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National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem

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

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
India Energy Dashboards Version 2.0

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

14 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Data Protection Regime

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

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

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

13 Apr 2021 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Danube Sturgeon

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

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

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

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Chief Election Commissioner

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

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Exercise Shantir Ogroshena

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

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan

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

13 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier

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

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

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

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

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

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Jyotirao Phule

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

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Potential of Lighthouses for Tourism: Sagarmala

Why in News The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways seeks to develop 65 lighthouses on public-private-partnership mode. Odisha’s...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Shaphari: Certification Scheme for Aquaculture Products

Why in News Recently, the Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has developed a certification scheme for aquaculture products called...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
India-Netherlands

Why in News Recently, India’s Prime Minister (PM) and the PM of the Netherlands held a Virtual Summit. It was the first high level Summit...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve: Maharashtra

Why in News Three labourers were killed and two others injured during an operation to douse a forest fire at Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR)...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Global Minimum Corporate Tax

Why in News The US Treasury Secretary has urged G20 nations to move towards a global minimum corporate tax. It is an attempt to reverse a...

12 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Current Affairs Crash Course - Prelims 2021

Current Affairs Crash Course Programme Dear Student, The Civil Services (Prelims) Examination of 2021 is near but the conditions are still...

11 Apr 2021 Prelims
India’s Refugee Policy

This article is based on “India does have a refugee problem” which was published in The Hindu on 10/04/2021. It talks about the issues...

10 Apr 2021 News Editorials

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			'title' => 'National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists, with support from the <strong>National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)</strong> Programme, have been able to disseminate available scientific information to the farmers to enable sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in the Leh region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NMSHE is one of the eight missions under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2010</strong> but was formally <strong>approved by the government in 2014.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>multi-pronged, cross-cutting mission</strong> across various sectors.</li>
<li>It <strong>contributes to the sustainable development of the country</strong> by enhancing the understanding of climate change, its likely impacts and adaptation actions required for the Himalayas- a region on which a significant proportion of India&rsquo;s population depends for sustenance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States Covered:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eleven states:</strong> Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Two Union Territories:</strong> Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>facilitate formulation of appropriate policy</strong> measures and time-bound action programmes to sustain ecological resilience and ensure the continued provisions of key <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/natural-capital-accounting-and-valuation-of-the-ecosystem-services-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ecosystem services</strong></a> in the Himalayas.</li>
<li>To <strong>evolve suitable management and policy measures</strong> for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem along with developing capacities at the national level to continuously assess its health status.</li>
<li>To <strong>address a variety of important issues</strong>, including studying the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-himalayas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Himalayan glaciers</strong></a> and <strong>associated hydrological consequences</strong> and prediction and management of natural hazards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Himalayas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are the <strong>highest and the youngest fold mountain ranges</strong> of the world.</li>
<li>Their geological structure is young, weak and flexible since the Himalayan uplift is an ongoing process, making them <strong>one of the highest earthquake-prone regions of the world.</strong></li>
<li>It separates India, along its north-central and northeastern frontier, from China (Tibet).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Area:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian part of Himalayas covers an area about <strong>5 lakh km<sup>2</sup> (about 16.2% of the country's total geographical area)</strong> and forms the northern boundary of the country.</li>
<li>The region is <strong>responsible for providing water to a large part of the Indian subcontinent.</strong> Many rivers considered holy like the Ganga and Yamuna flow from the Himalayas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ranges:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are a <strong>series of parallel mountain ranges</strong> extending along the North-West to the South-East direction (known as the Strike of the Himalayas). These ranges are separated by longitudinal valleys. They include,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Trans-Himalayas</li>
<li>The Greater Himalayas or Himadri</li>
<li>The Lesser Himalayas or Himachal</li>
<li>Shiwaliks or the Outer Himalayas</li>
<li>The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2008</strong> by the Prime Minister's Council on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)</strong> is the coordinating Ministry of NAPCC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Missions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC which represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image 1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National Solar Mission:</strong> This initiative started in 2010 to promote the use of solar power.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency:</strong> The initiative was undertaken in 2009 to promote the market for energy efficiency by fostering innovative policies and effective market instruments.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Sustainable Habitat:</strong> Approved in 2011, it aims to make cities sustainable through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, management of solid waste and shift to public transport.</li>
<li><strong>National Water Mission:</strong> The mission was put in place to ensure integrated water resource management helping to conserve water, minimize wastage and ensure more equitable distribution both across and within states.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem:</strong> It is aimed at protecting the Himalayas, it has mapped institutes and civil society organisations working on the Himalayan ecology for ease of coordination between governmental and non-governmental agencies.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for A Green India:</strong> It aims at protecting; restoring and enhancing India's diminishing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. It was started in 2014.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture:</strong> It has been formulated for enhancing agricultural productivity especially in rain-fed areas focusing on integrated farming, water use efficiency, soil health management and synergizing resource conservation. It was started in 2010.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change:</strong> It seeks to build a dynamic and vibrant knowledge system that informs and supports national policy and action for responding effectively to climate change challenges, while not compromising on the nation's growth goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711116#:~:text=NMSHE's%20ICAR%20Team%20awarded%20for%20agricultural%20information%20dissemination%20in%20Leh&amp;text=A%20team%20of%20scientists%20from,Today%2C%20a%20National%20Agriculture%20Magazine." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'India Energy Dashboards Version 2.0',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government think tank <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> has launched <strong>India Energy Dashboards (IED) Version 2.0.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NITI Aayog <strong>launched the Version 1.0 in May 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India Energy Dashboards (IED) is an endeavour <strong>to provide single-window access to the energy data for the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>an initial step towards building a comprehensive, open, and freely accessible energy data portal for India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Energy data published/provided by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prakash-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Central Electricity Authority</strong></a>, <strong>Coal Controller&rsquo;s Organisation, </strong>and<strong> Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas</strong> is compiled in the Dashboards.</li>
<li>The IED Provides<strong> time series data from FY 2005-06 until FY 2019-20.</strong></li>
<li>IED<strong> provides data at sub-yearly frequencies</strong> as well. This includes<strong> monthly data and API (Application Programming Interface) linked data</strong> from some portals maintained by the government agencies.</li>
<li>API linked data from<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saubhagya-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Saubhagya</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/6-yearsof-ujala-and-slnp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UJALA</strong></a>, <strong>PRAAPTI, and Vidyut PRAVAH</strong> has been incorporated in the dashboards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Saubhagya Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana &ndash;</strong> &lsquo;Saubhagya&rsquo; was launched in September, 2017 with a target to electrify all households by December 2018.</li>
<li>All the states had declared on Saubhagya portal that all the willing un-electrified households had been electrified as on 31<sup>st</sup> March 2019, except 18,734 households in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/left-wing-extremism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>LWE (left wing extremist)</strong> </a>affected areas of Chhattisgarh.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>UJALA Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All)</strong> is a <strong>zero-subsidy scheme</strong> launched by the Government in 2015.</li>
<li>It is touted as the <strong>world&rsquo;s largest domestic lighting project.</strong></li>
<li>Every domestic household having a metered connection from their respective Electricity Distribution Company is eligible to get the LED bulbs under the Scheme.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>PRAAPTI</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a web portal<strong> launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Power.</strong></li>
<li>&lsquo;PRAAPTI&rsquo; stands for Payment Ratification and Analysis in Power Procurement <strong>for bringing transparency in invoicing of generators.</strong></li>
<li>The power distribution companies are able to clear the invoices and reply to claims raised by the generators on this portal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Vidyut PRAVAH</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Mobile/Web App <strong>provides real-time information of current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available</strong> and the prices in Power Exchange.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1711204" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-energy-dashboards-version-2-0'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Data Protection Regime',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-the-personal-data-protection-bill-matters/article34296775.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about how the personal data protection bill, 2019 can help in establishing a strong data protection regime.</p>
</div>
<p>The pandemic has increased people&rsquo;s participation in the digital economy. Unfortunately, the number of personal data breaches from major digital service providers has increased worryingly in the same period.</p>
<p>The recent alleged data breach at MobiKwik could stand to be India&rsquo;s biggest breach with the data of 9.9 crore users at risk. Given the significance of data in this age, robust data protection regimes are necessary to prevent such events and protect users&rsquo; interests.</p>
<p>Presently, how different entities collect and process users&rsquo; personal data in India is mainly governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, but this data protection regime falls short of providing effective protection to users and their personal data.</p>
<p>However, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019</strong></a> (which is now under scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee) could play a big role in providing robust protections to users and their personal data.</p>
<h3>Associated Issues With IT Act</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issue of Consent:</strong> Data aggregator entities could override the protections in the regime by taking users&rsquo; consent to process personal data under broad terms and conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is problematic given that users might not understand the terms and conditions or the implications of giving consent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Neglecting Data Privacy:</strong> The frameworks under IT Act emphasize data security but do not place enough emphasis on data privacy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In essence, while entities must employ technical measures to protect personal data, they have weaker obligations to respect users&rsquo; preferences in how personal data can be processed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large Vacuum for Data Protection:</strong> The data protection provisions under the IT Act also do not apply to government agencies. This creates a large vacuum for data protection when governments are collecting and processing large amounts of personal data.</li>
<li><strong>Becoming Obsolete:</strong> IT Act was enacted in 2000 and further amended in 2008. However, technology and cross-platform integration have increased exponentially.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the current data protection regime seems to have become inadequate in addressing risks emerging from new developments in data processing technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 can help?</h3>
<p>The Bill seeks to bring a massive and meaningful change to personal data protection in India through this regime. The proposed regime under the Bill seeks to be different from the existing regime in some prominent ways.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defining the Roles:</strong> The Bill envisages codifying the relationship between individuals and firms/state institutions as one between &ldquo;data principals&rdquo; (whose information is collected) and &ldquo;data fiduciaries&rdquo; (those processing the data) so that privacy is safeguarded by design.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the Bill seeks to apply the data protection regime to both government and private entities across all sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring Data Privacy:</strong> The Bill seeks to emphasize that data principals will have to maintain security safeguards to protect personal data and also have to fulfill a set of data protection obligations and transparency and accountability measures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In nutshell, the provides scrutiny on these entities govern and process personal data to uphold users&rsquo; privacy and interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for a more robust data protection legislation came to the fore in 2017 post the Supreme Court&rsquo;s landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) v. Union of India established the right to privacy as a fundamental right.</li>
<li>In the judgment, the Court called for a data protection law that can effectively protect users&rsquo; privacy over their personal data.</li>
<li>Consequently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology formed a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd) B.N. Srikrishna to suggest a draft data protection law.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rights of the Citizens:</strong> The Bill seeks to give users a set of rights over their personal data and means to exercise those rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a user will be able to obtain information about the different kinds of personal data that an entity has about them and how the entity is processing that data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishing a Regulator:</strong> The Bill seeks to create an independent and powerful regulator known as the Data Protection Authority (DPA). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The DPA will monitor and regulate data processing activities to ensure their compliance with the regime.</li>
<li>More importantly, the DPA will give users a channel to seek redress when entities do not comply with their obligations under the regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With The Bill</h3>
<p>Several provisions in the Bill create cause for concern about the regime&rsquo;s effectiveness. These provisions could contradict the objectives of the Bill by giving wide exemptions to government agencies and diluting user protection safeguards.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scope for Loopholes:</strong> For instance, under clause 35, the Central government can exempt any government agency from complying with the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government agencies will then be able to process personal data without following any safeguard under the Bill.</li>
<li>This could create severe privacy risks for users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Compromised Concept of Consent:</strong> Similarly, users could find it difficult to enforce various user protection safeguards (such as rights and remedies) in the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Bill threatens legal consequences for users who withdraw their consent for a data processing activity.</li>
<li>In practice, this could discourage users from withdrawing consent for processing activities they want to opt-out of.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sweeping Mandate of DPA:</strong> DPA will be tasked with regulating the provisions of the bill to frame regulations on issues such as mechanisms for taking consent, limitations on the use of data, and cross-border transfer of data. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The supervisory mandate of the DPA is sweeping, given the fact that it has to regulate a wide array of preventive obligations, such as security safeguards and transparency requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime.</p>
<p>The Joint Parliamentary Committee that is scrutinizing the Bill, is expected to submit its final report in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in 2021. This interim period shall be utilized to make some changes in the Bill targeted towards addressing various concerns in it could make a stronger and more effective data protection regime.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-protection-regime'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture: Economic Recovery for India',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aud04jc57JM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong> </a>upgraded its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FY 2021-22 growth projection for India to 12.5%</strong></a> from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>11.5% estimated in January.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has also cautioned that the forecast hasn&rsquo;t factored in the severe downside risks arising from the country&rsquo;s ongoing second wave of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>World Economic Outlook Report:</strong> The IMF releases this report usually <strong>twice a year </strong>and it <strong>analyzes and predicts global economic developments</strong> during the near and medium term.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some high frequency economic indicators in the report are showing robust signs of economic growth of India while the others are bringing out implicit risks to growth from the second wave of the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth:</strong> As per the report findings, Indian economy is expected to grow by 12.5% in 2021 and 6.9% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Growth rate for India in 2021 is stronger than that of China.</strong></li>
<li>The 1% increase in India&rsquo;s economic growth rate forecast came in the background of encouraging signs from some high-frequency indicators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Economic Growth:</strong> The IMF predicted stronger recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth projected to be 6% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, the global economy contracted by 3.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advanced Economies:</strong> The<strong> USA and Spain</strong> are the only two advanced economies that are expected to have an<strong> economic growth projected above 6%</strong> for FY 2021-22.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USA had been able to retain its economy <strong>due to its economy-centered approach amid the pandemic.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The strong fiscal support the government had given to their citizens was also helpful.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Emerging Economies:</strong> The developing countries have not been able to perform as good because the pandemic has affected the labour intensive jobs (prevalent in developing countries) more than the capital intensive jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No developing country other than India has a growth rate projected in double digit figures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Export-Oriented Economies:</strong> The european countries had a huge demographic crisis therefore the consumption rate was very low.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In countries like Germany, which is an export-oriented economy, when the pandemic hit, their economy due to lockdowns and import/export restrictions was affected severely.</li>
<li>Export oriented economies which were exporting primary products have also suffered a lot.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Factors that Increased the Growth Projection:</strong> For India, a good run in the agriculture sector plus no stagnation in the railways, freight revenue, power sectors have led to an increased 1% projection.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the <strong>GST collection for FY 2020-21 was record high</strong> at the value of ₹1.24 lac crore (₹1.24 trillion).</li>
<li>The <strong>exports figures have also seen a huge jump</strong> standing at 31 billion dollar.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a huge increment for the exports which have witnessed a decline for 7 months.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Ozone concentration levels, power consumption or labour participation rates have so far remained resilient</strong> to the decline in growth.</li>
<li><strong>Hindrance in Growth due to Pandemic:</strong> The economic growth rate of India (and other countries) is contingent on the rise in covid infection rate and consequent lockdown.</li>
<li>Undoubtedly the growth will be there but the covid is a potential barrier in this growth; the possible challenges posed by Covid 19 cannot be undermined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sectors Obstructing the Growth:</strong> The report also shows some warning signals that could hinder the economic growth of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These indicators include <strong>decline in the retail sector.</strong></li>
<li>Sectors related to<strong> hospitality and transportation are also hit</strong> badly which roughly account for 6% of overall GDP.</li>
<li>In vehicle registration, around 60,000 vehicles were registered on a daily basis in the months of feb-march 2021 which has now come down to 55,000 on a daily basis.</li>
<li>The growth recovery is obvious to be impacted by the rapidly increasing covid-19 disease due to the consequent partial and complete lockdowns and curfews.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nomura Index Business Resumption Index</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/growth-in-manufacturing-pmi-and-nibri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nomura India Business Assumption Index (NIBRI)</strong></a> is the Japanese brokerage&rsquo;s weekly tracker of the pace of normalisation of economic activity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It captures and tracks demand indicators such as the demand for power, labour force participation etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The index reached 99 points in February, 2021 but slipped down to 90 in the month of April which indicates a slowdown in the economic recovery.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The reason for the slowdown is mainly the second wave of covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Government Policies:</strong> India has handled the covid-19 situation better than many of the countries with its step by step approach of tackling the situation introducing various economic reforms, the vaccination drive etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vaccination and Covid-Appropriate Behaviour: <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-and-the-vaccination-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s vaccination programme</a></strong> is also going on, it is vaccinating nearly 3-4 million people on a daily basis but that is not enough. The need is to build up more capacity and vaccinate more and more people at a faster rate.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even after vaccination, no leniency shall be there in following the basic covid appropriate behaviour of wearing a mask, performing social distancing and following hygiene protocols.</li>
<li>Only healthy citizens can utilise up to their full potential and contribute to the overall growth of a country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investment-Centered Approach:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restructuring-of-indian-statistical-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NSO</a> has given the investment rate in the economy for FY 2020-21 at only 31% of GDP which is a very low rate of investment for any economy as large as India, therefore investment is the right way forward.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The FY 2021-22 should be the year of beefing up, strengthening and stepping up the pace of investment in infrastructure and many other projects where India is in the deficit stage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reforming the Vaccine Criteria:</strong> The criteria of vaccinating only those people above the age of 45 shall be done away with specially in the covid hotspot areas like Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The working class people in such cities who commute on a daily basis shall be vaccinated at a faster rate and regardless of age.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Managing the Elevated Inflation Levels:</strong> India is at the risk of inflation, it is at an elevated level which is why the RBI has been conservative; it has projected the growth rate at 10.5% only.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has to walk on a very fine line balancing the growth imperatives and inflation concerns.</li>
<li>The RBI has also adopted a policy to support economic growth. It has increased the limit of ways and means advances to the states and has allowed them to borrow more amounts from the RBI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government Policies:</strong> The growth projection also depends upon policies adopted by the government, specially the fiscal policy and monetary policies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far India has proved to adopt such policies more wisely as compared to other countries.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India implemented massive economic reforms in the year 2020 when the pandemic was at its peak.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, India has freed up a lot of sectors from the over regulation by the government interference which will be fruitful in better and faster economic growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India as the fifth largest economy in the world has to focus on growth recovery that is more sustainable and by just drawing satisfaction from just the growth numbers would not do much.</li>
<li>India is slowly but surely on the path to economic recovery and investment is the way to sustain this growth momentum.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-economic-recovery-for-india'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Danube Sturgeon',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a report released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wildlife Fund (WWF)</strong></a>, illegal sale of <strong>Danube Sturgeon,</strong> one of the <strong>most endangered species</strong> in the world, is rampant in the lower Danube (River) region, especially in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Danube is the <strong>second longest river in Europe after the Volga.</strong> It <strong>rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany</strong> and flows for some 2,850 km to its mouth on the <strong>Black Sea.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sturgeons have<strong> existed since the time of dinosaurs,</strong> for about <strong>200 million years.</strong> Some of the species can grow up to <strong>eight metre in length and live more than a century.</strong></li>
<li>They are called <strong>&lsquo;living fossils&rsquo;</strong> because their appearance has altered very little over the years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Living Fossil</strong> is an organism that has<strong> remained unchanged from earlier geologic times</strong> and whose close relatives are usually extinct.</li>
<li>Other than Sturgeons, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-horseshoe-crab-day#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20marine%20chelicerate,at%20summer%20spring%20high%20tides." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Horseshoe crab</strong></a> and ginkgo trees are examples of living fossils.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because the sturgeons live for so many years, mature late and spawn with long intervals, they take a long time to recover from environmental and human pressures, according to WWF. This makes them <strong>great indicators for the health of the river and other ecological parameters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> 27 species of sturgeons</strong> and paddlefishes distributed across the Northern hemisphere. While<strong> some species inhabit only freshwater,</strong> most species are anadromous, spawning in freshwater but spending much of their life history in marine or brackish environments.</li>
<li>Danube sturgeons live mostly in the<strong> Black Sea,</strong> migrating up the Danube and other major rivers to spawn.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Over-exploitation and poaching</strong> (exacerbated by poor fishery management and insufficient legal enforcement of fishing bans).</li>
<li><strong>Blocked migration routes</strong> through dams.</li>
<li>Loss or <strong>degradation of habitats.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pollution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red list</a>:</strong> There are <strong>6 species of sturgeon in the Danube River.</strong> Five of them are now listed as <strong>critically endangered. </strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a>: Appendix-II.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Wildlife Fund for Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the<strong> world&rsquo;s leading conservation organization</strong> and works in more than 100 countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>established in 1961</strong> and is <strong>headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To conserve nature</strong> and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Initiatives of WWF:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/awards-for-tiger-conservation?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=d6b52011b8e898ebbdb4fa95850598f693c98eb1-1616832863-0-AUKkX3Cc_GogaMaU3GnU4usqYTZ5TIZWeNa5nlvFIxQvl0gZjMbLxphNM8jKEPJs4lDXchERs0IyiGUWB5Ti5i5S772OyszFvd9oNqn_HC4VuWxtUYn-sDBqOfU-ul5qQHFLqEEjKzZg-o0IQl3cqGwtPqhR9zRYDxWZpiQ1wEa4Tfs5hfmtuerV0J7UfeZ8GJjt_7TUdYek8xE__pe3Na6UITOOJSM_R0chAjF6dg1OiiPw1M0rhytWqXGJtgGpj6ivB9HCEc4SGofXLqPHzgmuDyTw41b7Ui-9HKXt0KE2G-K3CChAePnTWbcLDdQvP795gB72lEVVwsu3SfSnMvNk57_5QB5sGi3mTzXWTFokK9Grh2dBJaWZAPOErPPT-FqRv1mi1t7T3fvuf_gNniY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TX2 Goal</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Living Planet Report</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/earth-hour-1#:~:text=Earth%20Hour%20is%20the%20World,as%20per%20their%20local%20time." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earth Hour</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Black Sea</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="288" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Black Sea is an<strong> inland sea</strong> located between far-southeastern Europe and the far-western edges of the continent of Asia and the country of Turkey.</li>
<li>It <strong>connects to the Mediterranean Sea first through the Bosporus Strait,</strong> then <strong>through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles Strait,</strong> then south through the <strong>Aegean Sea</strong> and the <strong>Sea of Crete.</strong></li>
<li>The Black Sea is<strong> also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bordering Countries:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/sturgeon-poaching-for-meat-caviar-rampant-in-lower-danube-wwf-report-76431#:~:text=Illegal%20sale%20of%20sturgeon%2C%20one,which%20is%20considered%20a%20delicacy." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/danube-sturgeon'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK)</strong> saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian lines, <strong>23 years after a peace deal largely ended Northern Ireland's troubles.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="500" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geographically,</strong> Northern Ireland is part of Ireland. <strong>Politically,</strong> it&rsquo;s part of the UK.</li>
<li>Ireland, long dominated by the UK, broke free about 100 years ago after centuries of <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-world-history/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%2C%20as%20said%20earlier%2C%20denotes,its%20influence%20beyond%20its%20borders." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>colonisation</strong></a> and an uneasy union. 26 of its 32 counties became an independent, Roman Catholic-majority country. <strong>6 counties in the north, which have a Protestant majority, stayed British.</strong></li>
<li>Northern Ireland&rsquo;s <strong>Catholic minority experienced discrimination</strong> in the <strong>Protestant-run state.</strong></li>
<li>In the <strong>1960s, a Catholic civil rights movement demanded change,</strong> but faced a harsh response from the government and police.</li>
<li>The<strong> British Army was deployed in 1969,</strong> initially to keep the peace. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The situation deteriorated into a conflict between Irish republican militants who wanted to unite with the south, loyalist paramilitaries who sought to keep Northern Ireland British, and UK troops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>During three decades of conflict, <strong>more than 3,600 people, a majority of them civilians, were killed</strong> in bombings and shootings. Most were in Northern Ireland, though the Irish Republican Army also set off bombs in London and other British cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ending the Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By the <strong>1990s,</strong> after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a <strong>peace deal.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> 1998 Good Friday accord</strong> saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a <strong>Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government</strong> for Northern Ireland.</li>
<li>The question of Northern Ireland&rsquo;s ultimate status was deferred:<strong> it would remain British as long as that was the majority&rsquo;s wish,</strong> but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out.</li>
<li>While the peace has largely endured, small <strong>Irish Republican Army splinter groups have mounted occasional attacks on security forces,</strong> and there have been outbreaks of sectarian street violence.</li>
<li>The power-sharing arrangement has had periods of success and failure and still the government is not trusted by both the sides.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Problem Child of Brexit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Northern Ireland has been called the <strong>&ldquo;problem child&rdquo; of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brexit</a>, the UK&rsquo;s divorce from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU).</a></strong></li>
<li>As the <strong>only part of the UK that has a border with an EU nation,</strong> Ireland, it was the trickiest issue to resolve after Britain voted narrowly in 2016 to leave the 27-nation bloc.</li>
<li>An open Irish border, over which people and goods flow freely, underpins the peace process, allowing people in Northern Ireland to feel at home in both Ireland and the UK.</li>
<li>The <strong>insistence of Britain&rsquo;s government on a &ldquo;hard Brexit&rdquo;</strong> that took the country out of the EU&rsquo;s economic order meant the creation of new barriers and checks on trade.</li>
<li>Both Britain and the EU agreed that the<strong> border could not be in Ireland</strong> because of the risk that would pose to the peace process. The alternative was to put it, metaphorically, in<strong> the Irish Sea</strong> between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.</li>
<li>That arrangement has alarmed <strong>British unionists, who say it weakens Northern Ireland&rsquo;s place in the UK</strong> and could bolster calls for Irish reunification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Current Violence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brexit and Corona:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Britain left the EU on<strong> 31<sup>st</sup> December</strong> and the new trade arrangements quickly became an irritant to Northern Ireland unionists who want to stay in the UK.</li>
<li>Early trade glitches, exacerbated by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic</strong></a>, led to some empty supermarket shelves, fueling alarm.</li>
<li>There was anger that British Prime Minister long insisted there would be no new checks on trade as a result of Brexit, had downplayed the scale of the changes wrought by leaving the EU.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Identity Crisis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some in Northern Ireland&rsquo;s British<strong> loyalist community feel as if their identity is under threat.</strong> And many other loyalists believe that, de facto, <strong>Northern Ireland has ceased to be as much a part of the UK</strong> as it was.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-behind-the-latest-unrest-in-northern-ireland-7267909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/violence-in-northern-ireland-uk'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Chief Election Commissioner',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President appointed<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/election-commissioner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Election Commissioner</a> Sushil Chandra</strong> as the <strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He replaces <strong>Sunil Arora</strong> who has retired.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Election Commission of India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong></a> is an <strong>autonomous constitutional authority</strong> responsible for administering <strong>Union and State election</strong> processes in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in accordance with the Constitution on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> January 1950 (celebrated as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/10th-national-voters-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national voters' day</a>).</strong> The<strong> secretariat</strong> of the commission is located in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The body administers elections to the<strong> Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies</strong> in India, and the<strong> offices of the President and Vice President in the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution:</strong> It deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.</li>
<li><strong>Article 324:</strong> Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Article 325:</strong> No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.</li>
<li><strong>Article 326:</strong> Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage.</li>
<li><strong>Article 327:</strong> Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.</li>
<li><strong>Article 328:</strong> Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.</li>
<li><strong>Article 329:</strong> Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structure of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Originally the commission had only <strong>one election commissioner</strong> but after the <strong>Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989,</strong> it has been made a multi-member body</li>
<li>The Election Commission <strong>shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of other election commissioners,</strong> if any, as the President may from time to time fix.</li>
<li>Presently, it consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the state level, the election commission is helped by the <strong>Chief Electoral Officer</strong> who is an IAS rank Officer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment &amp; Tenure of Commissioners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> President appoints</strong> CEC and Election Commissioners.</li>
<li>They have a<strong> fixed tenure of six years,</strong> or up to the<strong> age of 65 years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>They enjoy the <strong>same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court (SC)</a></strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They can <strong>resign anytime</strong> or can also be <strong>removed before the expiry of their term.</strong></li>
<li>The CEC can be removed from office only <strong>through a process of removal similar to that of a SC judge</strong> by Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Procedure of Removal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Judges of High Courts and <strong>SC,</strong> CEC, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comptroller-and-auditor-general-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)</strong></a> may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of <strong>&lsquo;proved misbehaviour or incapacity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Removal requires a<strong> special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members present and voting supported by more than 50% of the total strength of the house.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Constitution does not use the word &lsquo;impeachment&rsquo;,</strong> for the removal of the judges, CAG, CEC.</li>
<li>The term <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impeachment-of-the-president-of-the-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Impeachment&rsquo;</a> is only used for removing the President</strong> which requires the special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members of the total strength of both the houses which is not used elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limitations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not prescribed the qualifications</strong> (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not specified the term</strong> of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment by the government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers and Functions of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Administrative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>determine the territorial areas</strong> of the electoral constituencies throughout the country on the basis of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation</strong> </a>Commission Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>To prepare and<strong> periodically revise electoral rolls</strong> and to register all eligible voters.</li>
<li>To <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-national-party-from-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>grant recognition to political parties</strong></a> and <strong>allot election symbols</strong> to them.</li>
<li>Election Commission <strong>ensures a level playing field</strong> for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct</strong></a> evolved with the consensus of political parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advisory Jurisdiction &amp; Quasi-Judicial Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Constitution, the Commission has<strong> advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post election disqualification</strong> of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor</strong> to whom such opinion is tendered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections</strong> which come before the SC and High Courts are also<strong> referred to the Commission for its opinion</strong> on the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.</li>
<li>The Commission has the <strong>power to disqualify a candidate</strong> who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sushil-chandra-appointed-chief-election-commissioner/article34303884.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chief-election-commissioner'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Exercise Shantir Ogroshena',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Multinational military exercise Shantir Ogroshena,</strong> which went for 10 days <strong>in Bangladesh,</strong> concluded on 12<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>year 2021 marks the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of diplomatic relations between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50-years-of-india-bangladesh-relations#:~:text=Commemorating%2050%20years%20of%20the,the%20establishment%20of%20their%20ties." target="_blank" rel="noopener">India and Bangladesh.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The exercise was organised <strong>to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sheikh-mujibur-rehman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</a>,</strong> Bangladesh&rsquo;s Father of the Nation and celebrate the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>golden jubilee of the liberation of Bangladesh.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was held at <strong>Bangabandhu Senanibas (BBS), Bangladesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;Shantir Ogroshena&rsquo;</strong> 2021 means <strong>&ldquo;Front Runner of the Peace&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The theme of this exercise was to <strong>strengthen defence ties</strong> and <strong>enhance interoperability amongst neighbourhood countries</strong> to ensure effective <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peacekeeping</strong></a> operations.</li>
<li>It was a <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN (United Nations)</a>- mandated counterterrorism exercise.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries that Participated:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Troops from<strong> India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka</strong> participated in the exercise with<strong> observers from the USA, UK, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Exercises involving Bangladesh:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sampriti-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAMPRITI</strong></a> (Army).</li>
<li>TABLE TOP (Air).</li>
<li>IN-BN CORPAT (Navy).</li>
<li>SAMVEDNA (Multinational Air Exercise with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and UAE).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1711202" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-shantir-ogroshena'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic <strong>of Kazakhstan</strong> in<strong> New Delhi.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two Ministers had last met in Moscow (Russia) in September 2020 on the sidelines of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a> Defence Ministers&rsquo; meeting.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Talks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed that both sides must look at the possibility of <strong>defence industrial collaboration</strong> of mutual interest.</li>
<li>Exchanged views<strong> to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation,</strong> including through training, defence exercises and capacity building.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan thanked India for the opportunity given to the Kazakh troops for deployment as part of the Indian battalion in the <strong>United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UNIFIL</strong> was established by the UN Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assessed the <strong>annual joint military exercise <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-kazind-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KAZIND</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Kazakh Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is carried out under the framework of an agreement on<strong> &lsquo;Defence and Military Technical Cooperation&rsquo;</strong> signed in July 2015 during the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Kazakhstan.</li>
<li>The agreement includes conduct of joint training,<strong> exercises, military-technical cooperation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN peacekeeping</a> and exchange of intelligence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakh Armed Forces Unit underwent training on peacekeeping operations in India in April-May 2018 for deployment under the <strong>command of an Indian Battalion at UNIFIL, Lebanon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Kazakhstan to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> three factors</strong> which make Kazakhstan important for India. First, its <strong>geo-strategic location;</strong> second, its <strong>economic potential,</strong> especially in terms of energy resources; and third, its<strong> multi-ethnic and secular structure. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Kazakhstan&rsquo;s geo-political existence between Russia and Asia,</strong> along with long borders with China, makes it a country of great strategic importance. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakhstan lies to the northeast of the Caspian Sea, bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, China to the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the south.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>can also help India achieve a geostrategic rebalancing with China.</strong> India&rsquo;s foremost objective is countering the rapid economic inroads China is making in the region through the<strong> One Belt One Road (OBOR)</strong> initiative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India seeks to achieve this with the competing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-South Transport Corridor</strong></a> (NSTC).</li>
<li>NSTC is <strong>a multi-modal transportation</strong> established on <strong>12<sup>th</sup> September 2000</strong> in <strong>St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India</strong> for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States. It has been expanded to include eleven new members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has become<strong> one of the key activists in the field of global nuclear security,</strong> and has achieved a number of results in peacekeeping policies and the resolution of conflicts around <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iran</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ukraine</strong></a> and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Syria.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>India - Kazakhstan Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years.</li>
<li>There has been a constant and regular flow of trade in goods and, more importantly, exchange of ideas and cultural influences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>flow of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/buddhism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buddhism</a> from India to Central Asia and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khwaja-monuddin-chishti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sufi ideas</a> from Central Asia to India</strong> are two such examples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was<strong> one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations</strong> were established in<strong> February 1992.</strong></li>
<li>India and Kazakhstan have been <strong>strategic partners since 2009. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation at Multilateral Fora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including <strong>CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.</strong></li>
<li>India has been a consistent supporter of Kazakhstan&rsquo;s initiative on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saarc-and-cica-meetings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)</strong></a> and is actively participating in the process.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan supports India&rsquo;s permanent membership in an expanded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-at-unsc-previous-contribution-current-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> </a>and has extended its support for India's non-permanent membership in 2021-22.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC)</strong> established in 1993 is the <strong>apex bilateral institutional mechanism</strong> for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on the Indian side and Ministry of Energy on the Kazakh side are the nodal ministries with respective Ministers as the Co-Chair of the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several<strong> Joint Working Groups (JWGs)</strong> have been established in the areas of Counter Terrorism, Trade &amp; Economic Cooperation, Defence &amp; Military Technical Cooperation, Information Technology, Hydrocarbons, Textiles, Tea Debt and Space Cooperation, Health and Transport, Connectivity &amp; Logistics to take forward bilateral relations in the respective spheres.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)</a> launched &ldquo;Al-Farabi-1&rdquo;,</strong> a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite built by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty along with 103 other satellites in 2017.</li>
<li>A delegation from ISRO attended<strong> Kazakh Defence Expo &lsquo;KADEX&rsquo;</strong> in May 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Civil Nuclear Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>supported India in obtaining India-specific exemption</strong> to allow civil nuclear cooperation with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a> countries in 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India provides capacity building assistance to Kazakhstan in various specialized fields under <strong>ITEC program</strong> sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consular:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan have<strong> an agreement on visa free entry for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders.</strong></li>
<li>Since February 2018, <strong>Indian has extended e-visa facility</strong> to Kazakh citizens.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has also introduced <strong>electronic visa facilities for travelers from India</strong> with effect from 1<sup>st</sup> January 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being part of central Asia, Kazakhstan is strategically important for India. India needs to use its instrument of economic leverages more efficiently to build closer ties with Central Asia.</li>
<li>At its core, the heightened India-Kazakhstan relationship allows New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and the highly unstable Afghanistan to reach a resource-rich Nur-Sultan, complementing India&rsquo;s developing economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710618" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/visit-of-defence-minister-of-kazakhstan'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Researchers from <strong>Sweden&rsquo;s University of Gothenburg</strong> have been able to obtain data from underneath Thwaites Glacier, also known as the <strong>'Doomsday Glacier'.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They find that the <strong>supply of warm water to the glacier is larger than previously thought,</strong> triggering concerns of faster melting and accelerating ice flow.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Doomsday Glacier:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Called the <strong>Thwaites Glacier,</strong> it is <strong>120 km wide at its broadest,</strong> fast-moving, and melting fast over the years.</li>
<li>Because of its <strong>size (1.9 lakh square km),</strong> it contains <strong>enough water to raise the world sea level</strong> by more than half a metre.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Studies have found the <strong>amount of ice flowing</strong> out of it has <strong>nearly doubled over the past 30 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Today, Thwaites&rsquo;s melting <strong>already contributes 4% to global sea</strong> level rise each year.</li>
<li>It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea<strong> in 200-900 years.</strong></li>
<li>Thwaites is<strong> important for Antarctica as it slows the ice behind it</strong> from freely flowing<strong> into the ocean.</strong></li>
<li>Because of the risk it faces, and poses, Thwaites is often called the <strong>Doomsday Glacier</strong> (Doomsday meaning warning or threat, something that can cause destruction).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Previous Studies:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Hole in the Glacier: A 2019 study</strong> had discovered <strong>a fast-growing cavity in the glacier,</strong> sized roughly <strong>two-thirds the area of Manhattan.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>size of a cavity</strong> under a glacier<strong> plays an important role in melting.</strong> As more heat and water get under the glacier, it melts faster.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Detection of Warm Water at Grounding Line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> In 2020, <strong>researchers from New York University (NYU) detected warm water</strong> at a vital point below the glacier. In the NYU study, scientists dug a 600-m-deep and 35-cm-wide access hole, and deployed <strong>an ocean-sensing device called Icefin</strong> to measure the waters moving below the glacier&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>NYU</strong> study reported water at just two degrees above freezing point at Thwaites&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;grounding zone&rdquo; or &ldquo;grounding line&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The grounding line</strong> is the place below a glacier at which the ice transitions between resting fully on bedrock and floating on the ocean as an ice shelf. The location of the line is<strong> a pointer to the rate of retreat of a glacier.</strong></li>
<li>When<strong> glaciers melt</strong> and lose weight,<strong> they float off the land</strong> where they used to be situated. When this happens, <strong>the grounding line retreats.</strong> That <strong>exposes more of a glacier&rsquo;s underside to seawater,</strong> increasing the likelihood it will melt faster.</li>
<li>This results in the glacier speeding up, stretching out, and thinning, causing the grounding line to retreat ever further.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings from Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg Study (New Study):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg study <strong>used an uncrewed submarine</strong> to go under the Thwaites glacier front to make observations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The submersible called <strong>&ldquo;Ran&rdquo;</strong> measured among other things the <strong>strength, temperature, salinity and oxygen content of the ocean currents</strong> that go under the glacier.</li>
<li>Using the results, the researchers <strong>have been able to map the ocean currents</strong> that flow below Thwaites&rsquo;s floating part.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong> The researchers have been able to identify<strong> three inflows of warm water,</strong> among whom <strong>the damaging effects of one had been underestimated in the past.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The researchers discovered that<strong> there is a deep connection to the east through which deep water flows from Pine Island Bay,</strong> a connection that was previously thought to be blocked by an underwater ridge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Pine Island Bay</strong> is a<strong> drainage system of West Antarctica.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study also <strong>looked at heat transport in one of the three channels</strong> which brings warm water towards the glacier from the north.</li>
<li>They found that <strong>there were distinct paths that water takes in and out of the ice shelf cavity,</strong> influenced by the geometry of the ocean floor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study shows that warm water is approaching the pinning points of the glacier from all sides, impacting these locations where the ice is connected to the seabed and where the ice sheet finds stability. This has the potential to make things worse for Thwaites, whose ice shelf is already retreating.</li>
<li>For the first time, data is being collected that is necessary to model the dynamics of Thwaites glacier. This data will help better calculate ice melting in the future.</li>
<li>With the help of new technology, models can be improved and the great uncertainty that now prevails around global sea level variations can be reduced.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-thwaites-glacier-finding-doomsday-melting-worry-7269124/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antarctica-s-doomsday-glacier'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'British Conquest for Bengal: Battles of Plassey and Buxar',
			'catname' => 'Paper 1',
			'desc' => '<h3>Bengal in the 17<sup>th</sup>-18<sup>th</sup> Century</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In Mughal Period:</strong> Bengal was the <strong>most fertile and the richest province</strong> of the Mughal Empire and included present day <strong>Bangladesh</strong> and states of <strong>Bihar</strong> and <strong>Odisha</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The authoritative powers of the province lay in the hands of the <strong>Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Importance:</strong> Bengal held economic importance for its famous textiles, silk and saltpetre. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exports from Bengal to Europe consisted of saltpetre, rice, indigo, pepper, sugar, silk, cotton textiles, handicrafts, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance for the British:</strong> Bengal became the first kingdom to be occupied by the British in India. The East India Company carried on profitable trade with this province. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The enormous resources of Bengal came in handy for financing the British expansion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Nearly 60% of the British imports from Asia consisted of goods from Bengal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British East India company laid the foundation of Calcutta and established British commercial settlement in the 1690s.</li>
<li>The Company paid a sum of Rs 3,000 (&pound; 350) per annum to the Mughal emperor who allowed them to trade freely in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In contrast, the <strong>Company&rsquo;s exports from Bengal were worth more than &pound; 50,000 per annum</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflicts among Nawabs and the British:</strong> The special privileges enjoyed by the British Company was strongly opposed by the Nawabs of Bengal as it meant a huge loss to the provincial exchequer. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consequently, the friction between the British commercial interests and the Bengal government became the chief cause for conflict between the two.</li>
<li>As a result, the British felt a need for a &ldquo;puppet&rdquo; as the Nawab on the throne of Bengal to willingly give them trade concessions and other privileges and establish their indirect but ultimate power in the province.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Plassey</h3>
<p>The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 in the <strong>Plassey (or Palashi) region of West Bengal,</strong> on the east of Bhagirathi river.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Troops of the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, came up against the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and his French allies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Siraj-ud-Daulah:</strong> The then Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah succeeded his grandfather Alavardi Khan after his death. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Alavardi Khan was the Deputy Governor of Bihar who assumed the throne after killing Sarfaraz Khan, an incapable son of Murshiq Quli Khan, Dewan of Bengal.</li>
<li>Siraj-ud-Daulah was surrounded by a number of rivals in his own court who helped the British in winning the Battle of Plassey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Events Preceding the Battle:</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/the-carnatic-wars#:~:text=The%20decisive%20battle%20of%20the,Marquis%20de%20Bussy%20as%20prisoner." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>British victory in the Carnatic</strong></a> had already made Siraj apprehensive of the growing power of the East India Company. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the officials of the Company made rampant misuse of its trade privileges that adversely affected the nawab&rsquo;s finances.</li>
<li>The British also fortified Calcutta without the nawab&rsquo;s permission which the nawab took as an ignorance to his sovereign power. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The infuriated Nawab marched to Calcutta and occupied Fort William in June 1756.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Shortly after Fort William's surrender, on June 20, 175, Siraj confined 146 British prisoners in a small dungeon in Calcutta, out of which 123 prisoners died of suffocation. It is infamously known as the <strong>&lsquo;Black Hole of Calcutta&rsquo;</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This event brought the hostility of the British in the open.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arrival of Robert Clive:</strong> Following this tragic defeat of British by the Nawab of Bengal, a strong force under Robert Clive was sent from Madras to overthrow nawab and strengthen the British position in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The discontented followers of the Nawab, such as Mir Jafar and other Bengali generals, were bribed to forge an alliance with the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mir Jafar, a kin of Siraj was promised the throne in return for supporting the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> Clive&rsquo;s army was confronted by the nawab&rsquo;s army at Plassey (Palashi) along with the French soldiers on their side. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The nawab&rsquo;s army of 50,000 soldiers outnumbered Clive&rsquo;s force of just 3000.</li>
<li>However, the <strong>secret alliance of the British with the conspirators strengthened the British foothold</strong> in the battle.</li>
<li>Moreover, <strong>Mir Jafar, with around one-third of the Bengali army, did not join the battle</strong> and contributed to Nawab's defeat.</li>
<li>Under compelling circumstances, the <strong>Nawab tried to escape with his army but was killed</strong> by Miran, the son of Mir Jafar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> The Battle is regarding a <strong>historic turning point for British in India</strong>; it established political and military supremacy of the British in Bengal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the Battle of Plassey Clive proclaimed Mir Jafar as the Nawab of Bengal and placed him on the throne of Murshidabad. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Jafar in order to satisfy the British as per the agreement gave the Zamindari of 24 Parganas (group of villages) of Bengal to the company.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, this could not satisfy the British and consequently he was removed from the throne and his son-in-law <strong>Mir Kasim was placed on the throne as the new Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Buxar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Battle of Buxar was fought between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, led by <strong>Hector Munro</strong>, and the combined armies of <strong>Mir Qasim</strong>, Nawab of Bengal till 1763; <strong>Shuja-ud-Daulah</strong>, the Nawab of Awadh; and the Mughal Emperor <strong>Shah Alam II</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mir Qasim:</strong> He was the <strong>ablest among all the successors of Alavardi Khan</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Qasim, an efficient and strong ruler, determined to improve the affairs of the state and <strong>shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger (Bihar) in 1762</strong>.</li>
<li>He realized the importance of a full treasury and an efficient army required to maintain his independence.</li>
<li>Mir Qasim <strong>regarded himself as an indepen&shy;dent ruler</strong> which was a problem for the British as they wanted him to be a puppet in their hands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tussle between Mir Qasim and the British:</strong> Due to the misuse of the Farman of 1717 by the British to evade internal custom duties, Mir Qasim took the extreme step of <strong>abolish&shy;ing all duties on internal trade and benefitting his own subjects</strong> by giving them the concession that the British had forcefully snatched. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was <strong>strongly protested by the British</strong> and a preferential treatment over other traders was demanded.</li>
<li>These conflicts over transit duty <strong>led to the outbreak of wars</strong> between the British and Mir Kasim in 1763 which resulted in <strong>British victories at Katwa, Murshidabad, Giria, Sooty and Munger</strong>.</li>
<li>Mir Kasim fled to Oudh (Awadh) and <strong>formed a confederacy</strong> with the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-daulah, and the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, with a view to recover Bengal from the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> In October 1764, in a final attempt to oust the British from Bengal, the combined armies of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Awadh and Shah Alam II came together to fight against the former. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The armies of Nawabs and the Mughal emperor were decisively defeated by the British forces under <strong>Major Hector Munro at Buxar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Result:</strong> This decisive battle <strong>confirmed British power over Bengal</strong> and marked the <strong>end of the attempt to rule Bengal through a puppet nawab</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The battle resulted in the <strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong> in which the <strong>Mughal Emperor surrendered sovereignty of Bengal</strong> to the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lord Robert Clive,</strong> the victor at the Plassey, became the <strong>first governor of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> Unlike the battle of Plassey which was more of British conspiracy, the battle of buxar was a <strong>full-fledged war</strong> which established the British prowess in warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The importance of this battle lay in the fact that not only the Nawab of Bengal but also the <strong>Mughal Emperor of India was defeated by the British</strong>.</li>
<li>The victory made the British, a great power in northern India and <strong>contenders for supremacy over the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the battle, Mir Jafar was reinstated as the Nawab of Bengal in 1763. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He agreed to hand over the districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and Chittagong to the British for the maintenance of their army.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British were also permitted duty-free trade in Bengal, except for a duty of 2% on salt.</li>
<li>He died in 1765 and was succeeded by his son Najm-ud-Daulah. However, the real power of administration still remained with the British.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Najm-ud-Daulah signed a treaty with the Company and became a <strong>titled pensioner</strong> on fifty-three lakhs of rupees per year which was reduced with every new successor.</li>
<li>In 1772, the British completely ended the pensions and <strong>took over the direct charge of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1765, two Treaties were concluded by Robert Clive at Allahabad with Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah and Emperor Shah Alam II.</li>
<li><strong>Under the first treaty with the Nawab of Awadh:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Allahabad and Kara were surrendered by the Nawab to Mughal Emperor</strong> Shah Alam II.</li>
<li>A sum of Rs 50 lakh was paid to the Company as war indemnity.</li>
<li>Balwant Singh, the Zamindar of Banaras, was given full possession of his estate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Under the second treaty with Shah Alam II:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The emperor was asked to reside at Allahabad under the Company&rsquo;s protection.</li>
<li>The <strong><em>Diwani</em> of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were granted to the East India Company</strong> in lieu of an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh</li>
<li>An amount of Rs 53 lakh was to be given by the Mughal Emperor to the Company in return for nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) of the said provinces.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The major difference in the significance of the Carnatic Wars (1740-48, 1749-53 and 1758-63), Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Buxar (1764) is:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Carnatic Wars established British supremacy in trade</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Plassey laid the foundation of British Empire</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Buxar established the British as masters of Bengal,</strong> Bihar and Orissa and made them a <strong>great power of Northern India</strong> and <strong>contenders for the supremacy of the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/british-conquest-for-bengal-battles-of-plassey-and-buxar'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => '100% Sustainable Fuel for Formula 1',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l&rsquo;Automobile (FIA)</strong> has announced the first barrels of <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong>, made from <strong>bio waste</strong> and developed to <strong>stringent F1(Formula One) specifications</strong>, have been delivered to Power Unit manufacturers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FIA announced its intent to make F1 carbon neutral by 2030 and to have sustainable races by 2025.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Formula One<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Formula One, also called F1 in short, is an <strong>international auto racing sport</strong>. F1 cars are the <strong>fastest regulated road-course racing cars in the world</strong>.</li>
<li>F1 is the highest level of single-seat, open-wheel and open-cockpit professional motor racing contest.</li>
<li>Formula One racing is<strong> governed and sanctioned by a world body called the F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)</strong> or the International Automobile Federation. The name &lsquo;Formula&rsquo; comes from the set of rules that the participating cars and drivers must follow.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>F1 Current Carbon Footprint:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Direct Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>F1&rsquo;s driving activities produce approximately <strong>2,56,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year</strong>, which is the equivalent to powering roughly 30,000 houses in the UK over the same time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indirect Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main issue is not the <strong>cars</strong> themselves, which <strong>accounted for only 0.7%</strong> of the sport&rsquo;s emissions in 2019, but the <strong>logistics of transporting teams and equipment across the globe</strong>.</li>
<li>In 2019, road, sea and air <strong>logistics for equipment transportation accounted for 45% of F1&rsquo;s emissions</strong> with business travel for teams contributing an additional 27.7%.</li>
<li>Rounding up the list, <strong>factories and facilities servicing the sport</strong> represent <strong>19.3%</strong> of emissions, and event operations, another 7.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uncounted Emission:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 2,56,000 number doesn&rsquo;t even factor in the impact of fans, millions of whom require transportation and accommodation on and around the race weekend.</li>
<li>If one were to include the emissions generated by fans, the total carbon footprint of F1 catapults to approximately <strong>1.9 million tonnes</strong> of carbon dioxide generated by the sport annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>100% Sustainable Fuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One of the most high-profile ways in which F1 plans to reduce its environmental impact is through the <strong>continued evolution of energy-efficient engines</strong>.</li>
<li>Starting from 1989 when the FIA Alternative Fuel Commission was formed, F1 has committed to a number of initiatives designed to improve engine efficiency, with the most notable being its <strong>global fuel economy initiative in 2007</strong> which aims to reduce fuel consumption by 50% across the competition.</li>
<li>In 2020, the FIA announced that it had developed a <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong> and that engine manufacturers were already in the process of testing it, intending to start using it by 2026.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A 100% sustainable fuel essentially represents the<strong> third generation and most advanced iteration of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuels</a></strong>, which typically are made from by-products of industrial or agricultural waste.</li>
<li>F1 cars already use biofuels but current regulations only mandate that the fuel include 5.75% of bio-components.</li>
<li>In 2022 that number will increase to 10% and by 2025, when new power units are proposed to enter the competition, the <strong>FIA hopes to transition completely to 100% advanced sustainable fuels</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.</li>
<li>Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Solid:</strong> Wood, dried plant material, and manure</li>
<li><strong>Liquid:</strong> Bioethanol and Biodiesel</li>
<li><strong>Gaseous:</strong> Biogas</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These can be used to replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport, stationary, portable and other applications. Also, they can be used to generate heat and electricity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Categories of Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>First generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats</strong> using conventional technology.</li>
<li>Common first-generation biofuels include <strong>Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from non-food crops</strong> or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes, e.g. stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.</li>
<li><strong>Thermochemical</strong> reactions or <strong>biochemical</strong> conversion processes are used for producing such fuels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Examples:</strong> Cellulose ethanol and biodiesel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Third generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from micro-organisms</strong> like algae.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Example:</strong> Butanol</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production, therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fourth Generation Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the production of these fuels, <strong>crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of carbon are grown and harvested as biomass</strong>.</li>
<li>The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation techniques.</li>
<li>The fuel is pre-combusted and the carbon is captured. Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.</li>
<li>Some of these fuels are considered as <strong>carbon negative</strong> as their production pulls out carbon from the environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>E20 Fuel:</strong> The Indian government has invited public comments for introducing adoption of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e20-fuel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> E20 fuel</strong></a> (a blend of 20% ethanol with gasoline).</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019:</strong> The objective of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-ji-van-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>scheme</strong></a> is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and to boost research and development in the 2G Ethanol sector.</li>
<li><strong>Reduction in GST:</strong> The Government has also reduced <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST</strong></a> on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%.</li>
<li><strong>National Biofuel Policy 2018:</strong> The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels'' viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol &amp; biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels'' - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-formula-1-is-aiming-to-go-carbon-neutral-by-2030-7267582/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100-sustainable-fuel-for-formula-1'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Jyotirao Phule',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>'Tika Utsav (vaccination festival)'</strong>, started on the birth anniversary of Mahatma <strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> (11<sup>th</sup> April) will continue till the birth anniversary of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Babasaheb Ambedkar</strong> </a>on 14<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim of the four day festival is to vaccinate as many people as possible for the priority groups and zero wastage of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> vaccine.</li>
<li><strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> was an <strong>Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra</strong>. He is also known as <strong>Jyotiba Phule</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" width="460" height="376" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Brief Profile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Phule was born on <strong>11<sup>th</sup> April, 1827</strong> in present-day Maharashtra and <strong>belonged to the Mali caste of gardeners and vegetable farmers</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong> In 1841, Phule was enrolled at the <strong>Scottish Missionary High School (Pune),</strong> where he completed education.</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong> His Ideology was based on:<strong> Liberty; Egalitarianism; Socialism</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Phule was <strong>influenced by Thomas Paine&rsquo;s book titled The Rights of Man</strong> and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the <strong>enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Publications:</strong> Tritiya Ratna (1855); Powada: Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha (1869); Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkarayacha Aasud (1881).</li>
<li><strong>Related Association:</strong> Phule along with his followers formed <strong>Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873</strong>&nbsp;which meant &lsquo;Seekers of Truth&rsquo; in order to attain equal social and economic benefits for the lower castes in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Municipal Council Member:</strong> He was appointed commissioner to the Poona municipality and served in the position until 1883.</li>
<li><strong>Title of Mahatma:</strong> He was bestowed with the title of Mahatma on 11<sup>th</sup> May, 1888 <strong>by a Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Reformer:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1848, he taught his wife (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/savitri-bai-phule" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Savitribai</strong></a>) how to read and write, after which the couple <strong>opened the first indigenously run school for girls</strong> in Pune where they both taught.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was <strong>a believer in gender equality</strong> and he exemplified his beliefs by involving his wife in all his social reform activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By 1852, the <strong>Phules had established three schools</strong> but all of them had shut by 1858 due to the shortage of funds after the Revolt of 1857.</li>
<li>Jyotiba realised the pathetic conditions of widows and established an ashram for young widows and eventually became an advocate of the idea of <strong>Widow Remarriage</strong>.</li>
<li>Jyotirao <strong>attacked the orthodox Brahmins and other upper castes</strong> and termed them as "hypocrites".</li>
<li>In 1868, Jyotirao <strong>constructed a common bathing tank</strong> outside his house to exhibit his embracing attitude towards all human beings and wished to dine with everyone, regardless of their caste.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He started awareness campaigns that ultimately inspired the likes of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mahatma-gandhi-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi</strong></a>, stalwarts who undertook major initiatives against caste discrimination later.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed by many that <strong>it was Phule who first used the term &lsquo;Dalit&rsquo; for the depiction of oppressed masses</strong> often placed outside the &lsquo;varna system&rsquo;.</li>
<li>He <strong>worked for abolishment of untouchability and caste system</strong> in Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> 28<sup>th</sup> November, 1890. His memorial is built in Phule Wada, Pune, Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://PIB" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jyotirao-phule'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Potential of Lighthouses for Tourism: Sagarmala',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways</strong> seeks to <strong>develop 65 lighthouses</strong> on public-private-partnership mode. <strong>Odisha&rsquo;s five lighthouses</strong> present huge potential for tourism.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry wants to develop lighthouses as hubs of tourism under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sagarmala-seaplane-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sagarmala project</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Five lighthouses of Odisha:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;False Point&rsquo; island lighthouse:</strong> It is situated off the Kendrapara coast. It is the British era lighthouse and its location close to massive <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coringa-mangroves#:~:text=Mangrove%20forests%20perform%20multiple%20ecological,sediment%20to%20form%20new%20land" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mangrove vegetation</strong></a> infested with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-crocodile-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>crocodiles</strong></a> makes it an adventurous tourist place on the eastern coast.</li>
<li><strong>Paradip lighthouse:</strong> It also holds tourism potential because of its proximity to the port town and Cuttack and Bhubaneswar cities (100 km). It was commissioned in the 1980s.</li>
<li><strong>Gopalpur lighthouse:</strong> It is located in Ganjam district. If it is developed as a place of tourist interest, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/odisha-s-lake-conservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chilika Lake</a> and the Gopalpur beach</strong> will be added attractions.</li>
<li><strong>Chandrabhaga lighthouse:</strong> It is 10 km from the world famous <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/konark-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Konark temple</strong></a>. It had withstood the severity of cyclones such as the Super Cyclone (1999), Phailin (2013) and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-fani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fani</a> (2019).</li>
<li><strong>Puri lighthouse:</strong> It is 4 km from the 12th century <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jagannath-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shree Jagannath Temple</strong></a>, which is also a tourist place.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lighthouse Tourism in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Number of Lighthouses:</strong> India has as many as 189 lighthouses dotting its vast coastline including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives for Promoting Lighthouse based Tourism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>enhance &amp; develop the existing lighthouses &amp; its surrounding areas</strong> into a Tourism Destination, Maritime Landmark, and Heritage Precinct.</li>
<li>To<strong> develop allied Maritime Infrastructure</strong> like National Maritime Museums &amp; National Lighthouse Museums.</li>
<li>To explore the possibilities of developing these projects under various modes including the possibilities of <strong>Public Private Partnership (PPP)</strong> by integrating commercially viable interventions at the feasible locations in order to make the project viable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The advantages behind creation of lighthouses into a tourism product are that it shall <strong>help in attracting tourists</strong> from across the world &amp; locally and thereby create a source of revenue for the government, <strong>employment opportunities for local people, increase in commerce</strong> through purchase and sale of goods and services, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sagarmala Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Sagarmala Programme was <strong>approved by the Union Cabinet in 2015</strong> which aims at holistic port infrastructure development along the 7,516-km long coastline through modernisation, mechanisation and computerisation.</li>
<li>The vision of the Sagarmala Programme is to <strong>reduce logistics cost for EXIM</strong> (Export-Import) and <strong>domestic trade</strong> with minimal infrastructure investment.</li>
<li>Sagarmala <strong>could boost India&rsquo;s merchandise exports</strong> to USD 110 billion by 2025 and create an estimated 10 million new jobs (four million in direct employment).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618224639_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618224639_image4.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="753" height="295" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Components of the Sagarmala Programme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Port Modernization &amp; New Port Development:</strong> De-bottlenecking and capacity expansion of existing ports and development of new Greenfield ports.</li>
<li><strong>Port Connectivity Enhancement:</strong> Enhancing the connectivity of the ports to the hinterland, optimizing cost and time of cargo movement through multi-modal logistics solutions including domestic waterways (inland water transport and coastal shipping).</li>
<li><strong>Port-linked Industrialization:</strong> Developing port-proximate industrial clusters and Coastal Economic Zones to reduce logistics cost and time of EXIM and domestic cargo.</li>
<li><strong>Coastal Community Development:</strong> Promoting sustainable development of coastal communities through skill development &amp; livelihood generation activities, fisheries development, coastal tourism etc.</li>
<li><strong>Coastal Shipping &amp; Inland Waterways Transport:</strong> Impetus to move cargo through the sustainable and environment-friendly coastal and inland waterways mode.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Public-Private Partnerships</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Public-private partnerships involve <strong>collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company</strong> that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects, such as public transportation networks, parks, and convention centers.</li>
<li>Financing a project through a public-private partnership can <strong>allow a project to be completed sooner or make it a possibility in the first place</strong>.</li>
<li>Public-private partnerships <strong>often involve concessions of tax</strong> or other operating revenue, protection from liability, or partial ownership rights over nominally public services and property <strong>to private sector</strong>, for-profit entities.</li>
<li>It can create <strong>complex principal-agent problems,</strong> such as corrupt dealings, pay-offs to political cronies, etc.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model#:~:text=Public%2DPrivate%20Partnership%20Model%3A%20PPP,be%20completed%20with%20private%20funding." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Commonly adopted model of PPPs</strong></a> include Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) ,Build-Own-Operate (BOO), Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer (BOLT), Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT), Lease-Develop-Operate (LDO), Operate-Maintain-Transfer (OMT), etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/lighthouses-in-odisha-hold-huge-tourism-potential/article34296290.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/potential-of-lighthouses-for-tourism-sagarmala'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Shaphari: Certification Scheme for Aquaculture Products',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5th-aqua-aquaria-india-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA)</strong></a> has developed a <strong>certification scheme for aquaculture products called &lsquo;Shaphari&rsquo;</strong>.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Shaphari is based on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations&rsquo; Food and Agriculture Organization&rsquo;s</strong></a> technical guidelines on aquaculture certification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Shaphari</strong> is a Sanskrit word that <strong>means superior quality of fishery products suitable for human consumption</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is a market-based tool for hatcheries to <strong>adopt good aquaculture practices</strong> and help <strong>produce quality <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antibiotic-use-in-dairy-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antibiotic</a>-free shrimp products</strong> to assure global consumers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Components and Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Two Components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Certifying hatcheries</strong> for the quality of their seeds.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Those who successfully clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted a <strong>certificate for a period of two years</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Approving shrimp farms</strong> that adopt the requisite good practices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The entire <strong>certification process will be online</strong> to minimise human errors and ensure higher credibility and transparency.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The certification of hatcheries will <strong>help farmers easily identify good quality seed producers</strong>.</li>
<li>Certified aquaculture products will <strong>help exporters to export their consignments to markets under stringent food safety regulations</strong> without the fear of getting rejected.</li>
<li>It will <strong>bolster confidence in India&rsquo;s frozen shrimp produce,</strong> the country&rsquo;s biggest seafood export item.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Shrimp Exports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India exported frozen shrimp worth almost <strong>USD 5 billion in 2019-20,</strong> with the <strong>US and China</strong> its biggest buyers.</li>
<li>Frozen shrimp is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest exported seafood item</strong>. It constituted 50.58% in quantity and 73.2% in terms of total USD earnings from the sector during 2019-20.</li>
<li><strong>Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are India&rsquo;s major shrimp producing States,</strong> and around 95% of the cultured shrimp produce is exported.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Container shortages</strong> and incidents of <strong>seafood consignments being rejected</strong> because of food safety concerns.</li>
<li>Consignments sourced from Indian shrimp farms have been <strong>rejected due to the presence of antibiotic residue</strong> and this is a matter of concern for exporters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiative for Food Safety of Exported Products:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Residue Control Programme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) is a <strong>statutory requirement for export to <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a> countries</strong>.</li>
<li>It is <strong>regulated and carried by MPEDA,</strong> under NRCP, <strong>definite sampling schedule and sampling strategies are drawn every year</strong> for monitoring the residues of substances like Antibacterial/Veterinary Medicinal Products and environmental contaminants.</li>
<li><strong>Samples are collected from hatcheries, feed mills, aquaculture farms and processing plants,</strong> located in maritime states and <strong>tested for the presence of any residue/contaminant</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Marine Products Exports Development Authority</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>MPEDA is <strong>a nodal coordinating, state-owned agency</strong> engaged in fishery production and allied activities.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1972</strong> under the <strong>Marine Products Export Development Authority Act (MPEDA), 1972</strong>.</li>
<li>It functions under the <strong>Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry</strong>.</li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered</strong> in Kochi, Kerala.</li>
<li>Its mandate is to <strong>increase exports of seafood</strong> including fisheries of all kinds, <strong>specifying standards, marketing, processing, extension and training</strong> in various aspects.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/certification-scheme-to-encourage-good-aquaculture-practices/article34295794.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shaphari-certification-scheme-for-aquaculture-products'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'India-Netherlands',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India&rsquo;s Prime Minister (PM) and the PM of the Netherlands held a <strong>Virtual Summit</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was the <strong>first high level Summit attended by the PM of Netherlands</strong> after the general elections held in March 2021.</li>
<li>Earlier in <strong>2019</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-netherlands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>King and Queen of the Netherlands</strong></a> visited India to give an impetus to the bilateral ties shared by the two nations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" width="522" height="500" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Review of Bilateral Engagements:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exchanged views on <strong>further expanding and diversifying the relationship</strong> in trade and economy, water management, agriculture sector, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>smart cities</strong></a>, science &amp; technology, healthcare and space.</li>
<li>Agreed that the ambitious and innovative flagship programs like <strong>Clean India, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make in India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sagarmala-seaplane-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sagarmala</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayushman Bharat</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Startup India</a></strong> have provided immense opportunities for Indo-Dutch (India-Netherlands) collaboration in multiple sectors.</li>
<li>Exchanged views on regional and global challenges such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, counter-terrorism and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19#:~:text=Covid%2D19%20pandemic%20is%20a,crises%20in%20recent%20human%20history." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and agreed to leverage the emerging convergences in new areas like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific</strong></a>, Resilient Supply Chains and Global Digital Governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Partnership on Water:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed on instituting a <strong>&lsquo;Strategic Partnership on Water&rsquo;</strong> to further deepen the Indo-Dutch cooperation in the water related sector, and <strong>upgrading the Joint Working Group on Water</strong> to Ministerial-level.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2019, India and Netherlands had launched the <strong>second phase of the Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) plant</strong> as a part of joint collaboration in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Commitment to International Peace:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reiterated their <strong>commitment to a rules-based multilateral order for ensuring international peace, stability and prosperity</strong> and looked forward to a successful <strong>India-EU (<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a>) Leaders&rsquo; Meeting in Porto, Portugal in May 2021</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Netherlands have <strong>similar approach in dealing with global challenges</strong> like climate change, terrorism and pandemics.</li>
<li>It thanked the Netherlands for their support to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-assembly-of-international-solar-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ISA and CDRI are Indian Initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also <strong>welcomed the Netherlands&rsquo; Indo-Pacific Policy</strong> and its desire to collaborate during India&rsquo;s <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20</strong></a> Presidency in 2023.</li>
<li>Setting up a <strong>fast track mechanism for investment promotion will give new momentum</strong> to the strong economic cooperation between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Netherlands Relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic and Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic Partnership between India &amp; Netherlands is a <strong>key pillar of the bilateral ties</strong>.</li>
<li>The Netherlands was the <strong>third largest investor in India</strong>, after Mauritius and Singapore for <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/03-02-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Year (FY)</strong></a> 2018-19 with <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-foreign-direct-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)</a></strong> inflows of USD 3.87 billion across a variety of sectors.</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands was the second largest destination of foreign investment by Indian companies</strong> as of end-March 2018.</li>
<li>In 2017-18, the <strong>bilateral trade</strong> between India and the Netherlands was around USD 8.77 billion. In 2018-19, it was around USD 12.87 billion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By 2025, it shall touch around USD 18-23 billion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands is India&rsquo;s 5<sup>th</sup> largest trading partner</strong> in the European Union. And is also one of the leading investor nations in India.</li>
<li>There are <strong>200 (Dutch) companies that are present in India</strong>. Around <strong>160 Indian companies are active in the Netherlands</strong>. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a sizable uptick in the Indian IT companies investing in the Netherlands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Historical Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indo-Dutch relations can be <strong>traced back to more than 400 years</strong> when the first Dutch EIC (East India Company) <strong>got established in India (in around 17<sup>th</sup> century AD)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>official relations</strong> between the two nations were <strong>established in the year 1947</strong> which, since then, have been cordial and friendly.</li>
<li>The two countries also <strong>share common ideals of democracy, pluralism and the rule of law</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Netherlands currently is home to the largest Indian community on the European mainland</strong>. The growing Indian student and professional community in the Netherlands is making the cultural knot stronger and the technological partnership deeper.</li>
<li>An<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/70-years-of-indian-council-for-cultural-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)</strong></a> Cultural Centre <strong>"The Gandhi Centre" was established in The Hague in October 2011</strong>.</li>
<li>The fifth <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-day-of-yoga#:~:text=The%20International%20Day%20of%20Yoga,countries%20amid%20Covid%2D19%20pandemic." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day of Yoga</strong></a> was celebrated on 16th June, 2019 at prestigious Dam Square in Amsterdam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Netherlands and India have <strong>hardly achieved their true potential</strong>. There is <strong>huge potential for collaborations given the geopolitical and economic necessities</strong> of both nations.</li>
<li>Engagement of leaders at the highest level along with <strong>greater economic and defence cooperation is the need of the hour</strong> to take ties to new levels.</li>
<li>In the next five years, as India will move ahead, Dutch companies will come to India and will be a key collaborator in helping India achieve its USD <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN926IN926&amp;oq=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;aqs=chrome.0.0l2j0i22i30l3j0i390.4471j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>5 trillion economy</strong></a> vision.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1710763" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-netherlands-1'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve: Maharashtra',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Three labourers were killed and two others injured during an operation to douse a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-and-forest-fire-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>forest fire</strong></a> at <strong>Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR)</strong> in Maharashtra.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is situated in <strong>Gondia and Bhandara districts</strong> of Maharashtra.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Gondia District shares common boundaries with the <strong>state of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh</strong> in the<strong> north and eastern</strong> side respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strategically, the Tiger Reserve is <strong>located in the heart of central Indian Tiger landscape</strong> which contributes almost one sixth of the total tiger population of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Formation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was notified as the <strong>46<sup>th</sup><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-importance-of-tiger-conservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Tiger Reserve</a> of India</strong> in <strong>December 2013</strong>.</li>
<li>NNTR comprised of the notified area of <strong>Nawegaon National Park, Nawegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary and Koka Wildlife Sanctuary</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NNTR has connectivity with the major tiger reserves in Central India like,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kanha-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kanha</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pench-tiger-reserve-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pench</a> tiger reserve</strong> in Madhya Pradesh,</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tadoba-andhari-tiger-reserve-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tadoba-Andhari Tiger reserve</strong></a> in Maharashtra,</li>
<li><strong>Indravati Tiger Reserve</strong> in Chhattisgarh,</li>
<li>Indirectly with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kawal-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kawal</strong></a> and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nagarjunasagar-srisailam-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nagarjuna Sagar</strong></a> in <strong>Telangana</strong> and <strong>Andhra Pradesh</strong> and, <strong>Achanakmar Tiger reserve</strong> in <strong>Chhattisgarh</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also connected to important tiger bearing areas like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/umed-paoni-karhandla-wildlife-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Umred-Karhandla sanctuary</strong></a> and Brahampuri Division (Maharashtra).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Flora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The major forest type is "Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest".<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Few thorny plants are also found.</li>
<li><strong>Bamboo</strong> occurs in abundance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fauna:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Large Carnivores such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-leopard-population" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>leopards</strong></a> and smaller carnivores like wild dogs, wolf jackals, jungle cats and also the good population of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nandankanan-zoological-park-odisha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sloth bears</strong></a> are seen.</li>
<li>The important herbivore includes <strong>Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Chousingha, Barking deer, Wild pig and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-bison-gaur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian gaur</a>.</strong> Mouse deer has also been recorded from the area.</li>
<li>More than 300 species of birds have been reported from the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Protected Areas in Maharashtra:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/melghat-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Melghat Tiger reserve</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary.</li>
<li>Karnala Bird Sanctuary.</li>
<li>Sanjay Gandhi National Park.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pench-tiger-reserve-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pench National Park</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618216503_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618216503_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/navegaon-nagzira-tiger-reserve-forest-fire-7265504/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navegaon-nagzira-tiger-reserve-maharashtra'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Global Minimum Corporate Tax',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The US Treasury Secretary has urged <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20 nations</strong></a> to move towards a <strong>global minimum corporate tax</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>an attempt to reverse a &ldquo;30-year race to the bottom&rdquo;</strong> in which countries have resorted to slashing corporate tax rates to attract multinational corporations (MNCs).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Proposal on a Global Minimum Corporate Tax Rate:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US proposal envisages a <strong>21% minimum corporate tax rate, coupled with cancelling exemptions on income from countries</strong> that do not legislate a minimum tax to discourage the shifting of multinational operations and profits overseas.</li>
<li>The proposal for a minimum corporate tax is <strong>tailored to address the low effective rates of tax shelled out by some of the world&rsquo;s biggest corporations,</strong> including digital giants such as Apple, Alphabet and Facebook, as well as major corporations such as Nike and Starbucks. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These companies typically <strong>rely on complex webs of subsidiaries to hoover profits out of major markets into low-tax countries</strong> such as Ireland or Caribbean nations such as the British Virgin Islands or the Bahamas, or to central American nations such as Panama.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US&rsquo; Reasons for the Proposal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The proposal <strong>aims to somewhat offset any disadvantages</strong> that might arise from the <strong>proposed increase in the US corporate tax rate</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The proposed increase to 28% from 21% would partially reverse the previous cut in tax rates on companies from 35% to 21% by way of a 2017 tax legislation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The increase in corporation tax <strong>comes at a time when the pandemic is costing governments across the world,</strong> and is also timed with the US&rsquo;s push for a USD 2.3 trillion infrastructure upgrade proposal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A global compact on this issue, at the time of pandemic, <strong>will work well for the US government and for most other countries in western Europe,</strong> even as some low-tax European jurisdictions such as the Netherlands, Ireland and Luxembourg and some in the Caribbean rely largely on <strong>tax rate arbitrage</strong> to attract MNCs.</li>
<li>The plan to peg a minimum tax on overseas corporate income <strong>seeks to potentially make it difficult for corporations to shift earnings offshore</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>average headline corporate tax rate in advanced economies has fallen</strong> from 32% in 2000 to just over 23% by 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>That is largely because <strong>smaller countries such as Ireland, the Netherlands and Singapore have attracted footloose businesses by offering low corporate tax rates</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Footloose industry is a general term for an industry that can be placed and located at any location without effect from factors such as resources or transport.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Multinational companies</strong> with increasingly intangible assets such as the global tech firms <strong>have shifted some actual business and a lot of profits into these tax havens and low-tax jurisdictions,</strong> lowering their global tax bills.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Response:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The European Commission backed the proposal, but the global minimum rate should be decided after discussions in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oecds-forecast-for-global-economy-in-2060" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development</strong></a> (OECD).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The European nations, including Germany and France have supported the US proposal.</li>
<li>The OECD and Group of Twenty (G20) have been leading the <strong>Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) initiative</strong>&mdash;a multilateral negotiation with over 135 countries, including the United States&mdash;since 2013.</li>
<li><strong>BEPS</strong> refers to tax planning strategies used by multinational enterprises that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to avoid paying tax.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China</strong> is not likely to have a serious objection with the US call, but an <strong>area of concern</strong> for Beijing would be the <strong>impact of such a tax stipulation on Hong Kong</strong>, the seventh-largest tax haven in the world and the largest in Asia.</li>
<li>The US proposal also has support from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The proposal <strong>impinges on the right of the sovereign to decide a nation&rsquo;s tax policy</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Taxation is ultimately a sovereign function, and depending upon the needs and circumstances of the nation, the government is open to participate and engage in the emerging discussions globally around the corporate tax structure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A global minimum rate <strong>would essentially take away a tool that countries use to push policies that suit them</strong>. A lower tax rate is a tool they can use to alternatively push economic activity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For instance, in the backdrop of the pandemic, IMF and World Bank data suggest that developing countries with less ability to offer mega stimulus packages may experience a longer economic hangover than developed nations.</li>
<li>Also, a global minimum tax rate <strong>will do little to tackle tax evasion</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Position</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cut in Corporate Tax:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In a bid to revive investment activity, the Finance Minister announced, in September 2019, a sharp cut in corporate taxes for domestic companies to 22% and for new domestic manufacturing companies to 15%. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong> resulted in the insertion of a section (115BAA) to the Income-Tax Act, 1961 to provide for the concessional tax rate of 22% for existing domestic companies subject to certain conditions including that they do not avail of any specified incentive or deductions.</li>
<li>Also, the existing domestic companies opting for the concessional taxation regime will <strong>not be required to pay any Minimum Alternate Tax</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The cuts effectively <strong>brought India&rsquo;s headline corporate tax rate broadly at par with the average 23% rate in Asian countries</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China and South Korea have a tax rate of 25% each, while Malaysia is at 24%, Vietnam at 20%, Thailand at 20% and Singapore at 17%.</li>
<li>The effective tax rate, inclusive of surcharge and cess, for Indian domestic companies is around 25.17%.</li>
<li>The average corporate tax rate stands at around 29% for existing companies that are claiming some benefit or the other.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Equalisation Levy:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>address the challenges posed by the enterprises who conduct their business through digital means</strong> and carry out activities in the country remotely, the government has the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/equalisation-levy-for-non-resident-e-commerce-firms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Equalisation Levy&rsquo;</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The equalization levy is <strong>aimed at taxing foreign companies which have a significant local client base in India</strong> but are billing them through their offshore units, effectively escaping the country&rsquo;s tax system.</li>
<li>The Income-tax Act, 1961 has been amended to bring in the concept of <strong>&ldquo;Significant Economic Presence&rdquo;</strong> for establishing &ldquo;business connection&rdquo; in the case of non-residents in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Agreements for Exchange of Information:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has been proactively engaging with foreign governments with a view to facilitating and enhancing exchange of information under <strong>Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements, Tax Information Exchange Agreements and Multilateral Conventions</strong> to plug loopholes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Such agreements <strong>promote cooperation in tax matters</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Besides, <strong>effective enforcement actions</strong> including expeditious investigation in foreign assets cases have been launched, including searches, enquiries, levy of taxes, penalties, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Corporate Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Corporation Tax or Corporate Tax is a <strong>direct tax levied on the net income or profit of a corporate entity</strong> from their business, foreign or domestic.</li>
<li>The rate at which the tax is imposed as per the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is known as the Corporate Tax Rate.</li>
<li>The Corporate Tax rate is based on a slab rate system depending on the type of corporate entity and the different revenues earned by each of corporate entities.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Minimum Alternate Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At times it may happen that a taxpayer, being a company, may have generated income during the year, but by taking the advantage of various provisions of Income-tax Law (like exemptions, deductions, depreciation, etc.), it may have reduced its tax liability or may not have paid any tax at all.</li>
<li>Due to an increase in the number of zero tax paying companies, Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) was introduced by the Finance Act, 1987 with effect from assessment year 1988-89. Later on, it was withdrawn by the Finance Act, 1990 and then reintroduced by Finance Act, 1996.</li>
<li>MAT is <strong>calculated at 15% on the book profit</strong> (the profit shown in the profit and loss account) or at the usual corporate rates, and whichever is higher is payable as tax.</li>
<li>All companies in India, whether domestic or foreign, fall under this provision. MAT was later extended to cover non-corporate entities as well.</li>
<li>MAT is an important tool with which tax avoidance can be prevented.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Domestic Company</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Domestic company is one which is <strong>registered under the Companies Act of India (2013)</strong> and also includes the company registered in the foreign countries having control and management wholly situated in India.</li>
<li>A domestic company includes private as well as public companies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Foreign Company</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Foreign company is one which is not registered under the Companies Act of India and has control &amp; management located outside India.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Tax Heaven</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A tax haven is generally an offshore country that offers foreign individuals and businesses little or no tax liability in a politically and economically static environment.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-bidens-radical-tax-proposal-7266899/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-minimum-corporate-tax'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Current Affairs Crash Course - Prelims 2021',
			'catname' => 'Prelims',
			'desc' => '<!--<div class="border-bg">
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Important Notice regarding Current Affairs Crash Course Prelims 2020</strong>.</span><br /><br />Dear Students,<br /><br />In light of the ongoing nationwide lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Current Affairs Crash Course 2020 classes will be held only in the online mode.<br /><br />Regards,<br />Drishti Management</p>
</div>-->
<h3><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Current Affairs Crash Course Programme</strong></span></h3>
<!--<p><a href="/crash-course-registration" class="btn-blue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Register Now</a></p>-->
<p></p>
<div class="border-bg"><!--<p><strong>Download Drishti App to watch the Current Affairs Crash Course demo video -</strong> <br /><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drishti.academy.app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drishti.academy.app</a></p>-->
<p>Dear Student,</p>
<p>The Civil Services (Prelims) Examination of 2021 is near but the conditions are still worrying due to the huge second wave of COVID-19. In view of this complex situation, it has been decided that the classes of Current Affairs Crash Course for Prelims, like last year, shall be conducted in online mode only. <br /><br /><strong>Programme Details:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Fee: ₹5000 / -</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Mode: Online Course (Android Mobile App)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Total classes: Approx. 35 classes (Total duration: 100 hours)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Commencement of Classes: From April 15 (one class per day, 6 days a week) A Live class on the app will be held daily from 12:30 pm to 3 pm. After that the same class will be available in the download mode in your account, which you will be able to watch at your convenience.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Teacher: Mr. Nishant Srivastava</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Who can join?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Any aspirant preparing for UPSC Civil Service Examination.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Any aspirant preparing for State Civil Service Examinations like UPPCS, MPPCS, BPCS etc.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Any student appearing in exams held by the UPSC like the IES &amp; ISS or any other competitive exam that requires a comprehensive Current Affairs preparation.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
<!--<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d14747; font-size: 18px; color: #ffffff;">  For more details about the course or if you need assistance regarding admission, please call us on <strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><a href="tel:8010440440" style="color: #ffff00;">8010440440</a></span></strong> or <span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><a href="tel:8750187501" style="color: #ffff00;">8750187501</a></strong> </span>(Monday to Saturday – 10 am to 6.30 pm)<ca eng="">.  </ca></span></p>-->
<p style="text-align: center; background-color: #d14747; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; color: #ffffff;">&nbsp; For more details about the course or if you need assistance regarding admission, please call us on <strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><a href="tel:8010440440" style="color: #ffff00;">8010440440</a></span></strong> or <span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><a href="tel:8448485521" style="color: #ffff00;">9319290702</a></strong>&nbsp;</span>(Monday to Saturday &ndash; 10 am to 6.30 pm)<ca eng="">.&nbsp;&nbsp;</ca></span></p>
<div class="border-bg" style="padding: 15px 20px 15px;">
<p><br /><strong>Admission and Fees Related Information</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">This crash course is completely free for the Foundation Batch students of Prayagraj. From April 15, these classes will be automatically made available to them through their account on Drishti Learning App.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Students of Drishti who are not a part of the general studies course (but are students of other courses like optional subject, essay, test series, Hindi Literature pen drive course, distance learning program etc.) can avail a discount of 30% by visiting this link - <a href="/crash-course-registration"><span style="color: #ff0000;">https://www.drishtiias.com/crash-course-registration</span></a> and submitting a photo of their identity card with the form. The fee of this course for them is ₹3500/ -.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">This course is free for students who are registered in the Prelims Online Course or General Studies Foundation Pen Drive Course. To watch this course free of cost on the App, the students will have to register by visiting this link - <a href="/crash-course-registration"><span style="color: #ff0000;">https://www.drishtiias.com/crash-course-registration</span></a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">For students who are not part of Drishti, the fee of this course is ₹5000/-. They can take admission by going to the link given above or by going directly to the Drishti Learning App. The link of the app is: <a href="http://bit.ly/drishtilearningapp"><span style="color: #ff0000;">http://bit.ly/drishtilearningapp</span></a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;<strong>Technical Information </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>These classes can only be viewed on Drishti Learning App (Android based). This app operates on only one device at a given point of time.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">From April 15th, classes will be regularly updated in your App account and will remain available till the Prelims exam.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">If you face any kind of problem while taking admission to the course or while watching the classes, then please call 8448485521 or 9319290702, or send an email to [email protected] Our technical team will get in touch with you.</li>
</ul>
<div style="padding-top: 20px;">
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><b>For Help &amp; Support, please call us at</b>&nbsp;<a href="tel:8448485521"><strong>8448485521,<span><strong>9319290702</strong>&nbsp;</span></strong></a><b>or email us at</b>&nbsp;<strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><a href="/crash-course-registration" class="btn-blue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Register Now</a></p>
<!--<h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 36px;"><a href="/crash-course-registration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff; background-color: #de2323;">  Register Now  </span></strong></a></span></h4>-->
<p></p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/prelims/current-affairs-crash-course'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Refugee Policy',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="background">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/india-does-have-a-refugee-problem/article34285088.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;India does have a refugee problem&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Hindu on 10/04/2021. It talks about the issues related to India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, there has been an influx of illegal migrants into India after the military coup and subsequent crackdown in Myanmar. The current plight of the Myanmarese has been preceded by that of another group of Myanmarese, the Rohingya.</p>
<p>Historically, India has witnessed an inflow of refugees from many neighboring countries. The refugee issue poses a problem for the state as it puts an economic burden, may trigger demographic changes in the long term, and poses security risks as well.</p>
<p>However, taking care of refugees is the core component of the human rights paradigm. Further, in any case, refugee flows to India are unlikely to end any time soon given the geopolitical, economic, ethnic, and religious contexts of the region.</p>
<p>Hence, there is an urgent need today to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India lacks specific legislation to address the problem of refugees, in spite of their increasing inflow.</li>
<li>The Foreigners Act, 1946, fails to address the peculiar problems faced by refugees as a class. It also gives unbridled power to the Central government to deport any foreign citizen.</li>
<li>Further, the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/citizenship-amendment-act-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA)</a> strikingly excludes Muslims from its purview and seeks to provide citizenship only to Hindu, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Sikh, and Buddhist immigrants persecuted in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.</li>
<li>Moreover, India is not a party to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/illegal-influx-from-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol</a>, the key legal documents pertaining to refugee protection.</li>
<li>In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has had a stellar record on the issue of refugee protection. India has a moral tradition for assimilating foreign people and culture.</li>
<li>Further, the constitution of India also respects the life, liberty, and dignity of human beings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Supreme Court in the National Human Rights Commission vs. State of Arunachal Pradesh (1996) held that &ldquo;while all rights are available to citizens, persons including foreign citizens are entitled to the right to equality and the right to life, among others.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Argument for Not Signing the 1951 Refugee Convention</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The definition of refugees in the 1951 convention only pertains to the violation of civil and political rights, but not economic rights, of individuals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a person, under the definition of the convention, could be considered if he/she is deprived of political rights, but not if he/she is deprived of economic rights.</li>
<li>If the violation of economic rights were to be included in the definition of a refugee, it would clearly pose a major burden on the developed world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, this argument, if used in the South Asian context, could be a problematic proposition for India too.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated With India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Refugees vs. Immigrants:</strong> In the recent past, many people from neighboring countries tend to illegally immigrate to India, not because of state persecution but in search of better economic opportunities in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While the reality is that much of the debate in the country is about illegal immigrants, not refugees, the two categories tend to get bunched together.</li>
<li>Due to this, policies and remedies to deal with these issues suffer from a lack of clarity as well as policy utility.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ambiguity in the Framework:</strong> The main reason why our policies towards illegal immigrants and refugees are confused is that as per Indian law, both categories of people are viewed as one and the same and are covered under the Foreigners Act, 1946.</li>
<li><strong>Ad-hocism:</strong> The absence of such a legal framework also leads to policy ambiguity whereby India&rsquo;s refugee policy is guided primarily by ad hocism.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ad hoc measures enable the government in office to pick and choose &lsquo;what kind&rsquo; of refugees it wants to admit for whatever political or geopolitical reasons.</li>
<li>This results in a discriminatory action, which tends to be a violation of human rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Discriminatory CAA:</strong> The Government of India has passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). CAA envisages providing citizenship to people who are religious minorities in India&rsquo;s neighborhood and persecuted by the state.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, CAA is not the answer to the refugee problem primarily because of its deeply discriminatory nature, as it doesn&rsquo;t include a particular religion under its ambit.</li>
<li>Further, many political analysts have dubbed the CAA as an act of refugee avoidance, not refugee protection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has been one of the largest recipients of refugees in the world. However, if India had domestic legislation regarding refugees, it could have deterred any oppressive government in the neighborhood to persecute their population and make them flee to India.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d9f1fa; border-color: #1c87ad;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<p><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question<br /><br /></strong></em>There is an urgent need today to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists, with support from the <strong>National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)</strong> Programme, have been able to disseminate available scientific information to the farmers to enable sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in the Leh region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NMSHE is one of the eight missions under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2010</strong> but was formally <strong>approved by the government in 2014.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>multi-pronged, cross-cutting mission</strong> across various sectors.</li>
<li>It <strong>contributes to the sustainable development of the country</strong> by enhancing the understanding of climate change, its likely impacts and adaptation actions required for the Himalayas- a region on which a significant proportion of India&rsquo;s population depends for sustenance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States Covered:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eleven states:</strong> Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Two Union Territories:</strong> Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>facilitate formulation of appropriate policy</strong> measures and time-bound action programmes to sustain ecological resilience and ensure the continued provisions of key <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/natural-capital-accounting-and-valuation-of-the-ecosystem-services-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ecosystem services</strong></a> in the Himalayas.</li>
<li>To <strong>evolve suitable management and policy measures</strong> for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem along with developing capacities at the national level to continuously assess its health status.</li>
<li>To <strong>address a variety of important issues</strong>, including studying the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-himalayas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Himalayan glaciers</strong></a> and <strong>associated hydrological consequences</strong> and prediction and management of natural hazards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Himalayas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are the <strong>highest and the youngest fold mountain ranges</strong> of the world.</li>
<li>Their geological structure is young, weak and flexible since the Himalayan uplift is an ongoing process, making them <strong>one of the highest earthquake-prone regions of the world.</strong></li>
<li>It separates India, along its north-central and northeastern frontier, from China (Tibet).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Area:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian part of Himalayas covers an area about <strong>5 lakh km<sup>2</sup> (about 16.2% of the country's total geographical area)</strong> and forms the northern boundary of the country.</li>
<li>The region is <strong>responsible for providing water to a large part of the Indian subcontinent.</strong> Many rivers considered holy like the Ganga and Yamuna flow from the Himalayas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ranges:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Himalayas are a <strong>series of parallel mountain ranges</strong> extending along the North-West to the South-East direction (known as the Strike of the Himalayas). These ranges are separated by longitudinal valleys. They include,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Trans-Himalayas</li>
<li>The Greater Himalayas or Himadri</li>
<li>The Lesser Himalayas or Himachal</li>
<li>Shiwaliks or the Outer Himalayas</li>
<li>The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>launched in 2008</strong> by the Prime Minister's Council on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)</strong> is the coordinating Ministry of NAPCC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Missions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC which represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618385920_image 1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National Solar Mission:</strong> This initiative started in 2010 to promote the use of solar power.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency:</strong> The initiative was undertaken in 2009 to promote the market for energy efficiency by fostering innovative policies and effective market instruments.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Sustainable Habitat:</strong> Approved in 2011, it aims to make cities sustainable through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, management of solid waste and shift to public transport.</li>
<li><strong>National Water Mission:</strong> The mission was put in place to ensure integrated water resource management helping to conserve water, minimize wastage and ensure more equitable distribution both across and within states.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem:</strong> It is aimed at protecting the Himalayas, it has mapped institutes and civil society organisations working on the Himalayan ecology for ease of coordination between governmental and non-governmental agencies.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for A Green India:</strong> It aims at protecting; restoring and enhancing India's diminishing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. It was started in 2014.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture:</strong> It has been formulated for enhancing agricultural productivity especially in rain-fed areas focusing on integrated farming, water use efficiency, soil health management and synergizing resource conservation. It was started in 2010.</li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change:</strong> It seeks to build a dynamic and vibrant knowledge system that informs and supports national policy and action for responding effectively to climate change challenges, while not compromising on the nation's growth goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1711116#:~:text=NMSHE's%20ICAR%20Team%20awarded%20for%20agricultural%20information%20dissemination%20in%20Leh&amp;text=A%20team%20of%20scientists%20from,Today%2C%20a%20National%20Agriculture%20Magazine." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'India Energy Dashboards Version 2.0',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government think tank <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> has launched <strong>India Energy Dashboards (IED) Version 2.0.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NITI Aayog <strong>launched the Version 1.0 in May 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India Energy Dashboards (IED) is an endeavour <strong>to provide single-window access to the energy data for the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>an initial step towards building a comprehensive, open, and freely accessible energy data portal for India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Energy data published/provided by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prakash-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Central Electricity Authority</strong></a>, <strong>Coal Controller&rsquo;s Organisation, </strong>and<strong> Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas</strong> is compiled in the Dashboards.</li>
<li>The IED Provides<strong> time series data from FY 2005-06 until FY 2019-20.</strong></li>
<li>IED<strong> provides data at sub-yearly frequencies</strong> as well. This includes<strong> monthly data and API (Application Programming Interface) linked data</strong> from some portals maintained by the government agencies.</li>
<li>API linked data from<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saubhagya-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Saubhagya</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/6-yearsof-ujala-and-slnp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UJALA</strong></a>, <strong>PRAAPTI, and Vidyut PRAVAH</strong> has been incorporated in the dashboards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Saubhagya Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana &ndash;</strong> &lsquo;Saubhagya&rsquo; was launched in September, 2017 with a target to electrify all households by December 2018.</li>
<li>All the states had declared on Saubhagya portal that all the willing un-electrified households had been electrified as on 31<sup>st</sup> March 2019, except 18,734 households in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/left-wing-extremism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>LWE (left wing extremist)</strong> </a>affected areas of Chhattisgarh.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>UJALA Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All)</strong> is a <strong>zero-subsidy scheme</strong> launched by the Government in 2015.</li>
<li>It is touted as the <strong>world&rsquo;s largest domestic lighting project.</strong></li>
<li>Every domestic household having a metered connection from their respective Electricity Distribution Company is eligible to get the LED bulbs under the Scheme.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>PRAAPTI</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a web portal<strong> launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Power.</strong></li>
<li>&lsquo;PRAAPTI&rsquo; stands for Payment Ratification and Analysis in Power Procurement <strong>for bringing transparency in invoicing of generators.</strong></li>
<li>The power distribution companies are able to clear the invoices and reply to claims raised by the generators on this portal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Vidyut PRAVAH</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Mobile/Web App <strong>provides real-time information of current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available</strong> and the prices in Power Exchange.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1711204" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Data Protection Regime',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-the-personal-data-protection-bill-matters/article34296775.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about how the personal data protection bill, 2019 can help in establishing a strong data protection regime.</p>
</div>
<p>The pandemic has increased people&rsquo;s participation in the digital economy. Unfortunately, the number of personal data breaches from major digital service providers has increased worryingly in the same period.</p>
<p>The recent alleged data breach at MobiKwik could stand to be India&rsquo;s biggest breach with the data of 9.9 crore users at risk. Given the significance of data in this age, robust data protection regimes are necessary to prevent such events and protect users&rsquo; interests.</p>
<p>Presently, how different entities collect and process users&rsquo; personal data in India is mainly governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, but this data protection regime falls short of providing effective protection to users and their personal data.</p>
<p>However, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019</strong></a> (which is now under scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee) could play a big role in providing robust protections to users and their personal data.</p>
<h3>Associated Issues With IT Act</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issue of Consent:</strong> Data aggregator entities could override the protections in the regime by taking users&rsquo; consent to process personal data under broad terms and conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is problematic given that users might not understand the terms and conditions or the implications of giving consent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Neglecting Data Privacy:</strong> The frameworks under IT Act emphasize data security but do not place enough emphasis on data privacy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In essence, while entities must employ technical measures to protect personal data, they have weaker obligations to respect users&rsquo; preferences in how personal data can be processed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large Vacuum for Data Protection:</strong> The data protection provisions under the IT Act also do not apply to government agencies. This creates a large vacuum for data protection when governments are collecting and processing large amounts of personal data.</li>
<li><strong>Becoming Obsolete:</strong> IT Act was enacted in 2000 and further amended in 2008. However, technology and cross-platform integration have increased exponentially.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the current data protection regime seems to have become inadequate in addressing risks emerging from new developments in data processing technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 can help?</h3>
<p>The Bill seeks to bring a massive and meaningful change to personal data protection in India through this regime. The proposed regime under the Bill seeks to be different from the existing regime in some prominent ways.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defining the Roles:</strong> The Bill envisages codifying the relationship between individuals and firms/state institutions as one between &ldquo;data principals&rdquo; (whose information is collected) and &ldquo;data fiduciaries&rdquo; (those processing the data) so that privacy is safeguarded by design.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the Bill seeks to apply the data protection regime to both government and private entities across all sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring Data Privacy:</strong> The Bill seeks to emphasize that data principals will have to maintain security safeguards to protect personal data and also have to fulfill a set of data protection obligations and transparency and accountability measures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In nutshell, the provides scrutiny on these entities govern and process personal data to uphold users&rsquo; privacy and interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for a more robust data protection legislation came to the fore in 2017 post the Supreme Court&rsquo;s landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) v. Union of India established the right to privacy as a fundamental right.</li>
<li>In the judgment, the Court called for a data protection law that can effectively protect users&rsquo; privacy over their personal data.</li>
<li>Consequently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology formed a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd) B.N. Srikrishna to suggest a draft data protection law.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rights of the Citizens:</strong> The Bill seeks to give users a set of rights over their personal data and means to exercise those rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a user will be able to obtain information about the different kinds of personal data that an entity has about them and how the entity is processing that data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishing a Regulator:</strong> The Bill seeks to create an independent and powerful regulator known as the Data Protection Authority (DPA). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The DPA will monitor and regulate data processing activities to ensure their compliance with the regime.</li>
<li>More importantly, the DPA will give users a channel to seek redress when entities do not comply with their obligations under the regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With The Bill</h3>
<p>Several provisions in the Bill create cause for concern about the regime&rsquo;s effectiveness. These provisions could contradict the objectives of the Bill by giving wide exemptions to government agencies and diluting user protection safeguards.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scope for Loopholes:</strong> For instance, under clause 35, the Central government can exempt any government agency from complying with the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government agencies will then be able to process personal data without following any safeguard under the Bill.</li>
<li>This could create severe privacy risks for users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Compromised Concept of Consent:</strong> Similarly, users could find it difficult to enforce various user protection safeguards (such as rights and remedies) in the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Bill threatens legal consequences for users who withdraw their consent for a data processing activity.</li>
<li>In practice, this could discourage users from withdrawing consent for processing activities they want to opt-out of.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sweeping Mandate of DPA:</strong> DPA will be tasked with regulating the provisions of the bill to frame regulations on issues such as mechanisms for taking consent, limitations on the use of data, and cross-border transfer of data. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The supervisory mandate of the DPA is sweeping, given the fact that it has to regulate a wide array of preventive obligations, such as security safeguards and transparency requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime.</p>
<p>The Joint Parliamentary Committee that is scrutinizing the Bill, is expected to submit its final report in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in 2021. This interim period shall be utilized to make some changes in the Bill targeted towards addressing various concerns in it could make a stronger and more effective data protection regime.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-protection-regime'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Economic Recovery for India',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aud04jc57JM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong> </a>upgraded its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FY 2021-22 growth projection for India to 12.5%</strong></a> from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>11.5% estimated in January.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has also cautioned that the forecast hasn&rsquo;t factored in the severe downside risks arising from the country&rsquo;s ongoing second wave of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>World Economic Outlook Report:</strong> The IMF releases this report usually <strong>twice a year </strong>and it <strong>analyzes and predicts global economic developments</strong> during the near and medium term.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some high frequency economic indicators in the report are showing robust signs of economic growth of India while the others are bringing out implicit risks to growth from the second wave of the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth:</strong> As per the report findings, Indian economy is expected to grow by 12.5% in 2021 and 6.9% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Growth rate for India in 2021 is stronger than that of China.</strong></li>
<li>The 1% increase in India&rsquo;s economic growth rate forecast came in the background of encouraging signs from some high-frequency indicators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Economic Growth:</strong> The IMF predicted stronger recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth projected to be 6% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, the global economy contracted by 3.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advanced Economies:</strong> The<strong> USA and Spain</strong> are the only two advanced economies that are expected to have an<strong> economic growth projected above 6%</strong> for FY 2021-22.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USA had been able to retain its economy <strong>due to its economy-centered approach amid the pandemic.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The strong fiscal support the government had given to their citizens was also helpful.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Emerging Economies:</strong> The developing countries have not been able to perform as good because the pandemic has affected the labour intensive jobs (prevalent in developing countries) more than the capital intensive jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No developing country other than India has a growth rate projected in double digit figures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Export-Oriented Economies:</strong> The european countries had a huge demographic crisis therefore the consumption rate was very low.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In countries like Germany, which is an export-oriented economy, when the pandemic hit, their economy due to lockdowns and import/export restrictions was affected severely.</li>
<li>Export oriented economies which were exporting primary products have also suffered a lot.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Economic Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Factors that Increased the Growth Projection:</strong> For India, a good run in the agriculture sector plus no stagnation in the railways, freight revenue, power sectors have led to an increased 1% projection.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the <strong>GST collection for FY 2020-21 was record high</strong> at the value of ₹1.24 lac crore (₹1.24 trillion).</li>
<li>The <strong>exports figures have also seen a huge jump</strong> standing at 31 billion dollar.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a huge increment for the exports which have witnessed a decline for 7 months.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Ozone concentration levels, power consumption or labour participation rates have so far remained resilient</strong> to the decline in growth.</li>
<li><strong>Hindrance in Growth due to Pandemic:</strong> The economic growth rate of India (and other countries) is contingent on the rise in covid infection rate and consequent lockdown.</li>
<li>Undoubtedly the growth will be there but the covid is a potential barrier in this growth; the possible challenges posed by Covid 19 cannot be undermined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sectors Obstructing the Growth:</strong> The report also shows some warning signals that could hinder the economic growth of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These indicators include <strong>decline in the retail sector.</strong></li>
<li>Sectors related to<strong> hospitality and transportation are also hit</strong> badly which roughly account for 6% of overall GDP.</li>
<li>In vehicle registration, around 60,000 vehicles were registered on a daily basis in the months of feb-march 2021 which has now come down to 55,000 on a daily basis.</li>
<li>The growth recovery is obvious to be impacted by the rapidly increasing covid-19 disease due to the consequent partial and complete lockdowns and curfews.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nomura Index Business Resumption Index</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/growth-in-manufacturing-pmi-and-nibri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nomura India Business Assumption Index (NIBRI)</strong></a> is the Japanese brokerage&rsquo;s weekly tracker of the pace of normalisation of economic activity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It captures and tracks demand indicators such as the demand for power, labour force participation etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The index reached 99 points in February, 2021 but slipped down to 90 in the month of April which indicates a slowdown in the economic recovery.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The reason for the slowdown is mainly the second wave of covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Government Policies:</strong> India has handled the covid-19 situation better than many of the countries with its step by step approach of tackling the situation introducing various economic reforms, the vaccination drive etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vaccination and Covid-Appropriate Behaviour: <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-and-the-vaccination-drive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s vaccination programme</a></strong> is also going on, it is vaccinating nearly 3-4 million people on a daily basis but that is not enough. The need is to build up more capacity and vaccinate more and more people at a faster rate.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even after vaccination, no leniency shall be there in following the basic covid appropriate behaviour of wearing a mask, performing social distancing and following hygiene protocols.</li>
<li>Only healthy citizens can utilise up to their full potential and contribute to the overall growth of a country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investment-Centered Approach:</strong> The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restructuring-of-indian-statistical-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NSO</a> has given the investment rate in the economy for FY 2020-21 at only 31% of GDP which is a very low rate of investment for any economy as large as India, therefore investment is the right way forward.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The FY 2021-22 should be the year of beefing up, strengthening and stepping up the pace of investment in infrastructure and many other projects where India is in the deficit stage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reforming the Vaccine Criteria:</strong> The criteria of vaccinating only those people above the age of 45 shall be done away with specially in the covid hotspot areas like Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The working class people in such cities who commute on a daily basis shall be vaccinated at a faster rate and regardless of age.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Managing the Elevated Inflation Levels:</strong> India is at the risk of inflation, it is at an elevated level which is why the RBI has been conservative; it has projected the growth rate at 10.5% only.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has to walk on a very fine line balancing the growth imperatives and inflation concerns.</li>
<li>The RBI has also adopted a policy to support economic growth. It has increased the limit of ways and means advances to the states and has allowed them to borrow more amounts from the RBI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government Policies:</strong> The growth projection also depends upon policies adopted by the government, specially the fiscal policy and monetary policies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far India has proved to adopt such policies more wisely as compared to other countries.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India implemented massive economic reforms in the year 2020 when the pandemic was at its peak.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, India has freed up a lot of sectors from the over regulation by the government interference which will be fruitful in better and faster economic growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India as the fifth largest economy in the world has to focus on growth recovery that is more sustainable and by just drawing satisfaction from just the growth numbers would not do much.</li>
<li>India is slowly but surely on the path to economic recovery and investment is the way to sustain this growth momentum.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-economic-recovery-for-india'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Danube Sturgeon',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a report released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wildlife Fund (WWF)</strong></a>, illegal sale of <strong>Danube Sturgeon,</strong> one of the <strong>most endangered species</strong> in the world, is rampant in the lower Danube (River) region, especially in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Danube is the <strong>second longest river in Europe after the Volga.</strong> It <strong>rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany</strong> and flows for some 2,850 km to its mouth on the <strong>Black Sea.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311178_image9.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sturgeons have<strong> existed since the time of dinosaurs,</strong> for about <strong>200 million years.</strong> Some of the species can grow up to <strong>eight metre in length and live more than a century.</strong></li>
<li>They are called <strong>&lsquo;living fossils&rsquo;</strong> because their appearance has altered very little over the years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Living Fossil</strong> is an organism that has<strong> remained unchanged from earlier geologic times</strong> and whose close relatives are usually extinct.</li>
<li>Other than Sturgeons, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-horseshoe-crab-day#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20marine%20chelicerate,at%20summer%20spring%20high%20tides." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Horseshoe crab</strong></a> and ginkgo trees are examples of living fossils.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because the sturgeons live for so many years, mature late and spawn with long intervals, they take a long time to recover from environmental and human pressures, according to WWF. This makes them <strong>great indicators for the health of the river and other ecological parameters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> 27 species of sturgeons</strong> and paddlefishes distributed across the Northern hemisphere. While<strong> some species inhabit only freshwater,</strong> most species are anadromous, spawning in freshwater but spending much of their life history in marine or brackish environments.</li>
<li>Danube sturgeons live mostly in the<strong> Black Sea,</strong> migrating up the Danube and other major rivers to spawn.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Over-exploitation and poaching</strong> (exacerbated by poor fishery management and insufficient legal enforcement of fishing bans).</li>
<li><strong>Blocked migration routes</strong> through dams.</li>
<li>Loss or <strong>degradation of habitats.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pollution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red list</a>:</strong> There are <strong>6 species of sturgeon in the Danube River.</strong> Five of them are now listed as <strong>critically endangered. </strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a>: Appendix-II.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Wildlife Fund for Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the<strong> world&rsquo;s leading conservation organization</strong> and works in more than 100 countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>established in 1961</strong> and is <strong>headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To conserve nature</strong> and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Initiatives of WWF:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/awards-for-tiger-conservation?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=d6b52011b8e898ebbdb4fa95850598f693c98eb1-1616832863-0-AUKkX3Cc_GogaMaU3GnU4usqYTZ5TIZWeNa5nlvFIxQvl0gZjMbLxphNM8jKEPJs4lDXchERs0IyiGUWB5Ti5i5S772OyszFvd9oNqn_HC4VuWxtUYn-sDBqOfU-ul5qQHFLqEEjKzZg-o0IQl3cqGwtPqhR9zRYDxWZpiQ1wEa4Tfs5hfmtuerV0J7UfeZ8GJjt_7TUdYek8xE__pe3Na6UITOOJSM_R0chAjF6dg1OiiPw1M0rhytWqXGJtgGpj6ivB9HCEc4SGofXLqPHzgmuDyTw41b7Ui-9HKXt0KE2G-K3CChAePnTWbcLDdQvP795gB72lEVVwsu3SfSnMvNk57_5QB5sGi3mTzXWTFokK9Grh2dBJaWZAPOErPPT-FqRv1mi1t7T3fvuf_gNniY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TX2 Goal</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Living Planet Report</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/earth-hour-1#:~:text=Earth%20Hour%20is%20the%20World,as%20per%20their%20local%20time." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earth Hour</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Black Sea</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618311159_image10.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="288" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Black Sea is an<strong> inland sea</strong> located between far-southeastern Europe and the far-western edges of the continent of Asia and the country of Turkey.</li>
<li>It <strong>connects to the Mediterranean Sea first through the Bosporus Strait,</strong> then <strong>through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles Strait,</strong> then south through the <strong>Aegean Sea</strong> and the <strong>Sea of Crete.</strong></li>
<li>The Black Sea is<strong> also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bordering Countries:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/sturgeon-poaching-for-meat-caviar-rampant-in-lower-danube-wwf-report-76431#:~:text=Illegal%20sale%20of%20sturgeon%2C%20one,which%20is%20considered%20a%20delicacy." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/danube-sturgeon'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK)</strong> saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian lines, <strong>23 years after a peace deal largely ended Northern Ireland's troubles.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="500" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geographically,</strong> Northern Ireland is part of Ireland. <strong>Politically,</strong> it&rsquo;s part of the UK.</li>
<li>Ireland, long dominated by the UK, broke free about 100 years ago after centuries of <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-world-history/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%2C%20as%20said%20earlier%2C%20denotes,its%20influence%20beyond%20its%20borders." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>colonisation</strong></a> and an uneasy union. 26 of its 32 counties became an independent, Roman Catholic-majority country. <strong>6 counties in the north, which have a Protestant majority, stayed British.</strong></li>
<li>Northern Ireland&rsquo;s <strong>Catholic minority experienced discrimination</strong> in the <strong>Protestant-run state.</strong></li>
<li>In the <strong>1960s, a Catholic civil rights movement demanded change,</strong> but faced a harsh response from the government and police.</li>
<li>The<strong> British Army was deployed in 1969,</strong> initially to keep the peace. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The situation deteriorated into a conflict between Irish republican militants who wanted to unite with the south, loyalist paramilitaries who sought to keep Northern Ireland British, and UK troops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>During three decades of conflict, <strong>more than 3,600 people, a majority of them civilians, were killed</strong> in bombings and shootings. Most were in Northern Ireland, though the Irish Republican Army also set off bombs in London and other British cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ending the Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By the <strong>1990s,</strong> after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a <strong>peace deal.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> 1998 Good Friday accord</strong> saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a <strong>Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government</strong> for Northern Ireland.</li>
<li>The question of Northern Ireland&rsquo;s ultimate status was deferred:<strong> it would remain British as long as that was the majority&rsquo;s wish,</strong> but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out.</li>
<li>While the peace has largely endured, small <strong>Irish Republican Army splinter groups have mounted occasional attacks on security forces,</strong> and there have been outbreaks of sectarian street violence.</li>
<li>The power-sharing arrangement has had periods of success and failure and still the government is not trusted by both the sides.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Problem Child of Brexit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Northern Ireland has been called the <strong>&ldquo;problem child&rdquo; of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brexit</a>, the UK&rsquo;s divorce from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU).</a></strong></li>
<li>As the <strong>only part of the UK that has a border with an EU nation,</strong> Ireland, it was the trickiest issue to resolve after Britain voted narrowly in 2016 to leave the 27-nation bloc.</li>
<li>An open Irish border, over which people and goods flow freely, underpins the peace process, allowing people in Northern Ireland to feel at home in both Ireland and the UK.</li>
<li>The <strong>insistence of Britain&rsquo;s government on a &ldquo;hard Brexit&rdquo;</strong> that took the country out of the EU&rsquo;s economic order meant the creation of new barriers and checks on trade.</li>
<li>Both Britain and the EU agreed that the<strong> border could not be in Ireland</strong> because of the risk that would pose to the peace process. The alternative was to put it, metaphorically, in<strong> the Irish Sea</strong> between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.</li>
<li>That arrangement has alarmed <strong>British unionists, who say it weakens Northern Ireland&rsquo;s place in the UK</strong> and could bolster calls for Irish reunification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Current Violence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brexit and Corona:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Britain left the EU on<strong> 31<sup>st</sup> December</strong> and the new trade arrangements quickly became an irritant to Northern Ireland unionists who want to stay in the UK.</li>
<li>Early trade glitches, exacerbated by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic</strong></a>, led to some empty supermarket shelves, fueling alarm.</li>
<li>There was anger that British Prime Minister long insisted there would be no new checks on trade as a result of Brexit, had downplayed the scale of the changes wrought by leaving the EU.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Identity Crisis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some in Northern Ireland&rsquo;s British<strong> loyalist community feel as if their identity is under threat.</strong> And many other loyalists believe that, de facto, <strong>Northern Ireland has ceased to be as much a part of the UK</strong> as it was.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-behind-the-latest-unrest-in-northern-ireland-7267909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/violence-in-northern-ireland-uk'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Chief Election Commissioner',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President appointed<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/election-commissioner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Election Commissioner</a> Sushil Chandra</strong> as the <strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He replaces <strong>Sunil Arora</strong> who has retired.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Election Commission of India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Election Commission of India (ECI)</strong></a> is an <strong>autonomous constitutional authority</strong> responsible for administering <strong>Union and State election</strong> processes in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in accordance with the Constitution on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> January 1950 (celebrated as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/10th-national-voters-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national voters' day</a>).</strong> The<strong> secretariat</strong> of the commission is located in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The body administers elections to the<strong> Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies</strong> in India, and the<strong> offices of the President and Vice President in the country.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution:</strong> It deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.</li>
<li><strong>Article 324:</strong> Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Article 325:</strong> No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.</li>
<li><strong>Article 326:</strong> Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage.</li>
<li><strong>Article 327:</strong> Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.</li>
<li><strong>Article 328:</strong> Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.</li>
<li><strong>Article 329:</strong> Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structure of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Originally the commission had only <strong>one election commissioner</strong> but after the <strong>Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989,</strong> it has been made a multi-member body</li>
<li>The Election Commission <strong>shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and such number of other election commissioners,</strong> if any, as the President may from time to time fix.</li>
<li>Presently, it consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the state level, the election commission is helped by the <strong>Chief Electoral Officer</strong> who is an IAS rank Officer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment &amp; Tenure of Commissioners:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> President appoints</strong> CEC and Election Commissioners.</li>
<li>They have a<strong> fixed tenure of six years,</strong> or up to the<strong> age of 65 years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>They enjoy the <strong>same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court (SC)</a></strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They can <strong>resign anytime</strong> or can also be <strong>removed before the expiry of their term.</strong></li>
<li>The CEC can be removed from office only <strong>through a process of removal similar to that of a SC judge</strong> by Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Procedure of Removal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Judges of High Courts and <strong>SC,</strong> CEC, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comptroller-and-auditor-general-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)</strong></a> may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of <strong>&lsquo;proved misbehaviour or incapacity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Removal requires a<strong> special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members present and voting supported by more than 50% of the total strength of the house.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Constitution does not use the word &lsquo;impeachment&rsquo;,</strong> for the removal of the judges, CAG, CEC.</li>
<li>The term <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impeachment-of-the-president-of-the-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Impeachment&rsquo;</a> is only used for removing the President</strong> which requires the special majority of 2/3<sup>rd</sup> members of the total strength of both the houses which is not used elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limitations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not prescribed the qualifications</strong> (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has <strong>not specified the term</strong> of the members of the Election Commission.</li>
<li>The Constitution has<strong> not debarred the retiring election commissioners from any further appointment by the government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers and Functions of ECI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Administrative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>determine the territorial areas</strong> of the electoral constituencies throughout the country on the basis of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation</strong> </a>Commission Act of Parliament.</li>
<li>To prepare and<strong> periodically revise electoral rolls</strong> and to register all eligible voters.</li>
<li>To <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-national-party-from-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>grant recognition to political parties</strong></a> and <strong>allot election symbols</strong> to them.</li>
<li>Election Commission <strong>ensures a level playing field</strong> for the political parties in election fray, through strict observance by them of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/model-code-of-conduct-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct</strong></a> evolved with the consensus of political parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advisory Jurisdiction &amp; Quasi-Judicial Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Constitution, the Commission has<strong> advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post election disqualification</strong> of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>opinion of the Commission in all such matters is binding on the President or, as the case may be, the Governor</strong> to whom such opinion is tendered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections</strong> which come before the SC and High Courts are also<strong> referred to the Commission for its opinion</strong> on the question as to whether such person shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.</li>
<li>The Commission has the <strong>power to disqualify a candidate</strong> who has failed to lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618307930_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sushil-chandra-appointed-chief-election-commissioner/article34303884.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chief-election-commissioner'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Exercise Shantir Ogroshena',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Multinational military exercise Shantir Ogroshena,</strong> which went for 10 days <strong>in Bangladesh,</strong> concluded on 12<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>year 2021 marks the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of diplomatic relations between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50-years-of-india-bangladesh-relations#:~:text=Commemorating%2050%20years%20of%20the,the%20establishment%20of%20their%20ties." target="_blank" rel="noopener">India and Bangladesh.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618306922_image8.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The exercise was organised <strong>to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sheikh-mujibur-rehman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</a>,</strong> Bangladesh&rsquo;s Father of the Nation and celebrate the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>golden jubilee of the liberation of Bangladesh.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was held at <strong>Bangabandhu Senanibas (BBS), Bangladesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;Shantir Ogroshena&rsquo;</strong> 2021 means <strong>&ldquo;Front Runner of the Peace&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The theme of this exercise was to <strong>strengthen defence ties</strong> and <strong>enhance interoperability amongst neighbourhood countries</strong> to ensure effective <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peacekeeping</strong></a> operations.</li>
<li>It was a <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN (United Nations)</a>- mandated counterterrorism exercise.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries that Participated:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Troops from<strong> India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka</strong> participated in the exercise with<strong> observers from the USA, UK, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Exercises involving Bangladesh:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sampriti-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAMPRITI</strong></a> (Army).</li>
<li>TABLE TOP (Air).</li>
<li>IN-BN CORPAT (Navy).</li>
<li>SAMVEDNA (Multinational Air Exercise with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and UAE).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1711202" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-shantir-ogroshena'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic <strong>of Kazakhstan</strong> in<strong> New Delhi.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two Ministers had last met in Moscow (Russia) in September 2020 on the sidelines of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a> Defence Ministers&rsquo; meeting.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Talks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed that both sides must look at the possibility of <strong>defence industrial collaboration</strong> of mutual interest.</li>
<li>Exchanged views<strong> to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation,</strong> including through training, defence exercises and capacity building.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan thanked India for the opportunity given to the Kazakh troops for deployment as part of the Indian battalion in the <strong>United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UNIFIL</strong> was established by the UN Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assessed the <strong>annual joint military exercise <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-kazind-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KAZIND</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Kazakh Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is carried out under the framework of an agreement on<strong> &lsquo;Defence and Military Technical Cooperation&rsquo;</strong> signed in July 2015 during the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Kazakhstan.</li>
<li>The agreement includes conduct of joint training,<strong> exercises, military-technical cooperation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN peacekeeping</a> and exchange of intelligence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakh Armed Forces Unit underwent training on peacekeeping operations in India in April-May 2018 for deployment under the <strong>command of an Indian Battalion at UNIFIL, Lebanon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Kazakhstan to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> three factors</strong> which make Kazakhstan important for India. First, its <strong>geo-strategic location;</strong> second, its <strong>economic potential,</strong> especially in terms of energy resources; and third, its<strong> multi-ethnic and secular structure. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Kazakhstan&rsquo;s geo-political existence between Russia and Asia,</strong> along with long borders with China, makes it a country of great strategic importance. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakhstan lies to the northeast of the Caspian Sea, bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, China to the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the south.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>can also help India achieve a geostrategic rebalancing with China.</strong> India&rsquo;s foremost objective is countering the rapid economic inroads China is making in the region through the<strong> One Belt One Road (OBOR)</strong> initiative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India seeks to achieve this with the competing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-South Transport Corridor</strong></a> (NSTC).</li>
<li>NSTC is <strong>a multi-modal transportation</strong> established on <strong>12<sup>th</sup> September 2000</strong> in <strong>St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India</strong> for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States. It has been expanded to include eleven new members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has become<strong> one of the key activists in the field of global nuclear security,</strong> and has achieved a number of results in peacekeeping policies and the resolution of conflicts around <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iran</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ukraine</strong></a> and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Syria.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>India - Kazakhstan Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years.</li>
<li>There has been a constant and regular flow of trade in goods and, more importantly, exchange of ideas and cultural influences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>flow of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/buddhism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buddhism</a> from India to Central Asia and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khwaja-monuddin-chishti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sufi ideas</a> from Central Asia to India</strong> are two such examples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was<strong> one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations</strong> were established in<strong> February 1992.</strong></li>
<li>India and Kazakhstan have been <strong>strategic partners since 2009. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation at Multilateral Fora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including <strong>CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.</strong></li>
<li>India has been a consistent supporter of Kazakhstan&rsquo;s initiative on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saarc-and-cica-meetings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)</strong></a> and is actively participating in the process.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan supports India&rsquo;s permanent membership in an expanded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-at-unsc-previous-contribution-current-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> </a>and has extended its support for India's non-permanent membership in 2021-22.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC)</strong> established in 1993 is the <strong>apex bilateral institutional mechanism</strong> for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on the Indian side and Ministry of Energy on the Kazakh side are the nodal ministries with respective Ministers as the Co-Chair of the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several<strong> Joint Working Groups (JWGs)</strong> have been established in the areas of Counter Terrorism, Trade &amp; Economic Cooperation, Defence &amp; Military Technical Cooperation, Information Technology, Hydrocarbons, Textiles, Tea Debt and Space Cooperation, Health and Transport, Connectivity &amp; Logistics to take forward bilateral relations in the respective spheres.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)</a> launched &ldquo;Al-Farabi-1&rdquo;,</strong> a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite built by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty along with 103 other satellites in 2017.</li>
<li>A delegation from ISRO attended<strong> Kazakh Defence Expo &lsquo;KADEX&rsquo;</strong> in May 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Civil Nuclear Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>supported India in obtaining India-specific exemption</strong> to allow civil nuclear cooperation with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a> countries in 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India provides capacity building assistance to Kazakhstan in various specialized fields under <strong>ITEC program</strong> sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consular:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan have<strong> an agreement on visa free entry for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders.</strong></li>
<li>Since February 2018, <strong>Indian has extended e-visa facility</strong> to Kazakh citizens.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has also introduced <strong>electronic visa facilities for travelers from India</strong> with effect from 1<sup>st</sup> January 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being part of central Asia, Kazakhstan is strategically important for India. India needs to use its instrument of economic leverages more efficiently to build closer ties with Central Asia.</li>
<li>At its core, the heightened India-Kazakhstan relationship allows New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and the highly unstable Afghanistan to reach a resource-rich Nur-Sultan, complementing India&rsquo;s developing economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710618" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/visit-of-defence-minister-of-kazakhstan'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Researchers from <strong>Sweden&rsquo;s University of Gothenburg</strong> have been able to obtain data from underneath Thwaites Glacier, also known as the <strong>'Doomsday Glacier'.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They find that the <strong>supply of warm water to the glacier is larger than previously thought,</strong> triggering concerns of faster melting and accelerating ice flow.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Doomsday Glacier:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Called the <strong>Thwaites Glacier,</strong> it is <strong>120 km wide at its broadest,</strong> fast-moving, and melting fast over the years.</li>
<li>Because of its <strong>size (1.9 lakh square km),</strong> it contains <strong>enough water to raise the world sea level</strong> by more than half a metre.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Studies have found the <strong>amount of ice flowing</strong> out of it has <strong>nearly doubled over the past 30 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Today, Thwaites&rsquo;s melting <strong>already contributes 4% to global sea</strong> level rise each year.</li>
<li>It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea<strong> in 200-900 years.</strong></li>
<li>Thwaites is<strong> important for Antarctica as it slows the ice behind it</strong> from freely flowing<strong> into the ocean.</strong></li>
<li>Because of the risk it faces, and poses, Thwaites is often called the <strong>Doomsday Glacier</strong> (Doomsday meaning warning or threat, something that can cause destruction).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Previous Studies:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Hole in the Glacier: A 2019 study</strong> had discovered <strong>a fast-growing cavity in the glacier,</strong> sized roughly <strong>two-thirds the area of Manhattan.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>size of a cavity</strong> under a glacier<strong> plays an important role in melting.</strong> As more heat and water get under the glacier, it melts faster.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Detection of Warm Water at Grounding Line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> In 2020, <strong>researchers from New York University (NYU) detected warm water</strong> at a vital point below the glacier. In the NYU study, scientists dug a 600-m-deep and 35-cm-wide access hole, and deployed <strong>an ocean-sensing device called Icefin</strong> to measure the waters moving below the glacier&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>NYU</strong> study reported water at just two degrees above freezing point at Thwaites&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;grounding zone&rdquo; or &ldquo;grounding line&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The grounding line</strong> is the place below a glacier at which the ice transitions between resting fully on bedrock and floating on the ocean as an ice shelf. The location of the line is<strong> a pointer to the rate of retreat of a glacier.</strong></li>
<li>When<strong> glaciers melt</strong> and lose weight,<strong> they float off the land</strong> where they used to be situated. When this happens, <strong>the grounding line retreats.</strong> That <strong>exposes more of a glacier&rsquo;s underside to seawater,</strong> increasing the likelihood it will melt faster.</li>
<li>This results in the glacier speeding up, stretching out, and thinning, causing the grounding line to retreat ever further.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings from Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg Study (New Study):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> Sweden&rsquo;s Gothenburg study <strong>used an uncrewed submarine</strong> to go under the Thwaites glacier front to make observations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The submersible called <strong>&ldquo;Ran&rdquo;</strong> measured among other things the <strong>strength, temperature, salinity and oxygen content of the ocean currents</strong> that go under the glacier.</li>
<li>Using the results, the researchers <strong>have been able to map the ocean currents</strong> that flow below Thwaites&rsquo;s floating part.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong> The researchers have been able to identify<strong> three inflows of warm water,</strong> among whom <strong>the damaging effects of one had been underestimated in the past.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The researchers discovered that<strong> there is a deep connection to the east through which deep water flows from Pine Island Bay,</strong> a connection that was previously thought to be blocked by an underwater ridge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Pine Island Bay</strong> is a<strong> drainage system of West Antarctica.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The study also <strong>looked at heat transport in one of the three channels</strong> which brings warm water towards the glacier from the north.</li>
<li>They found that <strong>there were distinct paths that water takes in and out of the ice shelf cavity,</strong> influenced by the geometry of the ocean floor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618295467_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study shows that warm water is approaching the pinning points of the glacier from all sides, impacting these locations where the ice is connected to the seabed and where the ice sheet finds stability. This has the potential to make things worse for Thwaites, whose ice shelf is already retreating.</li>
<li>For the first time, data is being collected that is necessary to model the dynamics of Thwaites glacier. This data will help better calculate ice melting in the future.</li>
<li>With the help of new technology, models can be improved and the great uncertainty that now prevails around global sea level variations can be reduced.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-thwaites-glacier-finding-doomsday-melting-worry-7269124/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antarctica-s-doomsday-glacier'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'British Conquest for Bengal: Battles of Plassey and Buxar',
		'catname' => 'Paper 1',
		'desc' => '<h3>Bengal in the 17<sup>th</sup>-18<sup>th</sup> Century</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In Mughal Period:</strong> Bengal was the <strong>most fertile and the richest province</strong> of the Mughal Empire and included present day <strong>Bangladesh</strong> and states of <strong>Bihar</strong> and <strong>Odisha</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The authoritative powers of the province lay in the hands of the <strong>Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Importance:</strong> Bengal held economic importance for its famous textiles, silk and saltpetre. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exports from Bengal to Europe consisted of saltpetre, rice, indigo, pepper, sugar, silk, cotton textiles, handicrafts, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance for the British:</strong> Bengal became the first kingdom to be occupied by the British in India. The East India Company carried on profitable trade with this province. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The enormous resources of Bengal came in handy for financing the British expansion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Nearly 60% of the British imports from Asia consisted of goods from Bengal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British East India company laid the foundation of Calcutta and established British commercial settlement in the 1690s.</li>
<li>The Company paid a sum of Rs 3,000 (&pound; 350) per annum to the Mughal emperor who allowed them to trade freely in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In contrast, the <strong>Company&rsquo;s exports from Bengal were worth more than &pound; 50,000 per annum</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflicts among Nawabs and the British:</strong> The special privileges enjoyed by the British Company was strongly opposed by the Nawabs of Bengal as it meant a huge loss to the provincial exchequer. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consequently, the friction between the British commercial interests and the Bengal government became the chief cause for conflict between the two.</li>
<li>As a result, the British felt a need for a &ldquo;puppet&rdquo; as the Nawab on the throne of Bengal to willingly give them trade concessions and other privileges and establish their indirect but ultimate power in the province.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Plassey</h3>
<p>The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 in the <strong>Plassey (or Palashi) region of West Bengal,</strong> on the east of Bhagirathi river.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Troops of the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, came up against the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and his French allies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Siraj-ud-Daulah:</strong> The then Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah succeeded his grandfather Alavardi Khan after his death. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Alavardi Khan was the Deputy Governor of Bihar who assumed the throne after killing Sarfaraz Khan, an incapable son of Murshiq Quli Khan, Dewan of Bengal.</li>
<li>Siraj-ud-Daulah was surrounded by a number of rivals in his own court who helped the British in winning the Battle of Plassey.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Events Preceding the Battle:</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/the-carnatic-wars#:~:text=The%20decisive%20battle%20of%20the,Marquis%20de%20Bussy%20as%20prisoner." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>British victory in the Carnatic</strong></a> had already made Siraj apprehensive of the growing power of the East India Company. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the officials of the Company made rampant misuse of its trade privileges that adversely affected the nawab&rsquo;s finances.</li>
<li>The British also fortified Calcutta without the nawab&rsquo;s permission which the nawab took as an ignorance to his sovereign power. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The infuriated Nawab marched to Calcutta and occupied Fort William in June 1756.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Shortly after Fort William's surrender, on June 20, 175, Siraj confined 146 British prisoners in a small dungeon in Calcutta, out of which 123 prisoners died of suffocation. It is infamously known as the <strong>&lsquo;Black Hole of Calcutta&rsquo;</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This event brought the hostility of the British in the open.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arrival of Robert Clive:</strong> Following this tragic defeat of British by the Nawab of Bengal, a strong force under Robert Clive was sent from Madras to overthrow nawab and strengthen the British position in Bengal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The discontented followers of the Nawab, such as Mir Jafar and other Bengali generals, were bribed to forge an alliance with the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mir Jafar, a kin of Siraj was promised the throne in return for supporting the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> Clive&rsquo;s army was confronted by the nawab&rsquo;s army at Plassey (Palashi) along with the French soldiers on their side. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The nawab&rsquo;s army of 50,000 soldiers outnumbered Clive&rsquo;s force of just 3000.</li>
<li>However, the <strong>secret alliance of the British with the conspirators strengthened the British foothold</strong> in the battle.</li>
<li>Moreover, <strong>Mir Jafar, with around one-third of the Bengali army, did not join the battle</strong> and contributed to Nawab's defeat.</li>
<li>Under compelling circumstances, the <strong>Nawab tried to escape with his army but was killed</strong> by Miran, the son of Mir Jafar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> The Battle is regarding a <strong>historic turning point for British in India</strong>; it established political and military supremacy of the British in Bengal.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the Battle of Plassey Clive proclaimed Mir Jafar as the Nawab of Bengal and placed him on the throne of Murshidabad. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Jafar in order to satisfy the British as per the agreement gave the Zamindari of 24 Parganas (group of villages) of Bengal to the company.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, this could not satisfy the British and consequently he was removed from the throne and his son-in-law <strong>Mir Kasim was placed on the throne as the new Nawab of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Battle of Buxar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Battle of Buxar was fought between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, led by <strong>Hector Munro</strong>, and the combined armies of <strong>Mir Qasim</strong>, Nawab of Bengal till 1763; <strong>Shuja-ud-Daulah</strong>, the Nawab of Awadh; and the Mughal Emperor <strong>Shah Alam II</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mir Qasim:</strong> He was the <strong>ablest among all the successors of Alavardi Khan</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mir Qasim, an efficient and strong ruler, determined to improve the affairs of the state and <strong>shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger (Bihar) in 1762</strong>.</li>
<li>He realized the importance of a full treasury and an efficient army required to maintain his independence.</li>
<li>Mir Qasim <strong>regarded himself as an indepen&shy;dent ruler</strong> which was a problem for the British as they wanted him to be a puppet in their hands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tussle between Mir Qasim and the British:</strong> Due to the misuse of the Farman of 1717 by the British to evade internal custom duties, Mir Qasim took the extreme step of <strong>abolish&shy;ing all duties on internal trade and benefitting his own subjects</strong> by giving them the concession that the British had forcefully snatched. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was <strong>strongly protested by the British</strong> and a preferential treatment over other traders was demanded.</li>
<li>These conflicts over transit duty <strong>led to the outbreak of wars</strong> between the British and Mir Kasim in 1763 which resulted in <strong>British victories at Katwa, Murshidabad, Giria, Sooty and Munger</strong>.</li>
<li>Mir Kasim fled to Oudh (Awadh) and <strong>formed a confederacy</strong> with the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-daulah, and the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, with a view to recover Bengal from the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Battle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Course of War:</strong> In October 1764, in a final attempt to oust the British from Bengal, the combined armies of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Awadh and Shah Alam II came together to fight against the former. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The armies of Nawabs and the Mughal emperor were decisively defeated by the British forces under <strong>Major Hector Munro at Buxar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Result:</strong> This decisive battle <strong>confirmed British power over Bengal</strong> and marked the <strong>end of the attempt to rule Bengal through a puppet nawab</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The battle resulted in the <strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong> in which the <strong>Mughal Emperor surrendered sovereignty of Bengal</strong> to the British. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lord Robert Clive,</strong> the victor at the Plassey, became the <strong>first governor of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> Unlike the battle of Plassey which was more of British conspiracy, the battle of buxar was a <strong>full-fledged war</strong> which established the British prowess in warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The importance of this battle lay in the fact that not only the Nawab of Bengal but also the <strong>Mughal Emperor of India was defeated by the British</strong>.</li>
<li>The victory made the British, a great power in northern India and <strong>contenders for supremacy over the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Post War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the battle, Mir Jafar was reinstated as the Nawab of Bengal in 1763. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He agreed to hand over the districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and Chittagong to the British for the maintenance of their army.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The British were also permitted duty-free trade in Bengal, except for a duty of 2% on salt.</li>
<li>He died in 1765 and was succeeded by his son Najm-ud-Daulah. However, the real power of administration still remained with the British.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Najm-ud-Daulah signed a treaty with the Company and became a <strong>titled pensioner</strong> on fifty-three lakhs of rupees per year which was reduced with every new successor.</li>
<li>In 1772, the British completely ended the pensions and <strong>took over the direct charge of Bengal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Treaty of Allahabad, 1765</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1765, two Treaties were concluded by Robert Clive at Allahabad with Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah and Emperor Shah Alam II.</li>
<li><strong>Under the first treaty with the Nawab of Awadh:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Allahabad and Kara were surrendered by the Nawab to Mughal Emperor</strong> Shah Alam II.</li>
<li>A sum of Rs 50 lakh was paid to the Company as war indemnity.</li>
<li>Balwant Singh, the Zamindar of Banaras, was given full possession of his estate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Under the second treaty with Shah Alam II:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The emperor was asked to reside at Allahabad under the Company&rsquo;s protection.</li>
<li>The <strong><em>Diwani</em> of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were granted to the East India Company</strong> in lieu of an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh</li>
<li>An amount of Rs 53 lakh was to be given by the Mughal Emperor to the Company in return for nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) of the said provinces.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The major difference in the significance of the Carnatic Wars (1740-48, 1749-53 and 1758-63), Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Buxar (1764) is:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Carnatic Wars established British supremacy in trade</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Plassey laid the foundation of British Empire</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The <strong>Battle of Buxar established the British as masters of Bengal,</strong> Bihar and Orissa and made them a <strong>great power of Northern India</strong> and <strong>contenders for the supremacy of the whole country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/british-conquest-for-bengal-battles-of-plassey-and-buxar'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => '100% Sustainable Fuel for Formula 1',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l&rsquo;Automobile (FIA)</strong> has announced the first barrels of <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong>, made from <strong>bio waste</strong> and developed to <strong>stringent F1(Formula One) specifications</strong>, have been delivered to Power Unit manufacturers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FIA announced its intent to make F1 carbon neutral by 2030 and to have sustainable races by 2025.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Formula One<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618228806_image7.png" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Formula One, also called F1 in short, is an <strong>international auto racing sport</strong>. F1 cars are the <strong>fastest regulated road-course racing cars in the world</strong>.</li>
<li>F1 is the highest level of single-seat, open-wheel and open-cockpit professional motor racing contest.</li>
<li>Formula One racing is<strong> governed and sanctioned by a world body called the F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)</strong> or the International Automobile Federation. The name &lsquo;Formula&rsquo; comes from the set of rules that the participating cars and drivers must follow.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>F1 Current Carbon Footprint:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Direct Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>F1&rsquo;s driving activities produce approximately <strong>2,56,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year</strong>, which is the equivalent to powering roughly 30,000 houses in the UK over the same time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indirect Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main issue is not the <strong>cars</strong> themselves, which <strong>accounted for only 0.7%</strong> of the sport&rsquo;s emissions in 2019, but the <strong>logistics of transporting teams and equipment across the globe</strong>.</li>
<li>In 2019, road, sea and air <strong>logistics for equipment transportation accounted for 45% of F1&rsquo;s emissions</strong> with business travel for teams contributing an additional 27.7%.</li>
<li>Rounding up the list, <strong>factories and facilities servicing the sport</strong> represent <strong>19.3%</strong> of emissions, and event operations, another 7.3%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uncounted Emission:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 2,56,000 number doesn&rsquo;t even factor in the impact of fans, millions of whom require transportation and accommodation on and around the race weekend.</li>
<li>If one were to include the emissions generated by fans, the total carbon footprint of F1 catapults to approximately <strong>1.9 million tonnes</strong> of carbon dioxide generated by the sport annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>100% Sustainable Fuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One of the most high-profile ways in which F1 plans to reduce its environmental impact is through the <strong>continued evolution of energy-efficient engines</strong>.</li>
<li>Starting from 1989 when the FIA Alternative Fuel Commission was formed, F1 has committed to a number of initiatives designed to improve engine efficiency, with the most notable being its <strong>global fuel economy initiative in 2007</strong> which aims to reduce fuel consumption by 50% across the competition.</li>
<li>In 2020, the FIA announced that it had developed a <strong>100% sustainable fuel</strong> and that engine manufacturers were already in the process of testing it, intending to start using it by 2026.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A 100% sustainable fuel essentially represents the<strong> third generation and most advanced iteration of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuels</a></strong>, which typically are made from by-products of industrial or agricultural waste.</li>
<li>F1 cars already use biofuels but current regulations only mandate that the fuel include 5.75% of bio-components.</li>
<li>In 2022 that number will increase to 10% and by 2025, when new power units are proposed to enter the competition, the <strong>FIA hopes to transition completely to 100% advanced sustainable fuels</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Biofuels</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.</li>
<li>Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Solid:</strong> Wood, dried plant material, and manure</li>
<li><strong>Liquid:</strong> Bioethanol and Biodiesel</li>
<li><strong>Gaseous:</strong> Biogas</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These can be used to replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport, stationary, portable and other applications. Also, they can be used to generate heat and electricity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Categories of Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>First generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats</strong> using conventional technology.</li>
<li>Common first-generation biofuels include <strong>Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from non-food crops</strong> or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes, e.g. stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.</li>
<li><strong>Thermochemical</strong> reactions or <strong>biochemical</strong> conversion processes are used for producing such fuels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Examples:</strong> Cellulose ethanol and biodiesel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Third generation biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are <strong>produced from micro-organisms</strong> like algae.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Example:</strong> Butanol</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production, therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fourth Generation Biofuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the production of these fuels, <strong>crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of carbon are grown and harvested as biomass</strong>.</li>
<li>The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation techniques.</li>
<li>The fuel is pre-combusted and the carbon is captured. Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.</li>
<li>Some of these fuels are considered as <strong>carbon negative</strong> as their production pulls out carbon from the environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>E20 Fuel:</strong> The Indian government has invited public comments for introducing adoption of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e20-fuel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> E20 fuel</strong></a> (a blend of 20% ethanol with gasoline).</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019:</strong> The objective of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-ji-van-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>scheme</strong></a> is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and to boost research and development in the 2G Ethanol sector.</li>
<li><strong>Reduction in GST:</strong> The Government has also reduced <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST</strong></a> on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%.</li>
<li><strong>National Biofuel Policy 2018:</strong> The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels'' viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol &amp; biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels'' - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-formula-1-is-aiming-to-go-carbon-neutral-by-2030-7267582/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100-sustainable-fuel-for-formula-1'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Jyotirao Phule',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>'Tika Utsav (vaccination festival)'</strong>, started on the birth anniversary of Mahatma <strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> (11<sup>th</sup> April) will continue till the birth anniversary of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Babasaheb Ambedkar</strong> </a>on 14<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim of the four day festival is to vaccinate as many people as possible for the priority groups and zero wastage of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> vaccine.</li>
<li><strong>Jyotirao Phule</strong> was an <strong>Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra</strong>. He is also known as <strong>Jyotiba Phule</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618227925_image6.png" width="460" height="376" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Brief Profile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Phule was born on <strong>11<sup>th</sup> April, 1827</strong> in present-day Maharashtra and <strong>belonged to the Mali caste of gardeners and vegetable farmers</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong> In 1841, Phule was enrolled at the <strong>Scottish Missionary High School (Pune),</strong> where he completed education.</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong> His Ideology was based on:<strong> Liberty; Egalitarianism; Socialism</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Phule was <strong>influenced by Thomas Paine&rsquo;s book titled The Rights of Man</strong> and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the <strong>enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Publications:</strong> Tritiya Ratna (1855); Powada: Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha (1869); Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkarayacha Aasud (1881).</li>
<li><strong>Related Association:</strong> Phule along with his followers formed <strong>Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873</strong>&nbsp;which meant &lsquo;Seekers of Truth&rsquo; in order to attain equal social and economic benefits for the lower castes in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Municipal Council Member:</strong> He was appointed commissioner to the Poona municipality and served in the position until 1883.</li>
<li><strong>Title of Mahatma:</strong> He was bestowed with the title of Mahatma on 11<sup>th</sup> May, 1888 <strong>by a Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Reformer:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1848, he taught his wife (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/savitri-bai-phule" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Savitribai</strong></a>) how to read and write, after which the couple <strong>opened the first indigenously run school for girls</strong> in Pune where they both taught.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was <strong>a believer in gender equality</strong> and he exemplified his beliefs by involving his wife in all his social reform activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By 1852, the <strong>Phules had established three schools</strong> but all of them had shut by 1858 due to the shortage of funds after the Revolt of 1857.</li>
<li>Jyotiba realised the pathetic conditions of widows and established an ashram for young widows and eventually became an advocate of the idea of <strong>Widow Remarriage</strong>.</li>
<li>Jyotirao <strong>attacked the orthodox Brahmins and other upper castes</strong> and termed them as "hypocrites".</li>
<li>In 1868, Jyotirao <strong>constructed a common bathing tank</strong> outside his house to exhibit his embracing attitude towards all human beings and wished to dine with everyone, regardless of their caste.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He started awareness campaigns that ultimately inspired the likes of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mahatma-gandhi-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi</strong></a>, stalwarts who undertook major initiatives against caste discrimination later.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed by many that <strong>it was Phule who first used the term &lsquo;Dalit&rsquo; for the depiction of oppressed masses</strong> often placed outside the &lsquo;varna system&rsquo;.</li>
<li>He <strong>worked for abolishment of untouchability and caste system</strong> in Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> 28<sup>th</sup> November, 1890. His memorial is built in Phule Wada, Pune, Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://PIB" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jyotirao-phule'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Potential of Lighthouses for Tourism: Sagarmala',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways</strong> seeks to <strong>develop 65 lighthouses</strong> on public-private-partnership mode. <strong>Odisha&rsquo;s five lighthouses</strong> present huge potential for tourism.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry wants to develop lighthouses as hubs of tourism under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sagarmala-seaplane-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sagarmala project</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Five lighthouses of Odisha:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;False Point&rsquo; island lighthouse:</strong> It is situated off the Kendrapara coast. It is the British era lighthouse and its location close to massive <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coringa-mangroves#:~:text=Mangrove%20forests%20perform%20multiple%20ecological,sediment%20to%20form%20new%20land" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mangrove vegetation</strong></a> infested with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-crocodile-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>crocodiles</strong></a> makes it an adventurous tourist place on the eastern coast.</li>
<li><strong>Paradip lighthouse:</strong> It also holds tourism potential because of its proximity to the port town and Cuttack and Bhubaneswar cities (100 km). It was commissioned in the 1980s.</li>
<li><strong>Gopalpur lighthouse:</strong> It is located in Ganjam district. If it is developed as a place of tourist interest, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/odisha-s-lake-conservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chilika Lake</a> and the Gopalpur beach</strong> will be added attractions.</li>
<li><strong>Chandrabhaga lighthouse:</strong> It is 10 km from the world famous <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/konark-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Konark temple</strong></a>. It had withstood the severity of cyclones such as the Super Cyclone (1999), Phailin (2013) and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-fani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fani</a> (2019).</li>
<li><strong>Puri lighthouse:</strong> It is 4 km from the 12th century <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jagannath-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shree Jagannath Temple</strong></a>, which is also a tourist place.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lighthouse Tourism in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Number of Lighthouses:</strong> India has as many as 189 lighthouses dotting its vast coastline including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives for Promoting Lighthouse based Tourism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>enhance &amp; develop the existing lighthouses &amp; its surrounding areas</strong> into a Tourism Destination, Maritime Landmark, and Heritage Precinct.</li>
<li>To<strong> develop allied Maritime Infrastructure</strong> like National Maritime Museums &amp; National Lighthouse Museums.</li>
<li>To explore the possibilities of developing these projects under various modes including the possibilities of <strong>Public Private Partnership (PPP)</strong> by integrating commercially viable interventions at the feasible locations in order to make the project viable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The advantages behind creation of lighthouses into a tourism product are that it shall <strong>help in attracting tourists</strong> from across the world &amp; locally and thereby create a source of revenue for the government, <strong>employment opportunities for local people, increase in commerce</strong> through purchase and sale of goods and services, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sagarmala Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Sagarmala Programme was <strong>approved by the Union Cabinet in 2015</strong> which aims at holistic port infrastructure development along the 7,516-km long coastline through modernisation, mechanisation and computerisation.</li>
<li>The vision of the Sagarmala Programme is to <strong>reduce logistics cost for EXIM</strong> (Export-Import) and <strong>domestic trade</strong> with minimal infrastructure investment.</li>
<li>Sagarmala <strong>could boost India&rsquo;s merchandise exports</strong> to USD 110 billion by 2025 and create an estimated 10 million new jobs (four million in direct employment).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618224639_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618224639_image4.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="753" height="295" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Components of the Sagarmala Programme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Port Modernization &amp; New Port Development:</strong> De-bottlenecking and capacity expansion of existing ports and development of new Greenfield ports.</li>
<li><strong>Port Connectivity Enhancement:</strong> Enhancing the connectivity of the ports to the hinterland, optimizing cost and time of cargo movement through multi-modal logistics solutions including domestic waterways (inland water transport and coastal shipping).</li>
<li><strong>Port-linked Industrialization:</strong> Developing port-proximate industrial clusters and Coastal Economic Zones to reduce logistics cost and time of EXIM and domestic cargo.</li>
<li><strong>Coastal Community Development:</strong> Promoting sustainable development of coastal communities through skill development &amp; livelihood generation activities, fisheries development, coastal tourism etc.</li>
<li><strong>Coastal Shipping &amp; Inland Waterways Transport:</strong> Impetus to move cargo through the sustainable and environment-friendly coastal and inland waterways mode.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Public-Private Partnerships</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Public-private partnerships involve <strong>collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company</strong> that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects, such as public transportation networks, parks, and convention centers.</li>
<li>Financing a project through a public-private partnership can <strong>allow a project to be completed sooner or make it a possibility in the first place</strong>.</li>
<li>Public-private partnerships <strong>often involve concessions of tax</strong> or other operating revenue, protection from liability, or partial ownership rights over nominally public services and property <strong>to private sector</strong>, for-profit entities.</li>
<li>It can create <strong>complex principal-agent problems,</strong> such as corrupt dealings, pay-offs to political cronies, etc.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model#:~:text=Public%2DPrivate%20Partnership%20Model%3A%20PPP,be%20completed%20with%20private%20funding." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Commonly adopted model of PPPs</strong></a> include Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) ,Build-Own-Operate (BOO), Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer (BOLT), Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT), Lease-Develop-Operate (LDO), Operate-Maintain-Transfer (OMT), etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/lighthouses-in-odisha-hold-huge-tourism-potential/article34296290.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/potential-of-lighthouses-for-tourism-sagarmala'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Shaphari: Certification Scheme for Aquaculture Products',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5th-aqua-aquaria-india-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA)</strong></a> has developed a <strong>certification scheme for aquaculture products called &lsquo;Shaphari&rsquo;</strong>.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Shaphari is based on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations&rsquo; Food and Agriculture Organization&rsquo;s</strong></a> technical guidelines on aquaculture certification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Shaphari</strong> is a Sanskrit word that <strong>means superior quality of fishery products suitable for human consumption</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is a market-based tool for hatcheries to <strong>adopt good aquaculture practices</strong> and help <strong>produce quality <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antibiotic-use-in-dairy-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antibiotic</a>-free shrimp products</strong> to assure global consumers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Components and Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Two Components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Certifying hatcheries</strong> for the quality of their seeds.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Those who successfully clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted a <strong>certificate for a period of two years</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Approving shrimp farms</strong> that adopt the requisite good practices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The entire <strong>certification process will be online</strong> to minimise human errors and ensure higher credibility and transparency.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The certification of hatcheries will <strong>help farmers easily identify good quality seed producers</strong>.</li>
<li>Certified aquaculture products will <strong>help exporters to export their consignments to markets under stringent food safety regulations</strong> without the fear of getting rejected.</li>
<li>It will <strong>bolster confidence in India&rsquo;s frozen shrimp produce,</strong> the country&rsquo;s biggest seafood export item.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Shrimp Exports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India exported frozen shrimp worth almost <strong>USD 5 billion in 2019-20,</strong> with the <strong>US and China</strong> its biggest buyers.</li>
<li>Frozen shrimp is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest exported seafood item</strong>. It constituted 50.58% in quantity and 73.2% in terms of total USD earnings from the sector during 2019-20.</li>
<li><strong>Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are India&rsquo;s major shrimp producing States,</strong> and around 95% of the cultured shrimp produce is exported.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Container shortages</strong> and incidents of <strong>seafood consignments being rejected</strong> because of food safety concerns.</li>
<li>Consignments sourced from Indian shrimp farms have been <strong>rejected due to the presence of antibiotic residue</strong> and this is a matter of concern for exporters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiative for Food Safety of Exported Products:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Residue Control Programme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) is a <strong>statutory requirement for export to <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a> countries</strong>.</li>
<li>It is <strong>regulated and carried by MPEDA,</strong> under NRCP, <strong>definite sampling schedule and sampling strategies are drawn every year</strong> for monitoring the residues of substances like Antibacterial/Veterinary Medicinal Products and environmental contaminants.</li>
<li><strong>Samples are collected from hatcheries, feed mills, aquaculture farms and processing plants,</strong> located in maritime states and <strong>tested for the presence of any residue/contaminant</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Marine Products Exports Development Authority</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>MPEDA is <strong>a nodal coordinating, state-owned agency</strong> engaged in fishery production and allied activities.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1972</strong> under the <strong>Marine Products Export Development Authority Act (MPEDA), 1972</strong>.</li>
<li>It functions under the <strong>Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry</strong>.</li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered</strong> in Kochi, Kerala.</li>
<li>Its mandate is to <strong>increase exports of seafood</strong> including fisheries of all kinds, <strong>specifying standards, marketing, processing, extension and training</strong> in various aspects.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/certification-scheme-to-encourage-good-aquaculture-practices/article34295794.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shaphari-certification-scheme-for-aquaculture-products'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'India-Netherlands',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India&rsquo;s Prime Minister (PM) and the PM of the Netherlands held a <strong>Virtual Summit</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was the <strong>first high level Summit attended by the PM of Netherlands</strong> after the general elections held in March 2021.</li>
<li>Earlier in <strong>2019</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-netherlands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>King and Queen of the Netherlands</strong></a> visited India to give an impetus to the bilateral ties shared by the two nations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" width="522" height="500" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Review of Bilateral Engagements:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exchanged views on <strong>further expanding and diversifying the relationship</strong> in trade and economy, water management, agriculture sector, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>smart cities</strong></a>, science &amp; technology, healthcare and space.</li>
<li>Agreed that the ambitious and innovative flagship programs like <strong>Clean India, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make in India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sagarmala-seaplane-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sagarmala</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayushman Bharat</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Startup India</a></strong> have provided immense opportunities for Indo-Dutch (India-Netherlands) collaboration in multiple sectors.</li>
<li>Exchanged views on regional and global challenges such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, counter-terrorism and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19#:~:text=Covid%2D19%20pandemic%20is%20a,crises%20in%20recent%20human%20history." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and agreed to leverage the emerging convergences in new areas like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific</strong></a>, Resilient Supply Chains and Global Digital Governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Partnership on Water:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed on instituting a <strong>&lsquo;Strategic Partnership on Water&rsquo;</strong> to further deepen the Indo-Dutch cooperation in the water related sector, and <strong>upgrading the Joint Working Group on Water</strong> to Ministerial-level.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2019, India and Netherlands had launched the <strong>second phase of the Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) plant</strong> as a part of joint collaboration in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Commitment to International Peace:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reiterated their <strong>commitment to a rules-based multilateral order for ensuring international peace, stability and prosperity</strong> and looked forward to a successful <strong>India-EU (<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a>) Leaders&rsquo; Meeting in Porto, Portugal in May 2021</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Netherlands have <strong>similar approach in dealing with global challenges</strong> like climate change, terrorism and pandemics.</li>
<li>It thanked the Netherlands for their support to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-assembly-of-international-solar-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ISA and CDRI are Indian Initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also <strong>welcomed the Netherlands&rsquo; Indo-Pacific Policy</strong> and its desire to collaborate during India&rsquo;s <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20</strong></a> Presidency in 2023.</li>
<li>Setting up a <strong>fast track mechanism for investment promotion will give new momentum</strong> to the strong economic cooperation between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Netherlands Relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic and Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic Partnership between India &amp; Netherlands is a <strong>key pillar of the bilateral ties</strong>.</li>
<li>The Netherlands was the <strong>third largest investor in India</strong>, after Mauritius and Singapore for <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/03-02-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Year (FY)</strong></a> 2018-19 with <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-foreign-direct-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)</a></strong> inflows of USD 3.87 billion across a variety of sectors.</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands was the second largest destination of foreign investment by Indian companies</strong> as of end-March 2018.</li>
<li>In 2017-18, the <strong>bilateral trade</strong> between India and the Netherlands was around USD 8.77 billion. In 2018-19, it was around USD 12.87 billion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By 2025, it shall touch around USD 18-23 billion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands is India&rsquo;s 5<sup>th</sup> largest trading partner</strong> in the European Union. And is also one of the leading investor nations in India.</li>
<li>There are <strong>200 (Dutch) companies that are present in India</strong>. Around <strong>160 Indian companies are active in the Netherlands</strong>. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a sizable uptick in the Indian IT companies investing in the Netherlands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Historical Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indo-Dutch relations can be <strong>traced back to more than 400 years</strong> when the first Dutch EIC (East India Company) <strong>got established in India (in around 17<sup>th</sup> century AD)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>official relations</strong> between the two nations were <strong>established in the year 1947</strong> which, since then, have been cordial and friendly.</li>
<li>The two countries also <strong>share common ideals of democracy, pluralism and the rule of law</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Netherlands currently is home to the largest Indian community on the European mainland</strong>. The growing Indian student and professional community in the Netherlands is making the cultural knot stronger and the technological partnership deeper.</li>
<li>An<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/70-years-of-indian-council-for-cultural-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)</strong></a> Cultural Centre <strong>"The Gandhi Centre" was established in The Hague in October 2011</strong>.</li>
<li>The fifth <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-day-of-yoga#:~:text=The%20International%20Day%20of%20Yoga,countries%20amid%20Covid%2D19%20pandemic." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day of Yoga</strong></a> was celebrated on 16th June, 2019 at prestigious Dam Square in Amsterdam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Netherlands and India have <strong>hardly achieved their true potential</strong>. There is <strong>huge potential for collaborations given the geopolitical and economic necessities</strong> of both nations.</li>
<li>Engagement of leaders at the highest level along with <strong>greater economic and defence cooperation is the need of the hour</strong> to take ties to new levels.</li>
<li>In the next five years, as India will move ahead, Dutch companies will come to India and will be a key collaborator in helping India achieve its USD <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN926IN926&amp;oq=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;aqs=chrome.0.0l2j0i22i30l3j0i390.4471j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>5 trillion economy</strong></a> vision.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1710763" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-netherlands-1'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve: Maharashtra',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Three labourers were killed and two others injured during an operation to douse a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-and-forest-fire-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>forest fire</strong></a> at <strong>Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR)</strong> in Maharashtra.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is situated in <strong>Gondia and Bhandara districts</strong> of Maharashtra.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Gondia District shares common boundaries with the <strong>state of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh</strong> in the<strong> north and eastern</strong> side respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strategically, the Tiger Reserve is <strong>located in the heart of central Indian Tiger landscape</strong> which contributes almost one sixth of the total tiger population of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Formation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was notified as the <strong>46<sup>th</sup><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-importance-of-tiger-conservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Tiger Reserve</a> of India</strong> in <strong>December 2013</strong>.</li>
<li>NNTR comprised of the notified area of <strong>Nawegaon National Park, Nawegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary and Koka Wildlife Sanctuary</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NNTR has connectivity with the major tiger reserves in Central India like,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kanha-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kanha</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pench-tiger-reserve-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pench</a> tiger reserve</strong> in Madhya Pradesh,</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tadoba-andhari-tiger-reserve-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tadoba-Andhari Tiger reserve</strong></a> in Maharashtra,</li>
<li><strong>Indravati Tiger Reserve</strong> in Chhattisgarh,</li>
<li>Indirectly with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kawal-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kawal</strong></a> and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nagarjunasagar-srisailam-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nagarjuna Sagar</strong></a> in <strong>Telangana</strong> and <strong>Andhra Pradesh</strong> and, <strong>Achanakmar Tiger reserve</strong> in <strong>Chhattisgarh</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also connected to important tiger bearing areas like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/umed-paoni-karhandla-wildlife-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Umred-Karhandla sanctuary</strong></a> and Brahampuri Division (Maharashtra).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Flora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The major forest type is "Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest".<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Few thorny plants are also found.</li>
<li><strong>Bamboo</strong> occurs in abundance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fauna:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Large Carnivores such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-leopard-population" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>leopards</strong></a> and smaller carnivores like wild dogs, wolf jackals, jungle cats and also the good population of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nandankanan-zoological-park-odisha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sloth bears</strong></a> are seen.</li>
<li>The important herbivore includes <strong>Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Chousingha, Barking deer, Wild pig and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-bison-gaur" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian gaur</a>.</strong> Mouse deer has also been recorded from the area.</li>
<li>More than 300 species of birds have been reported from the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Protected Areas in Maharashtra:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/melghat-tiger-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Melghat Tiger reserve</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary.</li>
<li>Karnala Bird Sanctuary.</li>
<li>Sanjay Gandhi National Park.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pench-tiger-reserve-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pench National Park</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618216503_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618216503_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/navegaon-nagzira-tiger-reserve-forest-fire-7265504/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navegaon-nagzira-tiger-reserve-maharashtra'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Global Minimum Corporate Tax',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The US Treasury Secretary has urged <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20 nations</strong></a> to move towards a <strong>global minimum corporate tax</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>an attempt to reverse a &ldquo;30-year race to the bottom&rdquo;</strong> in which countries have resorted to slashing corporate tax rates to attract multinational corporations (MNCs).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Proposal on a Global Minimum Corporate Tax Rate:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US proposal envisages a <strong>21% minimum corporate tax rate, coupled with cancelling exemptions on income from countries</strong> that do not legislate a minimum tax to discourage the shifting of multinational operations and profits overseas.</li>
<li>The proposal for a minimum corporate tax is <strong>tailored to address the low effective rates of tax shelled out by some of the world&rsquo;s biggest corporations,</strong> including digital giants such as Apple, Alphabet and Facebook, as well as major corporations such as Nike and Starbucks. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These companies typically <strong>rely on complex webs of subsidiaries to hoover profits out of major markets into low-tax countries</strong> such as Ireland or Caribbean nations such as the British Virgin Islands or the Bahamas, or to central American nations such as Panama.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US&rsquo; Reasons for the Proposal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The proposal <strong>aims to somewhat offset any disadvantages</strong> that might arise from the <strong>proposed increase in the US corporate tax rate</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The proposed increase to 28% from 21% would partially reverse the previous cut in tax rates on companies from 35% to 21% by way of a 2017 tax legislation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The increase in corporation tax <strong>comes at a time when the pandemic is costing governments across the world,</strong> and is also timed with the US&rsquo;s push for a USD 2.3 trillion infrastructure upgrade proposal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A global compact on this issue, at the time of pandemic, <strong>will work well for the US government and for most other countries in western Europe,</strong> even as some low-tax European jurisdictions such as the Netherlands, Ireland and Luxembourg and some in the Caribbean rely largely on <strong>tax rate arbitrage</strong> to attract MNCs.</li>
<li>The plan to peg a minimum tax on overseas corporate income <strong>seeks to potentially make it difficult for corporations to shift earnings offshore</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>average headline corporate tax rate in advanced economies has fallen</strong> from 32% in 2000 to just over 23% by 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>That is largely because <strong>smaller countries such as Ireland, the Netherlands and Singapore have attracted footloose businesses by offering low corporate tax rates</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Footloose industry is a general term for an industry that can be placed and located at any location without effect from factors such as resources or transport.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Multinational companies</strong> with increasingly intangible assets such as the global tech firms <strong>have shifted some actual business and a lot of profits into these tax havens and low-tax jurisdictions,</strong> lowering their global tax bills.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Response:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The European Commission backed the proposal, but the global minimum rate should be decided after discussions in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oecds-forecast-for-global-economy-in-2060" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development</strong></a> (OECD).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The European nations, including Germany and France have supported the US proposal.</li>
<li>The OECD and Group of Twenty (G20) have been leading the <strong>Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) initiative</strong>&mdash;a multilateral negotiation with over 135 countries, including the United States&mdash;since 2013.</li>
<li><strong>BEPS</strong> refers to tax planning strategies used by multinational enterprises that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to avoid paying tax.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China</strong> is not likely to have a serious objection with the US call, but an <strong>area of concern</strong> for Beijing would be the <strong>impact of such a tax stipulation on Hong Kong</strong>, the seventh-largest tax haven in the world and the largest in Asia.</li>
<li>The US proposal also has support from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The proposal <strong>impinges on the right of the sovereign to decide a nation&rsquo;s tax policy</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Taxation is ultimately a sovereign function, and depending upon the needs and circumstances of the nation, the government is open to participate and engage in the emerging discussions globally around the corporate tax structure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A global minimum rate <strong>would essentially take away a tool that countries use to push policies that suit them</strong>. A lower tax rate is a tool they can use to alternatively push economic activity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For instance, in the backdrop of the pandemic, IMF and World Bank data suggest that developing countries with less ability to offer mega stimulus packages may experience a longer economic hangover than developed nations.</li>
<li>Also, a global minimum tax rate <strong>will do little to tackle tax evasion</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Position</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cut in Corporate Tax:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In a bid to revive investment activity, the Finance Minister announced, in September 2019, a sharp cut in corporate taxes for domestic companies to 22% and for new domestic manufacturing companies to 15%. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong> resulted in the insertion of a section (115BAA) to the Income-Tax Act, 1961 to provide for the concessional tax rate of 22% for existing domestic companies subject to certain conditions including that they do not avail of any specified incentive or deductions.</li>
<li>Also, the existing domestic companies opting for the concessional taxation regime will <strong>not be required to pay any Minimum Alternate Tax</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The cuts effectively <strong>brought India&rsquo;s headline corporate tax rate broadly at par with the average 23% rate in Asian countries</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China and South Korea have a tax rate of 25% each, while Malaysia is at 24%, Vietnam at 20%, Thailand at 20% and Singapore at 17%.</li>
<li>The effective tax rate, inclusive of surcharge and cess, for Indian domestic companies is around 25.17%.</li>
<li>The average corporate tax rate stands at around 29% for existing companies that are claiming some benefit or the other.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Equalisation Levy:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>address the challenges posed by the enterprises who conduct their business through digital means</strong> and carry out activities in the country remotely, the government has the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/equalisation-levy-for-non-resident-e-commerce-firms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Equalisation Levy&rsquo;</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The equalization levy is <strong>aimed at taxing foreign companies which have a significant local client base in India</strong> but are billing them through their offshore units, effectively escaping the country&rsquo;s tax system.</li>
<li>The Income-tax Act, 1961 has been amended to bring in the concept of <strong>&ldquo;Significant Economic Presence&rdquo;</strong> for establishing &ldquo;business connection&rdquo; in the case of non-residents in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Agreements for Exchange of Information:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has been proactively engaging with foreign governments with a view to facilitating and enhancing exchange of information under <strong>Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements, Tax Information Exchange Agreements and Multilateral Conventions</strong> to plug loopholes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Such agreements <strong>promote cooperation in tax matters</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Besides, <strong>effective enforcement actions</strong> including expeditious investigation in foreign assets cases have been launched, including searches, enquiries, levy of taxes, penalties, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Corporate Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Corporation Tax or Corporate Tax is a <strong>direct tax levied on the net income or profit of a corporate entity</strong> from their business, foreign or domestic.</li>
<li>The rate at which the tax is imposed as per the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is known as the Corporate Tax Rate.</li>
<li>The Corporate Tax rate is based on a slab rate system depending on the type of corporate entity and the different revenues earned by each of corporate entities.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Minimum Alternate Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At times it may happen that a taxpayer, being a company, may have generated income during the year, but by taking the advantage of various provisions of Income-tax Law (like exemptions, deductions, depreciation, etc.), it may have reduced its tax liability or may not have paid any tax at all.</li>
<li>Due to an increase in the number of zero tax paying companies, Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) was introduced by the Finance Act, 1987 with effect from assessment year 1988-89. Later on, it was withdrawn by the Finance Act, 1990 and then reintroduced by Finance Act, 1996.</li>
<li>MAT is <strong>calculated at 15% on the book profit</strong> (the profit shown in the profit and loss account) or at the usual corporate rates, and whichever is higher is payable as tax.</li>
<li>All companies in India, whether domestic or foreign, fall under this provision. MAT was later extended to cover non-corporate entities as well.</li>
<li>MAT is an important tool with which tax avoidance can be prevented.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Domestic Company</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Domestic company is one which is <strong>registered under the Companies Act of India (2013)</strong> and also includes the company registered in the foreign countries having control and management wholly situated in India.</li>
<li>A domestic company includes private as well as public companies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Foreign Company</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Foreign company is one which is not registered under the Companies Act of India and has control &amp; management located outside India.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Tax Heaven</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A tax haven is generally an offshore country that offers foreign individuals and businesses little or no tax liability in a politically and economically static environment.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-bidens-radical-tax-proposal-7266899/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-minimum-corporate-tax'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Current Affairs Crash Course - Prelims 2021',
		'catname' => 'Prelims',
		'desc' => '<!--<div class="border-bg">
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Important Notice regarding Current Affairs Crash Course Prelims 2020</strong>.</span><br /><br />Dear Students,<br /><br />In light of the ongoing nationwide lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Current Affairs Crash Course 2020 classes will be held only in the online mode.<br /><br />Regards,<br />Drishti Management</p>
</div>-->
<h3><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Current Affairs Crash Course Programme</strong></span></h3>
<!--<p><a href="/crash-course-registration" class="btn-blue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Register Now</a></p>-->
<p></p>
<div class="border-bg"><!--<p><strong>Download Drishti App to watch the Current Affairs Crash Course demo video -</strong> <br /><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drishti.academy.app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drishti.academy.app</a></p>-->
<p>Dear Student,</p>
<p>The Civil Services (Prelims) Examination of 2021 is near but the conditions are still worrying due to the huge second wave of COVID-19. In view of this complex situation, it has been decided that the classes of Current Affairs Crash Course for Prelims, like last year, shall be conducted in online mode only. <br /><br /><strong>Programme Details:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Fee: ₹5000 / -</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Mode: Online Course (Android Mobile App)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Total classes: Approx. 35 classes (Total duration: 100 hours)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Commencement of Classes: From April 15 (one class per day, 6 days a week) A Live class on the app will be held daily from 12:30 pm to 3 pm. After that the same class will be available in the download mode in your account, which you will be able to watch at your convenience.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Teacher: Mr. Nishant Srivastava</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Who can join?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Any aspirant preparing for UPSC Civil Service Examination.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Any aspirant preparing for State Civil Service Examinations like UPPCS, MPPCS, BPCS etc.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Any student appearing in exams held by the UPSC like the IES &amp; ISS or any other competitive exam that requires a comprehensive Current Affairs preparation.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
<!--<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d14747; font-size: 18px; color: #ffffff;">  For more details about the course or if you need assistance regarding admission, please call us on <strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><a href="tel:8010440440" style="color: #ffff00;">8010440440</a></span></strong> or <span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><a href="tel:8750187501" style="color: #ffff00;">8750187501</a></strong> </span>(Monday to Saturday – 10 am to 6.30 pm)<ca eng="">.  </ca></span></p>-->
<p style="text-align: center; background-color: #d14747; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-size: 18px; color: #ffffff;">&nbsp; For more details about the course or if you need assistance regarding admission, please call us on <strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><a href="tel:8010440440" style="color: #ffff00;">8010440440</a></span></strong> or <span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><a href="tel:8448485521" style="color: #ffff00;">9319290702</a></strong>&nbsp;</span>(Monday to Saturday &ndash; 10 am to 6.30 pm)<ca eng="">.&nbsp;&nbsp;</ca></span></p>
<div class="border-bg" style="padding: 15px 20px 15px;">
<p><br /><strong>Admission and Fees Related Information</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">This crash course is completely free for the Foundation Batch students of Prayagraj. From April 15, these classes will be automatically made available to them through their account on Drishti Learning App.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Students of Drishti who are not a part of the general studies course (but are students of other courses like optional subject, essay, test series, Hindi Literature pen drive course, distance learning program etc.) can avail a discount of 30% by visiting this link - <a href="/crash-course-registration"><span style="color: #ff0000;">https://www.drishtiias.com/crash-course-registration</span></a> and submitting a photo of their identity card with the form. The fee of this course for them is ₹3500/ -.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">This course is free for students who are registered in the Prelims Online Course or General Studies Foundation Pen Drive Course. To watch this course free of cost on the App, the students will have to register by visiting this link - <a href="/crash-course-registration"><span style="color: #ff0000;">https://www.drishtiias.com/crash-course-registration</span></a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">For students who are not part of Drishti, the fee of this course is ₹5000/-. They can take admission by going to the link given above or by going directly to the Drishti Learning App. The link of the app is: <a href="http://bit.ly/drishtilearningapp"><span style="color: #ff0000;">http://bit.ly/drishtilearningapp</span></a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;<strong>Technical Information </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>These classes can only be viewed on Drishti Learning App (Android based). This app operates on only one device at a given point of time.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">From April 15th, classes will be regularly updated in your App account and will remain available till the Prelims exam.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">If you face any kind of problem while taking admission to the course or while watching the classes, then please call 8448485521 or 9319290702, or send an email to [email protected] Our technical team will get in touch with you.</li>
</ul>
<div style="padding-top: 20px;">
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><b>For Help &amp; Support, please call us at</b>&nbsp;<a href="tel:8448485521"><strong>8448485521,<span><strong>9319290702</strong>&nbsp;</span></strong></a><b>or email us at</b>&nbsp;<strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><a href="/crash-course-registration" class="btn-blue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Register Now</a></p>
<!--<h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 36px;"><a href="/crash-course-registration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff; background-color: #de2323;">  Register Now  </span></strong></a></span></h4>-->
<p></p>
</div>',
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Refugee Policy',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="background">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/india-does-have-a-refugee-problem/article34285088.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;India does have a refugee problem&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Hindu on 10/04/2021. It talks about the issues related to India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, there has been an influx of illegal migrants into India after the military coup and subsequent crackdown in Myanmar. The current plight of the Myanmarese has been preceded by that of another group of Myanmarese, the Rohingya.</p>
<p>Historically, India has witnessed an inflow of refugees from many neighboring countries. The refugee issue poses a problem for the state as it puts an economic burden, may trigger demographic changes in the long term, and poses security risks as well.</p>
<p>However, taking care of refugees is the core component of the human rights paradigm. Further, in any case, refugee flows to India are unlikely to end any time soon given the geopolitical, economic, ethnic, and religious contexts of the region.</p>
<p>Hence, there is an urgent need today to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India lacks specific legislation to address the problem of refugees, in spite of their increasing inflow.</li>
<li>The Foreigners Act, 1946, fails to address the peculiar problems faced by refugees as a class. It also gives unbridled power to the Central government to deport any foreign citizen.</li>
<li>Further, the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/citizenship-amendment-act-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA)</a> strikingly excludes Muslims from its purview and seeks to provide citizenship only to Hindu, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Sikh, and Buddhist immigrants persecuted in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.</li>
<li>Moreover, India is not a party to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/illegal-influx-from-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol</a>, the key legal documents pertaining to refugee protection.</li>
<li>In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has had a stellar record on the issue of refugee protection. India has a moral tradition for assimilating foreign people and culture.</li>
<li>Further, the constitution of India also respects the life, liberty, and dignity of human beings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Supreme Court in the National Human Rights Commission vs. State of Arunachal Pradesh (1996) held that &ldquo;while all rights are available to citizens, persons including foreign citizens are entitled to the right to equality and the right to life, among others.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Argument for Not Signing the 1951 Refugee Convention</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The definition of refugees in the 1951 convention only pertains to the violation of civil and political rights, but not economic rights, of individuals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a person, under the definition of the convention, could be considered if he/she is deprived of political rights, but not if he/she is deprived of economic rights.</li>
<li>If the violation of economic rights were to be included in the definition of a refugee, it would clearly pose a major burden on the developed world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, this argument, if used in the South Asian context, could be a problematic proposition for India too.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated With India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Refugees vs. Immigrants:</strong> In the recent past, many people from neighboring countries tend to illegally immigrate to India, not because of state persecution but in search of better economic opportunities in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While the reality is that much of the debate in the country is about illegal immigrants, not refugees, the two categories tend to get bunched together.</li>
<li>Due to this, policies and remedies to deal with these issues suffer from a lack of clarity as well as policy utility.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ambiguity in the Framework:</strong> The main reason why our policies towards illegal immigrants and refugees are confused is that as per Indian law, both categories of people are viewed as one and the same and are covered under the Foreigners Act, 1946.</li>
<li><strong>Ad-hocism:</strong> The absence of such a legal framework also leads to policy ambiguity whereby India&rsquo;s refugee policy is guided primarily by ad hocism.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ad hoc measures enable the government in office to pick and choose &lsquo;what kind&rsquo; of refugees it wants to admit for whatever political or geopolitical reasons.</li>
<li>This results in a discriminatory action, which tends to be a violation of human rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Discriminatory CAA:</strong> The Government of India has passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). CAA envisages providing citizenship to people who are religious minorities in India&rsquo;s neighborhood and persecuted by the state.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, CAA is not the answer to the refugee problem primarily because of its deeply discriminatory nature, as it doesn&rsquo;t include a particular religion under its ambit.</li>
<li>Further, many political analysts have dubbed the CAA as an act of refugee avoidance, not refugee protection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has been one of the largest recipients of refugees in the world. However, if India had domestic legislation regarding refugees, it could have deterred any oppressive government in the neighborhood to persecute their population and make them flee to India.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d9f1fa; border-color: #1c87ad;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<p><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question<br /><br /></strong></em>There is an urgent need today to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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