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India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet

Why in News To build on the common “resilient” ground, Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers addressed each other’s concerns on a...

08 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Indian Energy Exchange

Why in News The electricity market at Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) achieved an all-time high volume of 8,248.52 MU (million units) in the month of...

08 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Food Wastage Issue

This article is based on “India has a food wastage problem. Here’s how individuals can make a difference” which was published in...

07 Apr 2021 News Editorials
AI Portal SUPACE

Why in News Recently, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based portal ‘SUPACE’ in the judicial...

07 Apr 2021 News Analysis
The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021

Why in News Recently, the President promulgated Tribunal Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance 2021 through which the...

07 Apr 2021 News Analysis
World Economic Outlook: IMF

Why in News The latest edition of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook has raised its Financial Year (FY) 2021...

07 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Chenab Bridge

Why in News Recently, Indian Railways completed the arch closure of the iconic Chenab Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir. Key Points About Chenab...

07 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Integrated Health Information Platform

Why in News The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), that is the next generation...

07 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Direct Payment of Minimum Support Price

Why in News After the recent orders from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the farm unions warned that the Centre’s insistence on direct...

07 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Should India Join NATO?

This article is based on “Why India must not say ‘no’ to NATO” which was published in The Indian Express on 06/04/2021. It...

06 Apr 2021 News Editorials
Forest Fires: A Very Big Concern

Why in News Since the advent of the year 2021, there has been a series of forest fires in many states of India, including in Wildlife...

06 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Babu Jagjivan Ram

Why in News Recently, the Prime Minister paid tributes to freedom fighter and former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram on his 113th birth...

06 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Multilateral Maritime Exercise La Perouse

Why in News Indian Navy Ships INS Satpura and INS Kiltan alongwith P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft are participating, for the first time in...

06 Apr 2021 News Analysis
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Why in News Every year, 21st March, is observed as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The day calls for solidarity...

06 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Effect of Dust on Monsoon

Why in News Recently, a study details how the Indian monsoon gets influenced by the atmospheric dust particles swept up by winds from deserts in the...

05 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Decentralizing Climate Assistance

This article is based on “The role of MGNREGA in the climate crisis” which was published in The Hindustan Times on 03/04/2021. It talks...

05 Apr 2021 News Editorials
Maoist Attack in Sukma

Why in News A team of security forces was attacked by a People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) unit in the Tarrem area near the...

05 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Poet Sarala Das

Why in News The Vice President addressed Odia Adikabi Sarala Das's 600th birth anniversary function in Cuttack. Sarala Das was one of the great...

05 Apr 2021 News Analysis
Acquittal by Benefit of Doubt

Why in News The Supreme Court has held that a public employer can reject a candidate as unsuitable if he/she had, in the past, been acquitted of a...

05 Apr 2021 News Analysis
National Rare Disease Policy 2021

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the National Rare Disease Policy 2021. Earlier, the Delhi High Court...

05 Apr 2021 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>To build <strong>on the common &ldquo;resilient&rdquo; ground, Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers addressed each other&rsquo;s concerns</strong> on a wide range of issues.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The issues range from <strong>defence supplies to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S-400 air defence system</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s role in Afghanistan</a></strong> and <strong>Taliban&rsquo;s involvement in power-sharing to cooperation</strong> on Covid vaccines and <strong>India&rsquo;s participation in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-meeting-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quad grouping</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Discussed Cooperation in Following Sectors:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic opportunities in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russian Far East.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Russian Far East stretches from <strong>Lake Baikal, the world&rsquo;s largest freshwater lake, to the Pacific Ocean</strong> and comprises roughly a third of Russia&rsquo;s territory.</li>
<li>Although it is <strong>rich in natural resources</strong> including minerals, hydrocarbons, timber and fish, it is an <strong>economically underdeveloped</strong> region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Leveraging the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> campaign to boost manufacturing in India.</li>
<li>Connectivity through the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International North-South Transport</a> Corridor (INSTC).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>INSTC</strong> is a multi-modal transportation established in September 2000 in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern maritime corridor.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Itr is a <strong>maritime route</strong> covering approximately 5,600 nautical miles, aimed at increasing bilateral trade between India and Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Long standing partnership in <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">space</a> and nuclear sectors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted%20image 1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted image 1.png" width="400" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>S-400 Air Defence System:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Issues regarding the sale of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>S-400 air defence system</strong></a> figured in the discussions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, <strong>surface-to-air missile system (SAM)</strong> designed by Russia.</li>
<li>It is the most dangerous operationally deployed <strong>modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM)</strong> in the world, considered much ahead of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-s-opposition-to-thaad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While India is keen on buying it, the USA has expressed reservations by threatening sanctions under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/caatsa-sanctions-on-turkey" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Views on Military Alliance and Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Military Alliance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russian Foreign Minister clarified that the <strong>Russia-China relations</strong> are at the highest in the history, but these relations <strong>do not pursue a goal of establishing a military alliance.</strong></li>
<li>He also <strong>referred to the Quad grouping</strong> and called it an <strong>&ldquo;Asian NATO&rdquo;</strong>, a term sometimes used by China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)</strong> is an informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a &ldquo;free, open and prosperous&rdquo; Indo-Pacific region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russia and India are working for <strong>stability and connectivity in the Asia-Pacific</strong> and urged that &ldquo;military alliances&rdquo; should not come up in Asia.</li>
<li>Russia referred to the formulation of <strong>&ldquo;Asia Pacific&rdquo;</strong> while India referred to <strong>&ldquo;Indo-Pacific&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Afghan Peace:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need to <strong>&ldquo;harmonise&rdquo; the interests of various stakeholders</strong> that are active in and around Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peace process</strong></a> should be based on foundational principles and a political solution should mean <strong>independent, sovereign, united and democratic Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>Decision on the settlement in Afghanistan should foresee the <strong>participation of all political, ethnic and religious groups</strong> in the country. Otherwise the solution will not be stable. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It needs to be noted that India was not a part of a recent meeting led by Russia on Afghan peace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Medical Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Russian Fund for Direct Investment has signed contracts with various Indian manufacturers for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russian-covid-vaccine-sputnik-v#:~:text=Key%20Points,'limited%20use'%20before%20this." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sputnik V vaccines</strong></a> for 700-750 million doses.</li>
<li>Both ministers also took up the possible export of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covaxin</strong></a> to Russia which is likely to be cleared by experts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India - Russia Relations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Political (Annual Summit):</strong> The Annual Summit meeting between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation is the highest institutionalized dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> India-Russia trade, amounting to <strong>USD 10.11 billion in 2019-2020</strong>, is far below the potential. Both countries have <strong>set the bilateral trade target at USD 30 billion by 2025.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Defence and Security: BrahMos Missile System</strong> as well as the licensed production in India of <strong>SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks</strong>, are examples.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Nuclear Energy: Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)</strong> is being built in India with Russian cooperation.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Space Sector:</strong> Cooperation in <strong>Gaganyaan program.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Common Multilateral Forums:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/brics-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russia-india-china-grouping-ric" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russia-India-China Grouping: RIC</strong></a></li>
<li><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></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military Exercises:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exercise TSENTR 2019.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-indra-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indra Exercises</strong></a> - Joint Tri-<strong>Services (Army, Navy, Air Force) Exercises.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India Engaging Russia Into Indo-Pacific Narrative:</strong> India should pursue and facilitate Russia&rsquo;s engagement in the Indo-Pacific. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia&rsquo;s active engagement in the region would contribute to making the Indo-Pacific truly &ldquo;free and inclusive&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritizing RIC in Indian Foreign Policy:</strong> India can also promote a mutually beneficial trilateral cooperation between Russia, China, and India that could contribute towards the reduction of mistrust and suspicion between India and China.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/moscow-plays-down-beijing-pledges-deeper-delhi-ties-s-400-to-afghanistan-7261834/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Indian Energy Exchange',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>electricity market at Indian Energy Exchange (IEX)</strong> achieved an <strong>all-time high volume of 8,248.52 MU (million units)</strong> in the month of March 2021 surpassing all the previous milestones.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the first and <strong>largest energy exchange in India</strong> providing a nationwide, automated trading platform for physical delivery of electricity, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/renewable-energy-certificates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Renewable Energy Certificates</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Energy Saving Certificates.</strong></a></li>
<li>The exchange platform <strong>enables efficient price discovery and increases the accessibility and transparency of the power market in India</strong> while also enhancing the speed and efficiency of trade execution.</li>
<li>It is a publicly listed company with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vix-measure-of-market-volatility" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Stock Exchange (NSE)</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It is approved and regulated by <strong>Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)</strong> and has been operating since 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>leverage technology and innovation</strong> to establish transparent and efficient energy marketplaces for delivering affordable, reliable energy to consumers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trading Platform for:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Physical Delivery of Electricity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Day-Ahead Market (DAM):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a physical electricity trading market for <strong>deliveries for any/some/all 15 minute time blocks in 24 hours of the next day</strong> starting from midnight.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Term-Ahead Market (TAM):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The contracts under TAM cover a range for <strong>buying/selling electricity for duration up to 11 days.</strong></li>
<li>It enables participants to purchase electricity for the same day through <strong>intra-day contracts</strong>, for the next day through day-ahead contingency, on a daily basis for rolling seven days through daily contracts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Renewable Energy Certificates (REC):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the REC mechanism, <strong>a generator can generate electricity through the renewable resources</strong> in any part of the country. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For the <strong>electricity part</strong>, the generator receives the cost equivalent to that from any conventional source while the <strong>environment attribute</strong> is sold through the exchanges at the market determined price.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The obligated entity from any part of the country can purchase these RECs to meet its <strong>RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation)</strong> compliance.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Obligated entities <strong>may either purchase renewable energy or can purchase RECs</strong> to meet their RPO set under RPO of their respective States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are the tradable certificates under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-energy-conservation-awards#:~:text=The%20Perform%2C%20Achieve%20and%20Trade,the%20large%20energy%2Dintensive%20industries." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Perform, Achieve, Trade (PAT) Scheme</strong></a> of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bee-star-rating-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>market-based mechanism to incentivise energy efficiency</strong> in large energy-intensive industries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Electricity Regulatory Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CERC is a <strong>regulator of the power sector in India.</strong></li>
<li>It intends to <strong>promote competition, efficiency and economy</strong> in bulk power markets, <strong>improve the quality of supply, promote investments</strong> and <strong>advise the government</strong> on the removal of institutional barriers to bridge the demand supply gap.</li>
<li>It is a statutory body functioning with quasi-judicial status under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/power-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electricity Act 2003.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/average-spot-power-price-at-iex-jumps-65/article34256092.ece%23:~:text%3DAverage%2520spot%2520power%2520price%2520rose,and%2520revival%2520of%2520economic%2520activities.&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1617865862676000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1DCEMmNcixGTvqcjqG4-JA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>
<p><strong></strong></p>',
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		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Food Wastage Issue',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/food-waste-index-report-india-coronavirus-hunder-index-7261909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;India has a food wastage problem. Here&rsquo;s how individuals can make a difference&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 07/04/2021. It talks about the food wastage issue in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Despite adequate food production, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has reported that about 190 million Indians remain undernourished. Moreover, it states that every third malnourished child is Indian.</p>
<p>Ironically, the same report highlights that around 40% of the food produced in India is either lost or wasted. It is further estimated that the value of food wastage in India is around ₹92,000 crores per annum.</p>
<p>This food wastage, however, isn&rsquo;t limited to one level alone but perforates through every stage; from harvesting, processing, packaging, and transporting to the end stage of consumption.</p>
<p>Though food wastage is a global problem, India stands a chance to convert this into an opportunity, if it can address it properly.</p>
<h3>Case Study: SAFAL Outlet</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On average, 18.7 kgs of food was disposed off by one Safal outlet daily.</li>
<li>This suggests that an estimated 7.5 tonnes of food are discarded daily across the 400 Safal outlets in Delhi.</li>
<li>Approximately 84.7% of the total food waste recorded was thrown in the bin, while the rest was either fed to the poor or some animals.</li>
<li>A significant portion of the food waste bin was still in edible condition.</li>
<li>If the edible food waste generated by Safal is diverted, an estimated 2000 people could be fed daily.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenge of Food Wastage</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pre-Consumption Losses:</strong> Nearly 40% of the food produced in India is wasted every year due to fragmented food systems and inefficient supply chains. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the loss that occurs even before the food reaches the consumer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Wastage At Households:</strong> There is also a significant amount of food waste generated in our homes. As per the Food Waste Index Report 2021, a staggering 50 kg of food is thrown away per person every year in Indian homes.</li>
<li><strong>Greenhouse Gases Emission:</strong> This excess food waste usually ends up in landfills, creating potent greenhouse gases which have dire environmental implications.</li>
<li><strong>Impact of The Pandemic:</strong> The Covid-19 pandemic not only exposed the problems of food waste but also compounded them. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the wake of the lockdown imposed last year, surplus stocks of grain &mdash; pegged at 65 lakh tonnes in the first four months of 2020 &mdash; continued to rot in godowns across India.</li>
<li>Access to food became extremely scarce for the poor, especially daily-wage laborers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supply-Chain Management Issues:</strong> Some problems in the Indian food supply chain include inefficiency of government programs, lack of transparency in revenue generation, insufficient storage facilities, and lack of comprehensive and accurate inventories.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Behavioral Change:</strong> According to various reports food waste attributed to households and their irresponsible consumption patterns means that change needs to begin in our own homes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Calculated purchasing when buying groceries, minimizing single-use packaging wherever possible, ordering consciously from restaurants, and reconsidering extravagant buffet spreads at weddings can go a long way.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Bank Concept:</strong> Edible food should be made available every day, for free, at the latest in the last opening hour, so it can be picked up and consumed by those in need.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The option of distribution through food banks can also be explored, as can tie-ups with private actors so that food can reach hunger hotspots.</li>
<li>At the community level, one can identify and get involved with organizations such as Coimbatore-based No Food Waste which aims to redistribute excess food to feed the needy and hungry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Precedents:</strong> We can look to best practices and laws in countries like France, Norway, Denmark, UK, etc., in order to check spoilage and destruction of edible food waste in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, in France, supermarkets prioritize the reduction, reuse, and recycling of extra food.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Technological Investment:</strong> It is important that technology is adopted at every stage of the supply chain to overcome this problem. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Planning in the supply chain can improve with technology, reducing transit time in shipping and logistics. In addition, multiple government initiatives are also assisting in building infrastructure for the food industry.</li>
<li>Investments in the vibrant start-up ecosystem in India can also aid in addressing all the hindrances in the system with the support of the latest logistics and supply chain technologies, blockchain, artificial intelligence, data monitoring, storage, and packaging solutions</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Early awareness about our duty to minimize food waste is critical in changing the way our society addresses hunger and food scarcity. Thus everyone must join hands if we are to work towards a truly sustainable India that does not have millions undernourished despite having adequate food production.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffcf2;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Though food wastage is a global problem, India stands a chance to convert this into an opportunity, if it can address it properly. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/food-wastage-issue'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'AI Portal SUPACE',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/n-v-ramana-48th-chief-justice-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chief Justice of India (CJI)</strong> </a>launched an <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artificial Intelligence (AI)</a> based portal &lsquo;SUPACE&rsquo;</strong> in the judicial system aimed at assisting judges with legal research.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>SUPACE</strong> is short for <strong>Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court&rsquo;s Efficiency.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-virtual-courts-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>E-Courts Project</strong></a> was conceptualised on the basis of<strong> "National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary - 2005"</strong> submitted by the <strong>e-Committee of the Supreme Court.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About SUPACE:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>a tool that collects relevant facts and laws</strong> and <strong>makes them available to a judge.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>not designed to take decisions, but only to process facts and to make them available to judges</strong> looking for an input for a decision.</li>
<li>Initially, it <strong>will be used on an experimental basis by the judges of Bombay and Delhi High Courts</strong> who deal with criminal matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will <strong>produce results customized to the need of the case</strong> and the way the judge thinks.</li>
<li>This will be <strong>time saving.</strong> It will <strong>help the judiciary and the court in reducing delays and pendency of cases.</strong></li>
<li><strong>AI</strong> will present <strong>a more streamlined, cost effective and time bound</strong> means to the <strong>fundamental right of access to justice.</strong></li>
<li>It will make the <strong>service delivery mechanism transparent and cost-efficient.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Redundancy of certain posts</strong> after introduction of SUPACE. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since it is intended to do what the human mind can do, but much more efficiently and methodically, there is apprehension in the generation of unemployment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>E-Courts Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was conceptualized with a vision<strong> to transform the Indian Judiciary by ICT (Information and Communication Technology) enablement of Courts.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>a pan-India Project,</strong> monitored and <strong>funded by the Department of Justice,</strong> Ministry of Law and Justice, <strong>for the District Courts</strong> across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives of the Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide efficient &amp; time-bound citizen-centric services delivery.</li>
<li>To develop, install &amp; implement decision support systems in courts.</li>
<li>To automate the processes to provide transparency and accessibility of information to its stakeholders.</li>
<li>To enhance judicial productivity, both qualitatively &amp; quantitatively, to make the justice delivery system affordable, accessible, cost-effective, predictable, reliable and transparent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cji-launches-top-courts-ai-driven-research-portal-7261821/" 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/ai-portal-supace'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President promulgated <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tribunal</a> Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance 2021</strong> through which the <strong>Appellate authorities under nine laws have been replaced with High Courts.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ordinance has amended the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/supreme-court-ruling-on-finance-act-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Finance Act 2017</strong></a> to include provisions related to the composition of search-cum-selection committees, and term of office of members in the Act itself.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Finance Act 2017</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It <strong>empowered the central government</strong> to notify rules on qualifications of members, terms and conditions of their service, and composition of search-cum-selection committees for 19 tribunals (such as Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Search-cum-selection committees:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Chairperson and Members of the Tribunals will be appointed by the central government on the recommendation of a <strong>Search-cum-Selection Committee.</strong></li>
<li>The Committee will consist of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chief Justice of India, or a Supreme Court Judge nominated by him, as the Chairperson (with casting vote),</li>
<li>Secretaries nominated by the central government,</li>
<li>The sitting or outgoing Chairperson, or a retired Supreme Court Judge, or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court.</li>
<li>The Secretary of the Ministry under which the Tribunal is constituted (with no voting right).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Term of Office:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term of office for the <strong>Chairperson</strong> of the tribunals will be of <strong>four years or till the attainment of the age of seventy years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>For <strong>other members</strong> of the tribunals, the term will be of<strong> four years or till the age of sixty-seven years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Nine Laws (Replacement of Appellate Authorities/Tribunals):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Cinematograph Act, 1952.</li>
<li>The Trade Marks Act, 1999.</li>
<li>The Copyright Act, 1957.</li>
<li>The Customs Act, 1962.</li>
<li>The Patents Act, 1970.</li>
<li>The Airports Authority of India Act, 1994.</li>
<li>The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002.</li>
<li>The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Replacing Tribunals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Poor Adjudication &amp; Delay:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> quality of adjudication has been underwhelming</strong> in most cases, the <strong>delays have been substantial</strong> because the <strong>government has struggled to find competent persons willing to accept positions on these tribunals, </strong>and<strong> litigation has actually become more expensive, </strong>as these tribunals added another layer to it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Litigations Against Them:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There has been<strong> incessant litigation since 1985 by advocate bar associations</strong> against the tribunals over serious questions of their independence from the executive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> cases with High courts could increase.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tribunals</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>quasi-judicial institution</strong> that is set up to deal with problems such as resolving administrative or tax-related disputes.</li>
<li>It performs a number of functions like <strong>adjudicating disputes, determining rights between contesting parties, making an administrative decision, reviewing an existing administrative decision</strong> and so forth.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term<strong> &lsquo;Tribunal&rsquo; is derived from the word &lsquo;Tribunes&rsquo;,</strong> which means &lsquo;Magistrates of the Classical Roman Republic&rsquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tribunal is referred to as the office of the &lsquo;Tribunes&rsquo; i.e., a Roman official under the monarchy and the republic with the function of protecting the citizen from arbitrary action by the aristocrat magistrates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A Tribunal, generally, is any person or<strong> institution having an authority to judge, adjudicate on, or to determine claims or disputes &ndash;</strong> whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tribunals were not originally a part of the Constitution.</li>
<li>The<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/major-constitutional-amendments-part-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> 42<sup>nd</sup> Amendment Act</strong> </a>1976 introduced provision for tribunals in accordance with the recommendations of the <strong>Swaran Singh Committee.</strong></li>
<li>The Amendment introduced <strong>Part XIV-A to the Constitution,</strong> which deals with &lsquo;Tribunals&rsquo; and contains two articles:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Article 323A:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It deals with <strong>Administrative Tribunals.</strong> These are quasi-judicial institutions that resolve disputes related to the recruitment and service conditions of persons engaged in public service.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Article 323B:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It deals with<strong> tribunals for other subjects</strong> such as Taxation, Industrial and labour, Foreign exchange, import and export, Land reforms, Food, Ceiling on urban property, Elections to Parliament and state legislatures, Rent and tenancy rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-promulgates-tribunals-reforms-ordinance/article34246516.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/the-tribunals-reforms-rationalisation-and-conditions-of-service-ordinance-2021'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'World Economic Outlook: IMF',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The latest edition of the <strong>International Monetary Fund&rsquo;s (IMF) World Economic Outlook</strong> has raised its <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/government-budgeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Year (FY)</strong> </a>2021 growth forecast for India to 12.5% from <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11.5% estimated earlier in January 2021</a>.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian economy is expected to grow by <strong>12.5% in 2021 and 6.9% in 2022.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>2020</strong>, India&rsquo;s economy witnessed <strong>an estimated contraction of 8%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Growth rate for India in 2021 is <strong>stronger than that of China.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China was the <strong>only major economy to have a positive growth rate of 2.3% in 2020</strong>, and is expected to grow by 8.6% in 2021 and 5.6% in 2022.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The IMF predicted stronger recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth projected to be <strong>6% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>2020</strong>, the global economy <strong>contracted by 3.3%</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The contraction for 2020 is 1.1% points smaller than previous projection, <strong>reflecting:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Higher-than-expected growth outturns in the second half of the year</strong> for most regions after <strong>lockdowns</strong> were eased and as economies adapted to new ways of working.</li>
<li><strong>Additional fiscal support in a few large economies</strong> and the anticipated vaccine-powered recovery in the second half of the year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Health Care:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The emphasis should be on escaping the health crisis by <strong>prioritising health care spending, on vaccinations, treatments, and health care infrastructure.</strong> Fiscal support should be well targeted to affected households and firms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Accommodative Monetary Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/monetary-policy-report-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Monetary policy</strong></a> should remain <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-monetary-policy-2021#:~:text=Accommodative%20Stance%3A,within%20the%20target%20going%20forward." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>accommodative</strong></a> (where <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inflation-data-august-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>inflation</strong></a> is well behaved), while proactively addressing financial stability risks using macroprudential tools.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tailored Approach:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Policymakers will need to continue supporting their economies</strong> while dealing with more limited policy space and higher debt levels than prior to the pandemic.</li>
<li>This requires better <strong>targeted measures to leave space for prolonged support if needed. With multi-speed recoveries, a tailored approach is necessary, with policies well-calibrated to the stage of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> pandemic</a></strong>, the strength of the economic recovery, and the structural characteristics of individual countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Priorities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The priorities should include <strong>green infrastructure investment</strong> to help mitigate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, digital infrastructure investment to boost productive capacity and strengthening social assistance to arrest <strong>rising inequality.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The IMF was set up along with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> after the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/world-war-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Second World War</strong> </a>to assist in the<strong> reconstruction of war-ravaged countries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two organisations were agreed to be set up at a conference in Bretton Woods in the US. Hence, they are known as the<strong> Bretton Woods twins.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 189 countries that make up its near-global membership.<strong> India joined on 27<sup>th</sup> December, 1945.</strong></li>
<li>The IMF's primary <strong>purpose is to ensure the stability of the international monetary system</strong> &mdash; the system of exchange rates and international payments that enables countries (and their citizens) to transact with each other.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Fund's mandate was updated in 2012 to include all macroeconomic and financial sector issues that bear on global stability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reports by IMF:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-11th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Financial Stability Report</strong></a></li>
<li>World Economic Outlook</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>World Economic Outlook</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a survey by the IMF that is usually <strong>published twice a year</strong> in the months of April and October.</li>
<li>It <strong>analyzes and predicts global economic developments</strong> during the near and medium term.</li>
<li>In response to the growing demand for more frequent forecast updates, the WEO Update is published in January and July between the two main WEO publications released usually in April and October.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/imf-projects-indias-growth-rate-to-jump-to-impressive-12-5-per-cent-in-2021/" 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/world-economic-outlook-imf-2'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Chenab Bridge',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Indian Railways</strong> completed the<strong> arch closure of the iconic Chenab Bridge in Jammu &amp; Kashmir.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About Chenab Bridge:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>world's highest railway bridge</strong> and is part of the<strong> Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project (USBRL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Project was <strong>declared as a Project of National Importance in March 2002.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This bridge is <strong>1,315-metre long</strong> and is the highest railway bridge in the world being <strong>359 metres above the river bed level.</strong></li>
<li>The completion of the steel arch is a major leap towards the completion of the <strong>111 km long winding stretch from Katra to Banihal.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is arguably the <strong>biggest civil-engineering challenge</strong> faced by any railway project in India in recent history.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617781847_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617781847_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="288" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unique Features of this Bridge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bridge designed to <strong>withstand high wind speed up to 266 Km/Hour.</strong></li>
<li>Bridge designed for<strong> blast load in consultation with <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DRDO</a></strong> for the first time in India.</li>
<li>Bridge designed to <strong>bear earthquake forces of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/seismometers-defunct-in-earthquake-prone-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highest intensity zone-V</a></strong> in India.</li>
<li>First time on Indian Railways, <strong>Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing machine</strong> used for testing of welds.</li>
<li>First time on Indian Railways, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/star-rating-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)</a> accredited lab established at site for weld testing.</strong></li>
<li>Extensive <strong>health monitoring and warning systems planned</strong> through state of art instrumentation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chenab River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> It rises in the upper Himalayas in the<strong> Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh</strong> state.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The river is <strong>formed by the confluence of two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga,</strong> at Tandi, 8 km southwest of Keylong, in the Lahaul and Spiti district.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Bhaga river originates from Surya taal lake,</strong> which is situated a few kilometers west of the Bara-lacha la pass in Himachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>The <strong>Chandra river originates from glaciers east of the same pass</strong> (near Chandra Taal).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Flows Through:</strong> It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before flowing into the Indus River.</li>
<li>Some of the<strong> important projects/dams on Chenab:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ratle-hydro-electric-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ratle Hydro Electric Project</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Salal Dam- hydroelectric power project</strong> near Reasi</li>
<li><strong>Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant-</strong> power project in Kishtwar District</li>
<li><strong>Pakal Dul Dam (under construction)</strong>- on a tributary <strong>Marusadar River</strong> in Kishtwar District.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617782071_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617782071_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1709652" 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/chenab-bridge'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Integrated Health Information Platform',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare</strong> has launched the <strong>Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP),</strong> that is the next generation highly <strong>refined version of the presently used Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-disease-surveillance-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDSP</a>).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IIHP is an <strong>advanced disease surveillance system.</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>It will <strong>track 33 diseases (as compared to the earlier 18 diseases)</strong> and will ensure near-real-time data in digital mode.</li>
<li>It will <strong>provide a health information system</strong> developed for real time, case-based information, integrated analytics, advanced visualization capability.</li>
<li>Data will be provided in real time through:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Grassroots healthcare workers</strong> through their gadgets (tablets);</li>
<li><strong>Doctors at the PHC</strong> (Primary Healthcare Centre)/CHC (Community Health Centre)/DH (District Hospital) when the citizens seek healthcare; and</li>
<li><strong>Diagnostic labs</strong> which will provide data on the tests carried out.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Key Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Real time data reporting</strong> (along through mobile application); <strong>accessible at all levels</strong> (from villages, states and central level).</li>
<li>Advanced data modelling &amp; analytical tools.</li>
<li><strong>Geographic Information System (GIS) enabled Graphical representation of data</strong> into integrated dashboard.</li>
<li>Role &amp; hierarchy-based feedback &amp; alert mechanisms.</li>
<li><strong>Geo-tagging</strong> of reporting health facilities.</li>
<li>Scope for data integration with other health programs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>collection of authentic data will become easy</strong> as it comes directly from the village/block level; the last mile from the country.</li>
<li>This digital platform for scouting the earliest signs of disease spread in the smallest of villages and blocks in the country will <strong>immensely help in nipping in the bud any potential outbreak or epidemic.</strong></li>
<li>It is in sync with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-digital-health-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NDHM aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>information system for precision public health</strong> is essential for delivering &lsquo;the right intervention at the right time, every time to the right population.&rsquo;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In recent years, the use of technology to enhance precision in public health, including the use of pathogen genomics, enhanced surveillance and informatics, and targeted interventions has steadily gone up.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>With its implementation, India is marching towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> in healthcare through use of technology.</li>
<li>This refined digital surveillance platform will help to provide and connect data and move towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/onehealth-approach" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;One Health&rsquo; approach.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One Health is an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in assistance with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a>, in 2004.</li>
<li>It <strong>continued as the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)</strong> during 12<sup>th</sup> Plan (2012&ndash;17) under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission</strong> </a>with a domestic budget.</li>
<li>Under it, a Central Surveillance Unit (CSU) at Delhi, State Surveillance Units (SSU) at all State/Union Territories (UTs) head quarters and District Surveillance Units (DSU) at all Districts have been established.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based and IT enabled disease surveillance systems for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends.</li>
<li>To detect and respond to outbreaks in the early rising phase through trained Rapid Response Teams (RRTs).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Programme Components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Integration and decentralization of surveillance activities through <strong>establishment of surveillance units</strong> at Centre, State and District level.</li>
<li><strong>Human Resource Development &ndash;</strong> Training of State Surveillance Officers (SSOs), District Surveillance Officers (DSOs), RRT and other medical and paramedical staff on principles of disease surveillance.</li>
<li><strong>Use of Information Communication Technology</strong> for collection, collation, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data.</li>
<li>Strengthening of public health laboratories.</li>
<li>Inter sectoral Coordination for<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/zoonotic-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> zoonotic diseases.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID%3D1709676&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1617784556747000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3SdlYA3fvN3A3LO8LCxSA_" 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/integrated-health-information-platform'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Direct Payment of Minimum Support Price',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>After the recent orders from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-corporation-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Corporation of India (FCI)</strong></a>, the farm unions warned that the Centre&rsquo;s insistence on <strong>direct payment of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/minimum-support-price-for-crops#:~:text=MSP%20is%20a%20%E2%80%9Cminimum%20price,they%20procure%20the%20particular%20crop." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minimum Support Price (MSP)</a></strong> could derail the <strong>crop procurement process.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Orders from FCI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Direct Payment of Minimum Support Price (MSP):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Centre wants to<strong> make direct online MSP payment to farmers&rsquo; bank accounts,</strong> to remove middlemen from the process.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>MSP is the price that government agencies pay whenever they procure the particular crop.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Currently, <strong>arhtiyas (commission agents)</strong> get the payments in their accounts, which they in turn pay to farmers through cheques.</li>
<li>The <strong>Centre has to pay 2.5% commission to arhtiyas</strong> who facilitate procurement of the crop from farmers to government agencies and take commission for that from the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jamabandhi System:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>FCI order stipulates that tenant farmers and sharecroppers must produce a jamabandhi.</li>
<li>Jamabandhi is a<strong> legal agreement</strong> proving that they have the right to till leased land, in order to get paid for procured crops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The FCI&rsquo;s also proposed to <strong>tighten quality requirements for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/alternative-to-msp-crops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wheat and paddy</a> procurement.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Transparency and Accountability:</strong> The FCI has insisted that direct payment to farmers&rsquo; bank accounts, bypassing the powerful arhatiyas or commission agents, will lead to greater <strong>transparency and accountability. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Non-Discriminatory in Nature:</strong> There is no selection bias in choosing the beneficiaries based on attributes like caste and land size.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges to the FCI Order:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since arhtiyas play a key role in the Punjab and Haryana farm ecosystem by providing farm loans, the move has been <strong>opposed by a large section of farmers, as well as the Punjab government.</strong></li>
<li>According to farm unions, implementing direct payment in haste can lead to many complex problems that will exclude so many farmers from getting their price of the crop.</li>
<li>Thousands of sharecroppers do not have Jamabandhi or legal agreements and will be hit hard.</li>
<li>The FCI&rsquo;s proposals to <strong>tighten quality requirements for wheat and paddy procurement</strong> are also being opposed.</li>
<li>At a broader level, farmers connected their issues with the FCI with their existing demands to repeal the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agricultural-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>farm laws</strong> </a>and enact a legal guarantee for procurement of all crops and minimum support prices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Food Corporation of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FCI is a<strong> statutory body</strong> set up in 1965 by the <strong>Food Corporations Act 1964 under Department of Food &amp; Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.</strong></li>
<li>It was established against the backdrop of a major shortage of grains, especially wheat.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Simultaneously, the <strong>Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)</strong> was created in 1965 to<strong> recommend remunerative prices (MSP) to farmers.</strong> CACP is an attached office of the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has primary duty to undertake purchase, store, move/transport, distribute and sell food grains and other foodstuffs.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives of FCI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide <strong>remunerative prices</strong> to farmers.</li>
<li>Ensuring <strong>food security</strong> of the nation by maintaining satisfactory levels of<strong> operational buffer stocks</strong> of food grains.</li>
<li>Distribution of food grains throughout the country for the<strong> Public Distribution System.</strong></li>
<li>Effective <strong>Price Support Operations</strong> for safeguarding the interest of farmers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/farm-unions-protest-fcis-direct-payment-tenancy-documentation-orders/article34245720.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/direct-payment-of-minimum-support-price'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Should India Join NATO?',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/why-india-must-not-say-no-to-nato-7260435/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Why India must not say &lsquo;no&rsquo; to NATO&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 06/04/2021. It talks about the pros and cons of India becoming a member of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).</a></strong></p>
</div>
<p>In the last few years, European countries have asserted to play a significant role in the Indo-Pacific region. India too knows that no single power can produce stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.</p>
<p>Moreover, China&rsquo;s meteoric rise has dramatically heightened India&rsquo;s need for closer security relationships with politically reliable, like-minded states. In order to tackle this geopolitical challenge, India will have to undertake more deliberate efforts to counter-balance the juggernaut of Chinese power.</p>
<p>One such arrangement, which has been recently floated by many western countries, is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extending NATO&rsquo;s membership to India.</strong></a> Although NATO&rsquo;s membership in India will have positive implications, it will have serious ramifications too.</p>
<h3>Arguments for India Becoming NATO&rsquo;s Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>End of Cold War:</strong> During the Cold War, India&rsquo;s refusal to join any of the Military bloc (NATO or Warsaw pact led by the USSR) was premised on its non-alignment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>That argument had little justification once the Cold War ended during 1989-91. Since then, NATO has built partnerships with many neutral and non-aligned</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Creation of Deterrence:</strong> Article 5 of the NATO treaty held that an attack against a member nation of the NATO would be considered to be an attack against all the members of the alliance and would call for joint military action against the aggressor.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would create deterrence for China and Pakistan to attack India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military-Strategic Benefits:</strong> An India-NATO dialogue would simply mean having regular contact with a military alliance, most of whose members are well-established partners of India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, India has military exchanges with many members of NATO &mdash; including the US, Britain, and France &mdash; in bilateral and multilateral formats.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the longer term, India would derive military-strategic benefits from a partnership with the world&rsquo;s most powerful alliance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Era of Multi-Alignment</strong>: India might align with China and developing nations against the US in <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organisation (WTO)</strong></a> but militarily oppose China while contemplating a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Quad&rdquo;</strong></a> with the USA, Japan, and Australia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, Egypt and Israel are both NATO partners who maintain defense relationships with Russia.</li>
<li>Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Austria are all NATO partners with long-standing neutralist traditions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Convergence on Many Issues:</strong> A sustained dialogue between India and NATO could facilitate productive exchanges in a range of areas, including terrorism, changing geopolitics; the evolving nature of military conflict, the role of emerging military technologies, and new military doctrines.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Argument Against India Becoming NATO&rsquo;s Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Conflict Within NATO:</strong> NATO members have conflicting opinions on how to share the military burden and strike the right balance between NATO and the EU&rsquo;s quest for an independent military role.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, NATO members disagree on policy related to Russia, the Middle East, and China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deteriorate Relations With Russia:</strong> By becoming a NATO member, India&rsquo;s long-standing and strong ties with Russia will get frayed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia has shown displeasure on account of India&rsquo;s growing strategic convergence with the US.</li>
<li>Moreover, this could further strengthen the already deepening relation between China and Russia.</li>
<li>Considering that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decline-in-india-s-arms-imports-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India still is heavily dependent on the Russian military equipment</strong></a>, joining NATO seems like an eminently bad idea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issue of Sovereignty:</strong> Another issue would be the establishment of NATO bases on India&rsquo;s territory. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This might invite widespread protests in the country and may even be considered an infringement of our sovereignty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dragging Down Into Various Conflicts:</strong> The downside of joining NATO is that India would get dragged into various conflicts around the globe.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would result in a lot of Indian soldiers dying in various conflicts in which we have no reason at all to be involved in.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The bureaucratization of the engagement between India and western countries has prevented India from taking full advantage of re-emerging geopolitics of the Atlantic. However, India&rsquo;s recent proactive approach has certainly sought to end this prolonged political neglect.</p>
<p>Given this, a pragmatic engagement with NATO countries must be an important part of India&rsquo;s foreign policy but it must refrain from becoming a formal member of NATO.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fbfffa;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India&rsquo;s continued reluctance to engage a major institution like NATO will be a stunning case of strategic self-denial. Critically Analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/should-india-join-nato'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Forest Fires: A Very Big Concern',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Since the advent of the year 2021, there has been a series of forest fires in many states of India, including in Wildlife Sanctuaries.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Forest Fires:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also called <strong>bush or vegetation fire or wildfire,</strong> it can be described as<strong> any uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in a natural setting</strong> such as a forest, grassland, brush land or tundra, which consumes the natural fuels and spreads based on environmental conditions (e.g., wind, topography).</li>
<li>Forest Fires <strong>can be incited by human actions,</strong> such as land clearing, extreme drought or in rare cases by lightning.</li>
<li>There are<strong> three conditions</strong> that need to be present in order for a wildfire to burn: fuel, oxygen, and a heat source.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Instances of Forest Fires in 2021:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>January saw prolonged fires in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh (Kullu Valley) and Nagaland-Manipur border (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dzukou-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dzukou Valley</strong></a>).</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/similipal-biosphere-reserve-odisha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Simlipal National Park in Odisha</strong></a> saw a major fire between February-end and early March.</li>
<li>Recent fires also include those in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/elephant-colony-in-bandhavgarh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve in Madhya Pradesh</strong></a>, and in<strong> sanctuaries for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-the-population-of-asiatic-lions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asiatic lion</a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-the-population-of-asiatic-lions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">great Indian bustard</a> in Gujarat.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Vulnerability of India&rsquo;s Forests to Fires:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of 2019, <strong>about 21.67% (7,12,249 sq km) of the country&rsquo;s geographical area is identified as forest,</strong> according to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-state-of-forest-report-isfr-2019#:~:text=The%202019%20survey%20has%20found,last%20assessment%20it%20was%2024.39%25." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> India State of Forest Report 2019</strong></a> (ISFR) released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tree cover makes up another 2.89% (95, 027 sq km).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Based on previous fire incidents and records, <strong>forests of the Northeast and central India regions are the most vulnerable</strong> areas to forest fires.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Forests in Assam, Mizoram and Tripura have been identified as <strong>&lsquo;extremely prone&rsquo;</strong> to forest fire.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States with large forest areas under the &lsquo;very highly prone&rsquo; category</strong> include Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.</li>
<li>As per the 2020-2021 annual report of the MoEFCC, Western Maharashtra, Southern Chhattisgarh and areas of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, along with central Odisha, are turning into <strong>&lsquo;extremely prone&rsquo; forest fire hotspots.</strong></li>
<li>Areas under the<strong> &lsquo;highly prone&rsquo; and &lsquo;moderately prone&rsquo; categories make up about 26.2% of the total forest cover &mdash;</strong> a whopping 1,72,374 sq km.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617708725_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617708725_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cause of Forest Fires:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Forest fires can be caused by a number of natural causes, but <strong>many major fires in India are triggered mainly by human activities.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Emerging studies <strong>link climate change to rising instances of fires globally,</strong> especially the massive <strong>fires of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amazon-rainforest" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Amazon forests in Brazil</a> and in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australian-bushfire#:~:text=The%20fire%20has%20impacted%20more,of%20wild%20animals%20have%20died.&amp;text=The%20three%20years%20between%202017,(a%20state%20of%20Australia)." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a></strong> in the last two years.</li>
<li>Fires of longer duration, increasing intensity, higher frequency and highly inflammable nature are all being linked to climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India, forest fires are most commonly reported during <strong>March and April,</strong> when the ground has large quantities of <strong>dry wood, logs, dead leaves, stumps, dry grass and weeds</strong> that can make forests easily go up in flames if there is a trigger.</li>
<li>In<strong> Uttarakhand,</strong> the <strong>lack of soil moisture</strong> too is being seen as a key factor. In two consecutive monsoon seasons (2019 and 2020), rainfall has been deficient by 18% and 20% of the seasonal average, respectively.</li>
<li>Most fires are <strong>man-made,</strong> sometimes even <strong>deliberately caused.</strong> For example, in Odisha, which saw a major fire last month in Simlipal forest, villagers are known to set dry leaves to fire in order to collect mahua flowers, which go into preparation of a local drink.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact of Forest Fire:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Forest fires can have <strong>multiple adverse effects on the forest cover, soil, tree growth, vegetation, and the overall flora and fauna.</strong></li>
<li>Fires render several hectares of forest useless and leave behind ash, making it unfit for any vegetation growth.</li>
<li>Heat generated during the fire <strong>destroys animal habitats.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Soil quality decreases with the alteration in their compositions.</li>
<li>Soil moisture and fertility, too, is affected.</li>
<li>Forests can shrink in size.</li>
<li>The trees that survive fire often remain stunted and growth is severely affected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance of Forests:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Forests play an important role in <strong>mitigation and adaptation to climate change.</strong></li>
<li>They act as<strong> a sink, reservoir and source of carbon.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A healthy forest stores and sequesters more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India, with 1.70 lakh villages in close proximity to forests (Census 2011), the <strong>livelihood of several crores of people is dependent</strong> on fuelwood, bamboo, fodder, and small timber.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Efforts to Mitigate Forest Fires:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since 2004, the <strong>FSI (Forest Survey of India)</strong> developed the <strong>Forest Fire Alert System</strong> to monitor forest fires in real time. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In its advanced version launched in January 2019, the system now uses satellite information gathered from <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NASA</strong></a> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ISRO</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Action Plan on Forest Fires (NAPFF) 2018</strong> and <strong>Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-forest-fires-break-out-in-the-spring-and-why-they-have-been-so-frequent-this-year-7259057/" 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/forest-fires-a-very-big-concern'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Babu Jagjivan Ram',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister paid tributes to <strong>freedom fighter and former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram</strong> on his <strong>113<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Jagjivan Ram, <strong>popularly known as Babuji,</strong> was a national leader, a freedom fighter, a crusader of social justice, a champion of depressed classes and an outstanding Parliamentarian.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617704770_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617704770_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="304" height="265" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Jagjivan Ram was born on<strong> 5<sup>th</sup> April 1908</strong> in <strong>Chandwa in Bihar</strong> to a Dalit family.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Early Life and Education:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He pursued his schooling at the<strong> nearby town of Arrah</strong> where he faced discrimination for the first time. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was considered<strong> &lsquo;untouchable&rsquo;</strong> and had to drink water from a different pot. Jagjivan Ram protested against this by breaking the pot. The principal then had to remove the separate pot from the school.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In 1925,</strong> Jagjivan Ram met scholar <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/madan-mohan-malaviya-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya</strong></a> and was greatly inspired by him. On Malaviya&rsquo;s invitation, he <strong>joined the Banaras Hindu University.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Even <strong>at the university, Jagjivan Ram faced discrimination</strong>. This inspired him to protest against such social boycotts of a section of society.</li>
<li>He also<strong> organised the scheduled castes to protest against injustice.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After his stint at BHU, he joined the <strong>University of Calcutta</strong> from where he secured a <strong>B.Sc. degree in 1931.</strong></li>
<li>Jagjivan Ram had organized a number of Ravidas Sammelans and had<strong> celebrated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/guru-ravidas-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guru Ravidas Jayanti</a></strong> in different areas of Calcutta (Kolkata).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pre Independence Contributions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 1931,</strong> he became a member of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/important-indian-national-congress-sessions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian National Congress</strong></a> (Congress Party).</li>
<li>He was instrumental in the foundation of the <strong>All India Depressed Classes League, </strong>an<strong> organisation dedicated to attaining equality for untouchables, in 1934-35.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was a champion of <strong>social equality and equal rights for the Depressed Classes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1935, he proposed at a session of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/veer-savarkar-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hindu Mahasabha</strong></a> that drinking water wells and temples be open to untouchables.</li>
<li>In 1935, Babuji also <strong>appeared before the Hammond Commission</strong> at Ranchi and demanded, for the first time, <strong>voting rights for the Dalits.</strong></li>
<li>He was<strong> jailed twice</strong> in the early 1940s for his political activities associated with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quit-india-movement-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quit India movement</strong></a> against British rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Post Independence Contributions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When Jawaharlal Nehru formed the provisional government, <strong>Jagjivan Ram became its youngest minister.</strong></li>
<li>After independence he held the <strong>labour portfolio until 1952.</strong> Thereafter he served in Nehru&rsquo;s cabinet in the posts of <strong>minister for communications (1952&ndash;56), transport and railways (1956&ndash;62),</strong> and <strong>transport and communications (1962&ndash;63).</strong></li>
<li>He served as <strong>minister for food and agriculture (1967&ndash;70), </strong>and in<strong> 1970 he was made minister of defence.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20India%20decided,save%20Bengali%20Muslims%20and%20Hindus.&amp;text=On%2016th%20December%201971,and%20Mukti%20Bahini%20in%20Dhaka." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pakistan War of 1971</strong></a> was fought when he was the<strong> defence minister.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>He left Congress in 1977 and joined the Janata Party alliance, along with his Congress for Democracy (new party). He later served as the <strong>Deputy Prime Minister of India (1977&ndash;79).</strong></li>
<li>Jagjivan Ram was a<strong> member of the Parliament uninterrupted from 1936 to 1986 (40 years) and this is a world record. </strong></li>
<li>He also holds another<strong> record for being the longest-serving cabinet minister in India (30 years).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He died on<strong> 6<sup>th</sup> July 1986 at New Delhi.</strong></li>
<li>His memorial at his cremation place is named<strong> Samta Sthal (Place of Equality).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1709554" 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/babu-jagjivan-ram'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Multilateral Maritime Exercise La Perouse',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Indian Navy Ships INS Satpura</strong> and <strong>INS Kiltan</strong> alongwith <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-approves-sale-of-military-hardware" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft</strong></a> are participating,<strong> for the first time in multilateral maritime exercise La P&eacute;rouse,</strong> being conducted in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region from 5<sup>th</sup> to 7<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Post conduct of<strong> La Perouse,</strong> the <strong>Indo-French Naval</strong> exercise <strong>&ldquo;Varuna&ldquo;</strong> is scheduled in the <strong>Western Indian Ocean,</strong> wherein <strong>UAE</strong> too shall be participating.</li>
</ul>
<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 first edition of <strong>La P&eacute;rouse</strong> joint exercise, <strong>initiated by France in 2019</strong>, included ships from Australia, Japan and the US.</li>
<li>The exercise is <strong>named after the eighteenth century French Naval explorer.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India's participation in 2021 completed the QUAD force representation</strong> in the French led Naval Exercise. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>QUAD</strong> is a <strong>grouping of India, USA, Australia and Japan</strong> which aims to safeguard the interests of democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific region and address global challenges.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will witness complex and advanced naval operations including <strong>surface warfare, anti-air warfare and air defence exercises, weapon firing exercises, cross deck flying operations, tactical manoeuvres and seamanship evolutions</strong> such as replenishment at sea.</li>
<li>It will provide an opportunity for these five like-minded, high-end naval forces to develop closer links, sharpen their skills, and promote maritime cooperation throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naval Significance of Indo-Pacific:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Indo-Pacific is slowly but surely turning into a serious Naval Theatre for multi-national activities</strong> with a vision to establish a free, open, inclusive and a rule-based ordering of the Indo-Pacific to support the freedom of navigation and peaceful cooperative use of the seas.</li>
<li>The goal is to respect and adhere to the international laws like the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones#:~:text=United%20Nations%20Convention%20on%20the,EEZ)%20and%20the%20High%20Seas." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)</strong> </a>and peaceful resolution of territorial sea disputes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>role of the QUAD navies in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region)</strong> has been well illustrated by the effective cooperative engagement capabilities of the multi-national Naval powers through naval exercises like formation sailing, live fire drills, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations etc.</li>
<li>Navies of member countries of <strong>QUAD</strong> participated in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-to-join-malabar-exercise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Malabar wargaming exercise</strong></a> in November 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, <strong>China endeavours to establish a defensive perimeter around its seas (Yellow Sea, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/senkaku-islands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East China Sea</a> and part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/south-china-sea-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Sea</a>)</strong> by following a sea denial policy in these regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702901_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702901_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>QUAD+ France Pacific Ocean Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> region of Pacific Islands</strong> stretches from Hawaii in the north to Tonga in the south, and Easter Island in the east to New Caledonia in the west.</li>
<li><strong>US interest in the Indo-Pacific region</strong> has always been well illustrated with the fact that<strong> US Indo-Pacific Command</strong> established after World War II is the largest unified command.</li>
<li><strong>France</strong> has a direct<strong> strategic and economic stake in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna.</strong> France is a member of the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).</li>
<li><strong>Japan</strong> although has trade ties with China but has always been<strong> suspicious of China&rsquo;s growth as a military power.</strong> China&rsquo;s assertiveness closer to Japanese waters and airspace have been a testing time for Japan.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Navy</strong> has always maintained a tactical advantage over the IOR to ensure compliance to the internationally established Rules of the Road (ROR) for the seas. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This has been respected by the world (like declaration of warships transiting IOR etc.), but Indian Navy has <strong>observed and reported multiple sightings of undeclared Chinese ships and submarines</strong> suspiciously lurking within the IOR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indo-French Joint Exercises</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-desert-knight-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Desert Knight-21</a> </strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garuda-vi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Garuda</strong> </a>(Air exercise)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Varuna</strong></a> (Naval exercise)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-shakti-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shakti</strong> </a>(Army exercise)</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702945_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702945_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/quad-navies-participating-in-france-led-exercise-in-eastern-indian-ocean-region-from-april-5-7260225/" 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/multilateral-maritime-exercise-la-perouse'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Every year, <strong>21<sup>st</sup> March,</strong> is observed as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-23rd-march-2019#:~:text=International%20Day%20for%20the%20Elimination,populism%20and%20extreme%20supremacist%20ideologies." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The day calls for<strong> solidarity against racism </strong>and<strong> racial discrimination.</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>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> United Nation General Assembly</strong></a> in October 1966 proclaimed<strong> 21<sup>st</sup> March</strong> as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, to be commemorated annually.</li>
<li>On that day, in <strong>1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people</strong> at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa<strong>, against the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-africa-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apartheid</a> pass laws.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aparthied:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was a policy which governed <strong>relations between South Africa&rsquo;s white minority and non-white majority.</strong></li>
<li>It<strong> sanctioned racial segregation,</strong> poltical and economic discrimination against non-whites.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Proclaiming the Day in <strong>1966</strong> which signifies the struggle to <strong>end the policy of apartheid in South Africa.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>2021 Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>&lsquo;Youth standing up against racism'</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Racial discrimination, beyond being a breach of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/human-rights-day-2#:~:text=These%20are%20rights%20inherent%20to,and%20education%2C%20and%20many%20more." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>human rights</strong></a>, has harmful effects on human health and well-being, and risks wider disruptions to social cohesion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Racism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Racism, also called racialism, the belief that <strong>humans may be divided into separate and exclusive biological entities</strong> called<strong> &ldquo;races&rdquo;;</strong> that there is a causal <strong>link between inherited physical traits and traits of personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural and behavioral features;</strong> and that some races are innately superior to others.</li>
<li>The term is also applied to political, economic, or legal institutions and systems that engage in or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of race or otherwise reinforce racial inequalities in wealth and income, education, health care, civil rights, and other areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Xenophobia</strong> and Racism mostly overlap, but the stark difference is<strong> racism is discrimination based on physical characteristics</strong> whereas <strong>xenophobia is discrimination based on the perception that someone is foreign</strong> or originating from another community or nation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The word Xenophobia originates from the Greek word Xeno.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617694422_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617694422_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Current Prevalence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>anonymity of the Internet</strong> has allowed <strong>racist stereotypes</strong> and inaccurate information to spread online. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the onset of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/future-pandemics-and-reduction-measures" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a>, traffic to hate sites and specific posts against Asians <strong>grew by 200% in the US.</strong></li>
<li>In India and in Sri Lanka, social media groups and messaging platforms were used to call for <strong>social and economic boycotts of religious minorities,</strong> amid false information accusing them of spreading the virus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Structural forms of discrimination, including <strong>micro-aggressions</strong> and everyday indignities, remain widespread.</li>
<li>The <strong>use of new technologies and artificial intelligence in security raise the spectre of &lsquo;techno-racism&rsquo;,</strong> as facial recognition programmes can misidentify and target racialized communities.</li>
<li>Prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory acts, whether subtle or overt, aggravate existing inequalities in societies. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A study published by The Lancet drew attention to the social dimension of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and the greater vulnerability of ethnic minorities, who have been disproportionately affected.</li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization</strong></a> has cautioned on the dangers of profiling and stigmatising communities that can lead to fear and the subsequent concealment of cases and delays in detection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives Against Racism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization&rsquo;s (UNESCO)</strong></a> actions against racism through education, the sciences, culture, and communication offer an example of a way forward.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities</strong> of UNESCO provides an additional platform for city-level planning and a laboratory for good practices in the fight against racism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>UNESCO&rsquo;s headquarters in Paris hosted a <strong>Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination</strong> on 22<sup>nd</sup> March 2021, in partnership with the Republic of Korea. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Forum gathered policymakers, academics, and partners to initiate a new multi-stakeholder partnership on anti-racism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In January 2021 the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/davos-dialogue-world-economic-forum" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Economic Forum</strong></a> launched a <strong>coalition of organizations </strong>committed to <strong>improving racial and ethnic justice in the workplace.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uk-to-issue-coin-in-honour-of-mahatma-gandhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Black Lives Matter&rsquo;</strong> </a>protests gained momentum in not only the United States but the whole world. People, as well as many governments across different countries, came forth against the prevalence of racial discrimination worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provisions Against Racial Discrimination in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-articles-from-indian-constitution-compilation-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 15, Article 16 and Article 29</strong></a> of the Constitution of India prohibit discrimination on grounds of &ldquo;race&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Section 153A of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-road-map-for-criminal-justice-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Penal Code (IPC)</strong> </a>also refers to &ldquo;race&rdquo;.</li>
<li>India also ratified the <strong>International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)</strong> in 1968.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Through <strong>new approaches to intercultural dialogue and learning, youth and communities</strong> can be equipped with skills to eradicate harmful stereotypes and foster tolerance.</li>
<li>Recent and new manifestations of racism and discrimination call for renewed commitments to mobilise for equality. Racism will not be overcome with mere professions of good faith but <strong>must be combatted with anti-racist action. </strong></li>
<li><strong>A global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination</strong> should be built first and foremost in the minds of women and men.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-road-map-for-tolerance/article34238920.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/international-day-for-the-elimination-of-racial-discrimination'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Effect of Dust on Monsoon',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study details how the <strong>Indian monsoon</strong> gets influenced by the <strong>atmospheric dust particles</strong> swept up by winds <strong>from deserts in the Middle East (Asian Deserts).</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625039_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625039_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="576" height="250" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dust :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dust is <strong>very small dry particles of earth or sand.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>PM10 and PM2.5</strong> refers to dust classified by the size of particles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> natural erosion of soil, sand and rock</strong> is the <strong>most common source</strong> of dust.</li>
<li>Dust emission is common in urban areas<strong> from a range of activities such as gardening, to large scale industrial operations.</strong></li>
<li>It is<strong> known to influence monsoons, hurricanes and even fertilize rainforests.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>dust emission scheme is extremely sensitive to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a></strong> and understanding these mechanisms and effects of dust can help understand our <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>monsoon</strong></a> systems in the face of global climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effect of Dust on Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dust storms from the desert when lifted by strong winds can absorb solar radiation and become hot.</li>
<li>This can cause <strong>heating of the atmosphere, change the air pressure, wind circulation patterns, influence moisture transport and increase precipitation and rainfall.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effect on Indian Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dust from the <strong>Middle East [West Asia]</strong> and also from the <strong>Iranian Plateau</strong> also influences the <strong>Indian Summer Monsoon (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-ocean-dipole-and-the-south-west-monsoon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South West Monsoon</a>).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The hot air over the Iranian Plateau can heat the atmosphere over the plateau, strengthen the circulation over the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and increase dust emission from the Middle East [West Asia].</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reverse Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian Summer Monsoon has a reverse effect and can <strong>increase the winds in West Asia to produce yet more dust.</strong></li>
<li>A strong monsoon can also transport air to West Asia and again pick up a lot of dust.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effect of Anthropogenic Dust:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>a difference of opinion,</strong> some studies found that anthropogenic<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> aerosols</strong></a> emitted from the Indian subcontinent can decrease summer monsoon precipitation, while others found that absorbing aerosols such as dust can strengthen the monsoon circulation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aerosols</strong> are defined as a combination of liquid or solid particles suspended in a gaseous or liquid environment.</li>
<li><strong>Anthropogenic aerosols include sulfate, nitrate, and carbonaceous aerosols,</strong> and are mainly from fossil fuel combustion sources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, a recent study showed that they can <strong>strengthen Indian summer monsoon rainfall.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Aerosol particles, such as dust, play an important role in the precipitation process, providing the nuclei upon which condensation and freezing take place.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Deserts in Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deserts across the globe play important roles in monsoons.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The dust aerosols from deserts in <strong>West China</strong> such as the <strong>Taklamakan desert</strong> and the<strong> Gobi Desert</strong> can be transported eastward to eastern China and can influence the East Asia summer monsoon.</li>
<li>In the <strong>southwest United States,</strong> there are some small deserts that influence the <strong>North African monsoon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Deserts of the World:</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625297_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625297_image7.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Monsoon</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A monsoon often brings about thoughts of torrential rains, similar to a hurricane or typhoon. But there is a difference: a <strong>monsoon is not a single storm; rather, it is a seasonal wind shift over a region.</strong></li>
<li>The shift may<strong> cause heavy rains in the summer,</strong> but at other times, it may cause a dry spell.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cause for Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A monsoon <strong>(from the Arabic mawsim, which means "season")</strong> arises due to a <strong>difference in temperatures between a land mass and the adjacent ocean.</strong></li>
<li>The sun warms the land and ocean differently, causing the winds to play "tug of war" eventually <strong>switching directions bringing the cooler, moister air from over the ocean.</strong></li>
<li>The winds reverse again at the end of the monsoon season.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Types:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Wet Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A wet monsoon typically <strong>occurs during the summer months</strong> (about April through September) bringing heavy rains.</li>
<li>On average, approximately <strong>75% of India's annual rainfall</strong> and about <strong>50% of the North American monsoon region</strong> comes during the summer monsoon season.</li>
<li>The wet monsoon begins when winds bring cooler, more humid air from above the oceans to the land.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dry Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A dry monsoon typically occurs between<strong> October and April.</strong></li>
<li>Instead of coming from the oceans, the <strong>winds tend to come from drier, warmer climates</strong> such as from Mongolia and northwestern China down into India.</li>
<li>Dry monsoons tend to be<strong> less powerful than their summer counterparts.</strong></li>
<li>The winter monsoon occurs when "the land cools off faster than the water and a high pressure develops over the land, blocking any ocean air from penetrating." This leads to a dry period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Location:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A monsoon forms in the tropics <strong>(between 0 and 23.5 degrees latitude north and south)</strong> and subtropics <strong>(between 23.5 degrees and 35 degrees latitude north and south).</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>strongest monsoons tend to occur in India and South Asia in the north and Australia and Malaysia in the south.</strong></li>
<li>Monsoons also occur in southern parts of North America, in Central America, northern areas of South America, and in western Africa.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/how-asian-desert-dust-enhances-indian-summer-monsoon/article34232324.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/effect-of-dust-on-monsoon'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Decentralizing Climate Assistance',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/the-role-of-mgnregs-in-the-climate-crisis-101617458768249.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The role of MGNREGA in the climate crisis&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindustan Times on 03/04/2021. It talks about how can MGNREGA help in tackling climate change.</p>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis#:~:text=MGNREGA%20is%20one%20of%20the,work%2Drelated%20unskilled%20manual%20work." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA)</strong></a> has made immense contributions towards livelihood security and the creation of durable assets in rural areas.</p>
<p>While MGNREGA has been a valuable employment tool and safety net, as seen in the migrant crisis, its role in building ecosystems resilient to the climate crisis is being increasingly recognized.</p>
<p>A climate-smart MGNREGA can lower the risks posed by the climate crisis while providing legally mandated demand-driven employment to resource-poor households.</p>
<p>Hence, there is a need to bring upfront the scheme&rsquo;s potential in addressing matters of lives and livelihoods while combating the climate emergency.</p>
<h3>MGNREGA &amp; Climate Change</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although the MGNREGA was not designed specifically as a climate program, it incorporates three key elements with the potential to advance pro-poor climate assistance objectives: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Social protection through the provision of minimum wage labor;</li>
<li>The development of small-scale, natural resource-focused infrastructure; and</li>
<li>A decentralized, &lsquo;community-based planning architecture.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>MGNREGS is a well-established mechanism for planning, delivering, and monitoring expenditure. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can deliver climate finance at scale into the hands of poor rural households &mdash; particularly the most vulnerable groups including women and scheduled castes and tribes &mdash; based on their priorities</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Can MGNREGA Help in Tackling Climate Change?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Natural Resource Management:</strong> In 2020-21, of the total expenditure spent on MGNREGA, about two-thirds were on works related to natural resource management (NRM). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mammoth scale of the NRM component in MGNREGA provides a major boost to improving the productive capacity of the land, water, and forest resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Risk:</strong> This will help reduce the vulnerability to climate risk as groundwater availability increases, soil fertility improves, tree cover is enhanced, drought- and flood-proofing measures are put in place.</li>
<li><strong>Augmenting Climate Change Adaptation:</strong> A recent study by the Centre for Science and Environment concludes that MGNREGA is the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s biggest adaptation program as it harnesses the labor of people to invest in building the wherewithal to fight drought and build resilience&rdquo;.</li>
<li><strong>Achieving INDC:</strong> As part of its efforts to tackle climate change, India has to meet three key targets: building capacity for 40% electric power from non-fossil fuel, cut in emissions by 33-35% from the 2005 level, and create carbon sinks of about 2.5 to 3 billion tons. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is on its way to meet the first two targets but lagging on the third one. Going by present trends, target achievement will prove to be a major challenge.</li>
<li>In the Report submitted by the Union government to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the MGNREGA&rsquo;s contribution to sequester carbon was assessed at 62 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2017-18.</li>
<li>This performance needs to be enhanced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>To strengthen MGNREGA and dealing with Climate change linkage, the following needs to be done:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Augmenting Financial Resources:</strong> Topping up administrative or convergence funds to strengthen MGNREGA functionaries and workers&rsquo; skills to build and benefit from climate-resilient and low-carbon assets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will make it truly demand-driven and engage more people to work for climate change remediation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deepening the Scope of Convergence:</strong> There is a need to deepen the scope of convergence by proactively linking farm assets with climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, robust methodologies for measurement and accounting of environmental services can be developed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strengthening MGNREGA Monitoring and Evaluation Systems:</strong> More independent studies and surveys can be conducted that can quantify the scheme&rsquo;s adaptation and mitigation capacity to climate risks.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, there is a need for the feedback proformas not just the numerical count of works being undertaken but also the environmental services provided.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Anticipatory Wage Employment:</strong> Building climate risk information (weather, climate hazards, and climate vulnerabilities), services, and skills to support anticipatory wage employment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>It is time to acknowledge MGNREGA as a climate-smart green employment generation program. In a world that will continue to warm, the rural poor will suffer its worst consequences. As a public intervention, Climate-smart MGNREGA appears to be a step in the right direction.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In a world that will continue to warm, the rural poor will suffer its worst consequences. Discuss the role that can be played by MGNREGA in dealing with the climate crisis.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/decentralizing-climate-assistance'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Maoist Attack in Sukma',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A team of security forces was attacked by a <strong>People&rsquo;s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA)</strong> unit in the Tarrem area near the <strong>Sukma-Bijapur district border, Chhattisgarh</strong>. Several security personnel were killed and many were injured.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PLGA was founded in 2000. It has been declared as a terrorist organisation and banned under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unlawful-activities-prevention-act-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967 (UAPA)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622414_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622414_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Sukma District:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Located in the <strong>southern tip of the state of Chhattisgarh,</strong> the district was carved out of Dantewada in the year 2012.</li>
<li>It is covered with the<strong> semi-tropical forest</strong> and is a mainland of tribal community <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gond-tribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gond</strong></a>.</li>
<li>One major river that flows through the district is<strong> Sabari (a tributary of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/godavari-river-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Godavari river</a>).</strong></li>
<li>Over a few decades, this region has become a fostering ground for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/left-wing-extremism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Left Wing Extremism (LWE)</strong></a> activities. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Uneven terrains and the tricky geographic locations made this region a safer hideout for the LWE activists.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Left Wing Extremism in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Left-wing extremists,</strong> popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.</li>
<li>The<strong> term Naxalism</strong> derives its name from the village <strong>Naxalbari of West Bengal.</strong> It <strong>originated as a rebellion against local landlords</strong> who bashed a peasant over a land dispute. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The rebellion was<strong> initiated in 1967,</strong> with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The movement has <strong>spread across the Eastern India in less developed areas</strong> of states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
<li>It is considered that<strong> Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maoism is<strong> a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung.</strong> It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Left Wing Extremism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Tribal Discontent:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980</strong> has been used to target tribals, who depend on forest produce for their living.</li>
<li><strong>Massive displacement of tribal population</strong> in the naxalism-affected states due to development projects, mining operations and other reasons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Easy Target for Maoists:</strong> Such people who do not have any source of living are taken into naxalism by Maoists.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maoists provide arms and ammunition and money to such people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gaps in the Socio-Economic system of the Country:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Government measures its success on the basis of the number of violent attacks rather than the development done in the naxal-affected areas.</li>
<li>Absence of strong <strong>technical intelligence to fight</strong> with naxalites.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructural problems,</strong> for instance, some villages are not yet connected properly with any communication network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No Follow-Up from Administration:</strong> It is seen that even after police take hold of a region, administration fails to provide essential services to the people of that region.</li>
<li><strong>Confusion</strong> over tackling naxalism as a <strong>social issue or as a security threat.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Government Initiatives to Fight LWE:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Greyhounds:</strong> It was raised in 1989 as an elite anti-naxal force.</li>
<li><strong>Operation Green Hunt:</strong> It was started in 2009-10 and massive deployment of security forces was done in the naxal-affected areas.</li>
<li><strong>LWE Mobile Tower Project:</strong> To improve mobile connectivity in the LWE areas, the Government in 2014, approved installation of mobile towers in LWE affected States.</li>
<li><strong>Aspirational Districts Programme:</strong> Launched in 2018, it <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aspirational-districts-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>aims to rapidly transform the districts</strong></a> that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.</li>
<li><strong>SAMADHAN:</strong><br />It stands for<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>S- Smart Leadership,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A- Aggressive Strategy,</li>
<li>M- Motivation and Training,</li>
<li>A- Actionable Intelligence,</li>
<li>D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas),</li>
<li>H- Harnessing Technology,</li>
<li>A- Action plan for each Theatre, and</li>
<li>N- No access to Financing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This doctrine is the <strong>one-stop solution for the LWE problem.</strong> It encompasses the entire strategy of government from<strong> short-term policy to long-term policy</strong> formulated at different levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622865_image6.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622865_image6.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Though the <strong>number of incidents of LWE violence has come down</strong> in the recent past, <strong>continued efforts and focus are needed</strong> in eliminating such groups.</li>
<li>Government needs to ensure two things; <strong>security of the peace-loving people and the development of the naxalism-affected regions.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Centre and states</strong> should continue with their <strong>coordinated efforts in development and security</strong> both where Centre should play a supportive role with state police forces taking the lead.</li>
<li>Government needs to undertake <strong>technological solutions</strong> such as the<strong> use of drones</strong> to minimize loss of lives of security personnel.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/sukma-encounter-toll-rises-as-more-bodies-of-more-security-personnel-are-recovered-on-april-4/article34236487.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/maoist-attack-in-sukma'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Poet Sarala Das',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Vice President addressed <strong>Odia Adikabi Sarala Das</strong>'s 600<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary function in Cuttack.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sarala Das was one of the great scholars of <strong>Odia literature.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He was the<strong> first scholar who wrote his works in Odia in 15<sup>th</sup> century A.D.</strong></li>
<li>Best known for three Odia books, <strong>Mahabharata, Vilanka Ramayana and Chandi Purana.</strong></li>
<li>He also wrote the book<strong> Laxmi Narayana Vachanika.</strong></li>
<li>He started writing his Mahabharata in the <strong>reign of Kapileswar, otherwise known as Kapilendra, the famous Gajapati king of Odisha (AD 1435&ndash;67).</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Odia Language</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Oldest of the eastern group of the <strong>Indo-Aryan family,</strong> Odia is derived from <strong>Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.</strong></li>
<li>Odia is one of the six languages that got <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/classical-languages" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Classical Status in India.</strong></a></li>
<li>A language officially <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jammu-and-kashmir-official-languages-bill-2020#:~:text=Assamese%2C%20Bengali%2C%20Gujarati%2C%20Hindi,initially%20included%20in%20the%20Constitution." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;scheduled,&rdquo;</strong></a> in the <strong>Indian constitution.</strong></li>
<li>It is also the <strong>main official language of the Indian state of Odisha.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1709219" 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/poet-sarala-das'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Acquittal by Benefit of Doubt',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> has held that a <strong>public employer can reject a candidate</strong> as unsuitable if he/she had, in the past, been <strong>acquitted of a serious crime merely on the benefit of doubt.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Benefit of doubt is granted to the accused when there is total absence of evidence</strong> or in the criminal jurisprudence requiring the case to be proved beyond reasonable doubt.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Petitioner in the Supreme Court cleared the recruitment for the post of constable in Rajasthan Police Service.</li>
<li>However, he was not appointed in view of being tried in a criminal case. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was found that, though he was acquitted, the charges against him were not of a trivial nature but were serious offences and the candidate was acquitted on the &ldquo;Benefit of Doubt&rdquo;.</li>
<li>He was not honourably acquitted by the Court.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court Observations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mere fact of an acquittal would not suffice but rather it would depend on <strong>whether it is a clean acquittal.</strong></li>
<li>Employers would be well within their rights to consider the antecedent and suitability of the candidate. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In this context, the employer is entitled to take into account the <strong>job profile for which the selection is undertaken</strong>, and</li>
<li>the <strong>severity of the charge levelled</strong> against the candidate and</li>
<li>whether the acquittal in question was an <strong>honourable acquittal or was merely on the ground of benefit of doubt.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>An acquittal on the benefit of doubt is quite different from an honourable acquittal.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A person <strong>should be honourably acquitted of a heinous crime to be considered eligible for public employment.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The court, however, reminded employers that the <strong>rejection should not be mechanical</strong> since employment opportunity is a scarce commodity in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Honourable Acquittal And Acquittal by Extending the &ldquo;Benefit of Doubt&rdquo;</strong></p>
<p>The trial court after giving due consideration to the evidence placed on record and examining the witness may do any of the following:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Convict the person.</li>
<li><strong>Acquit the person unconditionally.</strong> In other words, it is <strong>Honourable acquittal.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term &ldquo;Honorable acquittal&rdquo; is nowhere defined under Indian laws and it is the <strong>invention of Indian judiciary.</strong></li>
<li>An accused who is acquitted after full consideration of the prosecution evidence and prosecution has miserably failed to prove the charges levelled against the accused.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Acquitting the person by extending the &ldquo;benefit of doubt&rdquo;</strong> or due to the failure on the prosecution's side to prove the guilt &ldquo;beyond reasonable doubt&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/employer-can-reject-candidate-acquitted-of-serious-crime-sc/article34240985.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'National Rare Disease Policy 2021',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the <strong>National Rare Disease Policy 2021.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crowdfunding-for-rare-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delhi High Court had directed the Centre</strong></a> to set up a Rare Diseases Committee, a Rare Diseases Fund and to finalise and notify the National Health Policy for Rare Diseases on or before 31st March, 2021.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To increase <strong>focus on indigenous research and local production of medicines.</strong></li>
<li>To <strong>lower the cost of treatment</strong> of rare diseases.</li>
<li>To <strong>screen and detect rare diseases early at early stages</strong>, which will in turn help in their prevention.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Provisions of the Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Categorization:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The policy has categorised rare diseases in <strong>three groups:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Group 1:</strong> Disorders amenable to <strong>one-time curative</strong> treatment.</li>
<li><strong>Group 2:</strong> Those requiring <strong>long term</strong> or <strong>lifelong treatment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Group 3:</strong> Diseases for which <strong>definitive treatment is available</strong> but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Financial Support:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Those who are suffering from rare diseases listed under Group 1 will have the financial support of up to Rs. 20 lakh under the umbrella scheme of <strong>Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi:</strong> The Scheme provides for <strong>financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line (BPL)</strong> and who are suffering from major life threatening diseases, <strong>to receive medical treatment at any of the super specialty Government hospitals / institutes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Beneficiaries for such financial assistance would not be limited to BPL families, but extended to about 40% of the population, who are eligible as per norms of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana</strong></a>, for their treatment in Government tertiary hospitals only.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Alternate Funding:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This includes <strong>voluntary <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crowdfunding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowdfunding</a> treatment</strong> by setting up a <strong>digital platform</strong> for voluntary individual contribution and corporate donors to voluntarily contribute to the treatment cost of patients of rare diseases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Centres of Excellence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The policy aims to strengthen tertiary health care facilities for prevention and treatment of rare diseases through designating eight health facilities as <strong>'Centres of Excellence'</strong> and these will also be <strong>provided one-time financial support of up to Rs. 5 crore</strong> for upgradation of diagnostics facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Registry:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A national <strong>hospital-based registry of rare diseases will be created to</strong> ensure adequate data and comprehensive definitions of such diseases are <strong>available for those interested in research and development.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns Raised:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Sustainable Funding:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Unlike conditions under Group 1 and Group 2, patients with Group 3 disorders require sustainable treatment support.</li>
<li>In the <strong>absence of a sustainable funding support for Group 3 patients</strong>, the precious lives of all patients, mostly children, are now at risk and at the mercy of crowdfunding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Drug Manufacturing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Where drugs are available, they are <strong>prohibitively expensive, placing immense strain on resources.</strong></li>
<li>Currently <strong>few pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing drugs for rare diseases globally</strong> and there are no domestic manufacturers in India except for those who make medical-grade food for those with metabolic disorders.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Rare Diseases<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617614735_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617614735_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are <strong>6,000-8,000 classified rare diseases</strong>, but less than 5% have therapies available to treat them.</li>
<li><strong>Example: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rare-diseases-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSD)</a></strong>, Pompe disease, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/genetic-disorders#:~:text=Cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20disorder,red%20blood%20cells%20(RBCs)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cystic fibrosis</strong></a>, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-haemophilia-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>haemophilia</strong></a> etc.</li>
<li>About<strong> 95% rare diseases have no approved treatment</strong> and less than 1 in 10 patients receive disease-specific treatment.</li>
<li>These <strong>diseases have differing definitions in various countries</strong> and range from those that are prevalent in 1 in 10,000 of the population to 6 per 10,000.</li>
<li>However broadly, a &lsquo;rare disease&rsquo; is <strong>defined as a health condition of low prevalence that affects a small number of people</strong> when compared with other prevalent diseases in the general population. Many cases of <strong>rare diseases may be serious, chronic and life-threatening.</strong></li>
<li>India has close to <strong>50-100 million people affected by rare diseases</strong> or disorders, the policy report said almost 80% of these rare condition patients are children and a leading cause for <strong>most of them not reaching adulthood is due to the high morbidity and mortality rates</strong> of these life-threatening diseases.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/disquiet-over-govts-new-policy-for-rare-diseases/article34225606.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>To build <strong>on the common &ldquo;resilient&rdquo; ground, Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers addressed each other&rsquo;s concerns</strong> on a wide range of issues.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The issues range from <strong>defence supplies to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S-400 air defence system</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s role in Afghanistan</a></strong> and <strong>Taliban&rsquo;s involvement in power-sharing to cooperation</strong> on Covid vaccines and <strong>India&rsquo;s participation in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-meeting-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quad grouping</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Discussed Cooperation in Following Sectors:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic opportunities in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russian Far East.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Russian Far East stretches from <strong>Lake Baikal, the world&rsquo;s largest freshwater lake, to the Pacific Ocean</strong> and comprises roughly a third of Russia&rsquo;s territory.</li>
<li>Although it is <strong>rich in natural resources</strong> including minerals, hydrocarbons, timber and fish, it is an <strong>economically underdeveloped</strong> region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Leveraging the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> campaign to boost manufacturing in India.</li>
<li>Connectivity through the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International North-South Transport</a> Corridor (INSTC).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>INSTC</strong> is a multi-modal transportation established in September 2000 in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern maritime corridor.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Itr is a <strong>maritime route</strong> covering approximately 5,600 nautical miles, aimed at increasing bilateral trade between India and Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Long standing partnership in <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">space</a> and nuclear sectors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted%20image 1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted image 1.png" width="400" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>S-400 Air Defence System:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Issues regarding the sale of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>S-400 air defence system</strong></a> figured in the discussions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, <strong>surface-to-air missile system (SAM)</strong> designed by Russia.</li>
<li>It is the most dangerous operationally deployed <strong>modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM)</strong> in the world, considered much ahead of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-s-opposition-to-thaad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While India is keen on buying it, the USA has expressed reservations by threatening sanctions under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/caatsa-sanctions-on-turkey" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Views on Military Alliance and Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Military Alliance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russian Foreign Minister clarified that the <strong>Russia-China relations</strong> are at the highest in the history, but these relations <strong>do not pursue a goal of establishing a military alliance.</strong></li>
<li>He also <strong>referred to the Quad grouping</strong> and called it an <strong>&ldquo;Asian NATO&rdquo;</strong>, a term sometimes used by China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)</strong> is an informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a &ldquo;free, open and prosperous&rdquo; Indo-Pacific region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russia and India are working for <strong>stability and connectivity in the Asia-Pacific</strong> and urged that &ldquo;military alliances&rdquo; should not come up in Asia.</li>
<li>Russia referred to the formulation of <strong>&ldquo;Asia Pacific&rdquo;</strong> while India referred to <strong>&ldquo;Indo-Pacific&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Afghan Peace:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need to <strong>&ldquo;harmonise&rdquo; the interests of various stakeholders</strong> that are active in and around Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peace process</strong></a> should be based on foundational principles and a political solution should mean <strong>independent, sovereign, united and democratic Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>Decision on the settlement in Afghanistan should foresee the <strong>participation of all political, ethnic and religious groups</strong> in the country. Otherwise the solution will not be stable. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It needs to be noted that India was not a part of a recent meeting led by Russia on Afghan peace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Medical Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Russian Fund for Direct Investment has signed contracts with various Indian manufacturers for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russian-covid-vaccine-sputnik-v#:~:text=Key%20Points,'limited%20use'%20before%20this." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sputnik V vaccines</strong></a> for 700-750 million doses.</li>
<li>Both ministers also took up the possible export of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covaxin</strong></a> to Russia which is likely to be cleared by experts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India - Russia Relations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Political (Annual Summit):</strong> The Annual Summit meeting between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation is the highest institutionalized dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> India-Russia trade, amounting to <strong>USD 10.11 billion in 2019-2020</strong>, is far below the potential. Both countries have <strong>set the bilateral trade target at USD 30 billion by 2025.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Defence and Security: BrahMos Missile System</strong> as well as the licensed production in India of <strong>SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks</strong>, are examples.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Nuclear Energy: Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)</strong> is being built in India with Russian cooperation.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Space Sector:</strong> Cooperation in <strong>Gaganyaan program.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Common Multilateral Forums:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/brics-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russia-india-china-grouping-ric" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russia-India-China Grouping: RIC</strong></a></li>
<li><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></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military Exercises:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exercise TSENTR 2019.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-indra-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indra Exercises</strong></a> - Joint Tri-<strong>Services (Army, Navy, Air Force) Exercises.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India Engaging Russia Into Indo-Pacific Narrative:</strong> India should pursue and facilitate Russia&rsquo;s engagement in the Indo-Pacific. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia&rsquo;s active engagement in the region would contribute to making the Indo-Pacific truly &ldquo;free and inclusive&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritizing RIC in Indian Foreign Policy:</strong> India can also promote a mutually beneficial trilateral cooperation between Russia, China, and India that could contribute towards the reduction of mistrust and suspicion between India and China.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/moscow-plays-down-beijing-pledges-deeper-delhi-ties-s-400-to-afghanistan-7261834/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Indian Energy Exchange',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>electricity market at Indian Energy Exchange (IEX)</strong> achieved an <strong>all-time high volume of 8,248.52 MU (million units)</strong> in the month of March 2021 surpassing all the previous milestones.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the first and <strong>largest energy exchange in India</strong> providing a nationwide, automated trading platform for physical delivery of electricity, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/renewable-energy-certificates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Renewable Energy Certificates</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Energy Saving Certificates.</strong></a></li>
<li>The exchange platform <strong>enables efficient price discovery and increases the accessibility and transparency of the power market in India</strong> while also enhancing the speed and efficiency of trade execution.</li>
<li>It is a publicly listed company with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vix-measure-of-market-volatility" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Stock Exchange (NSE)</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-outbreak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It is approved and regulated by <strong>Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)</strong> and has been operating since 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>leverage technology and innovation</strong> to establish transparent and efficient energy marketplaces for delivering affordable, reliable energy to consumers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trading Platform for:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Physical Delivery of Electricity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Day-Ahead Market (DAM):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a physical electricity trading market for <strong>deliveries for any/some/all 15 minute time blocks in 24 hours of the next day</strong> starting from midnight.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Term-Ahead Market (TAM):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The contracts under TAM cover a range for <strong>buying/selling electricity for duration up to 11 days.</strong></li>
<li>It enables participants to purchase electricity for the same day through <strong>intra-day contracts</strong>, for the next day through day-ahead contingency, on a daily basis for rolling seven days through daily contracts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Renewable Energy Certificates (REC):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the REC mechanism, <strong>a generator can generate electricity through the renewable resources</strong> in any part of the country. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For the <strong>electricity part</strong>, the generator receives the cost equivalent to that from any conventional source while the <strong>environment attribute</strong> is sold through the exchanges at the market determined price.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The obligated entity from any part of the country can purchase these RECs to meet its <strong>RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation)</strong> compliance.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Obligated entities <strong>may either purchase renewable energy or can purchase RECs</strong> to meet their RPO set under RPO of their respective States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are the tradable certificates under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-energy-conservation-awards#:~:text=The%20Perform%2C%20Achieve%20and%20Trade,the%20large%20energy%2Dintensive%20industries." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Perform, Achieve, Trade (PAT) Scheme</strong></a> of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bee-star-rating-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>market-based mechanism to incentivise energy efficiency</strong> in large energy-intensive industries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Electricity Regulatory Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CERC is a <strong>regulator of the power sector in India.</strong></li>
<li>It intends to <strong>promote competition, efficiency and economy</strong> in bulk power markets, <strong>improve the quality of supply, promote investments</strong> and <strong>advise the government</strong> on the removal of institutional barriers to bridge the demand supply gap.</li>
<li>It is a statutory body functioning with quasi-judicial status under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/power-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electricity Act 2003.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/average-spot-power-price-at-iex-jumps-65/article34256092.ece%23:~:text%3DAverage%2520spot%2520power%2520price%2520rose,and%2520revival%2520of%2520economic%2520activities.&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1617865862676000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1DCEMmNcixGTvqcjqG4-JA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>
<p><strong></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-energy-exchange'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Food Wastage Issue',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/food-waste-index-report-india-coronavirus-hunder-index-7261909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;India has a food wastage problem. Here&rsquo;s how individuals can make a difference&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 07/04/2021. It talks about the food wastage issue in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Despite adequate food production, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has reported that about 190 million Indians remain undernourished. Moreover, it states that every third malnourished child is Indian.</p>
<p>Ironically, the same report highlights that around 40% of the food produced in India is either lost or wasted. It is further estimated that the value of food wastage in India is around ₹92,000 crores per annum.</p>
<p>This food wastage, however, isn&rsquo;t limited to one level alone but perforates through every stage; from harvesting, processing, packaging, and transporting to the end stage of consumption.</p>
<p>Though food wastage is a global problem, India stands a chance to convert this into an opportunity, if it can address it properly.</p>
<h3>Case Study: SAFAL Outlet</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On average, 18.7 kgs of food was disposed off by one Safal outlet daily.</li>
<li>This suggests that an estimated 7.5 tonnes of food are discarded daily across the 400 Safal outlets in Delhi.</li>
<li>Approximately 84.7% of the total food waste recorded was thrown in the bin, while the rest was either fed to the poor or some animals.</li>
<li>A significant portion of the food waste bin was still in edible condition.</li>
<li>If the edible food waste generated by Safal is diverted, an estimated 2000 people could be fed daily.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenge of Food Wastage</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pre-Consumption Losses:</strong> Nearly 40% of the food produced in India is wasted every year due to fragmented food systems and inefficient supply chains. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the loss that occurs even before the food reaches the consumer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Wastage At Households:</strong> There is also a significant amount of food waste generated in our homes. As per the Food Waste Index Report 2021, a staggering 50 kg of food is thrown away per person every year in Indian homes.</li>
<li><strong>Greenhouse Gases Emission:</strong> This excess food waste usually ends up in landfills, creating potent greenhouse gases which have dire environmental implications.</li>
<li><strong>Impact of The Pandemic:</strong> The Covid-19 pandemic not only exposed the problems of food waste but also compounded them. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the wake of the lockdown imposed last year, surplus stocks of grain &mdash; pegged at 65 lakh tonnes in the first four months of 2020 &mdash; continued to rot in godowns across India.</li>
<li>Access to food became extremely scarce for the poor, especially daily-wage laborers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supply-Chain Management Issues:</strong> Some problems in the Indian food supply chain include inefficiency of government programs, lack of transparency in revenue generation, insufficient storage facilities, and lack of comprehensive and accurate inventories.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Behavioral Change:</strong> According to various reports food waste attributed to households and their irresponsible consumption patterns means that change needs to begin in our own homes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Calculated purchasing when buying groceries, minimizing single-use packaging wherever possible, ordering consciously from restaurants, and reconsidering extravagant buffet spreads at weddings can go a long way.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Bank Concept:</strong> Edible food should be made available every day, for free, at the latest in the last opening hour, so it can be picked up and consumed by those in need.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The option of distribution through food banks can also be explored, as can tie-ups with private actors so that food can reach hunger hotspots.</li>
<li>At the community level, one can identify and get involved with organizations such as Coimbatore-based No Food Waste which aims to redistribute excess food to feed the needy and hungry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Precedents:</strong> We can look to best practices and laws in countries like France, Norway, Denmark, UK, etc., in order to check spoilage and destruction of edible food waste in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, in France, supermarkets prioritize the reduction, reuse, and recycling of extra food.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Technological Investment:</strong> It is important that technology is adopted at every stage of the supply chain to overcome this problem. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Planning in the supply chain can improve with technology, reducing transit time in shipping and logistics. In addition, multiple government initiatives are also assisting in building infrastructure for the food industry.</li>
<li>Investments in the vibrant start-up ecosystem in India can also aid in addressing all the hindrances in the system with the support of the latest logistics and supply chain technologies, blockchain, artificial intelligence, data monitoring, storage, and packaging solutions</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Early awareness about our duty to minimize food waste is critical in changing the way our society addresses hunger and food scarcity. Thus everyone must join hands if we are to work towards a truly sustainable India that does not have millions undernourished despite having adequate food production.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffcf2;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Though food wastage is a global problem, India stands a chance to convert this into an opportunity, if it can address it properly. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/food-wastage-issue'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'AI Portal SUPACE',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/n-v-ramana-48th-chief-justice-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chief Justice of India (CJI)</strong> </a>launched an <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artificial Intelligence (AI)</a> based portal &lsquo;SUPACE&rsquo;</strong> in the judicial system aimed at assisting judges with legal research.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>SUPACE</strong> is short for <strong>Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court&rsquo;s Efficiency.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-virtual-courts-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>E-Courts Project</strong></a> was conceptualised on the basis of<strong> "National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary - 2005"</strong> submitted by the <strong>e-Committee of the Supreme Court.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About SUPACE:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>a tool that collects relevant facts and laws</strong> and <strong>makes them available to a judge.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>not designed to take decisions, but only to process facts and to make them available to judges</strong> looking for an input for a decision.</li>
<li>Initially, it <strong>will be used on an experimental basis by the judges of Bombay and Delhi High Courts</strong> who deal with criminal matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will <strong>produce results customized to the need of the case</strong> and the way the judge thinks.</li>
<li>This will be <strong>time saving.</strong> It will <strong>help the judiciary and the court in reducing delays and pendency of cases.</strong></li>
<li><strong>AI</strong> will present <strong>a more streamlined, cost effective and time bound</strong> means to the <strong>fundamental right of access to justice.</strong></li>
<li>It will make the <strong>service delivery mechanism transparent and cost-efficient.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Redundancy of certain posts</strong> after introduction of SUPACE. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since it is intended to do what the human mind can do, but much more efficiently and methodically, there is apprehension in the generation of unemployment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>E-Courts Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was conceptualized with a vision<strong> to transform the Indian Judiciary by ICT (Information and Communication Technology) enablement of Courts.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>a pan-India Project,</strong> monitored and <strong>funded by the Department of Justice,</strong> Ministry of Law and Justice, <strong>for the District Courts</strong> across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives of the Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide efficient &amp; time-bound citizen-centric services delivery.</li>
<li>To develop, install &amp; implement decision support systems in courts.</li>
<li>To automate the processes to provide transparency and accessibility of information to its stakeholders.</li>
<li>To enhance judicial productivity, both qualitatively &amp; quantitatively, to make the justice delivery system affordable, accessible, cost-effective, predictable, reliable and transparent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cji-launches-top-courts-ai-driven-research-portal-7261821/" 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/ai-portal-supace'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President promulgated <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tribunal</a> Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance 2021</strong> through which the <strong>Appellate authorities under nine laws have been replaced with High Courts.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ordinance has amended the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/supreme-court-ruling-on-finance-act-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Finance Act 2017</strong></a> to include provisions related to the composition of search-cum-selection committees, and term of office of members in the Act itself.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Finance Act 2017</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It <strong>empowered the central government</strong> to notify rules on qualifications of members, terms and conditions of their service, and composition of search-cum-selection committees for 19 tribunals (such as Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Search-cum-selection committees:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Chairperson and Members of the Tribunals will be appointed by the central government on the recommendation of a <strong>Search-cum-Selection Committee.</strong></li>
<li>The Committee will consist of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chief Justice of India, or a Supreme Court Judge nominated by him, as the Chairperson (with casting vote),</li>
<li>Secretaries nominated by the central government,</li>
<li>The sitting or outgoing Chairperson, or a retired Supreme Court Judge, or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court.</li>
<li>The Secretary of the Ministry under which the Tribunal is constituted (with no voting right).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Term of Office:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term of office for the <strong>Chairperson</strong> of the tribunals will be of <strong>four years or till the attainment of the age of seventy years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
<li>For <strong>other members</strong> of the tribunals, the term will be of<strong> four years or till the age of sixty-seven years,</strong> whichever is earlier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Nine Laws (Replacement of Appellate Authorities/Tribunals):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Cinematograph Act, 1952.</li>
<li>The Trade Marks Act, 1999.</li>
<li>The Copyright Act, 1957.</li>
<li>The Customs Act, 1962.</li>
<li>The Patents Act, 1970.</li>
<li>The Airports Authority of India Act, 1994.</li>
<li>The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002.</li>
<li>The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Replacing Tribunals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Poor Adjudication &amp; Delay:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> quality of adjudication has been underwhelming</strong> in most cases, the <strong>delays have been substantial</strong> because the <strong>government has struggled to find competent persons willing to accept positions on these tribunals, </strong>and<strong> litigation has actually become more expensive, </strong>as these tribunals added another layer to it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Litigations Against Them:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There has been<strong> incessant litigation since 1985 by advocate bar associations</strong> against the tribunals over serious questions of their independence from the executive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> cases with High courts could increase.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tribunals</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>quasi-judicial institution</strong> that is set up to deal with problems such as resolving administrative or tax-related disputes.</li>
<li>It performs a number of functions like <strong>adjudicating disputes, determining rights between contesting parties, making an administrative decision, reviewing an existing administrative decision</strong> and so forth.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term<strong> &lsquo;Tribunal&rsquo; is derived from the word &lsquo;Tribunes&rsquo;,</strong> which means &lsquo;Magistrates of the Classical Roman Republic&rsquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tribunal is referred to as the office of the &lsquo;Tribunes&rsquo; i.e., a Roman official under the monarchy and the republic with the function of protecting the citizen from arbitrary action by the aristocrat magistrates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A Tribunal, generally, is any person or<strong> institution having an authority to judge, adjudicate on, or to determine claims or disputes &ndash;</strong> whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tribunals were not originally a part of the Constitution.</li>
<li>The<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/major-constitutional-amendments-part-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> 42<sup>nd</sup> Amendment Act</strong> </a>1976 introduced provision for tribunals in accordance with the recommendations of the <strong>Swaran Singh Committee.</strong></li>
<li>The Amendment introduced <strong>Part XIV-A to the Constitution,</strong> which deals with &lsquo;Tribunals&rsquo; and contains two articles:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Article 323A:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It deals with <strong>Administrative Tribunals.</strong> These are quasi-judicial institutions that resolve disputes related to the recruitment and service conditions of persons engaged in public service.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Article 323B:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It deals with<strong> tribunals for other subjects</strong> such as Taxation, Industrial and labour, Foreign exchange, import and export, Land reforms, Food, Ceiling on urban property, Elections to Parliament and state legislatures, Rent and tenancy rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-promulgates-tribunals-reforms-ordinance/article34246516.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/the-tribunals-reforms-rationalisation-and-conditions-of-service-ordinance-2021'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'World Economic Outlook: IMF',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The latest edition of the <strong>International Monetary Fund&rsquo;s (IMF) World Economic Outlook</strong> has raised its <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/government-budgeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Year (FY)</strong> </a>2021 growth forecast for India to 12.5% from <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-economic-outlook-imf-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11.5% estimated earlier in January 2021</a>.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian economy is expected to grow by <strong>12.5% in 2021 and 6.9% in 2022.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>2020</strong>, India&rsquo;s economy witnessed <strong>an estimated contraction of 8%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Growth rate for India in 2021 is <strong>stronger than that of China.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China was the <strong>only major economy to have a positive growth rate of 2.3% in 2020</strong>, and is expected to grow by 8.6% in 2021 and 5.6% in 2022.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The IMF predicted stronger recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth projected to be <strong>6% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>2020</strong>, the global economy <strong>contracted by 3.3%</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The contraction for 2020 is 1.1% points smaller than previous projection, <strong>reflecting:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Higher-than-expected growth outturns in the second half of the year</strong> for most regions after <strong>lockdowns</strong> were eased and as economies adapted to new ways of working.</li>
<li><strong>Additional fiscal support in a few large economies</strong> and the anticipated vaccine-powered recovery in the second half of the year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Health Care:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The emphasis should be on escaping the health crisis by <strong>prioritising health care spending, on vaccinations, treatments, and health care infrastructure.</strong> Fiscal support should be well targeted to affected households and firms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Accommodative Monetary Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/monetary-policy-report-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Monetary policy</strong></a> should remain <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-monetary-policy-2021#:~:text=Accommodative%20Stance%3A,within%20the%20target%20going%20forward." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>accommodative</strong></a> (where <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inflation-data-august-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>inflation</strong></a> is well behaved), while proactively addressing financial stability risks using macroprudential tools.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tailored Approach:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Policymakers will need to continue supporting their economies</strong> while dealing with more limited policy space and higher debt levels than prior to the pandemic.</li>
<li>This requires better <strong>targeted measures to leave space for prolonged support if needed. With multi-speed recoveries, a tailored approach is necessary, with policies well-calibrated to the stage of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> pandemic</a></strong>, the strength of the economic recovery, and the structural characteristics of individual countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Priorities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The priorities should include <strong>green infrastructure investment</strong> to help mitigate <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, digital infrastructure investment to boost productive capacity and strengthening social assistance to arrest <strong>rising inequality.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The IMF was set up along with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> after the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/world-war-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Second World War</strong> </a>to assist in the<strong> reconstruction of war-ravaged countries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two organisations were agreed to be set up at a conference in Bretton Woods in the US. Hence, they are known as the<strong> Bretton Woods twins.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 189 countries that make up its near-global membership.<strong> India joined on 27<sup>th</sup> December, 1945.</strong></li>
<li>The IMF's primary <strong>purpose is to ensure the stability of the international monetary system</strong> &mdash; the system of exchange rates and international payments that enables countries (and their citizens) to transact with each other.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Fund's mandate was updated in 2012 to include all macroeconomic and financial sector issues that bear on global stability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reports by IMF:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-11th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Financial Stability Report</strong></a></li>
<li>World Economic Outlook</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>World Economic Outlook</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a survey by the IMF that is usually <strong>published twice a year</strong> in the months of April and October.</li>
<li>It <strong>analyzes and predicts global economic developments</strong> during the near and medium term.</li>
<li>In response to the growing demand for more frequent forecast updates, the WEO Update is published in January and July between the two main WEO publications released usually in April and October.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/imf-projects-indias-growth-rate-to-jump-to-impressive-12-5-per-cent-in-2021/" 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/world-economic-outlook-imf-2'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Chenab Bridge',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Indian Railways</strong> completed the<strong> arch closure of the iconic Chenab Bridge in Jammu &amp; Kashmir.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About Chenab Bridge:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>world's highest railway bridge</strong> and is part of the<strong> Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project (USBRL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Project was <strong>declared as a Project of National Importance in March 2002.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This bridge is <strong>1,315-metre long</strong> and is the highest railway bridge in the world being <strong>359 metres above the river bed level.</strong></li>
<li>The completion of the steel arch is a major leap towards the completion of the <strong>111 km long winding stretch from Katra to Banihal.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is arguably the <strong>biggest civil-engineering challenge</strong> faced by any railway project in India in recent history.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617781847_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617781847_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="288" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unique Features of this Bridge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bridge designed to <strong>withstand high wind speed up to 266 Km/Hour.</strong></li>
<li>Bridge designed for<strong> blast load in consultation with <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DRDO</a></strong> for the first time in India.</li>
<li>Bridge designed to <strong>bear earthquake forces of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/seismometers-defunct-in-earthquake-prone-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highest intensity zone-V</a></strong> in India.</li>
<li>First time on Indian Railways, <strong>Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing machine</strong> used for testing of welds.</li>
<li>First time on Indian Railways, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/star-rating-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)</a> accredited lab established at site for weld testing.</strong></li>
<li>Extensive <strong>health monitoring and warning systems planned</strong> through state of art instrumentation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chenab River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> It rises in the upper Himalayas in the<strong> Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh</strong> state.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The river is <strong>formed by the confluence of two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga,</strong> at Tandi, 8 km southwest of Keylong, in the Lahaul and Spiti district.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Bhaga river originates from Surya taal lake,</strong> which is situated a few kilometers west of the Bara-lacha la pass in Himachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>The <strong>Chandra river originates from glaciers east of the same pass</strong> (near Chandra Taal).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Flows Through:</strong> It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before flowing into the Indus River.</li>
<li>Some of the<strong> important projects/dams on Chenab:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ratle-hydro-electric-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ratle Hydro Electric Project</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Salal Dam- hydroelectric power project</strong> near Reasi</li>
<li><strong>Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant-</strong> power project in Kishtwar District</li>
<li><strong>Pakal Dul Dam (under construction)</strong>- on a tributary <strong>Marusadar River</strong> in Kishtwar District.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617782071_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617782071_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1709652" 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/chenab-bridge'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Integrated Health Information Platform',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare</strong> has launched the <strong>Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP),</strong> that is the next generation highly <strong>refined version of the presently used Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-disease-surveillance-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDSP</a>).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IIHP is an <strong>advanced disease surveillance system.</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>It will <strong>track 33 diseases (as compared to the earlier 18 diseases)</strong> and will ensure near-real-time data in digital mode.</li>
<li>It will <strong>provide a health information system</strong> developed for real time, case-based information, integrated analytics, advanced visualization capability.</li>
<li>Data will be provided in real time through:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Grassroots healthcare workers</strong> through their gadgets (tablets);</li>
<li><strong>Doctors at the PHC</strong> (Primary Healthcare Centre)/CHC (Community Health Centre)/DH (District Hospital) when the citizens seek healthcare; and</li>
<li><strong>Diagnostic labs</strong> which will provide data on the tests carried out.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Key Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Real time data reporting</strong> (along through mobile application); <strong>accessible at all levels</strong> (from villages, states and central level).</li>
<li>Advanced data modelling &amp; analytical tools.</li>
<li><strong>Geographic Information System (GIS) enabled Graphical representation of data</strong> into integrated dashboard.</li>
<li>Role &amp; hierarchy-based feedback &amp; alert mechanisms.</li>
<li><strong>Geo-tagging</strong> of reporting health facilities.</li>
<li>Scope for data integration with other health programs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>collection of authentic data will become easy</strong> as it comes directly from the village/block level; the last mile from the country.</li>
<li>This digital platform for scouting the earliest signs of disease spread in the smallest of villages and blocks in the country will <strong>immensely help in nipping in the bud any potential outbreak or epidemic.</strong></li>
<li>It is in sync with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-digital-health-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NDHM aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>information system for precision public health</strong> is essential for delivering &lsquo;the right intervention at the right time, every time to the right population.&rsquo;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In recent years, the use of technology to enhance precision in public health, including the use of pathogen genomics, enhanced surveillance and informatics, and targeted interventions has steadily gone up.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>With its implementation, India is marching towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> in healthcare through use of technology.</li>
<li>This refined digital surveillance platform will help to provide and connect data and move towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/onehealth-approach" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;One Health&rsquo; approach.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One Health is an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in assistance with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a>, in 2004.</li>
<li>It <strong>continued as the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)</strong> during 12<sup>th</sup> Plan (2012&ndash;17) under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission</strong> </a>with a domestic budget.</li>
<li>Under it, a Central Surveillance Unit (CSU) at Delhi, State Surveillance Units (SSU) at all State/Union Territories (UTs) head quarters and District Surveillance Units (DSU) at all Districts have been established.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based and IT enabled disease surveillance systems for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends.</li>
<li>To detect and respond to outbreaks in the early rising phase through trained Rapid Response Teams (RRTs).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Programme Components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Integration and decentralization of surveillance activities through <strong>establishment of surveillance units</strong> at Centre, State and District level.</li>
<li><strong>Human Resource Development &ndash;</strong> Training of State Surveillance Officers (SSOs), District Surveillance Officers (DSOs), RRT and other medical and paramedical staff on principles of disease surveillance.</li>
<li><strong>Use of Information Communication Technology</strong> for collection, collation, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data.</li>
<li>Strengthening of public health laboratories.</li>
<li>Inter sectoral Coordination for<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/zoonotic-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> zoonotic diseases.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID%3D1709676&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1617784556747000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3SdlYA3fvN3A3LO8LCxSA_" 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/integrated-health-information-platform'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Direct Payment of Minimum Support Price',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>After the recent orders from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-corporation-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Corporation of India (FCI)</strong></a>, the farm unions warned that the Centre&rsquo;s insistence on <strong>direct payment of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/minimum-support-price-for-crops#:~:text=MSP%20is%20a%20%E2%80%9Cminimum%20price,they%20procure%20the%20particular%20crop." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minimum Support Price (MSP)</a></strong> could derail the <strong>crop procurement process.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Orders from FCI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Direct Payment of Minimum Support Price (MSP):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Centre wants to<strong> make direct online MSP payment to farmers&rsquo; bank accounts,</strong> to remove middlemen from the process.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>MSP is the price that government agencies pay whenever they procure the particular crop.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Currently, <strong>arhtiyas (commission agents)</strong> get the payments in their accounts, which they in turn pay to farmers through cheques.</li>
<li>The <strong>Centre has to pay 2.5% commission to arhtiyas</strong> who facilitate procurement of the crop from farmers to government agencies and take commission for that from the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jamabandhi System:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>FCI order stipulates that tenant farmers and sharecroppers must produce a jamabandhi.</li>
<li>Jamabandhi is a<strong> legal agreement</strong> proving that they have the right to till leased land, in order to get paid for procured crops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The FCI&rsquo;s also proposed to <strong>tighten quality requirements for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/alternative-to-msp-crops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wheat and paddy</a> procurement.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Transparency and Accountability:</strong> The FCI has insisted that direct payment to farmers&rsquo; bank accounts, bypassing the powerful arhatiyas or commission agents, will lead to greater <strong>transparency and accountability. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Non-Discriminatory in Nature:</strong> There is no selection bias in choosing the beneficiaries based on attributes like caste and land size.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges to the FCI Order:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since arhtiyas play a key role in the Punjab and Haryana farm ecosystem by providing farm loans, the move has been <strong>opposed by a large section of farmers, as well as the Punjab government.</strong></li>
<li>According to farm unions, implementing direct payment in haste can lead to many complex problems that will exclude so many farmers from getting their price of the crop.</li>
<li>Thousands of sharecroppers do not have Jamabandhi or legal agreements and will be hit hard.</li>
<li>The FCI&rsquo;s proposals to <strong>tighten quality requirements for wheat and paddy procurement</strong> are also being opposed.</li>
<li>At a broader level, farmers connected their issues with the FCI with their existing demands to repeal the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agricultural-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>farm laws</strong> </a>and enact a legal guarantee for procurement of all crops and minimum support prices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Food Corporation of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FCI is a<strong> statutory body</strong> set up in 1965 by the <strong>Food Corporations Act 1964 under Department of Food &amp; Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.</strong></li>
<li>It was established against the backdrop of a major shortage of grains, especially wheat.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Simultaneously, the <strong>Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)</strong> was created in 1965 to<strong> recommend remunerative prices (MSP) to farmers.</strong> CACP is an attached office of the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has primary duty to undertake purchase, store, move/transport, distribute and sell food grains and other foodstuffs.</li>
<li><strong>Objectives of FCI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide <strong>remunerative prices</strong> to farmers.</li>
<li>Ensuring <strong>food security</strong> of the nation by maintaining satisfactory levels of<strong> operational buffer stocks</strong> of food grains.</li>
<li>Distribution of food grains throughout the country for the<strong> Public Distribution System.</strong></li>
<li>Effective <strong>Price Support Operations</strong> for safeguarding the interest of farmers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/farm-unions-protest-fcis-direct-payment-tenancy-documentation-orders/article34245720.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/direct-payment-of-minimum-support-price'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Should India Join NATO?',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/why-india-must-not-say-no-to-nato-7260435/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Why India must not say &lsquo;no&rsquo; to NATO&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 06/04/2021. It talks about the pros and cons of India becoming a member of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).</a></strong></p>
</div>
<p>In the last few years, European countries have asserted to play a significant role in the Indo-Pacific region. India too knows that no single power can produce stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.</p>
<p>Moreover, China&rsquo;s meteoric rise has dramatically heightened India&rsquo;s need for closer security relationships with politically reliable, like-minded states. In order to tackle this geopolitical challenge, India will have to undertake more deliberate efforts to counter-balance the juggernaut of Chinese power.</p>
<p>One such arrangement, which has been recently floated by many western countries, is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extending NATO&rsquo;s membership to India.</strong></a> Although NATO&rsquo;s membership in India will have positive implications, it will have serious ramifications too.</p>
<h3>Arguments for India Becoming NATO&rsquo;s Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>End of Cold War:</strong> During the Cold War, India&rsquo;s refusal to join any of the Military bloc (NATO or Warsaw pact led by the USSR) was premised on its non-alignment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>That argument had little justification once the Cold War ended during 1989-91. Since then, NATO has built partnerships with many neutral and non-aligned</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Creation of Deterrence:</strong> Article 5 of the NATO treaty held that an attack against a member nation of the NATO would be considered to be an attack against all the members of the alliance and would call for joint military action against the aggressor.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would create deterrence for China and Pakistan to attack India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military-Strategic Benefits:</strong> An India-NATO dialogue would simply mean having regular contact with a military alliance, most of whose members are well-established partners of India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, India has military exchanges with many members of NATO &mdash; including the US, Britain, and France &mdash; in bilateral and multilateral formats.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the longer term, India would derive military-strategic benefits from a partnership with the world&rsquo;s most powerful alliance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Era of Multi-Alignment</strong>: India might align with China and developing nations against the US in <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organisation (WTO)</strong></a> but militarily oppose China while contemplating a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Quad&rdquo;</strong></a> with the USA, Japan, and Australia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, Egypt and Israel are both NATO partners who maintain defense relationships with Russia.</li>
<li>Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Austria are all NATO partners with long-standing neutralist traditions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Convergence on Many Issues:</strong> A sustained dialogue between India and NATO could facilitate productive exchanges in a range of areas, including terrorism, changing geopolitics; the evolving nature of military conflict, the role of emerging military technologies, and new military doctrines.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Argument Against India Becoming NATO&rsquo;s Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Conflict Within NATO:</strong> NATO members have conflicting opinions on how to share the military burden and strike the right balance between NATO and the EU&rsquo;s quest for an independent military role.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, NATO members disagree on policy related to Russia, the Middle East, and China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deteriorate Relations With Russia:</strong> By becoming a NATO member, India&rsquo;s long-standing and strong ties with Russia will get frayed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia has shown displeasure on account of India&rsquo;s growing strategic convergence with the US.</li>
<li>Moreover, this could further strengthen the already deepening relation between China and Russia.</li>
<li>Considering that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decline-in-india-s-arms-imports-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India still is heavily dependent on the Russian military equipment</strong></a>, joining NATO seems like an eminently bad idea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issue of Sovereignty:</strong> Another issue would be the establishment of NATO bases on India&rsquo;s territory. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This might invite widespread protests in the country and may even be considered an infringement of our sovereignty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dragging Down Into Various Conflicts:</strong> The downside of joining NATO is that India would get dragged into various conflicts around the globe.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would result in a lot of Indian soldiers dying in various conflicts in which we have no reason at all to be involved in.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The bureaucratization of the engagement between India and western countries has prevented India from taking full advantage of re-emerging geopolitics of the Atlantic. However, India&rsquo;s recent proactive approach has certainly sought to end this prolonged political neglect.</p>
<p>Given this, a pragmatic engagement with NATO countries must be an important part of India&rsquo;s foreign policy but it must refrain from becoming a formal member of NATO.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fbfffa;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India&rsquo;s continued reluctance to engage a major institution like NATO will be a stunning case of strategic self-denial. Critically Analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/should-india-join-nato'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Forest Fires: A Very Big Concern',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Since the advent of the year 2021, there has been a series of forest fires in many states of India, including in Wildlife Sanctuaries.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Forest Fires:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also called <strong>bush or vegetation fire or wildfire,</strong> it can be described as<strong> any uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in a natural setting</strong> such as a forest, grassland, brush land or tundra, which consumes the natural fuels and spreads based on environmental conditions (e.g., wind, topography).</li>
<li>Forest Fires <strong>can be incited by human actions,</strong> such as land clearing, extreme drought or in rare cases by lightning.</li>
<li>There are<strong> three conditions</strong> that need to be present in order for a wildfire to burn: fuel, oxygen, and a heat source.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Instances of Forest Fires in 2021:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>January saw prolonged fires in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh (Kullu Valley) and Nagaland-Manipur border (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dzukou-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dzukou Valley</strong></a>).</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/similipal-biosphere-reserve-odisha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Simlipal National Park in Odisha</strong></a> saw a major fire between February-end and early March.</li>
<li>Recent fires also include those in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/elephant-colony-in-bandhavgarh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve in Madhya Pradesh</strong></a>, and in<strong> sanctuaries for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-the-population-of-asiatic-lions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asiatic lion</a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-the-population-of-asiatic-lions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">great Indian bustard</a> in Gujarat.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Vulnerability of India&rsquo;s Forests to Fires:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of 2019, <strong>about 21.67% (7,12,249 sq km) of the country&rsquo;s geographical area is identified as forest,</strong> according to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-state-of-forest-report-isfr-2019#:~:text=The%202019%20survey%20has%20found,last%20assessment%20it%20was%2024.39%25." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> India State of Forest Report 2019</strong></a> (ISFR) released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tree cover makes up another 2.89% (95, 027 sq km).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Based on previous fire incidents and records, <strong>forests of the Northeast and central India regions are the most vulnerable</strong> areas to forest fires.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Forests in Assam, Mizoram and Tripura have been identified as <strong>&lsquo;extremely prone&rsquo;</strong> to forest fire.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>States with large forest areas under the &lsquo;very highly prone&rsquo; category</strong> include Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.</li>
<li>As per the 2020-2021 annual report of the MoEFCC, Western Maharashtra, Southern Chhattisgarh and areas of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, along with central Odisha, are turning into <strong>&lsquo;extremely prone&rsquo; forest fire hotspots.</strong></li>
<li>Areas under the<strong> &lsquo;highly prone&rsquo; and &lsquo;moderately prone&rsquo; categories make up about 26.2% of the total forest cover &mdash;</strong> a whopping 1,72,374 sq km.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617708725_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617708725_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cause of Forest Fires:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Forest fires can be caused by a number of natural causes, but <strong>many major fires in India are triggered mainly by human activities.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Emerging studies <strong>link climate change to rising instances of fires globally,</strong> especially the massive <strong>fires of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amazon-rainforest" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Amazon forests in Brazil</a> and in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australian-bushfire#:~:text=The%20fire%20has%20impacted%20more,of%20wild%20animals%20have%20died.&amp;text=The%20three%20years%20between%202017,(a%20state%20of%20Australia)." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a></strong> in the last two years.</li>
<li>Fires of longer duration, increasing intensity, higher frequency and highly inflammable nature are all being linked to climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India, forest fires are most commonly reported during <strong>March and April,</strong> when the ground has large quantities of <strong>dry wood, logs, dead leaves, stumps, dry grass and weeds</strong> that can make forests easily go up in flames if there is a trigger.</li>
<li>In<strong> Uttarakhand,</strong> the <strong>lack of soil moisture</strong> too is being seen as a key factor. In two consecutive monsoon seasons (2019 and 2020), rainfall has been deficient by 18% and 20% of the seasonal average, respectively.</li>
<li>Most fires are <strong>man-made,</strong> sometimes even <strong>deliberately caused.</strong> For example, in Odisha, which saw a major fire last month in Simlipal forest, villagers are known to set dry leaves to fire in order to collect mahua flowers, which go into preparation of a local drink.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact of Forest Fire:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Forest fires can have <strong>multiple adverse effects on the forest cover, soil, tree growth, vegetation, and the overall flora and fauna.</strong></li>
<li>Fires render several hectares of forest useless and leave behind ash, making it unfit for any vegetation growth.</li>
<li>Heat generated during the fire <strong>destroys animal habitats.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Soil quality decreases with the alteration in their compositions.</li>
<li>Soil moisture and fertility, too, is affected.</li>
<li>Forests can shrink in size.</li>
<li>The trees that survive fire often remain stunted and growth is severely affected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance of Forests:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Forests play an important role in <strong>mitigation and adaptation to climate change.</strong></li>
<li>They act as<strong> a sink, reservoir and source of carbon.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A healthy forest stores and sequesters more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India, with 1.70 lakh villages in close proximity to forests (Census 2011), the <strong>livelihood of several crores of people is dependent</strong> on fuelwood, bamboo, fodder, and small timber.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Efforts to Mitigate Forest Fires:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since 2004, the <strong>FSI (Forest Survey of India)</strong> developed the <strong>Forest Fire Alert System</strong> to monitor forest fires in real time. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In its advanced version launched in January 2019, the system now uses satellite information gathered from <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NASA</strong></a> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ISRO</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Action Plan on Forest Fires (NAPFF) 2018</strong> and <strong>Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-forest-fires-break-out-in-the-spring-and-why-they-have-been-so-frequent-this-year-7259057/" 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/forest-fires-a-very-big-concern'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Babu Jagjivan Ram',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister paid tributes to <strong>freedom fighter and former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram</strong> on his <strong>113<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Jagjivan Ram, <strong>popularly known as Babuji,</strong> was a national leader, a freedom fighter, a crusader of social justice, a champion of depressed classes and an outstanding Parliamentarian.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617704770_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617704770_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="304" height="265" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Jagjivan Ram was born on<strong> 5<sup>th</sup> April 1908</strong> in <strong>Chandwa in Bihar</strong> to a Dalit family.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Early Life and Education:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He pursued his schooling at the<strong> nearby town of Arrah</strong> where he faced discrimination for the first time. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was considered<strong> &lsquo;untouchable&rsquo;</strong> and had to drink water from a different pot. Jagjivan Ram protested against this by breaking the pot. The principal then had to remove the separate pot from the school.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In 1925,</strong> Jagjivan Ram met scholar <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/madan-mohan-malaviya-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya</strong></a> and was greatly inspired by him. On Malaviya&rsquo;s invitation, he <strong>joined the Banaras Hindu University.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Even <strong>at the university, Jagjivan Ram faced discrimination</strong>. This inspired him to protest against such social boycotts of a section of society.</li>
<li>He also<strong> organised the scheduled castes to protest against injustice.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After his stint at BHU, he joined the <strong>University of Calcutta</strong> from where he secured a <strong>B.Sc. degree in 1931.</strong></li>
<li>Jagjivan Ram had organized a number of Ravidas Sammelans and had<strong> celebrated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/guru-ravidas-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guru Ravidas Jayanti</a></strong> in different areas of Calcutta (Kolkata).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pre Independence Contributions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 1931,</strong> he became a member of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/important-indian-national-congress-sessions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian National Congress</strong></a> (Congress Party).</li>
<li>He was instrumental in the foundation of the <strong>All India Depressed Classes League, </strong>an<strong> organisation dedicated to attaining equality for untouchables, in 1934-35.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was a champion of <strong>social equality and equal rights for the Depressed Classes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1935, he proposed at a session of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/veer-savarkar-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hindu Mahasabha</strong></a> that drinking water wells and temples be open to untouchables.</li>
<li>In 1935, Babuji also <strong>appeared before the Hammond Commission</strong> at Ranchi and demanded, for the first time, <strong>voting rights for the Dalits.</strong></li>
<li>He was<strong> jailed twice</strong> in the early 1940s for his political activities associated with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quit-india-movement-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quit India movement</strong></a> against British rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Post Independence Contributions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When Jawaharlal Nehru formed the provisional government, <strong>Jagjivan Ram became its youngest minister.</strong></li>
<li>After independence he held the <strong>labour portfolio until 1952.</strong> Thereafter he served in Nehru&rsquo;s cabinet in the posts of <strong>minister for communications (1952&ndash;56), transport and railways (1956&ndash;62),</strong> and <strong>transport and communications (1962&ndash;63).</strong></li>
<li>He served as <strong>minister for food and agriculture (1967&ndash;70), </strong>and in<strong> 1970 he was made minister of defence.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20India%20decided,save%20Bengali%20Muslims%20and%20Hindus.&amp;text=On%2016th%20December%201971,and%20Mukti%20Bahini%20in%20Dhaka." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pakistan War of 1971</strong></a> was fought when he was the<strong> defence minister.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>He left Congress in 1977 and joined the Janata Party alliance, along with his Congress for Democracy (new party). He later served as the <strong>Deputy Prime Minister of India (1977&ndash;79).</strong></li>
<li>Jagjivan Ram was a<strong> member of the Parliament uninterrupted from 1936 to 1986 (40 years) and this is a world record. </strong></li>
<li>He also holds another<strong> record for being the longest-serving cabinet minister in India (30 years).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He died on<strong> 6<sup>th</sup> July 1986 at New Delhi.</strong></li>
<li>His memorial at his cremation place is named<strong> Samta Sthal (Place of Equality).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1709554" 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/babu-jagjivan-ram'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Multilateral Maritime Exercise La Perouse',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Indian Navy Ships INS Satpura</strong> and <strong>INS Kiltan</strong> alongwith <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-approves-sale-of-military-hardware" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft</strong></a> are participating,<strong> for the first time in multilateral maritime exercise La P&eacute;rouse,</strong> being conducted in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region from 5<sup>th</sup> to 7<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Post conduct of<strong> La Perouse,</strong> the <strong>Indo-French Naval</strong> exercise <strong>&ldquo;Varuna&ldquo;</strong> is scheduled in the <strong>Western Indian Ocean,</strong> wherein <strong>UAE</strong> too shall be participating.</li>
</ul>
<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 first edition of <strong>La P&eacute;rouse</strong> joint exercise, <strong>initiated by France in 2019</strong>, included ships from Australia, Japan and the US.</li>
<li>The exercise is <strong>named after the eighteenth century French Naval explorer.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India's participation in 2021 completed the QUAD force representation</strong> in the French led Naval Exercise. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>QUAD</strong> is a <strong>grouping of India, USA, Australia and Japan</strong> which aims to safeguard the interests of democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific region and address global challenges.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will witness complex and advanced naval operations including <strong>surface warfare, anti-air warfare and air defence exercises, weapon firing exercises, cross deck flying operations, tactical manoeuvres and seamanship evolutions</strong> such as replenishment at sea.</li>
<li>It will provide an opportunity for these five like-minded, high-end naval forces to develop closer links, sharpen their skills, and promote maritime cooperation throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naval Significance of Indo-Pacific:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Indo-Pacific is slowly but surely turning into a serious Naval Theatre for multi-national activities</strong> with a vision to establish a free, open, inclusive and a rule-based ordering of the Indo-Pacific to support the freedom of navigation and peaceful cooperative use of the seas.</li>
<li>The goal is to respect and adhere to the international laws like the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones#:~:text=United%20Nations%20Convention%20on%20the,EEZ)%20and%20the%20High%20Seas." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)</strong> </a>and peaceful resolution of territorial sea disputes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>role of the QUAD navies in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region)</strong> has been well illustrated by the effective cooperative engagement capabilities of the multi-national Naval powers through naval exercises like formation sailing, live fire drills, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations etc.</li>
<li>Navies of member countries of <strong>QUAD</strong> participated in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-to-join-malabar-exercise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Malabar wargaming exercise</strong></a> in November 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, <strong>China endeavours to establish a defensive perimeter around its seas (Yellow Sea, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/senkaku-islands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East China Sea</a> and part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/south-china-sea-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Sea</a>)</strong> by following a sea denial policy in these regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702901_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702901_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>QUAD+ France Pacific Ocean Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> region of Pacific Islands</strong> stretches from Hawaii in the north to Tonga in the south, and Easter Island in the east to New Caledonia in the west.</li>
<li><strong>US interest in the Indo-Pacific region</strong> has always been well illustrated with the fact that<strong> US Indo-Pacific Command</strong> established after World War II is the largest unified command.</li>
<li><strong>France</strong> has a direct<strong> strategic and economic stake in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna.</strong> France is a member of the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).</li>
<li><strong>Japan</strong> although has trade ties with China but has always been<strong> suspicious of China&rsquo;s growth as a military power.</strong> China&rsquo;s assertiveness closer to Japanese waters and airspace have been a testing time for Japan.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Navy</strong> has always maintained a tactical advantage over the IOR to ensure compliance to the internationally established Rules of the Road (ROR) for the seas. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This has been respected by the world (like declaration of warships transiting IOR etc.), but Indian Navy has <strong>observed and reported multiple sightings of undeclared Chinese ships and submarines</strong> suspiciously lurking within the IOR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indo-French Joint Exercises</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-desert-knight-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Desert Knight-21</a> </strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garuda-vi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Garuda</strong> </a>(Air exercise)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Varuna</strong></a> (Naval exercise)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-shakti-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shakti</strong> </a>(Army exercise)</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702945_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702945_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/quad-navies-participating-in-france-led-exercise-in-eastern-indian-ocean-region-from-april-5-7260225/" 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/multilateral-maritime-exercise-la-perouse'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Every year, <strong>21<sup>st</sup> March,</strong> is observed as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-23rd-march-2019#:~:text=International%20Day%20for%20the%20Elimination,populism%20and%20extreme%20supremacist%20ideologies." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The day calls for<strong> solidarity against racism </strong>and<strong> racial discrimination.</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>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> United Nation General Assembly</strong></a> in October 1966 proclaimed<strong> 21<sup>st</sup> March</strong> as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, to be commemorated annually.</li>
<li>On that day, in <strong>1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people</strong> at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa<strong>, against the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-africa-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apartheid</a> pass laws.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aparthied:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was a policy which governed <strong>relations between South Africa&rsquo;s white minority and non-white majority.</strong></li>
<li>It<strong> sanctioned racial segregation,</strong> poltical and economic discrimination against non-whites.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Proclaiming the Day in <strong>1966</strong> which signifies the struggle to <strong>end the policy of apartheid in South Africa.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>2021 Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>&lsquo;Youth standing up against racism'</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Racial discrimination, beyond being a breach of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/human-rights-day-2#:~:text=These%20are%20rights%20inherent%20to,and%20education%2C%20and%20many%20more." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>human rights</strong></a>, has harmful effects on human health and well-being, and risks wider disruptions to social cohesion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Racism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Racism, also called racialism, the belief that <strong>humans may be divided into separate and exclusive biological entities</strong> called<strong> &ldquo;races&rdquo;;</strong> that there is a causal <strong>link between inherited physical traits and traits of personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural and behavioral features;</strong> and that some races are innately superior to others.</li>
<li>The term is also applied to political, economic, or legal institutions and systems that engage in or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of race or otherwise reinforce racial inequalities in wealth and income, education, health care, civil rights, and other areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Xenophobia</strong> and Racism mostly overlap, but the stark difference is<strong> racism is discrimination based on physical characteristics</strong> whereas <strong>xenophobia is discrimination based on the perception that someone is foreign</strong> or originating from another community or nation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The word Xenophobia originates from the Greek word Xeno.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617694422_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617694422_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Current Prevalence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>anonymity of the Internet</strong> has allowed <strong>racist stereotypes</strong> and inaccurate information to spread online. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At the onset of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/future-pandemics-and-reduction-measures" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a>, traffic to hate sites and specific posts against Asians <strong>grew by 200% in the US.</strong></li>
<li>In India and in Sri Lanka, social media groups and messaging platforms were used to call for <strong>social and economic boycotts of religious minorities,</strong> amid false information accusing them of spreading the virus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Structural forms of discrimination, including <strong>micro-aggressions</strong> and everyday indignities, remain widespread.</li>
<li>The <strong>use of new technologies and artificial intelligence in security raise the spectre of &lsquo;techno-racism&rsquo;,</strong> as facial recognition programmes can misidentify and target racialized communities.</li>
<li>Prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory acts, whether subtle or overt, aggravate existing inequalities in societies. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A study published by The Lancet drew attention to the social dimension of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and the greater vulnerability of ethnic minorities, who have been disproportionately affected.</li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization</strong></a> has cautioned on the dangers of profiling and stigmatising communities that can lead to fear and the subsequent concealment of cases and delays in detection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives Against Racism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization&rsquo;s (UNESCO)</strong></a> actions against racism through education, the sciences, culture, and communication offer an example of a way forward.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities</strong> of UNESCO provides an additional platform for city-level planning and a laboratory for good practices in the fight against racism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>UNESCO&rsquo;s headquarters in Paris hosted a <strong>Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination</strong> on 22<sup>nd</sup> March 2021, in partnership with the Republic of Korea. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Forum gathered policymakers, academics, and partners to initiate a new multi-stakeholder partnership on anti-racism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In January 2021 the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/davos-dialogue-world-economic-forum" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Economic Forum</strong></a> launched a <strong>coalition of organizations </strong>committed to <strong>improving racial and ethnic justice in the workplace.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uk-to-issue-coin-in-honour-of-mahatma-gandhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Black Lives Matter&rsquo;</strong> </a>protests gained momentum in not only the United States but the whole world. People, as well as many governments across different countries, came forth against the prevalence of racial discrimination worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provisions Against Racial Discrimination in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-articles-from-indian-constitution-compilation-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 15, Article 16 and Article 29</strong></a> of the Constitution of India prohibit discrimination on grounds of &ldquo;race&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Section 153A of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-road-map-for-criminal-justice-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Penal Code (IPC)</strong> </a>also refers to &ldquo;race&rdquo;.</li>
<li>India also ratified the <strong>International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)</strong> in 1968.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Through <strong>new approaches to intercultural dialogue and learning, youth and communities</strong> can be equipped with skills to eradicate harmful stereotypes and foster tolerance.</li>
<li>Recent and new manifestations of racism and discrimination call for renewed commitments to mobilise for equality. Racism will not be overcome with mere professions of good faith but <strong>must be combatted with anti-racist action. </strong></li>
<li><strong>A global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination</strong> should be built first and foremost in the minds of women and men.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-road-map-for-tolerance/article34238920.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/international-day-for-the-elimination-of-racial-discrimination'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Effect of Dust on Monsoon',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study details how the <strong>Indian monsoon</strong> gets influenced by the <strong>atmospheric dust particles</strong> swept up by winds <strong>from deserts in the Middle East (Asian Deserts).</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625039_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625039_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="576" height="250" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dust :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dust is <strong>very small dry particles of earth or sand.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>PM10 and PM2.5</strong> refers to dust classified by the size of particles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> natural erosion of soil, sand and rock</strong> is the <strong>most common source</strong> of dust.</li>
<li>Dust emission is common in urban areas<strong> from a range of activities such as gardening, to large scale industrial operations.</strong></li>
<li>It is<strong> known to influence monsoons, hurricanes and even fertilize rainforests.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>dust emission scheme is extremely sensitive to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a></strong> and understanding these mechanisms and effects of dust can help understand our <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>monsoon</strong></a> systems in the face of global climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effect of Dust on Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dust storms from the desert when lifted by strong winds can absorb solar radiation and become hot.</li>
<li>This can cause <strong>heating of the atmosphere, change the air pressure, wind circulation patterns, influence moisture transport and increase precipitation and rainfall.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effect on Indian Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dust from the <strong>Middle East [West Asia]</strong> and also from the <strong>Iranian Plateau</strong> also influences the <strong>Indian Summer Monsoon (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-ocean-dipole-and-the-south-west-monsoon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South West Monsoon</a>).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The hot air over the Iranian Plateau can heat the atmosphere over the plateau, strengthen the circulation over the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and increase dust emission from the Middle East [West Asia].</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reverse Effect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian Summer Monsoon has a reverse effect and can <strong>increase the winds in West Asia to produce yet more dust.</strong></li>
<li>A strong monsoon can also transport air to West Asia and again pick up a lot of dust.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effect of Anthropogenic Dust:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>a difference of opinion,</strong> some studies found that anthropogenic<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> aerosols</strong></a> emitted from the Indian subcontinent can decrease summer monsoon precipitation, while others found that absorbing aerosols such as dust can strengthen the monsoon circulation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aerosols</strong> are defined as a combination of liquid or solid particles suspended in a gaseous or liquid environment.</li>
<li><strong>Anthropogenic aerosols include sulfate, nitrate, and carbonaceous aerosols,</strong> and are mainly from fossil fuel combustion sources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, a recent study showed that they can <strong>strengthen Indian summer monsoon rainfall.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Aerosol particles, such as dust, play an important role in the precipitation process, providing the nuclei upon which condensation and freezing take place.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Deserts in Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deserts across the globe play important roles in monsoons.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The dust aerosols from deserts in <strong>West China</strong> such as the <strong>Taklamakan desert</strong> and the<strong> Gobi Desert</strong> can be transported eastward to eastern China and can influence the East Asia summer monsoon.</li>
<li>In the <strong>southwest United States,</strong> there are some small deserts that influence the <strong>North African monsoon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Deserts of the World:</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625297_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617625297_image7.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Monsoon</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A monsoon often brings about thoughts of torrential rains, similar to a hurricane or typhoon. But there is a difference: a <strong>monsoon is not a single storm; rather, it is a seasonal wind shift over a region.</strong></li>
<li>The shift may<strong> cause heavy rains in the summer,</strong> but at other times, it may cause a dry spell.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cause for Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A monsoon <strong>(from the Arabic mawsim, which means "season")</strong> arises due to a <strong>difference in temperatures between a land mass and the adjacent ocean.</strong></li>
<li>The sun warms the land and ocean differently, causing the winds to play "tug of war" eventually <strong>switching directions bringing the cooler, moister air from over the ocean.</strong></li>
<li>The winds reverse again at the end of the monsoon season.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Types:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Wet Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A wet monsoon typically <strong>occurs during the summer months</strong> (about April through September) bringing heavy rains.</li>
<li>On average, approximately <strong>75% of India's annual rainfall</strong> and about <strong>50% of the North American monsoon region</strong> comes during the summer monsoon season.</li>
<li>The wet monsoon begins when winds bring cooler, more humid air from above the oceans to the land.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dry Monsoon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A dry monsoon typically occurs between<strong> October and April.</strong></li>
<li>Instead of coming from the oceans, the <strong>winds tend to come from drier, warmer climates</strong> such as from Mongolia and northwestern China down into India.</li>
<li>Dry monsoons tend to be<strong> less powerful than their summer counterparts.</strong></li>
<li>The winter monsoon occurs when "the land cools off faster than the water and a high pressure develops over the land, blocking any ocean air from penetrating." This leads to a dry period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Location:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A monsoon forms in the tropics <strong>(between 0 and 23.5 degrees latitude north and south)</strong> and subtropics <strong>(between 23.5 degrees and 35 degrees latitude north and south).</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>strongest monsoons tend to occur in India and South Asia in the north and Australia and Malaysia in the south.</strong></li>
<li>Monsoons also occur in southern parts of North America, in Central America, northern areas of South America, and in western Africa.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/how-asian-desert-dust-enhances-indian-summer-monsoon/article34232324.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/effect-of-dust-on-monsoon'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Decentralizing Climate Assistance',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/the-role-of-mgnregs-in-the-climate-crisis-101617458768249.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The role of MGNREGA in the climate crisis&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindustan Times on 03/04/2021. It talks about how can MGNREGA help in tackling climate change.</p>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis#:~:text=MGNREGA%20is%20one%20of%20the,work%2Drelated%20unskilled%20manual%20work." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA)</strong></a> has made immense contributions towards livelihood security and the creation of durable assets in rural areas.</p>
<p>While MGNREGA has been a valuable employment tool and safety net, as seen in the migrant crisis, its role in building ecosystems resilient to the climate crisis is being increasingly recognized.</p>
<p>A climate-smart MGNREGA can lower the risks posed by the climate crisis while providing legally mandated demand-driven employment to resource-poor households.</p>
<p>Hence, there is a need to bring upfront the scheme&rsquo;s potential in addressing matters of lives and livelihoods while combating the climate emergency.</p>
<h3>MGNREGA &amp; Climate Change</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although the MGNREGA was not designed specifically as a climate program, it incorporates three key elements with the potential to advance pro-poor climate assistance objectives: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Social protection through the provision of minimum wage labor;</li>
<li>The development of small-scale, natural resource-focused infrastructure; and</li>
<li>A decentralized, &lsquo;community-based planning architecture.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>MGNREGS is a well-established mechanism for planning, delivering, and monitoring expenditure. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can deliver climate finance at scale into the hands of poor rural households &mdash; particularly the most vulnerable groups including women and scheduled castes and tribes &mdash; based on their priorities</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Can MGNREGA Help in Tackling Climate Change?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Natural Resource Management:</strong> In 2020-21, of the total expenditure spent on MGNREGA, about two-thirds were on works related to natural resource management (NRM). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mammoth scale of the NRM component in MGNREGA provides a major boost to improving the productive capacity of the land, water, and forest resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Risk:</strong> This will help reduce the vulnerability to climate risk as groundwater availability increases, soil fertility improves, tree cover is enhanced, drought- and flood-proofing measures are put in place.</li>
<li><strong>Augmenting Climate Change Adaptation:</strong> A recent study by the Centre for Science and Environment concludes that MGNREGA is the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s biggest adaptation program as it harnesses the labor of people to invest in building the wherewithal to fight drought and build resilience&rdquo;.</li>
<li><strong>Achieving INDC:</strong> As part of its efforts to tackle climate change, India has to meet three key targets: building capacity for 40% electric power from non-fossil fuel, cut in emissions by 33-35% from the 2005 level, and create carbon sinks of about 2.5 to 3 billion tons. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is on its way to meet the first two targets but lagging on the third one. Going by present trends, target achievement will prove to be a major challenge.</li>
<li>In the Report submitted by the Union government to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the MGNREGA&rsquo;s contribution to sequester carbon was assessed at 62 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2017-18.</li>
<li>This performance needs to be enhanced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>To strengthen MGNREGA and dealing with Climate change linkage, the following needs to be done:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Augmenting Financial Resources:</strong> Topping up administrative or convergence funds to strengthen MGNREGA functionaries and workers&rsquo; skills to build and benefit from climate-resilient and low-carbon assets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will make it truly demand-driven and engage more people to work for climate change remediation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deepening the Scope of Convergence:</strong> There is a need to deepen the scope of convergence by proactively linking farm assets with climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, robust methodologies for measurement and accounting of environmental services can be developed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strengthening MGNREGA Monitoring and Evaluation Systems:</strong> More independent studies and surveys can be conducted that can quantify the scheme&rsquo;s adaptation and mitigation capacity to climate risks.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, there is a need for the feedback proformas not just the numerical count of works being undertaken but also the environmental services provided.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Anticipatory Wage Employment:</strong> Building climate risk information (weather, climate hazards, and climate vulnerabilities), services, and skills to support anticipatory wage employment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>It is time to acknowledge MGNREGA as a climate-smart green employment generation program. In a world that will continue to warm, the rural poor will suffer its worst consequences. As a public intervention, Climate-smart MGNREGA appears to be a step in the right direction.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In a world that will continue to warm, the rural poor will suffer its worst consequences. Discuss the role that can be played by MGNREGA in dealing with the climate crisis.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/decentralizing-climate-assistance'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Maoist Attack in Sukma',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A team of security forces was attacked by a <strong>People&rsquo;s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA)</strong> unit in the Tarrem area near the <strong>Sukma-Bijapur district border, Chhattisgarh</strong>. Several security personnel were killed and many were injured.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PLGA was founded in 2000. It has been declared as a terrorist organisation and banned under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unlawful-activities-prevention-act-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967 (UAPA)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622414_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622414_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Sukma District:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Located in the <strong>southern tip of the state of Chhattisgarh,</strong> the district was carved out of Dantewada in the year 2012.</li>
<li>It is covered with the<strong> semi-tropical forest</strong> and is a mainland of tribal community <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gond-tribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gond</strong></a>.</li>
<li>One major river that flows through the district is<strong> Sabari (a tributary of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/godavari-river-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Godavari river</a>).</strong></li>
<li>Over a few decades, this region has become a fostering ground for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/left-wing-extremism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Left Wing Extremism (LWE)</strong></a> activities. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Uneven terrains and the tricky geographic locations made this region a safer hideout for the LWE activists.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Left Wing Extremism in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Left-wing extremists,</strong> popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.</li>
<li>The<strong> term Naxalism</strong> derives its name from the village <strong>Naxalbari of West Bengal.</strong> It <strong>originated as a rebellion against local landlords</strong> who bashed a peasant over a land dispute. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The rebellion was<strong> initiated in 1967,</strong> with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The movement has <strong>spread across the Eastern India in less developed areas</strong> of states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
<li>It is considered that<strong> Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maoism is<strong> a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung.</strong> It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Left Wing Extremism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Tribal Discontent:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980</strong> has been used to target tribals, who depend on forest produce for their living.</li>
<li><strong>Massive displacement of tribal population</strong> in the naxalism-affected states due to development projects, mining operations and other reasons.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Easy Target for Maoists:</strong> Such people who do not have any source of living are taken into naxalism by Maoists.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maoists provide arms and ammunition and money to such people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gaps in the Socio-Economic system of the Country:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Government measures its success on the basis of the number of violent attacks rather than the development done in the naxal-affected areas.</li>
<li>Absence of strong <strong>technical intelligence to fight</strong> with naxalites.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructural problems,</strong> for instance, some villages are not yet connected properly with any communication network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No Follow-Up from Administration:</strong> It is seen that even after police take hold of a region, administration fails to provide essential services to the people of that region.</li>
<li><strong>Confusion</strong> over tackling naxalism as a <strong>social issue or as a security threat.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Government Initiatives to Fight LWE:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Greyhounds:</strong> It was raised in 1989 as an elite anti-naxal force.</li>
<li><strong>Operation Green Hunt:</strong> It was started in 2009-10 and massive deployment of security forces was done in the naxal-affected areas.</li>
<li><strong>LWE Mobile Tower Project:</strong> To improve mobile connectivity in the LWE areas, the Government in 2014, approved installation of mobile towers in LWE affected States.</li>
<li><strong>Aspirational Districts Programme:</strong> Launched in 2018, it <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aspirational-districts-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>aims to rapidly transform the districts</strong></a> that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.</li>
<li><strong>SAMADHAN:</strong><br />It stands for<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>S- Smart Leadership,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A- Aggressive Strategy,</li>
<li>M- Motivation and Training,</li>
<li>A- Actionable Intelligence,</li>
<li>D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas),</li>
<li>H- Harnessing Technology,</li>
<li>A- Action plan for each Theatre, and</li>
<li>N- No access to Financing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This doctrine is the <strong>one-stop solution for the LWE problem.</strong> It encompasses the entire strategy of government from<strong> short-term policy to long-term policy</strong> formulated at different levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622865_image6.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617622865_image6.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Though the <strong>number of incidents of LWE violence has come down</strong> in the recent past, <strong>continued efforts and focus are needed</strong> in eliminating such groups.</li>
<li>Government needs to ensure two things; <strong>security of the peace-loving people and the development of the naxalism-affected regions.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Centre and states</strong> should continue with their <strong>coordinated efforts in development and security</strong> both where Centre should play a supportive role with state police forces taking the lead.</li>
<li>Government needs to undertake <strong>technological solutions</strong> such as the<strong> use of drones</strong> to minimize loss of lives of security personnel.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/sukma-encounter-toll-rises-as-more-bodies-of-more-security-personnel-are-recovered-on-april-4/article34236487.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/maoist-attack-in-sukma'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Poet Sarala Das',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Vice President addressed <strong>Odia Adikabi Sarala Das</strong>'s 600<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary function in Cuttack.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sarala Das was one of the great scholars of <strong>Odia literature.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He was the<strong> first scholar who wrote his works in Odia in 15<sup>th</sup> century A.D.</strong></li>
<li>Best known for three Odia books, <strong>Mahabharata, Vilanka Ramayana and Chandi Purana.</strong></li>
<li>He also wrote the book<strong> Laxmi Narayana Vachanika.</strong></li>
<li>He started writing his Mahabharata in the <strong>reign of Kapileswar, otherwise known as Kapilendra, the famous Gajapati king of Odisha (AD 1435&ndash;67).</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Odia Language</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Oldest of the eastern group of the <strong>Indo-Aryan family,</strong> Odia is derived from <strong>Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.</strong></li>
<li>Odia is one of the six languages that got <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/classical-languages" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Classical Status in India.</strong></a></li>
<li>A language officially <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jammu-and-kashmir-official-languages-bill-2020#:~:text=Assamese%2C%20Bengali%2C%20Gujarati%2C%20Hindi,initially%20included%20in%20the%20Constitution." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;scheduled,&rdquo;</strong></a> in the <strong>Indian constitution.</strong></li>
<li>It is also the <strong>main official language of the Indian state of Odisha.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1709219" 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/poet-sarala-das'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Acquittal by Benefit of Doubt',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> has held that a <strong>public employer can reject a candidate</strong> as unsuitable if he/she had, in the past, been <strong>acquitted of a serious crime merely on the benefit of doubt.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Benefit of doubt is granted to the accused when there is total absence of evidence</strong> or in the criminal jurisprudence requiring the case to be proved beyond reasonable doubt.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Petitioner in the Supreme Court cleared the recruitment for the post of constable in Rajasthan Police Service.</li>
<li>However, he was not appointed in view of being tried in a criminal case. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was found that, though he was acquitted, the charges against him were not of a trivial nature but were serious offences and the candidate was acquitted on the &ldquo;Benefit of Doubt&rdquo;.</li>
<li>He was not honourably acquitted by the Court.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court Observations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mere fact of an acquittal would not suffice but rather it would depend on <strong>whether it is a clean acquittal.</strong></li>
<li>Employers would be well within their rights to consider the antecedent and suitability of the candidate. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In this context, the employer is entitled to take into account the <strong>job profile for which the selection is undertaken</strong>, and</li>
<li>the <strong>severity of the charge levelled</strong> against the candidate and</li>
<li>whether the acquittal in question was an <strong>honourable acquittal or was merely on the ground of benefit of doubt.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>An acquittal on the benefit of doubt is quite different from an honourable acquittal.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A person <strong>should be honourably acquitted of a heinous crime to be considered eligible for public employment.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The court, however, reminded employers that the <strong>rejection should not be mechanical</strong> since employment opportunity is a scarce commodity in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Honourable Acquittal And Acquittal by Extending the &ldquo;Benefit of Doubt&rdquo;</strong></p>
<p>The trial court after giving due consideration to the evidence placed on record and examining the witness may do any of the following:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Convict the person.</li>
<li><strong>Acquit the person unconditionally.</strong> In other words, it is <strong>Honourable acquittal.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term &ldquo;Honorable acquittal&rdquo; is nowhere defined under Indian laws and it is the <strong>invention of Indian judiciary.</strong></li>
<li>An accused who is acquitted after full consideration of the prosecution evidence and prosecution has miserably failed to prove the charges levelled against the accused.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Acquitting the person by extending the &ldquo;benefit of doubt&rdquo;</strong> or due to the failure on the prosecution's side to prove the guilt &ldquo;beyond reasonable doubt&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/employer-can-reject-candidate-acquitted-of-serious-crime-sc/article34240985.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'National Rare Disease Policy 2021',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the <strong>National Rare Disease Policy 2021.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crowdfunding-for-rare-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delhi High Court had directed the Centre</strong></a> to set up a Rare Diseases Committee, a Rare Diseases Fund and to finalise and notify the National Health Policy for Rare Diseases on or before 31st March, 2021.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To increase <strong>focus on indigenous research and local production of medicines.</strong></li>
<li>To <strong>lower the cost of treatment</strong> of rare diseases.</li>
<li>To <strong>screen and detect rare diseases early at early stages</strong>, which will in turn help in their prevention.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Provisions of the Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Categorization:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The policy has categorised rare diseases in <strong>three groups:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Group 1:</strong> Disorders amenable to <strong>one-time curative</strong> treatment.</li>
<li><strong>Group 2:</strong> Those requiring <strong>long term</strong> or <strong>lifelong treatment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Group 3:</strong> Diseases for which <strong>definitive treatment is available</strong> but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Financial Support:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Those who are suffering from rare diseases listed under Group 1 will have the financial support of up to Rs. 20 lakh under the umbrella scheme of <strong>Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi:</strong> The Scheme provides for <strong>financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line (BPL)</strong> and who are suffering from major life threatening diseases, <strong>to receive medical treatment at any of the super specialty Government hospitals / institutes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Beneficiaries for such financial assistance would not be limited to BPL families, but extended to about 40% of the population, who are eligible as per norms of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana</strong></a>, for their treatment in Government tertiary hospitals only.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Alternate Funding:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This includes <strong>voluntary <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crowdfunding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowdfunding</a> treatment</strong> by setting up a <strong>digital platform</strong> for voluntary individual contribution and corporate donors to voluntarily contribute to the treatment cost of patients of rare diseases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Centres of Excellence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The policy aims to strengthen tertiary health care facilities for prevention and treatment of rare diseases through designating eight health facilities as <strong>'Centres of Excellence'</strong> and these will also be <strong>provided one-time financial support of up to Rs. 5 crore</strong> for upgradation of diagnostics facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Registry:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A national <strong>hospital-based registry of rare diseases will be created to</strong> ensure adequate data and comprehensive definitions of such diseases are <strong>available for those interested in research and development.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns Raised:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Sustainable Funding:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Unlike conditions under Group 1 and Group 2, patients with Group 3 disorders require sustainable treatment support.</li>
<li>In the <strong>absence of a sustainable funding support for Group 3 patients</strong>, the precious lives of all patients, mostly children, are now at risk and at the mercy of crowdfunding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Drug Manufacturing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Where drugs are available, they are <strong>prohibitively expensive, placing immense strain on resources.</strong></li>
<li>Currently <strong>few pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing drugs for rare diseases globally</strong> and there are no domestic manufacturers in India except for those who make medical-grade food for those with metabolic disorders.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Rare Diseases<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617614735_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617614735_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are <strong>6,000-8,000 classified rare diseases</strong>, but less than 5% have therapies available to treat them.</li>
<li><strong>Example: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rare-diseases-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSD)</a></strong>, Pompe disease, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/genetic-disorders#:~:text=Cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20disorder,red%20blood%20cells%20(RBCs)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cystic fibrosis</strong></a>, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-haemophilia-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>haemophilia</strong></a> etc.</li>
<li>About<strong> 95% rare diseases have no approved treatment</strong> and less than 1 in 10 patients receive disease-specific treatment.</li>
<li>These <strong>diseases have differing definitions in various countries</strong> and range from those that are prevalent in 1 in 10,000 of the population to 6 per 10,000.</li>
<li>However broadly, a &lsquo;rare disease&rsquo; is <strong>defined as a health condition of low prevalence that affects a small number of people</strong> when compared with other prevalent diseases in the general population. Many cases of <strong>rare diseases may be serious, chronic and life-threatening.</strong></li>
<li>India has close to <strong>50-100 million people affected by rare diseases</strong> or disorders, the policy report said almost 80% of these rare condition patients are children and a leading cause for <strong>most of them not reaching adulthood is due to the high morbidity and mortality rates</strong> of these life-threatening diseases.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/disquiet-over-govts-new-policy-for-rare-diseases/article34225606.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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