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Phosphine on Venus: A Sign of Life

Why in News Scientists have detected the presence of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus. The detection indicates the possibility of the...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT)

Why in News A Customized My Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT) launch was released by the Department of Posts on the...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Re-measuring Mount Everest

Why in News China and Nepal are soon expected to announce Mount Everest’s latest official height. In 2019, both countries agreed to...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Israel, UAE and Bahrain Abraham Accord

Why in News The Abraham Accord between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain is mediated by the USA. It is the first Arab-Israeli peace deal...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Phytoplankton Biomass in Bay of Bengal

A team of scientists from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) have discovered a way to measure the quantity of...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Parliamentary Committee Report on Startups

Why in News Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance tabled a report related to startups in Parliament. The Government of India has...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Living Planet Report: WWF

Why in News According to the Living Planet Report 2020 released by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the population of vertebrate species has largely...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Mekedatu Project

Why in News The Karnataka government is likely to pressurise the Centre for approval of the construction of the Mekedatu Project on the Cauvery...

16 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Urban Employment Crisis

This editorial analysis is based on the article “Urban employment as the focal point” which was published in The Hindu on 15th of...

15 Sep 2020 News Editorials
Methane Hydrates in Krishna-Godavari Basin

Why in News Recently, a study on biogenic methane hydrate in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin was conducted by the researchers at the Agharkar...

15 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Graphene Mask Inactivates Coronaviruses

Why in News Recently, the researchers from the City University of Hong Kong have produced a laser-induced form of graphene masks that inactivate the...

15 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Supplementary Demands for Grants

Why in News The Centre has sought Parliament approval for a gross additional expenditure of ₹2.35 lakh crore for 2020-21. The Minister of...

15 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Inflation Data: August 2020

Why in News Recently, the inflation data for the month of August 2020 was released. The inflation data includes retail inflation and wholesale...

15 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Normative Ethical Theories (Part-I)

The principal purpose that normative ethical theories serve is to articulate and advocate an ethical code, i.e., to provide justifiable and...

14 Sep 2020 Paper 4
Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism

This editorial analysis is based on the article “India needs to invest in regional disaster relief mechanisms” which was published in...

14 Sep 2020 News Editorials
USA-Maldives Framework on Defense and Security Relationship

Why in News Recently, a Framework on Defense and Security Relationship has been signed between the USA and the Maldives. The move is seen as...

14 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force

Why in News The Uttar Pradesh government is going to constitute a Special Security Force (SSF) in the state. Key Points On the lines of the...

14 Sep 2020 News Analysis
India’s Position Shift on Taliban

Why in News Recently, India has signaled a shift in its position on engaging with the Taliban by participating in the commencement ceremony of...

14 Sep 2020 News Analysis
Masking The Question

This editorial analysis is based on the article “Democracy in question: If questions are disallowed in Parliament, more will be asked outside...

12 Sep 2020 News Editorials
Virtual Courts

Why in News Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has presented its report...

12 Sep 2020 News Analysis

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		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'Phosphine on Venus: A Sign of Life',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists have detected the presence of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The detection indicates the possibility of the presence of lifeforms on Venus.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The international scientific team first spotted the phosphine using the <strong>James Clerk Maxwell Telescope</strong> (JCMT) <strong>in Hawaii</strong> and confirmed it using the<strong> Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array</strong> (ALMA) radio telescope in <strong>Chile.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>JCMT is the largest astronomical telescope in the world designed specifically to operate in the submillimetre wavelength region of the spectrum.</li>
<li>ALMA is currently the largest radio telescope in the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The researchers <strong>did not discover actual life forms,</strong> but noted that, on Earth, phosphine is produced by bacteria thriving in oxygen-starved environments.</li>
<li><strong>Biosignatures:</strong>&nbsp;Scientists have used probes and telescopes to seek <strong>&ldquo;biosignatures&rdquo; - indirect signs of life -</strong> on other planets and moons in the solar system and beyond.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Phosphine</strong> was seen at <strong>20 parts-per-billion</strong> in the <strong>Venus atmosphere</strong> which is a trace concentration. However,&nbsp;Venus&nbsp;is considered to be <strong>hostile to phosphine </strong>as its surface and atmosphere are<strong> rich in oxygen compounds</strong> that would rapidly react with and destroy phosphine.</li>
<li>Phosphine acts as a biosignature because it is known to be produced <strong>mainly through biological processes,</strong> and not through any naturally occurring chemical process.</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Earlier in 2011, the <strong>European Space Agency&rsquo;s mission, Venus Express</strong>, found signs of ozone, a biomarker, in the upper atmosphere of Venus.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Acid Test:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Scientists have suspected that the <strong>Venusian high clouds,</strong> with <strong>mild temperatures around 86 degrees Fahrenheit,</strong> could harbour aerial microbes that could endure extreme acidity.</li>
<li>These clouds are around <strong>90% sulphuric acid</strong> and Earth microbes could not survive that acidity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Phosphine</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Phosphine</strong> is a<strong> phosphorus atom with three hydrogen atoms attached</strong> <strong>(PH<sub>3</sub>)</strong> &ndash; is <strong>highly toxic</strong> to people.</li>
<li>On rocky planets such as Venus and Earth, phosphine can only be made by life&mdash;whether human or microbe.<strong></strong></li>
<li>Phosphine is made naturally by some species of <strong>anaerobic bacteria&mdash;</strong>organisms that live in the oxygen-starved environments of landfills, marshlands, and even <strong>animal guts.</strong><strong></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To produce phosphine, <strong>Earth bacteria take up phosphate from minerals</strong> or biological material and add hydrogen.<strong></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Phosphine also arises non-biologically in certain industrial settings.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Used as a <strong>chemical weapon during World War I.</strong></li>
<li>Phosphine is still manufactured as an <strong>agricultural fumigant,</strong> is used in the semiconductor industry, and is a by-product of <strong>meth labs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Venus</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Venus is Earth&rsquo;s<strong> closest</strong> planetary neighbour. It is also known as <strong>earth's twin.</strong></li>
<li>Similar in structure but <strong>slightly smaller than Earth,</strong> it is the<strong> second planet from the sun.</strong></li>
<li>Early science observations of Venus revealed that it is a menace of a world that could kill life in multiple ways. Venus is wrapped in a <strong>thick and toxic</strong> atmosphere that traps in heat.</li>
<li><strong>High Temperature:</strong> Surface temperatures reach a scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt lead.&nbsp;<span style="font-weight: 400;">It is the hottest planet in the solar system.</span></li>
<li><strong>High Pressure:</strong> Highly dense, 65 miles of cloud and haze, puts atmospheric pressure more than 90 times what&rsquo;s felt on Earth&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li>Also, the planet&rsquo;s atmosphere is<strong> primarily suffocating carbon dioxide</strong> and sulfuric acid clouds.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The finding can further<strong> ignite interest in space missions to Venus.</strong> Missions to Venus are not new. Spacecraft have been going near the planet since the 1960s, and some of them have even made a landing.</li>
<li>All future missions to Venus would now be attuned to investigating further evidence of the presence of life. <span style="font-weight: 400;">This can now only be taken further by making in situ measurements in the atmosphere of Venus. This poses its own challenges. Apart from the high surface temperature and dense atmosphere, the presence of sulphuric acid in the atmosphere of Venus makes it a highly corrosive environment.&nbsp;</span>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also planning a mission to Venus, tentatively called <strong>Shukrayaan,</strong> in the near future.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/reading-life-signature-on-venus-phosphine-gas-6596355/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A Customized My Stamp on<strong> India&rsquo;s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT)</strong> launch was released by the Department of Posts on the occasion of <strong>Engineers Day.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Engineers Day</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>15<sup>th</sup> September is observed as Engineer&rsquo;s Day in India to mark the birth anniversary of <strong>Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya</strong> (1861-1962), a civil engineer and statesman.</li>
<li>He was a pioneer in his field, credited for inventing the <strong>Block System for dams &ndash;</strong> the automated doors shut during an overflow.</li>
<li>He was appointed <strong>Chief Engineer of Mysore State</strong> in 1909, given the status of <strong>Diwan of Mysore</strong> in 1912, awarded the <strong>Bharat Ratna</strong> in 1955.</li>
<li>His books,<strong> &ldquo;Reconstructing India&rdquo;</strong> and <strong>&ldquo;Planned Economy of India&rdquo;</strong> were published in 1920 and 1934, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600250825_image8.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600250825_image8.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="450" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>My Stamp:</strong> It is the brand name for personalized sheets of Postage Stamps of India Post.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>&lsquo;My Stamp&rsquo; was first introduced in India during the<strong> World Philatelic Exhibition, &lsquo;INDIPEX-2011&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Customized My Stamp</strong> is a personalized sheet of Postage Stamps wherein the corporate, organizations and institutions can get their customized sheets printed from India Post.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>A-SAT Missile</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an interceptor missile that destroys or jams satellites in space.</li>
<li><strong>Two types of A-SATs:</strong> Kinetic and Non-Kinetic A-SATs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Kinetic A-SATs,</strong> like ballistic missiles physically strike an object in order to destroy it.</li>
<li><strong>Non-Kinetic A-SATs:</strong> A variety of nonphysical means can be used to disable or destroy a space object. These include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyberattacks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mission Shakti</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted India&rsquo;s first Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mission-shakti-asat-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Mission Shakti&rsquo;.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was launched from<strong> Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island</strong> in Odisha on 27<sup>th</sup> March 2019.</li>
<li>The interceptor missile was a <strong>three-stage missile</strong> with <strong>two solid rocket boosters.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Significance:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>entire effort was indigenous</strong> which demonstrated the Nation&rsquo;s capability to develop such complex and critical missions.</li>
<li>With this success, India became the <strong>fourth nation</strong> in the world to possess such capability.</li>
<li>With the establishment of <strong>India as a space power,</strong> India will be accorded a place in any future international treaty that relates to the <strong>governance or usage of Space.</strong></li>
<li>In case of Pakistan, a terrestrial power, the use of nuclear arsenal can now come at a heavy cost.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of now Pakistan presumes that the no first use doctrine of India gives it an advantage, but with the development of ASAT capabilities, India would be able to destroy an incoming Pakistani nuclear missile.</li>
<li>This will create a significant deterrence vis-a-vis the position of Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In case of China, which is a significant space power, counter-space capabilities of India will provide a critical balancing deterrent.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1654607" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Re-measuring Mount Everest',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>China and Nepal are soon expected to announce <strong>Mount Everest&rsquo;s latest official height.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2019, both countries agreed to re-measure the elevation of the world&rsquo;s highest mountain and announce the findings together.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249850_image7.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249850_image7.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mount Everest (also called <strong>Sagarmatha in Nepal</strong>) is <strong>Earth&rsquo;s highest mountain</strong> above sea level, located in the <strong>Himalayas between China and Nepal</strong> with their borders running across its summit point.</li>
<li>Its<strong> current official elevation is 8,848m</strong> which places it more than 200m above the <strong>world&rsquo;s second-highest mountain, K2,</strong> which is <strong>8,611m</strong> tall and located in <strong>Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.</strong></li>
<li>Mount Everest gets its English name from <strong>Sir George Everest,</strong> a colonial-era geographer who served as the <strong>Surveyor General of India</strong> in the mid-19<sup>th</sup> century.</li>
<li>It <strong>was first scaled in 1953</strong> by the <strong>Indian-Nepalese Tenzing Norgay</strong> and<strong> New Zealander Edmund Hillary.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>First Survey of Everest:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>first effort was carried out in 1847</strong> by a team led by <strong>Andrew Waugh,</strong> Surveyor General of India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The survey was based on<strong> trigonometric calculations</strong> and is known as the <strong>Great Trigonometric Survey of India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The team discovered that<strong> &lsquo;Peak 15&rsquo;</strong> (as Mount Everest was referred to then) was the highest mountain, <strong>contrary to the then-prevailing belief that Mount Kanchenjunga</strong> (8,582m and the <strong>3<sup>rd</sup> highest</strong> peak in the world now) was the highest peak in the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for Re-measurement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Everest&rsquo;s current official height has been <strong>widely accepted since 1956</strong> when the figure was measured by the<strong> Survey of India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the<strong> height of a summit changes due to tectonic activities</strong> like the 2015 Nepal earthquake.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Its measurement over the decades has also <strong>depended on who was surveying.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Previous measurements of the mountain were by<strong> Indian, American or European surveyors.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> joint effort represents national pride for Nepal</strong> which will come up with its own findings on the height.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Survey of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>National Survey and Mapping Organisation</strong> of the country under the <strong>Department of Science and Technology.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1767</strong> and is the oldest scientific department of the Government of India.</li>
<li>Headquarters:<strong> Dehradun, Uttarakhand.</strong></li>
<li>It acts as an<strong> adviser to the Government of India on all survey matters,</strong> viz Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Mapping and Map Reproduction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geodesy</strong> is the science of accurately measuring and understanding the Earth's geometric shape, orientation in space and gravity field.</li>
<li><strong>Photogrammetry</strong> is the science of making measurements from photographs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Himalayas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin:</strong> The<strong> northward drift of the Indo-Australian plate</strong> resulted in its collision with the much larger <strong>Eurasian Plate.</strong> Due to which, the sedimentary rocks which were accumulated in the geosyncline known as the <strong>Tethys</strong> were <strong>folded to form the mountain system</strong> of western Asia and Himalaya.</li>
<li><strong>Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Himalayas are<strong> geologically young and structurally folded mountains</strong> and represent the<strong> loftiest and one of the most rugged</strong> mountain barriers of the world.</li>
<li>They <strong>form an arc,</strong> which covers a distance of about <strong>2,400 km.</strong> Their <strong>width</strong> varies from<strong> 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Orientation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>general orientation</strong> of these ranges is from <strong>northwest to the southeast</strong> direction in the northwestern part of India.</li>
<li>Himalayas in the<strong> Darjeeling and Sikkim</strong> regions lie in an <strong>east west direction.</strong></li>
<li>In <strong>Arunachal Pradesh</strong> they are from<strong> southwest to the northwest</strong> direction.</li>
<li>In <strong>Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram,</strong> they are in the <strong>north south direction.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Himalayan mountains consist of <strong>three parallel ranges in longitudinal extent:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Great Himalaya or Himadri:</strong> It is the<strong> northernmost and the most continuous</strong> range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 m. World&rsquo;s highest peaks are located in it.</li>
<li><strong>Lesser Himalaya or Himachal:</strong> To the south of Himadri, it is the <strong>most rugged</strong> mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 m. It is well known for its hill stations like Kashmir, Kangra and Kullu Valleys.</li>
<li><strong>Shiwalik:</strong> It is the southernmost range with an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 m. These ranges are<strong> composed of unconsolidated sediments</strong> brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are <strong>large-scale regional variations</strong> within the Himalayas. On the<strong> basis of relief, alignment of ranges and other geomorphological features,</strong> the Himalayas can be <strong>divided into the following subdivisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kashmir or Northwestern Himalayas.</li>
<li>Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas.</li>
<li>Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas.</li>
<li>Arunachal Himalayas.</li>
<li>Eastern Hills and Mountains.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-china-and-nepal-are-measuring-mt-everests-height-again-6597257/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Nepali%20Times,up%20with%20their%20own%20figure." 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/re-measuring-mount-everest'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Israel, UAE and Bahrain Abraham Accord',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Abraham Accord</strong> between<strong> Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain</strong> is mediated by the USA. It is the <strong>first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Previous Agreements:</strong> There were the <strong>only two peace deals</strong> between Israel and the Arab States in more than a quarter of a century.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Egypt was the first Arab State to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979.</li>
<li>Jordan signed a peace pact in 1994.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Agreement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain will establish:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Embassies and exchange ambassadors.</li>
<li>Working together with Israel across a range of sectors, including tourism, trade, healthcare and security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Abraham Accords also open the door for Muslims around the world to visit the historic sites in Israel and to peacefully pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the <strong>third holiest site in Islam.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the Islamic tradition,<strong> the Kaaba</strong> in <strong>Mecca</strong> is considered the holiest site, followed by <strong>the Prophet's Mosque</strong> in Medina, and <strong>Al-Aqsa Mosque</strong> in Jerusalem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason:</strong> Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflects their shared concern about <strong>Iran&rsquo;s rising influence</strong> in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran has been critical of both deals.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Arab-Israel Relation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since Israeli independence in 1948, it has fought several wars with Arab neighbouring countries.</li>
<li>The persecuted Jews saw Israel as their promised home while Arabs saw it as an occupation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Significance of the Accord:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The agreement shows how the Arab countries are gradually <strong>decoupling themselves from the Palestine question.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Palestine was among former Ottoman territories placed under UK administration by the League of Nations in 1922. All of these territories eventually became fully independent States, except Palestine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Full diplomatic ties</strong> will be established between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which will have a positive impact on the entire region.</li>
<li>The deal buys UAE a lot of <strong>goodwill in the US,</strong> where its image has been tarnished by its involvement in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ceasefire-in-yemen" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Yemen war.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>In South Asia, it will put Pakistan in a bind,</strong> whether to follow UAE&rsquo;s steps (will be seen as giving up Islamic cause of Palestine) or not to follow the UAE (since it is already in feud with the Saudis over not taking up the Kashmir case, Pakistan cannot afford another hostile Islamic Country).</li>
<li>In the upcoming presidential election in the USA, the accord could help shore up support among pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters, an important part of current President&rsquo;s political base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>More Deals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Other gulf states in the region like Oman could follow suit and sign similar agreements with Israel</li>
<li>One of the biggest Gulf Arab powers, Saudi Arabia could follow the suit as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Palestinians have not embraced the USA&rsquo;s vision. 86% of Palestinians believe the normalization agreement with the UAE serves only Israel&rsquo;s interests and not their own.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is a possibility that the Palestine quest is further ignored.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Shia-Sunni rifts in the region may get wide and violent.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and Iran (representing Shia) have a long history of enmity. For decades, one of the main sources of instability in West Asia has been the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.</li>
<li>The Sunni-Shiite schism may also provoke violence between Muslims in such places as Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249390_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249390_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="401" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian Interest in West Asia:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geopolitical:</strong> West Asia occupies an important position in international relations due to its geographical location and proximity to continents and countries South Asia, China, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa.</li>
<li><strong>Energy:</strong> The region is strategically significant due to its enormous energy resources, trade route links to different parts of the world.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is the world's largest oil-producing region accounting for 34% of world production, 45% of crude oil exports and 48% of oil proven reserves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diaspora:</strong> Indian expatriates have constituted a substantial share of the regional labour market.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Remittances from the region</strong> constitute a major chunk of total remittances to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Opportunity for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Defence and Security:</strong> India should use this unexpected opportunity to give itself a <strong>bigger role</strong> in a region which is its strategic backyard. The first step should be to <strong>ramp up defence and security relations with UAE.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Israel is already a very close defence partner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While some work has already happened, India should <strong>leverage its economy for a bigger opening in this region.</strong> Importantly, India can use its good offices to ensure that any future deal on a regional security framework gives adequate space to Iran, which may be weak but not so weak that it cannot be a hugely disruptive power if it so chooses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A balance between Shia and Sunni, between Persian and Arab, is key to any sustainable peace.</li>
<li>The US may be a pre-eminent power in the Middle East, but Russia has made a space for itself, spending a lot less money. In recent years, China has indicated its willingness to play a larger role in this region, and is close to both UAE and Israel and, increasingly, Saudi Arabia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India should make its moves before this market and this extended neighbourhood come under the Chinese sphere of influence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A deal that could, if played right, open the doors for a changed geopolitical arrangement in the Middle East should have a stronger Indian footprint.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/israel-uae-and-bahrain-sign-abraham-accord-trump-says-dawn-of-new-middle-east/article32616867.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/israel-uae-and-bahrain-abraham-accord'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Phytoplankton Biomass in Bay of Bengal',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A team of scientists from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/incois-launches-products" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services</strong> </a><strong>(INCOIS)</strong> have discovered <strong>a way to measure the quantity of chlorophyll-a</strong> that indicates abundance of <strong>phytoplanktons</strong> in the Bay of Bengal in real-time.</p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248634_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248634_image5.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Phytoplanktons:</strong> They are tiny microscopic floating plants found in water bodies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Study of phytoplankton biomass is done by analyzing <strong>chlorophyll-a,</strong> a dominant pigment found in phytoplankton cells.</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Phytoplanktons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They contribute more than half of the <strong>oxygen</strong> in the environment.</li>
<li>They <strong>reduce global warming</strong> by absorbing human-induced carbon dioxide.</li>
<li>They also serve as the base of the <strong>ocean food chain.</strong></li>
<li>They are important <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dragonfly-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bioindicators</strong></a> regulating life in oceans. Their abundance determines the overall health of the ocean ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Study:</strong> The scientists closely tracked <strong>the long-term trends of chlorophyll-a in the northwestern Bay of Bengal.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was based on <strong>in-situ and satellite data</strong> spanning over the last 16 years, from January 2003 to December 2018.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Aeronautics and Space Administration</a> (NASA)&rsquo;s MODIS <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)</a>, NASA&rsquo;s VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) sensor</strong> and <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</a>&rsquo;s OCM-2 (Ocean Colour Monitor-2)</strong> were used for satellite data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong> There were<strong> two peaks of chlorophyll-a &mdash;</strong> the primary peak occurred during the<strong> pre-southwest <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monsoon</a></strong> due to the recurrent phytoplankton bloom in the coastal water and the secondary peak occurred during the <strong>end of the southwest monsoon,</strong> spreading to far offshore areas.</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong> Along with<strong> increase in phytoplanktons,</strong> other reasons for peak in chlorophyll-a may be <strong>physical forces</strong> such as upwelling, wind-induced vertical mixing, convective overturn and <strong>chemicals</strong> from various sources including river runoff.</li>
<li><strong>Conclusions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Nutrients and More Phytoplanktons:</strong> It reveals that the study area experienced <strong>maximum spatial variability during pre-southwest monsoon with salinity, and nutrients,</strong> the major controlling factors for the abundance and distribution of phytoplankton.</li>
<li><strong>Chances of Eutrophication:</strong> Increase in nutrients could tell an overall improved health status of the ecosystems as a whole; at the same time excessive phytoplanktons could be detrimental to ocean health because of eutrophication. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Eutrophication:</strong> When a water body becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients which induce excessive growth of algae or<strong> algal bloom.</strong></li>
<li>This process also results in oxygen depletion of the water body affecting other aquatic animals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chlorophyll<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248669_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248669_image2.jpg" width="300" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chlorophyll is the major pigment used by plants for <strong>photosynthesis,</strong> the process by which<strong> light energy is converted to chemical energy</strong> through the synthesis of organic compounds.</li>
<li>The word chlorophyll comes from two Greek words; Chloros which means green and phyllon which means leaf.</li>
<li>There are<strong> four types</strong> of chlorophyll: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chlorophyll a,</strong> found in all <strong>higher plants, algae and cyanobacteria.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Chlorophyll b,</strong> found in <strong>higher plants</strong> and <strong>green algae.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Chlorophyll c,</strong> found in <strong>diatoms, dinoflagellates and brown algae;</strong> and</li>
<li><strong>Chlorophyll d,</strong> found only in<strong> red algae.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This kind of information on marine environmental parameters is now becoming increasingly important as they serve as a basis for monitoring climate change, river discharge, and the impact of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/marine-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pollution in the ocean.</strong> </a></li>
<li>The phytoplankton is largely dependent on<strong> light, temperature and nutrients.</strong> It is therefore, continuous monitoring of the ocean ecosystem is the need of the hour to devise <strong>mitigation systems to encounter disruption caused by algal bloom</strong> because of excessive phytoplankton enrichment in the coastal water.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/new-study-helps-monitor-trends-in-phytoplankton-biomass-in-bay-of-bengal-73377" 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/phytoplankton-biomass-in-bay-of-bengal'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Parliamentary Committee Report on Startups',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance</strong> tabled a report related to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ranking-of-states-on-support-to-startup-ecosystems-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>startups</strong></a> in Parliament. The Government of India has initiated a <strong>Startup India Scheme</strong> in 2016.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recommendations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian start-ups <strong>need to reduce their dependence on China and the USA,</strong> so that India becomes self-reliant by having several large domestic growth funds powered by domestic capital.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>E.g <strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India</strong> (SIDBI) <strong>Fund-of-Funds</strong> vehicle should be expanded and fully operationalised to play an investment role.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>fund-of-funds</strong> also known as a <strong>multi-manager investment&mdash;</strong>is a <strong>pooled investment fund</strong> that invests in other types of funds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Foreign development finance institutions</strong> may also be encouraged to <strong>participate</strong> with local asset management companies to set up fund-of-funds structures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> companies</strong> and Limited <strong>Liability Partnerships (LLPs)</strong> should be allowed to invest in start-ups without being classified as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-banking Financial Companies</strong> </a><strong>(NBFCs)</strong> by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a> (RBI) to expand capital sources for start-ups.</li>
<li><strong>Abo&shy;lition </strong>of<strong> Long Term Capital Gains</strong> (LTCG)<strong> tax</strong> on <strong>Collective Investment Vehicles (CIVs)</strong> for at least the <strong>next two years</strong> to encourage investment in start-ups and to drive a sharp post-pandemic revival. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At present, LTCG earned by foreign investors in private companies attracts taxation at a rate of 10%, in comparison to the domestic venture capital investments which are taxed at 20% (for LTCG) with an enhanced surcharge of 37%.</li>
<li>After a two-year period, the <strong>Securities Transaction Tax</strong> (STT) may be applied to CIVs so that revenue neutrality is maintained.</li>
<li>A <strong>CIV is any entity</strong> that allows investors to pool their money and invest the pooled funds, rather than buying securities directly as individuals. It is usually managed by a fund management company which is paid a fee for doing so.</li>
<li><strong>Examples of CIV: angel funds, alternate investment funds</strong> and investment LLP.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> A strong start-up ecosystem can propel investment, jobs, and demand creation in the economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600244812_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600244812_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Startup India Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India,<strong> intended to catalyse startup culture</strong> and build a<strong> strong and inclusive ecosystem</strong> for innovation and entrepreneurship in India.</li>
<li>Since the <strong>launch of the initiative in 2016,</strong> Startup India has rolled out several programs with the objective of supporting entrepreneurs, and transforming India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers.</li>
<li>A startup is an enterprise that is initiated by its founders around an idea or a problem with a potential for significant business opportunity and impact.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Securities Transaction Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a tax levied at the time of purchase and sale of securities listed on stock exchanges in India.</li>
<li>Both purchaser and seller both need to pay 0.1% of share value as STT.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Capital Gain Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Any profit or gain that arises from the sale of a <strong>&lsquo;capital asset&rsquo;</strong> is a capital gain. This gain or profit comes under the category of &lsquo;income&rsquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Land, building, house property, vehicles, patents, trademarks, leasehold rights, machinery, and jewellery are a <strong>few examples of capital assets.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Hence, the <strong>capital gain tax</strong> will be required to be paid for that amount in the year in which the transfer of the capital asset takes place. This is called the capital gains tax, which can be both short-term or long-term.</li>
<li><strong>Long-term Capital Gains Tax:</strong> It is a levy on the profits from the sale of assets held for more than a year.</li>
<li><strong>Short-term Capital Gains Tax:</strong> It applies to assets held for a year or less and is taxed as ordinary income.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)</strong> was set up in 1990. It is a <strong>statutory body</strong> established under an<strong> Act of Parliament.</strong></li>
<li>It <strong>acts as the principal financial institution</strong> for promotion, financing and development of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/going-beyond-the-credit-requirements-of-msmes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME)</strong> </a>sector as well as for coordination of functions of institutions engaged in similar activities.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/startups/indian-startups-should-cut-reliance-on-foreign-funding-sources-like-us-and-china-6597547/" 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/parliamentary-committee-report-on-startups'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Living Planet Report: WWF',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the <em>Living Planet Report 2020</em> released by the <strong>World Wide Fund for Nature,</strong> the population of vertebrate species has largely declined in the past half- century.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vertebrates :</strong> Vertebrates are animals that have <strong>backbones or vertebral columns.</strong> They are also characterized by a muscular system consisting primarily of bilaterally paired masses and a central nervous system partly enclosed within the backbone.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Wildlife Fund for Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the world&rsquo;s <strong>leading conservation organization</strong> and works in more than 100 countries.</li>
<li>It was established in 1961 and is headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.</li>
<li>Its <strong>mission is to conserve nature</strong> and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.</li>
<li>WWF collaborates at every level with people around the world to develop and deliver innovative solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and the places in which they live.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Methodology:</strong> The Report used the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Living Planet Index</strong></a> to calculate the decline in vertebrate species.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Living Planet Index (LPI):</strong> It is a measure of the state of the world&rsquo;s biological diversity based on population trends of vertebrate species in terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats.</li>
<li>It is released by<strong> Institute of Zoology (Zoological Society of London)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Founded in 1826, Zoological Society of London is an international conservation charity working for wildlife conservation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>LPI tracked almost 21,000 populations of more than 4,000 vertebrate species between 1970 and 2016.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It shows an average <strong>68% decline in global vertebrate species populations,</strong> between 1970 and 2016. In the Asia Pacific the decline stands at 45%.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A 94% decline in the LPI for the<strong> tropical subregions of the americas</strong> is the largest fall observed in any part of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Freshwater species populations</strong> have reduced by 84% on average since 1970.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Freshwater species populations are being lost faster than terrestrial or marine species. According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature</strong></a> <strong>(IUCN),</strong> almost 1/3<sup>rd</sup> of freshwater species are now threatened with extinction.</li>
<li>Wildlife populations in freshwater habitats suffered a decline of 84%, equivalent to 4% per year, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Megafauna,</strong> or bigger species in terms of size, are more vulnerable because they were subjected to intense anthropogenic threats and overexploitation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For eg. Large fishes are also heavily impacted by dam construction that blocks their migratory routes to spawning and feeding grounds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since 1970, our <strong>Ecological Footprint</strong> has exceeded the Earth&rsquo;s rate of regeneration.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ecological Footprint measures the ecological assets that a given population requires <strong>to produce the natural resources it consumes</strong> (including plant-based food and fiber products, livestock and fish products, timber and other forest products, space for urban infrastructure) and to absorb its waste, especially carbon emissions.</li>
<li>The human enterprise currently demands <strong>1.56 times more than the amount that Earth can regenerate.</strong> It is like living off 1.56 Earths.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats to Biodiversity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Changes in Land and Sea Use, including Habitat Loss and Degradation:</strong> This refers to the modification of the environment where a species lives, by complete removal, fragmentation or reduction in quality of key habitat.</li>
<li><strong>Species Overexploitation:</strong> Direct overexploitation refers to unsustainable hunting and poaching or harvesting. Indirect overexploitation occurs when non-target species are killed unintentionally.</li>
<li><strong>Pollution:</strong> Pollution can directly affect a species by making the environment unsuitable for its survival. It can also affect a species indirectly, by affecting food availability or reproductive performance.</li>
<li><strong>Invasive Species and Disease:</strong> Invasive species can compete with native species for space, food and other resources, can turn out to be a predator for native species, or spread diseases that were not previously present in the environment. Humans also transport new diseases from one area of the globe to another.</li>
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> As temperatures change, some species will need to adapt by shifting their range to track a suitable climate. The effects of climate change on species are often indirect. For eg, change in <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-conservation-of-migratory-species" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>migratory patterns of birds.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Research shows the world could start to stabilize and reverse the loss of nature by embracing <strong>bolder, more ambitious conservation efforts</strong> as well as making transformational changes in the way food is produced and consumed, such as making food production and trade more efficient, reducing waste, and favouring healthier and more sustainable diets.</li>
<li>The report also underscores the need for a global <strong>New Deal for Nature and People</strong> with clear, ambitious goals, to see us on the path to recovery by 2030.</li>
<li>Diseases like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong> </a>are one of the many connections between the health of people and the planet. How humanity chooses to recover from the pandemic, and address the looming threats from global environmental change, will influence the health and livelihoods of generations to come.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/world-lost-68-vertebrates-in-1970-2016-wwf-73300" 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/living-planet-report-wwf'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Mekedatu Project',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Karnataka government is likely to pressurise the Centre for approval of the construction of the <strong>Mekedatu Project on the Cauvery river.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mekedatu, meaning <strong>goat&rsquo;s leap,</strong> is a <strong>deep gorge</strong> situated at the <strong>confluence of the rivers <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/godavari-and-cauvery-river-interlinking-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cauvery and its tributary Arkavathi.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Ontigondlu</strong> is the proposed reservoir site, situated at <strong>Ramanagara district in Karnataka</strong> about 100 km away from Bengaluru. It is the <strong>midst of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cauvery-wildlife-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.</a></strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Rs. 9,000 crore</strong> project aims to <strong>store and supply water for drinking purposes</strong> for the Bengaluru city. Around <strong>400 megawatts (MW) of power is also proposed to be generated</strong> through the project.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600233664_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600233664_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project was <strong>first approved by the Karnataka</strong> state government in<strong> 2017.</strong></li>
<li>It received <strong>approval from the erstwhile Ministry of Water Resources</strong> for the detailed project report and is <strong>awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> (MoEFCC).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The approval from MoEFCC is crucial because <strong>63% of the forest area of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary will be submerged.</strong></li>
<li>5,051 hectares of forests would be submerged, including 3,181 hectares in the sanctuary and 1,870 hectares in the reserve forest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>4.75 thousand million cubic feet of water could be drawn</strong> from the reservoir to partially meet the drinking needs of Bengaluru.</li>
<li><strong>Tamil Nadu has approached the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a></strong> (SC) against the project even if Karnataka has held that it would not affect the flow of water to Tamil Nadu.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In<strong> June 2020,</strong> during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/karnataka-ordered-to-release-cauvery-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cauvery Water Management Authority&rsquo;s</strong></a> <strong>meeting,</strong> Tamil Nadu reiterated its opposition to the project.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Opposition by Tamil Nadu:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tamil Nadu is opposed to <strong>any project being proposed in the upper riparian</strong> unless it was approved by the Supreme Court.</li>
<li><strong>Karnataka has no right to construct</strong> any reservoir on an inter-state river <strong>without the consent of the lower riparian state</strong> i.e. Tamil Nadu in this case.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The project is <strong>against the final order of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/inter-state-river-water-sharing-disputes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal</a></strong> (CWDT) in which the SC held that <strong>no state can claim exclusive ownership or assert rights to deprive other states of the waters of inter-state rivers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The CWDT and the SC have found that the <strong>existing storage facilities available in the Cauvery basin were adequate </strong>for storing and distributing water <strong>so Karnataka&rsquo;s proposal is ex-facie</strong> (on the face of it) <strong>untenable and should be rejected</strong> outright.</li>
<li>It has also held that the reservoir is not just for drinking water alone, but to increase the extent of irrigation, which is in <strong>clear violation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Award.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-to-seek-nod-for-mekedatu-project/article32604579.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/mekedatu-project'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Urban Employment Crisis',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/urban-employment-as-the-focal-point/article32604143.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Urban employment as the focal point&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 15<sup>th</sup> of September 2020. It talks about the employment scenario in present times.</p>
</div>
<p>The contraction of the economy due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong> </a>has raised concerns about the employment situation in urban areas. While the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garib-kalyan-rojgar-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan&rsquo;</strong> </a>launched in June 2020 could be an immediate relief, the ₹50,000-crore employment scheme may not be a suitable substitute for decent urban jobs.</p>
<p>Further, the pandemic and associated policy responses (unplanned lockdown) have exposed the vulnerability of these urban jobs. Thus, for sustenance for the overall economy, there is a need for policy interventions to revive urban employment generation.</p>
<h3>Threats to Employment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Slowdown in Major Employment Generating Sector:</strong> The shrinking sectors that have been affected the most &mdash;construction (&ndash;50%), trade, hotels and other services (&ndash;47%), manufacturing (&ndash;39%), and mining (&ndash;23%) &mdash; are those that create the maximum jobs in the economy.</li>
<li><strong>Reverse Migration:</strong> The magnitude of economic slowdown can be exemplified by a wave of massive &lsquo;reverse migration&rsquo; during the early phase of the lockdown whereby millions of workers returned to their home States due to a loss of livelihoods in cities.</li>
<li><strong>Vulnerable Informal Sector:</strong> According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organization</strong></a>, of the 535 million labour force in India in 2019, some 398.6 million have poor quality jobs. Further, the lockdown exposed the state of vulnerable employment in urban low-end informal jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerable employment is characterised by inadequate earnings, low productivity and difficult conditions of work that undermine the basic rights of workers.</li>
<li>The high and persistent incidence of vulnerable employment are a reflection of the nature of the structural transformation process, whereby capital and labour transfer from low to higher value-added sectors.</li>
<li>However, in India capital and labour are moving from low value-added activities in a sector to another sector, but not to higher value-added activities.</li>
<li>This leads to a situation where a large proportion of the jobs being created is of poor quality.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Number of Working Poor:</strong> Despite higher economic growth in recent years, working poors are increasing in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The service sector-led growth in recent years has intensified this as there is coexistence of strong job creation in some Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-intensive services.</li>
<li>However, along with a significant portion of the jobs being created in &lsquo;traditional low value-added services, where informality and vulnerable forms of employment are dominant.</li>
<li>The poor quality of jobs and high informality are key for the high level of &ldquo;working poors&rdquo;. The <strong>working poor</strong> are working people whose incomes fall below a given poverty line due to low-income jobs and low familial household income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mobilising Localised Resources:</strong> Given the scale of urbanisation, the focus on urban employment generation programmes should be in coordination with local governments.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will require actors at the local level to have more resources at their disposal.</li>
<li>Resource mobilisation could be enabled by the formation of local alliances, involving elected representatives, trade unions, entrepreneurs and community groups</li>
<li>This can also be the key to solving other problems faced by cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Localised Employment-Intensive Investment Policies:</strong> A major local initiative would be to design and implement employment-intensive investment policies. In this pursuit:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Local enterprise formation needs to be an integral part of the strategy, with converging interests for workers and entrepreneurs on issues related to technology and productivity enhancement.</li>
<li>Also, Small and micro enterprises which are the fulcrum of industrialisation, need extra support to balance the interests between labour and capital as neither have collective bargaining powers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritising Urban Infrastructure:</strong> There is a need to prioritise urban infrastructure as it accounts for a large share of total investments in the overall economy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A labour- intensive approach to building municipal infrastructure can be a cost-effective alternative to capital intensive-approach as wage rates are low.</li>
<li>Infrastructure investments would spur employment, generate earnings and contribute to small enterprise formation.</li>
<li>Construction of low-cost housing is another activity that can be carried out using labour-intensive methods, while yielding substantial collateral benefits for urban dwellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Launching of Urban Employment Scheme:</strong> There is need for immediate launch of an urban employment scheme oriented toward building large-scale medical, health and sanitation infrastructure in cities and towns across India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MGNREGA</strong></a> can be expanded for urban areas, both in terms of increasing the budgetary allocations and the guaranteed minimum number of days of work.</li>
<li>Other immediate employment generation can be to expand networks of essential services as a part of welfare interventions of State and local governments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase Incentives to Reduce Migration:</strong> Focusing on rural development to increase employment opportunities in rural areas and to enhance the provision of services like education, health, electricity and water and sanitation services are effective means to control rural to urban migration.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Given the economic contraction, there is a need to generate more jobs and reduce vulnerabilities by providing decent wages &amp; job security in urban areas. Thus, the present crisis calls for a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the issue of urban jobs.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600166325_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600166325_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ebf7d5;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;The Covid-19 pandemic and associated policy responses have exposed the vulnerability of the employment scenario in India&rdquo;. Discuss the statement and the role of localised interventions in resolving the unemployment crisis.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VATpruy9CBg" 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.financialexpress.com/opinion/need-to-curb-nsa-misuse-from-cow-slaughter-to-silencing-critics-some-states-have-been-quick-to-invoke-the-law/2081291/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Need to curb NSA misuse&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in the Financial express on September 12<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/urban-employment-crisis'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Methane Hydrates in Krishna-Godavari Basin',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study on biogenic methane hydrate in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin was conducted by the researchers at the <strong>Agharkar Research Institute (ARI),</strong> an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Biogenic Methane:</strong> It is the <strong>methane produced from the metabolic activities of living organisms.</strong> The research team has <strong>identified the methanogens</strong> that produced the<strong> biogenic methane trapped as methane hydrate,</strong> which can be a significant source of energy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Methanogens:</strong> These are microorganisms that produce methane as a <strong>metabolic by-product in hypoxic</strong> (low levels of oxygen) conditions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The ARI team has documented a <strong>predominance of genus <em>Methanosarcina</em> in the KG basin,</strong> followed by a few other genera <em>Methanoculleus, Methanobacterium.</em></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Methane hydrate</strong> is formed when hydrogen-bonded <strong>water and methane gas</strong> come into contact <strong>at high pressures and low temperatures such as in oceans.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Methane Hydrate</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Methane hydrate is a <strong>crystalline</strong> solid that consists of a<strong> methane molecule surrounded by a cage of interlocking water molecules.</strong></li>
<li>Methane hydrate is an <strong>"ice"</strong> that only <strong>occurs naturally in subsurface deposits</strong> where temperature and pressure conditions are favourable for its formation.</li>
<li><strong>Difficult to handle:</strong> If the ice is removed from this temperature/pressure environment, it becomes unstable. For this reason, methane hydrate deposits are difficult to study and handle.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They cannot be drilled and cored for study like other subsurface materials because as they are brought to the surface, the pressure is reduced and the temperature rises.</li>
<li>This causes the ice to melt and the methane to escape.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several <strong>other names</strong> are commonly used for methane hydrate. These include: methane <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iit-madras-team-produces-gas-hydrates#:~:text=A%20team%20of%20Indian%20researchers,Clathrate%20Hydrates%20or%20Gas%20Hydrates." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>clathrate</strong></a>, hydromethane, methane ice, fire ice, natural gas hydrate, and gas hydrate.</li>
<li>Most methane hydrate deposits also contain small amounts of other hydrocarbon hydrates. These include propane hydrate and ethane hydrate.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600165407_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600165407_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Significance of the Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Methane is a clean and economical fuel.</li>
<li>It is estimated that <strong>one cubic meter</strong> of methane hydrate contains <strong>160-180 cubic meters</strong> of methane.</li>
<li>This study revealed <strong>maximum methanogenic diversity in the KG basin,</strong> which is one of the prominent reasons to confirm it to be the extreme source of biogenic methane<strong> in comparison to the Andaman and Mahanadi basins.</strong></li>
<li>Even the lowest estimate of methane present in the methane hydrates in the KG Basin is <strong>twice</strong> that of <strong>all fossil fuel reserves</strong> available worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Krishna-Godavari Basin</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An <strong>extensive deltaic plain</strong> formed by two large east coast rivers, <strong>Krishna and Godavari</strong> in the state of <strong>Andhra Pradesh</strong> and the adjoining areas of <strong>Bay of Bengal</strong> in which these rivers discharge their water is known as Krishna-Godavari Basin.</li>
<li>The KG Basin is a <strong>large basin of continental margin</strong> located on the east coast of India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its land part covers an area of <strong>15000 sq. km</strong></li>
<li>The offshore part covers an area of 25,000 sq. km up to 1000 m isobath.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The basin contains about <strong>5 km thick sediments</strong> with several cycles of deposition, ranging in age from Late Carboniferous to Pleistocene.</li>
<li>The major <strong>geomorphological units</strong> of the basin are upland plains, coastal plains, recent flood and delta plains.</li>
<li>The site is known for the<strong> D-6 block</strong> with the biggest natural gas reserves in India. The first gas discovery was made in <strong>1983</strong> by ONGC.</li>
<li>The basin is <strong>home to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/olive-ridley-turtles#:~:text=The%20Olive%20ridley%20turtles%20are,same%20beach%20to%20lay%20eggs." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Olive Ridley Sea Turtle</a></strong> (IUCN Status: Vulnerable).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1653545#:~:text=Methane%20is%20a%20clean%20and,180%20cubic%20meters%20of%20methane.&amp;text=of%20India%20have%20found%20that,basin%20are%20of%20biogenic%20origin." 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/methane-hydrates-in-krishna-godavari-basin'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Graphene Mask Inactivates Coronaviruses',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the researchers from the City University of Hong Kong have produced a <strong>laser-induced form of graphene masks</strong> that inactivate the coronavirus species.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Graphene Mask and Coronaviruses:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Initial tests deactivated two <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus</strong></a> species. The researchers are also planning to test this mask on the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong></a> (SARS-Cov-2) virus.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/novel-strain-of-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The researchers <strong>also tested it on E coli (bacteria),</strong> which showed an antibacterial efficiency of around 80%. The efficiency can be raised to almost 100% with exposure to sunlight for 10 minutes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Graphene is known for <strong>antibacterial properties.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Production:</strong> All carbon-containing materials, such as <strong>cellulose or paper,</strong> can be converted into graphene. The researchers described the production of laser-induced graphene as a<strong> "green technique."</strong></li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> It is <strong>reusable.</strong> Can also be produced at <strong>low cost.</strong> It also resolves the problems of sourcing raw materials and disposing of non-biodegradable masks.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Graphene</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>single layer (monolayer) of carbon atoms.</strong> It is <strong>one atom thick.</strong> It is the building-block of<strong> Graphite.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Properties:</strong> It is <strong>harder than diamond</strong> yet more<strong> elastic than rubber; tougher than steel</strong> yet lighter than aluminium. Graphene is the <strong>strongest known material.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Other Properties</strong> of Graphene are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Lowest resistivity substance known at room temperature.</li>
<li>High thermal stability.</li>
<li>High elasticity.</li>
<li>High electrical conductivity.</li>
<li>Electron mobility is high at room temperature.</li>
<li>Graphene oxide (GO) membranes can be used to filter common salt from seawater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uses:</strong> Its <strong>thin composition</strong> and<strong> high conductivity</strong> means it can be used in applications ranging from miniaturised<strong> electronics to biomedical devices</strong> like computers, solar panels, batteries, sensors and other devices.</li>
<li><strong>Carbon Allotropes: Diamond, graphite</strong> and <strong>fullerenes</strong> (substances that include <strong>nanotubes</strong> and <strong>buckminsterfullerene</strong>) are the important allotropes of pure carbon.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Allotropy</strong> is the property of some chemical elements to exist in two or more different forms, in the same physical state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/graphene-mask-inactivates-coronaviruses-under-sunlight-6595296/" 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/graphene-mask-inactivates-coronaviruses'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Supplementary Demands for Grants',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Centre has sought Parliament approval for a <strong>gross additional expenditure</strong> of ₹2.35 lakh crore for 2020-21.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Minister of Finance presented the first batch of <strong>Supplementary Demands for Grants</strong> for this financial year in the Lok Sabha.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Out of the gross additional expenditure of Rs 2.35 lakh crore, Rs 1.67 lakh crore is the <strong>net cash outgo</strong> and Rs 68,868 crore is matched by savings of the Ministries/Departments or by enhanced receipts/recoveries.</li>
<li>Due to the emergency situation caused by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> pandemic, this year&rsquo;s supplementary demand includes <strong>additional allocations to pay for:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relief measures announced as part of the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/27-03-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana</strong> </a>in March, 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These include insurance schemes, food security, cash transfer, help to small companies for paying employees etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> stimulus package announced in May, 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The package is expected to focus on <strong>land, labour, liquidity and laws.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grants-in-aid for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-disaster-response-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Disaster Response Funds</a></strong>, in accordance with the interim recommendations of the 15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government has decided to treat COVID-19 as a <strong>&ldquo;notified disaster&rdquo;</strong> as defined in <strong>Disaster Management Act, 2005.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grants for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/recapitalisation-of-rrbs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bank recapitalisation</a>:</strong> The Centre had not allocated any funds for bank recapitalisation in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Budget 2020-21</strong></a>, but the economic impact of the lockdown led the the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong> </a>(RBI) to announce in July that infusing money into banks had become necessary. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The allocation will<strong> not involve cash outgo,</strong> as the money is being raised through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-open-market-operations-by-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>government securities.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fund-crunch-in-mgnrega" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act</strong> </a>(MGNREGA) scheme etc which is suffering from a fund crunch.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Supplementary Grants</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Supplementary Grant:</strong> It is granted when the amount authorised by the Parliament through the appropriation act for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be <strong>insufficient</strong> for that year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is specified by the <strong>Article 115</strong> of the constitution of India, along with Additional and Excess Grants.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Grants:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition to the<strong> budget</strong> that contains the ordinary estimates of income and expenditure for one financial year, various other grants are made by the Parliament under extraordinary or special circumstances. Apart from Supplementary Grants, these include:</li>
<li><strong>Additional Grant:</strong> It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for additional expenditure upon<strong> some new service</strong> not contemplated in the budget for that year.</li>
<li><strong>Excess Grant :</strong> It is granted when money has been spent on any service during a financial year<strong> in excess of the amount granted</strong> for that service in the budget for that year. It is voted by the Lok Sabha after the financial year. Before the demands for excess grants are submitted to the Lok Sabha for voting, they must be approved by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.</li>
<li><strong>Vote of Credit:</strong> It is granted for meeting an <strong>unexpected demand upon the resources of India,</strong> when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget. Hence, it is like a blank cheque given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.</li>
<li><strong>Exceptional Grant:</strong> It is granted for a<strong> special purpose</strong> and forms no part of the current service of any financial year.</li>
<li><strong>Token Grant:</strong> It is granted when funds to meet the proposed expenditure on a new service can be made available by reappropriation. A demand for the grant of a token sum (of Re 1) is submitted to the vote of the Lok Sabha and if assented, funds are made available. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reappropriation involves transfer of funds from one head to another. It does not involve any additional expenditure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants</strong> are specified in <strong>Article 116</strong> of the constitution.</li>
<li>Supplementary, additional, excess and exceptional grants and vote of credit are <strong>regulated by the same procedure which is applicable in the case of a regular budget.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/govt-looks-to-spend-235-lakh-cr-more/article32603971.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/supplementary-demands-for-grants'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Inflation Data: August 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inflation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a> data</strong> for the month of August 2020 was released. The inflation data includes <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/retail-inflation-growth-at-6-09" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>retail inflation</strong></a> and <strong>wholesale inflation</strong> data.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The retail inflation is measured by the <strong>Consumer Price Index (CPI).</strong></li>
<li>The wholesale price-based inflation is measured by <strong>Wholesale Price Index (WPI).</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Retail Inflation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The retail inflation growth dipped to 6.69% in the month of August. It was at 6.73% in July 2020.</li>
<li>However, the retail inflation continued to grow beyond the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India&rsquo;s (RBI)</strong></a> upper margin of 6%.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Central government has mandated the RBI to keep inflation within the <strong>range</strong> of <strong>4&plusmn;2%.</strong></li>
<li>This inflation range (4% within a band of +/- 2%) was <strong>recommended by the committee headed by Urjit Patel</strong> in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The growth in retail inflation was<strong> primarily due</strong> to a rise in meat and fish prices that saw a 16.50% on-year rise in August.</li>
<li>The <strong>Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI)</strong> or the inflation in the food basket eased to 9.05% in the month of August. It was at 9.27% in July 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wholesale Inflation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The wholesale price-based inflation <strong>rose to 0.16%</strong> in August as food items and manufactured products turned costlier.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>WPI inflation was in the negative territory for four straight months &mdash;</strong> April (-) 1.57%, May (-) 3.37%, June (-) 1.81% and July (-) 0.58%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Inflation in food articles during August stood at 3.84%. However, <strong>fuel and power inflation fell 9.68%</strong> in August.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implication:</strong> The <strong>difference between WPI (food) and CPI (food)</strong> shows the <strong>supply side issues</strong> due to several lockdowns at regional level.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Inflation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Inflation refers to the rise <strong>in the prices of most goods and services</strong> of daily or common use, such as food, clothing, housing, recreation, transport, consumer staples, etc.</li>
<li>Inflation measures the average price change in a basket of commodities and services over time.</li>
<li>Inflation is indicative of the <strong>decrease in the purchasing power</strong> of a unit of a country&rsquo;s currency. This could ultimately lead to a deceleration in economic growth.</li>
<li>However, a <strong>moderate level of inflation is required in the economy</strong> to ensure that production is promoted.</li>
<li>In India, inflation is primarily measured by two main indices &mdash; <strong>WPI (Wholesale Price Index) and CPI (Consumer Price Index)</strong> which measure wholesale and retail-level price changes, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Consumer Price Index</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It measures price changes from the <strong>perspective of a retail buyer.</strong> It is released by the <strong>National Statistical Office (NSO).</strong></li>
<li>The CPI calculates the difference in the price of commodities and services such as food, medical care, education, electronics etc, which Indian consumers buy for use.</li>
<li>The CPI has several sub-groups including food and beverages, fuel and light, housing and clothing, bedding and footwear.</li>
<li>Four types of CPI are as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>CPI for Industrial Workers (IW).</strong></li>
<li><strong>CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL).</strong></li>
<li><strong>CPI for Rural Labourer (RL).</strong></li>
<li><strong>CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined).</strong></li>
<li>Of these, the first three are compiled by the Labour Bureau in the<strong> Ministry of Labour and Employment.</strong> Fourth is compiled by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Base Year</strong> for CPI is <strong>2012.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/repo-rate-unchanged-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)</strong></a> uses CPI data to control inflation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Wholesale Price Index</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It measures the changes in the prices of goods sold and traded in bulk by wholesale businesses to other businesses.</li>
<li>Published by the <strong>Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.</strong></li>
<li>It is the most widely used inflation indicator in India.</li>
<li>Major<strong> criticism</strong> for this index is that the general public does not buy products at wholesale price.</li>
<li>The <strong>base year</strong> of All-India WPI has been revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 in 2017.</li>
</ul>
<h3>CPI vs. WPI</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WPI, tracks inflation at the producer level and CPI captures changes in prices levels at the consumer level.</li>
<li>WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.</li>
<li>In April 2014, the RBI had adopted the CPI as its key measure of inflation.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/india-august-2020-cpi-consumer-price-index-retail-inflation-6595777/" 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/inflation-data-august-2020'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Normative Ethical Theories (Part-I)',
			'catname' => 'Paper 4',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The principal purpose that normative ethical theories serve is to articulate and advocate an ethical code, i.e., to provide justifiable and reliable principles to determine what is moral (and immoral) behavior.</li>
<li>Normative theory involves arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. In a sense, it is a search for an ideal litmus test of proper behaviour.</li>
<li>The <strong>Golden Rule</strong> is an example of a normative theory that <strong>establishes a single principle</strong> against which we judge all actions. Other normative theories focus on a <strong>set of foundational principles</strong>, or a set of good character traits.</li>
<li>Normative theories seek to provide action-guides; procedures for answering the practical question (What ought I to do?&rdquo;). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The key assumption in normative theory is that there is only one ultimate criterion of moral conduct, whether it is a single rule or a set of principles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Normative ethical theories are classified into three main groups <strong>teleological, deontological and virtue ethics theories</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These types of theories differ in how they determine the moral worth of an action &ndash; whether an action is morally right or wrong, permissible or impermissible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Teleological Ethics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Teleology finds its etymology in the Greek word &lsquo;telos&rsquo; which means &ldquo;end&rdquo; and logos, &ldquo;science&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The teleological approach is also called <strong>&ldquo;consequentialism&rdquo;</strong>. It determines the moral worth of any action by the <strong>consequences or outcomes of that action</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An action is good if its consequences are good; an action is wrong if its consequences are bad.</li>
<li>Hence, for judging an action morally, we have to consider its actual or likely results. Ethical egoism and utilitarianism are teleological.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Teleological moral theories locate moral goodness in the consequences of our behavior and not the behavior itself. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to teleological (or consequentialist) moral theory, all rational human actions are teleological in the sense that we reason about the means of achieving certain ends. Moral behavior, therefore, is <strong>goal-directed</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Example:</strong> From a teleological standpoint, stealing could not be judged inherently right or wrong independent of the context and the foreseeable consequences. Suppose one is contemplating stealing a loaf of bread from the neighborhood grocery store. Many moral theorists would argue that morality requires an analysis of my motives (or intent) that brought about that behavior.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, from a teleological perspective, motives really have nothing to do with the rightness or wrongness of the act. What really matters lies in the potential pains and pleasures associated with the short-term and long-term consequences.</li>
<li>If thief&rsquo;s children were starving, and if stealing a loaf of bread would immediately prevent them from starving, then the act might be called moral.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The classic example of teleological ethics is utilitarianism.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Utilitarianism as Teleological Ethics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Utilitarianism requires a moral agent to foresee the consequences of his action. In any given situation, he has to consider the available alternative courses of action and select that course which will result in the <strong>maximum utility</strong> or the <strong>minimum uselessness</strong>.</li>
<li>The modern form of the <strong>consequentialist theory of utilitarianism</strong> derives from 19th century British philosophers such as <strong>Jeremy Bentham</strong> and <strong>John Stuart Mill</strong>.</li>
<li>Rather than maximise individual welfare, utilitarianism focuses on <strong>collective welfare</strong> and it identifies goodness with the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people: the <strong>'greatest happiness principle'</strong>.</li>
<li>So maximising benefits for the greatest number of people involves net assessments of benefit: utility is the net result of &lsquo;benefits&rsquo; and 'disbenefits' - or costs.</li>
<li>Utility has entered modern economics as a key <strong>quantitative concept</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The concept of trade-offs is specifically embraced and <strong>social and environmental cost-benefit analyses</strong> are explicit utilitarian tools for assessing the goodness of an action.</li>
<li>A simple balance sheet of costs and benefits can be drawn up to assess the overall utility of a decision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Deontology</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term deontology finds its etymology in the Greek word &ldquo;Deon&rdquo;, meaning &lsquo;duty,&rsquo; or &lsquo;obligation,&rsquo; or &lsquo;that which is necessary, hence moral necessity&rsquo;.</li>
<li>The deontological approach <strong>rejects that the moral worth of any action depends on its consequences</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deontological approach to ethics holds that moral agents have to rigorously fulfil their moral duties or obligations unmindful of the consequences. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Moral agents have to honour human rights and meet moral obligations even at the cost of an optimal outcome.</li>
<li>Deontology argues that the moral worth of an action does not depend on its consequences, but that a different criterion should be used.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A deontological moral theory might hold that character assassination is wrong and inhuman, even if it produces good consequences.</li>
<li><strong>Example:</strong> In early nineteenth-century America, many members of the anti-slavery movement argued that slavery was wrong, even though slaveholders and southern American society in general, economically benefited from it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The slaveholders were also able to condition the slaves to the point where they actually enjoyed living under slavery. From a <strong>teleological perspective, slavery might appear to be an ideal economic institution</strong>. Everybody is satisfied and happy!</li>
<li>A <strong>deontologist</strong>, however, would argue that even if the American government conducted a detailed cost/benefit analysis of slavery and decided that it created more pleasure in society than pain (good for majority), it would still be wrong. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Hence, slavery is wrong, not because of its negative consequences, but because it violates an absolute moral rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to this theory, some actions are morally obligatory irrespective of their consequences.</li>
<li>Historically, the most influential deontological theory of morality was developed by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Categorical Imperative of Kant</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Immanuel Kant did not agree with what he had heard of Utilitarianism and thought that morality rarely had anything to do with happiness.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kant holds that the moral life does not have any place for feeling, emotion or sentience.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A<strong> moral life is a rational life</strong>. He started by asking what it is that distinguishes a moral action from a non-moral action one. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He concluded that a moral action is one which is done from a <strong>sense of duty</strong>, rather than following inclinations or doing what we want.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kant grants purity to only one feeling and that is faith in the moral law. But this is not actually emotion. He looks upon every emotion as immoral.</li>
<li>Kant&rsquo;s deontology enlightens the concept of <strong>categorical imperative</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a moral law that is <strong>unconditional or absolute for all agents</strong>, the validity or claim of which does not depend on any ulterior motive or end.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For Kant, the only thing that is unqualifiedly good in this world is a good-will, the will to follow the moral law regardless of profit or law to ourselves.</li>
<li>For him, there is only one such categorical imperative, which he formulated in various ways. <strong>&ldquo;Act only according to that maxim (rule) by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law&rdquo;</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It implies that what is right for one person becomes right for all and what is wrong for one is wrong for all. If you cannot universalise your action in order to make it right for all, then it is wrong for you too.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper4/normative-ethical-theories-part-i'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/india-needs-to-invest-in-regional-disaster-relief-mechanisms-opinion/story-NavRg25BXpH0sUFoAmMXYP.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;India needs to invest in regional disaster relief mechanisms&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in Hindustan Times on 13th of September 2020. It talks about the need for disaster relief mechanism for South Asian Region</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icgs-varaha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Coast Guard</a> (ICG) and Navy conducted a disaster relief operation wherein they doused the fire on a crude carrier, rescued crew members, and prevented an oil spill.</p>
<p>Historically, a key feature of India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tiger-triumph#:~:text=The%20first%2Dever%20India%2DUS,Kakinada%20coasts%20in%20Andhra%20Pradesh." target="_blank" rel="noopener">humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR)</a> strategy has been the emphasis on bilateral engagement with the affected country.</p>
<p>However, recently India's response was initiated through a regional framework <strong>(South Asian Cooperative for Environment Protection (SACEP))</strong> for addressing environmental emergencies in the South Asian region.</p>
<p>While this is a commendable initiative, there is still a long way to go towards building an effective regional disaster relief mechanism. Moreover, humanitarian emergencies due to climate uncertainty, in the South Asian region (SAR) are poised to grow.</p>
<p>In this context, India being a responsible regional power, should invest in regional frameworks for disaster management and take the lead in setting up a road map for greater cooperation.</p>
<h3>Need for Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism In SAR</h3>
<p>South Asia is exposed to a variety of hazards due to the geo-climatic characteristics of the region. These hazards range earthquakes in the Himalayas, droughts and floods in the Plains, and cyclones in coastal areas that originate in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. But more importantly, many countries in the region share common geological formations (Indian sub-continent) and river basins, and natural hazards frequently transcend national boundaries.</p>
<p><strong>Hazards in SAR</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> The monsoon carries more than 70% of South Asia&rsquo;s annual precipitation in a brief four-month period.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A good monsoon brings strong harvests and financial security, but a poorly timed monsoon, can result in human suffering and economic loss due to either flooding or drought.</li>
<li>Moreover, cyclones are the second most commonly occurring hazard in the region. Although human vulnerability to cyclones has decreased somewhat, economic losses associated with tropical cyclones have increased.</li>
<li>Climate change has a direct effect on the monsoon pattern and cyclones occurrences in SAR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Active Seismic Zones:</strong> The world&lsquo;s youngest mountain belt, the Himalaya and Hindu Kush, envelopes South Asia all along its northern fringe, from Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With over 600 million people living along the fault line across the Himalayan belt, where the earthquake exposure is very high.</li>
<li>In the South Asia Seas region, major population centers live on key fault lines and in coastal areas that are exposed to hazards like Tsunami in 2004.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Exposure to Hazards:</strong> The impacts of hazard events are escalating not only due to the increased incidence and intensity of events, but also because of changes in the underlying factors that influence exposure and vulnerability. Exposure is driven by a number of socioeconomic dynamics, including:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Increasing population growth and density in hazard prone areas.</li>
<li>Unsustainable economic expansion.</li>
<li>Concentration of economic assets in expanding megacities and rapidly growing secondary cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Existing Regional Disaster Relief Mechanisms in SAR</strong></p>
<p><strong>SAARC Institutions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>SAARC has codified disaster management by adopting the comprehensive framework on disaster management in 2006 and establishing the SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) as part of its mandate.</li>
<li>Also, the SAARC Food Bank was established in 2007.</li>
<li>In 2011, SAARC approved the Agreement on South Asia Rapid Response to Natural Disasters (SARRND), which formalised a policy for a cooperative response mechanism in the region.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>BIMSTEC Institutions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/drishti-specials-important-international-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BIMSTEC</a>, India has been leading efforts towards the &ldquo;Environment and Disaster Management&rdquo; priority area and established the Bimstec Centre for Weather and Climate as a platform to share information and build capacities on disaster-warning systems.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2018, India signed an MoU with SACEP assigning the Indian Coast Guard as the competent authority for implementation under the initiative.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Issues in Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dormant Regional Institutions:</strong> Despite having an official policy in the form of SARRND, no SAARC-level contingent has ever been deployed during emergencies in the region.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Similarly, in BIMSTEC, although member-countries have shown a willingness to work together on relevant issues, there is a large gap to fill in terms of establishing operating procedures for joint relief campaigns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reactive Approach:</strong> The traditional approach to disasters in SAR has been to focus on responding to events and reconstructing damaged assets in the aftermath.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By and large, the response of the major stakeholders has been <strong>reactive rather than proactive</strong>, and this approach has resulted in accumulated casualties and economic losses that were higher than necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Coordination:</strong> Ineffective regional disaster relief mechanisms result in an uncoordinated relief effort which hampers disaster recovery process.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Risk Identification:</strong> Any effective strategy to manage disaster risk must begin with an identification of the factors that cause disasters.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Inputs should include physical hazard data and localized socioeconomic and demographic data of the region.</li>
<li>More specifically, hazard mapping of the region will serve as the base layer of information and provides data on the probability of occurrence and intensity of a hazard event.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Awareness:</strong> Once disaster risks have been identified, they must be communicated in a manner that motivates individuals to increase their resilience to disasters.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Governments, civil society, and the private sector can raise awareness of risks and risk-mitigation principles at the national, regional, and community levels.</li>
<li>This is the crucial step in cultivating behavioral and institutional changes necessary to shift from a culture of emergency response to one of advanced preparedness across SAR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Mitigation:</strong> Reducing disaster risk calls for all stakeholders to alter their perceptions and prioritize resilience in a country&rsquo;s planning and development efforts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It comprises actions to prevent, mitigate, and prepare against the damaging impact of hazards and thus minimize the potential consequences on physical and human capital.</li>
<li>In this context, SAR should devise and implement a regional disaster risk reduction mechanism based on <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/sendai-framework-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sendai Framework</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Financing and Transfer:</strong> In the developed world, risk transfer mechanisms such as insurance cover approximately 30% of economic losses.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, in most low-income countries including those in South Asia, these tools only cover 1% of losses.</li>
<li>Hence, there is a need to develop risk transfer mechanisms in the SAR.</li>
<li>Also, the World Bank&rsquo;s help can be leveraged to alleviate this burden and assist governments and their citizens to more effectively manage disaster risks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600085994_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600085994_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>India being a regional power and one of the worst disaster affected countries in the world, should actively pursue a regional disaster relief mechanism which makes disaster risk reduction a priority and strengthens preparedness for response.</p>
<p>Further, building capacities through training and joint exercises and coordinating comparative advantages for collective action will help India leverage goodwill among its neighbours through its disaster relief programmes.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d5f7f7; border-color: #00a3a3;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #00a3a3;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>&ldquo;Due to Climate uncertainty and humanitarian interventions, disaster related emergencies are poised to grow in the South Asian region&rdquo;. In light the statement, discuss the need for a regional disaster relief mechanism and role of India therein.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regional-disaster-relief-mechanism'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'USA-Maldives Framework on Defense and Security Relationship',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a<strong> Framework on Defense and Security Relationship</strong> has been signed between the <strong>USA and the Maldives.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The move is seen as consistent with the growing alignment of the USA and Indian interests in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indian-ocean-islands-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Ocean Region</strong></a> (IOR) and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Framework intends to<strong> deepen engagement and cooperation in support of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean.</strong></li>
<li>It marks an important step forward in the defence partnership between the USA and the Maldives, where <strong>both of them agreed to reiterate their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific</strong> that promotes the security and prosperity of all nations in the region.</li>
<li>The Framework<strong> outlines a range of bilateral activities,</strong> including senior-level dialogues, engagements etc. in areas such as <strong>maritime domain awareness, natural disasters </strong>and <strong>humanitarian relief operations.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600080507_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600080507_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Significance for India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India has not officially responded</strong> to the announcement of the framework <strong>yet.</strong></li>
<li>This announcement can be seen as a<strong> timely signal to China,</strong> particularly when Indian and Chinese soldiers are locked in a <strong>stand-off at the Line of Actual Control</strong> (LAC) in Ladakh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Chinese presence and influence in the IOR have been a <strong>constant source of worry</strong> for India.</li>
<li><strong>India has taken steps to strengthen its strategic presence</strong> in both the IOR and Indo-Pacific.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quad</strong></a>, a grouping that brings together the <strong>USA, Japan, India and Australia,</strong> with the apparent but unstated aim of <strong>containing China</strong> in the region, is also part of this process.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-malabar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malabar Exercise</strong></a> to strengthen the shared objective of a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Track 1.5 dialogue</strong></a> between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-pacific-trilateral-dialogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India, France and Australia</strong></a> to identify security challenges and sustainability issues in the Indo Pacific.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-japan-logistics-agreement#:~:text=Recently%2C%20India%20and%20Japan%20signed,%2C%20France%2C%20Oman%20and%20Singapore." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement</strong></a> between India and Japan which allows armed forces of both sides to coordinate closely in services and supplies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The framework has the <strong>potential to blunt the security aspects of cooperation between China and the Maldives,</strong> even if economic co-operation continues.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2017, the Maldives signed up to <strong>China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/italy-joins-belt-road-initiative#:~:text=Belt%20%26%20Road%20Initiative%20(BRI)%20is%20an%20ambitious%20project%20that,150%20countries%20(China's%20Claim)." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belt and Road initiative</a>.</strong> It is a part of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/obor-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maritime Silk Route.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Given India-USA ties, India sees the pact as useful also because <strong>India&rsquo;s own direct involvement in Maldivian security matters tends to be viewed with suspicion</strong> domestically.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The framework can<strong> provide an indirect route</strong> to India if needed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-signs-defence-pact-with-maldives-6594295/" 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/usa-maldives-framework-on-defense-and-security-relationship'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Uttar Pradesh government is going to constitute a Special Security Force (SSF) in the state.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the lines of the <strong>Central Industrial Security Force,</strong> SSF will be responsible for security of vital government and private buildings, and industrial establishments.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can also be hired by private establishments by paying a fixed cost.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will be headed by an Additional Director General (ADG)-ranked officer and will be headquartered in <strong>Lucknow.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Powers:</strong> It will <strong>not require magistrate&rsquo;s order or warrants to make an arrest or conduct searches.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its powers will be governed by a set of rules made by the state government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background :</strong> The UPSSF will <strong>set up on the basis of orders of the Allahabad High Court,</strong> which had expressed its displeasure over the security at civil courts in December 2019 over shootout incidents at Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar courts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The court had directed the state government to form an exclusive force for security on court premises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Industrial Security Force</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a central armed force the Union raised under an Act of Parliament namely <strong>Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968.</strong></li>
<li>It is directly under the <strong>Union Ministry of Home Affairs.</strong></li>
<li>The CISF provides <strong>security cover to industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments located all over India.</strong></li>
<li>Other <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/central-armed-police-force-capf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>central armed forces</strong></a> in India include <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/central-reserve-police-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Reserve Police Force</a> (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG) and Assam Rifles (AR).</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/dgp-asked-to-draw-up-plan-in-3-days-for-new-up-special-force-6595009/" 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/uttar-pradesh-special-security-force'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Position Shift on Taliban',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has signaled a<strong> shift in its position on engaging with the Taliban</strong> by participating in the commencement ceremony of <strong>Intra-Afghan talks</strong> between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Position Shift:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indian presence at the Intra-Afghan peace talks indicates that it has changed its position given the ground reality in Afghanistan and the <strong>changing power structure in Afghanistan.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>USA's withdrawal has given <strong>Pakistan a major role to play in Afghanistan</strong> directly or indirectly through its proxies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, some experts were of the opinion that India chose to attend the ceremony <strong>because the Afghan government was also at the table.</strong></li>
<li>India still <strong>does not recognise</strong> the Taliban.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India believes any peace process must be <strong>Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. i.e.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has to respect the <strong>national sovereignty and territorial integrity</strong> of Afghanistan and promote human rights and democracy.</li>
<li>It also needs to <strong>preserve the progress</strong> made in the establishment of a democratic Islamic Republic in Afghanistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> interests of minorities, women and vulnerable sections of society</strong> must be preserved and the issue of violence across the country and its neighbourhood has to be effectively addressed.</li>
<li><strong>Indian interests,</strong> which include the Indian Embassy and Indian companies and workers in Afghanistan, <strong>should also be protected.</strong></li>
<li>India supports an <strong>"independent and sovereign"</strong> Afghanistan.The use of words &ldquo;independent and sovereign&rdquo; make it clear that <strong>Pakistan and the&nbsp;Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) should not control the levers in Afghanistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/us-taliban-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA signed a deal with the Taliban</strong> </a>that paved the way towards a full withdrawal of USA troops from Afghanistan and also represent a step towards ending the 18-year-war in Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The peace deal was expected to<strong> kick-off two processes- a phased withdrawal of US troops </strong>and an<strong> &lsquo;intra-Afghan&rsquo; dialogue.</strong></li>
<li>The deal is a fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and the future political roadmap for the Afghanistan peace process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Interests in Afghanistan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indias-role-in-afghanistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>major stake</strong></a> in the stability of Afghanistan. India has invested considerable resources in Afghanistan's development.<strong> E.g.</strong> the <strong>Afghan Parliament, the Zaranj-Delaram Highway,</strong> Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam <strong>(Salma Dam)</strong> among others.</li>
<li>Afghanistan is the <strong>gateway to Central Asia.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600072101_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600072101_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="395" height="297" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Involved:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is concerned about the <strong>Taliban&rsquo;s links with Pakistan&rsquo;s ISI</strong> and efforts by the latter to use the <strong>Haqqani network</strong> to target India&rsquo;s interests in Afghanistan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s Afghanistan policy continues to be assessed vis-a-vis Pakistan, which opposes any security role for India in Afghanistan and sees India&rsquo;s presence there as detrimental to its interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Taliban also has link with <strong>Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and Laskar-e-Toiba (LeT)</strong> who are behind various terrorist activities against India.</li>
<li>India still<strong> does not recognise</strong> the Taliban. However, if it considers the option of entering into direct talks with the Taliban,<strong> it would constitute a major departure</strong> from its consistent policy of dealing only with recognised governments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India needs to re-evaluate its decisions and be more omnidirectional in its approach to deal with all forces that are central to the future of Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The changing political and security situation requires India to be more open to adapting its maximalist position and starting a dialogue with the Taliban.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/taliban-afghan-deal-s-jaishankar-doha-meeting-6593833/" 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/india-s-position-shift-on-taliban'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Masking The Question',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/democracy-in-question-parliament-question-hour-6591172/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Democracy in question: If questions are disallowed in Parliament, more will be asked outside it&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 12<sup>th</sup> of September 2020. It analyses the issues of scrapping Questions Hour and limiting Zero Hour in the monsoon session of the Parliament.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats have notified that there will be <strong>no Question Hour</strong> during the monsoon session of the Parliament which has already been truncated to September 14-October, in view of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid 19 pandemic</strong></a>, and that <strong>Zero Hour</strong> will be restricted in both Houses. The move has come under heavy criticism as the opposition believe they will lose the right to question the government which can be termed as undemocratic.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Question Hour</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/question-hour-and-zero-hour#:~:text=Definition%3A%20The%20first%20hour%20of,slotted%20for%20the%20Question%20Hour.&amp;text=During%20this%20one%20hour%2C%20Members,MPs%20who%20are%20not%20ministers)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Question Hour</strong></a> is the first hour of a sitting session of India's Parliament devoted to questions that Members of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/parliamentary-reforms-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parliament</strong></a> raise about any aspect of administrative activity.</li>
<li>The concerned Minister is obliged to answer to the Parliament, either orally or in writing, depending on the type of question raised.</li>
<li>Question Hour is the liveliest hour in Parliament when members of parliament hold the Government accountable for the functioning of their ministries.</li>
<li>Over the last 70 years, MPs have successfully used this parliamentary device to shine a light on government functioning.</li>
<li>Their questions have exposed financial irregularities and brought data and information regarding government functioning to the public domain.</li>
<li>With the broadcasting of Question Hour since 1991, Question Hour has become one the most visible aspects of parliamentary functioning.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Zero Hour</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/question-hour-and-zero-hour#:~:text=Definition%3A%20The%20first%20hour%20of,slotted%20for%20the%20Question%20Hour.&amp;text=During%20this%20one%20hour%2C%20Members,MPs%20who%20are%20not%20ministers)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zero Hour</strong></a> is an Indian parliamentary innovation.</li>
<li>The phrase does not find mention in the rules of procedure.</li>
<li>The concept of Zero Hour started organically in the first decade of Indian Parliament, when MPs felt the need for raising important constituencies and national issues.</li>
<li>During the initial days, Parliament used to break for lunch at 1 pm.</li>
<li>Therefore, the opportunity for MPs to raise national issues without an advance notice became available at 12 pm and could last for an hour until the House adjourned for lunch.</li>
<li>This led to the hour being popularly referred to as Zero Hour and the issues being raised during this time as Zero Hour submissions.</li>
<li>Over the years, presiding officers of both Houses have given directions to streamline the working of Zero Hour to make it even more effective.</li>
<li>Its importance can be gauged from the support it receives from citizens, media, MPs and presiding officers despite not being part of the rulebook.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Rules Regarding Question Hour</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Authority of Presiding Officer</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-speaker-roles-and-responsibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> presiding officers</strong></a> of the two houses are the final authority with respect to the conduct of Question Hour.</li>
<li>For example, usually Question Hour is the first hour of a parliamentary sitting but In 2014, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari shifted Question Hour in the House from 11 am to 12 noon.</li>
<li>The move was to prevent the disruption of Question Hour.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kind of Questions</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Questions have to be limited to 150 words.</li>
<li>They have to be precise and not too general.</li>
<li>The question should also be related to an area of responsibility of the Government of India.</li>
<li>Questions should not seek information about matters that are secret or are under adjudication before courts.</li>
<li>It is the presiding officers of the two Houses who finally decide whether a question raised by an MP will be admitted for answering by the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Timing of Question Hour</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The process of asking and answering questions starts with identifying the days on which Question Hour will be held.</li>
<li>At the beginning of Parliament in 1952, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/code-of-conduct-for-lok-sabha-mps" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lok Sabha rules</strong></a> provided for Question Hour to be held every day. Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, had a provision for Question Hour for two days a week.</li>
<li>A few months later, this was changed to four days a week.</li>
<li>Then from 1964, Question Hour was taking place in Rajya Sabha on every day of the session.</li>
<li>Now, Question Hour in both Houses is held on all days of the session.</li>
<li>But there are two days when an exception is made. One, on the day the President addresses MPs from both Houses in the Central Hall. Second on the day the Finance Minister presents the Budget.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Starred And Unstarred Questions</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MPs can specify whether they want an oral or written response to their questions.</li>
<li>They can put an asterisk against their question signifying that they want the minister to answer that question on the floor.</li>
<li>These are referred to as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/starred-questions-in-parliamentary-proceedings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>starred questions.</strong></a></li>
<li>After the minister&rsquo;s response, the MP who asked the question and other MPs can also ask a follow-up question.</li>
<li>This is the visible part of Question Hour, where you see MPs trying to corner ministers on the functioning of their ministries on live television.</li>
<li>Seasoned parliamentarians choose to ask an oral question when the answer to the question will put the government in an uncomfortable position.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>15 Days Notice</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ministries receive the questions 15 days in advance so that they can prepare their ministers for Question Hour.</li>
<li>They also have to prepare for sharp follow-up questions they can expect to be asked in the House.</li>
<li>Government officers are close at hand in a gallery so that they can pass notes or relevant documents to support the minister in answering a question.</li>
<li>MPs usually ask questions to hold ministers accountable but the rules also provide them with a mechanism for asking their colleagues a question.</li>
<li>Such a question should be limited to the role of an MP relating to a Bill or a resolution being piloted by them or any other matter connected with the functioning of the House for which they are responsible.</li>
<li>Should the presiding officer so allow, MPs can also ask a question to a minister at a notice period shorter than 15 days.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Associated Issues</h3>
<p><strong>Infringement of Constitutional Right</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The right to ask questions flows from Article 75 of Indian constitution which says that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the people.</li>
<li>Collective responsibility also implies that the government shall be accountable to the house which represents the people of this country.</li>
<li>Thus, the curtailment of question hour and zero hour undermines the principle of parliamentary oversight over executive.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>A Hindrance To Representative Democracy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Question Hour is a manifestation of a representative kind of democracy in operation, in the sense that representation of the people directly questions the government on matters of governance.</li>
<li>The government is duty bound to answer the questions in the House.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Questions Government&rsquo;s Intention</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Questions Hour concerns serious and urgent matters and is live telecasted on the national TV.</li>
<li>It keeps the masses informed about the Government&rsquo;s response and vision on all important matters of governance. This becomes more important in the current situation when India is battling the pandemic and economic downfall.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, by doing away with question hour in this parliamentary session, the government may sidestep on accountability on the above matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Disruptions do not justify the scrapping of questions altogether.</li>
<li>Various options for social distancing can be attempted like reserving each day for select ministries to prevent crowding by officials seeking to help their ministers.</li>
<li>At the same time an orderly conduct can also ensure that the questions are raised with discipline and they don&rsquo;t affect the safety protocol too.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Democracy is judged by the debate it encourages and sustains. Also asking questions is the essence of democracy. The questions that are asked from civil society platforms, the mass media, community gatherings are ultimately within the highest temple of democracy, the legislature itself.</p>
<p>Thus, the Question hour &amp; Zero hour acts as important tools for enabling the doctrine of checks and balance. Therefore, Parliaments should not dispense with these even at the time of war.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599911286_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599911286_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7ffe3;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Parliament&rsquo;s relevance stems from asking tough questions from the government&rdquo;. In the light of the statement critically analyse the decision of the government to scrap the Question Hour in the monsoon session and the possible solutions.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A4QyIGJdqIM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-twisted-trajectory-of-bt-cotton/article32566091.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The twisted trajectory of Bt cotton&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on September 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/masking-the-question'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Virtual Courts',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice</strong> has presented its report <strong>&ldquo;Functioning of the Virtual Courts/Courts Proceedings through VideoConferencing&rdquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the <strong>first report</strong> to be presented <strong>by any parliamentary panel</strong> on the<strong> impact of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> pandemic.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pre-<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> period,</strong> the <strong>video-conference</strong> (VC) set up was primarily used<strong> for conducting remand matters to prevent movement of prisoners between courts and jails.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Such VC facilities have been operationalised between 3,240 court complexes and corresponding 1,272 prisons.</li>
<li>In August 2019, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-courts-3#:~:text=The%20e%2DCourts%20project%20was,by%20ICT%20enablement%20of%20Courts." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>High Court of Punjab and Haryana launched its first virtual court</strong></a> at Faridabad to deal with traffic challan cases from across the state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The report suggests that a <strong>full-fledged <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-virtual-courts-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virtual court</a> should be piloted</strong> in the first instance and recommends the <strong>continuation of virtual courts in a post-Covid-19 scenario.</strong></li>
<li>It argued that <strong>transfer of certain categories of cases,</strong> like cases pertaining to traffic challans or other petty offences, from regular court establishments to virtual courts <strong>will reduce the pendency of cases.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, there are 30 million pending cases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Virtual/digital justice is <strong>cheaper and faster</strong> besides <strong>addressing locational and economic handicaps.</strong></li>
<li>Virtual courts are an improvement over traditional courts as they are <strong>more citizen-friendly and offer greater access to justice.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>productivity of lawyers will increase substantially</strong> as there will be no regular visits to courts and long waiting hours. If this practice is extended to other civil cases, <strong>efficiency will double,</strong> even treble,<strong> in judicial functioning.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Various stakeholders have noted that the <strong>present infrastructure does not support virtual court proceedings.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>3,477 courtrooms are supported with facilities for virtual proceedings while 14,443 are still to be provided with them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Almost 50% of <strong>lawyers,</strong> particularly in district courts, <strong>do not have any laptop or computer facility</strong> so their participation in the virtual courts will be either very less or not at all.</li>
<li><strong>All judges are not able to undertake virtual hearings</strong> due to lack of experience and also due to lack of sufficient infrastructure to enable all of them to undertake virtual hearings.</li>
<li>Virtual court hearings, especially during peak hours when many people log into the video-conferencing system, are <strong>subject to frequent crashes of the system </strong>and one <strong>glitch can spoil the entire proceeding.</strong></li>
<li>There are concerns that virtual courts will<strong> compromise the privacy of data as well as the confidentiality of discussions and court proceedings,</strong> due to the usage of third-party software applications, which are <strong>prone to hacking and manipulation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure needs to be updated</strong> with sufficient machinery and data connectivity to provide with the virtual proceeding.</li>
<li><strong>Virtual proceedings can be extended permanently to various Appellate</strong> <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tribunals</strong></a> like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/interoperable-set-top-boxes-trai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-company-law-appellate-tribunal-nclat-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Company Law Appellate Tribunal</strong></a>, etc. located across the country which do not require personal appearances of the parties/advocates.</li>
<li>The Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been recommended to <strong>address data privacy and data security concerns</strong> while developing a new platform for India&rsquo;s judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>e-Courts Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was conceptualized on the basis of the<strong> &ldquo;National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary-2005&rdquo;</strong> submitted by<strong> e-Committee, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court of India</a></strong> with a vision to transform the Indian Judiciary by ICT enablement of Courts.</li>
<li>The e-Courts Mission Mode Project, is a <strong>pan-India Project,</strong> monitored and funded by the <strong>Department of Justice,</strong> Ministry of Law and Justice, for the District Courts across the country.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>While India grapples with a crisis on the health and economic front, there is a need to think out of the box and a change in mindset regarding the work-culture is needed.</li>
<li>It is time that the courtroom, which is often regarded as the last bastion of antiquated working practices, opens its doors to the latest technology.</li>
<li>If vested interests are kept aside and collective will to initiate what is for the common good takes precedence, a virtual judiciary can become a part of Indian judiciary.</li>
</ul>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Phosphine on Venus: A Sign of Life',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists have detected the presence of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The detection indicates the possibility of the presence of lifeforms on Venus.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The international scientific team first spotted the phosphine using the <strong>James Clerk Maxwell Telescope</strong> (JCMT) <strong>in Hawaii</strong> and confirmed it using the<strong> Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array</strong> (ALMA) radio telescope in <strong>Chile.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>JCMT is the largest astronomical telescope in the world designed specifically to operate in the submillimetre wavelength region of the spectrum.</li>
<li>ALMA is currently the largest radio telescope in the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The researchers <strong>did not discover actual life forms,</strong> but noted that, on Earth, phosphine is produced by bacteria thriving in oxygen-starved environments.</li>
<li><strong>Biosignatures:</strong>&nbsp;Scientists have used probes and telescopes to seek <strong>&ldquo;biosignatures&rdquo; - indirect signs of life -</strong> on other planets and moons in the solar system and beyond.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Phosphine</strong> was seen at <strong>20 parts-per-billion</strong> in the <strong>Venus atmosphere</strong> which is a trace concentration. However,&nbsp;Venus&nbsp;is considered to be <strong>hostile to phosphine </strong>as its surface and atmosphere are<strong> rich in oxygen compounds</strong> that would rapidly react with and destroy phosphine.</li>
<li>Phosphine acts as a biosignature because it is known to be produced <strong>mainly through biological processes,</strong> and not through any naturally occurring chemical process.</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Earlier in 2011, the <strong>European Space Agency&rsquo;s mission, Venus Express</strong>, found signs of ozone, a biomarker, in the upper atmosphere of Venus.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Acid Test:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Scientists have suspected that the <strong>Venusian high clouds,</strong> with <strong>mild temperatures around 86 degrees Fahrenheit,</strong> could harbour aerial microbes that could endure extreme acidity.</li>
<li>These clouds are around <strong>90% sulphuric acid</strong> and Earth microbes could not survive that acidity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Phosphine</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Phosphine</strong> is a<strong> phosphorus atom with three hydrogen atoms attached</strong> <strong>(PH<sub>3</sub>)</strong> &ndash; is <strong>highly toxic</strong> to people.</li>
<li>On rocky planets such as Venus and Earth, phosphine can only be made by life&mdash;whether human or microbe.<strong></strong></li>
<li>Phosphine is made naturally by some species of <strong>anaerobic bacteria&mdash;</strong>organisms that live in the oxygen-starved environments of landfills, marshlands, and even <strong>animal guts.</strong><strong></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To produce phosphine, <strong>Earth bacteria take up phosphate from minerals</strong> or biological material and add hydrogen.<strong></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Phosphine also arises non-biologically in certain industrial settings.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Used as a <strong>chemical weapon during World War I.</strong></li>
<li>Phosphine is still manufactured as an <strong>agricultural fumigant,</strong> is used in the semiconductor industry, and is a by-product of <strong>meth labs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Venus</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Venus is Earth&rsquo;s<strong> closest</strong> planetary neighbour. It is also known as <strong>earth's twin.</strong></li>
<li>Similar in structure but <strong>slightly smaller than Earth,</strong> it is the<strong> second planet from the sun.</strong></li>
<li>Early science observations of Venus revealed that it is a menace of a world that could kill life in multiple ways. Venus is wrapped in a <strong>thick and toxic</strong> atmosphere that traps in heat.</li>
<li><strong>High Temperature:</strong> Surface temperatures reach a scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt lead.&nbsp;<span style="font-weight: 400;">It is the hottest planet in the solar system.</span></li>
<li><strong>High Pressure:</strong> Highly dense, 65 miles of cloud and haze, puts atmospheric pressure more than 90 times what&rsquo;s felt on Earth&rsquo;s surface.</li>
<li>Also, the planet&rsquo;s atmosphere is<strong> primarily suffocating carbon dioxide</strong> and sulfuric acid clouds.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The finding can further<strong> ignite interest in space missions to Venus.</strong> Missions to Venus are not new. Spacecraft have been going near the planet since the 1960s, and some of them have even made a landing.</li>
<li>All future missions to Venus would now be attuned to investigating further evidence of the presence of life. <span style="font-weight: 400;">This can now only be taken further by making in situ measurements in the atmosphere of Venus. This poses its own challenges. Apart from the high surface temperature and dense atmosphere, the presence of sulphuric acid in the atmosphere of Venus makes it a highly corrosive environment.&nbsp;</span>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also planning a mission to Venus, tentatively called <strong>Shukrayaan,</strong> in the near future.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/reading-life-signature-on-venus-phosphine-gas-6596355/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A Customized My Stamp on<strong> India&rsquo;s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT)</strong> launch was released by the Department of Posts on the occasion of <strong>Engineers Day.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Engineers Day</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>15<sup>th</sup> September is observed as Engineer&rsquo;s Day in India to mark the birth anniversary of <strong>Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya</strong> (1861-1962), a civil engineer and statesman.</li>
<li>He was a pioneer in his field, credited for inventing the <strong>Block System for dams &ndash;</strong> the automated doors shut during an overflow.</li>
<li>He was appointed <strong>Chief Engineer of Mysore State</strong> in 1909, given the status of <strong>Diwan of Mysore</strong> in 1912, awarded the <strong>Bharat Ratna</strong> in 1955.</li>
<li>His books,<strong> &ldquo;Reconstructing India&rdquo;</strong> and <strong>&ldquo;Planned Economy of India&rdquo;</strong> were published in 1920 and 1934, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600250825_image8.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600250825_image8.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="450" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>My Stamp:</strong> It is the brand name for personalized sheets of Postage Stamps of India Post.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>&lsquo;My Stamp&rsquo; was first introduced in India during the<strong> World Philatelic Exhibition, &lsquo;INDIPEX-2011&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Customized My Stamp</strong> is a personalized sheet of Postage Stamps wherein the corporate, organizations and institutions can get their customized sheets printed from India Post.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>A-SAT Missile</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an interceptor missile that destroys or jams satellites in space.</li>
<li><strong>Two types of A-SATs:</strong> Kinetic and Non-Kinetic A-SATs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Kinetic A-SATs,</strong> like ballistic missiles physically strike an object in order to destroy it.</li>
<li><strong>Non-Kinetic A-SATs:</strong> A variety of nonphysical means can be used to disable or destroy a space object. These include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyberattacks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mission Shakti</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted India&rsquo;s first Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mission-shakti-asat-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Mission Shakti&rsquo;.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was launched from<strong> Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island</strong> in Odisha on 27<sup>th</sup> March 2019.</li>
<li>The interceptor missile was a <strong>three-stage missile</strong> with <strong>two solid rocket boosters.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Significance:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>entire effort was indigenous</strong> which demonstrated the Nation&rsquo;s capability to develop such complex and critical missions.</li>
<li>With this success, India became the <strong>fourth nation</strong> in the world to possess such capability.</li>
<li>With the establishment of <strong>India as a space power,</strong> India will be accorded a place in any future international treaty that relates to the <strong>governance or usage of Space.</strong></li>
<li>In case of Pakistan, a terrestrial power, the use of nuclear arsenal can now come at a heavy cost.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of now Pakistan presumes that the no first use doctrine of India gives it an advantage, but with the development of ASAT capabilities, India would be able to destroy an incoming Pakistani nuclear missile.</li>
<li>This will create a significant deterrence vis-a-vis the position of Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In case of China, which is a significant space power, counter-space capabilities of India will provide a critical balancing deterrent.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1654607" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Re-measuring Mount Everest',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>China and Nepal are soon expected to announce <strong>Mount Everest&rsquo;s latest official height.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2019, both countries agreed to re-measure the elevation of the world&rsquo;s highest mountain and announce the findings together.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249850_image7.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249850_image7.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mount Everest (also called <strong>Sagarmatha in Nepal</strong>) is <strong>Earth&rsquo;s highest mountain</strong> above sea level, located in the <strong>Himalayas between China and Nepal</strong> with their borders running across its summit point.</li>
<li>Its<strong> current official elevation is 8,848m</strong> which places it more than 200m above the <strong>world&rsquo;s second-highest mountain, K2,</strong> which is <strong>8,611m</strong> tall and located in <strong>Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.</strong></li>
<li>Mount Everest gets its English name from <strong>Sir George Everest,</strong> a colonial-era geographer who served as the <strong>Surveyor General of India</strong> in the mid-19<sup>th</sup> century.</li>
<li>It <strong>was first scaled in 1953</strong> by the <strong>Indian-Nepalese Tenzing Norgay</strong> and<strong> New Zealander Edmund Hillary.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>First Survey of Everest:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>first effort was carried out in 1847</strong> by a team led by <strong>Andrew Waugh,</strong> Surveyor General of India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The survey was based on<strong> trigonometric calculations</strong> and is known as the <strong>Great Trigonometric Survey of India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The team discovered that<strong> &lsquo;Peak 15&rsquo;</strong> (as Mount Everest was referred to then) was the highest mountain, <strong>contrary to the then-prevailing belief that Mount Kanchenjunga</strong> (8,582m and the <strong>3<sup>rd</sup> highest</strong> peak in the world now) was the highest peak in the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for Re-measurement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Everest&rsquo;s current official height has been <strong>widely accepted since 1956</strong> when the figure was measured by the<strong> Survey of India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the<strong> height of a summit changes due to tectonic activities</strong> like the 2015 Nepal earthquake.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Its measurement over the decades has also <strong>depended on who was surveying.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Previous measurements of the mountain were by<strong> Indian, American or European surveyors.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> joint effort represents national pride for Nepal</strong> which will come up with its own findings on the height.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Survey of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>National Survey and Mapping Organisation</strong> of the country under the <strong>Department of Science and Technology.</strong></li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1767</strong> and is the oldest scientific department of the Government of India.</li>
<li>Headquarters:<strong> Dehradun, Uttarakhand.</strong></li>
<li>It acts as an<strong> adviser to the Government of India on all survey matters,</strong> viz Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Mapping and Map Reproduction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geodesy</strong> is the science of accurately measuring and understanding the Earth's geometric shape, orientation in space and gravity field.</li>
<li><strong>Photogrammetry</strong> is the science of making measurements from photographs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Himalayas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin:</strong> The<strong> northward drift of the Indo-Australian plate</strong> resulted in its collision with the much larger <strong>Eurasian Plate.</strong> Due to which, the sedimentary rocks which were accumulated in the geosyncline known as the <strong>Tethys</strong> were <strong>folded to form the mountain system</strong> of western Asia and Himalaya.</li>
<li><strong>Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Himalayas are<strong> geologically young and structurally folded mountains</strong> and represent the<strong> loftiest and one of the most rugged</strong> mountain barriers of the world.</li>
<li>They <strong>form an arc,</strong> which covers a distance of about <strong>2,400 km.</strong> Their <strong>width</strong> varies from<strong> 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Orientation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>general orientation</strong> of these ranges is from <strong>northwest to the southeast</strong> direction in the northwestern part of India.</li>
<li>Himalayas in the<strong> Darjeeling and Sikkim</strong> regions lie in an <strong>east west direction.</strong></li>
<li>In <strong>Arunachal Pradesh</strong> they are from<strong> southwest to the northwest</strong> direction.</li>
<li>In <strong>Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram,</strong> they are in the <strong>north south direction.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Himalayan mountains consist of <strong>three parallel ranges in longitudinal extent:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Great Himalaya or Himadri:</strong> It is the<strong> northernmost and the most continuous</strong> range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 m. World&rsquo;s highest peaks are located in it.</li>
<li><strong>Lesser Himalaya or Himachal:</strong> To the south of Himadri, it is the <strong>most rugged</strong> mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 m. It is well known for its hill stations like Kashmir, Kangra and Kullu Valleys.</li>
<li><strong>Shiwalik:</strong> It is the southernmost range with an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 m. These ranges are<strong> composed of unconsolidated sediments</strong> brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are <strong>large-scale regional variations</strong> within the Himalayas. On the<strong> basis of relief, alignment of ranges and other geomorphological features,</strong> the Himalayas can be <strong>divided into the following subdivisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kashmir or Northwestern Himalayas.</li>
<li>Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas.</li>
<li>Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas.</li>
<li>Arunachal Himalayas.</li>
<li>Eastern Hills and Mountains.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-china-and-nepal-are-measuring-mt-everests-height-again-6597257/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Nepali%20Times,up%20with%20their%20own%20figure." 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/re-measuring-mount-everest'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Israel, UAE and Bahrain Abraham Accord',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Abraham Accord</strong> between<strong> Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain</strong> is mediated by the USA. It is the <strong>first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Previous Agreements:</strong> There were the <strong>only two peace deals</strong> between Israel and the Arab States in more than a quarter of a century.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Egypt was the first Arab State to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979.</li>
<li>Jordan signed a peace pact in 1994.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Agreement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain will establish:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Embassies and exchange ambassadors.</li>
<li>Working together with Israel across a range of sectors, including tourism, trade, healthcare and security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Abraham Accords also open the door for Muslims around the world to visit the historic sites in Israel and to peacefully pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the <strong>third holiest site in Islam.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the Islamic tradition,<strong> the Kaaba</strong> in <strong>Mecca</strong> is considered the holiest site, followed by <strong>the Prophet's Mosque</strong> in Medina, and <strong>Al-Aqsa Mosque</strong> in Jerusalem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason:</strong> Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflects their shared concern about <strong>Iran&rsquo;s rising influence</strong> in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran has been critical of both deals.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Arab-Israel Relation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since Israeli independence in 1948, it has fought several wars with Arab neighbouring countries.</li>
<li>The persecuted Jews saw Israel as their promised home while Arabs saw it as an occupation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Significance of the Accord:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The agreement shows how the Arab countries are gradually <strong>decoupling themselves from the Palestine question.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Palestine was among former Ottoman territories placed under UK administration by the League of Nations in 1922. All of these territories eventually became fully independent States, except Palestine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Full diplomatic ties</strong> will be established between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which will have a positive impact on the entire region.</li>
<li>The deal buys UAE a lot of <strong>goodwill in the US,</strong> where its image has been tarnished by its involvement in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ceasefire-in-yemen" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Yemen war.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>In South Asia, it will put Pakistan in a bind,</strong> whether to follow UAE&rsquo;s steps (will be seen as giving up Islamic cause of Palestine) or not to follow the UAE (since it is already in feud with the Saudis over not taking up the Kashmir case, Pakistan cannot afford another hostile Islamic Country).</li>
<li>In the upcoming presidential election in the USA, the accord could help shore up support among pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters, an important part of current President&rsquo;s political base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>More Deals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Other gulf states in the region like Oman could follow suit and sign similar agreements with Israel</li>
<li>One of the biggest Gulf Arab powers, Saudi Arabia could follow the suit as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Palestinians have not embraced the USA&rsquo;s vision. 86% of Palestinians believe the normalization agreement with the UAE serves only Israel&rsquo;s interests and not their own.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is a possibility that the Palestine quest is further ignored.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Shia-Sunni rifts in the region may get wide and violent.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and Iran (representing Shia) have a long history of enmity. For decades, one of the main sources of instability in West Asia has been the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.</li>
<li>The Sunni-Shiite schism may also provoke violence between Muslims in such places as Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249390_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600249390_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="401" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian Interest in West Asia:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geopolitical:</strong> West Asia occupies an important position in international relations due to its geographical location and proximity to continents and countries South Asia, China, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa.</li>
<li><strong>Energy:</strong> The region is strategically significant due to its enormous energy resources, trade route links to different parts of the world.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is the world's largest oil-producing region accounting for 34% of world production, 45% of crude oil exports and 48% of oil proven reserves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diaspora:</strong> Indian expatriates have constituted a substantial share of the regional labour market.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Remittances from the region</strong> constitute a major chunk of total remittances to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Opportunity for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Defence and Security:</strong> India should use this unexpected opportunity to give itself a <strong>bigger role</strong> in a region which is its strategic backyard. The first step should be to <strong>ramp up defence and security relations with UAE.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Israel is already a very close defence partner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While some work has already happened, India should <strong>leverage its economy for a bigger opening in this region.</strong> Importantly, India can use its good offices to ensure that any future deal on a regional security framework gives adequate space to Iran, which may be weak but not so weak that it cannot be a hugely disruptive power if it so chooses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A balance between Shia and Sunni, between Persian and Arab, is key to any sustainable peace.</li>
<li>The US may be a pre-eminent power in the Middle East, but Russia has made a space for itself, spending a lot less money. In recent years, China has indicated its willingness to play a larger role in this region, and is close to both UAE and Israel and, increasingly, Saudi Arabia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India should make its moves before this market and this extended neighbourhood come under the Chinese sphere of influence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A deal that could, if played right, open the doors for a changed geopolitical arrangement in the Middle East should have a stronger Indian footprint.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/israel-uae-and-bahrain-sign-abraham-accord-trump-says-dawn-of-new-middle-east/article32616867.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/israel-uae-and-bahrain-abraham-accord'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Phytoplankton Biomass in Bay of Bengal',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A team of scientists from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/incois-launches-products" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services</strong> </a><strong>(INCOIS)</strong> have discovered <strong>a way to measure the quantity of chlorophyll-a</strong> that indicates abundance of <strong>phytoplanktons</strong> in the Bay of Bengal in real-time.</p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248634_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248634_image5.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Phytoplanktons:</strong> They are tiny microscopic floating plants found in water bodies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Study of phytoplankton biomass is done by analyzing <strong>chlorophyll-a,</strong> a dominant pigment found in phytoplankton cells.</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Phytoplanktons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They contribute more than half of the <strong>oxygen</strong> in the environment.</li>
<li>They <strong>reduce global warming</strong> by absorbing human-induced carbon dioxide.</li>
<li>They also serve as the base of the <strong>ocean food chain.</strong></li>
<li>They are important <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dragonfly-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bioindicators</strong></a> regulating life in oceans. Their abundance determines the overall health of the ocean ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Study:</strong> The scientists closely tracked <strong>the long-term trends of chlorophyll-a in the northwestern Bay of Bengal.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was based on <strong>in-situ and satellite data</strong> spanning over the last 16 years, from January 2003 to December 2018.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Aeronautics and Space Administration</a> (NASA)&rsquo;s MODIS <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)</a>, NASA&rsquo;s VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) sensor</strong> and <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</a>&rsquo;s OCM-2 (Ocean Colour Monitor-2)</strong> were used for satellite data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong> There were<strong> two peaks of chlorophyll-a &mdash;</strong> the primary peak occurred during the<strong> pre-southwest <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monsoon</a></strong> due to the recurrent phytoplankton bloom in the coastal water and the secondary peak occurred during the <strong>end of the southwest monsoon,</strong> spreading to far offshore areas.</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong> Along with<strong> increase in phytoplanktons,</strong> other reasons for peak in chlorophyll-a may be <strong>physical forces</strong> such as upwelling, wind-induced vertical mixing, convective overturn and <strong>chemicals</strong> from various sources including river runoff.</li>
<li><strong>Conclusions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Nutrients and More Phytoplanktons:</strong> It reveals that the study area experienced <strong>maximum spatial variability during pre-southwest monsoon with salinity, and nutrients,</strong> the major controlling factors for the abundance and distribution of phytoplankton.</li>
<li><strong>Chances of Eutrophication:</strong> Increase in nutrients could tell an overall improved health status of the ecosystems as a whole; at the same time excessive phytoplanktons could be detrimental to ocean health because of eutrophication. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Eutrophication:</strong> When a water body becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients which induce excessive growth of algae or<strong> algal bloom.</strong></li>
<li>This process also results in oxygen depletion of the water body affecting other aquatic animals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chlorophyll<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248669_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600248669_image2.jpg" width="300" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chlorophyll is the major pigment used by plants for <strong>photosynthesis,</strong> the process by which<strong> light energy is converted to chemical energy</strong> through the synthesis of organic compounds.</li>
<li>The word chlorophyll comes from two Greek words; Chloros which means green and phyllon which means leaf.</li>
<li>There are<strong> four types</strong> of chlorophyll: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chlorophyll a,</strong> found in all <strong>higher plants, algae and cyanobacteria.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Chlorophyll b,</strong> found in <strong>higher plants</strong> and <strong>green algae.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Chlorophyll c,</strong> found in <strong>diatoms, dinoflagellates and brown algae;</strong> and</li>
<li><strong>Chlorophyll d,</strong> found only in<strong> red algae.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This kind of information on marine environmental parameters is now becoming increasingly important as they serve as a basis for monitoring climate change, river discharge, and the impact of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/marine-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pollution in the ocean.</strong> </a></li>
<li>The phytoplankton is largely dependent on<strong> light, temperature and nutrients.</strong> It is therefore, continuous monitoring of the ocean ecosystem is the need of the hour to devise <strong>mitigation systems to encounter disruption caused by algal bloom</strong> because of excessive phytoplankton enrichment in the coastal water.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/new-study-helps-monitor-trends-in-phytoplankton-biomass-in-bay-of-bengal-73377" 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/phytoplankton-biomass-in-bay-of-bengal'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Parliamentary Committee Report on Startups',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance</strong> tabled a report related to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ranking-of-states-on-support-to-startup-ecosystems-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>startups</strong></a> in Parliament. The Government of India has initiated a <strong>Startup India Scheme</strong> in 2016.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recommendations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian start-ups <strong>need to reduce their dependence on China and the USA,</strong> so that India becomes self-reliant by having several large domestic growth funds powered by domestic capital.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>E.g <strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India</strong> (SIDBI) <strong>Fund-of-Funds</strong> vehicle should be expanded and fully operationalised to play an investment role.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>fund-of-funds</strong> also known as a <strong>multi-manager investment&mdash;</strong>is a <strong>pooled investment fund</strong> that invests in other types of funds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Foreign development finance institutions</strong> may also be encouraged to <strong>participate</strong> with local asset management companies to set up fund-of-funds structures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> companies</strong> and Limited <strong>Liability Partnerships (LLPs)</strong> should be allowed to invest in start-ups without being classified as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-banking Financial Companies</strong> </a><strong>(NBFCs)</strong> by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a> (RBI) to expand capital sources for start-ups.</li>
<li><strong>Abo&shy;lition </strong>of<strong> Long Term Capital Gains</strong> (LTCG)<strong> tax</strong> on <strong>Collective Investment Vehicles (CIVs)</strong> for at least the <strong>next two years</strong> to encourage investment in start-ups and to drive a sharp post-pandemic revival. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At present, LTCG earned by foreign investors in private companies attracts taxation at a rate of 10%, in comparison to the domestic venture capital investments which are taxed at 20% (for LTCG) with an enhanced surcharge of 37%.</li>
<li>After a two-year period, the <strong>Securities Transaction Tax</strong> (STT) may be applied to CIVs so that revenue neutrality is maintained.</li>
<li>A <strong>CIV is any entity</strong> that allows investors to pool their money and invest the pooled funds, rather than buying securities directly as individuals. It is usually managed by a fund management company which is paid a fee for doing so.</li>
<li><strong>Examples of CIV: angel funds, alternate investment funds</strong> and investment LLP.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> A strong start-up ecosystem can propel investment, jobs, and demand creation in the economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600244812_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600244812_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Startup India Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India,<strong> intended to catalyse startup culture</strong> and build a<strong> strong and inclusive ecosystem</strong> for innovation and entrepreneurship in India.</li>
<li>Since the <strong>launch of the initiative in 2016,</strong> Startup India has rolled out several programs with the objective of supporting entrepreneurs, and transforming India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers.</li>
<li>A startup is an enterprise that is initiated by its founders around an idea or a problem with a potential for significant business opportunity and impact.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Securities Transaction Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a tax levied at the time of purchase and sale of securities listed on stock exchanges in India.</li>
<li>Both purchaser and seller both need to pay 0.1% of share value as STT.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Capital Gain Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Any profit or gain that arises from the sale of a <strong>&lsquo;capital asset&rsquo;</strong> is a capital gain. This gain or profit comes under the category of &lsquo;income&rsquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Land, building, house property, vehicles, patents, trademarks, leasehold rights, machinery, and jewellery are a <strong>few examples of capital assets.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Hence, the <strong>capital gain tax</strong> will be required to be paid for that amount in the year in which the transfer of the capital asset takes place. This is called the capital gains tax, which can be both short-term or long-term.</li>
<li><strong>Long-term Capital Gains Tax:</strong> It is a levy on the profits from the sale of assets held for more than a year.</li>
<li><strong>Short-term Capital Gains Tax:</strong> It applies to assets held for a year or less and is taxed as ordinary income.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)</strong> was set up in 1990. It is a <strong>statutory body</strong> established under an<strong> Act of Parliament.</strong></li>
<li>It <strong>acts as the principal financial institution</strong> for promotion, financing and development of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/going-beyond-the-credit-requirements-of-msmes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME)</strong> </a>sector as well as for coordination of functions of institutions engaged in similar activities.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/startups/indian-startups-should-cut-reliance-on-foreign-funding-sources-like-us-and-china-6597547/" 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/parliamentary-committee-report-on-startups'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Living Planet Report: WWF',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the <em>Living Planet Report 2020</em> released by the <strong>World Wide Fund for Nature,</strong> the population of vertebrate species has largely declined in the past half- century.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vertebrates :</strong> Vertebrates are animals that have <strong>backbones or vertebral columns.</strong> They are also characterized by a muscular system consisting primarily of bilaterally paired masses and a central nervous system partly enclosed within the backbone.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Wildlife Fund for Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the world&rsquo;s <strong>leading conservation organization</strong> and works in more than 100 countries.</li>
<li>It was established in 1961 and is headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.</li>
<li>Its <strong>mission is to conserve nature</strong> and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.</li>
<li>WWF collaborates at every level with people around the world to develop and deliver innovative solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and the places in which they live.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Methodology:</strong> The Report used the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Living Planet Index</strong></a> to calculate the decline in vertebrate species.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Living Planet Index (LPI):</strong> It is a measure of the state of the world&rsquo;s biological diversity based on population trends of vertebrate species in terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats.</li>
<li>It is released by<strong> Institute of Zoology (Zoological Society of London)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Founded in 1826, Zoological Society of London is an international conservation charity working for wildlife conservation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>LPI tracked almost 21,000 populations of more than 4,000 vertebrate species between 1970 and 2016.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It shows an average <strong>68% decline in global vertebrate species populations,</strong> between 1970 and 2016. In the Asia Pacific the decline stands at 45%.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A 94% decline in the LPI for the<strong> tropical subregions of the americas</strong> is the largest fall observed in any part of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Freshwater species populations</strong> have reduced by 84% on average since 1970.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Freshwater species populations are being lost faster than terrestrial or marine species. According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature</strong></a> <strong>(IUCN),</strong> almost 1/3<sup>rd</sup> of freshwater species are now threatened with extinction.</li>
<li>Wildlife populations in freshwater habitats suffered a decline of 84%, equivalent to 4% per year, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Megafauna,</strong> or bigger species in terms of size, are more vulnerable because they were subjected to intense anthropogenic threats and overexploitation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For eg. Large fishes are also heavily impacted by dam construction that blocks their migratory routes to spawning and feeding grounds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since 1970, our <strong>Ecological Footprint</strong> has exceeded the Earth&rsquo;s rate of regeneration.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ecological Footprint measures the ecological assets that a given population requires <strong>to produce the natural resources it consumes</strong> (including plant-based food and fiber products, livestock and fish products, timber and other forest products, space for urban infrastructure) and to absorb its waste, especially carbon emissions.</li>
<li>The human enterprise currently demands <strong>1.56 times more than the amount that Earth can regenerate.</strong> It is like living off 1.56 Earths.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats to Biodiversity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Changes in Land and Sea Use, including Habitat Loss and Degradation:</strong> This refers to the modification of the environment where a species lives, by complete removal, fragmentation or reduction in quality of key habitat.</li>
<li><strong>Species Overexploitation:</strong> Direct overexploitation refers to unsustainable hunting and poaching or harvesting. Indirect overexploitation occurs when non-target species are killed unintentionally.</li>
<li><strong>Pollution:</strong> Pollution can directly affect a species by making the environment unsuitable for its survival. It can also affect a species indirectly, by affecting food availability or reproductive performance.</li>
<li><strong>Invasive Species and Disease:</strong> Invasive species can compete with native species for space, food and other resources, can turn out to be a predator for native species, or spread diseases that were not previously present in the environment. Humans also transport new diseases from one area of the globe to another.</li>
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> As temperatures change, some species will need to adapt by shifting their range to track a suitable climate. The effects of climate change on species are often indirect. For eg, change in <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-conservation-of-migratory-species" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>migratory patterns of birds.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Research shows the world could start to stabilize and reverse the loss of nature by embracing <strong>bolder, more ambitious conservation efforts</strong> as well as making transformational changes in the way food is produced and consumed, such as making food production and trade more efficient, reducing waste, and favouring healthier and more sustainable diets.</li>
<li>The report also underscores the need for a global <strong>New Deal for Nature and People</strong> with clear, ambitious goals, to see us on the path to recovery by 2030.</li>
<li>Diseases like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong> </a>are one of the many connections between the health of people and the planet. How humanity chooses to recover from the pandemic, and address the looming threats from global environmental change, will influence the health and livelihoods of generations to come.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/world-lost-68-vertebrates-in-1970-2016-wwf-73300" 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/living-planet-report-wwf'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Mekedatu Project',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Karnataka government is likely to pressurise the Centre for approval of the construction of the <strong>Mekedatu Project on the Cauvery river.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mekedatu, meaning <strong>goat&rsquo;s leap,</strong> is a <strong>deep gorge</strong> situated at the <strong>confluence of the rivers <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/godavari-and-cauvery-river-interlinking-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cauvery and its tributary Arkavathi.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Ontigondlu</strong> is the proposed reservoir site, situated at <strong>Ramanagara district in Karnataka</strong> about 100 km away from Bengaluru. It is the <strong>midst of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cauvery-wildlife-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.</a></strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Rs. 9,000 crore</strong> project aims to <strong>store and supply water for drinking purposes</strong> for the Bengaluru city. Around <strong>400 megawatts (MW) of power is also proposed to be generated</strong> through the project.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600233664_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600233664_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project was <strong>first approved by the Karnataka</strong> state government in<strong> 2017.</strong></li>
<li>It received <strong>approval from the erstwhile Ministry of Water Resources</strong> for the detailed project report and is <strong>awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> (MoEFCC).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The approval from MoEFCC is crucial because <strong>63% of the forest area of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary will be submerged.</strong></li>
<li>5,051 hectares of forests would be submerged, including 3,181 hectares in the sanctuary and 1,870 hectares in the reserve forest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>4.75 thousand million cubic feet of water could be drawn</strong> from the reservoir to partially meet the drinking needs of Bengaluru.</li>
<li><strong>Tamil Nadu has approached the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a></strong> (SC) against the project even if Karnataka has held that it would not affect the flow of water to Tamil Nadu.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In<strong> June 2020,</strong> during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/karnataka-ordered-to-release-cauvery-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cauvery Water Management Authority&rsquo;s</strong></a> <strong>meeting,</strong> Tamil Nadu reiterated its opposition to the project.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Opposition by Tamil Nadu:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tamil Nadu is opposed to <strong>any project being proposed in the upper riparian</strong> unless it was approved by the Supreme Court.</li>
<li><strong>Karnataka has no right to construct</strong> any reservoir on an inter-state river <strong>without the consent of the lower riparian state</strong> i.e. Tamil Nadu in this case.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The project is <strong>against the final order of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/inter-state-river-water-sharing-disputes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal</a></strong> (CWDT) in which the SC held that <strong>no state can claim exclusive ownership or assert rights to deprive other states of the waters of inter-state rivers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The CWDT and the SC have found that the <strong>existing storage facilities available in the Cauvery basin were adequate </strong>for storing and distributing water <strong>so Karnataka&rsquo;s proposal is ex-facie</strong> (on the face of it) <strong>untenable and should be rejected</strong> outright.</li>
<li>It has also held that the reservoir is not just for drinking water alone, but to increase the extent of irrigation, which is in <strong>clear violation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Award.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-to-seek-nod-for-mekedatu-project/article32604579.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/mekedatu-project'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Urban Employment Crisis',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/urban-employment-as-the-focal-point/article32604143.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Urban employment as the focal point&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 15<sup>th</sup> of September 2020. It talks about the employment scenario in present times.</p>
</div>
<p>The contraction of the economy due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong> </a>has raised concerns about the employment situation in urban areas. While the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garib-kalyan-rojgar-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan&rsquo;</strong> </a>launched in June 2020 could be an immediate relief, the ₹50,000-crore employment scheme may not be a suitable substitute for decent urban jobs.</p>
<p>Further, the pandemic and associated policy responses (unplanned lockdown) have exposed the vulnerability of these urban jobs. Thus, for sustenance for the overall economy, there is a need for policy interventions to revive urban employment generation.</p>
<h3>Threats to Employment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Slowdown in Major Employment Generating Sector:</strong> The shrinking sectors that have been affected the most &mdash;construction (&ndash;50%), trade, hotels and other services (&ndash;47%), manufacturing (&ndash;39%), and mining (&ndash;23%) &mdash; are those that create the maximum jobs in the economy.</li>
<li><strong>Reverse Migration:</strong> The magnitude of economic slowdown can be exemplified by a wave of massive &lsquo;reverse migration&rsquo; during the early phase of the lockdown whereby millions of workers returned to their home States due to a loss of livelihoods in cities.</li>
<li><strong>Vulnerable Informal Sector:</strong> According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organization</strong></a>, of the 535 million labour force in India in 2019, some 398.6 million have poor quality jobs. Further, the lockdown exposed the state of vulnerable employment in urban low-end informal jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerable employment is characterised by inadequate earnings, low productivity and difficult conditions of work that undermine the basic rights of workers.</li>
<li>The high and persistent incidence of vulnerable employment are a reflection of the nature of the structural transformation process, whereby capital and labour transfer from low to higher value-added sectors.</li>
<li>However, in India capital and labour are moving from low value-added activities in a sector to another sector, but not to higher value-added activities.</li>
<li>This leads to a situation where a large proportion of the jobs being created is of poor quality.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Number of Working Poor:</strong> Despite higher economic growth in recent years, working poors are increasing in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The service sector-led growth in recent years has intensified this as there is coexistence of strong job creation in some Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-intensive services.</li>
<li>However, along with a significant portion of the jobs being created in &lsquo;traditional low value-added services, where informality and vulnerable forms of employment are dominant.</li>
<li>The poor quality of jobs and high informality are key for the high level of &ldquo;working poors&rdquo;. The <strong>working poor</strong> are working people whose incomes fall below a given poverty line due to low-income jobs and low familial household income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mobilising Localised Resources:</strong> Given the scale of urbanisation, the focus on urban employment generation programmes should be in coordination with local governments.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will require actors at the local level to have more resources at their disposal.</li>
<li>Resource mobilisation could be enabled by the formation of local alliances, involving elected representatives, trade unions, entrepreneurs and community groups</li>
<li>This can also be the key to solving other problems faced by cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Localised Employment-Intensive Investment Policies:</strong> A major local initiative would be to design and implement employment-intensive investment policies. In this pursuit:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Local enterprise formation needs to be an integral part of the strategy, with converging interests for workers and entrepreneurs on issues related to technology and productivity enhancement.</li>
<li>Also, Small and micro enterprises which are the fulcrum of industrialisation, need extra support to balance the interests between labour and capital as neither have collective bargaining powers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritising Urban Infrastructure:</strong> There is a need to prioritise urban infrastructure as it accounts for a large share of total investments in the overall economy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A labour- intensive approach to building municipal infrastructure can be a cost-effective alternative to capital intensive-approach as wage rates are low.</li>
<li>Infrastructure investments would spur employment, generate earnings and contribute to small enterprise formation.</li>
<li>Construction of low-cost housing is another activity that can be carried out using labour-intensive methods, while yielding substantial collateral benefits for urban dwellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Launching of Urban Employment Scheme:</strong> There is need for immediate launch of an urban employment scheme oriented toward building large-scale medical, health and sanitation infrastructure in cities and towns across India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MGNREGA</strong></a> can be expanded for urban areas, both in terms of increasing the budgetary allocations and the guaranteed minimum number of days of work.</li>
<li>Other immediate employment generation can be to expand networks of essential services as a part of welfare interventions of State and local governments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase Incentives to Reduce Migration:</strong> Focusing on rural development to increase employment opportunities in rural areas and to enhance the provision of services like education, health, electricity and water and sanitation services are effective means to control rural to urban migration.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Given the economic contraction, there is a need to generate more jobs and reduce vulnerabilities by providing decent wages &amp; job security in urban areas. Thus, the present crisis calls for a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the issue of urban jobs.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600166325_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600166325_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ebf7d5;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;The Covid-19 pandemic and associated policy responses have exposed the vulnerability of the employment scenario in India&rdquo;. Discuss the statement and the role of localised interventions in resolving the unemployment crisis.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VATpruy9CBg" 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.financialexpress.com/opinion/need-to-curb-nsa-misuse-from-cow-slaughter-to-silencing-critics-some-states-have-been-quick-to-invoke-the-law/2081291/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Need to curb NSA misuse&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in the Financial express on September 12<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/urban-employment-crisis'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Methane Hydrates in Krishna-Godavari Basin',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study on biogenic methane hydrate in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin was conducted by the researchers at the <strong>Agharkar Research Institute (ARI),</strong> an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Biogenic Methane:</strong> It is the <strong>methane produced from the metabolic activities of living organisms.</strong> The research team has <strong>identified the methanogens</strong> that produced the<strong> biogenic methane trapped as methane hydrate,</strong> which can be a significant source of energy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Methanogens:</strong> These are microorganisms that produce methane as a <strong>metabolic by-product in hypoxic</strong> (low levels of oxygen) conditions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The ARI team has documented a <strong>predominance of genus <em>Methanosarcina</em> in the KG basin,</strong> followed by a few other genera <em>Methanoculleus, Methanobacterium.</em></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Methane hydrate</strong> is formed when hydrogen-bonded <strong>water and methane gas</strong> come into contact <strong>at high pressures and low temperatures such as in oceans.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Methane Hydrate</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Methane hydrate is a <strong>crystalline</strong> solid that consists of a<strong> methane molecule surrounded by a cage of interlocking water molecules.</strong></li>
<li>Methane hydrate is an <strong>"ice"</strong> that only <strong>occurs naturally in subsurface deposits</strong> where temperature and pressure conditions are favourable for its formation.</li>
<li><strong>Difficult to handle:</strong> If the ice is removed from this temperature/pressure environment, it becomes unstable. For this reason, methane hydrate deposits are difficult to study and handle.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They cannot be drilled and cored for study like other subsurface materials because as they are brought to the surface, the pressure is reduced and the temperature rises.</li>
<li>This causes the ice to melt and the methane to escape.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several <strong>other names</strong> are commonly used for methane hydrate. These include: methane <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iit-madras-team-produces-gas-hydrates#:~:text=A%20team%20of%20Indian%20researchers,Clathrate%20Hydrates%20or%20Gas%20Hydrates." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>clathrate</strong></a>, hydromethane, methane ice, fire ice, natural gas hydrate, and gas hydrate.</li>
<li>Most methane hydrate deposits also contain small amounts of other hydrocarbon hydrates. These include propane hydrate and ethane hydrate.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600165407_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600165407_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Significance of the Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Methane is a clean and economical fuel.</li>
<li>It is estimated that <strong>one cubic meter</strong> of methane hydrate contains <strong>160-180 cubic meters</strong> of methane.</li>
<li>This study revealed <strong>maximum methanogenic diversity in the KG basin,</strong> which is one of the prominent reasons to confirm it to be the extreme source of biogenic methane<strong> in comparison to the Andaman and Mahanadi basins.</strong></li>
<li>Even the lowest estimate of methane present in the methane hydrates in the KG Basin is <strong>twice</strong> that of <strong>all fossil fuel reserves</strong> available worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Krishna-Godavari Basin</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An <strong>extensive deltaic plain</strong> formed by two large east coast rivers, <strong>Krishna and Godavari</strong> in the state of <strong>Andhra Pradesh</strong> and the adjoining areas of <strong>Bay of Bengal</strong> in which these rivers discharge their water is known as Krishna-Godavari Basin.</li>
<li>The KG Basin is a <strong>large basin of continental margin</strong> located on the east coast of India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its land part covers an area of <strong>15000 sq. km</strong></li>
<li>The offshore part covers an area of 25,000 sq. km up to 1000 m isobath.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The basin contains about <strong>5 km thick sediments</strong> with several cycles of deposition, ranging in age from Late Carboniferous to Pleistocene.</li>
<li>The major <strong>geomorphological units</strong> of the basin are upland plains, coastal plains, recent flood and delta plains.</li>
<li>The site is known for the<strong> D-6 block</strong> with the biggest natural gas reserves in India. The first gas discovery was made in <strong>1983</strong> by ONGC.</li>
<li>The basin is <strong>home to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/olive-ridley-turtles#:~:text=The%20Olive%20ridley%20turtles%20are,same%20beach%20to%20lay%20eggs." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Olive Ridley Sea Turtle</a></strong> (IUCN Status: Vulnerable).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1653545#:~:text=Methane%20is%20a%20clean%20and,180%20cubic%20meters%20of%20methane.&amp;text=of%20India%20have%20found%20that,basin%20are%20of%20biogenic%20origin." 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/methane-hydrates-in-krishna-godavari-basin'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Graphene Mask Inactivates Coronaviruses',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the researchers from the City University of Hong Kong have produced a <strong>laser-induced form of graphene masks</strong> that inactivate the coronavirus species.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Graphene Mask and Coronaviruses:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Initial tests deactivated two <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus</strong></a> species. The researchers are also planning to test this mask on the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong></a> (SARS-Cov-2) virus.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/novel-strain-of-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The researchers <strong>also tested it on E coli (bacteria),</strong> which showed an antibacterial efficiency of around 80%. The efficiency can be raised to almost 100% with exposure to sunlight for 10 minutes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Graphene is known for <strong>antibacterial properties.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Production:</strong> All carbon-containing materials, such as <strong>cellulose or paper,</strong> can be converted into graphene. The researchers described the production of laser-induced graphene as a<strong> "green technique."</strong></li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> It is <strong>reusable.</strong> Can also be produced at <strong>low cost.</strong> It also resolves the problems of sourcing raw materials and disposing of non-biodegradable masks.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Graphene</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>single layer (monolayer) of carbon atoms.</strong> It is <strong>one atom thick.</strong> It is the building-block of<strong> Graphite.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Properties:</strong> It is <strong>harder than diamond</strong> yet more<strong> elastic than rubber; tougher than steel</strong> yet lighter than aluminium. Graphene is the <strong>strongest known material.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Other Properties</strong> of Graphene are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Lowest resistivity substance known at room temperature.</li>
<li>High thermal stability.</li>
<li>High elasticity.</li>
<li>High electrical conductivity.</li>
<li>Electron mobility is high at room temperature.</li>
<li>Graphene oxide (GO) membranes can be used to filter common salt from seawater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uses:</strong> Its <strong>thin composition</strong> and<strong> high conductivity</strong> means it can be used in applications ranging from miniaturised<strong> electronics to biomedical devices</strong> like computers, solar panels, batteries, sensors and other devices.</li>
<li><strong>Carbon Allotropes: Diamond, graphite</strong> and <strong>fullerenes</strong> (substances that include <strong>nanotubes</strong> and <strong>buckminsterfullerene</strong>) are the important allotropes of pure carbon.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Allotropy</strong> is the property of some chemical elements to exist in two or more different forms, in the same physical state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/graphene-mask-inactivates-coronaviruses-under-sunlight-6595296/" 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/graphene-mask-inactivates-coronaviruses'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Supplementary Demands for Grants',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Centre has sought Parliament approval for a <strong>gross additional expenditure</strong> of ₹2.35 lakh crore for 2020-21.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Minister of Finance presented the first batch of <strong>Supplementary Demands for Grants</strong> for this financial year in the Lok Sabha.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Out of the gross additional expenditure of Rs 2.35 lakh crore, Rs 1.67 lakh crore is the <strong>net cash outgo</strong> and Rs 68,868 crore is matched by savings of the Ministries/Departments or by enhanced receipts/recoveries.</li>
<li>Due to the emergency situation caused by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> pandemic, this year&rsquo;s supplementary demand includes <strong>additional allocations to pay for:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relief measures announced as part of the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/27-03-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana</strong> </a>in March, 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These include insurance schemes, food security, cash transfer, help to small companies for paying employees etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> stimulus package announced in May, 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The package is expected to focus on <strong>land, labour, liquidity and laws.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grants-in-aid for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-disaster-response-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Disaster Response Funds</a></strong>, in accordance with the interim recommendations of the 15<sup>th</sup> Finance Commission.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government has decided to treat COVID-19 as a <strong>&ldquo;notified disaster&rdquo;</strong> as defined in <strong>Disaster Management Act, 2005.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grants for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/recapitalisation-of-rrbs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bank recapitalisation</a>:</strong> The Centre had not allocated any funds for bank recapitalisation in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Budget 2020-21</strong></a>, but the economic impact of the lockdown led the the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong> </a>(RBI) to announce in July that infusing money into banks had become necessary. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The allocation will<strong> not involve cash outgo,</strong> as the money is being raised through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-open-market-operations-by-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>government securities.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fund-crunch-in-mgnrega" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act</strong> </a>(MGNREGA) scheme etc which is suffering from a fund crunch.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Supplementary Grants</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Supplementary Grant:</strong> It is granted when the amount authorised by the Parliament through the appropriation act for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be <strong>insufficient</strong> for that year.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is specified by the <strong>Article 115</strong> of the constitution of India, along with Additional and Excess Grants.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Grants:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition to the<strong> budget</strong> that contains the ordinary estimates of income and expenditure for one financial year, various other grants are made by the Parliament under extraordinary or special circumstances. Apart from Supplementary Grants, these include:</li>
<li><strong>Additional Grant:</strong> It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for additional expenditure upon<strong> some new service</strong> not contemplated in the budget for that year.</li>
<li><strong>Excess Grant :</strong> It is granted when money has been spent on any service during a financial year<strong> in excess of the amount granted</strong> for that service in the budget for that year. It is voted by the Lok Sabha after the financial year. Before the demands for excess grants are submitted to the Lok Sabha for voting, they must be approved by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.</li>
<li><strong>Vote of Credit:</strong> It is granted for meeting an <strong>unexpected demand upon the resources of India,</strong> when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget. Hence, it is like a blank cheque given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.</li>
<li><strong>Exceptional Grant:</strong> It is granted for a<strong> special purpose</strong> and forms no part of the current service of any financial year.</li>
<li><strong>Token Grant:</strong> It is granted when funds to meet the proposed expenditure on a new service can be made available by reappropriation. A demand for the grant of a token sum (of Re 1) is submitted to the vote of the Lok Sabha and if assented, funds are made available. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reappropriation involves transfer of funds from one head to another. It does not involve any additional expenditure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants</strong> are specified in <strong>Article 116</strong> of the constitution.</li>
<li>Supplementary, additional, excess and exceptional grants and vote of credit are <strong>regulated by the same procedure which is applicable in the case of a regular budget.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/govt-looks-to-spend-235-lakh-cr-more/article32603971.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/supplementary-demands-for-grants'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Inflation Data: August 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/inflation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a> data</strong> for the month of August 2020 was released. The inflation data includes <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/retail-inflation-growth-at-6-09" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>retail inflation</strong></a> and <strong>wholesale inflation</strong> data.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The retail inflation is measured by the <strong>Consumer Price Index (CPI).</strong></li>
<li>The wholesale price-based inflation is measured by <strong>Wholesale Price Index (WPI).</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Retail Inflation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The retail inflation growth dipped to 6.69% in the month of August. It was at 6.73% in July 2020.</li>
<li>However, the retail inflation continued to grow beyond the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India&rsquo;s (RBI)</strong></a> upper margin of 6%.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Central government has mandated the RBI to keep inflation within the <strong>range</strong> of <strong>4&plusmn;2%.</strong></li>
<li>This inflation range (4% within a band of +/- 2%) was <strong>recommended by the committee headed by Urjit Patel</strong> in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The growth in retail inflation was<strong> primarily due</strong> to a rise in meat and fish prices that saw a 16.50% on-year rise in August.</li>
<li>The <strong>Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI)</strong> or the inflation in the food basket eased to 9.05% in the month of August. It was at 9.27% in July 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wholesale Inflation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The wholesale price-based inflation <strong>rose to 0.16%</strong> in August as food items and manufactured products turned costlier.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>WPI inflation was in the negative territory for four straight months &mdash;</strong> April (-) 1.57%, May (-) 3.37%, June (-) 1.81% and July (-) 0.58%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Inflation in food articles during August stood at 3.84%. However, <strong>fuel and power inflation fell 9.68%</strong> in August.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implication:</strong> The <strong>difference between WPI (food) and CPI (food)</strong> shows the <strong>supply side issues</strong> due to several lockdowns at regional level.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Inflation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Inflation refers to the rise <strong>in the prices of most goods and services</strong> of daily or common use, such as food, clothing, housing, recreation, transport, consumer staples, etc.</li>
<li>Inflation measures the average price change in a basket of commodities and services over time.</li>
<li>Inflation is indicative of the <strong>decrease in the purchasing power</strong> of a unit of a country&rsquo;s currency. This could ultimately lead to a deceleration in economic growth.</li>
<li>However, a <strong>moderate level of inflation is required in the economy</strong> to ensure that production is promoted.</li>
<li>In India, inflation is primarily measured by two main indices &mdash; <strong>WPI (Wholesale Price Index) and CPI (Consumer Price Index)</strong> which measure wholesale and retail-level price changes, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Consumer Price Index</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It measures price changes from the <strong>perspective of a retail buyer.</strong> It is released by the <strong>National Statistical Office (NSO).</strong></li>
<li>The CPI calculates the difference in the price of commodities and services such as food, medical care, education, electronics etc, which Indian consumers buy for use.</li>
<li>The CPI has several sub-groups including food and beverages, fuel and light, housing and clothing, bedding and footwear.</li>
<li>Four types of CPI are as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>CPI for Industrial Workers (IW).</strong></li>
<li><strong>CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL).</strong></li>
<li><strong>CPI for Rural Labourer (RL).</strong></li>
<li><strong>CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined).</strong></li>
<li>Of these, the first three are compiled by the Labour Bureau in the<strong> Ministry of Labour and Employment.</strong> Fourth is compiled by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Base Year</strong> for CPI is <strong>2012.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/repo-rate-unchanged-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)</strong></a> uses CPI data to control inflation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Wholesale Price Index</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It measures the changes in the prices of goods sold and traded in bulk by wholesale businesses to other businesses.</li>
<li>Published by the <strong>Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.</strong></li>
<li>It is the most widely used inflation indicator in India.</li>
<li>Major<strong> criticism</strong> for this index is that the general public does not buy products at wholesale price.</li>
<li>The <strong>base year</strong> of All-India WPI has been revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 in 2017.</li>
</ul>
<h3>CPI vs. WPI</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WPI, tracks inflation at the producer level and CPI captures changes in prices levels at the consumer level.</li>
<li>WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.</li>
<li>In April 2014, the RBI had adopted the CPI as its key measure of inflation.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/india-august-2020-cpi-consumer-price-index-retail-inflation-6595777/" 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/inflation-data-august-2020'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Normative Ethical Theories (Part-I)',
		'catname' => 'Paper 4',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The principal purpose that normative ethical theories serve is to articulate and advocate an ethical code, i.e., to provide justifiable and reliable principles to determine what is moral (and immoral) behavior.</li>
<li>Normative theory involves arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. In a sense, it is a search for an ideal litmus test of proper behaviour.</li>
<li>The <strong>Golden Rule</strong> is an example of a normative theory that <strong>establishes a single principle</strong> against which we judge all actions. Other normative theories focus on a <strong>set of foundational principles</strong>, or a set of good character traits.</li>
<li>Normative theories seek to provide action-guides; procedures for answering the practical question (What ought I to do?&rdquo;). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The key assumption in normative theory is that there is only one ultimate criterion of moral conduct, whether it is a single rule or a set of principles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Normative ethical theories are classified into three main groups <strong>teleological, deontological and virtue ethics theories</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These types of theories differ in how they determine the moral worth of an action &ndash; whether an action is morally right or wrong, permissible or impermissible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Teleological Ethics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Teleology finds its etymology in the Greek word &lsquo;telos&rsquo; which means &ldquo;end&rdquo; and logos, &ldquo;science&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The teleological approach is also called <strong>&ldquo;consequentialism&rdquo;</strong>. It determines the moral worth of any action by the <strong>consequences or outcomes of that action</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An action is good if its consequences are good; an action is wrong if its consequences are bad.</li>
<li>Hence, for judging an action morally, we have to consider its actual or likely results. Ethical egoism and utilitarianism are teleological.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Teleological moral theories locate moral goodness in the consequences of our behavior and not the behavior itself. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to teleological (or consequentialist) moral theory, all rational human actions are teleological in the sense that we reason about the means of achieving certain ends. Moral behavior, therefore, is <strong>goal-directed</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Example:</strong> From a teleological standpoint, stealing could not be judged inherently right or wrong independent of the context and the foreseeable consequences. Suppose one is contemplating stealing a loaf of bread from the neighborhood grocery store. Many moral theorists would argue that morality requires an analysis of my motives (or intent) that brought about that behavior.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, from a teleological perspective, motives really have nothing to do with the rightness or wrongness of the act. What really matters lies in the potential pains and pleasures associated with the short-term and long-term consequences.</li>
<li>If thief&rsquo;s children were starving, and if stealing a loaf of bread would immediately prevent them from starving, then the act might be called moral.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The classic example of teleological ethics is utilitarianism.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Utilitarianism as Teleological Ethics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Utilitarianism requires a moral agent to foresee the consequences of his action. In any given situation, he has to consider the available alternative courses of action and select that course which will result in the <strong>maximum utility</strong> or the <strong>minimum uselessness</strong>.</li>
<li>The modern form of the <strong>consequentialist theory of utilitarianism</strong> derives from 19th century British philosophers such as <strong>Jeremy Bentham</strong> and <strong>John Stuart Mill</strong>.</li>
<li>Rather than maximise individual welfare, utilitarianism focuses on <strong>collective welfare</strong> and it identifies goodness with the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people: the <strong>'greatest happiness principle'</strong>.</li>
<li>So maximising benefits for the greatest number of people involves net assessments of benefit: utility is the net result of &lsquo;benefits&rsquo; and 'disbenefits' - or costs.</li>
<li>Utility has entered modern economics as a key <strong>quantitative concept</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The concept of trade-offs is specifically embraced and <strong>social and environmental cost-benefit analyses</strong> are explicit utilitarian tools for assessing the goodness of an action.</li>
<li>A simple balance sheet of costs and benefits can be drawn up to assess the overall utility of a decision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Deontology</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term deontology finds its etymology in the Greek word &ldquo;Deon&rdquo;, meaning &lsquo;duty,&rsquo; or &lsquo;obligation,&rsquo; or &lsquo;that which is necessary, hence moral necessity&rsquo;.</li>
<li>The deontological approach <strong>rejects that the moral worth of any action depends on its consequences</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deontological approach to ethics holds that moral agents have to rigorously fulfil their moral duties or obligations unmindful of the consequences. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Moral agents have to honour human rights and meet moral obligations even at the cost of an optimal outcome.</li>
<li>Deontology argues that the moral worth of an action does not depend on its consequences, but that a different criterion should be used.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A deontological moral theory might hold that character assassination is wrong and inhuman, even if it produces good consequences.</li>
<li><strong>Example:</strong> In early nineteenth-century America, many members of the anti-slavery movement argued that slavery was wrong, even though slaveholders and southern American society in general, economically benefited from it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The slaveholders were also able to condition the slaves to the point where they actually enjoyed living under slavery. From a <strong>teleological perspective, slavery might appear to be an ideal economic institution</strong>. Everybody is satisfied and happy!</li>
<li>A <strong>deontologist</strong>, however, would argue that even if the American government conducted a detailed cost/benefit analysis of slavery and decided that it created more pleasure in society than pain (good for majority), it would still be wrong. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Hence, slavery is wrong, not because of its negative consequences, but because it violates an absolute moral rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to this theory, some actions are morally obligatory irrespective of their consequences.</li>
<li>Historically, the most influential deontological theory of morality was developed by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Categorical Imperative of Kant</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Immanuel Kant did not agree with what he had heard of Utilitarianism and thought that morality rarely had anything to do with happiness.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kant holds that the moral life does not have any place for feeling, emotion or sentience.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A<strong> moral life is a rational life</strong>. He started by asking what it is that distinguishes a moral action from a non-moral action one. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He concluded that a moral action is one which is done from a <strong>sense of duty</strong>, rather than following inclinations or doing what we want.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kant grants purity to only one feeling and that is faith in the moral law. But this is not actually emotion. He looks upon every emotion as immoral.</li>
<li>Kant&rsquo;s deontology enlightens the concept of <strong>categorical imperative</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a moral law that is <strong>unconditional or absolute for all agents</strong>, the validity or claim of which does not depend on any ulterior motive or end.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For Kant, the only thing that is unqualifiedly good in this world is a good-will, the will to follow the moral law regardless of profit or law to ourselves.</li>
<li>For him, there is only one such categorical imperative, which he formulated in various ways. <strong>&ldquo;Act only according to that maxim (rule) by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law&rdquo;</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It implies that what is right for one person becomes right for all and what is wrong for one is wrong for all. If you cannot universalise your action in order to make it right for all, then it is wrong for you too.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper4/normative-ethical-theories-part-i'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/india-needs-to-invest-in-regional-disaster-relief-mechanisms-opinion/story-NavRg25BXpH0sUFoAmMXYP.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;India needs to invest in regional disaster relief mechanisms&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in Hindustan Times on 13th of September 2020. It talks about the need for disaster relief mechanism for South Asian Region</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icgs-varaha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Coast Guard</a> (ICG) and Navy conducted a disaster relief operation wherein they doused the fire on a crude carrier, rescued crew members, and prevented an oil spill.</p>
<p>Historically, a key feature of India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tiger-triumph#:~:text=The%20first%2Dever%20India%2DUS,Kakinada%20coasts%20in%20Andhra%20Pradesh." target="_blank" rel="noopener">humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR)</a> strategy has been the emphasis on bilateral engagement with the affected country.</p>
<p>However, recently India's response was initiated through a regional framework <strong>(South Asian Cooperative for Environment Protection (SACEP))</strong> for addressing environmental emergencies in the South Asian region.</p>
<p>While this is a commendable initiative, there is still a long way to go towards building an effective regional disaster relief mechanism. Moreover, humanitarian emergencies due to climate uncertainty, in the South Asian region (SAR) are poised to grow.</p>
<p>In this context, India being a responsible regional power, should invest in regional frameworks for disaster management and take the lead in setting up a road map for greater cooperation.</p>
<h3>Need for Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism In SAR</h3>
<p>South Asia is exposed to a variety of hazards due to the geo-climatic characteristics of the region. These hazards range earthquakes in the Himalayas, droughts and floods in the Plains, and cyclones in coastal areas that originate in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. But more importantly, many countries in the region share common geological formations (Indian sub-continent) and river basins, and natural hazards frequently transcend national boundaries.</p>
<p><strong>Hazards in SAR</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> The monsoon carries more than 70% of South Asia&rsquo;s annual precipitation in a brief four-month period.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A good monsoon brings strong harvests and financial security, but a poorly timed monsoon, can result in human suffering and economic loss due to either flooding or drought.</li>
<li>Moreover, cyclones are the second most commonly occurring hazard in the region. Although human vulnerability to cyclones has decreased somewhat, economic losses associated with tropical cyclones have increased.</li>
<li>Climate change has a direct effect on the monsoon pattern and cyclones occurrences in SAR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Active Seismic Zones:</strong> The world&lsquo;s youngest mountain belt, the Himalaya and Hindu Kush, envelopes South Asia all along its northern fringe, from Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With over 600 million people living along the fault line across the Himalayan belt, where the earthquake exposure is very high.</li>
<li>In the South Asia Seas region, major population centers live on key fault lines and in coastal areas that are exposed to hazards like Tsunami in 2004.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Exposure to Hazards:</strong> The impacts of hazard events are escalating not only due to the increased incidence and intensity of events, but also because of changes in the underlying factors that influence exposure and vulnerability. Exposure is driven by a number of socioeconomic dynamics, including:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Increasing population growth and density in hazard prone areas.</li>
<li>Unsustainable economic expansion.</li>
<li>Concentration of economic assets in expanding megacities and rapidly growing secondary cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Existing Regional Disaster Relief Mechanisms in SAR</strong></p>
<p><strong>SAARC Institutions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>SAARC has codified disaster management by adopting the comprehensive framework on disaster management in 2006 and establishing the SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) as part of its mandate.</li>
<li>Also, the SAARC Food Bank was established in 2007.</li>
<li>In 2011, SAARC approved the Agreement on South Asia Rapid Response to Natural Disasters (SARRND), which formalised a policy for a cooperative response mechanism in the region.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>BIMSTEC Institutions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/drishti-specials-important-international-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BIMSTEC</a>, India has been leading efforts towards the &ldquo;Environment and Disaster Management&rdquo; priority area and established the Bimstec Centre for Weather and Climate as a platform to share information and build capacities on disaster-warning systems.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2018, India signed an MoU with SACEP assigning the Indian Coast Guard as the competent authority for implementation under the initiative.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Issues in Regional Disaster Relief Mechanism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dormant Regional Institutions:</strong> Despite having an official policy in the form of SARRND, no SAARC-level contingent has ever been deployed during emergencies in the region.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Similarly, in BIMSTEC, although member-countries have shown a willingness to work together on relevant issues, there is a large gap to fill in terms of establishing operating procedures for joint relief campaigns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reactive Approach:</strong> The traditional approach to disasters in SAR has been to focus on responding to events and reconstructing damaged assets in the aftermath.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By and large, the response of the major stakeholders has been <strong>reactive rather than proactive</strong>, and this approach has resulted in accumulated casualties and economic losses that were higher than necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Coordination:</strong> Ineffective regional disaster relief mechanisms result in an uncoordinated relief effort which hampers disaster recovery process.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Risk Identification:</strong> Any effective strategy to manage disaster risk must begin with an identification of the factors that cause disasters.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Inputs should include physical hazard data and localized socioeconomic and demographic data of the region.</li>
<li>More specifically, hazard mapping of the region will serve as the base layer of information and provides data on the probability of occurrence and intensity of a hazard event.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Awareness:</strong> Once disaster risks have been identified, they must be communicated in a manner that motivates individuals to increase their resilience to disasters.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Governments, civil society, and the private sector can raise awareness of risks and risk-mitigation principles at the national, regional, and community levels.</li>
<li>This is the crucial step in cultivating behavioral and institutional changes necessary to shift from a culture of emergency response to one of advanced preparedness across SAR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Mitigation:</strong> Reducing disaster risk calls for all stakeholders to alter their perceptions and prioritize resilience in a country&rsquo;s planning and development efforts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It comprises actions to prevent, mitigate, and prepare against the damaging impact of hazards and thus minimize the potential consequences on physical and human capital.</li>
<li>In this context, SAR should devise and implement a regional disaster risk reduction mechanism based on <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/sendai-framework-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sendai Framework</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Financing and Transfer:</strong> In the developed world, risk transfer mechanisms such as insurance cover approximately 30% of economic losses.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, in most low-income countries including those in South Asia, these tools only cover 1% of losses.</li>
<li>Hence, there is a need to develop risk transfer mechanisms in the SAR.</li>
<li>Also, the World Bank&rsquo;s help can be leveraged to alleviate this burden and assist governments and their citizens to more effectively manage disaster risks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600085994_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600085994_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>India being a regional power and one of the worst disaster affected countries in the world, should actively pursue a regional disaster relief mechanism which makes disaster risk reduction a priority and strengthens preparedness for response.</p>
<p>Further, building capacities through training and joint exercises and coordinating comparative advantages for collective action will help India leverage goodwill among its neighbours through its disaster relief programmes.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d5f7f7; border-color: #00a3a3;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #00a3a3;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>&ldquo;Due to Climate uncertainty and humanitarian interventions, disaster related emergencies are poised to grow in the South Asian region&rdquo;. In light the statement, discuss the need for a regional disaster relief mechanism and role of India therein.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regional-disaster-relief-mechanism'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'USA-Maldives Framework on Defense and Security Relationship',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a<strong> Framework on Defense and Security Relationship</strong> has been signed between the <strong>USA and the Maldives.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The move is seen as consistent with the growing alignment of the USA and Indian interests in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indian-ocean-islands-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Ocean Region</strong></a> (IOR) and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Framework intends to<strong> deepen engagement and cooperation in support of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean.</strong></li>
<li>It marks an important step forward in the defence partnership between the USA and the Maldives, where <strong>both of them agreed to reiterate their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific</strong> that promotes the security and prosperity of all nations in the region.</li>
<li>The Framework<strong> outlines a range of bilateral activities,</strong> including senior-level dialogues, engagements etc. in areas such as <strong>maritime domain awareness, natural disasters </strong>and <strong>humanitarian relief operations.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600080507_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600080507_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Significance for India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India has not officially responded</strong> to the announcement of the framework <strong>yet.</strong></li>
<li>This announcement can be seen as a<strong> timely signal to China,</strong> particularly when Indian and Chinese soldiers are locked in a <strong>stand-off at the Line of Actual Control</strong> (LAC) in Ladakh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Chinese presence and influence in the IOR have been a <strong>constant source of worry</strong> for India.</li>
<li><strong>India has taken steps to strengthen its strategic presence</strong> in both the IOR and Indo-Pacific.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quad</strong></a>, a grouping that brings together the <strong>USA, Japan, India and Australia,</strong> with the apparent but unstated aim of <strong>containing China</strong> in the region, is also part of this process.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-malabar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malabar Exercise</strong></a> to strengthen the shared objective of a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Track 1.5 dialogue</strong></a> between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-pacific-trilateral-dialogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India, France and Australia</strong></a> to identify security challenges and sustainability issues in the Indo Pacific.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-japan-logistics-agreement#:~:text=Recently%2C%20India%20and%20Japan%20signed,%2C%20France%2C%20Oman%20and%20Singapore." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement</strong></a> between India and Japan which allows armed forces of both sides to coordinate closely in services and supplies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The framework has the <strong>potential to blunt the security aspects of cooperation between China and the Maldives,</strong> even if economic co-operation continues.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2017, the Maldives signed up to <strong>China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/italy-joins-belt-road-initiative#:~:text=Belt%20%26%20Road%20Initiative%20(BRI)%20is%20an%20ambitious%20project%20that,150%20countries%20(China's%20Claim)." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belt and Road initiative</a>.</strong> It is a part of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/obor-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maritime Silk Route.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Given India-USA ties, India sees the pact as useful also because <strong>India&rsquo;s own direct involvement in Maldivian security matters tends to be viewed with suspicion</strong> domestically.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The framework can<strong> provide an indirect route</strong> to India if needed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-signs-defence-pact-with-maldives-6594295/" 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/usa-maldives-framework-on-defense-and-security-relationship'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Uttar Pradesh government is going to constitute a Special Security Force (SSF) in the state.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the lines of the <strong>Central Industrial Security Force,</strong> SSF will be responsible for security of vital government and private buildings, and industrial establishments.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can also be hired by private establishments by paying a fixed cost.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will be headed by an Additional Director General (ADG)-ranked officer and will be headquartered in <strong>Lucknow.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Powers:</strong> It will <strong>not require magistrate&rsquo;s order or warrants to make an arrest or conduct searches.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its powers will be governed by a set of rules made by the state government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background :</strong> The UPSSF will <strong>set up on the basis of orders of the Allahabad High Court,</strong> which had expressed its displeasure over the security at civil courts in December 2019 over shootout incidents at Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar courts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The court had directed the state government to form an exclusive force for security on court premises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Industrial Security Force</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a central armed force the Union raised under an Act of Parliament namely <strong>Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968.</strong></li>
<li>It is directly under the <strong>Union Ministry of Home Affairs.</strong></li>
<li>The CISF provides <strong>security cover to industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments located all over India.</strong></li>
<li>Other <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/central-armed-police-force-capf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>central armed forces</strong></a> in India include <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/central-reserve-police-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Reserve Police Force</a> (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG) and Assam Rifles (AR).</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/dgp-asked-to-draw-up-plan-in-3-days-for-new-up-special-force-6595009/" 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/uttar-pradesh-special-security-force'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Position Shift on Taliban',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has signaled a<strong> shift in its position on engaging with the Taliban</strong> by participating in the commencement ceremony of <strong>Intra-Afghan talks</strong> between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Position Shift:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indian presence at the Intra-Afghan peace talks indicates that it has changed its position given the ground reality in Afghanistan and the <strong>changing power structure in Afghanistan.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>USA's withdrawal has given <strong>Pakistan a major role to play in Afghanistan</strong> directly or indirectly through its proxies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, some experts were of the opinion that India chose to attend the ceremony <strong>because the Afghan government was also at the table.</strong></li>
<li>India still <strong>does not recognise</strong> the Taliban.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India believes any peace process must be <strong>Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. i.e.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has to respect the <strong>national sovereignty and territorial integrity</strong> of Afghanistan and promote human rights and democracy.</li>
<li>It also needs to <strong>preserve the progress</strong> made in the establishment of a democratic Islamic Republic in Afghanistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> interests of minorities, women and vulnerable sections of society</strong> must be preserved and the issue of violence across the country and its neighbourhood has to be effectively addressed.</li>
<li><strong>Indian interests,</strong> which include the Indian Embassy and Indian companies and workers in Afghanistan, <strong>should also be protected.</strong></li>
<li>India supports an <strong>"independent and sovereign"</strong> Afghanistan.The use of words &ldquo;independent and sovereign&rdquo; make it clear that <strong>Pakistan and the&nbsp;Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) should not control the levers in Afghanistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/us-taliban-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA signed a deal with the Taliban</strong> </a>that paved the way towards a full withdrawal of USA troops from Afghanistan and also represent a step towards ending the 18-year-war in Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The peace deal was expected to<strong> kick-off two processes- a phased withdrawal of US troops </strong>and an<strong> &lsquo;intra-Afghan&rsquo; dialogue.</strong></li>
<li>The deal is a fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and the future political roadmap for the Afghanistan peace process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Interests in Afghanistan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indias-role-in-afghanistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>major stake</strong></a> in the stability of Afghanistan. India has invested considerable resources in Afghanistan's development.<strong> E.g.</strong> the <strong>Afghan Parliament, the Zaranj-Delaram Highway,</strong> Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam <strong>(Salma Dam)</strong> among others.</li>
<li>Afghanistan is the <strong>gateway to Central Asia.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600072101_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600072101_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="395" height="297" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Involved:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is concerned about the <strong>Taliban&rsquo;s links with Pakistan&rsquo;s ISI</strong> and efforts by the latter to use the <strong>Haqqani network</strong> to target India&rsquo;s interests in Afghanistan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s Afghanistan policy continues to be assessed vis-a-vis Pakistan, which opposes any security role for India in Afghanistan and sees India&rsquo;s presence there as detrimental to its interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Taliban also has link with <strong>Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and Laskar-e-Toiba (LeT)</strong> who are behind various terrorist activities against India.</li>
<li>India still<strong> does not recognise</strong> the Taliban. However, if it considers the option of entering into direct talks with the Taliban,<strong> it would constitute a major departure</strong> from its consistent policy of dealing only with recognised governments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India needs to re-evaluate its decisions and be more omnidirectional in its approach to deal with all forces that are central to the future of Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The changing political and security situation requires India to be more open to adapting its maximalist position and starting a dialogue with the Taliban.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/taliban-afghan-deal-s-jaishankar-doha-meeting-6593833/" 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/india-s-position-shift-on-taliban'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Masking The Question',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/democracy-in-question-parliament-question-hour-6591172/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Democracy in question: If questions are disallowed in Parliament, more will be asked outside it&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 12<sup>th</sup> of September 2020. It analyses the issues of scrapping Questions Hour and limiting Zero Hour in the monsoon session of the Parliament.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats have notified that there will be <strong>no Question Hour</strong> during the monsoon session of the Parliament which has already been truncated to September 14-October, in view of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid 19 pandemic</strong></a>, and that <strong>Zero Hour</strong> will be restricted in both Houses. The move has come under heavy criticism as the opposition believe they will lose the right to question the government which can be termed as undemocratic.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Question Hour</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/question-hour-and-zero-hour#:~:text=Definition%3A%20The%20first%20hour%20of,slotted%20for%20the%20Question%20Hour.&amp;text=During%20this%20one%20hour%2C%20Members,MPs%20who%20are%20not%20ministers)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Question Hour</strong></a> is the first hour of a sitting session of India's Parliament devoted to questions that Members of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/parliamentary-reforms-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Parliament</strong></a> raise about any aspect of administrative activity.</li>
<li>The concerned Minister is obliged to answer to the Parliament, either orally or in writing, depending on the type of question raised.</li>
<li>Question Hour is the liveliest hour in Parliament when members of parliament hold the Government accountable for the functioning of their ministries.</li>
<li>Over the last 70 years, MPs have successfully used this parliamentary device to shine a light on government functioning.</li>
<li>Their questions have exposed financial irregularities and brought data and information regarding government functioning to the public domain.</li>
<li>With the broadcasting of Question Hour since 1991, Question Hour has become one the most visible aspects of parliamentary functioning.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Zero Hour</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/question-hour-and-zero-hour#:~:text=Definition%3A%20The%20first%20hour%20of,slotted%20for%20the%20Question%20Hour.&amp;text=During%20this%20one%20hour%2C%20Members,MPs%20who%20are%20not%20ministers)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zero Hour</strong></a> is an Indian parliamentary innovation.</li>
<li>The phrase does not find mention in the rules of procedure.</li>
<li>The concept of Zero Hour started organically in the first decade of Indian Parliament, when MPs felt the need for raising important constituencies and national issues.</li>
<li>During the initial days, Parliament used to break for lunch at 1 pm.</li>
<li>Therefore, the opportunity for MPs to raise national issues without an advance notice became available at 12 pm and could last for an hour until the House adjourned for lunch.</li>
<li>This led to the hour being popularly referred to as Zero Hour and the issues being raised during this time as Zero Hour submissions.</li>
<li>Over the years, presiding officers of both Houses have given directions to streamline the working of Zero Hour to make it even more effective.</li>
<li>Its importance can be gauged from the support it receives from citizens, media, MPs and presiding officers despite not being part of the rulebook.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Rules Regarding Question Hour</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Authority of Presiding Officer</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-speaker-roles-and-responsibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> presiding officers</strong></a> of the two houses are the final authority with respect to the conduct of Question Hour.</li>
<li>For example, usually Question Hour is the first hour of a parliamentary sitting but In 2014, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari shifted Question Hour in the House from 11 am to 12 noon.</li>
<li>The move was to prevent the disruption of Question Hour.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kind of Questions</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Questions have to be limited to 150 words.</li>
<li>They have to be precise and not too general.</li>
<li>The question should also be related to an area of responsibility of the Government of India.</li>
<li>Questions should not seek information about matters that are secret or are under adjudication before courts.</li>
<li>It is the presiding officers of the two Houses who finally decide whether a question raised by an MP will be admitted for answering by the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Timing of Question Hour</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The process of asking and answering questions starts with identifying the days on which Question Hour will be held.</li>
<li>At the beginning of Parliament in 1952, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/code-of-conduct-for-lok-sabha-mps" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lok Sabha rules</strong></a> provided for Question Hour to be held every day. Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, had a provision for Question Hour for two days a week.</li>
<li>A few months later, this was changed to four days a week.</li>
<li>Then from 1964, Question Hour was taking place in Rajya Sabha on every day of the session.</li>
<li>Now, Question Hour in both Houses is held on all days of the session.</li>
<li>But there are two days when an exception is made. One, on the day the President addresses MPs from both Houses in the Central Hall. Second on the day the Finance Minister presents the Budget.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Starred And Unstarred Questions</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MPs can specify whether they want an oral or written response to their questions.</li>
<li>They can put an asterisk against their question signifying that they want the minister to answer that question on the floor.</li>
<li>These are referred to as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/starred-questions-in-parliamentary-proceedings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>starred questions.</strong></a></li>
<li>After the minister&rsquo;s response, the MP who asked the question and other MPs can also ask a follow-up question.</li>
<li>This is the visible part of Question Hour, where you see MPs trying to corner ministers on the functioning of their ministries on live television.</li>
<li>Seasoned parliamentarians choose to ask an oral question when the answer to the question will put the government in an uncomfortable position.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>15 Days Notice</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ministries receive the questions 15 days in advance so that they can prepare their ministers for Question Hour.</li>
<li>They also have to prepare for sharp follow-up questions they can expect to be asked in the House.</li>
<li>Government officers are close at hand in a gallery so that they can pass notes or relevant documents to support the minister in answering a question.</li>
<li>MPs usually ask questions to hold ministers accountable but the rules also provide them with a mechanism for asking their colleagues a question.</li>
<li>Such a question should be limited to the role of an MP relating to a Bill or a resolution being piloted by them or any other matter connected with the functioning of the House for which they are responsible.</li>
<li>Should the presiding officer so allow, MPs can also ask a question to a minister at a notice period shorter than 15 days.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Associated Issues</h3>
<p><strong>Infringement of Constitutional Right</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The right to ask questions flows from Article 75 of Indian constitution which says that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the people.</li>
<li>Collective responsibility also implies that the government shall be accountable to the house which represents the people of this country.</li>
<li>Thus, the curtailment of question hour and zero hour undermines the principle of parliamentary oversight over executive.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>A Hindrance To Representative Democracy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Question Hour is a manifestation of a representative kind of democracy in operation, in the sense that representation of the people directly questions the government on matters of governance.</li>
<li>The government is duty bound to answer the questions in the House.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Questions Government&rsquo;s Intention</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Questions Hour concerns serious and urgent matters and is live telecasted on the national TV.</li>
<li>It keeps the masses informed about the Government&rsquo;s response and vision on all important matters of governance. This becomes more important in the current situation when India is battling the pandemic and economic downfall.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, by doing away with question hour in this parliamentary session, the government may sidestep on accountability on the above matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Disruptions do not justify the scrapping of questions altogether.</li>
<li>Various options for social distancing can be attempted like reserving each day for select ministries to prevent crowding by officials seeking to help their ministers.</li>
<li>At the same time an orderly conduct can also ensure that the questions are raised with discipline and they don&rsquo;t affect the safety protocol too.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Democracy is judged by the debate it encourages and sustains. Also asking questions is the essence of democracy. The questions that are asked from civil society platforms, the mass media, community gatherings are ultimately within the highest temple of democracy, the legislature itself.</p>
<p>Thus, the Question hour &amp; Zero hour acts as important tools for enabling the doctrine of checks and balance. Therefore, Parliaments should not dispense with these even at the time of war.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599911286_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599911286_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7ffe3;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Parliament&rsquo;s relevance stems from asking tough questions from the government&rdquo;. In the light of the statement critically analyse the decision of the government to scrap the Question Hour in the monsoon session and the possible solutions.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A4QyIGJdqIM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-twisted-trajectory-of-bt-cotton/article32566091.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The twisted trajectory of Bt cotton&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on September 10<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
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	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Virtual Courts',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice</strong> has presented its report <strong>&ldquo;Functioning of the Virtual Courts/Courts Proceedings through VideoConferencing&rdquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the <strong>first report</strong> to be presented <strong>by any parliamentary panel</strong> on the<strong> impact of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> pandemic.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pre-<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> period,</strong> the <strong>video-conference</strong> (VC) set up was primarily used<strong> for conducting remand matters to prevent movement of prisoners between courts and jails.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Such VC facilities have been operationalised between 3,240 court complexes and corresponding 1,272 prisons.</li>
<li>In August 2019, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-courts-3#:~:text=The%20e%2DCourts%20project%20was,by%20ICT%20enablement%20of%20Courts." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>High Court of Punjab and Haryana launched its first virtual court</strong></a> at Faridabad to deal with traffic challan cases from across the state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The report suggests that a <strong>full-fledged <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-virtual-courts-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virtual court</a> should be piloted</strong> in the first instance and recommends the <strong>continuation of virtual courts in a post-Covid-19 scenario.</strong></li>
<li>It argued that <strong>transfer of certain categories of cases,</strong> like cases pertaining to traffic challans or other petty offences, from regular court establishments to virtual courts <strong>will reduce the pendency of cases.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, there are 30 million pending cases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Virtual/digital justice is <strong>cheaper and faster</strong> besides <strong>addressing locational and economic handicaps.</strong></li>
<li>Virtual courts are an improvement over traditional courts as they are <strong>more citizen-friendly and offer greater access to justice.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>productivity of lawyers will increase substantially</strong> as there will be no regular visits to courts and long waiting hours. If this practice is extended to other civil cases, <strong>efficiency will double,</strong> even treble,<strong> in judicial functioning.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Various stakeholders have noted that the <strong>present infrastructure does not support virtual court proceedings.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>3,477 courtrooms are supported with facilities for virtual proceedings while 14,443 are still to be provided with them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Almost 50% of <strong>lawyers,</strong> particularly in district courts, <strong>do not have any laptop or computer facility</strong> so their participation in the virtual courts will be either very less or not at all.</li>
<li><strong>All judges are not able to undertake virtual hearings</strong> due to lack of experience and also due to lack of sufficient infrastructure to enable all of them to undertake virtual hearings.</li>
<li>Virtual court hearings, especially during peak hours when many people log into the video-conferencing system, are <strong>subject to frequent crashes of the system </strong>and one <strong>glitch can spoil the entire proceeding.</strong></li>
<li>There are concerns that virtual courts will<strong> compromise the privacy of data as well as the confidentiality of discussions and court proceedings,</strong> due to the usage of third-party software applications, which are <strong>prone to hacking and manipulation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure needs to be updated</strong> with sufficient machinery and data connectivity to provide with the virtual proceeding.</li>
<li><strong>Virtual proceedings can be extended permanently to various Appellate</strong> <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tribunals</strong></a> like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/interoperable-set-top-boxes-trai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-company-law-appellate-tribunal-nclat-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Company Law Appellate Tribunal</strong></a>, etc. located across the country which do not require personal appearances of the parties/advocates.</li>
<li>The Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been recommended to <strong>address data privacy and data security concerns</strong> while developing a new platform for India&rsquo;s judicial system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>e-Courts Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was conceptualized on the basis of the<strong> &ldquo;National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary-2005&rdquo;</strong> submitted by<strong> e-Committee, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court of India</a></strong> with a vision to transform the Indian Judiciary by ICT enablement of Courts.</li>
<li>The e-Courts Mission Mode Project, is a <strong>pan-India Project,</strong> monitored and funded by the <strong>Department of Justice,</strong> Ministry of Law and Justice, for the District Courts across the country.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>While India grapples with a crisis on the health and economic front, there is a need to think out of the box and a change in mindset regarding the work-culture is needed.</li>
<li>It is time that the courtroom, which is often regarded as the last bastion of antiquated working practices, opens its doors to the latest technology.</li>
<li>If vested interests are kept aside and collective will to initiate what is for the common good takes precedence, a virtual judiciary can become a part of Indian judiciary.</li>
</ul>',
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