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Associate Members to Delimitation Commission

Why in News Recently, the Lok Sabha Speaker has nominated 15 MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to assist...

30 May 2020 News Analysis
Legacy of Jawahar Lal Nehru

This article is based on “Being Nehruvian in these difficult times” which was published in The Hindu Business line on 27/05/2020. It...

29 May 2020 News Editorials
Rise in Foreign Direct Investment

Why in News According to data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
NHRC’s Notice to Government on Migrant Deaths

Why in News The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Union Home Ministry, the Railway Board and the Bihar and Gujarat...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
Banana Covid: A Novel Fungal Strain

Why in News Recently, a novel fungus strain Fusarium wilt TR4 has started infecting the Banana plantations in India. It has been described as the...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
ADB Loan to Upgrade Maharashtra Roads

Why in News Recently, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $177 million loan to upgrade state highways and...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
USA Bill to Put Sanction on China

Recently, the United States House of Representatives approved a legislation calling for sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for oppression of...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
Drop in Institutional Deliveries

Why in News Recently, the data from the states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand has reported a drop in the institutional deliveries. Key...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
22nd Meeting of FSDC

Why in News Recently, the 22nd meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) chaired by the Finance Minister was held through a...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
Veer Savarkar Jayanti

Why In News On 28th May, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Savarkar) on his birth anniversary. He was an...

29 May 2020 News Analysis
State Election Commission’s Autonomy

This article is based on Securing Election Commission’s autonomy published in The Indian Express on 26/05/2020. It talks about the challenges...

28 May 2020 News Editorials
MSMEs Loans to Get ‘Risk-Free’ Tag

Why in News The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to allow banks to assign zero risk weight for loans that will be extended to the Micro, Medium...

28 May 2020 News Analysis
Indian Political Thinker - BR Ambedkar

Introduction Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was one of the main architects of the Indian Constitution. He was...

28 May 2020 Paper 2
Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance: Umang Mobile App

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has added the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) weather...

28 May 2020 News Analysis
Invasive Species: Charru Mussel

Why in News An invasive species named Charru mussel (Mytella strigata), native to the South and Central American coasts, is spreading quickly in the...

28 May 2020 News Analysis
World Dugong Day 2020

Why in News World Dugong Day is celebrated on 28th May, every year. Key Points Dugong (Dugong dugon) also called ‘Sea Cow’ is one...

28 May 2020 News Analysis
National Highways Authority of India

Why in News The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed its Regional Officers (ROs) and Project Directors (PDs) to undertake...

28 May 2020 News Analysis
Tianwen-1: China's Mars Mission

Why In News China will launch its first Mars Mission - Tianwen-1- in July, 2020. China's previous ‘Yinghuo-1’ Mars mission, which was...

28 May 2020 News Analysis
Public Health System In India

This article is based on “Reset and reform” which was published in The Indian Express on 29/04/2020. It talks about the importance and...

27 May 2020 News Editorials
Arogya Setu App: An Open Source

Why in News Recently, the source code of Aarogya Setu Mobile App has been made open source for software developers. It has been uploaded on...

27 May 2020 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Associate Members to Delimitation Commission',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha Speaker has nominated 15 MPs <strong>from Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh</strong> to assist the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation Commission</strong> </a>in <strong>redrawing the Lok Sabha and the Assembly constituencies</strong> of the northeastern States and the Union Territory of Ladakh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The appointments are made <strong>after the Delimitation Commission&rsquo;s request</strong> to the <strong>presiding officers of Lok Sabha and the Assemblies</strong> to nominate associate members.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government has constituted a Delimitation Commission to <strong>redraw Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delimitation-of-jammu-and-kashmir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir</a></strong> and the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.</li>
<li>It is headed by the<strong> former Supreme Court judge</strong> Ranjana Prakash Desai.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission intends to delimit the constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K) in <strong>accordance with the provisions of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/article-370-and-35-a-revoked" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act (2019)</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly are to increase with due reservations for SC and STs. It also includes few seats reserved for Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The J&amp;K experienced the <strong>last delimitation exercise </strong>in <strong>1995.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has often been argued that the delimitation exercise was held back deliberately to ensure greater representation of Kashmir in the legislative assembly and Parliament rather than Jammu area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delimitation in Northeastern States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The delimitation in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the<strong> Delimitation Act, 2002.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The delimitation exercise in<strong> Assam</strong> will be <strong>resumed after 12 years</strong> which was <strong>put on hold in 2008</strong> after situation in the state was reported not to be conducive because of <strong>serious threat to the peace and public order.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Delimitation Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Delimitation Commission is<strong> appointed</strong> by the<strong> President of India</strong> and works in <strong>collaboration with the Election Commission of India.</strong></li>
<li>Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country to represent changes in population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Basis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Article 82</strong> provides the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Census Act (1948)</strong> provides for the permanent scheme of conducting population Census. It is carried out in a <strong>ten years interval.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Article 170</strong> provides division of State into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.</li>
<li>Once the Act enacted by the Parliament is in force, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission.</li>
<li>The <strong>first delimitation exercise</strong> was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Delimitation Commission Act</strong> was enacted in <strong>1952.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is usually composed of the retired Supreme Court judge, Chief Election Commissioner and Respective State Election Commissioners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide <strong>equal representation</strong> to equal segments of a population.</li>
<li><strong>Fair division of geographical areas</strong> so that one political party doesn&rsquo;t have an advantage over others in an election.</li>
<li>To follow the principle of <strong>&ldquo;One Vote One Value&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It determines the <strong>number and boundaries of constituencies</strong> to make the population of all constituencies nearly equal.</li>
<li>It also identifies the <strong>seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,</strong> wherever their population is relatively large.</li>
<li>In case of difference of opinion among members of the Commission, the <strong>opinion of the majority</strong> prevails.</li>
<li>The Delimitation Commission in India is a <strong>high power body</strong> whose orders have the force of law and <strong>cannot be called in question before any court.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> 42<sup>nd</sup> Amendment Act of 1976 froze</strong> the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha to the states and the division of each State into territorial constituencies till the year 2000 at the 1971 level.</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>84<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act of 2001</strong> extended this ban on readjustment for another<strong> 25 years (i.e., upto year 2026),</strong> without affecting the total number of seats based on the 1971 census.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 84<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act of 2001 also empowered the government to undertake readjustment and rationalisation of territorial constituencies in the states on the basis of the <strong>population figures of 1991 census.</strong></li>
<li>Later,<strong> the 87<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act of 2003</strong> provided for the delimitation of constituencies on the<strong> basis of the 2001 census</strong> and not 1991 census.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The appointment of associated members from the respective States will help the delimitation commission<strong> to resolve grievances of these States</strong> as stated above.</li>
<li>The involvement of associate members from Lok Sabha and Assemblies will also help to <strong>maintain transparency and integrity of the delimitation commission</strong> which strives for equal representation to equal segments of the population in the country.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lok-sabha-speaker-nominates-15-mps-to-the-delimitation-commission/article31698154.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Legacy of Jawahar Lal Nehru',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/being-nehruvian-in-these-difficult-times/article31680474.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Being Nehruvian in these difficult times&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu Business line on 27/05/2020. It talks about the contribution of the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in building Modern India.</p>
</div>
<p>India, since independence, has undergone profound transformations in its <strong>politics-</strong>from the dominant Congress system to Coalition era, its <strong>economics-&nbsp;</strong>from a controlled &ldquo;democratic socialism&rdquo; to a thriving free-enterprise system, its<strong> trade</strong>-from protectionism to liberalization, and its <strong>social relations</strong>- from a rigidly hierarchical caste system to a more egalitarian policy affirming opportunities and outcomes for the &ldquo;lowest&rdquo; castes.</p>
<p>However, in recent years, a prominent change can be observed in the <strong>interpretation of History-</strong> wherein the present times the narrative around the contribution of past leaders is presented differently. One such example is of India&rsquo;s first Prime Minister- Jawahar Lal Nehru.</p>
<p>The five principal pillars of Nehru&rsquo;s legacy to India &mdash; <strong>Nation-building, Democratic institution-building, Secularism, Democratic Socialist economics, and a Novel foreign policy (Non-alignment, Panchsheel)</strong> still form the cardinal values of India.</p>
<p>However, some sections criticise Nehru&rsquo;s policies for being responsible for India&rsquo;s strategic failures as well as domestic problems like the Kashmir dispute. In this context, it is essential to understand the contribution of Nehru in the right context and its relevance for India today.</p>
<h3>Contribution of Nehru</h3>
<p><strong>Institutionalisation of Democracy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nehru was committed to the establishment of a strong Indian nation where the concept of equal rights of citizens would override all societal divisions.</li>
<li>Nehru&rsquo;s ideals envisioned in<strong> &lsquo;Objective Resolution&rsquo;,</strong> steered the Constituent Assembly to draw up a working constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It gave a tremendous leg up to the country&rsquo;s historically discriminated sections like Dalits and religious minorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It was he who established the robust tradition of parliamentary supremacy over the military that prevented India from<strong> becoming another junta-ruled Third World autocracy.</strong></li>
<li>The nature of the <strong>Nehruvian way of politics (debate and deliberation)</strong> led to development of respect for parliamentary procedures, abiding faith in the constitutional system.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Ideal of Secularism</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nehru believed that India belonged to all who had contributed to its history and civilisation, and that the majority community had a special obligation to protect the rights, and promote the well-being, of the minorities.</li>
<li>This helped in building the narrative of <strong>&lsquo;Unity in Diversity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Welfare State</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Through the planned economy approach, Nehru envisaged that in a land of extreme poverty and inequality, the objective of government policy must be the welfare of the poorest, most deprived and most marginalised of the people.</li>
<li>This notion drives the policy of successive governments that poverty and inequality in India cannot be tackled only by the market. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can be reflected in <strong>creation of a framework of rights,</strong> including the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> right to work</strong></a>, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the right to food</strong></a>, the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/right-to-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>right to education</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sc-order-on-land-acquisition" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>right to fair compensation for land</strong></a>, all of which have empowered the poorest of people in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Establishing Institutions of Excellence</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was Nehru who built the <strong>scientific base</strong> for India&rsquo;s space and engineering triumphs today. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With the establishment of what is now the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India has achieved the status of Space power today.</li>
<li>With the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) established in his tenure, Indians have a worldwide reputation for engineering excellence.</li>
<li>Also, he laid the foundations of a dual-track nuclear programme due to which India achieved nuclear-capable status.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the economic policies of investing in heavy industries and protecting the nascent manufacturing sector, helped India to substitute imports to a certain extent.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Foreign Policy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For Nehru, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revival-of-non-alignment-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-alignment (NAM)</strong></a> was the response to the bipolar divisions of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/cold-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cold War era</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After two centuries of British rule, Nehru was determined to protect the country&rsquo;s strategic autonomy without compromising independence by aligning itself to either superpower in the Cold War.</li>
<li>This policy of NAM, made India one of the most distinguished <strong>leaders of Third World solidarity,</strong> reached out to the rest of the colonised world, and forged a joint front against colonialism and a reinvented imperialism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Nehru was also a <strong>skilled exponent of soft power,</strong> much before the term was even coined.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He developed a role for India in the world based entirely on its civilisational history and its moral standing, as the voice of the oppressed and the marginalised against the hegemony of the day.</li>
<li>This gave India global reputation and prestige across the world for years, and strengthened our self-respect as we stood, proud and independent, on the global stage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The <strong>fears of growing intolerance, communalism and inequality</strong> which may disrupt social harmony; debates in Indian<strong> intelligentsia</strong> about the <strong>erosion of democratic values, freedom of speech and autonomy of public institutions;</strong> the emergence of a <strong>new era of the Cold War</strong> between the US and China, marks the relevance of Nehruvian ideology even today.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590753073_image.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590753073_image.jpg" 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: #ebedfa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss the contribution of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and its relevance for India, in present times.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Ks0nf8YLFw" 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/editorial/the-swarm-the-hindu-editorial-on-locust-attack/article31689895.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Swarm&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on May 28<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Rise in Foreign Direct Investment',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to data released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dipp-renamed-as-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)</strong></a>, total <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revised-fdi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)</strong></a> in India increased by<strong> 18% to $73.46 billion</strong> in the 2019-20 financial year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DPIIT is under the <strong>Ministry of Commerce and Industry.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Total FDI has<strong> doubled from the year 2013-14</strong> when it was only $36 billion.</li>
<li>The total investment by <strong>Foreign Institutional Investors</strong> was $247 million.</li>
<li>The <strong>sectors that attracted the most foreign inflows</strong> during 2019-20 included services, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, trading and automobiles.</li>
<li><strong>Singapore emerged as the largest equity FDI source,</strong> contributing to inflows of $14.67.</li>
<li>The inflows have been attributed to the government&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Make in India</strong> </a>programme.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Foreign Direct Investment</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FDI is an investment made by a firm or individual in one country into business interests located in another country.</li>
<li>Generally, FDI takes place when an investor establishes foreign business operations or acquires foreign business assets, including establishing ownership or controlling interest in a foreign company.</li>
<li>It is <strong>different from Foreign Portfolio Investment</strong> where the foreign entity merely buys equity shares of a company. FPI does not provide the investor with control over the business.</li>
<li><strong>Routes through which India gets FDI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Automatic Route:</strong> In this, the foreign entity does not require the prior approval of the government or the RBI.</li>
<li><strong>Government route:</strong> In this, the foreign entity has to take the approval of the government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP)</strong> facilitates the single window clearance of applications which are through approval route.</li>
<li>This portal is administered by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/total-fdi-jumps-18-to-73-46-billion-in-fy20-6432101/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
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		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'NHRC’s Notice to Government on Migrant Deaths',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nhrc-on-public-s-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)</strong></a> has issued notices to the Union Home Ministry, the Railway Board and the Bihar and Gujarat governments in connection with the <strong>reported deaths of some migrant workers on Shramik Special trains</strong> and the lack of food and water for the passengers on these trains.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government had <strong>started Shramik Special trains from 1<sup>st</sup> May, 2020</strong> to ferry migrant workers back to their home States after they were stranded in different parts of the country due the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-indian-federalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong></a> induced lockdown.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Most of these poor migrants were daily wage workers who lost their work and livelihood as businesses and establishments shut down. In the absence of money and jobs, and bereft of any food, savings, or shelter in large cities, they started moving back to their villages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>NHRC took suo motu (on its own) cognisance</strong> of media reports about the trains not only starting late, but also taking many more days to reach their destinations. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many migrant labourers lost their lives during their journey due to the longer duration and the absence of arrangements for drinking water and food.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to <strong>gross violation of human rights.</strong> The State has failed to protect the lives of the poor labourers on board the trains.</li>
<li>The NHRC has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Bihar and Gujarat governments, the chairman of the Railway Board and the Union Home Secretary, <strong>seeking their reports within four weeks.</strong></li>
<li>Also, recently, the <strong>Supreme Court</strong> directed that the State from where workers started their journey and the State where they were headed should pool their travel expenses between them. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During the train journey, railways would be in charge of providing migrant workers drinking water and meals. In case of bus journeys, the State where they started from had to take care of their food and water.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Human Rights Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Statutory Body:</strong> NHRC was established on 12<sup>th</sup> October, 1993. The statute under which it is established is the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The PHRA Act also provides for the creation of a State Human Rights Commission at the state level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In Line with Paris Principles:</strong> Paris Principles were adopted for the promotion and protection of human rights in October 1991, and were endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1993.</li>
<li><strong>Watchdog of Human Rights in the country:</strong> The NHRC is an embodiment of India&rsquo;s concern for the promotion and protection of human rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Section 2(1)(d) of the PHRA defines Human Rights as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition:</strong> The commission is a multi-member body consisting of a chairman and five members. The chairperson should be a retired chief justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.</li>
<li><strong>Appointment:</strong> The chairman and members are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a six-member committee consisting of the Prime Minister as its head, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, leaders of the Opposition in both the Houses of Parliament and the Union Home Minister.</li>
<li><strong>Tenure:</strong> The chairman and members hold office for a term of three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The President can remove the chairman or any member from the office under some circumstances.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Centre does not seem to have<strong> a nationwide action plan</strong> to tally the exact number of labourers stranded in various parts of the country. The government should work with the grass roots administrative mechanism, including the district and panchayats, to create lists accurately identifying the stranded workers.</li>
<li>Preparing a <strong>comprehensive database of the migrant</strong> workers&rsquo; source and destination, demography, employment patterns and skill sets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will help in skill development, providing social security benefits, planning for mass transit of migrant labour and preparing for any contingency plan in emergency situations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Migrant workers related issues have complex Centre-State and inter-State dimensions. There is a need to empowerthe<a href="/summary-of-important-reports/capacity-building-for-conflict-resolution-2nd-arc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Inter-State Council</strong></a>, set up under Article 263 of the Constitution to effectively and comprehensively deal with larger issues related to migrant workers.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nhrc-issues-notice-to-govt-on-migrant-deaths/article31697865.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/nhrc-s-notice-to-government-on-migrant-deaths'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Banana Covid: A Novel Fungal Strain',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a novel fungus strain <strong><em>Fusarium wilt TR4</em></strong> has started infecting the Banana plantations in India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been described as the equivalent of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> in Bananas. Similar to Covid-19, there is no treatment yet for the new fungal disease.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Epicentre:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the midst of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus disease outbreak</strong></a>, <em>Fusarium wilt TR4</em>, has devastated plantations across the globe.</li>
<li><strong>Ecuador,</strong> the largest exporter of Banana is currently the epicentre.</li>
<li>Banana is the world&rsquo;s most globally exported fruit and the disease is breaching borders through international trade.</li>
<li>The spreading disease has impacted the $26 billion global banana trade.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The strain, Tropical Race 4 (TR4):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was first identified in Taiwan, and has moved from Asia to the Middle East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America.</li>
<li>It cripples plantations by first attacking the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away.</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/deforestation-rate-declined" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations</strong></a>, TR4 is one of the <strong>&ldquo;the most destructive of all plant diseases&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The fungal strain is now spreading and threatening output in India, the world&rsquo;s largest producer of bananas.</li>
<li><strong>Katihar and Purnea in Bihar</strong> and <strong>Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh</strong> are the hotspots in India.</li>
<li>TR4 has infected the most commonly sold variety, <strong>Grand Nain (musa acuminata).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Grand Nain:</strong> It accounts for 55% of the banana area in the country and accounts for 62% of commerce, including exports.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Inability to contain TR4 could impact the farm incomes and push up banana prices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures to curb the spread:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Plant Quarantine:</strong> Scientists recommend biosecurity measures including &ldquo;plant quarantine&rdquo; to slow its spread.</li>
<li><strong>Growing Alternative Varieties:</strong> In hotspot Katihar, scientists have set up an experimental farm in which they are growing several cultivars. Cultivars are different varieties of the Banana species and have shown potential resistance to TR4</li>
<li><strong>Biopriming:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icar-to-set-up-farmers-innovation-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Agricultural Research</strong></a> is advocating a set of measures, known as <strong>Biopriming.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a treatment of seed with beneficial organisms, as an alternative to treatment with pesticides, prior to sowing.</li>
<li>Seed treatment integrates biological (vaccination of seed with beneficial organism to protect seed) and physiological aspects (seed hydration) of disease control.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chain of Infection:</strong> It suggests farmers to abandon the crops whose plantations have been affected and grow rice for a year or two before returning to banana. It would help in breaking the chain of infection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Banana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being a tropical crop banana grows well under the following conditions:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong> 15&ordm;C &ndash; 35&ordm;C</li>
<li><strong>Rainfall:</strong> an average rainfall of 650-750 mm</li>
<li><strong>Regional variation:</strong> Humid tropics to dry mild subtropics</li>
<li><strong>Soil:</strong> Deep, rich loamy soil is most preferred for banana cultivation</li>
<li><strong>Nutrients:</strong> It has several nutrients like calories, protein, carbohydrate, potassium and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Fusarium Wilt of Banana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is popularly known as <strong>Panama disease.</strong></li>
<li>It is a lethal fungal disease caused by the soil-borne fungus <em><strong>Fusarium oxysporum.</strong></em></li>
<li>It is the first disease of bananas to have spread globally in the first half of the 20<sup>th</sup> century.</li>
<li>Fusarium has entirely <strong>wiped out Gros Michel,</strong> the dominant export variety of bananas in the 1950s.</li>
<li>It was in response to this, a new resistant variety,<strong> Grand Nain,</strong> came up, which has now fallen to TR4 infection.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to identify or develop new resistant varieties. A concerted effort is also required from industry, research institutions, government and international organisations to prevent spread of the disease.</li>
<li>Banana plantation is a potential source for ensuring food security. Hence, it is vital for the countries to collaborate and mitigate solutions to prevent the loss of plantation due to fungal infection.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/now-banana-covid-hits-plantations/story-2ZViGgde0fer1eGi6BnF1N.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: HT</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/banana-covid-a-novel-fungal-strain'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'ADB Loan to Upgrade Maharashtra Roads',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Asian Development Bank (ADB)</strong> and the<strong> Government of India</strong> have signed a $177 million loan to upgrade state highways and major district roads in the state of Maharashtra.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Coverage:</strong> The project will upgrade 2 major district roads and 11 state highways, with a combined length of 450 km.</li>
<li><strong>Road safety audit framework:</strong> The project will strengthen road safety measures by developing a <strong>road safety audit framework</strong> that will protect vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children, following the best<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-road-safety-global-goals-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> international practices.</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong>Update the road maintenance system:</strong> The project will <strong>update the road maintenance system</strong> by encouraging 5-year performance-based maintenance obligations to contractors to sustain asset quality and service levels.</li>
<li><strong>Training PWD staff:</strong> The project will focus on training the<strong> Maharashtra Public Works Department</strong> project staff <strong>to build their capacity in climate change adaptation</strong> and<strong> disaster resilient features in road design, road maintenance planning and road safety.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Improve connectivity:</strong> It will improve connectivity to national highways, interstate roads, seaports, airports, rail hubs, district headquarters, industrial areas, enterprise clusters and agricultural areas.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Better connectivity will increase access to markets, employment opportunities and services.</li>
<li>Improved mobility will expand development and livelihood opportunities outside of the state&rsquo;s major urban centers to second-tier cities and towns thus reducing income disparities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Asian Development Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ADB is a <strong>regional development bank</strong> established on<strong> 19<sup>th</sup> December 1966.</strong></li>
<li>ADB now has <strong>68 members, 49 from within Asia.</strong></li>
<li>As of 31 December 2019, ADB&rsquo;s five largest shareholders are Japan and the United States (each with 15.6% of total shares), the People&rsquo;s Republic of China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).</li>
<li>It aims to promote social and economic development in <strong>Asia and the Pacific.</strong></li>
<li>ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.</li>
<li>ADB is <strong>headquartered in Manila, Philippines.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1627386" 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/adb-loan-to-upgrade-maharashtra-roads'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'USA Bill to Put Sanction on China',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the United States House of Representatives approved a legislation<strong> calling for sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for oppression of Uighur Muslims.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The bill calls for sanctions against those responsible for repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups in China&rsquo;s Xinjiang province.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong> </a>estimates, more than <strong>one million Uighurs Muslims and members of other largely Muslim minority groups</strong> have been <strong>detained in camps</strong> in <strong>Xinjiang</strong> in a crackdown.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bill also calls on USA companies or individuals operating in the Xinjiang region to take steps to ensure their products do not include parts using forced labor of Uighurs.</li>
<li>By passing the bill, the United States Congress has taken a firm step to counter China&rsquo;s human rights abuses against the Uighurs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has sent a clear message that the Chinese government cannot act with impunity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However,<strong> China denies the mistreatment in the camps</strong> and says the camps provide vocational training. China also <strong>refuses to allow independent inspections.</strong></li>
<li>The bill has now been sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to veto or sign into law.</li>
<li>This approval of legislation should be observed in the context of recent developments in the US-China relationship which have become increasingly tense. Few noteworthy developments are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 Blame:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-probe-into-covid-19-origin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA President has blamed China</strong></a> again and again for worsening the Covid-19 pandemic.</li>
<li><strong>Trade War:</strong> Growing <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/trade-war-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>trade war</strong></a> between USA and China.</li>
<li><strong>Issue of Panchen Lama: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/release-of-11th-panchen-lama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over the release of Tibetan Buddhism&rsquo;s 11<sup>th</sup> Panchen Lama</a>,</strong> who was taken into captivity at the age of six.</li>
<li><strong>Hong Kong&rsquo;s Autonomy:</strong> China has approved a proposal for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-security-law-in-hong-kong" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bringing new national security legislation</strong></a> in Hong Kong, despite apprehensions raised by the USA.</li>
<li><strong>South China Sea:</strong> China&rsquo;s growing assertiveness <strong>over the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/china-in-south-china-sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Sea</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Uighurs Muslims</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Uighurs are a predominantly <strong>Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group,</strong> whose <strong>origins can be traced to Central and East Asia.</strong></li>
<li>The Uighurs are considered to be one of the 55 officially recognized ethnic minority communities in China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, <strong>China recognises the community only as a regional minority</strong> and rejects that they are an indigenous group.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Currently, the largest population of the Uighur ethnic community lives in<strong> Xinjiang region of China.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A significant population of Uighurs also lives in the neighbouring Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the USA signing out of major global deals and taking a backstage in global scenario, China certainly has taken advantage of this and has become more assertive in recent past. It&rsquo;s up to the global community now to fix responsibility and accountability of major powers according to international laws and humanitarian values.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-china-xinjiang/u-s-bill-to-pressure-china-over-uighur-rights-goes-to-trump-for-decision-idINKBN2340QR" 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/usa-bill-to-put-sanction-on-china'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Drop in Institutional Deliveries',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the data from the states of <strong>Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand</strong> has reported a <strong>drop in the institutional deliveries.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Current Scenario in Two States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chattisgarh:</strong> It has recorded a<strong> drop by 15.39 % in April</strong> compared to the numbers recorded in March.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In February 2020, before the lockdown was imposed, the State had recorded 37,984 institutional deliveries . But following the lockdown, the number of institutional deliveries fell to 32,529.</li>
<li>The State has recorded an increase in the percentage of institutional deliveries from 44.9 to 70.2 between NFHS 3 (2005-06) and NFHS 4 (2015-16).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jharkhand:</strong> The state had listed 52,000 women for scheduled deliveries in May, out of these only 5.9 % of these were conducted in medical institutions by May 21.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The State has recorded an increase in the percentage of institutional deliveries from 40.1 % to 61.9 % between NFHS 3 (2005-06) and NFHS 4 (2015-16).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Drop in Institutional Deliveries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>public transport</strong> has been majorly affected due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>nationwide lockdown</strong></a> <strong>imposed</strong> to contain the spread of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19 pandemic.</a>&nbsp;</strong>Thus reaching hospitals from villages became difficult.</li>
<li>The declared Covid-19 hospitals have created a <strong>fear of infection</strong> and thus people are <strong>avoiding physical contacts</strong> with the hospitals.</li>
<li>Many deliveries are<strong> being carried out at small private nursing homes</strong> to avoid movement and related Covid-19 spread.</li>
<li>The entire health machinery is battling Covid-19, so <strong>non-Covid health services experience a lack of medical staff.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Institutional Deliveries in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Institutional delivery means <strong>giving birth to a child in a medical institution</strong> under the overall<strong> supervision of trained and competent health personnel.</strong></li>
<li>It also signifies an availability of amenities to handle the situation and save the life of the mother and child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over the past two decades, India has made <strong>progress in increasing the number of institutional deliveries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4)</strong></a>, institutional deliveries have<strong> increased from 39% in 2005-06 to 79% in 2015-16.</strong></li>
<li>Further, the institutional births in public institutions have<strong> increased from 18% to 52%</strong> in the same time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Step Taken to Increase Institutional Deliveries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Janani Suraksha Yojana :</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)</strong></a> is a <strong>100% <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centrally sponsored scheme</a></strong> which is being implemented with the objective of<strong> reducing maternal and infant mortality</strong> by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA):</strong> It has been launched to focus on conducting special AnteNatal Check-ups (ANC) check up on 9th of every month with the help of Medical officers to detect and<strong> treat cases of anaemia.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) :</strong> It is a<strong> maternity benefit programme</strong> being implemented in all districts of the country with effect from 1st January, 2017.</li>
<li><strong>LaQshya Programme : <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/laqshya-labour-room-quality-improvement-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LaQshya (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative)</a></strong> intended to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The entire health machinery is battling Covid-19 but non-Covid health services <strong>should not compromise</strong> which are the<strong> base of the health infrastructure</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>The government should ensure adequate<strong> availability of medical staff, emergency medical services</strong> such as ambulance, vaccinations, maternity care,etc. to the <strong>urban as well as rural areas.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>balance of the Covid and non-Covid medical services</strong> is need of the hour and the government needs to ensure the implementation of the same in the future.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/coronavirus-lockdown-institutional-deliveries-dip-in-chhattisgarh-jharkhand-6432219/" 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/drop-in-institutional-deliveries'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => '22nd Meeting of FSDC',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>22<sup>nd</sup> meeting</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/financial-stability-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)</strong></a> chaired by the <strong>Finance Minister</strong> was held through a video conference.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting reviewed issues relating to market volatility, domestic resource mobilisation and capital flows in the country in the wake of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> nation-wide lockdown</strong></a> imposed to contain it.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Financial Stability and Development Council</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) is a<strong> non-statutory apex</strong> council under the<strong> Ministry of Finance</strong> constituted by the <strong>Executive Order</strong> in <strong>2010.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Raghuram Rajan committee (2008)</strong> on financial sector reforms first proposed the creation of FSDC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>chaired by the Finance Minister</strong> and its members include the heads of all Financial Sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA &amp; IRDA), Finance Secretary, Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Financial Services (DFS), and Chief Economic Adviser.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2018, the government reconstituted FSDC to include the Minister of State responsible for the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Chairperson of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)</strong></a> and the Revenue Secretary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>FSDC <strong>sub-committee</strong> is<strong> headed</strong> by the <strong>Governor of RBI.</strong></li>
<li>The Council<strong> can invite experts</strong> to its meeting if required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The objective of FSDC is<strong> to strengthen and institutionalize</strong> the mechanism for maintaining<strong> financial stability,</strong> enhancing<strong> inter-regulatory coordination</strong> and promoting financial sector development.</li>
<li>It also intends to monitor macro-prudential supervision of the economy. It will assess the functioning of the large financial conglomerates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 as a Threat to Global Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Council has noted that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-on-global-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to the stability of the global financial system</strong></a>, as the ultimate impact of the crisis and the <strong>timing of recovery remains uncertain.</strong></li>
<li>The pandemic has thrown the global economy into its <strong>worst recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s,</strong> and India is no exception.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Projected Domestic Economic Growth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Domestic economic growth is expected to <strong>contract for the first time in forty years in FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021).</strong></li>
<li>Crisil, Goldman Sachs and Fitch Ratings have projected the Indian economy to contract 5% during the current financial year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Announced Measures and its Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Council quoted the various<strong> short term</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fiscal measures taken by the government</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-s-covid-19-economic-relief-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>monetary measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong></a> to address the liquidity and capital requirements of the financial institutions to manage the economic scenario due to global pandemic.</li>
<li>It also reviewed the <strong>liquidity and solvency position</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/liquidity-boost-to-nbfcs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>housing finance companies</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/guidelines-for-licencing-of-small-finance-banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>micro-finance institutions</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Moratoriums on loan payments due to pandemic induced lockdowns have put a pressure on inflows of these companies while banks have turned resistant to lend them in the wake of possible defaults. NBFCs have also sought moratorium on their dues to banks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government and Regulators:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It highlighted the need for the <strong>government and regulators to remain vigilant</strong> on financial conditions that could expose systemic vulnerabilities in the<strong> medium and long-term.</strong></li>
<li>The Council stressed that the government and regulators would continue to provide <strong>liquidity and capital support</strong> to domestic financial institutions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is expected to provide comfort to the markets, which are disturbed by the extreme volatility due to pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The financial system resilience, fiscal support, regulatory flexibility and liquidity provision announced till date have ensured that the financial system is supportive of economic recovery but <strong>more protracted slowdown may present new risks to the financial system.</strong></li>
<li>There is a possibility that the current crisis<strong> may transform from a &ldquo;liquidity phase" into a &ldquo;solvency phase".</strong> Thus, governments need to consider a range of policy tools, including efficient bankruptcy and restructuring systems, government guarantees for private investments, programmes for sector-specific government equity injections, and establishing asset management companies.</li>
<li>Thus, FSDC is expected to take further appropriate measures to bolster the liquidity and capital base of domestic financial institutions which would stabilize financial sectors for long term.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/fm-nirmala-sitharaman-takes-stock-of-economy-in-1st-fsdc-meet-after-covid-outbreak-6432097/" 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/22nd-meeting-of-fsdc'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Veer Savarkar Jayanti',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why In News</h3>
<p>On <strong>28<sup>th</sup> May,</strong> India paid tribute to the freedom fighter, <strong>Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Savarkar)</strong> on his<strong> birth anniversary.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590737153_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590737153_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He was an Indian independence activist, politician, lawyer and writer.</li>
<li>He is also known as <strong>Swatantryaveer Savarkar.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> VD Savarkar was born on <strong>28<sup>th</sup> May,&nbsp;</strong>1883 in Bhagur, a village near Nashik in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Related Organisations and Work:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded a secret society called <strong>Abhinav Bharat Society.</strong></li>
<li>Went to the United Kingdom and was involved with organizations such as <strong>India House</strong> and the <strong>Free India Society.</strong></li>
<li>Involved in the formation of <strong>Hindu Mahasabha.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was the <strong>president of Hindu Mahasabha from 1937 to 1943.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Savarkar wrote a book titled <strong>&lsquo;The History of the War of Indian Independence&rsquo;</strong> in which he wrote about the guerilla warfare tricks used in <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-179" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>1857 Sepoy Mutiny</strong></a>.</li>
<li>He also wrote the book<strong> &lsquo;Hindutva: who is hindu?&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trial and Sentences:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Arrested in 1909 on charges of plotting an armed revolt against the <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-193" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Morley-Minto reform (Indian Councils Act 1909)</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Arrested in 1910 for his<strong> connections with the revolutionary group India House.</strong></li>
<li>One of the charges on Savarkar was abetment to murder of Nashik Collector Jackson and the second was waging a conspiracy under Indian penal code 121-A against the King emperor.</li>
<li>Following the two trials, Savarkar was convicted and sentenced to<strong> 50-years imprisonment also known as Kala Pani</strong> and transported in 1911 to the <strong>Cellular Jail</strong> in the <strong>Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</strong></li>
<li>He was<strong> not considered by the British government as a political prisoner.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> He died on 26<sup>th</sup> February 1966 due to fasting on his own wish of death.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Abhinav Bharat Society (Young India Society)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a secret society founded by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and his brother Ganesh Damodar Savarkar in 1904.</li>
<li>Initially founded at Nasik as Mitra Mela, the society was associated with several revolutionaries and political activists with branches in various parts of India and London.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>India House</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was founded by <strong>Shyamji Kishan Verma</strong> in 1905 in London.</li>
<li>It was opened to promote nationalist views among Indian students in London.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Free India Society</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a political organization of Indian students in England, committed to obtaining the independence of India from British rule.</li>
<li>Initially an intellectual group, it became a revolutionary outfit under its founding leader, <strong>Madam Bhikaji Cama.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Hindu Mahasabha</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a political party formed in <strong>1933.</strong></li>
<li>It was founded by Veer Damodar Savarkar, Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Mohan Malviya.</li>
<li>The organisation was formed to protect the rights of the Hindu community, after the formation of the All India Muslim League in 1906 and the British India government's creation of separate Muslim electorate under the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1627350" 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/veer-savarkar-jayanti'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'State Election Commission’s Autonomy',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/securing-election-commissions-autonomy-6428281/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Securing Election Commission&rsquo;s autonomy</strong></a> published in The Indian Express on 26/05/2020. It talks about the challenges with the functioning of the election commission institution in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Free and fair elections form the bedrock of a democratic country. In India, the constitution envisages an <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India</strong></a> (ECI) and State Election Commissions (SEC) for every state to safeguard the free and fair election and grants them with certain constitutional safeguards to secure their independent functioning.</p>
<p>However, the recent <strong>removal of Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner via an ordinance route</strong> is an example encroaching upon the independence of the Constitutional body especially in the light of political accusations and vested interests.</p>
<p>This development not only threatens institutional autonomy but also falls foul of the constitutional provisions. Though the Election Commission of India is facing issues of autonomy due to political interference, the situation at the level of state election commission is more grim.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The ordinance promulgated by Andhra Pradesh Governor reduced the term of State Election Commissioner in the state from five years to three years and altered the qualifications (only those who served as a High Court judge can now occupy the post, earlier it was an officer of the rank of Principal Secretary &amp; above) required to be the SEC.</p>
</div>
<h3>Significance of Election Commission Institution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>guardian</strong> of free and reasonable elections in India.</li>
<li>It enforces the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/democracy-model-code-conduct-india-polity-governance-election-commission-gktoday-insights-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct (MCC)</strong></a> before every election to be followed by the different candidates and parties so that the decorum of the electoral process is maintained well.</li>
<li>It creates awareness about the electoral process and electoral governance amongst stakeholders namely, voters, political parties, election functionaries, candidates and people at large; and to enhance and strengthen confidence and trust in the electoral system of this country.</li>
<li>The Election Commission prescribes the limits of campaign expenditure by the candidates and parties and monitors the spending too.</li>
<li>The body also mandates that the political parties submit their audited financial reports regularly.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>State Election Commissions (SECs)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The State Election Commission has been entrusted with the function of conducting free, fair and impartial elections to the local bodies in the state.</li>
<li><strong>Article 243K(1):</strong> It states that the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats (Municipalities under Article 243ZA) shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor.</li>
<li><strong>Article 243K(2):</strong> It states that the tenure and appointment will be directed as per the law made by the state legislature. However, State Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his/her office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of a High Court.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges With Functioning of Election Commission Institution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Autonomy:</strong> Although the state election commission on many occasions tried to exercise its duties enshrined in the constitution of India, they struggled to assert their independence. For example:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In Maharashtra, SEC had asserted that he should have the power to hold elections to the offices of mayor, deputy mayor, sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.</li>
<li>On the contrary, he was arrested and sent to jail for two days in March 2008 after the Legislative Assembly found him guilty of breach of privilege in an alleged conflict over his jurisdiction and powers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Safeguard for SEC:</strong> Though the State Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his/her office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of a High Court (Art 243K(2)), yet it has been diluted on many instances.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the <strong>Aparmita Prasad Singh vs. State of U.P.</strong> (2007) the Allahabad High Court held that if the Governor has power to fix or prescribe tenure by rule, he also enjoys the power to amend the rule, either for extending the term of the tenure or reducing the same.</li>
<li>Once the prescribed tenure comes to end, the incumbent SEC must cease to hold office and this shall not amount to removal from office.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Non Uniform Service Conditions for SECs:</strong> Article 243K(2) states that the tenure and appointment will be directed as per the law made by the state legislature and thus each SEC is governed by a separate state Act.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This gives power to states to amend rules unilaterally and even sometimes take ordinance routes to bypass legislative scrutiny like the recent example of Andhra Pradesh SEC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Supreme Court Directive</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state governments need to follow the guidelines given by the Supreme Court in <strong>Kishan Singh Tomar vs Municipal Corporation</strong> of Ahmedabad case:</li>
<li>The provisions of Article 243K of the Constitution, which provides for setting up of SECs, are almost identical to those of Article 324 related to the ECI.</li>
<li>Also, the state governments should abide by orders of the SECs during the conduct of the panchayat and municipal elections, just like they follow the instructions of the EC during Assembly and Parliament polls.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second Administrative Reforms Commission Recommendation</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Constitution of the State Election Commission:</strong> The State Election Commissioner should be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a collegium, comprising the Chief Minister, the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly and the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.</li>
<li>An institutional mechanism should be created to bring the Election Commission of India and the SECs on a common platform for coordination, learning from each other&rsquo;s experiences and sharing of resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Law Commission 255<sup>th</sup> Report on Electoral Reforms</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended, to add a new sub-clause to Article 324 of the Constitution to provide for a separate independent and permanent Secretariat for the ECI along the lines of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariats under Article 98 of the Constitution.</li>
<li>Similar provisions can also be made for the State Election Commissions to ensure autonomy, and free and fair local body election.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Election commissions are one of the bulwarks of the democratic system in India and thus securing their institutional integrity is a task that falls on all three branches &mdash;executive, judiciary and legislature. The unwarranted interference by one organ of the state in the functioning of others should be discouraged to achieve a robust electoral system.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590665948_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590665948_image1.png" 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: #fffbe0;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Free and fair elections form the bedrock of a democratic country.&rdquo; In the light of the statement critically analyse the role of the election authorities in India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jqp8b1xSLn0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/unlocking-justice-6428688/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Unlocking Justice&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on May 27<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/state-election-commission-s-autonomy'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'MSMEs Loans to Get ‘Risk-Free’ Tag',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>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 (RBI)</strong></a> is likely to <strong>allow banks to assign zero risk weight for loans</strong> that will be extended to the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs)</strong></a> under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rs.20 lakh crore economic package</strong></a> announced by the Union government.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As a part of the package, a Rs.3 lakh crore loan for the MSME sector was announced.</li>
<li>However, such loans <strong>would attract a risk weight of a minimum 20%</strong> since these loans <strong>did not come with direct government guarantee.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The claims will not be settled unconditionally. The government will ask questions and see the loan appraisal process once a claim is made when the borrower defaults.</li>
<li>And, if the claim is not settled, banks have to make provision in line with the age of default.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This facility is similar to the loans that are guaranteed by the <strong>Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).</strong></li>
<li>The government has made available a corpus of Rs. 41,600 crore for the Rs. 3 lakh crore scheme. The<strong> government is factoring in less than 15%<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/solving-the-npa-crisis-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> non-performing assets</a>, as of now.</strong></li>
<li>After banks highlighted the issue of risk weight associated with the loan with the government, the government has asked the RBI to waive the requirement of assigning a risk weight to the loans.</li>
<li><strong>Benefit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Zero risk would mean that banks will not have to set aside additional capital for these loans.</li>
<li>The move will encourage lenders to extend credit, as banks have turned risk averse and have been reluctant to lend.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rs. 3 lakh crore scheme</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the scheme,<strong> 100% guarantee coverage</strong> will be provided by the <strong>National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC)</strong> to eligible MSMEs, in the form of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Though primarily meant for the MSME sector, other small borrowers including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)</strong></a> can also avail themselves of the scheme.</li>
<li>The <strong>tenure of loan under this scheme is four years</strong> with a moratorium period of one year on the principal amount.</li>
<li>The scheme would be applicable to all loans sanctioned under GECL till 31st October, 2020 or till an amount of Rs.3 lakh crore is sanctioned, whichever is earlier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Credit offered by CGTMSE</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)</strong> was set up by the <strong>Government of India</strong> and <strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).</strong></li>
<li>CGTMSE has introduced a new <strong>"Hybrid Security"</strong> product allowing guarantee cover for the portion of the credit facility not covered by collateral security.</li>
<li>In the partial collateral security model, the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) will be allowed to obtain collateral security for a part of the credit facility, whereas the remaining part of the credit facility, up to a maximum of Rs. 200 lakh, can be covered under Credit <strong>Guarantee Scheme</strong> of CGTMSE.</li>
<li>The main objective is that the <strong>lender should give importance to project viability and secure the credit facility</strong> purely on the primary security of the assets financed.</li>
<li>The other objective is that the <strong>lender availing guarantee facility should endeavor to give composite credit to the borrowers</strong> so that the borrowers obtain both term loan and working capital facilities from a single agency.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) is a <strong>Union Government Company.</strong> It is classified as a company<strong> limited by shares.</strong></li>
<li>It was set up by the Government of India to, inter alia, <strong>act as a common trustee company to manage and operate various credit guarantee trust funds.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/loans-to-msmes-may-get-risk-free-tag/article31689534.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/msmes-loans-to-get-risk-free-tag'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Indian Political Thinker - BR Ambedkar',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-129th-birth-anniversary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar</strong></a>, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was one of the main architects of the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>He was a very well known political leader, philosopher, writer, economist, scholar and a social reformer who dedicated his life to eradicating untouchability and other social inequality in India.</li>
<li>He was born on 14 April 1891 in Madhya Pradesh in Hindu Mahar Caste. He had to face severe discriminations from every corner of the society as the Mahar caste was viewed as "untouchable" by the upper class.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Main Architect of Indian Constitution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Babasaheb Ambedkar's legal expertise and knowledge of the <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-polity/important-sources-of-the-indian-constitution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Constitution of different countries</strong></a> was very helpful in the framing of the constitution. He became <strong>chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly</strong> and played an important role in framing the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>Among others, his most important contributions were in areas of fundamental rights, strong central government and protection of minorities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Article 32</strong> guarantees judicial protection to the Fundamental Rights which makes them meaningful. For him, Article 32 was the most important article of the constitution and thus, he referred to it<strong> "soul of the Constitution and very heart of it".</strong></li>
<li><strong>He supported a strong central government.</strong> He was afraid that Casteism is more powerful at the local and provincial levels, and the government at this level might not protect the interest of lower caste under pressure of upper caste. Since the National government is less influenced by these pressures, they will ensure protection to lower caste.</li>
<li>He was also afraid that the minority which is the most vulnerable group in the nation may convert into political minorities too. So democratic rule of 'One man one vote' is not sufficient and the minority should be guaranteed a share in power. <strong>He was against 'Majoritarianism Syndrome'</strong> and provided many safeguards in the Constitution for the minorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian constitution is the lengthiest constitution in the world because various administrative details have been included. Babasaheb defended it saying that we have created a democratic political structure in a traditional society. If all details are not included, future leaders may misuse the Constitution without technically violating it. Such safeguards are necessary. This shows that he was aware of the practical difficulties which India will face once the Constitution would have been implemented.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Constitutional Morality</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In Babasaheb Ambedkar&rsquo;s perspective,<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/constitutional-morality" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Constitutional morality</strong></a> would mean effective coordination between conflicting interests of different people and administrative cooperation.</li>
<li>It will help to resolve the conflict amicably without any confrontation amongst the various groups working for the realization of their ends at any cost.</li>
<li>According to him, for India, where society is divided on the basis of caste, religion, language, and other factors, a common moral compass is needed, and the Constitution can play the role of that compass.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Democracy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He had complete faith in democracy. While dictatorship may produce quick results, it can not be a valid form of government. Democracy is superior as it enhances liberty. He supported the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/parliamentary-reforms-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>parliamentary form of democracy</strong></a>, which aligns with other national leaders.</li>
<li>He emphasized<strong> 'democracy as a way of life',</strong> i.e. democracy not only in the political sphere but also in the personal, social and economic sphere.</li>
<li>For him, democracy must bring a drastic change in social conditions of society, otherwise the spirit of political democracy i.e. 'one man and one vote' would be missing. Democratic government can arise only from a democratic society, so as long as caste hurdles exist in Indian society, real democracy can not operate. So he focused on the spirit of fraternity and equality as the base of democracy to bring out social democracy.</li>
<li>Along with the social dimension, Ambedkar focused on the economic dimension also. While he was influenced by liberalism and parliamentary democracy, he also found the limitation of them. As per him, parliamentary democracy ignored social and economic inequality. It only focused on liberty while true democracy must bring both liberty and equality.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Social Reforms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Babasaheb had devoted his life to remove untouchability. He believed that the progress of the nation would not be realized without the removal of untouchability, which means the abolition of the caste system in totality. He studied Hindu philosophical traditions and made a critical assessment of them.</li>
<li>For him, Untouchability is the slavery of the entire Hindu society. While Untouchables are enslaved by Caste Hindus, Caste Hindus themselves live under slavery of religious sculptures. So the emancipation of the untouchables leads to the emancipation of the whole Hindu society.</li>
<li><strong>Priority to Social Reform:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>He believed that Economic and Political issues must be resolved only after achieving the goal of social justice.</strong> If political emancipation precedes social emancipation, it will lead to the rule of upper-caste Hindu, and atrocities on Lower Caste.</li>
<li>The idea that economic progress will lead to social justice is ill-founded as Casteism is an expression of the Mental Slavery of Hindus. <strong>So for social reform, Casteism has to do away with.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Social reforms consisted of family reform and religious reforms.</strong> Family reforms included removal of practices like child marriage etc. He strongly supports the empowerment of women. He supports women&rsquo;s rights of property which he resolved through Hindu Code Bill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Caste:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The caste system has made Hindu society stagnant which creates hurdles in integration with outsiders. Even internally, Hindu society fails to satisfy the test of a homogeneous society, as it is just a conglomeration of different castes. The caste system does not allow lower castes to prosper which led to moral degradation. Battle for the removal of untouchability becomes the battle for human rights and justice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Factsheet</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1923, he set up the<strong> 'Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association)&rsquo;,</strong> which was devoted to spreading education and culture amongst the downtrodden.</li>
<li>The temple entry movement launched by Dr. Ambedkar in 1930 at Kalaram temple, Nasik is another landmark in the struggle for human rights and social justice.</li>
<li>Dr. Ambedkar <strong>attended all the three Round Table Conferences (1930-32)</strong> in London and each time, forcefully projected his views in the interest of the 'untouchable'.</li>
<li>In<strong> 1932,</strong> Gandhi ji protested Communal Award of a separate electorate by fasting while imprisoned in the Yerwada Central Jail of Poona. This resulted in the<strong> Poona Pact</strong> wherein Gandhi ji ended his fast and Babasaheb dropped his demand for a separate electorate. Instead, a <strong>certain number of seats were reserved specifically for the &lsquo;Depressed Class&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>In 1936, Babasaheb Ambedkar founded the<strong> Independent Labour Party.</strong></li>
<li>In 1939, during the Second World War, he called upon Indians to join the Army in large numbers to defeat Nazism, which he said, was another name for Fascism.</li>
<li>On October 14, 1956 he embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers. The same year he completed his last writing <strong>'Buddha and His Dharma'.</strong></li>
<li>In 1990, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, was bestowed with <strong>Bharat Ratna.</strong></li>
<li>The period from 14<sup>th</sup> April 1990 - 14<sup>th</sup> April 1991 was observed as<strong> 'Year of Social Justice'</strong> in the memory of Babasaheb.</li>
<li><strong>Dr. Ambedkar Foundation</strong> was established by the Government of India under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on March 24, 1992 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main objective of the foundation is to oversee the implementation of programmes and activities for furthering the ideology and message of Babasaheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar among the masses in India as well as abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Few important works of Dr. Ambedkar:</strong> Mook Nayak (weekly) 1920; Janta (weekly) 1930; The Annihilation of Caste 1936; The Untouchables 1948; Buddha Or Karl Marx 1956, etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Methods Adopted to Remove Untouchability</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Creating self-respect among untouchables by removing the myth of inherent pollution that has influenced their minds.</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For Babasaheb, knowledge is a liberating force. One of the reasons for the degradation of untouchables was that they were denied the advantages of education. He criticized the British for not doing enough for the education of the lower caste. He insisted on secular education to instill values of liberty and equality among the students.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic progress:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He wanted untouchables to free themselves from the bondage of the village community and traditional jobs. He wanted them to achieve new skills and start a new profession and move to cities to take advantage of industrialization. He described villages as 'a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow mindedness, and communalism'.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political strength:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He wanted untouchables to organize themselves politically. With political power, untouchables would be able to protect, safeguard and introduce new emancipatory policies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conversion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When he realized that Hinduism is not able to mend its ways, he adopted Buddhism and asked his followers to do the same. For him, Buddhism was based on humanism and believed in the spirit of equality and fraternity.</li>
<li>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m reborn, rejecting the religion of my birth. I discard the religion which discriminates between a man and a man and which treats me as an inferior&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>So at the social level, education; at the material level, new means of livelihood; at political level, political organization; and the spiritual level, self-assertion, and conversion constituted an overall program of the removal of untouchability.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Relevance of Ambedkar in Present Times</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Caste-based inequality in India still persists. While Dalits have acquired a political identity through <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reservation</strong></a> and forming their own political parties, they lack behind in social dimensions (health and education) and economic dimension.</li>
<li>There has been a rise of communal polarization and communalization of politics. It is necessary that Ambedkar's vision of constitutional morality must supersede religious morality to avoid permanent damage to the Indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to historian R.C Guha, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is a unique example of success even in most adverse situations. Today India is facing many socio-economic challenges such as casteism, <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/communalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>communalism</strong></a>, separatism, <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/inequality-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>gender inequality</strong></a>, etc. We need to find the Ambedkar's spirit within us, so that we can pull ourselves from these challenges.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Important Links</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-63rd-mahaparinirvan-diwas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>B R Ambedkar&rsquo;s 63<sup>rd</sup> Mahaparinirvan Diwas</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/secularism-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Secularism</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-gender-equality-versus-religious-practices" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gender equality versus Religious practices</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basic-structure-of-constitution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Basic Structure of Constitution</strong></a></li>
<li>Representation of People&rsquo;s Act- <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/representation-of-people-s-act-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Part 1</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-representation-of-the-people-act-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part2</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance: Umang Mobile App',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has added the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/heat-waves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)</strong></a> weather services to the Umang Mobile App.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>By using the IMD services on the App the users will be able to check the weather forecast of their city in advance.</li>
<li>It will forecast 7 weather related services including current weather, rainfall information, warnings, cyclones, etc.</li>
<li>This digital initiative of IMD would provide weather service with detailed information such as humidity, sunrise, sunset, temperature etc.</li>
<li>The forecast services would help in predicting a seven days forecast in advance of any city along with past 24 hours of weather data.</li>
<li>It would be<strong> significant for the farmers</strong> to get timely updates regarding the weather conditions and in taking the precautions.</li>
<li>Overall it would help in the<strong> prevention of lives, livelihood and loss of property</strong> due to extreme weather conditions.</li>
<li>Umang App provides a single platform for all Indian citizens to access pan India <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-Government services</strong></a> ranging from central to local government bodies and other citizen centric services.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance: The UMANG Mobile App</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multi-lingual, multi-service mobile app.</li>
<li>It is a Digital India initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It provides seamless integration with popular customer centric services like Aadhaar and Digilocker.</li>
<li>It provides a unified approach where one can install one application to avail multiple government services.</li>
<li>It can be accessed on multiple channels like mobile application, web, and SMS which can be accessed through smartphones, tablets and desktops.</li>
<li>It has a rich multimedia interface with a focus on maximizing usability and enriching user experience.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Services provided by the app:</strong> It is a unified application that can be used to avail a number of pan India e-government services such as: Filing income tax, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epfo-disbursed-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO)</strong></a> services, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aadhar</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/streamlining-of-national-pension-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pension</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-primary-education-challenges-and-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ePathshala</strong></a>, e- Land Records, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revamp-of-the-crop-insurance-schemes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Crop Insurance</strong></a> etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1626146" 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/unified-mobile-application-for-new-age-governance-umang-mobile-app'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Invasive Species: Charru Mussel',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>An invasive species named <strong>Charru mussel <em>(Mytella strigata)</em>,</strong> native to the South and Central American coasts, is spreading quickly in the backwaters of Kerala.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reasons for the spread:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Charru mussel may have reached the Indian shores attached to ship hulls or as larval forms in ballast water discharges.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ballast is the seawater that ships carry to improve stability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Cyclone Ockhi which struck the region (South India, Sri Lanka, Maldives) in 2017, may have sped up their invasion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Areas impacted:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The surveys conducted in Kerala has found<strong> presence of Charru mussel in many estuaries/backwaters of Kerala,</strong> which include Kadinamkulam, Paravur, Edava-Nadayara, Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam, Vembanad, Chettuva and Ponnani etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The backwaters of Kerala comprise stretches of lakes, canals and lagoons located parallel to the coast of the Arabian Sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Ashtamudi Lake, a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addition-to-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ramsar site</strong> </a>in Kollam district is the worst-hit due to Charu mussel. Here, <strong>Charru mussel has replaced the Asian green mussel</strong> (Perna viridis) and the <strong>edible oyster Magallana bilineata</strong> (known locally as muringa).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>proliferation of Charu mussel poses a serious threat to the endemic species diversity</strong> of brackish water habitats of Kerala coast.</li>
<li>This invasive species is forcing out<strong> other mussel</strong> and <strong>clam species</strong> in the backwaters and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen engaged in molluscan fisheries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In Ashtamudi lake, the<strong> short-necked clam fisheries</strong> has obtained an <strong>eco label</strong> from the <strong>Marine Stewardship Council</strong> and about 3,000 people are dependent on fisheries here.</li>
<li><strong>"Ecolabelling"</strong> is a voluntary method of environmental performance certification and labelling that is practised around the world.</li>
<li>An ecolabel identifies products or services proven environmentally preferable overall, within a specific product or service category.</li>
<li>The Marine Stewardship Council is an independent<strong> non-profit organization</strong> which sets a standard for sustainable fishing. It is <strong>headquartered in London.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In such a scenario, the fast-breeding Charru mussel could be seen as a <strong>&lsquo;pest&rsquo; attack</strong> on clam fishery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Invasive Species</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An invasive species is an organism <strong>that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area</strong> and <strong>causes harm.</strong></li>
<li>They are capable of causing <strong>extinctions of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats.</strong></li>
<li>They can be<strong> introduced to an area by ship ballast water, accidental release, and most often, by people.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mussel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mussel is a common name for numerous <strong>bivalve mollusks</strong> belonging to the <strong>marine family Mytilidae</strong> and to the <strong>freshwater family Unionidae.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mollusks are <strong>soft-bodied invertebrates of the phylum Mollusca,</strong> usually <strong>wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate shell</strong> secreted by a soft mantle covering the body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Worldwide, they are most <strong>commonly found in cool seas.</strong></li>
<li>In India, two species of marine mussels, <strong>green mussel</strong> <em>(Perna viridis)</em>, and the <strong>brown mussel,</strong> <em>(P. indica)</em> are found in the coastal areas. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farming of green mussels <strong>is now established as a commercial practice</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Charru mussel is native to the South and Central American coast.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Their colour varies from black to brown, purple or dark green.</li>
<li>They can survive in a range of salinity and temperature but cannot survive beyond 36 degree celcius.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Completely eradicating the Charru mussel from Indian waters is going to be nearly impossible, so limiting its spread is crucial.</li>
<li>There is also a need to promote studies on invasion biology and strengthen awareness on marine invasive species.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/invasive-mussel-spreads-in-backwaters/article31689771.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/invasive-species-charru-mussel'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'World Dugong Day 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Dugong Day</strong> is celebrated on <strong>28<sup>th</sup> May, every year.</strong></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590658425_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590658425_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dugong</strong> <em>(Dugong dugon)</em> also called<strong> &lsquo;Sea Cow&rsquo;</strong> is one of the four surviving species in the Order Sirenia and it is the<strong> only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea</strong> including in India.</li>
<li>They are listed as<strong> Vulnerable</strong> on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IUCN Red List</strong></a> and are protected in<strong> India</strong> under <strong>Schedule I</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wild (Life) Protection Act, 1972</strong></a>.</li>
<li>According to a 2013 survey report of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), there were only about 200 dugongs in the <strong>Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu,</strong> the <strong>Andaman and Nicobar Islands</strong> and the <strong>Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat.</strong></li>
<li>Dugongs are an<strong> important part of the marine ecosystem</strong> and their depletion will have effects all the way up the food chain.<strong> Proper conservation</strong> is the only way to save dugongs from extinction.</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dugongs <strong>graze on seagrass</strong> and the<strong> loss of seagrass beds</strong> due to <strong>ocean floor trawling</strong> is one of the most important factors behind decreasing dugong populations in many parts of the world.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Trawling</strong> is a <strong>method of fishing</strong> that involves <strong>pulling a fishing net through the water</strong> behind one or more boats. It is <strong>harmful to the environment</strong> because it damages the seafloor, coral reefs and other marine animals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Human activities</strong> such as the destruction and modification of habitat, pollution, rampant illegal fishing activities, vessel strikes, unsustainable hunting or poaching and unplanned tourism are the main threats to dugongs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dugong meat is consumed under the wrong impression that it cools down human body temperature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Steps Taken for Conservation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In February 2020, India hosted the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cms-cop-13-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>13<sup>th</sup> Conference of Parties</strong></a> (CoP) of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cms-com-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals</strong></a> (CMS), an environmental treaty under the aegis of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/not-all-animals-migrate-by-choice-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Environment Programme</strong> </a>(UNEP).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Government of India is a <strong>signatory to the CMS since 1983.</strong></li>
<li>India has signed<strong> non-legally binding Memorandums of Understanding</strong> (MoU) with CMS on the conservation and management of <strong>Siberian Cranes</strong> (1998), <strong>Marine<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-turtle-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Turtles</a></strong> (2007), <strong>Dugongs</strong> (2008) and <strong>Raptors</strong> (2016).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change</strong> constituted a<strong> &lsquo;Task Force for Conservation of Dugongs&rsquo;</strong> to look into issues related to conservation of dugongs and implementation of the &lsquo;UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU&rsquo; in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It also facilitates <strong>India to act as the leading nation in the South Asia Sub-region</strong> with respect to dugong conservation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/world-dugong-day-2020-marine-mammal-fighting-for-survival-in-indian-waters-71413" 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/world-dugong-day-2020'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'National Highways Authority of India',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed its Regional Officers (ROs) and Project Directors (PDs) to undertake maintenance of the National Highways ahead of the monsoon season.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NHAI will be monitoring the progress through its<strong> Project Management Software &ndash; Data Lake</strong> where pictures of before and after repair works would be uploaded, apart from other repair related information.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was set up under <strong>NHAI Act, 1988.</strong> It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.</li>
<li>It has been entrusted with the <strong>National Highways Development Project,</strong> along with other minor projects for development, maintenance and management.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>National Highways Development Project (NHDP) is a project to upgrade, rehabilitate and widen major highways in India to a higher standard. The project was <strong>started in 1998.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NHAI maintains the National Highways network to global standards and cost effective manner and promotes economic well being and quality of life of the people.</li>
<li>It has completed construction of 3,979 km of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20.</li>
<li>NHAI has mandated development of about <strong>27,500 km</strong> of national highways under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bharatmala-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharatmala Pariyojna Phase-I</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bharatmala Pariyojana is an <strong>umbrella program for the highways sector</strong> that focuses on optimizing efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions.</li>
<li>The effective interventions include development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads and Green-field expressways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Highways</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Highways (NH) are the arterial roads of the country for<strong> inter-state movement</strong> of passengers and goods.</li>
<li>They traverse the length and width of the country connecting the National and State capitals, major ports and rail junctions and link up with border roads and foreign highways.</li>
<li>The NHs including Expressways constitute only about <strong>1.7% of the length of all roads,</strong> they carry about <strong>40% of the road traffic.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1627178" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Tianwen-1: China's Mars Mission',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why In News</h3>
<p>China will launch its first Mars Mission - Tianwen-1- in July, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China's previous &lsquo;Yinghuo-1&rsquo; Mars mission, which was supported by a Russian spacecraft, had failed after it did not leave the earth's orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean in 2012.</li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</strong></a> is also going to launch its own Mars mission in July, the <strong>Perseverance</strong> which aims to collect Martian samples.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Tianwen-1 Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will lift off on a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/long-march-5b-rocket-by-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Long March 5 rocket</strong></a>, from the Wenchang launch centre.</li>
<li>It will carry <strong>13 payloads</strong> (seven orbiters and six rovers) that will explore the planet.</li>
<li>It is an all-in-one orbiter, lander and rover system.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Orbiter:</strong> It is a spacecraft designed to orbit a celestial body (astronomical body) without landing on its surface.</li>
<li><strong>Lander:</strong> It is a strong, lightweight spacecraft structure, consisting of a base and three sides "petals" in the shape of a tetrahedron (pyramid-shaped). It is a protective "shell" that houses the rover and protects it, along with the airbags, from the forces of impact.</li>
<li><strong>Rover:</strong> It is a planetary surface exploration device designed to move across the solid surface on a planet or other planetary mass celestial bodies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mission will be the first to place a ground-penetrating radar on the Martian surface, which will be able to study local geology, as well as rock, ice, and dirt distribution.</li>
<li>It will search the martian surface for water, investigate soil characteristics, and study the atmosphere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Landing on Mars:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mission is expected to land on the surface of Mars in the first quarter of 2021.</li>
<li>The success of the mission will make <strong>China the third country</strong> to achieve a Mars landing after the <strong>USSR</strong> (the former Eurasian empire)<strong> and the United States of America.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mars</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Size and Distance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>fourth planet from the Sun</strong> and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System.</li>
<li>Mars is about half the size of Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Similarity to the Earth (Orbit and Rotation):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As Mars orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 24.6 hours, which is very similar to one day on Earth (23.9 hours).</li>
<li>Mars' axis of rotation is tilted 25 degrees with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This is similar with Earth, which has an axial tilt of 23.4 degrees.</li>
<li>Like Earth, Mars has distinct seasons, but they last longer than seasons on Earth since Mars takes longer to orbit the Sun (because it's farther away).</li>
<li>Martian days are called <strong>sols</strong>&mdash;short for &lsquo;solar day&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Surface:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has colors such as brown, gold and tan. The reason Mars looks reddish is due to oxidation or rusting of iron in the rocks, and dust of Mars. Hence it is also called <strong>Red Planet.</strong></li>
<li>Mars has the <strong>largest volcano in the solar system i.e. Olympus Mons.</strong> It's three times taller than Earth's Mt. Everest with a base the size of the state of New Mexico.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Atmosphere:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mars has a thin atmosphere made up mostly of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon gases.</li>
<li>The temperature on Mars can be as high as (20 degrees Celsius) or as low as about -153 degrees Celsius. This is because the thin atmosphere gives an easy escape to sun heat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Magnetosphere:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mars has no magnetic field till date, but areas of the Martian crust in the southern hemisphere are highly magnetized, indicating traces of a magnetic field.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Moons:</strong> Mars has two small moons, <strong>Phobos and Deimos,</strong> that may be captured asteroids.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Previous Mars Missions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Soviet Union in 1971</strong> became the first country to carry out a Mars landing, <strong>Mars 3.</strong></li>
<li>The second country to reach Mars&rsquo;s surface is the <strong>United State of America (USA).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since 1976, it has achieved 8 successful Mars landings, the latest being the &lsquo;InSight&rsquo; in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>European Space Agency has been able to place their spacecraft in Mars&rsquo;s orbit through the<strong> Mars Express</strong> Mission.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)</strong></a> or <strong>Mangalyaan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh by<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Space Research Organisation</strong></a> in November 2013.</li>
<li>It was launched on board a PSLV C25 rocket with aim of studying Martian surface and mineral composition as well as scan its atmosphere for methane (an indicator of life on Mars).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-tianwen-1-chinas-mars-mission-6428306/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Public Health System In India',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/india-healthcare-system-coronavirus-6383650/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Reset and reform&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 29/04/2020. It talks about the importance and challenges of the public health system amid Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
</div>
<p>Contrary to the popular notion about India&rsquo;s Public health systems being inefficient and ineffective, it is performing reasonably well in tackling the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and providing treatment of patients without refusing anyone on financial grounds.</p>
<p>However, the private health sector which accounts for 70% of healthcare services in India, is playing only a supporting role and referring the patients to public hospitals for treatment of any cases relating to Covid-19.</p>
<p>The current pandemic reiterates the importance of Public Health systems. Thus, there is a need to address the constraints and revamp of the public health system in India.</p>
<h3>Associated Challenges With Public Health Systems in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Primary Healthcare Services:</strong> The existing public primary health care model in the country is limited in scope. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even where there is a well-functioning public primary health centre, only services related to pregnancy care, limited childcare and certain services related to national health programmes are provided.</li>
<li>This represents only 15% of all morbidities for which people seek care.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supply-Side Deficiencies:</strong> Poor health management skills and lack of appropriate training and supportive supervision for health workers prevent delivery of the desired quality of health services.</li>
<li><strong>Inadequate Funding:</strong> Expenditure on public health funding has been consistently low in India (approximately 1.3% of GDP). As per OECD, India's total out-of-pocket expenditure is around 2.3 % of GDP.</li>
<li><strong>Overlapping Jurisdiction:</strong> There is no single authority responsible for public health that is legally empowered to issue guidelines and enforce compliance of the health standards.</li>
<li><strong>Sub-optimal Public Health System:</strong> Due to this, it is challenging to tackle <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/non-communicable-diseases-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-communicable Diseases</strong></a>, which is all about prevention and early detection. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It diminishes preparedness and effective management for new and emerging threats such as pandemic like Covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enabling Preventive Care:</strong> In order to promote preventive care, the Union government has announced the conversion of primary health care centres into Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These HWCs will act as the pillar of preventive care and &lsquo;gateway&rsquo; for access to secondary and tertiary health services.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need to accelerate the establishment of a network HWCs, for this extra funding through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be mobilised.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bringing Behavioural Change:</strong> There is a need to ensure people eat right, sleep right, maintain good hygiene, exercise, and adopt a healthy lifestyle that necessitates concerted interventions at various levels of the system.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In order to catalyse people&rsquo;s participation for healthy India, there is need for <strong>Swasth Bharat Jan Andolan</strong> on lines of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/swachh-bharat-mission-urban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swach Bharat Abhiyan</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperative Federalism:</strong> Given the major role that States have to play in creating strong health systems across the country, allocations provided by the Finance Commission can become the critical catalyst for transforming the nation&rsquo;s health.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>State governments should be incentivized to invest in <strong>creating a dedicated cadre for public health</strong> at the state, district and block levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>More Funding:</strong> Public funding on health should be increased to at least 2.5% of GDP as envisaged in the National Health Policy, 2017.</li>
<li><strong>Decentralisation:</strong> There is a need to make nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) part of the core functions of Panchayati raj institutions and municipalities.</li>
<li><strong>Creating a Nodal Health Agency:</strong> There is need to create a designated and autonomous focal agency with the required capacities and linkages to perform the functions of disease surveillance, information gathering on the health impact of policies of key non-health departments, maintenance of national health statistics, enforcement of public health regulations, and dissemination of information to the public.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this pursuit, NITI Aayog&rsquo;s National Health Stack is a step in the right direction, which needs to be operationalised as soon as possible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Pandemics such as Covid-19 starkly remind us that public health systems are core social institutions in any society. The government has made several efforts to address the shortfall in the public health system through the schemes like the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/national-medical-commission-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019</a></strong>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/janaushadhi-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana</strong></a>, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana</a></strong> etc.</p>
<p>However, the need of the hour is an adequate investment, for creating a health system that can withstand any kind of public health emergencies, deliver universal health coverage and meet the targets of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals.</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590578965_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590578965_image1.png" width="750" 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: #ebfffb;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Critically examine the importance of public health systems in a developing country like India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mocjcJOjuC0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/smart-cities-mission-health-investment-coronavirus-6427119/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Think Smarter&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on May 26<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch it on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Arogya Setu App: An Open Source',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the source code of Aarogya Setu Mobile App has been made open source for software developers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been uploaded on GitHub which will help in identifying any vulnerabilities or code improvement in order to make Aarogya Setu more robust and secure.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India launched <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aarogya-setu-app-a-technological-solutionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aarogya Setu mobile App</strong></a> to augment the efforts of limiting the spread of<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Covid-19</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It has an objective of <strong>enabling bluetooth based contact tracing</strong> and mapping of likely hotspots and dissemination of relevant information about Covid-19.</li>
<li>Although the app has been resourceful by its users, there were <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/privacy-concern-over-aarogya-setu-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>privacy concerns</strong></a> regarding the lack of transparency in the app's code.</li>
<li>To address these concerns, the government has decided to launch the code-set of the <strong>app on GitHub to make it more transparent.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arogya setu as an open source: Open Source</strong> refers to a source which people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Source code</strong> is the part of software that computer programmers can manipulate its working and function. Programmers who have access to a computer program's source code can improve that program by adding features.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> Expanding collaboration amongst the talented youth and citizens through open source would help in building a robust and secure technology solution which will further support the work of frontline health workers in fighting this pandemic together.</li>
<li>Towards this objective, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nic-and-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Informatics Centre</strong></a> has also launched a <strong>Bug Bounty Programme</strong></li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong> Releasing the source code of a rapidly evolving product that is being used by million users would require regular maintenance of the source code.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Regular updates in the app with the new technology would also be a concern.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bug Bounty Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has a goal to partner with security researchers and Indian developer community to test the security effectiveness of Aarogya Setu and also to enhance its security and build user&rsquo;s trust.</li>
<li>It is aimed at encouraging the Indian developer community to find security flaws in the app and get rewarded Rs 1 lakh.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The availability of the App as an open code would help in the development of a transparent mechanism of availing data from the public regarding the Covid-19. It would address the privacy issue by enabling a robust system in the App by adding new features to it.</p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1626979" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'title' => 'Associate Members to Delimitation Commission',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha Speaker has nominated 15 MPs <strong>from Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh</strong> to assist the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/delimitation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Delimitation Commission</strong> </a>in <strong>redrawing the Lok Sabha and the Assembly constituencies</strong> of the northeastern States and the Union Territory of Ladakh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The appointments are made <strong>after the Delimitation Commission&rsquo;s request</strong> to the <strong>presiding officers of Lok Sabha and the Assemblies</strong> to nominate associate members.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government has constituted a Delimitation Commission to <strong>redraw Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delimitation-of-jammu-and-kashmir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir</a></strong> and the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.</li>
<li>It is headed by the<strong> former Supreme Court judge</strong> Ranjana Prakash Desai.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission intends to delimit the constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K) in <strong>accordance with the provisions of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/article-370-and-35-a-revoked" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act (2019)</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly are to increase with due reservations for SC and STs. It also includes few seats reserved for Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The J&amp;K experienced the <strong>last delimitation exercise </strong>in <strong>1995.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has often been argued that the delimitation exercise was held back deliberately to ensure greater representation of Kashmir in the legislative assembly and Parliament rather than Jammu area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delimitation in Northeastern States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The delimitation in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the<strong> Delimitation Act, 2002.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The delimitation exercise in<strong> Assam</strong> will be <strong>resumed after 12 years</strong> which was <strong>put on hold in 2008</strong> after situation in the state was reported not to be conducive because of <strong>serious threat to the peace and public order.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Delimitation Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Delimitation Commission is<strong> appointed</strong> by the<strong> President of India</strong> and works in <strong>collaboration with the Election Commission of India.</strong></li>
<li>Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country to represent changes in population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Basis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Article 82</strong> provides the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Census Act (1948)</strong> provides for the permanent scheme of conducting population Census. It is carried out in a <strong>ten years interval.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Article 170</strong> provides division of State into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.</li>
<li>Once the Act enacted by the Parliament is in force, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission.</li>
<li>The <strong>first delimitation exercise</strong> was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Delimitation Commission Act</strong> was enacted in <strong>1952.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is usually composed of the retired Supreme Court judge, Chief Election Commissioner and Respective State Election Commissioners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide <strong>equal representation</strong> to equal segments of a population.</li>
<li><strong>Fair division of geographical areas</strong> so that one political party doesn&rsquo;t have an advantage over others in an election.</li>
<li>To follow the principle of <strong>&ldquo;One Vote One Value&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It determines the <strong>number and boundaries of constituencies</strong> to make the population of all constituencies nearly equal.</li>
<li>It also identifies the <strong>seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,</strong> wherever their population is relatively large.</li>
<li>In case of difference of opinion among members of the Commission, the <strong>opinion of the majority</strong> prevails.</li>
<li>The Delimitation Commission in India is a <strong>high power body</strong> whose orders have the force of law and <strong>cannot be called in question before any court.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> 42<sup>nd</sup> Amendment Act of 1976 froze</strong> the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha to the states and the division of each State into territorial constituencies till the year 2000 at the 1971 level.</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>84<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act of 2001</strong> extended this ban on readjustment for another<strong> 25 years (i.e., upto year 2026),</strong> without affecting the total number of seats based on the 1971 census.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 84<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act of 2001 also empowered the government to undertake readjustment and rationalisation of territorial constituencies in the states on the basis of the <strong>population figures of 1991 census.</strong></li>
<li>Later,<strong> the 87<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act of 2003</strong> provided for the delimitation of constituencies on the<strong> basis of the 2001 census</strong> and not 1991 census.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The appointment of associated members from the respective States will help the delimitation commission<strong> to resolve grievances of these States</strong> as stated above.</li>
<li>The involvement of associate members from Lok Sabha and Assemblies will also help to <strong>maintain transparency and integrity of the delimitation commission</strong> which strives for equal representation to equal segments of the population in the country.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lok-sabha-speaker-nominates-15-mps-to-the-delimitation-commission/article31698154.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/associate-members-to-delimitation-commission'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Legacy of Jawahar Lal Nehru',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/being-nehruvian-in-these-difficult-times/article31680474.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Being Nehruvian in these difficult times&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu Business line on 27/05/2020. It talks about the contribution of the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in building Modern India.</p>
</div>
<p>India, since independence, has undergone profound transformations in its <strong>politics-</strong>from the dominant Congress system to Coalition era, its <strong>economics-&nbsp;</strong>from a controlled &ldquo;democratic socialism&rdquo; to a thriving free-enterprise system, its<strong> trade</strong>-from protectionism to liberalization, and its <strong>social relations</strong>- from a rigidly hierarchical caste system to a more egalitarian policy affirming opportunities and outcomes for the &ldquo;lowest&rdquo; castes.</p>
<p>However, in recent years, a prominent change can be observed in the <strong>interpretation of History-</strong> wherein the present times the narrative around the contribution of past leaders is presented differently. One such example is of India&rsquo;s first Prime Minister- Jawahar Lal Nehru.</p>
<p>The five principal pillars of Nehru&rsquo;s legacy to India &mdash; <strong>Nation-building, Democratic institution-building, Secularism, Democratic Socialist economics, and a Novel foreign policy (Non-alignment, Panchsheel)</strong> still form the cardinal values of India.</p>
<p>However, some sections criticise Nehru&rsquo;s policies for being responsible for India&rsquo;s strategic failures as well as domestic problems like the Kashmir dispute. In this context, it is essential to understand the contribution of Nehru in the right context and its relevance for India today.</p>
<h3>Contribution of Nehru</h3>
<p><strong>Institutionalisation of Democracy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nehru was committed to the establishment of a strong Indian nation where the concept of equal rights of citizens would override all societal divisions.</li>
<li>Nehru&rsquo;s ideals envisioned in<strong> &lsquo;Objective Resolution&rsquo;,</strong> steered the Constituent Assembly to draw up a working constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It gave a tremendous leg up to the country&rsquo;s historically discriminated sections like Dalits and religious minorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It was he who established the robust tradition of parliamentary supremacy over the military that prevented India from<strong> becoming another junta-ruled Third World autocracy.</strong></li>
<li>The nature of the <strong>Nehruvian way of politics (debate and deliberation)</strong> led to development of respect for parliamentary procedures, abiding faith in the constitutional system.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Ideal of Secularism</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nehru believed that India belonged to all who had contributed to its history and civilisation, and that the majority community had a special obligation to protect the rights, and promote the well-being, of the minorities.</li>
<li>This helped in building the narrative of <strong>&lsquo;Unity in Diversity&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Welfare State</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Through the planned economy approach, Nehru envisaged that in a land of extreme poverty and inequality, the objective of government policy must be the welfare of the poorest, most deprived and most marginalised of the people.</li>
<li>This notion drives the policy of successive governments that poverty and inequality in India cannot be tackled only by the market. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can be reflected in <strong>creation of a framework of rights,</strong> including the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> right to work</strong></a>, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the right to food</strong></a>, the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/right-to-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>right to education</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sc-order-on-land-acquisition" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>right to fair compensation for land</strong></a>, all of which have empowered the poorest of people in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Establishing Institutions of Excellence</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was Nehru who built the <strong>scientific base</strong> for India&rsquo;s space and engineering triumphs today. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With the establishment of what is now the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India has achieved the status of Space power today.</li>
<li>With the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) established in his tenure, Indians have a worldwide reputation for engineering excellence.</li>
<li>Also, he laid the foundations of a dual-track nuclear programme due to which India achieved nuclear-capable status.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the economic policies of investing in heavy industries and protecting the nascent manufacturing sector, helped India to substitute imports to a certain extent.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Foreign Policy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For Nehru, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revival-of-non-alignment-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-alignment (NAM)</strong></a> was the response to the bipolar divisions of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/cold-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cold War era</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After two centuries of British rule, Nehru was determined to protect the country&rsquo;s strategic autonomy without compromising independence by aligning itself to either superpower in the Cold War.</li>
<li>This policy of NAM, made India one of the most distinguished <strong>leaders of Third World solidarity,</strong> reached out to the rest of the colonised world, and forged a joint front against colonialism and a reinvented imperialism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Nehru was also a <strong>skilled exponent of soft power,</strong> much before the term was even coined.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He developed a role for India in the world based entirely on its civilisational history and its moral standing, as the voice of the oppressed and the marginalised against the hegemony of the day.</li>
<li>This gave India global reputation and prestige across the world for years, and strengthened our self-respect as we stood, proud and independent, on the global stage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The <strong>fears of growing intolerance, communalism and inequality</strong> which may disrupt social harmony; debates in Indian<strong> intelligentsia</strong> about the <strong>erosion of democratic values, freedom of speech and autonomy of public institutions;</strong> the emergence of a <strong>new era of the Cold War</strong> between the US and China, marks the relevance of Nehruvian ideology even today.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590753073_image.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590753073_image.jpg" 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: #ebedfa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss the contribution of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and its relevance for India, in present times.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Ks0nf8YLFw" 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/editorial/the-swarm-the-hindu-editorial-on-locust-attack/article31689895.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Swarm&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on May 28<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/legacy-of-jawahar-lal-nehru'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Rise in Foreign Direct Investment',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to data released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dipp-renamed-as-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)</strong></a>, total <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revised-fdi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)</strong></a> in India increased by<strong> 18% to $73.46 billion</strong> in the 2019-20 financial year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DPIIT is under the <strong>Ministry of Commerce and Industry.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Total FDI has<strong> doubled from the year 2013-14</strong> when it was only $36 billion.</li>
<li>The total investment by <strong>Foreign Institutional Investors</strong> was $247 million.</li>
<li>The <strong>sectors that attracted the most foreign inflows</strong> during 2019-20 included services, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, trading and automobiles.</li>
<li><strong>Singapore emerged as the largest equity FDI source,</strong> contributing to inflows of $14.67.</li>
<li>The inflows have been attributed to the government&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Make in India</strong> </a>programme.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Foreign Direct Investment</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>FDI is an investment made by a firm or individual in one country into business interests located in another country.</li>
<li>Generally, FDI takes place when an investor establishes foreign business operations or acquires foreign business assets, including establishing ownership or controlling interest in a foreign company.</li>
<li>It is <strong>different from Foreign Portfolio Investment</strong> where the foreign entity merely buys equity shares of a company. FPI does not provide the investor with control over the business.</li>
<li><strong>Routes through which India gets FDI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Automatic Route:</strong> In this, the foreign entity does not require the prior approval of the government or the RBI.</li>
<li><strong>Government route:</strong> In this, the foreign entity has to take the approval of the government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP)</strong> facilitates the single window clearance of applications which are through approval route.</li>
<li>This portal is administered by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/total-fdi-jumps-18-to-73-46-billion-in-fy20-6432101/" 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/rise-in-foreign-direct-investment'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'NHRC’s Notice to Government on Migrant Deaths',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nhrc-on-public-s-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)</strong></a> has issued notices to the Union Home Ministry, the Railway Board and the Bihar and Gujarat governments in connection with the <strong>reported deaths of some migrant workers on Shramik Special trains</strong> and the lack of food and water for the passengers on these trains.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government had <strong>started Shramik Special trains from 1<sup>st</sup> May, 2020</strong> to ferry migrant workers back to their home States after they were stranded in different parts of the country due the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-indian-federalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong></a> induced lockdown.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Most of these poor migrants were daily wage workers who lost their work and livelihood as businesses and establishments shut down. In the absence of money and jobs, and bereft of any food, savings, or shelter in large cities, they started moving back to their villages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>NHRC took suo motu (on its own) cognisance</strong> of media reports about the trains not only starting late, but also taking many more days to reach their destinations. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many migrant labourers lost their lives during their journey due to the longer duration and the absence of arrangements for drinking water and food.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to <strong>gross violation of human rights.</strong> The State has failed to protect the lives of the poor labourers on board the trains.</li>
<li>The NHRC has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Bihar and Gujarat governments, the chairman of the Railway Board and the Union Home Secretary, <strong>seeking their reports within four weeks.</strong></li>
<li>Also, recently, the <strong>Supreme Court</strong> directed that the State from where workers started their journey and the State where they were headed should pool their travel expenses between them. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During the train journey, railways would be in charge of providing migrant workers drinking water and meals. In case of bus journeys, the State where they started from had to take care of their food and water.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Human Rights Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Statutory Body:</strong> NHRC was established on 12<sup>th</sup> October, 1993. The statute under which it is established is the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993 as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The PHRA Act also provides for the creation of a State Human Rights Commission at the state level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In Line with Paris Principles:</strong> Paris Principles were adopted for the promotion and protection of human rights in October 1991, and were endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1993.</li>
<li><strong>Watchdog of Human Rights in the country:</strong> The NHRC is an embodiment of India&rsquo;s concern for the promotion and protection of human rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Section 2(1)(d) of the PHRA defines Human Rights as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition:</strong> The commission is a multi-member body consisting of a chairman and five members. The chairperson should be a retired chief justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.</li>
<li><strong>Appointment:</strong> The chairman and members are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a six-member committee consisting of the Prime Minister as its head, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, leaders of the Opposition in both the Houses of Parliament and the Union Home Minister.</li>
<li><strong>Tenure:</strong> The chairman and members hold office for a term of three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The President can remove the chairman or any member from the office under some circumstances.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Centre does not seem to have<strong> a nationwide action plan</strong> to tally the exact number of labourers stranded in various parts of the country. The government should work with the grass roots administrative mechanism, including the district and panchayats, to create lists accurately identifying the stranded workers.</li>
<li>Preparing a <strong>comprehensive database of the migrant</strong> workers&rsquo; source and destination, demography, employment patterns and skill sets.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will help in skill development, providing social security benefits, planning for mass transit of migrant labour and preparing for any contingency plan in emergency situations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Migrant workers related issues have complex Centre-State and inter-State dimensions. There is a need to empowerthe<a href="/summary-of-important-reports/capacity-building-for-conflict-resolution-2nd-arc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Inter-State Council</strong></a>, set up under Article 263 of the Constitution to effectively and comprehensively deal with larger issues related to migrant workers.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nhrc-issues-notice-to-govt-on-migrant-deaths/article31697865.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/nhrc-s-notice-to-government-on-migrant-deaths'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Banana Covid: A Novel Fungal Strain',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a novel fungus strain <strong><em>Fusarium wilt TR4</em></strong> has started infecting the Banana plantations in India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been described as the equivalent of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> in Bananas. Similar to Covid-19, there is no treatment yet for the new fungal disease.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Epicentre:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the midst of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus disease outbreak</strong></a>, <em>Fusarium wilt TR4</em>, has devastated plantations across the globe.</li>
<li><strong>Ecuador,</strong> the largest exporter of Banana is currently the epicentre.</li>
<li>Banana is the world&rsquo;s most globally exported fruit and the disease is breaching borders through international trade.</li>
<li>The spreading disease has impacted the $26 billion global banana trade.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The strain, Tropical Race 4 (TR4):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was first identified in Taiwan, and has moved from Asia to the Middle East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America.</li>
<li>It cripples plantations by first attacking the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away.</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/deforestation-rate-declined" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations</strong></a>, TR4 is one of the <strong>&ldquo;the most destructive of all plant diseases&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The fungal strain is now spreading and threatening output in India, the world&rsquo;s largest producer of bananas.</li>
<li><strong>Katihar and Purnea in Bihar</strong> and <strong>Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh</strong> are the hotspots in India.</li>
<li>TR4 has infected the most commonly sold variety, <strong>Grand Nain (musa acuminata).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Grand Nain:</strong> It accounts for 55% of the banana area in the country and accounts for 62% of commerce, including exports.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Inability to contain TR4 could impact the farm incomes and push up banana prices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures to curb the spread:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Plant Quarantine:</strong> Scientists recommend biosecurity measures including &ldquo;plant quarantine&rdquo; to slow its spread.</li>
<li><strong>Growing Alternative Varieties:</strong> In hotspot Katihar, scientists have set up an experimental farm in which they are growing several cultivars. Cultivars are different varieties of the Banana species and have shown potential resistance to TR4</li>
<li><strong>Biopriming:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icar-to-set-up-farmers-innovation-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Agricultural Research</strong></a> is advocating a set of measures, known as <strong>Biopriming.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a treatment of seed with beneficial organisms, as an alternative to treatment with pesticides, prior to sowing.</li>
<li>Seed treatment integrates biological (vaccination of seed with beneficial organism to protect seed) and physiological aspects (seed hydration) of disease control.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chain of Infection:</strong> It suggests farmers to abandon the crops whose plantations have been affected and grow rice for a year or two before returning to banana. It would help in breaking the chain of infection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Banana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being a tropical crop banana grows well under the following conditions:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong> 15&ordm;C &ndash; 35&ordm;C</li>
<li><strong>Rainfall:</strong> an average rainfall of 650-750 mm</li>
<li><strong>Regional variation:</strong> Humid tropics to dry mild subtropics</li>
<li><strong>Soil:</strong> Deep, rich loamy soil is most preferred for banana cultivation</li>
<li><strong>Nutrients:</strong> It has several nutrients like calories, protein, carbohydrate, potassium and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Fusarium Wilt of Banana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is popularly known as <strong>Panama disease.</strong></li>
<li>It is a lethal fungal disease caused by the soil-borne fungus <em><strong>Fusarium oxysporum.</strong></em></li>
<li>It is the first disease of bananas to have spread globally in the first half of the 20<sup>th</sup> century.</li>
<li>Fusarium has entirely <strong>wiped out Gros Michel,</strong> the dominant export variety of bananas in the 1950s.</li>
<li>It was in response to this, a new resistant variety,<strong> Grand Nain,</strong> came up, which has now fallen to TR4 infection.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to identify or develop new resistant varieties. A concerted effort is also required from industry, research institutions, government and international organisations to prevent spread of the disease.</li>
<li>Banana plantation is a potential source for ensuring food security. Hence, it is vital for the countries to collaborate and mitigate solutions to prevent the loss of plantation due to fungal infection.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/now-banana-covid-hits-plantations/story-2ZViGgde0fer1eGi6BnF1N.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: HT</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/banana-covid-a-novel-fungal-strain'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'ADB Loan to Upgrade Maharashtra Roads',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Asian Development Bank (ADB)</strong> and the<strong> Government of India</strong> have signed a $177 million loan to upgrade state highways and major district roads in the state of Maharashtra.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Coverage:</strong> The project will upgrade 2 major district roads and 11 state highways, with a combined length of 450 km.</li>
<li><strong>Road safety audit framework:</strong> The project will strengthen road safety measures by developing a <strong>road safety audit framework</strong> that will protect vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children, following the best<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-road-safety-global-goals-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> international practices.</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong>Update the road maintenance system:</strong> The project will <strong>update the road maintenance system</strong> by encouraging 5-year performance-based maintenance obligations to contractors to sustain asset quality and service levels.</li>
<li><strong>Training PWD staff:</strong> The project will focus on training the<strong> Maharashtra Public Works Department</strong> project staff <strong>to build their capacity in climate change adaptation</strong> and<strong> disaster resilient features in road design, road maintenance planning and road safety.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Improve connectivity:</strong> It will improve connectivity to national highways, interstate roads, seaports, airports, rail hubs, district headquarters, industrial areas, enterprise clusters and agricultural areas.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Better connectivity will increase access to markets, employment opportunities and services.</li>
<li>Improved mobility will expand development and livelihood opportunities outside of the state&rsquo;s major urban centers to second-tier cities and towns thus reducing income disparities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Asian Development Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ADB is a <strong>regional development bank</strong> established on<strong> 19<sup>th</sup> December 1966.</strong></li>
<li>ADB now has <strong>68 members, 49 from within Asia.</strong></li>
<li>As of 31 December 2019, ADB&rsquo;s five largest shareholders are Japan and the United States (each with 15.6% of total shares), the People&rsquo;s Republic of China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).</li>
<li>It aims to promote social and economic development in <strong>Asia and the Pacific.</strong></li>
<li>ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.</li>
<li>ADB is <strong>headquartered in Manila, Philippines.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1627386" 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/adb-loan-to-upgrade-maharashtra-roads'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'USA Bill to Put Sanction on China',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the United States House of Representatives approved a legislation<strong> calling for sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for oppression of Uighur Muslims.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The bill calls for sanctions against those responsible for repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups in China&rsquo;s Xinjiang province.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong> </a>estimates, more than <strong>one million Uighurs Muslims and members of other largely Muslim minority groups</strong> have been <strong>detained in camps</strong> in <strong>Xinjiang</strong> in a crackdown.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bill also calls on USA companies or individuals operating in the Xinjiang region to take steps to ensure their products do not include parts using forced labor of Uighurs.</li>
<li>By passing the bill, the United States Congress has taken a firm step to counter China&rsquo;s human rights abuses against the Uighurs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has sent a clear message that the Chinese government cannot act with impunity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However,<strong> China denies the mistreatment in the camps</strong> and says the camps provide vocational training. China also <strong>refuses to allow independent inspections.</strong></li>
<li>The bill has now been sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to veto or sign into law.</li>
<li>This approval of legislation should be observed in the context of recent developments in the US-China relationship which have become increasingly tense. Few noteworthy developments are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 Blame:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-probe-into-covid-19-origin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA President has blamed China</strong></a> again and again for worsening the Covid-19 pandemic.</li>
<li><strong>Trade War:</strong> Growing <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/trade-war-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>trade war</strong></a> between USA and China.</li>
<li><strong>Issue of Panchen Lama: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/release-of-11th-panchen-lama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over the release of Tibetan Buddhism&rsquo;s 11<sup>th</sup> Panchen Lama</a>,</strong> who was taken into captivity at the age of six.</li>
<li><strong>Hong Kong&rsquo;s Autonomy:</strong> China has approved a proposal for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-security-law-in-hong-kong" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bringing new national security legislation</strong></a> in Hong Kong, despite apprehensions raised by the USA.</li>
<li><strong>South China Sea:</strong> China&rsquo;s growing assertiveness <strong>over the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/china-in-south-china-sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Sea</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Uighurs Muslims</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Uighurs are a predominantly <strong>Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group,</strong> whose <strong>origins can be traced to Central and East Asia.</strong></li>
<li>The Uighurs are considered to be one of the 55 officially recognized ethnic minority communities in China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, <strong>China recognises the community only as a regional minority</strong> and rejects that they are an indigenous group.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Currently, the largest population of the Uighur ethnic community lives in<strong> Xinjiang region of China.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A significant population of Uighurs also lives in the neighbouring Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the USA signing out of major global deals and taking a backstage in global scenario, China certainly has taken advantage of this and has become more assertive in recent past. It&rsquo;s up to the global community now to fix responsibility and accountability of major powers according to international laws and humanitarian values.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-china-xinjiang/u-s-bill-to-pressure-china-over-uighur-rights-goes-to-trump-for-decision-idINKBN2340QR" 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/usa-bill-to-put-sanction-on-china'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Drop in Institutional Deliveries',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the data from the states of <strong>Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand</strong> has reported a <strong>drop in the institutional deliveries.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Current Scenario in Two States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chattisgarh:</strong> It has recorded a<strong> drop by 15.39 % in April</strong> compared to the numbers recorded in March.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In February 2020, before the lockdown was imposed, the State had recorded 37,984 institutional deliveries . But following the lockdown, the number of institutional deliveries fell to 32,529.</li>
<li>The State has recorded an increase in the percentage of institutional deliveries from 44.9 to 70.2 between NFHS 3 (2005-06) and NFHS 4 (2015-16).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jharkhand:</strong> The state had listed 52,000 women for scheduled deliveries in May, out of these only 5.9 % of these were conducted in medical institutions by May 21.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The State has recorded an increase in the percentage of institutional deliveries from 40.1 % to 61.9 % between NFHS 3 (2005-06) and NFHS 4 (2015-16).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for Drop in Institutional Deliveries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>public transport</strong> has been majorly affected due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>nationwide lockdown</strong></a> <strong>imposed</strong> to contain the spread of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19 pandemic.</a>&nbsp;</strong>Thus reaching hospitals from villages became difficult.</li>
<li>The declared Covid-19 hospitals have created a <strong>fear of infection</strong> and thus people are <strong>avoiding physical contacts</strong> with the hospitals.</li>
<li>Many deliveries are<strong> being carried out at small private nursing homes</strong> to avoid movement and related Covid-19 spread.</li>
<li>The entire health machinery is battling Covid-19, so <strong>non-Covid health services experience a lack of medical staff.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Institutional Deliveries in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Institutional delivery means <strong>giving birth to a child in a medical institution</strong> under the overall<strong> supervision of trained and competent health personnel.</strong></li>
<li>It also signifies an availability of amenities to handle the situation and save the life of the mother and child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over the past two decades, India has made <strong>progress in increasing the number of institutional deliveries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4)</strong></a>, institutional deliveries have<strong> increased from 39% in 2005-06 to 79% in 2015-16.</strong></li>
<li>Further, the institutional births in public institutions have<strong> increased from 18% to 52%</strong> in the same time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Step Taken to Increase Institutional Deliveries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Janani Suraksha Yojana :</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)</strong></a> is a <strong>100% <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centrally sponsored scheme</a></strong> which is being implemented with the objective of<strong> reducing maternal and infant mortality</strong> by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.</li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA):</strong> It has been launched to focus on conducting special AnteNatal Check-ups (ANC) check up on 9th of every month with the help of Medical officers to detect and<strong> treat cases of anaemia.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) :</strong> It is a<strong> maternity benefit programme</strong> being implemented in all districts of the country with effect from 1st January, 2017.</li>
<li><strong>LaQshya Programme : <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/laqshya-labour-room-quality-improvement-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LaQshya (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative)</a></strong> intended to improve the quality of care in the labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The entire health machinery is battling Covid-19 but non-Covid health services <strong>should not compromise</strong> which are the<strong> base of the health infrastructure</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>The government should ensure adequate<strong> availability of medical staff, emergency medical services</strong> such as ambulance, vaccinations, maternity care,etc. to the <strong>urban as well as rural areas.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>balance of the Covid and non-Covid medical services</strong> is need of the hour and the government needs to ensure the implementation of the same in the future.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/coronavirus-lockdown-institutional-deliveries-dip-in-chhattisgarh-jharkhand-6432219/" 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/drop-in-institutional-deliveries'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => '22nd Meeting of FSDC',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>22<sup>nd</sup> meeting</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/financial-stability-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)</strong></a> chaired by the <strong>Finance Minister</strong> was held through a video conference.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting reviewed issues relating to market volatility, domestic resource mobilisation and capital flows in the country in the wake of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> nation-wide lockdown</strong></a> imposed to contain it.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Financial Stability and Development Council</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) is a<strong> non-statutory apex</strong> council under the<strong> Ministry of Finance</strong> constituted by the <strong>Executive Order</strong> in <strong>2010.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Raghuram Rajan committee (2008)</strong> on financial sector reforms first proposed the creation of FSDC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>chaired by the Finance Minister</strong> and its members include the heads of all Financial Sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA &amp; IRDA), Finance Secretary, Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Financial Services (DFS), and Chief Economic Adviser.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2018, the government reconstituted FSDC to include the Minister of State responsible for the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Chairperson of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)</strong></a> and the Revenue Secretary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>FSDC <strong>sub-committee</strong> is<strong> headed</strong> by the <strong>Governor of RBI.</strong></li>
<li>The Council<strong> can invite experts</strong> to its meeting if required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The objective of FSDC is<strong> to strengthen and institutionalize</strong> the mechanism for maintaining<strong> financial stability,</strong> enhancing<strong> inter-regulatory coordination</strong> and promoting financial sector development.</li>
<li>It also intends to monitor macro-prudential supervision of the economy. It will assess the functioning of the large financial conglomerates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 as a Threat to Global Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Council has noted that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-on-global-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to the stability of the global financial system</strong></a>, as the ultimate impact of the crisis and the <strong>timing of recovery remains uncertain.</strong></li>
<li>The pandemic has thrown the global economy into its <strong>worst recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s,</strong> and India is no exception.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Projected Domestic Economic Growth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Domestic economic growth is expected to <strong>contract for the first time in forty years in FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021).</strong></li>
<li>Crisil, Goldman Sachs and Fitch Ratings have projected the Indian economy to contract 5% during the current financial year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Announced Measures and its Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Council quoted the various<strong> short term</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fiscal measures taken by the government</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-s-covid-19-economic-relief-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>monetary measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong></a> to address the liquidity and capital requirements of the financial institutions to manage the economic scenario due to global pandemic.</li>
<li>It also reviewed the <strong>liquidity and solvency position</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/liquidity-boost-to-nbfcs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>housing finance companies</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/guidelines-for-licencing-of-small-finance-banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>micro-finance institutions</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Moratoriums on loan payments due to pandemic induced lockdowns have put a pressure on inflows of these companies while banks have turned resistant to lend them in the wake of possible defaults. NBFCs have also sought moratorium on their dues to banks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government and Regulators:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It highlighted the need for the <strong>government and regulators to remain vigilant</strong> on financial conditions that could expose systemic vulnerabilities in the<strong> medium and long-term.</strong></li>
<li>The Council stressed that the government and regulators would continue to provide <strong>liquidity and capital support</strong> to domestic financial institutions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is expected to provide comfort to the markets, which are disturbed by the extreme volatility due to pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The financial system resilience, fiscal support, regulatory flexibility and liquidity provision announced till date have ensured that the financial system is supportive of economic recovery but <strong>more protracted slowdown may present new risks to the financial system.</strong></li>
<li>There is a possibility that the current crisis<strong> may transform from a &ldquo;liquidity phase" into a &ldquo;solvency phase".</strong> Thus, governments need to consider a range of policy tools, including efficient bankruptcy and restructuring systems, government guarantees for private investments, programmes for sector-specific government equity injections, and establishing asset management companies.</li>
<li>Thus, FSDC is expected to take further appropriate measures to bolster the liquidity and capital base of domestic financial institutions which would stabilize financial sectors for long term.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/fm-nirmala-sitharaman-takes-stock-of-economy-in-1st-fsdc-meet-after-covid-outbreak-6432097/" 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/22nd-meeting-of-fsdc'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Veer Savarkar Jayanti',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why In News</h3>
<p>On <strong>28<sup>th</sup> May,</strong> India paid tribute to the freedom fighter, <strong>Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (Veer Savarkar)</strong> on his<strong> birth anniversary.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590737153_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590737153_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He was an Indian independence activist, politician, lawyer and writer.</li>
<li>He is also known as <strong>Swatantryaveer Savarkar.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> VD Savarkar was born on <strong>28<sup>th</sup> May,&nbsp;</strong>1883 in Bhagur, a village near Nashik in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Related Organisations and Work:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founded a secret society called <strong>Abhinav Bharat Society.</strong></li>
<li>Went to the United Kingdom and was involved with organizations such as <strong>India House</strong> and the <strong>Free India Society.</strong></li>
<li>Involved in the formation of <strong>Hindu Mahasabha.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He was the <strong>president of Hindu Mahasabha from 1937 to 1943.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Savarkar wrote a book titled <strong>&lsquo;The History of the War of Indian Independence&rsquo;</strong> in which he wrote about the guerilla warfare tricks used in <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-179" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>1857 Sepoy Mutiny</strong></a>.</li>
<li>He also wrote the book<strong> &lsquo;Hindutva: who is hindu?&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trial and Sentences:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Arrested in 1909 on charges of plotting an armed revolt against the <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-193" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Morley-Minto reform (Indian Councils Act 1909)</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Arrested in 1910 for his<strong> connections with the revolutionary group India House.</strong></li>
<li>One of the charges on Savarkar was abetment to murder of Nashik Collector Jackson and the second was waging a conspiracy under Indian penal code 121-A against the King emperor.</li>
<li>Following the two trials, Savarkar was convicted and sentenced to<strong> 50-years imprisonment also known as Kala Pani</strong> and transported in 1911 to the <strong>Cellular Jail</strong> in the <strong>Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</strong></li>
<li>He was<strong> not considered by the British government as a political prisoner.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> He died on 26<sup>th</sup> February 1966 due to fasting on his own wish of death.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Abhinav Bharat Society (Young India Society)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a secret society founded by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and his brother Ganesh Damodar Savarkar in 1904.</li>
<li>Initially founded at Nasik as Mitra Mela, the society was associated with several revolutionaries and political activists with branches in various parts of India and London.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>India House</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was founded by <strong>Shyamji Kishan Verma</strong> in 1905 in London.</li>
<li>It was opened to promote nationalist views among Indian students in London.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Free India Society</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a political organization of Indian students in England, committed to obtaining the independence of India from British rule.</li>
<li>Initially an intellectual group, it became a revolutionary outfit under its founding leader, <strong>Madam Bhikaji Cama.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Hindu Mahasabha</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a political party formed in <strong>1933.</strong></li>
<li>It was founded by Veer Damodar Savarkar, Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Mohan Malviya.</li>
<li>The organisation was formed to protect the rights of the Hindu community, after the formation of the All India Muslim League in 1906 and the British India government's creation of separate Muslim electorate under the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1627350" 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/veer-savarkar-jayanti'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'State Election Commission’s Autonomy',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/securing-election-commissions-autonomy-6428281/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Securing Election Commission&rsquo;s autonomy</strong></a> published in The Indian Express on 26/05/2020. It talks about the challenges with the functioning of the election commission institution in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Free and fair elections form the bedrock of a democratic country. In India, the constitution envisages an <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India</strong></a> (ECI) and State Election Commissions (SEC) for every state to safeguard the free and fair election and grants them with certain constitutional safeguards to secure their independent functioning.</p>
<p>However, the recent <strong>removal of Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner via an ordinance route</strong> is an example encroaching upon the independence of the Constitutional body especially in the light of political accusations and vested interests.</p>
<p>This development not only threatens institutional autonomy but also falls foul of the constitutional provisions. Though the Election Commission of India is facing issues of autonomy due to political interference, the situation at the level of state election commission is more grim.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The ordinance promulgated by Andhra Pradesh Governor reduced the term of State Election Commissioner in the state from five years to three years and altered the qualifications (only those who served as a High Court judge can now occupy the post, earlier it was an officer of the rank of Principal Secretary &amp; above) required to be the SEC.</p>
</div>
<h3>Significance of Election Commission Institution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>guardian</strong> of free and reasonable elections in India.</li>
<li>It enforces the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/democracy-model-code-conduct-india-polity-governance-election-commission-gktoday-insights-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Code of Conduct (MCC)</strong></a> before every election to be followed by the different candidates and parties so that the decorum of the electoral process is maintained well.</li>
<li>It creates awareness about the electoral process and electoral governance amongst stakeholders namely, voters, political parties, election functionaries, candidates and people at large; and to enhance and strengthen confidence and trust in the electoral system of this country.</li>
<li>The Election Commission prescribes the limits of campaign expenditure by the candidates and parties and monitors the spending too.</li>
<li>The body also mandates that the political parties submit their audited financial reports regularly.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>State Election Commissions (SECs)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The State Election Commission has been entrusted with the function of conducting free, fair and impartial elections to the local bodies in the state.</li>
<li><strong>Article 243K(1):</strong> It states that the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats (Municipalities under Article 243ZA) shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor.</li>
<li><strong>Article 243K(2):</strong> It states that the tenure and appointment will be directed as per the law made by the state legislature. However, State Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his/her office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of a High Court.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges With Functioning of Election Commission Institution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Autonomy:</strong> Although the state election commission on many occasions tried to exercise its duties enshrined in the constitution of India, they struggled to assert their independence. For example:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In Maharashtra, SEC had asserted that he should have the power to hold elections to the offices of mayor, deputy mayor, sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.</li>
<li>On the contrary, he was arrested and sent to jail for two days in March 2008 after the Legislative Assembly found him guilty of breach of privilege in an alleged conflict over his jurisdiction and powers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Safeguard for SEC:</strong> Though the State Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his/her office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of a High Court (Art 243K(2)), yet it has been diluted on many instances.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the <strong>Aparmita Prasad Singh vs. State of U.P.</strong> (2007) the Allahabad High Court held that if the Governor has power to fix or prescribe tenure by rule, he also enjoys the power to amend the rule, either for extending the term of the tenure or reducing the same.</li>
<li>Once the prescribed tenure comes to end, the incumbent SEC must cease to hold office and this shall not amount to removal from office.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Non Uniform Service Conditions for SECs:</strong> Article 243K(2) states that the tenure and appointment will be directed as per the law made by the state legislature and thus each SEC is governed by a separate state Act.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This gives power to states to amend rules unilaterally and even sometimes take ordinance routes to bypass legislative scrutiny like the recent example of Andhra Pradesh SEC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Supreme Court Directive</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state governments need to follow the guidelines given by the Supreme Court in <strong>Kishan Singh Tomar vs Municipal Corporation</strong> of Ahmedabad case:</li>
<li>The provisions of Article 243K of the Constitution, which provides for setting up of SECs, are almost identical to those of Article 324 related to the ECI.</li>
<li>Also, the state governments should abide by orders of the SECs during the conduct of the panchayat and municipal elections, just like they follow the instructions of the EC during Assembly and Parliament polls.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second Administrative Reforms Commission Recommendation</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Constitution of the State Election Commission:</strong> The State Election Commissioner should be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a collegium, comprising the Chief Minister, the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly and the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.</li>
<li>An institutional mechanism should be created to bring the Election Commission of India and the SECs on a common platform for coordination, learning from each other&rsquo;s experiences and sharing of resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Law Commission 255<sup>th</sup> Report on Electoral Reforms</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended, to add a new sub-clause to Article 324 of the Constitution to provide for a separate independent and permanent Secretariat for the ECI along the lines of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariats under Article 98 of the Constitution.</li>
<li>Similar provisions can also be made for the State Election Commissions to ensure autonomy, and free and fair local body election.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Election commissions are one of the bulwarks of the democratic system in India and thus securing their institutional integrity is a task that falls on all three branches &mdash;executive, judiciary and legislature. The unwarranted interference by one organ of the state in the functioning of others should be discouraged to achieve a robust electoral system.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590665948_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590665948_image1.png" 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: #fffbe0;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Free and fair elections form the bedrock of a democratic country.&rdquo; In the light of the statement critically analyse the role of the election authorities in India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jqp8b1xSLn0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/unlocking-justice-6428688/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Unlocking Justice&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on May 27<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/state-election-commission-s-autonomy'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'MSMEs Loans to Get ‘Risk-Free’ Tag',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>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 (RBI)</strong></a> is likely to <strong>allow banks to assign zero risk weight for loans</strong> that will be extended to the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs)</strong></a> under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rs.20 lakh crore economic package</strong></a> announced by the Union government.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As a part of the package, a Rs.3 lakh crore loan for the MSME sector was announced.</li>
<li>However, such loans <strong>would attract a risk weight of a minimum 20%</strong> since these loans <strong>did not come with direct government guarantee.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The claims will not be settled unconditionally. The government will ask questions and see the loan appraisal process once a claim is made when the borrower defaults.</li>
<li>And, if the claim is not settled, banks have to make provision in line with the age of default.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This facility is similar to the loans that are guaranteed by the <strong>Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).</strong></li>
<li>The government has made available a corpus of Rs. 41,600 crore for the Rs. 3 lakh crore scheme. The<strong> government is factoring in less than 15%<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/solving-the-npa-crisis-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> non-performing assets</a>, as of now.</strong></li>
<li>After banks highlighted the issue of risk weight associated with the loan with the government, the government has asked the RBI to waive the requirement of assigning a risk weight to the loans.</li>
<li><strong>Benefit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Zero risk would mean that banks will not have to set aside additional capital for these loans.</li>
<li>The move will encourage lenders to extend credit, as banks have turned risk averse and have been reluctant to lend.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rs. 3 lakh crore scheme</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the scheme,<strong> 100% guarantee coverage</strong> will be provided by the <strong>National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC)</strong> to eligible MSMEs, in the form of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Though primarily meant for the MSME sector, other small borrowers including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)</strong></a> can also avail themselves of the scheme.</li>
<li>The <strong>tenure of loan under this scheme is four years</strong> with a moratorium period of one year on the principal amount.</li>
<li>The scheme would be applicable to all loans sanctioned under GECL till 31st October, 2020 or till an amount of Rs.3 lakh crore is sanctioned, whichever is earlier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Credit offered by CGTMSE</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)</strong> was set up by the <strong>Government of India</strong> and <strong>Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).</strong></li>
<li>CGTMSE has introduced a new <strong>"Hybrid Security"</strong> product allowing guarantee cover for the portion of the credit facility not covered by collateral security.</li>
<li>In the partial collateral security model, the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) will be allowed to obtain collateral security for a part of the credit facility, whereas the remaining part of the credit facility, up to a maximum of Rs. 200 lakh, can be covered under Credit <strong>Guarantee Scheme</strong> of CGTMSE.</li>
<li>The main objective is that the <strong>lender should give importance to project viability and secure the credit facility</strong> purely on the primary security of the assets financed.</li>
<li>The other objective is that the <strong>lender availing guarantee facility should endeavor to give composite credit to the borrowers</strong> so that the borrowers obtain both term loan and working capital facilities from a single agency.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) is a <strong>Union Government Company.</strong> It is classified as a company<strong> limited by shares.</strong></li>
<li>It was set up by the Government of India to, inter alia, <strong>act as a common trustee company to manage and operate various credit guarantee trust funds.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/loans-to-msmes-may-get-risk-free-tag/article31689534.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/msmes-loans-to-get-risk-free-tag'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Indian Political Thinker - BR Ambedkar',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-129th-birth-anniversary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar</strong></a>, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was one of the main architects of the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>He was a very well known political leader, philosopher, writer, economist, scholar and a social reformer who dedicated his life to eradicating untouchability and other social inequality in India.</li>
<li>He was born on 14 April 1891 in Madhya Pradesh in Hindu Mahar Caste. He had to face severe discriminations from every corner of the society as the Mahar caste was viewed as "untouchable" by the upper class.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Main Architect of Indian Constitution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Babasaheb Ambedkar's legal expertise and knowledge of the <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-polity/important-sources-of-the-indian-constitution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Constitution of different countries</strong></a> was very helpful in the framing of the constitution. He became <strong>chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly</strong> and played an important role in framing the Indian Constitution.</li>
<li>Among others, his most important contributions were in areas of fundamental rights, strong central government and protection of minorities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Article 32</strong> guarantees judicial protection to the Fundamental Rights which makes them meaningful. For him, Article 32 was the most important article of the constitution and thus, he referred to it<strong> "soul of the Constitution and very heart of it".</strong></li>
<li><strong>He supported a strong central government.</strong> He was afraid that Casteism is more powerful at the local and provincial levels, and the government at this level might not protect the interest of lower caste under pressure of upper caste. Since the National government is less influenced by these pressures, they will ensure protection to lower caste.</li>
<li>He was also afraid that the minority which is the most vulnerable group in the nation may convert into political minorities too. So democratic rule of 'One man one vote' is not sufficient and the minority should be guaranteed a share in power. <strong>He was against 'Majoritarianism Syndrome'</strong> and provided many safeguards in the Constitution for the minorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian constitution is the lengthiest constitution in the world because various administrative details have been included. Babasaheb defended it saying that we have created a democratic political structure in a traditional society. If all details are not included, future leaders may misuse the Constitution without technically violating it. Such safeguards are necessary. This shows that he was aware of the practical difficulties which India will face once the Constitution would have been implemented.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Constitutional Morality</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In Babasaheb Ambedkar&rsquo;s perspective,<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/constitutional-morality" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Constitutional morality</strong></a> would mean effective coordination between conflicting interests of different people and administrative cooperation.</li>
<li>It will help to resolve the conflict amicably without any confrontation amongst the various groups working for the realization of their ends at any cost.</li>
<li>According to him, for India, where society is divided on the basis of caste, religion, language, and other factors, a common moral compass is needed, and the Constitution can play the role of that compass.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Democracy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He had complete faith in democracy. While dictatorship may produce quick results, it can not be a valid form of government. Democracy is superior as it enhances liberty. He supported the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/parliamentary-reforms-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>parliamentary form of democracy</strong></a>, which aligns with other national leaders.</li>
<li>He emphasized<strong> 'democracy as a way of life',</strong> i.e. democracy not only in the political sphere but also in the personal, social and economic sphere.</li>
<li>For him, democracy must bring a drastic change in social conditions of society, otherwise the spirit of political democracy i.e. 'one man and one vote' would be missing. Democratic government can arise only from a democratic society, so as long as caste hurdles exist in Indian society, real democracy can not operate. So he focused on the spirit of fraternity and equality as the base of democracy to bring out social democracy.</li>
<li>Along with the social dimension, Ambedkar focused on the economic dimension also. While he was influenced by liberalism and parliamentary democracy, he also found the limitation of them. As per him, parliamentary democracy ignored social and economic inequality. It only focused on liberty while true democracy must bring both liberty and equality.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Social Reforms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Babasaheb had devoted his life to remove untouchability. He believed that the progress of the nation would not be realized without the removal of untouchability, which means the abolition of the caste system in totality. He studied Hindu philosophical traditions and made a critical assessment of them.</li>
<li>For him, Untouchability is the slavery of the entire Hindu society. While Untouchables are enslaved by Caste Hindus, Caste Hindus themselves live under slavery of religious sculptures. So the emancipation of the untouchables leads to the emancipation of the whole Hindu society.</li>
<li><strong>Priority to Social Reform:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>He believed that Economic and Political issues must be resolved only after achieving the goal of social justice.</strong> If political emancipation precedes social emancipation, it will lead to the rule of upper-caste Hindu, and atrocities on Lower Caste.</li>
<li>The idea that economic progress will lead to social justice is ill-founded as Casteism is an expression of the Mental Slavery of Hindus. <strong>So for social reform, Casteism has to do away with.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Social reforms consisted of family reform and religious reforms.</strong> Family reforms included removal of practices like child marriage etc. He strongly supports the empowerment of women. He supports women&rsquo;s rights of property which he resolved through Hindu Code Bill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Caste:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The caste system has made Hindu society stagnant which creates hurdles in integration with outsiders. Even internally, Hindu society fails to satisfy the test of a homogeneous society, as it is just a conglomeration of different castes. The caste system does not allow lower castes to prosper which led to moral degradation. Battle for the removal of untouchability becomes the battle for human rights and justice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Factsheet</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1923, he set up the<strong> 'Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association)&rsquo;,</strong> which was devoted to spreading education and culture amongst the downtrodden.</li>
<li>The temple entry movement launched by Dr. Ambedkar in 1930 at Kalaram temple, Nasik is another landmark in the struggle for human rights and social justice.</li>
<li>Dr. Ambedkar <strong>attended all the three Round Table Conferences (1930-32)</strong> in London and each time, forcefully projected his views in the interest of the 'untouchable'.</li>
<li>In<strong> 1932,</strong> Gandhi ji protested Communal Award of a separate electorate by fasting while imprisoned in the Yerwada Central Jail of Poona. This resulted in the<strong> Poona Pact</strong> wherein Gandhi ji ended his fast and Babasaheb dropped his demand for a separate electorate. Instead, a <strong>certain number of seats were reserved specifically for the &lsquo;Depressed Class&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>In 1936, Babasaheb Ambedkar founded the<strong> Independent Labour Party.</strong></li>
<li>In 1939, during the Second World War, he called upon Indians to join the Army in large numbers to defeat Nazism, which he said, was another name for Fascism.</li>
<li>On October 14, 1956 he embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers. The same year he completed his last writing <strong>'Buddha and His Dharma'.</strong></li>
<li>In 1990, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, was bestowed with <strong>Bharat Ratna.</strong></li>
<li>The period from 14<sup>th</sup> April 1990 - 14<sup>th</sup> April 1991 was observed as<strong> 'Year of Social Justice'</strong> in the memory of Babasaheb.</li>
<li><strong>Dr. Ambedkar Foundation</strong> was established by the Government of India under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on March 24, 1992 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main objective of the foundation is to oversee the implementation of programmes and activities for furthering the ideology and message of Babasaheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar among the masses in India as well as abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Few important works of Dr. Ambedkar:</strong> Mook Nayak (weekly) 1920; Janta (weekly) 1930; The Annihilation of Caste 1936; The Untouchables 1948; Buddha Or Karl Marx 1956, etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Methods Adopted to Remove Untouchability</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Creating self-respect among untouchables by removing the myth of inherent pollution that has influenced their minds.</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For Babasaheb, knowledge is a liberating force. One of the reasons for the degradation of untouchables was that they were denied the advantages of education. He criticized the British for not doing enough for the education of the lower caste. He insisted on secular education to instill values of liberty and equality among the students.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic progress:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He wanted untouchables to free themselves from the bondage of the village community and traditional jobs. He wanted them to achieve new skills and start a new profession and move to cities to take advantage of industrialization. He described villages as 'a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow mindedness, and communalism'.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political strength:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He wanted untouchables to organize themselves politically. With political power, untouchables would be able to protect, safeguard and introduce new emancipatory policies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conversion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When he realized that Hinduism is not able to mend its ways, he adopted Buddhism and asked his followers to do the same. For him, Buddhism was based on humanism and believed in the spirit of equality and fraternity.</li>
<li>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m reborn, rejecting the religion of my birth. I discard the religion which discriminates between a man and a man and which treats me as an inferior&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>So at the social level, education; at the material level, new means of livelihood; at political level, political organization; and the spiritual level, self-assertion, and conversion constituted an overall program of the removal of untouchability.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Relevance of Ambedkar in Present Times</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Caste-based inequality in India still persists. While Dalits have acquired a political identity through <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reservation</strong></a> and forming their own political parties, they lack behind in social dimensions (health and education) and economic dimension.</li>
<li>There has been a rise of communal polarization and communalization of politics. It is necessary that Ambedkar's vision of constitutional morality must supersede religious morality to avoid permanent damage to the Indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to historian R.C Guha, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is a unique example of success even in most adverse situations. Today India is facing many socio-economic challenges such as casteism, <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/communalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>communalism</strong></a>, separatism, <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/inequality-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>gender inequality</strong></a>, etc. We need to find the Ambedkar's spirit within us, so that we can pull ourselves from these challenges.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Important Links</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-63rd-mahaparinirvan-diwas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>B R Ambedkar&rsquo;s 63<sup>rd</sup> Mahaparinirvan Diwas</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/secularism-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Secularism</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-gender-equality-versus-religious-practices" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gender equality versus Religious practices</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basic-structure-of-constitution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Basic Structure of Constitution</strong></a></li>
<li>Representation of People&rsquo;s Act- <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/representation-of-people-s-act-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Part 1</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-representation-of-the-people-act-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part2</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-political-thinker-br-ambedkar'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance: Umang Mobile App',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has added the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/heat-waves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)</strong></a> weather services to the Umang Mobile App.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>By using the IMD services on the App the users will be able to check the weather forecast of their city in advance.</li>
<li>It will forecast 7 weather related services including current weather, rainfall information, warnings, cyclones, etc.</li>
<li>This digital initiative of IMD would provide weather service with detailed information such as humidity, sunrise, sunset, temperature etc.</li>
<li>The forecast services would help in predicting a seven days forecast in advance of any city along with past 24 hours of weather data.</li>
<li>It would be<strong> significant for the farmers</strong> to get timely updates regarding the weather conditions and in taking the precautions.</li>
<li>Overall it would help in the<strong> prevention of lives, livelihood and loss of property</strong> due to extreme weather conditions.</li>
<li>Umang App provides a single platform for all Indian citizens to access pan India <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-Government services</strong></a> ranging from central to local government bodies and other citizen centric services.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance: The UMANG Mobile App</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multi-lingual, multi-service mobile app.</li>
<li>It is a Digital India initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It provides seamless integration with popular customer centric services like Aadhaar and Digilocker.</li>
<li>It provides a unified approach where one can install one application to avail multiple government services.</li>
<li>It can be accessed on multiple channels like mobile application, web, and SMS which can be accessed through smartphones, tablets and desktops.</li>
<li>It has a rich multimedia interface with a focus on maximizing usability and enriching user experience.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Services provided by the app:</strong> It is a unified application that can be used to avail a number of pan India e-government services such as: Filing income tax, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epfo-disbursed-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO)</strong></a> services, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aadhar</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/streamlining-of-national-pension-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pension</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-primary-education-challenges-and-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ePathshala</strong></a>, e- Land Records, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revamp-of-the-crop-insurance-schemes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Crop Insurance</strong></a> etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1626146" 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/unified-mobile-application-for-new-age-governance-umang-mobile-app'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Invasive Species: Charru Mussel',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>An invasive species named <strong>Charru mussel <em>(Mytella strigata)</em>,</strong> native to the South and Central American coasts, is spreading quickly in the backwaters of Kerala.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reasons for the spread:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Charru mussel may have reached the Indian shores attached to ship hulls or as larval forms in ballast water discharges.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ballast is the seawater that ships carry to improve stability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Cyclone Ockhi which struck the region (South India, Sri Lanka, Maldives) in 2017, may have sped up their invasion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Areas impacted:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The surveys conducted in Kerala has found<strong> presence of Charru mussel in many estuaries/backwaters of Kerala,</strong> which include Kadinamkulam, Paravur, Edava-Nadayara, Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam, Vembanad, Chettuva and Ponnani etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The backwaters of Kerala comprise stretches of lakes, canals and lagoons located parallel to the coast of the Arabian Sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Ashtamudi Lake, a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addition-to-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ramsar site</strong> </a>in Kollam district is the worst-hit due to Charu mussel. Here, <strong>Charru mussel has replaced the Asian green mussel</strong> (Perna viridis) and the <strong>edible oyster Magallana bilineata</strong> (known locally as muringa).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>proliferation of Charu mussel poses a serious threat to the endemic species diversity</strong> of brackish water habitats of Kerala coast.</li>
<li>This invasive species is forcing out<strong> other mussel</strong> and <strong>clam species</strong> in the backwaters and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen engaged in molluscan fisheries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In Ashtamudi lake, the<strong> short-necked clam fisheries</strong> has obtained an <strong>eco label</strong> from the <strong>Marine Stewardship Council</strong> and about 3,000 people are dependent on fisheries here.</li>
<li><strong>"Ecolabelling"</strong> is a voluntary method of environmental performance certification and labelling that is practised around the world.</li>
<li>An ecolabel identifies products or services proven environmentally preferable overall, within a specific product or service category.</li>
<li>The Marine Stewardship Council is an independent<strong> non-profit organization</strong> which sets a standard for sustainable fishing. It is <strong>headquartered in London.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In such a scenario, the fast-breeding Charru mussel could be seen as a <strong>&lsquo;pest&rsquo; attack</strong> on clam fishery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Invasive Species</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An invasive species is an organism <strong>that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area</strong> and <strong>causes harm.</strong></li>
<li>They are capable of causing <strong>extinctions of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats.</strong></li>
<li>They can be<strong> introduced to an area by ship ballast water, accidental release, and most often, by people.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mussel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mussel is a common name for numerous <strong>bivalve mollusks</strong> belonging to the <strong>marine family Mytilidae</strong> and to the <strong>freshwater family Unionidae.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mollusks are <strong>soft-bodied invertebrates of the phylum Mollusca,</strong> usually <strong>wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate shell</strong> secreted by a soft mantle covering the body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Worldwide, they are most <strong>commonly found in cool seas.</strong></li>
<li>In India, two species of marine mussels, <strong>green mussel</strong> <em>(Perna viridis)</em>, and the <strong>brown mussel,</strong> <em>(P. indica)</em> are found in the coastal areas. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farming of green mussels <strong>is now established as a commercial practice</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Charru mussel is native to the South and Central American coast.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Their colour varies from black to brown, purple or dark green.</li>
<li>They can survive in a range of salinity and temperature but cannot survive beyond 36 degree celcius.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Completely eradicating the Charru mussel from Indian waters is going to be nearly impossible, so limiting its spread is crucial.</li>
<li>There is also a need to promote studies on invasion biology and strengthen awareness on marine invasive species.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/invasive-mussel-spreads-in-backwaters/article31689771.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/invasive-species-charru-mussel'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'World Dugong Day 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Dugong Day</strong> is celebrated on <strong>28<sup>th</sup> May, every year.</strong></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590658425_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590658425_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dugong</strong> <em>(Dugong dugon)</em> also called<strong> &lsquo;Sea Cow&rsquo;</strong> is one of the four surviving species in the Order Sirenia and it is the<strong> only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea</strong> including in India.</li>
<li>They are listed as<strong> Vulnerable</strong> on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IUCN Red List</strong></a> and are protected in<strong> India</strong> under <strong>Schedule I</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wild (Life) Protection Act, 1972</strong></a>.</li>
<li>According to a 2013 survey report of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), there were only about 200 dugongs in the <strong>Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu,</strong> the <strong>Andaman and Nicobar Islands</strong> and the <strong>Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat.</strong></li>
<li>Dugongs are an<strong> important part of the marine ecosystem</strong> and their depletion will have effects all the way up the food chain.<strong> Proper conservation</strong> is the only way to save dugongs from extinction.</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dugongs <strong>graze on seagrass</strong> and the<strong> loss of seagrass beds</strong> due to <strong>ocean floor trawling</strong> is one of the most important factors behind decreasing dugong populations in many parts of the world.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Trawling</strong> is a <strong>method of fishing</strong> that involves <strong>pulling a fishing net through the water</strong> behind one or more boats. It is <strong>harmful to the environment</strong> because it damages the seafloor, coral reefs and other marine animals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Human activities</strong> such as the destruction and modification of habitat, pollution, rampant illegal fishing activities, vessel strikes, unsustainable hunting or poaching and unplanned tourism are the main threats to dugongs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dugong meat is consumed under the wrong impression that it cools down human body temperature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Steps Taken for Conservation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In February 2020, India hosted the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cms-cop-13-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>13<sup>th</sup> Conference of Parties</strong></a> (CoP) of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cms-com-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals</strong></a> (CMS), an environmental treaty under the aegis of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/not-all-animals-migrate-by-choice-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Environment Programme</strong> </a>(UNEP).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Government of India is a <strong>signatory to the CMS since 1983.</strong></li>
<li>India has signed<strong> non-legally binding Memorandums of Understanding</strong> (MoU) with CMS on the conservation and management of <strong>Siberian Cranes</strong> (1998), <strong>Marine<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-turtle-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Turtles</a></strong> (2007), <strong>Dugongs</strong> (2008) and <strong>Raptors</strong> (2016).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change</strong> constituted a<strong> &lsquo;Task Force for Conservation of Dugongs&rsquo;</strong> to look into issues related to conservation of dugongs and implementation of the &lsquo;UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU&rsquo; in India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It also facilitates <strong>India to act as the leading nation in the South Asia Sub-region</strong> with respect to dugong conservation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/world-dugong-day-2020-marine-mammal-fighting-for-survival-in-indian-waters-71413" 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/world-dugong-day-2020'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'National Highways Authority of India',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed its Regional Officers (ROs) and Project Directors (PDs) to undertake maintenance of the National Highways ahead of the monsoon season.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NHAI will be monitoring the progress through its<strong> Project Management Software &ndash; Data Lake</strong> where pictures of before and after repair works would be uploaded, apart from other repair related information.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was set up under <strong>NHAI Act, 1988.</strong> It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.</li>
<li>It has been entrusted with the <strong>National Highways Development Project,</strong> along with other minor projects for development, maintenance and management.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>National Highways Development Project (NHDP) is a project to upgrade, rehabilitate and widen major highways in India to a higher standard. The project was <strong>started in 1998.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NHAI maintains the National Highways network to global standards and cost effective manner and promotes economic well being and quality of life of the people.</li>
<li>It has completed construction of 3,979 km of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20.</li>
<li>NHAI has mandated development of about <strong>27,500 km</strong> of national highways under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bharatmala-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharatmala Pariyojna Phase-I</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bharatmala Pariyojana is an <strong>umbrella program for the highways sector</strong> that focuses on optimizing efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions.</li>
<li>The effective interventions include development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads and Green-field expressways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Highways</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Highways (NH) are the arterial roads of the country for<strong> inter-state movement</strong> of passengers and goods.</li>
<li>They traverse the length and width of the country connecting the National and State capitals, major ports and rail junctions and link up with border roads and foreign highways.</li>
<li>The NHs including Expressways constitute only about <strong>1.7% of the length of all roads,</strong> they carry about <strong>40% of the road traffic.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1627178" 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/national-highways-authority-of-india'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Tianwen-1: China's Mars Mission',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why In News</h3>
<p>China will launch its first Mars Mission - Tianwen-1- in July, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China's previous &lsquo;Yinghuo-1&rsquo; Mars mission, which was supported by a Russian spacecraft, had failed after it did not leave the earth's orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean in 2012.</li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</strong></a> is also going to launch its own Mars mission in July, the <strong>Perseverance</strong> which aims to collect Martian samples.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Tianwen-1 Mission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will lift off on a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/long-march-5b-rocket-by-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Long March 5 rocket</strong></a>, from the Wenchang launch centre.</li>
<li>It will carry <strong>13 payloads</strong> (seven orbiters and six rovers) that will explore the planet.</li>
<li>It is an all-in-one orbiter, lander and rover system.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Orbiter:</strong> It is a spacecraft designed to orbit a celestial body (astronomical body) without landing on its surface.</li>
<li><strong>Lander:</strong> It is a strong, lightweight spacecraft structure, consisting of a base and three sides "petals" in the shape of a tetrahedron (pyramid-shaped). It is a protective "shell" that houses the rover and protects it, along with the airbags, from the forces of impact.</li>
<li><strong>Rover:</strong> It is a planetary surface exploration device designed to move across the solid surface on a planet or other planetary mass celestial bodies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mission will be the first to place a ground-penetrating radar on the Martian surface, which will be able to study local geology, as well as rock, ice, and dirt distribution.</li>
<li>It will search the martian surface for water, investigate soil characteristics, and study the atmosphere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Landing on Mars:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mission is expected to land on the surface of Mars in the first quarter of 2021.</li>
<li>The success of the mission will make <strong>China the third country</strong> to achieve a Mars landing after the <strong>USSR</strong> (the former Eurasian empire)<strong> and the United States of America.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mars</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Size and Distance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>fourth planet from the Sun</strong> and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System.</li>
<li>Mars is about half the size of Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Similarity to the Earth (Orbit and Rotation):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As Mars orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 24.6 hours, which is very similar to one day on Earth (23.9 hours).</li>
<li>Mars' axis of rotation is tilted 25 degrees with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This is similar with Earth, which has an axial tilt of 23.4 degrees.</li>
<li>Like Earth, Mars has distinct seasons, but they last longer than seasons on Earth since Mars takes longer to orbit the Sun (because it's farther away).</li>
<li>Martian days are called <strong>sols</strong>&mdash;short for &lsquo;solar day&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Surface:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has colors such as brown, gold and tan. The reason Mars looks reddish is due to oxidation or rusting of iron in the rocks, and dust of Mars. Hence it is also called <strong>Red Planet.</strong></li>
<li>Mars has the <strong>largest volcano in the solar system i.e. Olympus Mons.</strong> It's three times taller than Earth's Mt. Everest with a base the size of the state of New Mexico.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Atmosphere:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mars has a thin atmosphere made up mostly of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon gases.</li>
<li>The temperature on Mars can be as high as (20 degrees Celsius) or as low as about -153 degrees Celsius. This is because the thin atmosphere gives an easy escape to sun heat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Magnetosphere:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mars has no magnetic field till date, but areas of the Martian crust in the southern hemisphere are highly magnetized, indicating traces of a magnetic field.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Moons:</strong> Mars has two small moons, <strong>Phobos and Deimos,</strong> that may be captured asteroids.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Previous Mars Missions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Soviet Union in 1971</strong> became the first country to carry out a Mars landing, <strong>Mars 3.</strong></li>
<li>The second country to reach Mars&rsquo;s surface is the <strong>United State of America (USA).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since 1976, it has achieved 8 successful Mars landings, the latest being the &lsquo;InSight&rsquo; in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>European Space Agency has been able to place their spacecraft in Mars&rsquo;s orbit through the<strong> Mars Express</strong> Mission.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)</strong></a> or <strong>Mangalyaan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh by<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Space Research Organisation</strong></a> in November 2013.</li>
<li>It was launched on board a PSLV C25 rocket with aim of studying Martian surface and mineral composition as well as scan its atmosphere for methane (an indicator of life on Mars).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-tianwen-1-chinas-mars-mission-6428306/" 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/tianwen-1-china-s-mars-mission'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Public Health System In India',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/india-healthcare-system-coronavirus-6383650/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Reset and reform&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 29/04/2020. It talks about the importance and challenges of the public health system amid Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
</div>
<p>Contrary to the popular notion about India&rsquo;s Public health systems being inefficient and ineffective, it is performing reasonably well in tackling the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and providing treatment of patients without refusing anyone on financial grounds.</p>
<p>However, the private health sector which accounts for 70% of healthcare services in India, is playing only a supporting role and referring the patients to public hospitals for treatment of any cases relating to Covid-19.</p>
<p>The current pandemic reiterates the importance of Public Health systems. Thus, there is a need to address the constraints and revamp of the public health system in India.</p>
<h3>Associated Challenges With Public Health Systems in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Primary Healthcare Services:</strong> The existing public primary health care model in the country is limited in scope. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Even where there is a well-functioning public primary health centre, only services related to pregnancy care, limited childcare and certain services related to national health programmes are provided.</li>
<li>This represents only 15% of all morbidities for which people seek care.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supply-Side Deficiencies:</strong> Poor health management skills and lack of appropriate training and supportive supervision for health workers prevent delivery of the desired quality of health services.</li>
<li><strong>Inadequate Funding:</strong> Expenditure on public health funding has been consistently low in India (approximately 1.3% of GDP). As per OECD, India's total out-of-pocket expenditure is around 2.3 % of GDP.</li>
<li><strong>Overlapping Jurisdiction:</strong> There is no single authority responsible for public health that is legally empowered to issue guidelines and enforce compliance of the health standards.</li>
<li><strong>Sub-optimal Public Health System:</strong> Due to this, it is challenging to tackle <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/non-communicable-diseases-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-communicable Diseases</strong></a>, which is all about prevention and early detection. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It diminishes preparedness and effective management for new and emerging threats such as pandemic like Covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enabling Preventive Care:</strong> In order to promote preventive care, the Union government has announced the conversion of primary health care centres into Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These HWCs will act as the pillar of preventive care and &lsquo;gateway&rsquo; for access to secondary and tertiary health services.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need to accelerate the establishment of a network HWCs, for this extra funding through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be mobilised.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bringing Behavioural Change:</strong> There is a need to ensure people eat right, sleep right, maintain good hygiene, exercise, and adopt a healthy lifestyle that necessitates concerted interventions at various levels of the system.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In order to catalyse people&rsquo;s participation for healthy India, there is need for <strong>Swasth Bharat Jan Andolan</strong> on lines of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/swachh-bharat-mission-urban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swach Bharat Abhiyan</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperative Federalism:</strong> Given the major role that States have to play in creating strong health systems across the country, allocations provided by the Finance Commission can become the critical catalyst for transforming the nation&rsquo;s health.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>State governments should be incentivized to invest in <strong>creating a dedicated cadre for public health</strong> at the state, district and block levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>More Funding:</strong> Public funding on health should be increased to at least 2.5% of GDP as envisaged in the National Health Policy, 2017.</li>
<li><strong>Decentralisation:</strong> There is a need to make nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) part of the core functions of Panchayati raj institutions and municipalities.</li>
<li><strong>Creating a Nodal Health Agency:</strong> There is need to create a designated and autonomous focal agency with the required capacities and linkages to perform the functions of disease surveillance, information gathering on the health impact of policies of key non-health departments, maintenance of national health statistics, enforcement of public health regulations, and dissemination of information to the public.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this pursuit, NITI Aayog&rsquo;s National Health Stack is a step in the right direction, which needs to be operationalised as soon as possible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Pandemics such as Covid-19 starkly remind us that public health systems are core social institutions in any society. The government has made several efforts to address the shortfall in the public health system through the schemes like the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/national-medical-commission-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019</a></strong>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/janaushadhi-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana</strong></a>, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana</a></strong> etc.</p>
<p>However, the need of the hour is an adequate investment, for creating a health system that can withstand any kind of public health emergencies, deliver universal health coverage and meet the targets of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals.</strong></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590578965_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590578965_image1.png" width="750" 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: #ebfffb;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Critically examine the importance of public health systems in a developing country like India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mocjcJOjuC0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/smart-cities-mission-health-investment-coronavirus-6427119/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Think Smarter&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on May 26<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch it on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Arogya Setu App: An Open Source',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the source code of Aarogya Setu Mobile App has been made open source for software developers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been uploaded on GitHub which will help in identifying any vulnerabilities or code improvement in order to make Aarogya Setu more robust and secure.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India launched <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aarogya-setu-app-a-technological-solutionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aarogya Setu mobile App</strong></a> to augment the efforts of limiting the spread of<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Covid-19</a>.</strong></li>
<li>It has an objective of <strong>enabling bluetooth based contact tracing</strong> and mapping of likely hotspots and dissemination of relevant information about Covid-19.</li>
<li>Although the app has been resourceful by its users, there were <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/privacy-concern-over-aarogya-setu-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>privacy concerns</strong></a> regarding the lack of transparency in the app's code.</li>
<li>To address these concerns, the government has decided to launch the code-set of the <strong>app on GitHub to make it more transparent.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arogya setu as an open source: Open Source</strong> refers to a source which people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Source code</strong> is the part of software that computer programmers can manipulate its working and function. Programmers who have access to a computer program's source code can improve that program by adding features.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> Expanding collaboration amongst the talented youth and citizens through open source would help in building a robust and secure technology solution which will further support the work of frontline health workers in fighting this pandemic together.</li>
<li>Towards this objective, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nic-and-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Informatics Centre</strong></a> has also launched a <strong>Bug Bounty Programme</strong></li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong> Releasing the source code of a rapidly evolving product that is being used by million users would require regular maintenance of the source code.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Regular updates in the app with the new technology would also be a concern.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bug Bounty Programme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has a goal to partner with security researchers and Indian developer community to test the security effectiveness of Aarogya Setu and also to enhance its security and build user&rsquo;s trust.</li>
<li>It is aimed at encouraging the Indian developer community to find security flaws in the app and get rewarded Rs 1 lakh.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The availability of the App as an open code would help in the development of a transparent mechanism of availing data from the public regarding the Covid-19. It would address the privacy issue by enabling a robust system in the App by adding new features to it.</p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1626979" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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