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Expansion of Mid-day Meal Scheme

Why in News The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has recommended that all government schools start providing free breakfast in the...

12 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Autocratisation Goes Viral Report

Why in News Recently, India has been classified as an “electoral autocracy” in the annual report named Autocratisation Goes Viral of...

12 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Indonesia’s Mt. Sinabung

Why in News Recently, Mt. Sinabung, an active volcano on Indonesia’s Sumatra island has erupted. Earlier, other volcanoes of Indonesia-...

12 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Challenges Faced by Nomadic Tribes

Why in News In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment stated that a Development and Welfare Board...

12 Mar 2021 News Analysis
India’s Biggest Floating Solar Power Plant

Why in News India’s biggest floating solar power plant by generation capacity (100MW) is being developed by the National Thermal Power...

12 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Licensing Conditions for Telecom Companies Amended

Why in News The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has amended licensing conditions for telecom companies. The new norms will be implemented...

12 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Farmers Producer Organisation

This article is based on “The push small farmers need” which was published in The Indian Express on 11/03/2021. It talks about the...

11 Mar 2021 News Editorials
King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award

Why in News The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) received the prestigious International “King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
The Big Picture: Accessible and Affordable Judicial System

Why in News? The Vice President of India has recently raised concerns over making the entire judicial system more accessible and understandable...

11 Mar 2021 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
International Lunar Research Station: Russia and China

Why in News China and Russia have agreed to build a International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), possibly on the moon’s surface, marking the...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
INS Karanj

Why in News Recently, Indian Navy’s third stealth Scorpene class (of Project-75) Submarine INS Karanj has been commissioned at the Naval...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Kala-azar Elimination: Bihar to Miss Deadline

Why in News The new cases of Kala-azar or Visceral Leishmaniasis have been reported in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, casting serious doubt on...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program

Why in News The National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program (NETAP) has released its latest edition of the Apprenticeship Outlook Report...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi

Why in News The Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) as a single non-lapsable reserve fund for Health from...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Bharat Bangla Maitri Bridge

Why in News Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated Bharat Bangla Maitri Bridge in Tripura’s South district. Key Points About: The...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Significance of India-Bangladesh Transport Connectivity: World Bank

Why in News Recently, a World Bank report named “Connecting to Thrive: Challenges and Opportunities of Transport Integration in Eastern South...

11 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Universal Primary Education in India

This article is based on “A Kerala model for universal education” which was published in The Indian Express on 09/03/2021. It talks...

10 Mar 2021 News Editorials
Group of Ministers: Media Strategy

Why in News The Editors Guild of India flagged the Group of Ministers (GoM) report on the government’s media strategy as an example of the...

10 Mar 2021 News Analysis
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development

Why in News The Centre government must increase the amount of pensions provided for poor senior citizens, widows and disabled people, said the...

10 Mar 2021 News Analysis
TRAI Suspends New SMS Scrubbing Norms

Why in News The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) temporarily suspended the scrubbing of short message service or SMS by telecom service...

10 Mar 2021 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Expansion of Mid-day Meal Scheme',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-committee-on-investment-and-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee</strong> </a>on Education has<strong> recommended</strong> that <strong>all government schools</strong> start providing <strong>free breakfast in the coming academic year,</strong> as a part of an<strong> expansion of midday meal</strong> scheme envisaged by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-education-policy-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Education Policy.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>National Education Policy</strong> identifies <strong>&ldquo;providing food and nutrition&rdquo;</strong> as one of the key long-term thrust areas for<strong> financing to cultivate a robust education system.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Need:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Research shows that the<strong> morning</strong> hours <strong>nutritious breakfast</strong> can be <strong>productive for the study</strong> of cognitively more demanding subjects and hence these hours may be leveraged by providing a simple but energizing breakfast in addition to midday meals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Severe<strong> funding Crunch</strong> is likely to <strong>delay the scheme.</strong></li>
<li>The Centre's<strong> current expenditure</strong> on the Midday meals scheme is about <strong>11000 crore. Free breakfast</strong> would<strong> involve</strong> an additional budget of <strong>4000 crore</strong> but the <strong>School Education Department</strong> saw a <strong>budget cut</strong> of almost<strong> 5000 crore</strong> for the year 2020-21.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Midday Meal Scheme</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Midday meal scheme (under the<strong> Ministry of Education</strong>) is a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> centrally sponsored scheme</strong></a> which was launched in 1995.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>world&rsquo;s largest school meal programme</strong> aimed to attain the goal of universalization of primary education.</li>
<li>Provides <strong>cooked meals</strong> to every child within the age group of <strong>six to fourteen years</strong> studying in <strong>classes I to VIII</strong> who enrolls and attends the school.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Address hunger and malnutrition, increase enrolment and attendance in school, improve socialisation among castes, provide employment at grassroot level especially to women.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Quality Check:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-27th-september-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AGMARK</strong> </a>quality items are procured,<strong> tasting of meals by two or three adult members</strong> of the <strong>school management committee.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Security:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If the Mid-Day Meal is not provided in school on any school day due to non-availability of food grains or any other reason, the State Government shall pay<strong> food security allowance</strong> by 15<sup>th</sup> of the succeeding month.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regulation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>State Steering-cum Monitoring Committee (SSMC)</strong> oversees the implementation of the scheme including establishment of a mechanism for maintenance of nutritional standards and quality of meals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nutritional Standards:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Cooked meal</strong> having nutritional standards of<strong> 450 calories and 12 gm of protein</strong> for <strong>primary (I-V class)</strong> and <strong>700 calories and 20 gm</strong> protein for upper primary <strong>(VI-VIII class)</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coverage:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All <strong>government</strong> and <strong>government aided schools, Madarsa</strong> and <strong>Maqtabs</strong> supported <strong>under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-21st-july-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues and Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Corrupt Practices:</strong> There have been instances of plain chapatis being served with salt, mixing of water in milk, food poisoning etc.</li>
<li><strong>Caste Bias and Discrimination:</strong> Food is central to the caste system, so in many schools, children are made to sit separately according to their caste status.</li>
<li><strong>Covid-19:</strong> Covid-19 has posed serious threats to children and their health and nutritional rights. The nationwide lockdown has disrupted access to essential services, including <strong>Mid-Day Meals.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Menace of Malnutrition:</strong> According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-family-health-survey-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey-5</strong></a>, several states across the country have<strong> reversed course</strong> and recorded<strong> worsening levels of child malnutrition.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is home to about 30% of the world&rsquo;s stunted children and nearly 50% of severely wasted children under the age of five.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Nutrition Report-2020:</strong> As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-nutrition-report-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Nutrition Report 2020</strong></a>, India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025.</li>
<li><strong>Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020:</strong> India has been ranked at 94 among 107 countries in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-hunger-index-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020.</strong></a> India has a level of hunger that is <strong>&ldquo;serious&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Children will be unable to learn optimally when they are undernourished or unwell. Hence, the nutrition and health (including mental health) of children will be addressed, through nutritional breakfast including mid day meals. This expansion would further help to stop hunger from keeping children away from schools and to improve enrolment.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/breakfast-in-schools-plan-faces-delay/article34041520.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source -TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Autocratisation Goes Viral Report',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has been classified as an <strong>&ldquo;electoral autocracy&rdquo;</strong> in the annual report named <strong>Autocratisation Goes Viral</strong> of Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This report comes just after the US watchdog <strong>Freedom House downgraded India&rsquo;s status to &ldquo;partly free&rdquo;</strong> in its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/freedom-in-the-world-2021-report#:~:text=The%20Freedom%20in%20the%20World,deterioration%20over%20the%20last%20year." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Freedom in the World 2021&rsquo;</strong> </a>report.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615542060_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615542060_image3.jpg" caption="false" width="651" height="287" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About V-Dem:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The V-Dem Institute, an <strong>independent research organisation</strong> founded in 2014 by Swedish political scientist Staffan Lindberg.</li>
<li>It produces its <strong>annual report on the state of democracy</strong> around the world based on a dataset of almost 30 million data points for <strong>202 countries.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The global <strong>decline of liberal democracies</strong> was &lsquo;steep&rsquo; in the past 10 years in the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.</li>
<li>Apart from India, countries like <strong>Brazil and Turkey figured among the top 10 countries that slipped in rankings</strong> that were part of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G-20</strong></a> nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Position:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was previously classified as an <strong>electoral democracy</strong>, however the latest report classified it as <strong>electoral autocracy.</strong></li>
<li>India is now as autocratic <strong>as is Pakistan,</strong> and <strong>worse than</strong> both its neighbours <strong>Bangladesh and Nepal.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Political rights</strong> and <strong>civil liberties</strong> in the country have <strong>deteriorated since 2014</strong>, with increased pressure on human rights organizations, rising intimidation of academics and journalists, and a spate of bigoted attacks, including lynchings, aimed at Muslims.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for the Downgrade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, Indian government has used laws on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sedition-law-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sedition (Section 124A),</strong></a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/misuse-of-criminal-defamation-law-madras-hc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>defamation (Section 499)</strong></a>, and <strong>counter-terrorism</strong> to silence critics.</li>
<li>It has used the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/foreign-contribution-regulation-amendment-bill-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010</strong></a> to restrict the entry, exit and functioning of civil society organisations.</li>
<li>More frequent use of laws like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/low-convictions-rate-under-uapa-act#:~:text=In%20August%202019%2C%20Parliament%20cleared,is%20otherwise%20involved%20in%20terrorism." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA),1967.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rahul-gandhi-flags-indias-slide-in-democratic-norms/article34045122.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/autocratisation-goes-viral-report'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Indonesia’s Mt. Sinabung',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Mt. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mount-sinabung" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sinabung</strong></a>, an active volcano on Indonesia&rsquo;s Sumatra island has erupted.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, other volcanoes of Indonesia- <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mt-merapi-of-indonesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Merapi volcano</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/semeru-volcano-of-indonesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Semeru volcano</strong></a>- had erupted.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537541_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537541_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="399" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mt. Sinabung:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mt. Sinabung <strong>(2,600-metre)</strong> is<strong> located in Karo regency,</strong> North Sumatra.</li>
<li>Sinabung is among more than<strong> 120 active volcanoes</strong> in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/pacific-ring-of-fire" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pacific Ring of Fire.</strong></a></li>
<li>The volcano was dormant for 400 years before exploding in <strong>2010.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It exploded again in <strong>2014 ,2016</strong> and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indonesia-s-mt-sinabung-erupted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ring of Fire:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ring of Fire, also referred to as the <strong>Circum-Pacific Belt,</strong> is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by<strong> active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.</strong></li>
<li>It traces boundaries between several <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/tectonic-plates">tectonic plates</a>&mdash;</strong>including the Pacific, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.</li>
<li>The abundance of volcanoes and earthquakes along the Ring of Fire is caused by the amount of movement of tectonic plates in the area.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>75% of Earth&rsquo;s volcanoes</strong> i.e. <strong>more than 450 volcanoes</strong> are located along the Ring of Fire. 90% of Earth&rsquo;s earthquakes occur along its path.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537662_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537662_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/indonesias-sinabung-volcano-unleashes-new-burst-of-hot-ash-7223523/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1615541247822000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3o4R5KePtYDYSsfuErGMAT" 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/indonesia-s-mt-sinabung-1'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Challenges Faced by Nomadic Tribes',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, the<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-social-justice-and-empowerment#:~:text=The%20mandate%20of%20the%20Ministry,Nomadic%20Tribes%20(DNTs)%2C%20Economically" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment</strong></a> stated that a <strong>Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs)</strong> was constituted for development and welfare of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/panel-for-denotified-semi-nomadic-nomadic-tribes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities</a> in 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The welfare board was constituted for a period of<strong> three years extendable upto 5 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Challenges Faced by Nomadic Tribes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are nearly 1,500 nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and 198 denotified tribes, comprising 15 crore Indians, according to the <strong>Renke Commission, 2008.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These tribes remain<strong> socially and economically marginalised</strong> even now, <strong>depriving</strong> many of them of<strong> basic human rights.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The most pressing issue is of their<strong> identity. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Lack of Basic Infrastructure Facilities:</strong> Like drinking water, shelter, and sanitation facilities are not available to the communities. Healthcare and education facilities are also not available.</li>
<li><strong>Bad Treatment by Local Administration:</strong> Due to the stigma of Criminals bestowed upon them in the past, they are still treated criminals and tortured by the local administration and police.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Social Security Cover:</strong> Since they are on move frequently, they do not have a permanent settlement. As a result, they lack social security cover and are<strong> not issued <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/24-states-under-one-nation-one-ration-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ration Card</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aadhar Card</a></strong>, etc. and hence they are not getting benefits under the government welfare schemes.</li>
<li>The <strong>caste categorization is not very clear</strong> for these communities, in some states some of the communities are included under the SC category, in some other states they are included under OBCs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, most of the groups from these communities do not have caste certificates and hence are not able to avail the benefits of government welfare programs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>DWBDNCs Responsibilities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>formulate and implement Welfare and Development programmes,</strong> as required, for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DNCs).</li>
<li>To <strong>identify the locations/areas</strong> where these communities are densely populated.</li>
<li>To<strong> assess and identify gaps</strong> in accessing existing programmes and entitlements and to collaborate with Ministries/implementing agencies to ensure that ongoing programmes meet the special requirements of DNCs.</li>
<li>To <strong>monitor and evaluate the progress of the schemes</strong> of the Government of India and the States/UTs with reference to DNCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Schemes for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This <strong>Centrally Sponsored Scheme</strong> was launched in 2014-15 for the<strong> welfare of those DNT</strong> (Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes)<strong> students</strong> who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC.</li>
<li>The income ceiling for eligibility is Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum.</li>
<li>The scheme is implemented through State Governments/UT Administrations. The <strong>expenditure is shared</strong> between the <strong>Centre and the States</strong> in the ratio of <strong>75:25.</strong></li>
<li>The scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for DNT students is helpful in spreading education amongst DNT children especially the girl child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in 2014-15, is implemented through State Governments/UT Administrations/Central Universities.</li>
<li>The aim of the scheme is to provide <strong>hostel facilities to those DNT students;</strong> who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC; to enable them to pursue higher education.</li>
<li>The income ceiling for eligibility is Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum.</li>
<li>The Central Government provides a maximum of 500 seats per annum throughout the country.</li>
<li>The expenditure is shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Denotified tribes are those that were notified under the <strong>Criminal Tribes Acts</strong> enforced during British Rule, whereby entire <strong>populations were branded criminals by birth.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1952, the Act was repealed and the communities were de-notified.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Nomadic tribes maintain constant geographical mobility</strong> while <strong>semi-nomads are those who are on the move but return to fixed habitations once a year,</strong> mainly for occupational reasons.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The distinction between nomadic and semi-nomadic do not involve distinguishable ethnic categories or social groups, it rather describes the degree of mobility practiced by them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1703752" 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/challenges-faced-by-nomadic-tribes'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Biggest Floating Solar Power Plant',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India&rsquo;s <strong>biggest floating <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/solar-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solar power</a> plant</strong> by generation capacity (100MW) is being developed by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-thermal-power-corporation-limited" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC)</strong></a> at <strong>Ramagundam in Peddapalli district of Telangana.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project is in line with India's commitment to attain the target of 175 GW of installed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/curtailment-issue-in-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>renewable energy</strong></a> capacity by 2022 including 100 GW of solar installed capacity.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Floating Solar Plants:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It refers to the <strong>deployment of photovoltaic panels on the surface of water bodies.</strong> They are <strong>a viable alternative to land-based solar arrays</strong> with applications in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There are <strong>a large number of major reservoirs in the Southern Region</strong> which provides a huge opportunity to go for renewable energy in the floating solar method.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Projects Coming up in India:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The thermal plant at<strong> Ramagundam</strong> would be one of the renewable (solar) energy plants being developed by NTPC with an installed capacity of 447MW in the Southern Region and the entire capacity would be commissioned by March 2023.</li>
<li>The renewable energy plants that are likely to be commissioned in the next three months are 25MW floating solar plant at <strong>Simhadri thermal power plant</strong> near <strong>Visakhapatnam</strong> and 92MW floating solar plant at <strong>Kayamkulam</strong> in<strong> Kerala.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Address Land Acquisition Issues:</strong> The key challenges that face renewable energy plant owners are land acquisition, grid connectivity, regulations and off-take. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Floating solar plants balance high population density and competing uses for available land. The land can be used for other purposes, such as farming or construction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooling Effect:</strong> The bodies of water exert a <strong>cooling effect,</strong> which improves the performance of solar photovoltaic panels by 5-10%. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Over time, this translates into <strong>significant cost savings.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Advantages:</strong> Reduced grid interconnection costs, reduced water evaporation, improved water quality, and reduced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/incois-launches-products#:~:text=An%20algal%20bloom%20or%20marine,algae%20in%20an%20aquatic%20system.&amp;text=Harmful%20Algal%20Blooms%20can%3A,or%20kill%20people%20and%20animals." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>algal blooming</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Cost:</strong> Engineering and construction costs are usually higher than those of a ground-mounted solar farm.</li>
<li><strong>Safety Issues:</strong> Since floating solar involves water and electricity, more consideration must be given to cable management and insulation testing than on land, especially when cables are in contact with water.</li>
<li><strong>Degradation and Corrosion:</strong> A floating solar plant has moving parts that are subject to constant friction and mechanical stress. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Systems that are poorly designed and maintained could suffer from catastrophic failures.</li>
<li>The installation is at risk of degradation and corrosion due to moisture, especially in more aggressive coastal environments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Understanding of Water-bed Topography:</strong> Developing floating solar projects requires a thorough understanding of water-bed topography and its suitability for setting up anchors for floats.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Solar Energy Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Solar Mission :</strong> Solar energy has taken a central place in India's <a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></a> with the <strong>National Solar Mission</strong> as one of the key Missions.</li>
<li><strong>INDCs target:</strong> It targets installing 100 GW grid-connected solar power plants by the year 2022. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is in line with India&rsquo;s<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-climate-action-ministerial" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)</strong></a> target to achieve about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources and to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% from 2005 level by 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Launch of ISA:</strong> The launch of the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/18-08-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> was announced by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France in 2015, at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>21<sup>st</sup> session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21)</strong></a> in Paris, France.</li>
<li><strong>Government Schemes:</strong> Such as <strong>Solar Park Scheme, Canal bank &amp; Canal top Scheme,</strong> Bundling Scheme,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rooftop-solar-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme</strong> </a>etc.</li>
<li><strong>One Sun One World One Grid:</strong> India has an ambitious cross-border power grid plan<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;One Sun One World One Grid&rsquo;</strong></a> that seeks to transfer solar power generated in one region to feed the electricity demands of others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Thermal Power Corporation Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NTPC Ltd. is a<strong> central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)</strong> under the Ministry of Power.</li>
<li>It is India&rsquo;s largest energy conglomerate with roots planted way back in 1975 to accelerate power development in India.</li>
<li>It aims to provide reliable power and related solutions in an economical, efficient and environment-friendly manner, driven by innovation and agility.</li>
<li>It became a <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sectors-of-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maharatna company</strong></a> in May 2010.</li>
<li>It is located in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/indias-biggest-floating-solar-plant-to-be-commissioned-in-next-three-months/article34036031.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/india-s-biggest-floating-solar-power-plant'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Licensing Conditions for Telecom Companies Amended',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Department of Telecommunications (DoT)</strong> has amended<strong> licensing conditions for telecom companies.</strong> The new norms will be implemented from <strong>15<sup>th</sup> June 2021.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In March 2021, the Union Cabinet approved <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-telecom-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the telecom sector</strong></a> to <strong>reduce imports</strong> and move towards <strong>self-reliance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New Licensing Conditions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To<strong> include defence and national security as parameters</strong> when purchasing <strong>&lsquo;trusted telecom products&rsquo;</strong> and sourcing equipment from <strong>&lsquo;trusted telecom equipment sources&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Telecom companies can use<strong> telecom products only from trusted sources</strong> in its network and <strong>must take permission</strong> from the designated authority<strong> (National Cyber Security Coordinator)</strong> if they plan to upgrade their existing network <strong>using telecom equipment that has not been designated as a trusted product.</strong></li>
<li>The new norms <strong>will not impact the annual maintenance contracts or upgrades to existing equipment</strong> already being used by the telcos in their networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trusted Telecom Products/Trusted Telecom Equipment Source:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is simply<strong> a product, a company, or a technology that has been deemed safe by the government</strong> of a nation for use in its crucial and critical infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Classification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In December 2020, India&rsquo;s Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the setting up of a new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-security-directive" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Security Directive</strong> </a>on the telecommunication sector with an intent <strong>to classify telecom products</strong> and their sources under the <strong>&lsquo;trusted&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;non-trusted&rsquo;</strong> categories.</li>
<li><strong>National Cyber Security Coordinator</strong> has been made the<strong> designated authority for deciding on the list of trusted and non-trusted telecom</strong> equipment sources and products.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Its decisions will be made based on approval of a committee headed by the deputy <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unified-commanders-conference#:~:text=The%20National%20Security%20Advisor%20acts,Security%20Advisor%20is%20Ajit%20Doval." target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Security Advisor</a> (NSA).</strong></li>
<li>Apart from the deputy NSA,<strong> the expert committee will have members from other departments and ministries, and independent experts as well</strong> as two members from the industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new policy could potentially make it more<strong> difficult for Chinese telecom equipment vendors</strong> like Huawei and ZTE to supply equipment to Indian telecom players in the future. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Both Huawei and ZTE <strong>have been under global scrutiny for allegedly installing &lsquo;backdoor&rsquo; or &lsquo;trapdoor&rsquo; vulnerabilities</strong> and<strong> spying for the Chinese government</strong> and have been banned by several countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Telecom equipment plays a vital role in telecom connectivity and data transfer, which has a direct impact on the national security of India therefore this change will <strong>help in strengthening national security of India.</strong></li>
<li>Demand for local equipment will rise which will further promote the vision of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Make-in-India</strong> </a>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/govt-to-telcos-buy-only-from-trusted-sources/article34038934.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/licensing-conditions-for-telecom-companies-amended'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Farmers Producer Organisation',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nabard-agrarian-distress-farmers-protest-farm-laws-7222830/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The push small farmers need&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 11/03/2021. It talks about the prospects of strengthening the Farmers Producer Organisation for addressing agriculture distress.</p>
</div>
<p>The government of India has envisaged doubling farmer&rsquo;s income by 2022, but this target is likely to be missed. This is because the efficiency, productivity, and economic viability of Indian agriculture are affected by many factors.</p>
<p>Factors like poor supply chain management, lack of modernization, and the declining average size of farm holdings are some of the reasons for agrarian distress. Moreover, these factors affect the small farmers to a bigger magnitude.</p>
<p>Recognizing the problems of small and marginal farmers in India, the government is actively promoting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/farmer-producer-bodies-need-help" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO).</strong></a> The aggregation of small, marginal, and landless farmers in FPOs has helped enhance the farmers&rsquo; economic strength and market linkages for improving their income.</p>
<h3>What are FPOs?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FPOs are voluntary organizations controlled by their farmer-members who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions.</li>
<li>They are open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.</li>
<li>FPOs operatives provide education and training for their farmer-members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so that they can contribute effectively to the development of their FPOs.</li>
<li>FPOs in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and some other states have shown encouraging results and have been able to realise higher returns for their produce. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, tribal women in the Pali district of Rajasthan formed a producer company and they are getting higher prices for custard apples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits Emanating From FPO</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Delining Average Land Holding Size:</strong> The average farm size declined from 2.3 hectares (ha) in 1970-71 to 1.08 ha in 2015-16. The share of small and marginal farmers increased from 70 per cent in 1980-81 to 86 per cent in 2015-16.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>FPOs can engage farmers in collective farming and address productivity issues emanating from small farm sizes.</li>
<li>Further, this may also result in additional employment generation due to the increased intensity of farming.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Negotiating With Corporates:</strong> FPO can help farmers compete with large corporate enterprises in bargaining, as it allows members to negotiate as a group and can help small farmers in both input and output markets.</li>
<li><strong>Economics of Aggregation:</strong> The FPO can provide low-cost and quality inputs to member farmers. For example, loans for crops, purchase of machinery, input agri-inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and direct marketing after procurement of agricultural produce. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will enable members to save in terms of time, transaction costs, distress sales, price fluctuations, transportation, quality maintenance, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Impact:</strong> Social capital will develop in the form of FPOs, as it may lead to improved gender relations and decision-making of women farmers in FPOs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This may reduce social conflicts and improved food and nutritional values in the community.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Adding More FPOs:</strong> Some studies show that we need more than one lakh FPOs for a large country like India while we currently have less than 10,000. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the government has taken several steps to promote FPOs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Addressing Structural Issues:</strong> Many FPOs lack technical skills, inadequate professional management, weak financials, inadequate access to credit, lack of risk mitigation mechanism, and inadequate access to market and infrastructure.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The above issues such as working capital, marketing, infrastructure have to be addressed while scaling up FPOs.</li>
<li>Getting credit is the biggest problem. Banks must have structured products for lending to FPOs.</li>
<li>They have to be linked with input companies, technical service providers, marketing/processing companies, retailers, etc.</li>
<li>They need a lot of data on markets and prices and other information and competency in information technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Government&rsquo;s Effort For Promotion of FPO</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since 2011, it has intensively promoted FPOs under the Small Farmers&rsquo; Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), NABARD, state governments and NGOs.</li>
<li>The ongoing support for FPOs is mainly in the form of, one, a grant of matching equity (cash infusion of up to Rs 10 lakh) to registered FPOs, and two, a credit guarantee cover to lending institutions (maximum guarantee cover 85 per cent of loans not exceeding Rs 100 lakh).</li>
<li>The budget for 2018-19 announced supporting measures for FPOs including a five-year tax exemption while the budget for 2019-20 talked of setting up 10,000 more FPOs in the next five years.</li>
<li><strong>One District One Product Cluster:</strong> The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Tuesday reiterated the importance of FPOs which are to be developed in production clusters, wherein agricultural and horticultural produces are grown/cultivated for leveraging economies of scale and improving market access for members.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>&ldquo;One District One Product&rdquo; cluster will promote specialisation and better processing, marketing, branding and export.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Collective Farming:</strong> FPOs can be used to augment the size of the land by focusing on grouping contiguous tracts of land as far as possible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More focus should be on creating a supply chain and find new markets. Women farmers will play a major role in collective farming.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In the last decade, the Centre has encouraged farmer producer organizations (FPOs) to help farmers. While incomes will rise because of the benefits flowing from FPOs, they may not still be adequate to give a reasonable income to small and marginal farmers.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fafaff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Farmer producer organizations could be a solution to the agrarian distress if they are helped to access credit and markets. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ZGtBAfhdqY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/fire-wise-the-hindu-editorial-on-safety-training-and-technological-fixes-to-cut-massive-death-toll-from-fires/article34030678.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Fire wise: On safety training and technological fixes&rdquo;</strong></a> published in The Hindu on March 10<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/farmers-producer-organisation'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-council-of-agricultural-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)</strong></a> received the prestigious International <strong>&ldquo;King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award&rdquo; conferred by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)</a>, Rome.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The award was announced on the eve of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-soil-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Soil Day - 2020</strong></a> <strong>(5<sup>th</sup> December 2020)</strong> in view of the <strong>ICAR&rsquo;s excellent contributions in &ldquo;Soil Health Awareness&rdquo;</strong> on the theme<strong> &ldquo;Stop soil erosion, save our future&rdquo;</strong> (2019 theme).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Launched in 2018, the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award <strong>acknowledges individuals or institutions</strong> that<strong> raise public awareness of soils</strong> by organising successful and influential World Soil Day celebrations.</li>
<li>The award, <strong>sponsored by the Kingdom of Thailand, </strong>is named after<strong> King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand</strong> for his lifelong commitment to raising awareness of the importance of sustainable soil management and rehabilitation for food security, poverty alleviation and more.</li>
<li>The former winners of the Award include <strong>Practical Action in Bangladesh in 2018 </strong>and the<strong> Costa Rican Soil Science Society (AACS) in 2019.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an autonomous organisation under the <strong>Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE),</strong> Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</li>
<li>It was established on<strong> 16<sup>th</sup> July 1929</strong> and was formerly known as the <strong>Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.</strong></li>
<li>It is headquartered at <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
<li>ICAR is the organisation responsible for the coordination, guidance and management of agricultural research and education in India.</li>
<li>In this capacity, ICAR <strong>oversees one of the largest networks of agricultural research and education institutes</strong> in the world, covering the whole country in the fields of horticulture, soil science, fisheries and animal sciences among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Soil Degradation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Soil degradation is the <strong>physical, chemical and biological decline in soil condition</strong> caused by its <strong>improper use or poor management,</strong> usually for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It can be the <strong>loss of organic matter, decline in soil fertility,</strong> and structural condition, <strong>erosion, adverse changes in salinity, acidity or alkalinity,</strong> and the effects of toxic chemicals, pollutants or excessive flooding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The soil degradation is <strong>caused by excessive pressure on land to meet the competing demands of the growing population</strong> for food, fodder and fibre.</li>
<li>These processes, in turn, <strong>reduce agricultural productivity leading</strong> to social insecurity.</li>
<li>Emission of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/greenhouse-gas-levels-reach-record-highs-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>greenhouse gases</strong></a> to the atmosphere resulting in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-knowledge-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> climate change</strong> </a>and <strong>global warming</strong> could be the major reason for soil degradation.</li>
<li>Various human activities, such as the introduction of <strong>large scale irrigation canals </strong>and <strong>faulty land use lead</strong> to accelerated soil degradation through salinization, flooding, drought, erosion and waterlogging.</li>
<li>The other causes of degradation due to <strong>direct/indirect human interventions</strong> are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Deforestation and removal of natural vegetation</li>
<li>Overgrazing</li>
<li>Agriculture-related activities</li>
<li>Over exploitation of the vegetation for domestic purpose</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Glinka World Soil Prize</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is also conferred by FAO in line with soil. It is an annual award for dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of our world&rsquo;s most pressing environmental issues, i.e.<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/land-degradation#:~:text=India%20is%20facing%20a%20severe,(between%202021%20and%202030)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> soil degradation.</strong></a></li>
<li>It honours individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed, or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615462610_soils-of-india-1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615462610_soils-of-india-1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="473" height="600" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1703913#:~:text=Ms.%20Suchitra%20Durai%2C%20Ambassador%20of,Kingdom%20of%20Thailand%20conferred%20the" 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/king-bhumibol-world-soil-day-2020-award'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture: Accessible and Affordable Judicial System',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G1uSp1lLAtE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Vice President of India has recently raised concerns over making the entire judicial system more accessible and understandable for the common man.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He said that &ldquo;inordinate delay, cost of legal processes and inaccessibility are impeding the effective delivery of justice to the common man&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Equal Justice:</strong> Accessible and Affordable Justice has been enshrined in DPSP under <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-articles-from-indian-constitution-compilation-part-i#:~:text=Committee%20has%20given%20recommendations%20to,or%20in%20any%20other%20way." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>article 39 (A)</strong></a>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, due to various structural and systematic challenges, the aspiration to meet this objective looks blur.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Pendency of Cases:</strong> The total pendency of cases in the several courts of India at different levels, sums up to a total of <strong>about 3.7 crores</strong> thus increasing the demand of a better and improved judicial system.</li>
<li><strong>Inferences from Pendency of Cases:</strong> In 2010, Justice VB Rao (Andhra Pradesh HC) estimated it to take <strong>320 years to clear the backlog of 31.28 million</strong> (3.12 crore) pending cases (the then rate of pending cases) in various courts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> National Court Management,</strong> a report of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> in 2012, studied the data of pendency of cases and vacancy of judges.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It showed that in the last 3 decades, the number of cases increased by 12 folds while the number of judges increased only by 6 folds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Widening Gap:</strong> The gap between the number of judges and cases is widening.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the next 3 decades, the number of cases is expected to rise by approximately <strong>15 crores requiring a total no of judges about 75000.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In fact, currently the 25 high courts have the strength of <strong>less than 1200 judges.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Article 39 (A)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Article 39 (A) of the Constitution directs the State to ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>The Poor Judicial System of India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Judge to Population Ratio:</strong> The judge-population ratio in the country is not very appreciable.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While for the other countries, the ratio is about 50-70 judges per million people, in India it is<strong> 20 judges per million heads.</strong></li>
<li>Although it is an increase from 12 judges per million people in the past, it does not make us anywhere close to an affordable judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Involvement of Technology:</strong> It is only since the pandemic that the court proceedings have started to take place virtually too, earlier the role of technology in the judiciary was not much larger.</li>
<li><strong>Recruitment Delays:</strong> The posts in the judiciary are not filled up as expeditiously as required.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is a country with a population of more than 135 million and total strength of judges with only around 25000.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Almost 400 posts are vacant (40%) in the high courts.</li>
<li>Around 35% of the posts are lying vacant in the lower judiciary.</li>
<li>However, there are not too many vacancies in the Supreme Court. The total number is 34 with only 2-3 vacancies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Procedural Delays:</strong> Frequent adjournments are granted by the courts to the advocates which leads to unnecessary delays in justice.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The process of judicial appointment is delayed due to <strong>delay in recommendations</strong> by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/collegium-system-for-the-appointment-of-judges#:~:text=The%20SC%20collegium%20is%20headed,CJI%20and%20the%20SC%20collegium." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>collegium</strong></a> for the higher judiciary.</li>
<li><strong>Delay in recruitment</strong> made by the state commission/high courts for lower judiciary is also a cause of the poor judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>More Awareness More Cases:</strong> As far as increasing awareness of the citizens about their rights and laws is concerned, it is undoubtedly very necessary and appreciable but more knowledge of rights means an increased number of cases.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The increasing awareness can and must not be discouraged but the increasing cases should be dealt with efficiently.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Overlapping of Laws:</strong> A number of laws exist in India at central and state levels many of which are quite similar in nature.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This creates clumsiness and chaos, these laws must be codified and the redundant ones must be repealed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Complex Language of the Laws:</strong> Language used in the laws are responsible for most of the litigations.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In case the legislations are drafted in a simpler language, probably the number of cases being filed in court specifically related to taxation matter can also be reduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Assessment:</strong> When a new legislation is formed, there is no judicial impact assessment done by the government on how much burden is going to be casted on the judiciary.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The probabilities of generating more litigations or requirement of more judges is not taken into account.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Streamlining the Appointment System:</strong> The vacancies must be filled without any unnecessary delay.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A proper time frame for the appointment of judges must be laid down and the recommendations must be given in advance.</li>
<li>The Constitution of the <strong>All India Judicial Services</strong> is also an important factor which can definitely help India establish a better judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Technologies:</strong> People are becoming more and more aware of their rights and which is why the number of cases filed in court are also increasing.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To deal with that <strong>judicial officers need to be trained, vacancies for the judges must be filled up expeditiously</strong> and in addition the <strong>use of technology particularly <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">artificial intelligence</a></strong> must be encouraged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dispute Resolution:</strong> The adjudication of disputes within a<strong> short time frame</strong> is important to ensure the trust of the people within the judicial system.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Delayed justice erodes faith in the system and it can lead to <strong>vigilantism.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Out of Court Settlement:</strong> Resolving every case within the court premises is not mandatory; other possible systems must also be accessed.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is also a need to promote the alternate dispute resolution mechanism for which the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/arbitration-and-conciliation-amendment-bill-2021#:~:text=Objective%3A%20The%20Arbitration%20and%20Conciliation,other%20alternative%20dispute%20redressal%20mechanisms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> arbitration and conciliation</strong></a> act has been amended three times to ensure that people go for commercial litigation mode and sort it out either by mediation, conciliation or arbitration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Local Languages:</strong> For making the entire judicial system more understandable to the common man, one way the use of the local languages in courts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The use of local language in court provides the common man a better understanding of his rights, the laws created and the hearings of court proceedings too.</li>
<li>The local languages in the court is already permissible right upto the district level. Some of the high courts are also working in the local languages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>All India Judicial Services (AIJS):</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government is in the process of finalising a bill to establish an <strong>All-India Judicial Service to recruit officers for subordinate courts through an entrance test.</strong></li>
<li>Those who clear the <strong>pan-India</strong> test would be appointed by high courts and the State governments.</li>
<li>The AIJS exams will be conducted in four zones; East, West, North and South.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provision:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The provision of AIJS was included in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-rajya-sabha#:~:text=Special%20Powers%20of%20Rajya%20Sabha,India%20Services%20(Article%20312)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 312</strong></a> of the Constitution through the <strong>42<sup>nd</sup> Amendment in 1976.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The move is in line with the present<a href="/prelims/about-civil-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UPSC examination</strong></a> pattern, where such exams are conducted in multiple languages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Language:</strong> The government plans to conduct AIJS examinations in <strong>22 languages.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Related Issue:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since cases in lower courts are argued in local languages, there have been apprehensions as to how a person from a particular state can hold hearing in another state that has completely different language.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But the government is of the view that even IAS and IPS officers have served in different States overcoming the language barrier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A sound judicial system is one based on an objective enquiry, practical and unbiased analysis of evidence and delivery of timely and even-handed justice to all citizens.</li>
<li>The government must take hard and fast actions on reducing the pendency of cases as the justice delayed is justice denied.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-accessible-and-affordable-judicial-system'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'International Lunar Research Station: Russia and China',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>China and Russia have agreed to build a <strong>International Lunar Research Station (ILRS),</strong> possibly on the moon&rsquo;s surface, marking the start of a new era in space cooperation between the two countries.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Russia is a part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-27-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Space Station</strong></a> which is a<strong> habitable artificial satellite</strong> - the single largest man-made structure in low earth orbit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>International Lunar Research Station (ILRS):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The ILRS is a comprehensive scientific experiment base with the capability of <strong>long-term autonomous operation.</strong></li>
<li>The station would be <strong>built on the lunar surface and/or on the lunar orbit</strong> that would<strong> carry out scientific research activities</strong> such as the lunar exploration and utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiment and technical verification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Principle:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russia and China will adhere to the principle of <strong>co-consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits.</strong></li>
<li>They will facilitate<strong> extensive cooperation</strong> in the ILRS, <strong>open to all interested countries</strong> and international partners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ILRS will strengthen scientific research exchanges, and promote humanity&rsquo;s exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Programmes Related to Moon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nasa-s-artemis-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NASA&rsquo;s Artemis</strong></a>: Earlier, in 2020, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration&rsquo;s (NASA)</strong> </a>published the outline for its <strong>Artemis program,</strong> which plans to <strong>send the next man and first woman to the lunar surface</strong> by the year 2024.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Gateway is an outpost around the Moon</strong> to support human and scientific exploration in deep space.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uae-s-moon-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UAE&rsquo;s Rashid</strong></a>:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to send an unmanned spacecraft named Rashid to the moon in 2024.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chinas-rover-to-far-side-of-the-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chang&rsquo;e-4</a></strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chang-e-5-mission-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chang&rsquo;e-5</strong> </a>Missions :<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chang&rsquo;e-4 is the first probe ever to explore the far side of the moon by China.</li>
<li>Chang&rsquo;e-5 mission will seek to collect lunar material to help scientists understand more about the moon&rsquo;s origins and formation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Similar Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chandrayaan-3:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is working on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chandrayaan-3-and-gaganyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chandrayaan-3</strong></a> which is successor to the Chandrayaan-2 mission and it will likely attempt another soft-landing on the lunar surface.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Station:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India has set its eye on building its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-to-set-up-its-own-space-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>own space station</strong></a> in <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/types-of-orbit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>low earth orbit</strong> </a>to conduct microgravity experiments in space in 5 to 7 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Moon</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Facts about Moon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Moon is Earth&rsquo;s <strong>only natural satellite</strong> and the fifth largest moon in the solar system.</li>
<li>The Moon&rsquo;s presence <strong>helps stabilize our planet&rsquo;s wobble, which helps stabilize our climate.</strong></li>
<li>The Moon&rsquo;s distance from Earth is about <strong>3,85,000 km.</strong></li>
<li>The Moon has a very<strong> thin atmosphere</strong> called an exosphere.</li>
<li>The Moon&rsquo;s<strong> entire surface is cratered and pitted</strong> from impacts.</li>
<li>The <strong>Earth and Moon are tidally-locked.</strong> Their rotations are so in sync we only see one side of the Moon all the time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Studying Moon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Understanding Early Earth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As it is made of remnants of Earth, <strong>clues about the composition of an early Earth</strong> could very well be hidden between layers of Moon dust.</li>
<li>Further, the Moon holds potential <strong>clues to how life began on Earth.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Understand Seismic Activity on Earth :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Studying <strong>Moonquakes</strong> can help us understand what seismic activity on Earth could have been like during times with less liquid water on the surface, such as during major ice ages or during the Earth's early history, when the surface was much too hot to preserve liquid oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition of Earth's Atmosphere:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By measuring <strong>Earth's glow from the Moon,</strong> scientists can accurately estimate how much Earth itself shines, and even the composition of Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Understand Tides, Seasons and Climate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Measuring the <strong>mass, size and orbital properties of the Moon is essential for predicting</strong> rhythms of<strong> tides and seasons.</strong></li>
<li>Studying these <strong>tidal and orbital interactions</strong> between Earth and the Moon is extremely important for understanding possible <strong>effects on Earth's climate.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/science/china-russia-agree-to-build-lunar-research-station/2209822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: FE</a></strong></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-lunar-research-station-russia-and-china'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'INS Karanj',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Indian Navy&rsquo;s third stealth <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-10th-september-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scorpene class</strong> </a>(of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ins-vagir" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project-75</strong></a>) Submarine<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ins-karanj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> INS Karanj</strong></a> has been commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615456069_image%200.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615456069_image 0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>previous INS Karanj</strong> (a Russian-origin submarine) was <strong>commissioned in 1969,</strong> at Riga in the erstwhile USSR. It had served the nation for<strong> 34 years up to 2003.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>new INS Karanj</strong> would form part of the <strong>Western Naval Command&rsquo;s Submarine fleet.</strong></li>
<li>The ship&rsquo;s name, Karanj, is believed to be derived from the <strong>Karanja island</strong> (also known as Uran Island), a town in Raigad district, which lies in the south-east of Mumbai Harbour. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian <strong>Navy has its base at Uran</strong> near Navi Mumbai.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Project 75:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a programme by the Indian Navy that entails <strong>building six Scorpene Class</strong> attack submarines.</li>
<li>It is given support by the<strong> Department of Defence Production (Ministry of Defence)</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Navy</strong> </a>throughout its various phases of construction.</li>
<li>The <strong>Mazagon Dock limited (MDL)</strong> is manufacturing six Scorpene submarines with <strong>technology assistance from Naval Group of France</strong> under a USD 3.75 bn deal signed in October 2005.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>MDL aptly called &ldquo;Ship Builder to the Nation&rdquo;, is one of India&rsquo;s leading Defence public sector undertaking shipyards under the Ministry of Defence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Submarines of the Ongoing Project-75:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Two submarines, <strong>Kalvari</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khanderi</strong></a>, have been commissioned into the Indian Navy.</li>
<li>The fourth Scorpene,<strong> Vela,</strong> has commenced its sea trials.</li>
<li>The fifth Scorpene &lsquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ins-vagir" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vagir</strong></a>&rsquo; was launched in November 2020.</li>
<li>The sixth and last submarine,<strong> Vagsheer,</strong> is being readied for boot together.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Scorpene Class Submarines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The submarines in the Project-75 Scorpene Class are powered by <strong>diesel-electric propulsion systems.</strong></li>
<li>Scorpene is one of the most <strong>sophisticated submarines,</strong> capable of undertaking <strong>multifarious missions</strong> including anti-surface ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.</li>
<li>Scorpene is a conventional powered submarine (diesel-electric) <strong>weighing 1,500 tonnes </strong>and can go up to<strong> depths of 300m.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Scorpene class is the Navy&rsquo;s first modern conventional submarine series in almost two decades</strong> since INS Sindhushastra, procured from Russia in July 2000.</li>
<li>The Navy is <strong>looking to install <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/air-independent-propulsion-for-diesel-electric-submarines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air Independent Propulsion</a> (AIP) modules</strong> on all the Scorpene submarines to enhance endurance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the launch of Karanj, India further <strong>cements its position as a Submarine Building Nation</strong> and MDL has more than lived up to its reputation as Warship and Submarine Builders to the Nation. This is totally in sync with the current impetus of the Government towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Make in India</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1703732" 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/ins-karanj-1'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Kala-azar Elimination: Bihar to Miss Deadline',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The new cases of <a href="/admin/articles/edit/-news-analysis/kala-azar-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kala-azar or Visceral Leishmaniasis</strong> </a>have been reported in Bihar&rsquo;s Muzaffarpur district, casting <strong>serious doubt</strong> on the state government&rsquo;s efforts <strong>to eradicate the disease in the state by 2022.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bihar has already <strong>missed the Kala-azar elimination target four times since 2010.</strong></li>
<li>The first deadline was 2010, under the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-national-digital-health-mission-data-compliance#:~:text=Health%20Expenditure%3A%20The%20policy%20proposes,23%20by%20the%20year%202025." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Programme</strong></a>, followed by 2015. It was later extended to 2017 and 2020 due to the government&rsquo;s failure to eliminate Kala-azar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Kala-azar or Leishmaniasis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar, is characterized by<strong> irregular bouts of fever, substantial weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and anaemia.</strong></li>
<li>If the disease is not treated, the<strong> fatality rate</strong> in developing countries can be as high as<strong> 100% within 2 years.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-policy-for-disease-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD)</strong></a> affecting almost 100 countries including India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NTDs are a diverse group of <strong>communicable diseases</strong> that prevail in<strong> tropical and subtropical conditions</strong> in 149 countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is caused by a <strong>parasite called Leishmania,</strong> which is transmitted through the <strong>bite of sand flies.</strong></li>
<li>There are three types of leishmaniasis:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Visceral leishmaniasis,</strong> which affects multiple organs and is the most serious form of the disease.</li>
<li><strong>Cutaneous leishmaniasis,</strong> which causes skin sores and is the most common form.</li>
<li><strong>Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis,</strong> which causes skin and mucosal lesions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Visceral leishmaniasis, which is commonly known as Kala-azar in India, is fatal in over 95% of the cases, if left untreated.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Missing the Deadline:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack Direction:</strong> Elimination programmes lack direction and <strong>Kala-azar returns year after year.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Widespread Poverty:</strong> It was mostly the poor belonging to the <strong>Dalits, Other Backward Communities and Muslims,</strong> who were the main victims of the disease.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trend of Decline:</strong> However, there also has been a <strong>trend of decline in the number of Kala-azar cases</strong> in Bihar in the last few years. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There were <strong>23,084 cases in 2010,</strong> and by <strong>2020, there were 2,712 cases,</strong> according to official data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Kala-azar Elimination Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Health Policy-2002 set the goal of Kala-azar elimination in India by the year 2010 which was revised to 2015.</li>
<li>Continuing focused activities with high political commitment, <strong>India signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh and Nepal</strong> to achieve Kala-azar elimination from the South-East Asia Region (SEAR).</li>
<li><strong>Elimination</strong> is defined as reducing the annual incidence of Kala-azar to<strong> less than 1 case per 10,000 population</strong> at the sub-district level in India.</li>
<li>Presently all programmatic activities are being implemented through the<strong> National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)</strong> which is an umbrella programme for prevention &amp; control of vector borne diseases and is subsumed under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission (NHM).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NVBDCP is the central nodal agency for prevention and control of six vector borne diseases i.e. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/p-ovale-malaria#:~:text=Malaria%20is%20caused%20by%20Plasmodium,of%20infected%20female%20Anopheles%20mosquito." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malaria</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/controlling-dengue-using-bacteria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Dengue</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-symposium-on-lymphatic-filariasis#:~:text=Lymphatic%20filariasis%2C%20commonly%20known%20as,severe%20disability%20and%20social%20stigma.&amp;text=Brugia%20Timori%20also%20causes%20the%20disease." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lymphatic Filariasis</strong></a>, Kala-azar, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/japanese-encephalitis-je" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Japanese Encephalitis</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/controlling-chikungunya-and-dengue-through-bacteria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chikungunya</strong></a> in India.</li>
<li>It works under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/seven-new-cases-of-kala-azar-reported-in-one-week-in-bihar-s-muzaffarpur-75889%23:~:text%3DPublished%253A%2520Wednesday%252010%2520March%25202021%26text%3DSeven%2520new%2520cases%2520of%2520Kala%252Dazar%2520or%2520Visceral%2520Leishmaniasis%2520have,in%2520the%2520state%2520by%25202022.&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1615455046677000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jda8J19X_RpD-_rULcKSF" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kala-azar-elimination-bihar-to-miss-deadline'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program (NETAP)</strong> has released its latest edition of the <strong>Apprenticeship Outlook Report</strong> for 2021 (January-June 2021).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Apprenticeship is a Skill Training program</strong> wherein a person is engaged by a company as an apprentice and gains classroom (theory) learning for a short period, followed by on-the-job (practical) training.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the National Employability through Apprenticeship Program:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was set up in 2014 as a 100% employer-funded <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model#:~:text=Public%2DPrivate%20Partnership%20Model%3A%20PPP,be%20completed%20with%20private%20funding." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Public-Private Partnership (PPP).</strong></a></li>
<li>The program was launched by the<strong> Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship</strong> and TeamLease Skills University (Gujarat).</li>
<li>It is in accordance with the <strong>National Employability Enhancement Mission</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/initiatives-of-aicte" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AICTE.</strong></a></li>
<li>NETAP was structured to <strong>overcome the challenges of the Apprenticeship Act, 1961.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NETAP <strong>proposed to appoint 2 lac apprentices every year</strong> for the next 10 years. At peak capacity, it will be the world's largest apprenticeship program.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will help the unemployed youth to build skills through <strong>Learning by doing and Learning while earning</strong> along with providing them with access to practical skills.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Employability Enhancement Mission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a pioneering initiative taken<strong> jointly by AICTE and Government of India.</strong></li>
<li>Introduced in <strong>2013,</strong> the NEEM aims to<strong> offer practical trainings to enhance employability</strong> of any person who: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Is either pursuing graduation/diploma in any technical or non-technical stream, or</li>
<li>Have discontinued studies of degree or diploma courses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A NEEM Trainee is any registered person who has a <strong>minimum education up to Class X</strong> and is <strong>between 16 to 40 years</strong> of age.</li>
<li>A total of <strong>23 industries</strong> have been listed in the NEEM where a trainee can be enrolled. It includes the automobile industry, pharmaceuticals, electronics &amp; hardware, food processing, healthcare services and the financial sector.</li>
<li>The NEEM is envisioned to place at least 10,000 students per year in registered companies or registered industries for the purpose of providing training.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Key Findings of the Apprenticeship Outlook Report:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Apprenticeship Ecosystem:</strong> Some 41% of the employers in India are keen on hiring apprentices while 58% of enterprises want to increase the quantum of their apprenticeship hiring this year.</li>
<li><strong>Leading Cities: Chennai</strong> has emerged as the most apprentice friendly city.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Among non-metro cities, <strong>Ahmedabad and Nagpur</strong> are the most promising cities for apprenticeship.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leading Sectors:</strong> The manufacturing, automobiles and ancillaries, and retail are the leading sectors.</li>
<li><strong>Positive Trend for Hiring Women Apprentices:</strong> Overall the preference for women apprentices has increased by 10% from the previous half year. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This trend was more visible in <strong>Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s working-age population is estimated to continue to increase through 2041.</strong> This will have major implications on the required rate of job creation in the economy.</li>
<li>Statistics show that <strong>approximately 3% of children dropout after grade 5<sup>th</sup> and 8<sup>th</sup> in the country</strong> owing to socio-economic challenges. Apprenticeship can be an important mechanism for seamless transitioning from school to work and bridging of skill-gap in the workforce.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives to Promote Apprenticeships:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Apprenticeship Act of 1961 (and the Amendments to the Act).</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shreyas-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS)</strong></a></li>
<li>National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sankalp-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement Scheme</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/yuwaah-youth-skilling-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>YuWaah Youth Skilling Initiative </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-kaushal-vikas-yojana-3-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/study-shows-rise-in-hiring-of-apprentices/article34030620.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/national-employability-through-apprenticeship-program'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Union Cabinet has approved the <strong>Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN)</strong> as<strong> a single non-lapsable reserve fund for Health</strong> from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proceeds of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/system-of-cess-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Health and Education Cess</strong></a> are levied under <strong>Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Salient Features of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a non-lapsable reserve fund for Health in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Public Account.</strong></a></li>
<li>Proceeds of share of health in the <strong>Health and Education Cess</strong> will be credited into PMSSN.</li>
<li>Accruals into the PMSSN will be utilized for the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare namely,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayushman Bharat</a> - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).</strong></li>
<li>Ayushman Bharat - <strong>Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs).</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-11th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana</a> (PMSSY).</strong></li>
<li>Emergency &amp; disaster preparedness and <strong>responses during health emergencies.</strong></li>
<li>Any<strong> future programme/scheme</strong> that targets to achieve progress towards <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</strong></a> and the targets set out in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-digital-health-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Policy (NHP) 2017.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Administration and maintenance</strong> of the PMSSN is entrusted to the <strong>Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare (MoHFW).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In any financial year, the expenditure on such schemes of the MoHFW would be initially incurred from the PMSSN and thereafter, from Gross Budgetary Support (GBS).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of PMSSN:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Enhanced access to universal &amp; affordable health care</strong> through availability of earmarked resources, while ensuring that the amount does not lapse at the end of financial year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Spending on Healthcare: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Improved Developmental Outcomes:</strong> From an economic standpoint, better health improves productivity, and reduces losses due to premature death, prolonged disability and early retirement.</li>
<li><strong>Enhance Opportunities:</strong> One extra year of population life expectancy raises GDP per capita by 4%, investment in health creates millions of jobs, largely for women, through a much needed expansion of the health workforce.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Health and Education Cess:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the <strong>Budget speech 2018,</strong> the Finance Minister while announcing Ayushman Bharat Scheme, also announced<strong> replacement of existing 3% Education Cess by 4% Health and Education Cess.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is collected with the aim of addressing the educational and healthcare needs of rural families in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cess</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Different from the usual taxes and duties like excise and personal income tax, a <strong>Cess is imposed as an additional tax besides the existing tax (tax on tax)</strong> with a purpose of raising funds for a specific task.</li>
<li>The Union government is empowered to raise revenue through a gamut of levies, including taxes (both direct and indirect), surcharges, fees and cess.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A cess, generally paid by everyday public, is added to their basic tax liability paid as part of total tax paid.</li>
<li><strong>Article 270</strong> of the Constitution allows<strong> cess to be excluded from the purview of the divisible pool of taxes</strong> that the Union government must share with the States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Cess collected for a particular purpose <strong>cannot be used for or diverted to other purposes.</strong> A particular cess continues to be levied till the time the government collects enough funds for the purpose that it was introduced for.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the <strong>Swachh Bharat cess</strong> (abolished in 2017) was levied by the government for cleanliness activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Difference between Surcharge and Cess: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Surcharge</strong> is <strong>an additional charge or tax levied on existing tax.</strong> The main surcharges are on personal income tax (on high income slabs and on super rich) and on corporate income tax.</li>
<li>Despite <strong>both are not shareable with state governments,</strong> surcharge can be kept with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Consolidated Fund of India (CFI)</strong></a> and spent like any other taxes, the cess should be kept as a separate fund after allocating to CFI and can be spent only for a specific purpose.</li>
<li>A <strong>surcharge is discussed under Article 270</strong> and <strong>271</strong> of the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>Unlike a cess, which is meant to raise revenue for a temporary need,<strong> surcharge is usually permanent in nature.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cabinet-clears-non-lapsable-fund-for-health-care/article34036353.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/pradhan-mantri-swasthya-suraksha-nidhi'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Bharat Bangla Maitri Bridge',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated<strong> Bharat Bangla Maitri Bridge</strong> in Tripura&rsquo;s South district.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615447598_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615447598_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="550" height="322" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bridge <strong>&lsquo;Maitri Setu&rsquo;</strong> has been built over the <strong>Feni river</strong> which flows between Indian boundary in Tripura State and Bangladesh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Feni originates in the <strong>South Tripura district.</strong> The river passes through Sabroom town on the Indian side, and <strong>meets the Bay of Bengal</strong> after it flows into Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> 1.9 Km</strong> long bridge joins <strong>Sabroom (in Tripura) with Ramgarh (in Bangladesh).</strong></li>
<li>The name &lsquo;Maitri Setu&rsquo; <strong>symbolises <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50-years-of-india-bangladesh-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing bilateral relations</a></strong> and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constructed by and Cost:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The construction was taken up by the <strong>National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd</strong> at a project cost of<strong> Rs. 133 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited is a <strong>fully owned company of the Government of India.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for <strong>development &amp; maintenance of National Highways &amp; Strategic Roads</strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Now <strong>Agartala</strong> (capital of Tripura) <strong>will become the nearest city to an international sea port</strong> in India.</li>
<li>Tripura will become the<strong> &lsquo;Gateway of North East&rsquo;</strong> with <strong>access to Chittagong</strong> Port of Bangladesh, which is just 80 km from Sabroom.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bangladesh and India have a long standing and time-tested <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/protocol-on-inland-water-transit-and-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Protocol on Transit and Trade</strong></a> through inland waterways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It would serve as a <strong>new trade corridor</strong> between the two countries, helping the <strong>Northeast states grow.</strong> It will <strong>enhance people-to-people contact.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-inaugurates-maitri-setu-between-india-and-bangladesh/article34026410.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/bharat-bangla-maitri-bridge'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Significance of India-Bangladesh Transport Connectivity: World Bank',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong> </a>report named <strong>&ldquo;Connecting to Thrive: Challenges and Opportunities of Transport Integration in Eastern South Asia&rdquo;</strong> stated that seamless <strong>transport connectivity between India and Bangladesh</strong> has the potential to increase national income by as much as 17% in Bangladesh and 8% in India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report analyzes the <strong>Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615446337_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615446337_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="600" height="484" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bilateral trade accounts for only about <strong>10%</strong> of Bangladesh&rsquo;s trade and a mere <strong>1%</strong> of India&rsquo;s trade. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>East Asian and Sub-Saharan African economies,</strong> intraregional trade accounts for <strong>50% and 22%</strong> of total trade, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High tariffs, para-tariffs, and nontariff barriers</strong> also serve as major trade barriers. Simple average tariffs in Bangladesh and India are more than twice the world average.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Difficulty in Crossing Border:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Weak transport integration makes the border between Bangladesh and India thick. Crossing the India&ndash;Bangladesh border at <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chinese-involvement-in-teesta-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Petrapole&ndash;Benapole</strong></a>, the most important border post between the two countries, takes several days.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In contrast, the time to cross borders handling similar volumes of traffic in other regions of the world, including <strong>East Africa, is less than six hours.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Isolated North-East:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian trucks are not allowed to transit through Bangladesh. As a result, the northeast of India is particularly isolated with the rest of the country and connected only through the <strong>27-km-wide Siliguri corridor,</strong> also called the <strong>&ldquo;chicken&rsquo;s neck&rdquo;.</strong> This leads to <strong>long and costly routes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of Better Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Real Income:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>All districts in <strong>Bangladesh</strong> would benefit from integration, with the <strong>eastern districts enjoying larger gains</strong> in real income.</li>
<li>States bordering Bangladesh such as <strong>Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura in the northeast, and West Bengal</strong> on the west, and states further away from Bangladesh such as<strong> Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra</strong> would also <strong>gain huge economic benefits</strong> from seamless connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increased Exports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Will yield a<strong> 297%</strong> increase in Bangladesh&rsquo;s exports to India and a<strong> 172%</strong> increase in India&rsquo;s exports to Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Importance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Geographically, Bangladesh&rsquo;s location makes it a <strong>strategic gateway to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and other East Asian countries.</strong> Bangladesh can also become an <strong>economic powerhouse</strong> by improving regional trade, transit and logistics networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Strengthen the MVA:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Harmonizing <strong>driver&rsquo;s licensing and visa regimes.</strong></li>
<li>Establishing an <strong>efficient regional transit</strong> regime.</li>
<li>Rationalizing and <strong>digitizing trade and transport</strong> documents.</li>
<li><strong>Liberalizing</strong> the selection of <strong>trade routes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Improving Regional Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Expand the effective capacity</strong> of core transport and logistics infrastructure along regional corridors.</li>
<li>Ensure <strong>competition in transport service</strong> markets.</li>
<li>Deploy<strong> modern information technology infrastructure</strong> at land ports and seaports.</li>
<li>Develop<strong> off-border custom clearance facilities</strong> in Bangladesh and India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Integration of Local Communities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Connecting local markets to regional corridors.</li>
<li><strong>Removing logistics bottlenecks</strong> in export-oriented value chains.</li>
<li>Improving <strong>women&rsquo;s participation in export-oriented agricultural value chains</strong> at the macro, community, and household levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>BBIN:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN)</strong> <strong>Initiative</strong> is a sub-regional architecture of countries in<strong> Eastern South Asia,</strong> a sub-region of South Asia.</li>
<li>The group meets through the official representation of member states to <strong>formulate, implement and review quadrilateral agreements</strong> across areas such as <strong>water resources management, connectivity of power, transport, and infrastructure.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>MVA</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was signed on <strong>15<sup>th</sup> June 2015</strong> in Thimphu, Bhutan.</li>
<li>It seeks to facilitate the unrestricted cross-border movement of cargo, passenger, and personal vehicles between BBIN countries.</li>
<li>As per the agreement, <strong>member countries would allow vehicles registered in the other countries to enter their territory under certain terms and conditions.</strong> Customs and tariffs will be decided by the respective countries and these would be finalised at bilateral and trilateral forums.</li>
<li><strong>Implementation of the MVA has been delayed</strong> as the countries work to clarify some of the provisions that are supposed to be elaborated in protocols.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To provide <strong>seamless people-to-people contact and enhance economic interaction by facilitating cross border movement</strong> of people and goods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/trust-deficit-hampering-seamless-movement-of-goods-between-india-bangladesh-world-bank-7221737/" 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/significance-of-india-bangladesh-transport-connectivity-world-bank'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Universal Primary Education in India',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/a-kerala-model-for-universal-education-7220535/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;A Kerala model for universal education&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 09/03/2021. It talks about the Kerala model of education.</p>
</div>
<p>Nelson Mandela highlighted that Education is the liberator from the shackles of ignorance, poverty, and social and economic exclusion, through his famous quote &ldquo;Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The same thought is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in Article 26 which held that every individual has the right to education. However, seven decades after the UDHR, 58 million children are out of school globally and more than 100 million children get eliminated from the schooling system before completing primary education.</p>
<p>Ironically, India which once held the position of &ldquo;Vishwa Guru&rdquo; (world&rsquo;s teacher), tops the list of countries with out-of-school children. But Kerala has shown a silver lining as it is now all set to be declared the first state in the country to achieve complete primary education.</p>
<p>In this context, other states, especially Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam which rank low on the primary education levels in the country, could follow the Kerala Model of Education.</p>
<h3>Kerala Model of Education</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kerala that led the way by achieving complete literacy way back in 1991 has once shown that it is possible to achieve complete literacy even at the primary school level.</li>
<li>However, this success story has roots in the historic royal rescript of Rani Gouri Parvati Bai, 1817 which proclaimed education as the &ldquo;responsibility&rdquo; of the state.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Simultaneously, it emphasized that &ldquo;political will&rdquo; is more important than the political economy to decide the expenditure on education.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Based on the efforts of the successive governments, Kerala is known for its highest literacy rate in the country and one hundred percent primary and secondary education enrollment.</li>
<li>In order to universalize primary education, the Kerala government launched a special scheme Athulyam in October 2014.</li>
<li>Through extensive surveys, people living in panchayats who had not yet completed their primary education or had dropped out of schools were traced. Convincing them to study again and sit for exams was the next step.</li>
<li>They were given five months of training, enabling them to attend the fourth equivalency examination.</li>
<li>Amartya Sen attributes the Kerala economic and social success to the consistency with which school education expanded, based on sustained public policies and action.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Universalization of Education</h3>
<p>The Constitution of India provides for free and compulsory education for all children up to 14 years of age. In pursuance of this Government of India has enacted the Right to Education Act, 2009. However, the goal of universalization of primary education is still far from our reach. The factors that can be attributed to this are as follows:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Low Public Spending:</strong> The Incheon Declaration to which India is a signatory, expects member states to spend 4-6% of their GDP on education to achieve SDG4. to this declaration. However, the Union Budget 2021 budget allocates only 2.75 percent of the GDP to education.</li>
<li><strong>Exclusive Private Sector:</strong> Many reports and available data shows a rise in the privatization of education with a large number of children being eliminated from the system at early stages, cost of education going up due to systemic inefficiencies, and students committing suicide for want of data and laptops.</li>
<li><strong>Qualitative Issue:</strong> Universalization of compulsory education has failed to catch up to the desired target because quality control of primary education has not been maintained.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The successive ASER survey reflects the poor state of learning outcomes in primary education.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Factors:</strong> Factors like ignorance and illiteracy of parents, lack of cooperation between school and local community, and corruption in recruitment of teachers affects the goal of universalization of education.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Active Role of State:</strong> To make education universal the state must find resources to provide ancillary services such as school health, mid-day meals, free supply of textbooks, writing materials, school uniform, etc.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Kerala model shows that comprehensive interventions pertaining to nutrition, health, sanitation, and early stimulation can help to achieve sustainable growth in human development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Auditing:</strong> There should be a Village or Mohalla School Committee in each village or urban area.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Such a committee would look after the construction and maintenance of buildings, playgrounds, and school gardens, provision for ancillary services, the purchase of equipment, etc.</li>
<li>To discharge the duties, the committee will have sufficient funds by way of donations and grants-in-aid from the state government.</li>
<li>For example, successive governments in Kerala have increased the capital outlay to education and simultaneously decentralized financing of education through local bodies</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Engaging Civil Society:</strong> The success of Kerala is made possible thanks to the collective efforts of the various departments of the government, officials, volunteers, NGOs, and friendly associations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The provision for Universal Elementary Education is crucial for spreading mass literacy, which is a basic requirement for economic development, modernization of social structure, and the effective functioning of democratic institutions.</p>
<p>It also represents an indispensable first step towards the provision of equality of opportunity to all citizens. Thus, Indian society as a whole should take necessary steps to achieve universalization of primary education.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffff7;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India which once held the position of &ldquo;Vishwa Guru&rdquo;, now tops the list of countries with out-of-school children. In light of the statement, discuss what various Indian states can learn from Kerela&rsquo;s model of education.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uBi_DJXZvQo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/twere-well-it-were-done-quickly/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Twere well, it were done quickly&rdquo;</strong> </a>published in The Economic Times on March 08<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/universal-primary-education-in-india'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Group of Ministers: Media Strategy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Editors Guild of India</strong> flagged the <strong><a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/22-02-2020/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Group of Ministers (GoM) </a>report</strong> on the <strong>government&rsquo;s media strategy</strong> as an example of the government's <strong>&ldquo;increasingly draconian attitude&rdquo;</strong> towards any criticism.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GoM, whose members include five Cabinet Ministers and four Ministers of State, was set up in mid-2020.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Editors Guild of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Editors Guild was founded in 1978 with the<strong> twin objectives of protecting press freedom</strong> and for <strong>raising the standards of editorial leadership</strong> of newspapers and magazines.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recommendations from Group of Ministers (GoM) Report on Media Strategy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Identifying and engaging <a href="/to-the-points/paper4/ethics-in-journalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">journalists</a></strong> - who had lost jobs but have been &ldquo;supportive or neutral&rdquo; to the present government - in various ministries so that their services could be used to project the government&rsquo;s image positively.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Further, the government should have an <strong>increased engagement with journalism schools</strong> as part of its long-term strategy since present students are future journalists.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Engaging with Foreign Media and NRIs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There should be <strong>regular interaction with foreign media journalists</strong> as part of the government&rsquo;s global outreach so that &ldquo;its perspective&rdquo; is put out correctly in the international forum.</li>
<li>An <strong>effective system of communication with the NRI community</strong> should be established so that they can raise their voice against negative narratives in foreign countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Highlighting Government&rsquo;s Work:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It calls for <strong>mass circulation of positive stories</strong> and testimonials to highlight the work done by the government and the difference they have made in people&rsquo;s lives.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>And <strong>rebuttal of negative stories,</strong> ensuring advertisements and outreach programmes in regional languages for better &lsquo;connect with local people&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Physical copies of the government magazine, <strong>New India Samachar,</strong> should be distributed to 6 lakh people and the e-version to 8 crore people.</li>
<li>Tasking different ministries with different outreach goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Using Social Media:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It calls for<strong> engaging with platforms</strong> such as <strong>Twitter and Google</strong> to increase the government&rsquo;s outreach positively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countering False Narratives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tracking<strong> 50 &lsquo;negative influencers&rsquo;</strong> who discredit the government &amp; encouraging <strong>50 &lsquo;positive influencers&rsquo;</strong> who project government work in 'right perspective'.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615375623_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615375623_image4.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Concern of Editors Guild:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The media strategy illustrates the government&rsquo;s <strong>increasingly draconian attitude</strong> against any critique and inquiry by the press.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The suggestions from the GoM report hint at <strong>increased surveillance and targeting of writers and journalists</strong> who depart from the government&rsquo;s narrative.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The guild said the GoM prepared its report &ldquo;with an <strong>embedded toolkit to control the narrative</strong> about the government in the media&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Among the more disturbing suggestions was to develop a &ldquo;strategy to neutralise the people who are writing against the government without facts and set false narratives/spread fake news&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Suggestion revealed an intention to<strong> &ldquo;muzzle any criticism of the government&rdquo;,</strong> in the absence of clarity on what constitutes <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/fake-news-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fake news</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is supposed that the<strong> government should safeguard constitutional values of freedom of expression</strong> for media as well as journalists and should make it clear that it is committed to the plurality of views in the media.</li>
<li>Countering content manipulation and fake news to restore faith in the media without undermining its freedom will require public education, strengthening of regulations and effort of tech companies to make suitable algorithms for news curation.</li>
<li>On the other hand, it is important for the <strong>media to stick to the core principles</strong> like truth and accuracy, transparency, independence, fairness and impartiality, responsibility and fair play so that they can gain credibility.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/group-of-ministers-report-points-to-draconian-attitude-of-government-says-editors-guild/article34029064.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/group-of-ministers-media-strategy'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Centre government must <strong>increase the amount of pensions</strong> provided for<strong> poor senior citizens, widows and disabled people,</strong> said the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/parliamentary-committee-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee</strong> </a>on Rural Development.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Pointed Out by the Parliamentary Standing Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The panel pointed out that it had <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions#:~:text=The%20Ministry%20of%20Rural%20Development,to%20%E2%82%B91%2C200%20per%20month." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>previously proposed the increase of the miniscule pensions</strong></a> in its reports and slammed the<strong> government&rsquo;s &ldquo;laxity in raising the amount&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Also, criticised the implementation of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions#:~:text=The%20Ministry%20of%20Rural%20Development,to%20%E2%82%B91%2C200%20per%20month." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)</strong></a> in reaching out to the poor and downtrodden section of the society.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pointed out the meagre amount of assistance ranging from<strong> Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per month</strong> under the different components of this Scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Noted <strong>the callous approach of the State Governments</strong> in the proper implementation of the provision of unemployment allowance.</li>
<li>Pulled up the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-rural-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Department of Rural Development (DoRD)</strong></a> for issues in implementation of the flagship <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MGNREGA scheme.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615373094_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615373094_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues in the MGNREGA Scheme Observed by the Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Work Supply:</strong> That too when there was an<strong> increase in the demand</strong> for work under MGNREGA due to economic distress caused by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>Delay in the Release of Funds:</strong> It is a huge discouraging aspect and does not go in consonance with the underlying spirit of the scheme.</li>
<li><strong>Disparity in Wages in Different States:</strong> The committee noted how it is possible that a single scheme having the provision of <strong>hundred days of guaranteed work</strong> to willing people from the rural settings can have different yardstick when it comes to the payment modalities across the length and breadth of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is against the Constitutional provision of <strong>equal pay for equal work.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being administered by the <strong>Ministry of Rural Development.</strong></li>
<li>This programme is being implemented in <strong>rural as well as urban areas.</strong></li>
<li>The programme was first<strong> launched on 15<sup>th</sup> August 1995</strong> as a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Centrally Sponsored Scheme</strong></a>. It was brought within the umbrella of<strong> &lsquo;Core of Core&rsquo; schemes</strong> of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in 2016.</li>
<li>Currently, it has <strong>five components</strong> namely:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/elderly-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)</strong> </a>- since inception of NSAP in 1995.</li>
<li><strong>National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) -</strong> 1995.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/poverty-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annapurna Scheme</strong></a> - launched in 2000.</li>
<li><strong>Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) -</strong> launched in 2009.</li>
<li><strong>Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme -</strong> launched in 2009.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/maternity-scheme-exclusionary-pmmvy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS)</strong> </a>was part of NSAP and was subsequently transferred from the Ministry of Rural development to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Important Schemes of Department of Rural Development</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-awas-yojana-grameen-behind-target" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-gram-sadak-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/day-nrlm-special-package-for-j-k-and-ladakh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM)</strong></a></li>
<li>National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shyama-prasad-mukherji-rurban-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission (SPMRM)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saansad-adarsh-gram-yojana-sagy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/panel-flags-centres-meagre-pensions/article34030868.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'TRAI Suspends New SMS Scrubbing Norms',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/telecom-firms-oppose-trai%E2%80%99s-public-wi-fi-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)</a></strong> temporarily suspended the scrubbing of short message service or SMS by telecom service providers (TSP) for seven days.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The action by TRAI comes after the functioning of several SMS-based services of banks and e-commerce platforms was affected recently, as the TSPs implemented the second phase of SMS regulation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation, 2018:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was issued to <strong>&ldquo;effectively deal with the nuisance of spam".</strong></li>
<li>Rules mandate telcos to verify the content of every SMS with the registered text before delivering it to consumers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As per TRAI norms, the content of all SMSes will now be verified before it is allowed to be delivered on the users&rsquo; device. This process,<strong> known as scrubbing,</strong> was implemented recently after several delays.</li>
<li>The new TRAI regulations for principal entities, which will be allowed to send SMSes to customers, seek registration of senders, telemarketers, headers, content, templates, consent templates and subscriber preference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The rules <strong>prohibit unregistered senders</strong> from initiating commercial messages, while registered companies are prevented from sending fraudulent messages to their customers.</li>
<li>TRAI has released a framework under which telcos could use a distributed ledger technology or blockchain to <strong>verify the sender information and content of every commercial SMS</strong> before it was delivered on the user&rsquo;s device.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Blockchain</strong> will ensure two things i.e, non-repudiation and confidentiality. Only those authorised to access details will be able to access subscriber details and only when they need to deliver service.</li>
<li>According to TRAI, the old technology and platform allowed unscrupulous telemarketers to override the stated preference of the subscriber by claiming consent that may have been surreptitiously obtained.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Issue:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even though TSPs implemented the scrubbing norms, some companies did not adopt them, leading to text messages getting dropped and transaction failures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>TSPs followed TRAI regulations and activated the due process of content scrubbing to address the issue of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/curbing-unsolicited-commercial-communications" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>unsolicited commercial communication.</strong></a></li>
<li>TSPs had sent various communications to the principal entities to register their content template with TSPs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Blockchain Technology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Blockchain is a <strong>shared, immutable ledger</strong> that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and cutting costs for all involved.</li>
<li>The initial and primary use of blockchain technology was for monitoring <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/supreme-court-on-cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cryptocurrency</strong></a> (e.g. bitcoin) transactions. However, other usage and applications have emerged in the last few years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have put the<strong> land records on the blockchain technology</strong> owing to its easy traceability feature.</li>
<li>Election Commission (EC) officials are exploring the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/blockchain-technology-in-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>potential of using blockchain technology to enable remote voting.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was <strong>established by an Act of Parliament</strong> (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997) to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services.</li>
<li>It provides a fair and transparent policy environment which promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition.</li>
<li>The TRAI Act was amended to establish a Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>TDSAT was set up to adjudicate any dispute between a licensor and a licensee, between two or more service providers, between a service provider and a group of consumers, and to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction, decision or order of TRAI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/trai-suspends-new-sms-scrubbing-norms-for-7-days-7221552/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Expansion of Mid-day Meal Scheme',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-committee-on-investment-and-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee</strong> </a>on Education has<strong> recommended</strong> that <strong>all government schools</strong> start providing <strong>free breakfast in the coming academic year,</strong> as a part of an<strong> expansion of midday meal</strong> scheme envisaged by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-education-policy-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Education Policy.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>National Education Policy</strong> identifies <strong>&ldquo;providing food and nutrition&rdquo;</strong> as one of the key long-term thrust areas for<strong> financing to cultivate a robust education system.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Need:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Research shows that the<strong> morning</strong> hours <strong>nutritious breakfast</strong> can be <strong>productive for the study</strong> of cognitively more demanding subjects and hence these hours may be leveraged by providing a simple but energizing breakfast in addition to midday meals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Severe<strong> funding Crunch</strong> is likely to <strong>delay the scheme.</strong></li>
<li>The Centre's<strong> current expenditure</strong> on the Midday meals scheme is about <strong>11000 crore. Free breakfast</strong> would<strong> involve</strong> an additional budget of <strong>4000 crore</strong> but the <strong>School Education Department</strong> saw a <strong>budget cut</strong> of almost<strong> 5000 crore</strong> for the year 2020-21.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Midday Meal Scheme</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Midday meal scheme (under the<strong> Ministry of Education</strong>) is a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> centrally sponsored scheme</strong></a> which was launched in 1995.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>world&rsquo;s largest school meal programme</strong> aimed to attain the goal of universalization of primary education.</li>
<li>Provides <strong>cooked meals</strong> to every child within the age group of <strong>six to fourteen years</strong> studying in <strong>classes I to VIII</strong> who enrolls and attends the school.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Address hunger and malnutrition, increase enrolment and attendance in school, improve socialisation among castes, provide employment at grassroot level especially to women.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Quality Check:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-27th-september-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AGMARK</strong> </a>quality items are procured,<strong> tasting of meals by two or three adult members</strong> of the <strong>school management committee.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food Security:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If the Mid-Day Meal is not provided in school on any school day due to non-availability of food grains or any other reason, the State Government shall pay<strong> food security allowance</strong> by 15<sup>th</sup> of the succeeding month.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regulation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>State Steering-cum Monitoring Committee (SSMC)</strong> oversees the implementation of the scheme including establishment of a mechanism for maintenance of nutritional standards and quality of meals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nutritional Standards:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Cooked meal</strong> having nutritional standards of<strong> 450 calories and 12 gm of protein</strong> for <strong>primary (I-V class)</strong> and <strong>700 calories and 20 gm</strong> protein for upper primary <strong>(VI-VIII class)</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coverage:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All <strong>government</strong> and <strong>government aided schools, Madarsa</strong> and <strong>Maqtabs</strong> supported <strong>under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-21st-july-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues and Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Corrupt Practices:</strong> There have been instances of plain chapatis being served with salt, mixing of water in milk, food poisoning etc.</li>
<li><strong>Caste Bias and Discrimination:</strong> Food is central to the caste system, so in many schools, children are made to sit separately according to their caste status.</li>
<li><strong>Covid-19:</strong> Covid-19 has posed serious threats to children and their health and nutritional rights. The nationwide lockdown has disrupted access to essential services, including <strong>Mid-Day Meals.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Menace of Malnutrition:</strong> According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-family-health-survey-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey-5</strong></a>, several states across the country have<strong> reversed course</strong> and recorded<strong> worsening levels of child malnutrition.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is home to about 30% of the world&rsquo;s stunted children and nearly 50% of severely wasted children under the age of five.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Nutrition Report-2020:</strong> As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-nutrition-report-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Nutrition Report 2020</strong></a>, India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025.</li>
<li><strong>Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020:</strong> India has been ranked at 94 among 107 countries in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-hunger-index-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020.</strong></a> India has a level of hunger that is <strong>&ldquo;serious&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Children will be unable to learn optimally when they are undernourished or unwell. Hence, the nutrition and health (including mental health) of children will be addressed, through nutritional breakfast including mid day meals. This expansion would further help to stop hunger from keeping children away from schools and to improve enrolment.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/breakfast-in-schools-plan-faces-delay/article34041520.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/expansion-of-mid-day-meal-scheme'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Autocratisation Goes Viral Report',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has been classified as an <strong>&ldquo;electoral autocracy&rdquo;</strong> in the annual report named <strong>Autocratisation Goes Viral</strong> of Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This report comes just after the US watchdog <strong>Freedom House downgraded India&rsquo;s status to &ldquo;partly free&rdquo;</strong> in its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/freedom-in-the-world-2021-report#:~:text=The%20Freedom%20in%20the%20World,deterioration%20over%20the%20last%20year." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Freedom in the World 2021&rsquo;</strong> </a>report.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615542060_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615542060_image3.jpg" caption="false" width="651" height="287" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About V-Dem:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The V-Dem Institute, an <strong>independent research organisation</strong> founded in 2014 by Swedish political scientist Staffan Lindberg.</li>
<li>It produces its <strong>annual report on the state of democracy</strong> around the world based on a dataset of almost 30 million data points for <strong>202 countries.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The global <strong>decline of liberal democracies</strong> was &lsquo;steep&rsquo; in the past 10 years in the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.</li>
<li>Apart from India, countries like <strong>Brazil and Turkey figured among the top 10 countries that slipped in rankings</strong> that were part of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G-20</strong></a> nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Position:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was previously classified as an <strong>electoral democracy</strong>, however the latest report classified it as <strong>electoral autocracy.</strong></li>
<li>India is now as autocratic <strong>as is Pakistan,</strong> and <strong>worse than</strong> both its neighbours <strong>Bangladesh and Nepal.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Political rights</strong> and <strong>civil liberties</strong> in the country have <strong>deteriorated since 2014</strong>, with increased pressure on human rights organizations, rising intimidation of academics and journalists, and a spate of bigoted attacks, including lynchings, aimed at Muslims.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for the Downgrade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, Indian government has used laws on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sedition-law-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sedition (Section 124A),</strong></a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/misuse-of-criminal-defamation-law-madras-hc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>defamation (Section 499)</strong></a>, and <strong>counter-terrorism</strong> to silence critics.</li>
<li>It has used the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/foreign-contribution-regulation-amendment-bill-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010</strong></a> to restrict the entry, exit and functioning of civil society organisations.</li>
<li>More frequent use of laws like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/low-convictions-rate-under-uapa-act#:~:text=In%20August%202019%2C%20Parliament%20cleared,is%20otherwise%20involved%20in%20terrorism." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA),1967.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rahul-gandhi-flags-indias-slide-in-democratic-norms/article34045122.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/autocratisation-goes-viral-report'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Indonesia’s Mt. Sinabung',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Mt. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mount-sinabung" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sinabung</strong></a>, an active volcano on Indonesia&rsquo;s Sumatra island has erupted.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, other volcanoes of Indonesia- <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mt-merapi-of-indonesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Merapi volcano</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/semeru-volcano-of-indonesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Semeru volcano</strong></a>- had erupted.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537541_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537541_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="399" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mt. Sinabung:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mt. Sinabung <strong>(2,600-metre)</strong> is<strong> located in Karo regency,</strong> North Sumatra.</li>
<li>Sinabung is among more than<strong> 120 active volcanoes</strong> in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/pacific-ring-of-fire" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pacific Ring of Fire.</strong></a></li>
<li>The volcano was dormant for 400 years before exploding in <strong>2010.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It exploded again in <strong>2014 ,2016</strong> and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indonesia-s-mt-sinabung-erupted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ring of Fire:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ring of Fire, also referred to as the <strong>Circum-Pacific Belt,</strong> is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by<strong> active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.</strong></li>
<li>It traces boundaries between several <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/tectonic-plates">tectonic plates</a>&mdash;</strong>including the Pacific, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.</li>
<li>The abundance of volcanoes and earthquakes along the Ring of Fire is caused by the amount of movement of tectonic plates in the area.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>75% of Earth&rsquo;s volcanoes</strong> i.e. <strong>more than 450 volcanoes</strong> are located along the Ring of Fire. 90% of Earth&rsquo;s earthquakes occur along its path.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537662_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615537662_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://indianexpress.com/article/world/indonesias-sinabung-volcano-unleashes-new-burst-of-hot-ash-7223523/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1615541247822000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3o4R5KePtYDYSsfuErGMAT" 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/indonesia-s-mt-sinabung-1'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Challenges Faced by Nomadic Tribes',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, the<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-social-justice-and-empowerment#:~:text=The%20mandate%20of%20the%20Ministry,Nomadic%20Tribes%20(DNTs)%2C%20Economically" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment</strong></a> stated that a <strong>Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs)</strong> was constituted for development and welfare of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/panel-for-denotified-semi-nomadic-nomadic-tribes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities</a> in 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The welfare board was constituted for a period of<strong> three years extendable upto 5 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Challenges Faced by Nomadic Tribes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are nearly 1,500 nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and 198 denotified tribes, comprising 15 crore Indians, according to the <strong>Renke Commission, 2008.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These tribes remain<strong> socially and economically marginalised</strong> even now, <strong>depriving</strong> many of them of<strong> basic human rights.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The most pressing issue is of their<strong> identity. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Lack of Basic Infrastructure Facilities:</strong> Like drinking water, shelter, and sanitation facilities are not available to the communities. Healthcare and education facilities are also not available.</li>
<li><strong>Bad Treatment by Local Administration:</strong> Due to the stigma of Criminals bestowed upon them in the past, they are still treated criminals and tortured by the local administration and police.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Social Security Cover:</strong> Since they are on move frequently, they do not have a permanent settlement. As a result, they lack social security cover and are<strong> not issued <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/24-states-under-one-nation-one-ration-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ration Card</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aadhar Card</a></strong>, etc. and hence they are not getting benefits under the government welfare schemes.</li>
<li>The <strong>caste categorization is not very clear</strong> for these communities, in some states some of the communities are included under the SC category, in some other states they are included under OBCs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, most of the groups from these communities do not have caste certificates and hence are not able to avail the benefits of government welfare programs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>DWBDNCs Responsibilities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>formulate and implement Welfare and Development programmes,</strong> as required, for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DNCs).</li>
<li>To <strong>identify the locations/areas</strong> where these communities are densely populated.</li>
<li>To<strong> assess and identify gaps</strong> in accessing existing programmes and entitlements and to collaborate with Ministries/implementing agencies to ensure that ongoing programmes meet the special requirements of DNCs.</li>
<li>To <strong>monitor and evaluate the progress of the schemes</strong> of the Government of India and the States/UTs with reference to DNCs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Schemes for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This <strong>Centrally Sponsored Scheme</strong> was launched in 2014-15 for the<strong> welfare of those DNT</strong> (Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes)<strong> students</strong> who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC.</li>
<li>The income ceiling for eligibility is Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum.</li>
<li>The scheme is implemented through State Governments/UT Administrations. The <strong>expenditure is shared</strong> between the <strong>Centre and the States</strong> in the ratio of <strong>75:25.</strong></li>
<li>The scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for DNT students is helpful in spreading education amongst DNT children especially the girl child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in 2014-15, is implemented through State Governments/UT Administrations/Central Universities.</li>
<li>The aim of the scheme is to provide <strong>hostel facilities to those DNT students;</strong> who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC; to enable them to pursue higher education.</li>
<li>The income ceiling for eligibility is Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum.</li>
<li>The Central Government provides a maximum of 500 seats per annum throughout the country.</li>
<li>The expenditure is shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Denotified tribes are those that were notified under the <strong>Criminal Tribes Acts</strong> enforced during British Rule, whereby entire <strong>populations were branded criminals by birth.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1952, the Act was repealed and the communities were de-notified.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Nomadic tribes maintain constant geographical mobility</strong> while <strong>semi-nomads are those who are on the move but return to fixed habitations once a year,</strong> mainly for occupational reasons.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The distinction between nomadic and semi-nomadic do not involve distinguishable ethnic categories or social groups, it rather describes the degree of mobility practiced by them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1703752" 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/challenges-faced-by-nomadic-tribes'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Biggest Floating Solar Power Plant',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India&rsquo;s <strong>biggest floating <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/solar-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solar power</a> plant</strong> by generation capacity (100MW) is being developed by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-thermal-power-corporation-limited" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC)</strong></a> at <strong>Ramagundam in Peddapalli district of Telangana.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project is in line with India's commitment to attain the target of 175 GW of installed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/curtailment-issue-in-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>renewable energy</strong></a> capacity by 2022 including 100 GW of solar installed capacity.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Floating Solar Plants:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It refers to the <strong>deployment of photovoltaic panels on the surface of water bodies.</strong> They are <strong>a viable alternative to land-based solar arrays</strong> with applications in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There are <strong>a large number of major reservoirs in the Southern Region</strong> which provides a huge opportunity to go for renewable energy in the floating solar method.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Projects Coming up in India:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The thermal plant at<strong> Ramagundam</strong> would be one of the renewable (solar) energy plants being developed by NTPC with an installed capacity of 447MW in the Southern Region and the entire capacity would be commissioned by March 2023.</li>
<li>The renewable energy plants that are likely to be commissioned in the next three months are 25MW floating solar plant at <strong>Simhadri thermal power plant</strong> near <strong>Visakhapatnam</strong> and 92MW floating solar plant at <strong>Kayamkulam</strong> in<strong> Kerala.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Address Land Acquisition Issues:</strong> The key challenges that face renewable energy plant owners are land acquisition, grid connectivity, regulations and off-take. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Floating solar plants balance high population density and competing uses for available land. The land can be used for other purposes, such as farming or construction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooling Effect:</strong> The bodies of water exert a <strong>cooling effect,</strong> which improves the performance of solar photovoltaic panels by 5-10%. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Over time, this translates into <strong>significant cost savings.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Advantages:</strong> Reduced grid interconnection costs, reduced water evaporation, improved water quality, and reduced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/incois-launches-products#:~:text=An%20algal%20bloom%20or%20marine,algae%20in%20an%20aquatic%20system.&amp;text=Harmful%20Algal%20Blooms%20can%3A,or%20kill%20people%20and%20animals." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>algal blooming</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Cost:</strong> Engineering and construction costs are usually higher than those of a ground-mounted solar farm.</li>
<li><strong>Safety Issues:</strong> Since floating solar involves water and electricity, more consideration must be given to cable management and insulation testing than on land, especially when cables are in contact with water.</li>
<li><strong>Degradation and Corrosion:</strong> A floating solar plant has moving parts that are subject to constant friction and mechanical stress. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Systems that are poorly designed and maintained could suffer from catastrophic failures.</li>
<li>The installation is at risk of degradation and corrosion due to moisture, especially in more aggressive coastal environments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Understanding of Water-bed Topography:</strong> Developing floating solar projects requires a thorough understanding of water-bed topography and its suitability for setting up anchors for floats.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Solar Energy Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Solar Mission :</strong> Solar energy has taken a central place in India's <a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></a> with the <strong>National Solar Mission</strong> as one of the key Missions.</li>
<li><strong>INDCs target:</strong> It targets installing 100 GW grid-connected solar power plants by the year 2022. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is in line with India&rsquo;s<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-climate-action-ministerial" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)</strong></a> target to achieve about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources and to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% from 2005 level by 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Launch of ISA:</strong> The launch of the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/18-08-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> was announced by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France in 2015, at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>21<sup>st</sup> session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21)</strong></a> in Paris, France.</li>
<li><strong>Government Schemes:</strong> Such as <strong>Solar Park Scheme, Canal bank &amp; Canal top Scheme,</strong> Bundling Scheme,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rooftop-solar-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme</strong> </a>etc.</li>
<li><strong>One Sun One World One Grid:</strong> India has an ambitious cross-border power grid plan<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;One Sun One World One Grid&rsquo;</strong></a> that seeks to transfer solar power generated in one region to feed the electricity demands of others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Thermal Power Corporation Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NTPC Ltd. is a<strong> central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)</strong> under the Ministry of Power.</li>
<li>It is India&rsquo;s largest energy conglomerate with roots planted way back in 1975 to accelerate power development in India.</li>
<li>It aims to provide reliable power and related solutions in an economical, efficient and environment-friendly manner, driven by innovation and agility.</li>
<li>It became a <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sectors-of-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maharatna company</strong></a> in May 2010.</li>
<li>It is located in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/indias-biggest-floating-solar-plant-to-be-commissioned-in-next-three-months/article34036031.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/india-s-biggest-floating-solar-power-plant'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Licensing Conditions for Telecom Companies Amended',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Department of Telecommunications (DoT)</strong> has amended<strong> licensing conditions for telecom companies.</strong> The new norms will be implemented from <strong>15<sup>th</sup> June 2021.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In March 2021, the Union Cabinet approved <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-telecom-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the telecom sector</strong></a> to <strong>reduce imports</strong> and move towards <strong>self-reliance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New Licensing Conditions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To<strong> include defence and national security as parameters</strong> when purchasing <strong>&lsquo;trusted telecom products&rsquo;</strong> and sourcing equipment from <strong>&lsquo;trusted telecom equipment sources&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Telecom companies can use<strong> telecom products only from trusted sources</strong> in its network and <strong>must take permission</strong> from the designated authority<strong> (National Cyber Security Coordinator)</strong> if they plan to upgrade their existing network <strong>using telecom equipment that has not been designated as a trusted product.</strong></li>
<li>The new norms <strong>will not impact the annual maintenance contracts or upgrades to existing equipment</strong> already being used by the telcos in their networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trusted Telecom Products/Trusted Telecom Equipment Source:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is simply<strong> a product, a company, or a technology that has been deemed safe by the government</strong> of a nation for use in its crucial and critical infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Classification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In December 2020, India&rsquo;s Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the setting up of a new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-security-directive" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Security Directive</strong> </a>on the telecommunication sector with an intent <strong>to classify telecom products</strong> and their sources under the <strong>&lsquo;trusted&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;non-trusted&rsquo;</strong> categories.</li>
<li><strong>National Cyber Security Coordinator</strong> has been made the<strong> designated authority for deciding on the list of trusted and non-trusted telecom</strong> equipment sources and products.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Its decisions will be made based on approval of a committee headed by the deputy <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unified-commanders-conference#:~:text=The%20National%20Security%20Advisor%20acts,Security%20Advisor%20is%20Ajit%20Doval." target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Security Advisor</a> (NSA).</strong></li>
<li>Apart from the deputy NSA,<strong> the expert committee will have members from other departments and ministries, and independent experts as well</strong> as two members from the industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new policy could potentially make it more<strong> difficult for Chinese telecom equipment vendors</strong> like Huawei and ZTE to supply equipment to Indian telecom players in the future. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Both Huawei and ZTE <strong>have been under global scrutiny for allegedly installing &lsquo;backdoor&rsquo; or &lsquo;trapdoor&rsquo; vulnerabilities</strong> and<strong> spying for the Chinese government</strong> and have been banned by several countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Telecom equipment plays a vital role in telecom connectivity and data transfer, which has a direct impact on the national security of India therefore this change will <strong>help in strengthening national security of India.</strong></li>
<li>Demand for local equipment will rise which will further promote the vision of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Make-in-India</strong> </a>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/govt-to-telcos-buy-only-from-trusted-sources/article34038934.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/licensing-conditions-for-telecom-companies-amended'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Farmers Producer Organisation',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nabard-agrarian-distress-farmers-protest-farm-laws-7222830/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The push small farmers need&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 11/03/2021. It talks about the prospects of strengthening the Farmers Producer Organisation for addressing agriculture distress.</p>
</div>
<p>The government of India has envisaged doubling farmer&rsquo;s income by 2022, but this target is likely to be missed. This is because the efficiency, productivity, and economic viability of Indian agriculture are affected by many factors.</p>
<p>Factors like poor supply chain management, lack of modernization, and the declining average size of farm holdings are some of the reasons for agrarian distress. Moreover, these factors affect the small farmers to a bigger magnitude.</p>
<p>Recognizing the problems of small and marginal farmers in India, the government is actively promoting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/farmer-producer-bodies-need-help" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO).</strong></a> The aggregation of small, marginal, and landless farmers in FPOs has helped enhance the farmers&rsquo; economic strength and market linkages for improving their income.</p>
<h3>What are FPOs?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FPOs are voluntary organizations controlled by their farmer-members who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions.</li>
<li>They are open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.</li>
<li>FPOs operatives provide education and training for their farmer-members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so that they can contribute effectively to the development of their FPOs.</li>
<li>FPOs in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and some other states have shown encouraging results and have been able to realise higher returns for their produce. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, tribal women in the Pali district of Rajasthan formed a producer company and they are getting higher prices for custard apples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits Emanating From FPO</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Delining Average Land Holding Size:</strong> The average farm size declined from 2.3 hectares (ha) in 1970-71 to 1.08 ha in 2015-16. The share of small and marginal farmers increased from 70 per cent in 1980-81 to 86 per cent in 2015-16.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>FPOs can engage farmers in collective farming and address productivity issues emanating from small farm sizes.</li>
<li>Further, this may also result in additional employment generation due to the increased intensity of farming.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Negotiating With Corporates:</strong> FPO can help farmers compete with large corporate enterprises in bargaining, as it allows members to negotiate as a group and can help small farmers in both input and output markets.</li>
<li><strong>Economics of Aggregation:</strong> The FPO can provide low-cost and quality inputs to member farmers. For example, loans for crops, purchase of machinery, input agri-inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and direct marketing after procurement of agricultural produce. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will enable members to save in terms of time, transaction costs, distress sales, price fluctuations, transportation, quality maintenance, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Impact:</strong> Social capital will develop in the form of FPOs, as it may lead to improved gender relations and decision-making of women farmers in FPOs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This may reduce social conflicts and improved food and nutritional values in the community.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Adding More FPOs:</strong> Some studies show that we need more than one lakh FPOs for a large country like India while we currently have less than 10,000. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the government has taken several steps to promote FPOs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Addressing Structural Issues:</strong> Many FPOs lack technical skills, inadequate professional management, weak financials, inadequate access to credit, lack of risk mitigation mechanism, and inadequate access to market and infrastructure.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The above issues such as working capital, marketing, infrastructure have to be addressed while scaling up FPOs.</li>
<li>Getting credit is the biggest problem. Banks must have structured products for lending to FPOs.</li>
<li>They have to be linked with input companies, technical service providers, marketing/processing companies, retailers, etc.</li>
<li>They need a lot of data on markets and prices and other information and competency in information technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Government&rsquo;s Effort For Promotion of FPO</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since 2011, it has intensively promoted FPOs under the Small Farmers&rsquo; Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), NABARD, state governments and NGOs.</li>
<li>The ongoing support for FPOs is mainly in the form of, one, a grant of matching equity (cash infusion of up to Rs 10 lakh) to registered FPOs, and two, a credit guarantee cover to lending institutions (maximum guarantee cover 85 per cent of loans not exceeding Rs 100 lakh).</li>
<li>The budget for 2018-19 announced supporting measures for FPOs including a five-year tax exemption while the budget for 2019-20 talked of setting up 10,000 more FPOs in the next five years.</li>
<li><strong>One District One Product Cluster:</strong> The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Tuesday reiterated the importance of FPOs which are to be developed in production clusters, wherein agricultural and horticultural produces are grown/cultivated for leveraging economies of scale and improving market access for members.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>&ldquo;One District One Product&rdquo; cluster will promote specialisation and better processing, marketing, branding and export.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Collective Farming:</strong> FPOs can be used to augment the size of the land by focusing on grouping contiguous tracts of land as far as possible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More focus should be on creating a supply chain and find new markets. Women farmers will play a major role in collective farming.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In the last decade, the Centre has encouraged farmer producer organizations (FPOs) to help farmers. While incomes will rise because of the benefits flowing from FPOs, they may not still be adequate to give a reasonable income to small and marginal farmers.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fafaff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Farmer producer organizations could be a solution to the agrarian distress if they are helped to access credit and markets. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ZGtBAfhdqY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/fire-wise-the-hindu-editorial-on-safety-training-and-technological-fixes-to-cut-massive-death-toll-from-fires/article34030678.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Fire wise: On safety training and technological fixes&rdquo;</strong></a> published in The Hindu on March 10<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/farmers-producer-organisation'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-council-of-agricultural-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)</strong></a> received the prestigious International <strong>&ldquo;King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award&rdquo; conferred by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)</a>, Rome.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The award was announced on the eve of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-soil-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Soil Day - 2020</strong></a> <strong>(5<sup>th</sup> December 2020)</strong> in view of the <strong>ICAR&rsquo;s excellent contributions in &ldquo;Soil Health Awareness&rdquo;</strong> on the theme<strong> &ldquo;Stop soil erosion, save our future&rdquo;</strong> (2019 theme).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Launched in 2018, the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award <strong>acknowledges individuals or institutions</strong> that<strong> raise public awareness of soils</strong> by organising successful and influential World Soil Day celebrations.</li>
<li>The award, <strong>sponsored by the Kingdom of Thailand, </strong>is named after<strong> King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand</strong> for his lifelong commitment to raising awareness of the importance of sustainable soil management and rehabilitation for food security, poverty alleviation and more.</li>
<li>The former winners of the Award include <strong>Practical Action in Bangladesh in 2018 </strong>and the<strong> Costa Rican Soil Science Society (AACS) in 2019.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an autonomous organisation under the <strong>Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE),</strong> Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.</li>
<li>It was established on<strong> 16<sup>th</sup> July 1929</strong> and was formerly known as the <strong>Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.</strong></li>
<li>It is headquartered at <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
<li>ICAR is the organisation responsible for the coordination, guidance and management of agricultural research and education in India.</li>
<li>In this capacity, ICAR <strong>oversees one of the largest networks of agricultural research and education institutes</strong> in the world, covering the whole country in the fields of horticulture, soil science, fisheries and animal sciences among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Soil Degradation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Soil degradation is the <strong>physical, chemical and biological decline in soil condition</strong> caused by its <strong>improper use or poor management,</strong> usually for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It can be the <strong>loss of organic matter, decline in soil fertility,</strong> and structural condition, <strong>erosion, adverse changes in salinity, acidity or alkalinity,</strong> and the effects of toxic chemicals, pollutants or excessive flooding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The soil degradation is <strong>caused by excessive pressure on land to meet the competing demands of the growing population</strong> for food, fodder and fibre.</li>
<li>These processes, in turn, <strong>reduce agricultural productivity leading</strong> to social insecurity.</li>
<li>Emission of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/greenhouse-gas-levels-reach-record-highs-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>greenhouse gases</strong></a> to the atmosphere resulting in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-knowledge-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> climate change</strong> </a>and <strong>global warming</strong> could be the major reason for soil degradation.</li>
<li>Various human activities, such as the introduction of <strong>large scale irrigation canals </strong>and <strong>faulty land use lead</strong> to accelerated soil degradation through salinization, flooding, drought, erosion and waterlogging.</li>
<li>The other causes of degradation due to <strong>direct/indirect human interventions</strong> are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Deforestation and removal of natural vegetation</li>
<li>Overgrazing</li>
<li>Agriculture-related activities</li>
<li>Over exploitation of the vegetation for domestic purpose</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Glinka World Soil Prize</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is also conferred by FAO in line with soil. It is an annual award for dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of our world&rsquo;s most pressing environmental issues, i.e.<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/land-degradation#:~:text=India%20is%20facing%20a%20severe,(between%202021%20and%202030)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> soil degradation.</strong></a></li>
<li>It honours individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed, or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615462610_soils-of-india-1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615462610_soils-of-india-1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="473" height="600" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1703913#:~:text=Ms.%20Suchitra%20Durai%2C%20Ambassador%20of,Kingdom%20of%20Thailand%20conferred%20the" 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/king-bhumibol-world-soil-day-2020-award'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Accessible and Affordable Judicial System',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G1uSp1lLAtE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Vice President of India has recently raised concerns over making the entire judicial system more accessible and understandable for the common man.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He said that &ldquo;inordinate delay, cost of legal processes and inaccessibility are impeding the effective delivery of justice to the common man&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Equal Justice:</strong> Accessible and Affordable Justice has been enshrined in DPSP under <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-articles-from-indian-constitution-compilation-part-i#:~:text=Committee%20has%20given%20recommendations%20to,or%20in%20any%20other%20way." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>article 39 (A)</strong></a>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, due to various structural and systematic challenges, the aspiration to meet this objective looks blur.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Pendency of Cases:</strong> The total pendency of cases in the several courts of India at different levels, sums up to a total of <strong>about 3.7 crores</strong> thus increasing the demand of a better and improved judicial system.</li>
<li><strong>Inferences from Pendency of Cases:</strong> In 2010, Justice VB Rao (Andhra Pradesh HC) estimated it to take <strong>320 years to clear the backlog of 31.28 million</strong> (3.12 crore) pending cases (the then rate of pending cases) in various courts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> National Court Management,</strong> a report of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> in 2012, studied the data of pendency of cases and vacancy of judges.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It showed that in the last 3 decades, the number of cases increased by 12 folds while the number of judges increased only by 6 folds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Widening Gap:</strong> The gap between the number of judges and cases is widening.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the next 3 decades, the number of cases is expected to rise by approximately <strong>15 crores requiring a total no of judges about 75000.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In fact, currently the 25 high courts have the strength of <strong>less than 1200 judges.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Article 39 (A)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Article 39 (A) of the Constitution directs the State to ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>The Poor Judicial System of India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Judge to Population Ratio:</strong> The judge-population ratio in the country is not very appreciable.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While for the other countries, the ratio is about 50-70 judges per million people, in India it is<strong> 20 judges per million heads.</strong></li>
<li>Although it is an increase from 12 judges per million people in the past, it does not make us anywhere close to an affordable judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Involvement of Technology:</strong> It is only since the pandemic that the court proceedings have started to take place virtually too, earlier the role of technology in the judiciary was not much larger.</li>
<li><strong>Recruitment Delays:</strong> The posts in the judiciary are not filled up as expeditiously as required.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is a country with a population of more than 135 million and total strength of judges with only around 25000.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Almost 400 posts are vacant (40%) in the high courts.</li>
<li>Around 35% of the posts are lying vacant in the lower judiciary.</li>
<li>However, there are not too many vacancies in the Supreme Court. The total number is 34 with only 2-3 vacancies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Procedural Delays:</strong> Frequent adjournments are granted by the courts to the advocates which leads to unnecessary delays in justice.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The process of judicial appointment is delayed due to <strong>delay in recommendations</strong> by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/collegium-system-for-the-appointment-of-judges#:~:text=The%20SC%20collegium%20is%20headed,CJI%20and%20the%20SC%20collegium." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>collegium</strong></a> for the higher judiciary.</li>
<li><strong>Delay in recruitment</strong> made by the state commission/high courts for lower judiciary is also a cause of the poor judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>More Awareness More Cases:</strong> As far as increasing awareness of the citizens about their rights and laws is concerned, it is undoubtedly very necessary and appreciable but more knowledge of rights means an increased number of cases.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The increasing awareness can and must not be discouraged but the increasing cases should be dealt with efficiently.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Overlapping of Laws:</strong> A number of laws exist in India at central and state levels many of which are quite similar in nature.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This creates clumsiness and chaos, these laws must be codified and the redundant ones must be repealed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Complex Language of the Laws:</strong> Language used in the laws are responsible for most of the litigations.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In case the legislations are drafted in a simpler language, probably the number of cases being filed in court specifically related to taxation matter can also be reduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Assessment:</strong> When a new legislation is formed, there is no judicial impact assessment done by the government on how much burden is going to be casted on the judiciary.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The probabilities of generating more litigations or requirement of more judges is not taken into account.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Streamlining the Appointment System:</strong> The vacancies must be filled without any unnecessary delay.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A proper time frame for the appointment of judges must be laid down and the recommendations must be given in advance.</li>
<li>The Constitution of the <strong>All India Judicial Services</strong> is also an important factor which can definitely help India establish a better judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Technologies:</strong> People are becoming more and more aware of their rights and which is why the number of cases filed in court are also increasing.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To deal with that <strong>judicial officers need to be trained, vacancies for the judges must be filled up expeditiously</strong> and in addition the <strong>use of technology particularly <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">artificial intelligence</a></strong> must be encouraged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dispute Resolution:</strong> The adjudication of disputes within a<strong> short time frame</strong> is important to ensure the trust of the people within the judicial system.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Delayed justice erodes faith in the system and it can lead to <strong>vigilantism.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Out of Court Settlement:</strong> Resolving every case within the court premises is not mandatory; other possible systems must also be accessed.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is also a need to promote the alternate dispute resolution mechanism for which the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/arbitration-and-conciliation-amendment-bill-2021#:~:text=Objective%3A%20The%20Arbitration%20and%20Conciliation,other%20alternative%20dispute%20redressal%20mechanisms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> arbitration and conciliation</strong></a> act has been amended three times to ensure that people go for commercial litigation mode and sort it out either by mediation, conciliation or arbitration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Local Languages:</strong> For making the entire judicial system more understandable to the common man, one way the use of the local languages in courts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The use of local language in court provides the common man a better understanding of his rights, the laws created and the hearings of court proceedings too.</li>
<li>The local languages in the court is already permissible right upto the district level. Some of the high courts are also working in the local languages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>All India Judicial Services (AIJS):</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government is in the process of finalising a bill to establish an <strong>All-India Judicial Service to recruit officers for subordinate courts through an entrance test.</strong></li>
<li>Those who clear the <strong>pan-India</strong> test would be appointed by high courts and the State governments.</li>
<li>The AIJS exams will be conducted in four zones; East, West, North and South.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Provision:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The provision of AIJS was included in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-rajya-sabha#:~:text=Special%20Powers%20of%20Rajya%20Sabha,India%20Services%20(Article%20312)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 312</strong></a> of the Constitution through the <strong>42<sup>nd</sup> Amendment in 1976.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The move is in line with the present<a href="/prelims/about-civil-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UPSC examination</strong></a> pattern, where such exams are conducted in multiple languages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Language:</strong> The government plans to conduct AIJS examinations in <strong>22 languages.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Related Issue:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since cases in lower courts are argued in local languages, there have been apprehensions as to how a person from a particular state can hold hearing in another state that has completely different language.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But the government is of the view that even IAS and IPS officers have served in different States overcoming the language barrier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A sound judicial system is one based on an objective enquiry, practical and unbiased analysis of evidence and delivery of timely and even-handed justice to all citizens.</li>
<li>The government must take hard and fast actions on reducing the pendency of cases as the justice delayed is justice denied.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-accessible-and-affordable-judicial-system'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'International Lunar Research Station: Russia and China',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>China and Russia have agreed to build a <strong>International Lunar Research Station (ILRS),</strong> possibly on the moon&rsquo;s surface, marking the start of a new era in space cooperation between the two countries.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Russia is a part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-27-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Space Station</strong></a> which is a<strong> habitable artificial satellite</strong> - the single largest man-made structure in low earth orbit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>International Lunar Research Station (ILRS):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The ILRS is a comprehensive scientific experiment base with the capability of <strong>long-term autonomous operation.</strong></li>
<li>The station would be <strong>built on the lunar surface and/or on the lunar orbit</strong> that would<strong> carry out scientific research activities</strong> such as the lunar exploration and utilization, lunar-based observation, basic scientific experiment and technical verification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Principle:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russia and China will adhere to the principle of <strong>co-consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits.</strong></li>
<li>They will facilitate<strong> extensive cooperation</strong> in the ILRS, <strong>open to all interested countries</strong> and international partners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ILRS will strengthen scientific research exchanges, and promote humanity&rsquo;s exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Programmes Related to Moon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nasa-s-artemis-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NASA&rsquo;s Artemis</strong></a>: Earlier, in 2020, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration&rsquo;s (NASA)</strong> </a>published the outline for its <strong>Artemis program,</strong> which plans to <strong>send the next man and first woman to the lunar surface</strong> by the year 2024.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Gateway is an outpost around the Moon</strong> to support human and scientific exploration in deep space.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uae-s-moon-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UAE&rsquo;s Rashid</strong></a>:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to send an unmanned spacecraft named Rashid to the moon in 2024.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chinas-rover-to-far-side-of-the-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chang&rsquo;e-4</a></strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chang-e-5-mission-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chang&rsquo;e-5</strong> </a>Missions :<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chang&rsquo;e-4 is the first probe ever to explore the far side of the moon by China.</li>
<li>Chang&rsquo;e-5 mission will seek to collect lunar material to help scientists understand more about the moon&rsquo;s origins and formation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Similar Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chandrayaan-3:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is working on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chandrayaan-3-and-gaganyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chandrayaan-3</strong></a> which is successor to the Chandrayaan-2 mission and it will likely attempt another soft-landing on the lunar surface.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Station:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India has set its eye on building its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-to-set-up-its-own-space-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>own space station</strong></a> in <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/types-of-orbit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>low earth orbit</strong> </a>to conduct microgravity experiments in space in 5 to 7 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Moon</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Facts about Moon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Moon is Earth&rsquo;s <strong>only natural satellite</strong> and the fifth largest moon in the solar system.</li>
<li>The Moon&rsquo;s presence <strong>helps stabilize our planet&rsquo;s wobble, which helps stabilize our climate.</strong></li>
<li>The Moon&rsquo;s distance from Earth is about <strong>3,85,000 km.</strong></li>
<li>The Moon has a very<strong> thin atmosphere</strong> called an exosphere.</li>
<li>The Moon&rsquo;s<strong> entire surface is cratered and pitted</strong> from impacts.</li>
<li>The <strong>Earth and Moon are tidally-locked.</strong> Their rotations are so in sync we only see one side of the Moon all the time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Studying Moon:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Understanding Early Earth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As it is made of remnants of Earth, <strong>clues about the composition of an early Earth</strong> could very well be hidden between layers of Moon dust.</li>
<li>Further, the Moon holds potential <strong>clues to how life began on Earth.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Understand Seismic Activity on Earth :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Studying <strong>Moonquakes</strong> can help us understand what seismic activity on Earth could have been like during times with less liquid water on the surface, such as during major ice ages or during the Earth's early history, when the surface was much too hot to preserve liquid oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition of Earth's Atmosphere:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By measuring <strong>Earth's glow from the Moon,</strong> scientists can accurately estimate how much Earth itself shines, and even the composition of Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Understand Tides, Seasons and Climate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Measuring the <strong>mass, size and orbital properties of the Moon is essential for predicting</strong> rhythms of<strong> tides and seasons.</strong></li>
<li>Studying these <strong>tidal and orbital interactions</strong> between Earth and the Moon is extremely important for understanding possible <strong>effects on Earth's climate.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/science/china-russia-agree-to-build-lunar-research-station/2209822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: FE</a></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-lunar-research-station-russia-and-china'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'INS Karanj',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Indian Navy&rsquo;s third stealth <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-10th-september-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scorpene class</strong> </a>(of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ins-vagir" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project-75</strong></a>) Submarine<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ins-karanj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> INS Karanj</strong></a> has been commissioned at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615456069_image%200.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615456069_image 0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>previous INS Karanj</strong> (a Russian-origin submarine) was <strong>commissioned in 1969,</strong> at Riga in the erstwhile USSR. It had served the nation for<strong> 34 years up to 2003.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>new INS Karanj</strong> would form part of the <strong>Western Naval Command&rsquo;s Submarine fleet.</strong></li>
<li>The ship&rsquo;s name, Karanj, is believed to be derived from the <strong>Karanja island</strong> (also known as Uran Island), a town in Raigad district, which lies in the south-east of Mumbai Harbour. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Indian <strong>Navy has its base at Uran</strong> near Navi Mumbai.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Project 75:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a programme by the Indian Navy that entails <strong>building six Scorpene Class</strong> attack submarines.</li>
<li>It is given support by the<strong> Department of Defence Production (Ministry of Defence)</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Navy</strong> </a>throughout its various phases of construction.</li>
<li>The <strong>Mazagon Dock limited (MDL)</strong> is manufacturing six Scorpene submarines with <strong>technology assistance from Naval Group of France</strong> under a USD 3.75 bn deal signed in October 2005.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>MDL aptly called &ldquo;Ship Builder to the Nation&rdquo;, is one of India&rsquo;s leading Defence public sector undertaking shipyards under the Ministry of Defence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Submarines of the Ongoing Project-75:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Two submarines, <strong>Kalvari</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khanderi</strong></a>, have been commissioned into the Indian Navy.</li>
<li>The fourth Scorpene,<strong> Vela,</strong> has commenced its sea trials.</li>
<li>The fifth Scorpene &lsquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ins-vagir" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vagir</strong></a>&rsquo; was launched in November 2020.</li>
<li>The sixth and last submarine,<strong> Vagsheer,</strong> is being readied for boot together.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Scorpene Class Submarines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The submarines in the Project-75 Scorpene Class are powered by <strong>diesel-electric propulsion systems.</strong></li>
<li>Scorpene is one of the most <strong>sophisticated submarines,</strong> capable of undertaking <strong>multifarious missions</strong> including anti-surface ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.</li>
<li>Scorpene is a conventional powered submarine (diesel-electric) <strong>weighing 1,500 tonnes </strong>and can go up to<strong> depths of 300m.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Scorpene class is the Navy&rsquo;s first modern conventional submarine series in almost two decades</strong> since INS Sindhushastra, procured from Russia in July 2000.</li>
<li>The Navy is <strong>looking to install <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/air-independent-propulsion-for-diesel-electric-submarines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air Independent Propulsion</a> (AIP) modules</strong> on all the Scorpene submarines to enhance endurance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the launch of Karanj, India further <strong>cements its position as a Submarine Building Nation</strong> and MDL has more than lived up to its reputation as Warship and Submarine Builders to the Nation. This is totally in sync with the current impetus of the Government towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Make in India</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1703732" 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/ins-karanj-1'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Kala-azar Elimination: Bihar to Miss Deadline',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The new cases of <a href="/admin/articles/edit/-news-analysis/kala-azar-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kala-azar or Visceral Leishmaniasis</strong> </a>have been reported in Bihar&rsquo;s Muzaffarpur district, casting <strong>serious doubt</strong> on the state government&rsquo;s efforts <strong>to eradicate the disease in the state by 2022.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bihar has already <strong>missed the Kala-azar elimination target four times since 2010.</strong></li>
<li>The first deadline was 2010, under the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-national-digital-health-mission-data-compliance#:~:text=Health%20Expenditure%3A%20The%20policy%20proposes,23%20by%20the%20year%202025." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Programme</strong></a>, followed by 2015. It was later extended to 2017 and 2020 due to the government&rsquo;s failure to eliminate Kala-azar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Kala-azar or Leishmaniasis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar, is characterized by<strong> irregular bouts of fever, substantial weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and anaemia.</strong></li>
<li>If the disease is not treated, the<strong> fatality rate</strong> in developing countries can be as high as<strong> 100% within 2 years.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-policy-for-disease-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD)</strong></a> affecting almost 100 countries including India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NTDs are a diverse group of <strong>communicable diseases</strong> that prevail in<strong> tropical and subtropical conditions</strong> in 149 countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is caused by a <strong>parasite called Leishmania,</strong> which is transmitted through the <strong>bite of sand flies.</strong></li>
<li>There are three types of leishmaniasis:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Visceral leishmaniasis,</strong> which affects multiple organs and is the most serious form of the disease.</li>
<li><strong>Cutaneous leishmaniasis,</strong> which causes skin sores and is the most common form.</li>
<li><strong>Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis,</strong> which causes skin and mucosal lesions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Visceral leishmaniasis, which is commonly known as Kala-azar in India, is fatal in over 95% of the cases, if left untreated.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Missing the Deadline:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack Direction:</strong> Elimination programmes lack direction and <strong>Kala-azar returns year after year.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Widespread Poverty:</strong> It was mostly the poor belonging to the <strong>Dalits, Other Backward Communities and Muslims,</strong> who were the main victims of the disease.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trend of Decline:</strong> However, there also has been a <strong>trend of decline in the number of Kala-azar cases</strong> in Bihar in the last few years. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There were <strong>23,084 cases in 2010,</strong> and by <strong>2020, there were 2,712 cases,</strong> according to official data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Kala-azar Elimination Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Health Policy-2002 set the goal of Kala-azar elimination in India by the year 2010 which was revised to 2015.</li>
<li>Continuing focused activities with high political commitment, <strong>India signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh and Nepal</strong> to achieve Kala-azar elimination from the South-East Asia Region (SEAR).</li>
<li><strong>Elimination</strong> is defined as reducing the annual incidence of Kala-azar to<strong> less than 1 case per 10,000 population</strong> at the sub-district level in India.</li>
<li>Presently all programmatic activities are being implemented through the<strong> National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)</strong> which is an umbrella programme for prevention &amp; control of vector borne diseases and is subsumed under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission (NHM).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NVBDCP is the central nodal agency for prevention and control of six vector borne diseases i.e. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/p-ovale-malaria#:~:text=Malaria%20is%20caused%20by%20Plasmodium,of%20infected%20female%20Anopheles%20mosquito." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malaria</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/controlling-dengue-using-bacteria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Dengue</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-symposium-on-lymphatic-filariasis#:~:text=Lymphatic%20filariasis%2C%20commonly%20known%20as,severe%20disability%20and%20social%20stigma.&amp;text=Brugia%20Timori%20also%20causes%20the%20disease." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lymphatic Filariasis</strong></a>, Kala-azar, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/japanese-encephalitis-je" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Japanese Encephalitis</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/controlling-chikungunya-and-dengue-through-bacteria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chikungunya</strong></a> in India.</li>
<li>It works under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/seven-new-cases-of-kala-azar-reported-in-one-week-in-bihar-s-muzaffarpur-75889%23:~:text%3DPublished%253A%2520Wednesday%252010%2520March%25202021%26text%3DSeven%2520new%2520cases%2520of%2520Kala%252Dazar%2520or%2520Visceral%2520Leishmaniasis%2520have,in%2520the%2520state%2520by%25202022.&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1615455046677000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jda8J19X_RpD-_rULcKSF" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kala-azar-elimination-bihar-to-miss-deadline'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> National Employability Through Apprenticeship Program (NETAP)</strong> has released its latest edition of the <strong>Apprenticeship Outlook Report</strong> for 2021 (January-June 2021).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Apprenticeship is a Skill Training program</strong> wherein a person is engaged by a company as an apprentice and gains classroom (theory) learning for a short period, followed by on-the-job (practical) training.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the National Employability through Apprenticeship Program:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was set up in 2014 as a 100% employer-funded <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model#:~:text=Public%2DPrivate%20Partnership%20Model%3A%20PPP,be%20completed%20with%20private%20funding." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Public-Private Partnership (PPP).</strong></a></li>
<li>The program was launched by the<strong> Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship</strong> and TeamLease Skills University (Gujarat).</li>
<li>It is in accordance with the <strong>National Employability Enhancement Mission</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/initiatives-of-aicte" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AICTE.</strong></a></li>
<li>NETAP was structured to <strong>overcome the challenges of the Apprenticeship Act, 1961.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NETAP <strong>proposed to appoint 2 lac apprentices every year</strong> for the next 10 years. At peak capacity, it will be the world's largest apprenticeship program.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will help the unemployed youth to build skills through <strong>Learning by doing and Learning while earning</strong> along with providing them with access to practical skills.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Employability Enhancement Mission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a pioneering initiative taken<strong> jointly by AICTE and Government of India.</strong></li>
<li>Introduced in <strong>2013,</strong> the NEEM aims to<strong> offer practical trainings to enhance employability</strong> of any person who: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Is either pursuing graduation/diploma in any technical or non-technical stream, or</li>
<li>Have discontinued studies of degree or diploma courses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A NEEM Trainee is any registered person who has a <strong>minimum education up to Class X</strong> and is <strong>between 16 to 40 years</strong> of age.</li>
<li>A total of <strong>23 industries</strong> have been listed in the NEEM where a trainee can be enrolled. It includes the automobile industry, pharmaceuticals, electronics &amp; hardware, food processing, healthcare services and the financial sector.</li>
<li>The NEEM is envisioned to place at least 10,000 students per year in registered companies or registered industries for the purpose of providing training.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Key Findings of the Apprenticeship Outlook Report:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Apprenticeship Ecosystem:</strong> Some 41% of the employers in India are keen on hiring apprentices while 58% of enterprises want to increase the quantum of their apprenticeship hiring this year.</li>
<li><strong>Leading Cities: Chennai</strong> has emerged as the most apprentice friendly city.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Among non-metro cities, <strong>Ahmedabad and Nagpur</strong> are the most promising cities for apprenticeship.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leading Sectors:</strong> The manufacturing, automobiles and ancillaries, and retail are the leading sectors.</li>
<li><strong>Positive Trend for Hiring Women Apprentices:</strong> Overall the preference for women apprentices has increased by 10% from the previous half year. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This trend was more visible in <strong>Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s working-age population is estimated to continue to increase through 2041.</strong> This will have major implications on the required rate of job creation in the economy.</li>
<li>Statistics show that <strong>approximately 3% of children dropout after grade 5<sup>th</sup> and 8<sup>th</sup> in the country</strong> owing to socio-economic challenges. Apprenticeship can be an important mechanism for seamless transitioning from school to work and bridging of skill-gap in the workforce.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives to Promote Apprenticeships:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Apprenticeship Act of 1961 (and the Amendments to the Act).</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shreyas-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS)</strong></a></li>
<li>National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sankalp-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement Scheme</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/yuwaah-youth-skilling-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>YuWaah Youth Skilling Initiative </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-kaushal-vikas-yojana-3-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/study-shows-rise-in-hiring-of-apprentices/article34030620.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/national-employability-through-apprenticeship-program'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Union Cabinet has approved the <strong>Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN)</strong> as<strong> a single non-lapsable reserve fund for Health</strong> from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proceeds of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/system-of-cess-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Health and Education Cess</strong></a> are levied under <strong>Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Salient Features of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a non-lapsable reserve fund for Health in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Public Account.</strong></a></li>
<li>Proceeds of share of health in the <strong>Health and Education Cess</strong> will be credited into PMSSN.</li>
<li>Accruals into the PMSSN will be utilized for the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare namely,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayushman Bharat</a> - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).</strong></li>
<li>Ayushman Bharat - <strong>Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs).</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-11th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana</a> (PMSSY).</strong></li>
<li>Emergency &amp; disaster preparedness and <strong>responses during health emergencies.</strong></li>
<li>Any<strong> future programme/scheme</strong> that targets to achieve progress towards <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</strong></a> and the targets set out in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-digital-health-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Policy (NHP) 2017.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Administration and maintenance</strong> of the PMSSN is entrusted to the <strong>Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare (MoHFW).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In any financial year, the expenditure on such schemes of the MoHFW would be initially incurred from the PMSSN and thereafter, from Gross Budgetary Support (GBS).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of PMSSN:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Enhanced access to universal &amp; affordable health care</strong> through availability of earmarked resources, while ensuring that the amount does not lapse at the end of financial year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Spending on Healthcare: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Improved Developmental Outcomes:</strong> From an economic standpoint, better health improves productivity, and reduces losses due to premature death, prolonged disability and early retirement.</li>
<li><strong>Enhance Opportunities:</strong> One extra year of population life expectancy raises GDP per capita by 4%, investment in health creates millions of jobs, largely for women, through a much needed expansion of the health workforce.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Health and Education Cess:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the <strong>Budget speech 2018,</strong> the Finance Minister while announcing Ayushman Bharat Scheme, also announced<strong> replacement of existing 3% Education Cess by 4% Health and Education Cess.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is collected with the aim of addressing the educational and healthcare needs of rural families in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cess</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Different from the usual taxes and duties like excise and personal income tax, a <strong>Cess is imposed as an additional tax besides the existing tax (tax on tax)</strong> with a purpose of raising funds for a specific task.</li>
<li>The Union government is empowered to raise revenue through a gamut of levies, including taxes (both direct and indirect), surcharges, fees and cess.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A cess, generally paid by everyday public, is added to their basic tax liability paid as part of total tax paid.</li>
<li><strong>Article 270</strong> of the Constitution allows<strong> cess to be excluded from the purview of the divisible pool of taxes</strong> that the Union government must share with the States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Cess collected for a particular purpose <strong>cannot be used for or diverted to other purposes.</strong> A particular cess continues to be levied till the time the government collects enough funds for the purpose that it was introduced for.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the <strong>Swachh Bharat cess</strong> (abolished in 2017) was levied by the government for cleanliness activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Difference between Surcharge and Cess: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Surcharge</strong> is <strong>an additional charge or tax levied on existing tax.</strong> The main surcharges are on personal income tax (on high income slabs and on super rich) and on corporate income tax.</li>
<li>Despite <strong>both are not shareable with state governments,</strong> surcharge can be kept with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mp-s-salaries-cut-and-mplads-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Consolidated Fund of India (CFI)</strong></a> and spent like any other taxes, the cess should be kept as a separate fund after allocating to CFI and can be spent only for a specific purpose.</li>
<li>A <strong>surcharge is discussed under Article 270</strong> and <strong>271</strong> of the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>Unlike a cess, which is meant to raise revenue for a temporary need,<strong> surcharge is usually permanent in nature.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cabinet-clears-non-lapsable-fund-for-health-care/article34036353.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/pradhan-mantri-swasthya-suraksha-nidhi'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Bharat Bangla Maitri Bridge',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated<strong> Bharat Bangla Maitri Bridge</strong> in Tripura&rsquo;s South district.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615447598_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615447598_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="550" height="322" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bridge <strong>&lsquo;Maitri Setu&rsquo;</strong> has been built over the <strong>Feni river</strong> which flows between Indian boundary in Tripura State and Bangladesh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Feni originates in the <strong>South Tripura district.</strong> The river passes through Sabroom town on the Indian side, and <strong>meets the Bay of Bengal</strong> after it flows into Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> 1.9 Km</strong> long bridge joins <strong>Sabroom (in Tripura) with Ramgarh (in Bangladesh).</strong></li>
<li>The name &lsquo;Maitri Setu&rsquo; <strong>symbolises <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50-years-of-india-bangladesh-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing bilateral relations</a></strong> and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constructed by and Cost:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The construction was taken up by the <strong>National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd</strong> at a project cost of<strong> Rs. 133 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited is a <strong>fully owned company of the Government of India.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for <strong>development &amp; maintenance of National Highways &amp; Strategic Roads</strong> of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Now <strong>Agartala</strong> (capital of Tripura) <strong>will become the nearest city to an international sea port</strong> in India.</li>
<li>Tripura will become the<strong> &lsquo;Gateway of North East&rsquo;</strong> with <strong>access to Chittagong</strong> Port of Bangladesh, which is just 80 km from Sabroom.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bangladesh and India have a long standing and time-tested <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/protocol-on-inland-water-transit-and-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Protocol on Transit and Trade</strong></a> through inland waterways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It would serve as a <strong>new trade corridor</strong> between the two countries, helping the <strong>Northeast states grow.</strong> It will <strong>enhance people-to-people contact.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-inaugurates-maitri-setu-between-india-and-bangladesh/article34026410.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/bharat-bangla-maitri-bridge'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Significance of India-Bangladesh Transport Connectivity: World Bank',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong> </a>report named <strong>&ldquo;Connecting to Thrive: Challenges and Opportunities of Transport Integration in Eastern South Asia&rdquo;</strong> stated that seamless <strong>transport connectivity between India and Bangladesh</strong> has the potential to increase national income by as much as 17% in Bangladesh and 8% in India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report analyzes the <strong>Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615446337_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615446337_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="600" height="484" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bilateral trade accounts for only about <strong>10%</strong> of Bangladesh&rsquo;s trade and a mere <strong>1%</strong> of India&rsquo;s trade. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>East Asian and Sub-Saharan African economies,</strong> intraregional trade accounts for <strong>50% and 22%</strong> of total trade, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High tariffs, para-tariffs, and nontariff barriers</strong> also serve as major trade barriers. Simple average tariffs in Bangladesh and India are more than twice the world average.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Difficulty in Crossing Border:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Weak transport integration makes the border between Bangladesh and India thick. Crossing the India&ndash;Bangladesh border at <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chinese-involvement-in-teesta-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Petrapole&ndash;Benapole</strong></a>, the most important border post between the two countries, takes several days.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In contrast, the time to cross borders handling similar volumes of traffic in other regions of the world, including <strong>East Africa, is less than six hours.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Isolated North-East:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian trucks are not allowed to transit through Bangladesh. As a result, the northeast of India is particularly isolated with the rest of the country and connected only through the <strong>27-km-wide Siliguri corridor,</strong> also called the <strong>&ldquo;chicken&rsquo;s neck&rdquo;.</strong> This leads to <strong>long and costly routes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of Better Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Real Income:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>All districts in <strong>Bangladesh</strong> would benefit from integration, with the <strong>eastern districts enjoying larger gains</strong> in real income.</li>
<li>States bordering Bangladesh such as <strong>Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura in the northeast, and West Bengal</strong> on the west, and states further away from Bangladesh such as<strong> Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra</strong> would also <strong>gain huge economic benefits</strong> from seamless connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increased Exports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Will yield a<strong> 297%</strong> increase in Bangladesh&rsquo;s exports to India and a<strong> 172%</strong> increase in India&rsquo;s exports to Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Importance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Geographically, Bangladesh&rsquo;s location makes it a <strong>strategic gateway to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and other East Asian countries.</strong> Bangladesh can also become an <strong>economic powerhouse</strong> by improving regional trade, transit and logistics networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Important Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Strengthen the MVA:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Harmonizing <strong>driver&rsquo;s licensing and visa regimes.</strong></li>
<li>Establishing an <strong>efficient regional transit</strong> regime.</li>
<li>Rationalizing and <strong>digitizing trade and transport</strong> documents.</li>
<li><strong>Liberalizing</strong> the selection of <strong>trade routes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Improving Regional Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Expand the effective capacity</strong> of core transport and logistics infrastructure along regional corridors.</li>
<li>Ensure <strong>competition in transport service</strong> markets.</li>
<li>Deploy<strong> modern information technology infrastructure</strong> at land ports and seaports.</li>
<li>Develop<strong> off-border custom clearance facilities</strong> in Bangladesh and India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Integration of Local Communities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Connecting local markets to regional corridors.</li>
<li><strong>Removing logistics bottlenecks</strong> in export-oriented value chains.</li>
<li>Improving <strong>women&rsquo;s participation in export-oriented agricultural value chains</strong> at the macro, community, and household levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>BBIN:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN)</strong> <strong>Initiative</strong> is a sub-regional architecture of countries in<strong> Eastern South Asia,</strong> a sub-region of South Asia.</li>
<li>The group meets through the official representation of member states to <strong>formulate, implement and review quadrilateral agreements</strong> across areas such as <strong>water resources management, connectivity of power, transport, and infrastructure.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>MVA</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was signed on <strong>15<sup>th</sup> June 2015</strong> in Thimphu, Bhutan.</li>
<li>It seeks to facilitate the unrestricted cross-border movement of cargo, passenger, and personal vehicles between BBIN countries.</li>
<li>As per the agreement, <strong>member countries would allow vehicles registered in the other countries to enter their territory under certain terms and conditions.</strong> Customs and tariffs will be decided by the respective countries and these would be finalised at bilateral and trilateral forums.</li>
<li><strong>Implementation of the MVA has been delayed</strong> as the countries work to clarify some of the provisions that are supposed to be elaborated in protocols.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To provide <strong>seamless people-to-people contact and enhance economic interaction by facilitating cross border movement</strong> of people and goods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/trust-deficit-hampering-seamless-movement-of-goods-between-india-bangladesh-world-bank-7221737/" 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/significance-of-india-bangladesh-transport-connectivity-world-bank'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Universal Primary Education in India',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/a-kerala-model-for-universal-education-7220535/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;A Kerala model for universal education&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 09/03/2021. It talks about the Kerala model of education.</p>
</div>
<p>Nelson Mandela highlighted that Education is the liberator from the shackles of ignorance, poverty, and social and economic exclusion, through his famous quote &ldquo;Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The same thought is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in Article 26 which held that every individual has the right to education. However, seven decades after the UDHR, 58 million children are out of school globally and more than 100 million children get eliminated from the schooling system before completing primary education.</p>
<p>Ironically, India which once held the position of &ldquo;Vishwa Guru&rdquo; (world&rsquo;s teacher), tops the list of countries with out-of-school children. But Kerala has shown a silver lining as it is now all set to be declared the first state in the country to achieve complete primary education.</p>
<p>In this context, other states, especially Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam which rank low on the primary education levels in the country, could follow the Kerala Model of Education.</p>
<h3>Kerala Model of Education</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kerala that led the way by achieving complete literacy way back in 1991 has once shown that it is possible to achieve complete literacy even at the primary school level.</li>
<li>However, this success story has roots in the historic royal rescript of Rani Gouri Parvati Bai, 1817 which proclaimed education as the &ldquo;responsibility&rdquo; of the state.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Simultaneously, it emphasized that &ldquo;political will&rdquo; is more important than the political economy to decide the expenditure on education.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Based on the efforts of the successive governments, Kerala is known for its highest literacy rate in the country and one hundred percent primary and secondary education enrollment.</li>
<li>In order to universalize primary education, the Kerala government launched a special scheme Athulyam in October 2014.</li>
<li>Through extensive surveys, people living in panchayats who had not yet completed their primary education or had dropped out of schools were traced. Convincing them to study again and sit for exams was the next step.</li>
<li>They were given five months of training, enabling them to attend the fourth equivalency examination.</li>
<li>Amartya Sen attributes the Kerala economic and social success to the consistency with which school education expanded, based on sustained public policies and action.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Universalization of Education</h3>
<p>The Constitution of India provides for free and compulsory education for all children up to 14 years of age. In pursuance of this Government of India has enacted the Right to Education Act, 2009. However, the goal of universalization of primary education is still far from our reach. The factors that can be attributed to this are as follows:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Low Public Spending:</strong> The Incheon Declaration to which India is a signatory, expects member states to spend 4-6% of their GDP on education to achieve SDG4. to this declaration. However, the Union Budget 2021 budget allocates only 2.75 percent of the GDP to education.</li>
<li><strong>Exclusive Private Sector:</strong> Many reports and available data shows a rise in the privatization of education with a large number of children being eliminated from the system at early stages, cost of education going up due to systemic inefficiencies, and students committing suicide for want of data and laptops.</li>
<li><strong>Qualitative Issue:</strong> Universalization of compulsory education has failed to catch up to the desired target because quality control of primary education has not been maintained.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The successive ASER survey reflects the poor state of learning outcomes in primary education.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Factors:</strong> Factors like ignorance and illiteracy of parents, lack of cooperation between school and local community, and corruption in recruitment of teachers affects the goal of universalization of education.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Active Role of State:</strong> To make education universal the state must find resources to provide ancillary services such as school health, mid-day meals, free supply of textbooks, writing materials, school uniform, etc.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Kerala model shows that comprehensive interventions pertaining to nutrition, health, sanitation, and early stimulation can help to achieve sustainable growth in human development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Auditing:</strong> There should be a Village or Mohalla School Committee in each village or urban area.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Such a committee would look after the construction and maintenance of buildings, playgrounds, and school gardens, provision for ancillary services, the purchase of equipment, etc.</li>
<li>To discharge the duties, the committee will have sufficient funds by way of donations and grants-in-aid from the state government.</li>
<li>For example, successive governments in Kerala have increased the capital outlay to education and simultaneously decentralized financing of education through local bodies</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Engaging Civil Society:</strong> The success of Kerala is made possible thanks to the collective efforts of the various departments of the government, officials, volunteers, NGOs, and friendly associations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The provision for Universal Elementary Education is crucial for spreading mass literacy, which is a basic requirement for economic development, modernization of social structure, and the effective functioning of democratic institutions.</p>
<p>It also represents an indispensable first step towards the provision of equality of opportunity to all citizens. Thus, Indian society as a whole should take necessary steps to achieve universalization of primary education.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffff7;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India which once held the position of &ldquo;Vishwa Guru&rdquo;, now tops the list of countries with out-of-school children. In light of the statement, discuss what various Indian states can learn from Kerela&rsquo;s model of education.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uBi_DJXZvQo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/twere-well-it-were-done-quickly/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Twere well, it were done quickly&rdquo;</strong> </a>published in The Economic Times on March 08<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/universal-primary-education-in-india'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Group of Ministers: Media Strategy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Editors Guild of India</strong> flagged the <strong><a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/22-02-2020/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Group of Ministers (GoM) </a>report</strong> on the <strong>government&rsquo;s media strategy</strong> as an example of the government's <strong>&ldquo;increasingly draconian attitude&rdquo;</strong> towards any criticism.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GoM, whose members include five Cabinet Ministers and four Ministers of State, was set up in mid-2020.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Editors Guild of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Editors Guild was founded in 1978 with the<strong> twin objectives of protecting press freedom</strong> and for <strong>raising the standards of editorial leadership</strong> of newspapers and magazines.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recommendations from Group of Ministers (GoM) Report on Media Strategy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Identifying and engaging <a href="/to-the-points/paper4/ethics-in-journalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">journalists</a></strong> - who had lost jobs but have been &ldquo;supportive or neutral&rdquo; to the present government - in various ministries so that their services could be used to project the government&rsquo;s image positively.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Further, the government should have an <strong>increased engagement with journalism schools</strong> as part of its long-term strategy since present students are future journalists.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Engaging with Foreign Media and NRIs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There should be <strong>regular interaction with foreign media journalists</strong> as part of the government&rsquo;s global outreach so that &ldquo;its perspective&rdquo; is put out correctly in the international forum.</li>
<li>An <strong>effective system of communication with the NRI community</strong> should be established so that they can raise their voice against negative narratives in foreign countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Highlighting Government&rsquo;s Work:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It calls for <strong>mass circulation of positive stories</strong> and testimonials to highlight the work done by the government and the difference they have made in people&rsquo;s lives.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>And <strong>rebuttal of negative stories,</strong> ensuring advertisements and outreach programmes in regional languages for better &lsquo;connect with local people&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Physical copies of the government magazine, <strong>New India Samachar,</strong> should be distributed to 6 lakh people and the e-version to 8 crore people.</li>
<li>Tasking different ministries with different outreach goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Using Social Media:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It calls for<strong> engaging with platforms</strong> such as <strong>Twitter and Google</strong> to increase the government&rsquo;s outreach positively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countering False Narratives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tracking<strong> 50 &lsquo;negative influencers&rsquo;</strong> who discredit the government &amp; encouraging <strong>50 &lsquo;positive influencers&rsquo;</strong> who project government work in 'right perspective'.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615375623_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615375623_image4.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Concern of Editors Guild:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The media strategy illustrates the government&rsquo;s <strong>increasingly draconian attitude</strong> against any critique and inquiry by the press.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The suggestions from the GoM report hint at <strong>increased surveillance and targeting of writers and journalists</strong> who depart from the government&rsquo;s narrative.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The guild said the GoM prepared its report &ldquo;with an <strong>embedded toolkit to control the narrative</strong> about the government in the media&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Among the more disturbing suggestions was to develop a &ldquo;strategy to neutralise the people who are writing against the government without facts and set false narratives/spread fake news&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Suggestion revealed an intention to<strong> &ldquo;muzzle any criticism of the government&rdquo;,</strong> in the absence of clarity on what constitutes <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/fake-news-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fake news</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is supposed that the<strong> government should safeguard constitutional values of freedom of expression</strong> for media as well as journalists and should make it clear that it is committed to the plurality of views in the media.</li>
<li>Countering content manipulation and fake news to restore faith in the media without undermining its freedom will require public education, strengthening of regulations and effort of tech companies to make suitable algorithms for news curation.</li>
<li>On the other hand, it is important for the <strong>media to stick to the core principles</strong> like truth and accuracy, transparency, independence, fairness and impartiality, responsibility and fair play so that they can gain credibility.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/group-of-ministers-report-points-to-draconian-attitude-of-government-says-editors-guild/article34029064.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/group-of-ministers-media-strategy'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Centre government must <strong>increase the amount of pensions</strong> provided for<strong> poor senior citizens, widows and disabled people,</strong> said the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/parliamentary-committee-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee</strong> </a>on Rural Development.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Pointed Out by the Parliamentary Standing Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The panel pointed out that it had <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions#:~:text=The%20Ministry%20of%20Rural%20Development,to%20%E2%82%B91%2C200%20per%20month." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>previously proposed the increase of the miniscule pensions</strong></a> in its reports and slammed the<strong> government&rsquo;s &ldquo;laxity in raising the amount&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Also, criticised the implementation of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions#:~:text=The%20Ministry%20of%20Rural%20Development,to%20%E2%82%B91%2C200%20per%20month." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)</strong></a> in reaching out to the poor and downtrodden section of the society.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pointed out the meagre amount of assistance ranging from<strong> Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per month</strong> under the different components of this Scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Noted <strong>the callous approach of the State Governments</strong> in the proper implementation of the provision of unemployment allowance.</li>
<li>Pulled up the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-rural-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Department of Rural Development (DoRD)</strong></a> for issues in implementation of the flagship <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MGNREGA scheme.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615373094_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1615373094_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues in the MGNREGA Scheme Observed by the Committee:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Work Supply:</strong> That too when there was an<strong> increase in the demand</strong> for work under MGNREGA due to economic distress caused by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>Delay in the Release of Funds:</strong> It is a huge discouraging aspect and does not go in consonance with the underlying spirit of the scheme.</li>
<li><strong>Disparity in Wages in Different States:</strong> The committee noted how it is possible that a single scheme having the provision of <strong>hundred days of guaranteed work</strong> to willing people from the rural settings can have different yardstick when it comes to the payment modalities across the length and breadth of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is against the Constitutional provision of <strong>equal pay for equal work.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being administered by the <strong>Ministry of Rural Development.</strong></li>
<li>This programme is being implemented in <strong>rural as well as urban areas.</strong></li>
<li>The programme was first<strong> launched on 15<sup>th</sup> August 1995</strong> as a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Centrally Sponsored Scheme</strong></a>. It was brought within the umbrella of<strong> &lsquo;Core of Core&rsquo; schemes</strong> of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in 2016.</li>
<li>Currently, it has <strong>five components</strong> namely:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/elderly-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)</strong> </a>- since inception of NSAP in 1995.</li>
<li><strong>National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) -</strong> 1995.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/poverty-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annapurna Scheme</strong></a> - launched in 2000.</li>
<li><strong>Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) -</strong> launched in 2009.</li>
<li><strong>Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme -</strong> launched in 2009.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/maternity-scheme-exclusionary-pmmvy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS)</strong> </a>was part of NSAP and was subsequently transferred from the Ministry of Rural development to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Important Schemes of Department of Rural Development</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-awas-yojana-grameen-behind-target" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-gram-sadak-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/day-nrlm-special-package-for-j-k-and-ladakh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM)</strong></a></li>
<li>National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shyama-prasad-mukherji-rurban-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission (SPMRM)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saansad-adarsh-gram-yojana-sagy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/panel-flags-centres-meagre-pensions/article34030868.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'TRAI Suspends New SMS Scrubbing Norms',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/telecom-firms-oppose-trai%E2%80%99s-public-wi-fi-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)</a></strong> temporarily suspended the scrubbing of short message service or SMS by telecom service providers (TSP) for seven days.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The action by TRAI comes after the functioning of several SMS-based services of banks and e-commerce platforms was affected recently, as the TSPs implemented the second phase of SMS regulation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation, 2018:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was issued to <strong>&ldquo;effectively deal with the nuisance of spam".</strong></li>
<li>Rules mandate telcos to verify the content of every SMS with the registered text before delivering it to consumers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As per TRAI norms, the content of all SMSes will now be verified before it is allowed to be delivered on the users&rsquo; device. This process,<strong> known as scrubbing,</strong> was implemented recently after several delays.</li>
<li>The new TRAI regulations for principal entities, which will be allowed to send SMSes to customers, seek registration of senders, telemarketers, headers, content, templates, consent templates and subscriber preference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The rules <strong>prohibit unregistered senders</strong> from initiating commercial messages, while registered companies are prevented from sending fraudulent messages to their customers.</li>
<li>TRAI has released a framework under which telcos could use a distributed ledger technology or blockchain to <strong>verify the sender information and content of every commercial SMS</strong> before it was delivered on the user&rsquo;s device.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Blockchain</strong> will ensure two things i.e, non-repudiation and confidentiality. Only those authorised to access details will be able to access subscriber details and only when they need to deliver service.</li>
<li>According to TRAI, the old technology and platform allowed unscrupulous telemarketers to override the stated preference of the subscriber by claiming consent that may have been surreptitiously obtained.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Issue:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even though TSPs implemented the scrubbing norms, some companies did not adopt them, leading to text messages getting dropped and transaction failures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>TSPs followed TRAI regulations and activated the due process of content scrubbing to address the issue of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/curbing-unsolicited-commercial-communications" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>unsolicited commercial communication.</strong></a></li>
<li>TSPs had sent various communications to the principal entities to register their content template with TSPs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Blockchain Technology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Blockchain is a <strong>shared, immutable ledger</strong> that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and cutting costs for all involved.</li>
<li>The initial and primary use of blockchain technology was for monitoring <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/supreme-court-on-cryptocurrency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cryptocurrency</strong></a> (e.g. bitcoin) transactions. However, other usage and applications have emerged in the last few years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have put the<strong> land records on the blockchain technology</strong> owing to its easy traceability feature.</li>
<li>Election Commission (EC) officials are exploring the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/blockchain-technology-in-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>potential of using blockchain technology to enable remote voting.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was <strong>established by an Act of Parliament</strong> (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997) to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services.</li>
<li>It provides a fair and transparent policy environment which promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition.</li>
<li>The TRAI Act was amended to establish a Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>TDSAT was set up to adjudicate any dispute between a licensor and a licensee, between two or more service providers, between a service provider and a group of consumers, and to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction, decision or order of TRAI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/trai-suspends-new-sms-scrubbing-norms-for-7-days-7221552/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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