central Government under the Act.</li>
<li>The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances<strong> is based on Article 47 of the Indian Constitution</strong> which directs the State to endeavour to bring about<strong> prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drugs injurious to health.</strong></li>
<li>The drug abuse control is the <strong>responsibility of central government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Following this, the portals have<strong> taken measures</strong> to ensure delisting of such controlled substances on their platform.</li>
<li>Earlier in January 2019, the<strong> International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)</strong> held a workshop in Bangkok to create more awareness among the industry.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>INCB Report 2018</strong> had highlighted the growing evidence of an <strong>emerging modus operandi of drug trafficking</strong> in the region that involves the <strong>use of the Internet as a marketplace for drugs and precursors</strong>, with mail or courier services being used for delivery.</li>
<li>It had also pointed to<strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-key-hub-for-illicit-drug-trade-unodc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India being the transit country for illicitly produced opiates</a>,</strong> in particular heroin, which <strong>originate in Afghanistan and are trafficked through the country via Pakistan en route to Europe and North America (mainly Canada)</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Narcotics Control Board</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the <strong>independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body</strong> for the implementation of the <strong>United Nations international drug control conventions.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1968</strong> in accordance with the <strong>Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961.</strong></li>
<li>It was established by <strong>merging two bodies:</strong> the Permanent Central Narcotics Board, and the Drug Supervisory Body.</li>
<li>The functions of INCB are laid down in the following treaties:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>the <strong>Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961,</strong></li>
<li>the <strong>Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971,</strong>and</li>
<li>the <strong>United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is a<strong> signatory to all the above three</strong> mentioned treaties.</li>
<li>INCB has<strong> 13 members</strong> (<strong>10 of the members are elected from a list of persons nominated by Governments</strong>, and<strong> remaining 3 members are elected from a list of persons nominated by the World Health Organization</strong> for their medical, pharmacological or pharmaceutical experience), each elected by the Economic and Social Council for a period of five years.</li>
<li>INCB members may be<strong> re-elected.</strong></li>
<li>It&rsquo;s <strong>secretariat</strong> is located in<strong> Vienna, Austria.</strong></li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delisting-of-controlled-substances'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Space Flight Hazards and Human Health ',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Astronaut Christina Koch will set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman when she completes her 11-month-long mission aboard the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-27-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Space Station (ISS)</strong> </a>in February 2020. Her long stay on the ISS has to do with NASA&rsquo;s preparation of human missions to the Moon and Mars.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why it is being done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The mission became necessary as the majority of data available is on male astronauts. But male and female bodies respond differently, and health conditions occur at different rates in male and female populations. Moreover, it is being done to access the impact of long space travel, and preparation for it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Five Hazards</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NASA classifies impact of space flight on human in <strong>5 broad criteria</strong> known as<strong> &ldquo;5 Hazards&rdquo;.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Radiation</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Any space flight is outside Earth&rsquo;s protective magnetic field, where radiation is much higher as compare to International space station. (International space station is just within the earth&rsquo;s protective atmosphere; even then radiation is 10 times higher when compared to earth.)</li>
<li>Radiation exposure increases cancer risk, damages the central nervous system, can alter cognitive function, reduce motor function and prompt behavioural changes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Isolation and confinement</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Behavioural issues among astronauts crammed in a small space over a long period of time, are inevitable.</li>
<li>Sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, and work overload compound this issue and may lead to performance decrements, adverse health outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Distance from Earth</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As distance of space flight increases from earth, communication delay increases. For example, there will be a communication delay of 20 minute in space travel to Mars.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gravity</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Different planet have different have different gravitational pull, for example astronauts would need to live and work in three-eighths of Earth&rsquo;s gravitational pull on Mars. Additionally, explorers will experience total weightlessness during course of travel.</li>
<li>To further complicate the problem, when astronauts transition from one gravity field to another, it&rsquo;s usually quite an intense experience.</li>
<li>Blasting off from the surface of a planet or a descent through an atmosphere is many times the force of gravity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hostile/closed environments</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NASA has learned that the ecosystem inside the spacecraft plays a big role in everyday astronaut life. Microbes can change characteristics in space, and microorganisms that naturally live on your body are transferred more easily from person to person in closed habitats like the space station</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact Human Health</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Weightlessness and osteoporosis</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to NASA, without gravity working on your body, your bones lose minerals, with density dropping at over 1% per month. By comparison, the rate of bone loss for elderly men and women on Earth is from 1% to 1.5% per year.</li>
<li>Even after returning to Earth, astronauts bone loss might not be corrected by rehabilitation, so an astronaut could be at greater risk of osteoporosis-related fractures later in life.</li>
<li>The fluids in astronaut&rsquo;s body will shift upwards to his/her head, which could put pressure on eyes causing vision problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Micro-gravity and Osteoporosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.</li>
<li>Bone tissues are continuously remodelled in human body, by osteoblasts and osteoclasts: two types of bone-cells which constitute bone tissue. Osteoblasts are responsible for formation of bones whereas osteoclasts are responsible for breakdown of the bones. <br />In micro-gravity conditions, rate of osteoclasts formation increase their rate of bone resorption , resulting in Bone loss.</li>
<li>This is primary cause for Osteoporosis in astronauts.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Telomeres get longer during spaceflight</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Telomeres are the caps that shield the ends of our chromosomes, protecting DNA strands from damage and degradation. Research has shown that longer telomeres are associated with fewer age-related problems</li>
</ul>
<h3>Decreased body mass and increased folate in orbit</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Folate is one of the B-vitamins and is needed to make red and white blood cells in the bone marrow, convert carbohydrates into energy, and produce DNA and RNA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Spaceflight can Trigger Gene Mutations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stresses of space travel, which can alter the biological pathways within cells, causing them to eject DNA and RNA, which can initiate gene-mutation in human body.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/space-flight-hazards-and-human-health'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Governor',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Governor&rsquo;s appointment, his powers and everything related to the office of Governor have been discussed under <strong>Article 153 to Article 162</strong> of the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>The role of the Governor is quite similar to that of the President of India. The Governor performs the same duties as of President, but for the State. Governor stands as executive head of a State and the working remains the same as of the office of President of India. Under the Constitution of India, the governing machinery is the same as that of the Central Government.</li>
<li>It is stated that the Governor has a dual role. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He is the <strong>constitutional head</strong> of the state, bound by the advice of his council of ministers.</li>
<li>He functions as a <strong>vital link</strong> between the Union Government and the State Government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provisions related to Governor</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The appointment and powers of government can be derived from Part VI of the Indian constitution. <strong>Article 153</strong> says that there shall be a Governor for each State. One person can be appointed as Governor for two or more States.</li>
<li>The governor acts in <strong>'Dual Capacity'</strong> as the Constitutional head of the state and as the representative.</li>
<li>He is the part of federal system of Indian polity and acts as a bridge between union and state governments.</li>
<li><strong>Article 157</strong> and <strong>Article 158</strong> of the Constitution of India specify eligibility requirements for the post of governor. They are as follows:</li>
<li><strong>A governor must:</strong>
<ol>
<li>Be a citizen of India.</li>
<li>Be at least 35 years of age.</li>
<li>Not be a member of the either house of the parliament or house of the state legislature.</li>
<li>Not hold any office of profit.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>The<strong> term of governor's office is normally 5 years</strong> but it can be terminated earlier by:
<ol>
<li>Dismissal by the president on the advice of the council of minister headed by the prime minister of the country.</li>
<li>Dismissal of governors without a valid reason is not permitted. However, it is the duty of the President to dismiss a governor whose acts are upheld by courts as unconstitutional and malafide.</li>
<li>Resignation by the governor.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Historical Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Governors under the Government of India Act 1935 were &ldquo;by the Raj, of the Raj and for the Raj&rdquo;. The constituent assembly wanted elected governors as proposed by a sub-committee of B.G. Kher, K.N. Katju and P. Subbarayan.</li>
<li>The apprehension of the clash between powers of Governor and Chief minister led to the system of appointed Governor in the state.</li>
<li>The draft constitution of 1948 was ambivalent &ndash; the drafting committee leaving it to the constituent assembly to decide whether governors should be elected or nominated.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are numerous examples of the Governor&rsquo;s position being abused, usually at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre. The process of appointment has generally been the cause behind it.</li>
<li>In several cases, politicians and former bureaucrats identifying with a particular political ideology have been appointed as the Governors by the Governments. This goes against the constitutionally mandated neutral seat and has resulted in bias, as appears to have happened in Karnataka and Goa.</li>
<li>Recently, the Governor of Rajasthan has been charged with the violation of the model code of conduct. His support of the ruling party is against the <strong>spirit of nonpartisanship</strong> that is expected from the person sitting on constitutional posts. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to such incidents, negative terms like an&nbsp;<strong>agent of the Centre, Puppet and rubber stamps</strong> are used to describe a governor of the state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Governor&rsquo;s <strong>discretionary powers</strong> to <strong>invite the leader of the largest party/alliance, post-election, to form the government</strong> has often been misused to favour a particular political party.</li>
<li><strong>The Governors Committee (1971)</strong> laid down the responsibility on the governor to see that the administration of the State does not breakdown due to political instability and he must send a regular report about the political situation of the State. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the <strong>imposition of President&rsquo;s rule (Article 356)</strong> in case of breakdown of constitutional machinery in a State has been frequently misused by the central government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Governor&rsquo;s work is bound by the aid and advice of his council of ministers, this has brought down the significance of the office to <strong>a mere rubber stamp</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is reflected in TB. Pattabhi Sitaramayya (a former Governor of Madhya Pradesh) observation that he had no public function to perform except making the fortnightly report to the President.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The arbitrary removal of the Governor</strong> before the expiration of his tenure has also been an important issue in the recent past. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Governor cannot be removed on the ground that he is out of sync with the policies and ideologies of the Union government or the party in power at the Centre. Nor can he be removed on the ground that the Union government has lost confidence in him.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recommendations</h3>
<p><strong>S.R. Bommai Judgment</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>S.R. Bommai case (1994),</strong> following the Sarkaria Commission&rsquo;s recommendations, the Supreme Court underlined that the breakdown of constitutional machinery implied a virtual impossibility, and not a mere difficulty, in carrying out governance in a State.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>SC said that while the subjective satisfaction of the President regarding such a breakdown was beyond judicial scrutiny, the material on which such satisfaction was based could certainly be analysed by the judiciary, including the Governor&rsquo;s report.</li>
<li>The Court reinstated the governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand which were suspended after the arbitrary imposition of the President&rsquo;s Rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Supreme Court classified the instances of failure of constitutional machinery into four heads:
<ol>
<li>Political crises.</li>
<li>Internal subversion.</li>
<li>Physical breakdown.</li>
<li>Non-compliance with constitutional directions of the Union Executive.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Cases and Recommendation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Supreme Court in the <strong>Nabam Rebia judgment (2016)</strong> ruled that <strong>the exercise of Governor&rsquo;s discretion Article 163 is limited</strong> and his choice of action should not be arbitrary or fanciful. It must be a choice dictated by reason, actuated by good faith and tempered by caution.</li>
<li><strong>The Administrative Reforms Commission (1968)</strong> recommended that the report of the governor regarding the president's rule has to be objective and also the governor should exercise his own judgment in this regard.</li>
<li><strong>The Rajamannar Committee (1971)</strong> recommended the <strong>deletion of Articles 356 and 357</strong> from the constitution of India. The necessary provisions for safeguards against arbitrary action of the ruling party at the Centre under <strong>Article 356</strong> should be incorporated in the constitution.</li>
<li>The Rajamannar Committee emphasised that the governor of the state should not consider himself as an agent of the centre but play his role as the constitutional head of the State.</li>
<li><strong>The Sarkaria Commission (1988)</strong> recommended that Article 356 should be used in very rare cases when it becomes unavoidable to restore the breakdown of constitutional machinery in the State.</li>
<li>The commission recommended that before taking action under <strong>Article 356,</strong> a warning should be issued to the state government that it is not functioning according to the constitution.</li>
<li><strong>"Justice V.Chelliah Commission" (2002)</strong> recommended that&nbsp;<strong>Article 356</strong> must be used sparingly and only as a remedy of the last resort after exhausting all actions under <strong>Articles 256, 257 and 355</strong>.</li>
<li>The<strong> "Punchhi commission"</strong> recommended that these <strong>Articles 355 &amp; 356</strong> be amended. It sought to protect the interests of the States by trying to curb their misuse by the Centre.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional provisions </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Article 163:</strong> It talks about the discretionary power of governor.</li>
<li><strong>Article 256:</strong> The executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of such directions to a State as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that purpose.</li>
<li><strong>Article 257:</strong> The executive power of the Union shall also extend to the giving of directions to a State as to the construction and maintenance of means of communication declared in the direction to be of national or military importance:</li>
<li><strong>Article 355:</strong> It entrusts the duty upon Union to protect the states against &ldquo;external aggression&rdquo; and &ldquo;internal disturbance&rdquo; to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of Constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Article 356:&nbsp;</strong>In the event that a state government is unable to function according to constitutional provisions, the Central government can take direct control of the state machinery. The state's governor issues the proclamation, after obtaining the consent of the President of India.</li>
<li><strong>Article 357:</strong> It deals with Exercise of legislative powers under Proclamation issued under Article 356 by the central government.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the smooth functioning of a democratic government, it is equally important that the governor must act <strong>judiciously, impartially and efficiently</strong> while exercising his discretion and personal judgment.</li>
<li>In the current political climate examples being <strong>Goa (2017), Meghalaya (2018), Manipur (2017) and Karnataka (2018),</strong> point to the need to ensure proper checks and balances to streamline the functioning of this office.</li>
<li>In order to enable the governor to successfully discharge his functions under the constitution, an agreed <strong>'Code of Conduct'</strong> approved by the state governments, the central government, the parliament, and the state legislatures should be evolved.</li>
<li><strong>'Code of Conduct' should</strong> lay down certain <strong>'norms and principles'</strong> which should guide the exercise of the governor's 'discretion' and his powers which he is entitled to use and exercise on his personal judgment.</li>
<li>The <strong>'procedure for appointment of governors should be clearly laid down'</strong> and conditions of appointment must also be laid down and must assure a fixed tenure for the governor so that the governor is not under the constant threat of removal by the central government.</li>
<li>It is necessary to invest the office of the Governor with the requisite independence of action and to rid them of the bane of &lsquo;instructions&rsquo; from the Central Government.</li>
<li>It is suggested that the exercise of <strong>'discretionary powers'</strong> by the Governors should be 'guided by the healthy and democratic conventions&rsquo;.</li>
<li>The <strong>Bommai verdict</strong> allows the Supreme Court to investigate claims of malafide in the Governor&rsquo;s report, a similar extension to cover <strong>malafide in the invitation</strong> process could be a potential solution.</li>
<li>The role of governor is indispensable for the successful working of the constitutional democracy. He must refrain from aligning himself to any political ideology. The virtue of <strong>impartiality</strong> must be withheld to ensure a free and fair election in a democracy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/564Drishti_ias_Governor.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/564Drishti_ias_Governor.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/governor'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Misuse of Money Bills in India',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>(This editorial is based on the article '<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/trickeries-of-the-money-bill/article26799226.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trickeries of the money bill</a>' which appeared in 'The Hindu' on 11thApril, 2019. The article talks about ambiguities affecting various types of bills and tries to analyse the constitutional provisions related to money bill.)</p>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>The&nbsp;Constitution&nbsp;is not only an embodiment of charter of rights but also a foundation for republican governance. It establishes provisions which give clearer idea of the type of polity our nation aspires to setup.</p>
<p>However the Constitution&rsquo;s tricky nature has been a source of antipathy to many. It has been called too long, too rigid and its tricky legal language leaves enough loopholes which hampers in smooth functioning of various organs of government.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Finance Act, 2017 is one such act which not only undermined the provisions of separation of power which is an essential feature of Indian polity but it also creates a sense of totalitarianism where one stream of authority becomes powerful enough to sweep away everything else in the time of a flood.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>The Case in Point</h2>
<p></p>
<p>Ordinarily, the Finance Act is enacted at the beginning of every accounting year to give effect to the government&rsquo;s fiscal policies. In 2017, however, the state wielded the statute in an arbitrary manner. While it set the fiscal agenda for the year ahead, it also changed the existing regime governing the working of 26 different judicial bodies such as National Green Tribunal, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal etc.</p>
<p>Until recently, each of these panels was governed by a separate statute, and those&nbsp;laws<strong><b>&nbsp;</b></strong>individually contained a set of principles providing for, among other things, the criteria employed to select and remove members to and from these bodies, and for salaries, allowances and other such service conditions of the members.</p>
<p>The Finance Act not only abolished some of the tribunals but also altogether repealed the standards provided in the different statutes which governed their functioning and divested this power to the executives.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>What is Finance Act?</h2>
<p></p>
<p>Finance Bill is a secret bill&nbsp;introduced every year in&nbsp;Lok&nbsp;Sabha (Lower chamber of the Parliament) immediately after&nbsp;the presentation of the Union Budget, to give effect&nbsp;to the financial proposals of the Government of India&nbsp;for the immediately following financial year.</p>
<p>It is presented at the time of presentation of the&nbsp;Annual Financial Statement&nbsp;before Parliament, in fulfillment&nbsp;of the requirement of&nbsp;Article 110 (1)(a) of the Constitution, detailing the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of taxes proposed in the Budget.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>A Finance Bill is a Money Bill but not all money bills are Finance Bills</strong></p>
<h3>There are four types of Bills, namely:-</h3>
<ul>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Constitution Amendment Bills</b></strong>: These are Bills which seek to amend the Constitution.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Money Bills</b></strong>: A Bill is said to be a Money Bill if it&nbsp;only&nbsp;contains provisions related to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated&nbsp;Fund of India. Bills that only contain provisions that are incidental to these matters would also be regarded as Money Bills.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Financial Bills</b></strong>: A Bill that contains some provisions related to taxation and expenditure, and additionally contains provisions related to any other matter is called a Financial Bill. Therefore, if a Bill merely involves expenditure by the government, and addresses other issues, it will be a financial bill.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Ordinary Bills</b></strong>: All other Bills are called ordinary bills.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<h2>How are these bills passed?</h2>
<ul>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Constitution Amendment Bills</b></strong>: A Constitution Amendment Bill must be passed by both Houses of Parliament. It would require a simple majority of the total membership of that House, and a two thirds majority of all members present and voting.&nbsp;Further, if the Bill relates to matters like the election of the President and Governor, executive and legislative powers of the centre and states, the judiciary, etc., it must be ratified by at least half of the state legislatures.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Money Bills: </b></strong>A Money Bill may only be introduced in Lok Sabha, on the recommendation of the President. It must be passed in Lok Sabha by a simple majority of all members present and voting.&nbsp; Following this, it may be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations, which Lok Sabha may reject if it chooses to.&nbsp; If such recommendations are not given within 14 days, it will deem to be passed by Parliament.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Financial Bills: </b></strong>A Financial Bill may only be introduced in Lok Sabha, on the recommendation of the President. The Bill must be passed by both Houses of Parliament, after the President has recommended that it be taken up for consideration in each House.</li>
<li><b><span></span></b><strong><b>Ordinary Bills: </b></strong>An Ordinary Bill may be introduced in either House of Parliament. It must be passed by both Houses by a simple majority of all members present and voting.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<h2>Finance Bill Vs Financial Bill</h2>
<p></p>
<p><strong><b>Finance Bill is different from a &ldquo;Financial Bill&rdquo; which is defined under&nbsp;article 117(1) of&nbsp;the Constitution. Money bills including Finance Bills are a subset of &ldquo;Financial Bills&rdquo;.</b></strong></p>
<p>Whereas a Money Bill deals solely with matters&nbsp;specified in article 110(1) (a) to (g) of the Constitution, a Financial Bill does not exclusively deal with all or any&nbsp;of the matters specified in the said article. It may contain some other provisions also.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Financial Bills can be divided into two categories:</h2>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li><span></span>In the first category are Bills which contain provisions attracting article 110(1)(a) to (f) of&nbsp;the Constitution. They are&nbsp;categorized&nbsp;as Financial Bills&nbsp;under article 117(1) of the Constitution. It is a Bill which has characteristics both of a Money Bill and an ordinary Bill.</li>
<li><span></span>As in the case of a Money Bill, firstly, it cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha, and secondly, it cannot be introduced except on the recommendations of the President.</li>
<li><span></span>Except these two points of difference, a Financial Bill in all other respects is just like any other ordinary Bill. That is other&nbsp;restrictions in regard to Money Bills do not apply to this&nbsp;category of Bills. <strong><b>Financial Bill under article 117(1) of&nbsp;the Constitution can be referred to a Joint Committee&nbsp;of the Houses.</b></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong></strong></p>
<p>In the second category are those Bills which&nbsp;contain&nbsp;provisions which on enactment&nbsp;would involve expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India. Such Bills are&nbsp;categorised&nbsp;as Financial Bills&nbsp;under Article 117 (3) of the Constitution.</p>
<ul>
<li><span></span>Such Bills can&nbsp;be introduced in either House of Parliament. However,&nbsp;recommendation of the President is essential for&nbsp;consideration of these Bills by either House and unless&nbsp;such recommendation is received, neither House can&nbsp;pass the Bill.</li>
<li><span></span>Such Bills are more in the nature of ordinary Bills rather than the Money Bills and Financial Bills mentioned earlier. The only point of difference between this category of Financial Bills and the ordinary Bills is that such a Financial Bill, if enacted and brought into operation, involves expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India and cannot be passed by either House of Parliament unless the President has recommended to that House the consideration of the Bill.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;In all other respects this category of Bills is, just like ordinary Bills, so that such a Financial Bill can be introduced in Rajya Sabha, amended by it or a joint sitting can be held in case of disagreement between the Houses over such a Bill. There is, in other words, no limitation on the power of Rajya Sabha in respect of such Financial Bills.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Issues Involved</h2>
<p></p>
<p>It has been argued that as many of these tribunals perform roles that are originally undertaken by the higher judiciary assigning their functions to the executive&rsquo;s whims therefore is detrimental to the basic principle of separation of powers.</p>
<p>Despite the Supreme Court&rsquo;s previous ruling that the chairperson of a judicial tribunal ought to be equivalent to the Chief Justice of the high courts, as a result of the rules now made in furtherance of the Finance Act, in 13 different tribunals, a person who is merely qualified to be appointed as a judge of a high court can be selected as the presiding officer thus eroding the sanctity of these institutions.</p>
<p>The act not merely challenges the separation of power but the manner of its passage is also dubious. It has been argued that substantive matters concerning the governing of tribunals can scarcely be considered as a fiscal measure. Yet the draft law which introduced these provisions was classified as a money bill.</p>
<p>One such clause, Article 110(1), grants to the Lok Sabha Speaker the authority to certify a draft law as a money bill so long as such legislation <strong><b>deals only with all or any of the matters specifically listed in the provision</b></strong>&nbsp;and his decision cannot be questioned and is beyond judicial review.</p>
<p>An immunity from judicial scrutiny would effectively allow the government to elude the Rajya Sabha&rsquo;s constitutional checks by simply having the Speaker classify a draft law as a money bill regardless of whether it, in fact, meets the conditions stipulated in Article 110(1) or not.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Way Forward</h2>
<p></p>
<p>The idea behind a money bill is derived from British parliamentary custom. But unlike in Britain, where judicial review of the Speaker&rsquo;s opinion is unambiguously prohibited, in India, Article 110 avoids creating any such bar.</p>
<p>Money bills exist simply to ensure that the Rajya Sabha isn&rsquo;t allowed to bring down a government by refusing it access to the exchequer for everyday governance.</p>
<p>&nbsp;To use it as a means to nullify the Upper House&rsquo;s democratic role in making substantive legislation undermines the Constitutional form which Ambedkar and the Constituent Assembly envisaged.</p>
<p>Meanwhile the finality accorded to the speaker&rsquo;s decision in assigning Money bill too cannot be ousted from the court&rsquo;s jurisdiction as the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that Judicial Review is a part of Basic Structure Doctrine and it is the constitutional duty of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to review governmental actions, and issue prerogative writs.</p>
<p><strong><b>It is imperative that Supreme Court continues to provide a sense of sanctity to the Constitution&rsquo;s carefully structured arrangements so that smooth functioning in governance can be realised.</b></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/misuse-of-money-bills-in-india'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (27th April 2019)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Centre for Predictive Human Model Systems</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-3rd-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)</strong></a> in collaboration with <strong>Humane Society International-India (HSI-India)</strong> has launched the Centre for Predictive Human Model systems.</li>
<li>Under this system, computational models and in-vitro models have been developed that can be used for research and testing in life sciences.</li>
<li>The model is not only resource-friendly with reduced costs but also more accurate at predicting human outcomes and are ethical.</li>
<li>The center will be a dedicated facility to enable a new approach methodology instead of animal models.</li>
<li>The center aims at prioritizing investment in human-based, non-animal methodologies in life sciences research in India.</li>
<li>Recently, <strong>&ldquo;world laboratory animal day&rdquo;</strong> was also observed on 24th April.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cyclone Kenneth<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203600_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1568203600_image8.jpg" style="float: right;" width="286" height="296" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A powerful <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-titli" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tropical cyclone</strong></a> has made landfall in Mozambique, just six weeks after <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-idai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone Idai</strong></a> devastated the central part of the country and left hundreds dead.</li>
<li>Cyclone Kenneth battered northern Mozambique with winds of up to 220 kilometers per hour. The cyclone also struck the island nation of Comoros.</li>
<li>Mozambique is still recovering from the previous powerful storm, which made landfall further south in March 2019.</li>
<li>This is the first time in known history that Mozambique has been hit by two cyclones in one season.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Panel to Review Microinsurance Framework</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI)</strong> has set up a committee to review the regulatory framework on microinsurance.</li>
<li><strong>Microinsurance</strong> products offer coverage to low-income households or to individuals who have little savings and is tailored specifically for lower valued assets and compensation for illness, injury or death.</li>
<li>The 13-member panel has been tasked with suggesting product designs with customer-friendly underwriting, including easy premium payment methods and simple claims settlement procedures.</li>
<li>Its mandate is to suggest changes in the distribution structure, including mobile-based and technology-driven solutions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Kafala System</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Qatar</strong> is set to abolish its <strong>controversial exit visa system</strong> for all foreign workers by the end of 2019.</li>
<li>Under the Kafala system, <strong>a migrant worker&rsquo;s immigration status is legally bound to an individual employer or sponsor (kafeel) for their contract period.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> migrant worker cannot enter the country</strong>,<strong> transfer employment nor leave the country</strong> for any reason without first obtaining explicit written permission from the kafeel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Xenon Decay Observed</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Scientists at <strong>XENON Dark Matter Project</strong> have detected the radioactive decay of liquid <strong>Xenon-124 atomic nuclei for the first time.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> half-life measured for Xenon-124 is 1.8&times;10<sup>22</sup> years</strong>, about one trillion times longer than the age of the universe. This is the <strong>slowest radioactive decay ever spotted.</strong></li>
<li>This makes the <strong>observed radioactive decay the rarest process ever seen in the detector XENON1T.</strong></li>
<li>The new study shows that the XENON detector is also able to measure other rare physical phenomena, such as <strong>double electron capture.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Double Electron Capture</strong></p>
<p>In double electron capture,<strong> two protons in the nucleus simultaneously &ldquo;catch&rdquo; two electrons from the innermost atomic shell,</strong> transform into two neutrons, and emit two neutrinos.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The XENON experiment is a <strong>collaboration of 160 scientists, representing 24 different nationalities, and 27 institutions from the US, Europe, Japan, and UAE.</strong></li>
<li>Xenon Dark Matter Project aims to search for Dark matter particles at Gran Sasso Laboratory of the <strong>National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) in Italy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Southern River Terrapin</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cambodia</strong> has released <strong>twenty critically endangered Southern Terrapin Turtle 'Royal Turtles' into their Cambodian rivers.</strong></li>
<li>Southern River Terrapin was on the <strong>brink of extinction because of hunting, trafficking, and illegal sand mining.</strong></li>
<li>Southern River Terrapin is <strong>found in Cambodia; Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.</strong></li>
<li>It is listed as <strong>critically endangered in the IUCN red list.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Manjira sanctuary situated along the river Manjira in Telangana.</strong> Originally a crocodile sanctuary, today more than 70 species of birds are spotted here and is home for the vulnerable species mugger <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crocodile</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Mugger crocodile</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mugger crocodile most <strong>commonly found in freshwater environments</strong> such as rivers, lakes, hill streams, and village ponds. It can live in fresh water and coastal saltwater lagoons.</li>
<li>It also can live in<strong> human-made reservoirs.</strong></li>
<li>This crocodile <strong>does not migrate seasonally, inhabiting the same locale in wet seasons or dry seasons.</strong> This species makes burrows on land in a wide variety of habitats.</li>
<li>Mugger crocodile has been listed as<strong> vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-27th-april-2019'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'PepsiCo Sues Potato Farmers',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>PepsiCo, a multi-million dollar conglomerate, has sued Gujarati farmers asking them to pay ₹1.05 crore each for alleged violation of Intellectual Property Rights.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The company has said that farmers<strong> infringed its patent rights by growing the potato variety used in its product called as Lays chips.</strong></li>
<li>However, facing boycott calls after it sued Gujarati potato farmers PepsiCo has offered to settle the case if the farmers stop growing the registered potato variety used in its Lays chips.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pepsico&rsquo;s Point of View</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PepsiCo has invoked<strong> Section 64 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights (PPV&amp;FR) Act,</strong> 2001 to claim infringement of its rights.</li>
<li>The section<strong> prohibits anyone other than the breeder of seeds or a registered licensee of that variety to sell, export, import or produces such variety. </strong></li>
<li>The farmers were allegedly growing a variety of potato namely FL 2027, also called FC5, on which PepsiCo claimed exclusive rights by virtue of a Plant Variety Certificate (PVC).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Farmers Point Of View</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>However, farmers groups have said that <strong>section 39 of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights (PPV&amp;FR) Act, 2001</strong>&nbsp;allows farmers to grow and sell any variety of crop or even seed as long as they don&rsquo;t sell branded seed of registered varieties.</li>
<li>The farmers have requested the government to interfere on their behalf and ask Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights Authority (PPV&amp;FRA) to make a submission in court and fund legal costs through the National Gene Fund.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Rights (PPV&amp;FR) Act, 2001</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim of the act is the <strong>establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders</strong> and to encourage the development of new varieties of plant.</li>
<li>The act also <strong>establishes Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The major function of Authority includes&nbsp;<strong>Registration</strong> of new plant varieties; <strong>documentation</strong> of varieties registered; <strong>Preservation of plant genetic resource</strong>; Maintenance of the<strong> National Register of Plant Varieties</strong> and Maintenance of<strong> National Gene Bank (for conserving seeds of registered varieties)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rights under the Act</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Breeders&rsquo; Rights:</strong> Breeders (Seed Producers) will have <strong>exclusive rights to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export the protected variety.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A breeder can exercise for<strong> civil remedy</strong> in case of infringement of rights</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Researchers&rsquo; Rights:</strong> Researcher can <strong>use</strong> <strong>any</strong> of the<strong> registered variety under the Act</strong> for conducting an experiment or research.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Researchers can use the initial source of variety for the purpose of developing another variety but <strong>repeated use needs the prior permission of the registered breeder.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Farmers' Rights:</strong> A farmer<strong> who has evolved or developed a new variety is entitled to registration</strong> and protection in like manner as a breeder of a variety.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A farmer <strong>can save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share or sell his farm produce including seed of a variety protected under the PPV&amp;FR Act, 2001 </strong></li>
<li>However, the farmer<strong> shall not be entitled to sell branded seed of a variety protected under the PPV&amp;FR Act, 2001.</strong></li>
<li>There is also a provision for<strong> compensation to the farmers for non-performance of variety.</strong></li>
<li>The farmer shall<strong> not be liable to pay any fee in any proceeding before the Authority or Registrar or the Tribunal or the High Court</strong> under the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Gene Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2007, the <strong>National Gene Fund was constituted under the PPV&amp;FR Act 2001. </strong></li>
<li>It started with an initial amount of Rs 50 lakh from the Central government and gets a contribution from the money paid by plant breeders as registration and annual fee.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Contract Farming</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Contract farming can be defined as <strong>agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers,</strong> which establishes conditions for the production and marketing of a farm product or products.</li>
<li>In contract farming, the farmer agrees to provide agreed quantities of a specific agricultural product which meet the quality standards of the purchaser and be supplied at the time determined by the purchaser.</li>
<li>On the other hand, the buyer commits to purchase the product and, in some cases, to support production through the supply of farm inputs, land preparation and the provision of technical advice.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Non-disclosure of Information by RBI',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Supreme Court granted the last opportunity to the Reserve Bank of India to comply with its order to disclose its annual inspection report and list of wilful defaulters of banks under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.</p>
<p><strong>What is the annual inspection report?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The RBI conducts an annual financial inspection of commercial banks, both public and private. The central bank is empowered under Section 35 of the Banking Regulation Act to conduct an inspection of banks to ensure they adhere to prescribed rules and regulations.</li>
<li>This report looks into risk-based supervision, credit risk, market risk and operational risk of any bank, to ascertain bank&rsquo;s possibility of failure.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Supreme Court in <strong>Reserve Bank of India Vs Jayantilal N.Mistry and others</strong> had directed disclosure of information on annual inspection report and list of wilful defaulters sought for under the RTI Act relating to individual banks regulated and supervised by the RBI.</li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI&rsquo;s Stand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RBI had earlier refused to disclose such information<strong> on the grounds of economic interest, commercial confidence, fiduciary relationship or public interest</strong> with these individual banks. RBI, also argued that such information was exempt under Section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act read with Section 45NB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Summary of SC&rsquo;s judgement</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RBI is supposed to uphold public interest and not the interest of individual banks.</li>
<li>RBI is clearly not in any fiduciary relationship with any bank. RBI has no legal duty to maximize the benefit of any public sector or private sector bank, and thus there is no relationship of 'trust' between them. Further, withholding rather than disclosing of such information would be detrimental to the economic interest of the nation.</li>
<li>RBI has a statutory duty to uphold the interest of the public at large, the depositors, the country's economy and the banking sector. Thus, RBI ought to act with transparency and not hide information that might embarrass individual banks.</li>
<li>It is duty bound to comply with the provisions of the RTI Act and disclose the information sought.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What will be the Impact of this judgement?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The RBI will be required to provide annual inspection reports and other material.</li>
<li>While this will provide greater transparency about the affairs of banks, it has the potential to affect the regulatory process of the RBI.</li>
<li>Information contained in RBI annual inspection reports relating to banks is highly sensitive. The central bank through these efforts tries to ensure that the banking system remains smooth with minimum disruptions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>RTI Act, 2005</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Right to Information Act or RTI is a central legislation, which enables the citizens to procure information from a public authority.</li>
<li>It provides the mechanism for obtaining information under the control of public authority so that transparency and accountability can be increased.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sec 8 of the RTI ACT</strong></p>
<p>Sec 8 deal with exemption from disclosure of information.&mdash;</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>information which would <strong>prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India</strong></li>
<li>information which has <strong>been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law</strong></li>
<li>information, the <strong>disclosure of which would cause a breach of privilege of Parliament or the State Legislature</strong></li>
<li>information including <strong>commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property,</strong> the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information</li>
<li>information available to a person in his <strong>fiduciary relationship</strong>, unless the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information</li>
<li>information received in confidence from foreign government</li>
<li>information, the disclosure of which would <strong>endanger the life or physical safety of any person</strong> or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes</li>
<li>information which <strong>would impede the process of investigation</strong> or apprehension or prosecution of offenders</li>
<li>information <strong>under the Official Secrets Act</strong><br /><br /></li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/non-disclosure-of-information-by-rbi'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'India-Sri Lanka: Security and Geopolitics',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>(This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-easter-bombings-in-sri-lanka-foreshadow-a-regional-challenge-50222/?amp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'The Easter bombings in Sri Lanka foreshadow a regional challenge'</a> which was published in 'ORF' on 24<sup>th</sup> March, 2019. The article talks about the recent bombings that shook Sri Lanka and its potential repercussion for India.)</p>
</div>
<p>Recently a series of bomb blasts shook Sri Lanka, shattering a decade-long peace on the island nation. The blasts brought to fore the underlying tensions in the nation&rsquo;s society and polity. The gruesome bombings are a stark reminder of the nation&rsquo;s violent past, where a 25-year civil war took more than 70,000 lives and ended only when Sri Lankan forces finally defeated the Tamil Tigers in 2009.</p>
<p>After a decade long silence the island nation seems to be heading towards a tumultuous phase, which recently has witnessed spike in the form of communal tension, breakdown of constitutional machinery and now a series of blasts.</p>
<h3>Background for the Recent Attacks</h3>
<p>The carefully coordinated and meticulously planned attacks targeted busy Easter services and three luxury hotels in the capital city of Colombo. As many as 300 plus people died in the attacks.</p>
<p><strong>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s minority Christian community which accounts for less than 10% of the total population of 21.4 million, was the main target of the attack.</strong> Religious tensions have grown in recent years, with the emergence of radical Islamist groups on the one hand and a surge in ultra-nationalist Buddhism led by the Bodu Bala Sena on the other.</p>
<p><strong>Christians had so far not been the targets of violence in Sri Lanka. But now global narratives are seemingly influencing Sri Lanka&rsquo;s local conflict.</strong></p>
<h3>Significance of the Attack</h3>
<p>The failure on the part of intelligence agencies to act on a sound Intel underlines the gross lack of accountability and responsibility in the country&rsquo;s security apparatus which had &ldquo;prior information&rdquo; on the attacks.</p>
<p>There has also been a tactical failure insofar as Sri Lanka&rsquo;s institutional framework has been found to be wanting at a time of such a grave crisis and clearly was clueless in how to respond to the impending attack.</p>
<p>There has also been a larger strategic failure in keeping track of the evolution of <strong>National Thowheeth Jama&rsquo;at</strong> (NJT - group that has been blamed for carrying out the attacks) from a fringe group into a larger threat, if reports of its involvement are indeed correct.</p>
<p>Tensions between Sri Lankan PM and President will now be further aggravated as the country moves closer to elections. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-constitutional-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[Check Read More]</a></p>
<h3>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Unstable Past</h3>
<p><strong>The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is rooted in the discrimination against the Tamil minority by the Sinhalese majority after the end of British colonial domination in 1948.</strong></p>
<p>In the years following independence, the Sinhalese, who resented British favouritism toward Tamils during the colonial period, disenfranchised Tamil migrant plantation workers from India and made Sinhala the official language.</p>
<p>In 1972, the Sinhalese changed the country&rsquo;s name from Ceylon and made Buddhism the nation&rsquo;s primary religion. As ethnic tension grew, in 1976, the LTTE (Liberation for Tamil Tiger Eelam) was formed under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran, and it began to campaign for a Tamil homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, where most of the island&rsquo;s Tamils reside eventually turning into a full‐fledged civil war in 1983.</p>
<p>The LTTE emerged as the main rebel organization fighting for the establishment of an independent state for Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Tamils in the island&rsquo;s northeast. Their fight against the Sri Lankan state led to an armed conflict that lasted for 26 years.</p>
<p>The war was marked by phases of high intensity (Eelam War I: June 1983‐July 1987; Eelam War II: June 1990‐January 1995; Eelam War III: April 1995‐February 2002; Eelam War IV: July 2006‐May 2009) interrupted by different efforts to find a negotiated solution, which failed altogether.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Engagement During the Civil War</h3>
<p>Despite India and Sri Lanka sharing a relationship with each other for more than 2,500 years, during the civil war the relations between the two nations deteriorated significantly.</p>
<p>Sri Lanka blamed India for playing a crucial role in this conflict and accused the central government under Indira Gandhi of supporting Tamil rebel groups by providing them with military assistance and training, and doing this all from Indian Territory.</p>
<p><strong>However, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, relations under Rajiv Gandhi started to improve who took a more neutral stance on the issue. India assumed a conflict‐management role and attempted to mediate between the conflict parties in the 1980s.</strong></p>
<p><strong>On July 29, 1987, secret negotiations between the Indian and Sri Lankan governments led to the signing of the Indo‐Sri Lanka Agreement (ISLA) and, shortly thereafter, India deployed its Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in the North and the East of the island with the task of supervising the ceasefire and disarming the LTTE.</strong></p>
<p>The IPKF mission soon turned out to be the darkest episode in India&rsquo;s regional policy: The LTTE, which had not been invited to the ISLA negotiations, resisted being disarmed and started fighting the IPKF. After three years, given the increasingly evident failure of the IPKF, which was not adequately trained for a guerrilla war, India withdrew its troops. The IPKF debacle deeply influenced India&rsquo;s approach to conflict management in the region by highlighting the limits of India&rsquo;s military power and the risks of interventionist policies.</p>
<p>Ever since India has resorted to least intervention in the island nation and after the end of civil war the relations have significantly improved between two.</p>
<h3>Improving Ties Between India and Sri Lanka</h3>
<p><strong>Commercial relationship</strong></p>
<p><strong>Sri Lanka is one of India&rsquo;s largest trading partners in SAARC. India in turn is amongst the Sri Lanka&rsquo;s largest trade partners globally.</strong> Trade between the two countries grew particularly rapidly after the entry into force of the <strong>India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement</strong> in March 2000.</p>
<p>Sri Lanka has long been a priority destination for direct investment from India. Investments are in diverse areas including petroleum, retail, IT, financial services, real estate, telecommunication, hospitality &amp; tourism, banking and food processing (tea &amp; fruit juices) etc.</p>
<p><strong>Defence cooperation</strong></p>
<p><strong>India and Sri Lanka conducts one of the largest joint Military exercises called &lsquo;Mitra Shakthi&lsquo; and a Naval exercise called &lsquo;SLINEX&lsquo;.</strong></p>
<p><strong>India is also the largest provider of defence training program to Sri Lankan soldiers and Defence officials.</strong></p>
<p><strong>India, Sri Lanka and Maldives also have trilateral maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. The cooperation aims at improving surveillance, anti-piracy operations and reducing maritime pollution.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Developmental Assistance</strong></p>
<p>The conclusion of the civil war saw the emergence of a major humanitarian challenge, with nearly 300,000 Tamil civilians housed in camps for <strong>Internally Displaced Persons</strong> (IDPs). The Government of India put in place a robust programme of assistance to help IDPs return to normal life as quickly as possible.</p>
<h3>Significance of Sri Lanka</h3>
<p><strong>Sri Lanka, sits at the epicentre of the arc connecting the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca. An island nation with an economy that&rsquo;s mainly reliant on tourism and tea exports, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s blessed geography puts it at a crucial juncture of the busy shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean.</strong></p>
<p><strong>While India has enjoyed the status of being Sri Lanka&rsquo;s main economic partner for most part of its independent history and shares strong cultural and historical bonds, China is fast catching up and even overtook New Delhi as Colombo&rsquo;s largest trading partner in 2017.</strong></p>
<p><strong>The most famous symbol of the burgeoning Sri Lanka-China cooperation is the port of Hambantota at the island&rsquo;s south, viewed as an important cog in the wheel of Beijing&rsquo;s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, or a part of &ldquo;String of Pearls&rdquo; that Beijing seeks to create around its neighbour India in fight for regional, and ultimately, global dominance.</strong></p>
<p>India also has a vital strategic stake in Sri Lanka for its own security interests. An unfriendly Sri Lanka or a Sri Lanka under influence of a power unfriendly to India would strategically discomfit India.</p>
<p>For the Indian Navy, Sri Lanka is important as the switching of naval fleets from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea and vice versa requires the fleets to go around the island nation..</p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is more than 2,500 years old. Both countries have a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction however the nations have had their issues.</p>
<p>In recent times the relations between the two have improved and any disturbing developments in Sri Lanka might pose challenge security challenge to India. Given the volatility that affects the Indian Ocean, an unstable nation will drastically increase the Indian geostrategic problem. Hence, internal stability in Sri Lanka is very desirable for India.<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-constitutional-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-sri-lanka-security-and-geopolitics'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (26th April 2019)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Tiwa Tribes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> tribe Tiwas (Lalungs)</strong> lives both in the hills and plains of<strong> Assam and Meghalaya state</strong>. Tiwa means people who were <strong>lifted from below. </strong></li>
<li>They are recognized as a <strong>Scheduled tribe within the State of Assam.</strong></li>
<li>In the month of April,<strong> Khelchawa festival</strong> is celebrated by Tiwa tribe at the <strong>close of the harvest season.</strong></li>
<li>The hill Tiwa villagers are habitual to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/niti-aayog-report-on-shifting-cultivation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Jhum cultivation,</strong></a> horticulture, vegetables and the crops which are cultivable in the area.</li>
<li>They speak a <strong>Tibeto Burman language.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Cell-based Meat</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-3rd-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)</strong></a>, in collaboration with the National Research Centre on Meat (NRCM), has initiated research aimed at<strong> producing meat through cellular agriculture</strong> or cells sourced from animals and later cultivated into the meat. '</li>
<li>It has also been called as <strong>cell-based meat or clean meat or ahimsa meat</strong> (non-violence meat) which will be is<strong> nutritionally equivalent to conventional animal meat.</strong></li>
<li>Significance of Cell-based Meat
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Protecting <strong>Biodiversity</strong> and <strong>environment</strong></li>
<li>Stop use of animals in <strong>research</strong> <strong>purposes</strong></li>
<li>Can address concerns relating to<strong> food security, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Emperor Penguin</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Researchers at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has found that second largest Emperor penguin colony in the world, in Halley Bay Antarctica has suffered a &ldquo;catastrophic&rdquo; breeding failure.</li>
<li>In the colony, <strong>nearly all chicks born over three years died due to shrinking sea ice. </strong></li>
<li>Emperor Penguins are the<strong> largest of all the different kinds of penguin and are endemic to Antarctica.</strong> They have <strong>near threatened</strong> status in IUCN.</li>
<li><strong>Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, with only one species, the Galapagos penguin, found north of the equator.</strong></li>
<li>Every year the 25th of April is observed as World Penguin Day.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mission DELHI&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)</strong> launched Mission DELHI (<strong>Delhi Emergency Life Heart-Attack Initiative</strong>) project.</li>
<li>In the pilot phase, it will cater only to people living in a three-kilometer radius of the <strong>All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). </strong></li>
<li>The project aims to<strong> reduce the mortality from a serious type of heart attac</strong>k called ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), wherein one of the heart&rsquo;s major artery, supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, gets completely blocked.</li>
<li>It aims to reduce the time it takes for people with a<strong> serious heart attack to receive clot-busting medicine.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI allows Foreign Investors to invest in Municipal Bonds</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Reserve Bank of India has eased norms for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) by allowing them to invest in Municipal Bonds (Muni bond) under prescribed limits.</li>
<li>The limits for investing in Muni bond is same as that of FPI investment in State Development Loans (SDLs), which is currently 2% of outstanding loans.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Municipal Bonds</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Municipal bonds are bonds issued by urban local bodies- municipal bodies and municipal corporates (entities owned by municipal bodies) to raise money for financing specific projects specifically infrastructure projects.</li>
<li>These Bonds has tax-free status if they conform to certain rules and their interest rates are market-linked.</li>
<li>Bangalore Municipal Corporation was the first ULB to issue Municipal Bond in India in 1997.</li>
<li>In 2015, SEBI made fresh guidelines for the issue of municipal bonds for enabling the ULBs to mobilize money.</li>
<li>These bonds are known as revenue bonds when raised for one project.</li>
<li>&lsquo;Muni bond&rsquo; could help corporations directly raise funds without looking to State grants or agencies such as World Bank and help in financing projects such as Smart Cities.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Yakshagana&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Yakshagana is a rare and unique traditional theatre of Karnataka state in India</strong> and has a recorded history of more than 5 centuries.</li>
<li>It is a rich artistic blend of music, dance, speech, and costumes, this art combines the features of opera as well as drama, the characteristics of moral education and mass entertainment.</li>
<li><strong>Yakshagana</strong> is strongly influenced by the Bhakti movement.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg"><strong>Bhakti movement</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bhakti movement<strong> probably began around in 6th and 7th century AD</strong> and achieved a great deal of popularity through the poems of the Alvars and Nayanars, the Vaishnavite and Shaivite poets.</li>
<li>They were often <strong>opposed to the establishment and all authoritarian monastic order.</strong></li>
<li>They also strongly criticized all <strong>sectarian zealotry and caste discrimination in society.</strong></li>
<li>All of them claimed<strong> relevance for religion in social life,</strong> in the sphere of real human aspirations and social relationships. Bhakti poets emphasized surrender to god.</li>
<li>Hailing from <strong>both high and low castes,</strong> these poets created a formidable body of literature that firmly established itself in the popular narratives.</li>
<li>The leader of this revivalist movement was Shankaracharya, a great thinker, and a distinguished philosopher. <strong>And this movement was propounded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Namadeva, Tukaram, Jayadeva in different of India.</strong></li>
<li>The movement's major achievement was its <strong>abolition of idol worship.</strong></li>
<li>It is traditionally presented from dusk to dawn. Its stories are drawn from <strong>Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and other epics</strong> from both Hindu and Jain and other ancient Indic traditions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Special 301 Report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>United States has placed India on its Priority Watch List for alleged violations of intellectual property rights.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Office of the United States Trade Representative released its annual Special 301 Report</strong>, in which it placed 36 countries on the Priority Watch List.</li>
<li>USA places trading partners that currently present the most significant concerns regarding IP rights on the Priority Watch List or Watch List. The &ldquo;Priority Watch List&rdquo; classification indicates that problems exist in that country involving its IP protection, enforcement, or market access.</li>
<li>Consequences of being placed on Special report 301
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>U.S. government may initiate dispute settlement proceedings at the World Trade Organization (WTO) or other relevant trade agreement.</li>
<li>The U.S. government can also eliminate tariff preferences unilaterally granted, such as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-april-2019'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Global Forest Watch',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Global Forest Watch (GFW) is released by <strong>World Resources Institute (WRI) </strong>which reveals that India has lost over 1.6 million hectare of tree cover between 2001 and 2018, about four times the geographical area of Goa.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GFW is an open source web application to monitor global forests in near real time.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India, five north-eastern states &mdash; Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur &mdash; were responsible for over 50% of all tree cover loss in the same period.</li>
<li>The main reason for loss of tree cover in the north-eastern states is diversion of forest land and climate change.</li>
<li>The loss of tree cover contributed to 172 MT of carbon emissions in India during this period.</li>
<li>The analysis reveals the total tree cover which used to be 12% of the country&rsquo;s geographical area in 2000 reduced to 8.9% in 2010.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Methodology</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Global Forest Watch uses a dataset collated by the University of Maryland, Google, US Geological Survey, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), besides satellite images, to map tree cover (at 30 metre resolution) globally for the years 2000 and 2010.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Limitation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The data used by Global Forest Watch for this analysis is very coarse for India as it doesn&rsquo;t cover open forest and scrub forest which is a big composition of forests in India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Resources Institute</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WRI is a global research organization that spans more than 50 countries and focuses on six critical issues at the intersection of environment and development: climate, energy, food, forests, water, and cities and transport.</li>
<li>
<p>It was established in 1982. Headquartered in Washington, US.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-forest-watch'
	]
]
$updates = object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

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

}
$page = (int) 257
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 334
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

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

Achievers Corner

Prelims

Mains & Interview

Current Affairs

Drishti Specials

Free Downloads

Test Series

Videos

Search

Search list matched with tags “class”