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Rising Cybercrimes

Why in News The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to all States to examine and register First Information Reports (FIRs) based on the...

02 Nov 2020 News Analysis
Rising GST Revenues

Why in News According to the recent data released by the Finance Ministry, the gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collected in October 2020...

02 Nov 2020 News Analysis
Pakistan's Provincial Status to Gilgit-Baltistan

Why in News India has strongly rejected Pakistan's move to grant provisional provincial status to Gilgit - Baltistan. Gilgit-Baltistan is one of...

02 Nov 2020 News Analysis
Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Why in News A recent investigation has found that the money meant for poor students under the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme in Jharkhand has been...

02 Nov 2020 News Analysis
Revolt of 1857

The Indian Mutiny of 1857-59 was a widespread but unsuccessful rebellion against the rule of British East India Company in India which functioned as...

02 Nov 2020 Paper 1
Typhoon Goni

Why in News Recently, Typhoon Goni has made landfall in the eastern Philippines. The Philippines is used to powerful storms - it is hit by an...

02 Nov 2020 News Analysis
Dairy Production in Indus Valley Civilisation

Why in News Recently, a study by Indian and Canadian archaeologists has found that dairy products were being produced by the Harappans as far back...

02 Nov 2020 News Analysis
Urban Flooding

This article is based on “Time for a ‘sponge cities’ mission in India” which was published in The Hindu on 31/10/2020. It...

31 Oct 2020 News Editorials
National Unity Day 2020

Why in News Every year, the National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is celebrated on 31st October to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar...

31 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Sexual Harassment and the Code on Wages

Why in News According to a provision in the Code on Wages 2019, ‘conviction for sexual harassment’ can be a ground for denying bonus...

31 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Translocation of Corals in Mumbai

Why in News The National Institute of Oceanography will carry out the translocation of 18 coral colonies from the coast of Mumbai for the Mumbai...

31 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Habitat Loss of Himalayan Brown Bear

Why in News Recently, a study conducted by scientists of the Zoological Survey of India on the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) has...

31 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Uniform Civil Code

This article is based on “All states must be brought into the mainstream of family laws” which was published in The Indian Express on...

30 Oct 2020 News Editorials
Quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey

Why in News Recently, the National Statistical Office (NSO) released the quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for October-December...

30 Oct 2020 News Analysis
DRIP Phase II and Phase III

Why in News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement...

30 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Typhoon Molave: Vietnam

Why in News Recently, Vietnam has been hit by one of its biggest storms in two decades - Typhoon Molave. Vietnam is prone to natural disasters in...

30 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Mandatory Jute Bag Packaging

Why in News Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved that 100% of the foodgrains and 20% of...

30 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR

Why in News Recently, the President of India has signed ‘The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining...

30 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Institution of Eminence Scheme

Why in News Recently, the OP Jindal Global University officially got an ‘Institution of Eminence (IoE) tag. The university was selected by...

30 Oct 2020 News Analysis
Combating Deep Fakes

This article is based on “Countering deep fakes, the most serious AI threat” which was published in The Hindu on 20/10/2020. It talks...

29 Oct 2020 News Editorials

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			'title' => 'Rising Cybercrimes',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)</strong> has written to all States to examine and register First Information Reports (FIRs) based on the complaints received on <strong>National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in).</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Low Conversion Rates:</strong> As per Ministry of Home Affairs, only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the portal are converted into FIRs.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Crime Volunteers:</strong> Through the portal, the Government seeks to promote Cyber Crime Volunteers for identifying, reporting and removal of illegal/unlawful online content.</li>
<li><strong>Increase in Cases:</strong> According to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crime-in-india-2019-report-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)</strong></a>, the number of registered cyber crimes increased by 63.5% in the year 2019 compared to 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Help in curbing rising cyber frauds ,cyber bullying,child pornography etc.</li>
<li>In consonance with the Digital India drive of the government as with rising digital footprint cyber crimes are bound to rise.</li>
<li>Massive Digitalisation in the post-covid world in the sectors of education , health etc highlights the importance of cyber governance initiatives such as this.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched in 2019, it is a citizen-centric initiative enabling citizens to report cybercrimes online.</li>
<li>The portal specifically focuses on crimes against women, children, particularly child pornography, child sex abuse material, online content pertaining to rapes/gang rapes, etc.</li>
<li>It also focuses on crimes like financial crime and social media related crimes like stalking, cyberbullying, etc.</li>
<li>It will improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies to investigate the cases after successful completion by improving coordination amongst the law enforcement agencies of different States, districts and police stations.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Budapest Convention</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Council of Europe&rsquo;s (CoE) Cybercrime Convention, also known as the Budapest Convention</strong> is the<strong> sole legally binding international multilateral treaty</strong> on cybercrime. It coordinates cybercrime investigations between nation-states and criminalizes certain cybercrime conduct.</li>
<li>It was open for signature in 2001 and <strong>came into force in 2004.</strong></li>
<li>The Budapest Convention is supplemented by a Protocol on Xenophobia and Racism committed through computer systems.</li>
<li>India is<strong> not a party</strong> to it. India recently <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/convention-on-global-cybercrime" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>voted in favour of a Russian-led UN resolution</strong></a> to set up a separate convention. The resolution seeks to set up new cyber norms considered as a <strong>counter alternative to the US backed Budapest Accord.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Recent Initiatives to Tackle Cybercrime</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C):</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-facility-to-tackle-cyber-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>I4C will assist in centralising cyber security investigations</strong></a>, prioritise the development of response tools and bring together private companies to contain the menace.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/cyber-crime-data-deprivation-and-data-localisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Draft Personal Data Protection Bill</a>, 2018</strong> (based on the recommendation of Justice BN Srikrishna Committee) to secure citizens data.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Swachhta Kendra:</strong> The "Cyber Swachhta Kendra" (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) is a part of the Government of India's <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India initiative</strong></a> under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/35-percent-of-cyber-attacks-on-indian-sites-from-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT</a>-IN):</strong> It is an organisation of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, with the objective of securing Indian cyberspace. It is the nodal agency which deals with cybersecurity threats like hacking and phishing.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mha-tells-states-to-register-more-firs-for-cyber-crime/article32997209.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/rising-cybercrimes'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Rising GST Revenues',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the recent data released by the Finance Ministry, the gross <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong> </a>(GST) revenue collected in<strong> October 2020 was Rs. 1.05 lakh crore.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is<strong> 10.25% higher than in 2019</strong> and <strong>10.1% more than the revenue garnered in September 2020.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604311285_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604311285_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="291" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> total revenue</strong> earned in October by the <strong>Central and State governments</strong> stood at <strong>Rs. 44,285 crore and Rs. 44,839 crore, respectively.</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/system-of-cess-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST cess</strong></a> collections, used to compensate the States for switching to the GST regime, <strong>rose to Rs. 8,011 crore,</strong> which is over 5% more than in 2019 and 12.5% higher than September 2020.</li>
<li>October&rsquo;s <strong>revenues from import of goods were 9% higher,</strong> while <strong>domestic transactions</strong> (including import of services) <strong>yielded 11% higher revenues,</strong> on a year-on-year basis.</li>
<li><strong>Status of the States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh recorded the highest 26%</strong> growth in GST collections in October year-on-year, followed by<strong> Jharkhand</strong> (23%) and <strong>Rajasthan</strong> (22%).</li>
<li>The <strong>trend in the more industrially developed States was mixed,</strong> with 15% growth in Gujarat, 13% in Tamil Nadu and just 5% in Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The surge in October's GST inflows could be attributed to the<strong> festive demand and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-waiver-will-increase-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">input tax credits</a></strong> as well as other <strong>reconciliations that were due for businesses in September.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Many <strong>companies raised sale invoices in September</strong> by pushing out their finished products which they had planned in March itself.</li>
<li><strong>Input Tax Credit:</strong> The GST that a merchant pays to procure goods or services (i.e. on inputs) can be set off later against the tax applicable on supply of final goods and services. The <strong>set-off tax is called an input tax credit.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/manufacturing-improved-pmi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>manufacturing sector activities started to show signs of growth</strong></a> in August and September, driven mainly by a pick-up in production along with improvement in customer demand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>GST inflows crossing the Rs. 1 lakh crore mark for the <strong>first time in the financial year (FY) 2020-21</strong> is a<strong> clear sign of a recovery</strong> in the economy after its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-contracted-by-23-9-in-first-quarter#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20recent%20National,reporting%20quarterly%20data%20in%201996." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23.9% contraction in the first quarter of 2020.</strong></a></li>
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-compensation-centre-to-borrow-on-behalf-of-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> expected shortfall in GST compensation</strong></a> for the States could be lower than the current estimate of Rs. 2.35 lakh crore if this revenue momentum is maintained through the rest of 2020-21.</li>
<li>According to the <strong>Consortium of Indian Associations, October&rsquo;s GST inflows must not be considered a return to normalcy</strong> for businesses as these revenues normally <strong>relate to sales that occurred in September,</strong> when a majority of the economy, including public transport, was unlocked. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The consortium of Indian Associations is an umbrella body of <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises</a> (MSME).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>November and December data has to be awaited</strong> before confidently saying that the economy has rebounded to pre-<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> times.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>comprehensive, multi-stage, destination-based indirect tax </strong>that is<strong> levied on every value addition.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Goods and Service Tax Act</strong> was passed in the Parliament on <strong>29<sup>th</sup> March 2017</strong> and came into effect on <strong>1<sup>st</sup> July 2017.</strong></li>
<li>Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST Council</strong></a> and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/major-constitutional-amendments-part-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>101<sup>st</sup> constitutional amendment 2017</strong></a>, the tax is levied at every point of sale.</li>
<li>GST is <strong>categorised into Central GST</strong> (CGST), <strong>State GST</strong> (SGST) and <strong>Integrated GST</strong> (IGST) <strong>depending on</strong> whether the transaction is <strong>intra-State or inter-State.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Central GST:</strong> CGST is a tax levied on <strong>intra-State supplies of both goods and services</strong> by the Central Government and is governed by the CGST Act.</li>
<li><strong>State GST:</strong> SGST is also levied on the<strong> same intra-State supply</strong> but will be <strong>governed by the State Governments.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This implies that both the Central and the State governments agree on <strong>combining their levies with an appropriate proportion</strong> for revenue sharing between them.</li>
<li>However, it is clearly mentioned in <strong>Section 8 of the GST Act</strong> that the taxes be levied on all intra-State supplies of goods and/or services but the <strong>rate of tax shall not be exceeding 14%, each.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Integrated GST:</strong> IGST is a tax levied on all <strong>inter-State supplies of goods and/or services</strong> and is governed by the IGST Act.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>applicable to any supply of goods and/or services in both cases of import into and export from India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-collections-cross-1-lakh-crore-in-oct-for-first-time-in-8-months/article32995877.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rising-gst-revenues'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Pakistan's Provincial Status to Gilgit-Baltistan',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India has strongly rejected Pakistan's move to grant <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gilgit-baltistan-to-become-a-pakistani-province" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>provisional provincial status to Gilgit - Baltistan.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gilgit-Baltistan</strong> is one of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>disputed territories</strong></a> of India.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604309007_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604309007_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gilgit-Baltistan:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a chunk of high-altitude territory located on the north western corner of the <strong>Union Territory of Ladakh.</strong></li>
<li>It is located strategically as it <strong>borders Pakistan, Afghanistan and China.</strong></li>
<li>The region<strong> was a part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir,</strong> but has been under Pakistan&rsquo;s control since 4<sup>th</sup> November, 1947, following the invasion of Kashmir by tribal militias and the Pakistan army.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of J&amp;K, had signed the Instrument of Accession with India on 26<sup>th</sup> October 1947.</li>
<li><strong>India moved to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-security-council-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Security Council</a></strong> to raise the issue of Pakistan&rsquo;s invasion on 1<sup>st</sup> January 1948.</li>
<li>The <strong>UN Security Council passed a resolution</strong> calling for Pakistan to withdraw from all of Jammu and Kashmir and then India had to reduce its forces to the minimum level following which a plebiscite would be held to ascertain people&rsquo;s wishes.</li>
<li>However, no withdrawal was ever carried out and it remains a point of contention between two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, <strong>Saudi Arabia,</strong> a key ally of Pakistan, had <strong>removed Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from the Pakistan map on its new banknote</strong> after India asked it to take &ldquo;urgent corrective steps&rdquo; about the &ldquo;gross misrepresentation&rdquo;.</li>
<li>On the first anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s special status, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pakistan-s-new-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pakistan government had released a new &ldquo;political map&rdquo;</strong></a> which included Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and parts of western Gujarat as part of its territory.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Describing it as &ldquo;political absurdity&rdquo; and a &ldquo;ridiculous assertion&rdquo;, India said it &ldquo;confirms the reality of Pakistan&rsquo;s obsession with territorial aggrandisement supported by cross-border terrorism&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Gilgit-Baltistan region is at the centre of USD 65 billion <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/viability-of-bri-and-cpec#:~:text=22%20members%20currently.-,China%20Pakistan%20Economic%20Corridor,and%20other%20infrastructure%20development%20projects." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor</strong></a> Infrastructure development plan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India's Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India claims that the entire Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh including Gilgit-Baltistan is an <strong>integral part of India</strong> by the virtue of legal, complete and irrevocable accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the union of India in 1947.</li>
<li>Pakistan&rsquo;s move to name Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth province is meant to &ldquo;camouflage its illegal occupation&rdquo; of the area but it cannot &ldquo;hide the grave human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom&rdquo; to the people for over seven decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pakistan-gilgit-baltistan-province-imran-khan-india-6912694/" 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/pakistan-s-provincial-status-to-gilgit-baltistan'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A recent investigation has found that the money meant for poor students under the <strong>Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme</strong> in Jharkhand has been siphoned off and is not reaching the students.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Scheme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centrally funded</a> scholarship scheme</strong> for students in all states, which<strong> opens every year</strong> and has to be applied between August and November.</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> To <strong>help students of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/identification-of-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minority communities</a></strong> viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists from families with<strong> annual income below Rs. 1 lakh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Eligibility:</strong> Students need to score <strong>at least 50% in their class exams.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Structure of the Scholarship:</strong> It is given in two tiers every year to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Students in <strong>class 1 to 5</strong>: Rs. 1,000 per year.</li>
<li>Students of <strong>class 6 to 10</strong>: Rs. 10,700 if a hosteller or Rs 5,700 if a day scholar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Application Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Eligible students need to register at the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Scholarship Portal</strong></a> (NSP) and <strong>submit educational documents,</strong> bank account details and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use#:~:text=The%20existing%20Aadhar%20act%20provides,by%20authentication%20or%20offline%20verification." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aadhaar</a> numbers</strong> among other documents.</li>
<li>The scheme is <strong>online</strong> and one can apply for a<strong> fresh or renewal scholarship on the NSP or through a mobile application</strong> of NSP.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions for Improvement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government is planning to bring a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/scholarship-schemes-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> single national scholarship scheme</strong></a> by merging all the current scholarship schemes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The move came after a multi-crore scam was reported in the <strong>post-matric scholarship scheme for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sub-categorisation-of-backward-classes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scheduled Castes</a></strong> (SC) in Punjab in August 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Scholarship Portal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>&ldquo;one-stop&rdquo; solution</strong> through which various services, starting from student application, application receipt, verification, processing, and disbursal of various scholarships to students are facilitated.</li>
<li>It is taken as <strong>Mission Mode Project</strong> (MMP) under <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India</strong> </a>and aims at providing a <strong>simplified, accountable, responsive and transparent system</strong> for faster and effective disbursal of scholarship to eligible applicants directly into their account through <strong>Direct Benefit Transfer</strong> (DBT) without any leakages.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/jharkhands-pre-matric-scholarship-scam-6912296/" 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/pre-matric-scholarship-scheme'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Revolt of 1857',
			'catname' => 'Paper 1',
			'desc' => '<p>The Indian Mutiny of 1857-59 was a widespread but unsuccessful rebellion against the rule of British East India Company in India which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British crown.</p>
<h3>The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was the first expression of organised resistance against the British East India Company</li>
<li>It began as a revolt of the sepoys of the British East India Company&rsquo;s army but eventually secured the participation of the masses.</li>
<li>The revolt is known by several names:<strong> the Sepoy Mutiny</strong> (by the British Historians), <strong>the Indian Mutiny, the Great Rebellion</strong> (by the Indian Historians), <strong>the Revolt of 1857, the Indian Insurrection, </strong>and<strong> the First War of Independence</strong> (by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes of The Revolt</h3>
<p><strong>Political Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>British policy of expansion:</strong> The political causes of the revolt were the British policy of expansion through the <strong>Doctrine of Lapse</strong> and direct annexation.</li>
<li>A large number of Indian rulers and chiefs were dislodged, thus arousing fear in the minds of other ruling families who apprehended a similar fate.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Rani Lakshmi Bai&rsquo;s</strong> adopted son was not permitted to sit on the throne of Jhansi.</li>
<li>Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi were annexed under the <strong>Doctrine of Lapse.</strong></li>
<li>Jaitpur, Sambalpur and Udaipur were also annexed.</li>
<li>The annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie on the pretext of maladministration left thousands of nobles, officials, retainers and soldiers jobless. This measure converted Awadh, a loyal state, into a hotbed of discontent and intrigue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Doctrine of lapse:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The notable British technique called the<strong> Doctrine of Lapse</strong> was first perpetrated by <strong>Lord Dalhousie</strong> in the late 1840s.</li>
<li>It involved the British prohibiting a Hindu ruler without a natural heir from adopting a successor and, after the ruler died or abdicated, annexing his land.</li>
<li>To those problems added the growing discontent of the Brahmans, many of whom had been dispossessed of their revenues or had lost lucrative positions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Social and Religious Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rapidly<strong> spreading Western Civilisation</strong> in India was alarming concerns all over the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An act in 1850 changed the Hindu law of inheritance enabling a Hindu who had converted into Christianity to inherit his ancestral properties.</li>
<li>The people were convinced that the Government was planning to <strong>convert Indians to Christianity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>abolition of practices like sati and female infanticide,</strong> and the legislation legalizing widow remarriage, were believed as threats to the established social structure.</li>
<li>Introducing <strong>western methods of education</strong> was directly challenging the orthodoxy for Hindus as well as Muslims</li>
<li>Even the introduction of the railways and telegraph was viewed with suspicion.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Economic Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In rural areas, peasants and zamindars were infuriated by the<strong> heavy taxes on land</strong> and the <strong>stringent methods of revenue collection</strong> followed by the Company.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many among these groups were unable to meet the heavy revenue demands and repay their loans to money lenders, eventually losing the lands that they had held for generations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Large numbers of <strong>sepoys belonged to the peasantry class</strong> and had family ties in villages, so the grievances of the peasants also affected them.</li>
<li>After the Industrial Revolution in England, there was an <strong>influx of British manufactured goods</strong> into India, which ruined industries, particularly the textile industry of India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian handicraft industries had to compete with cheap machine- made goods from Britain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Military Causes</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Revolt of 1857 began as a<strong> sepoy mutiny:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian sepoys formed more than 87% of the British troops in India but were considered inferior to British soldiers.</li>
<li>An Indian sepoy was paid less than a European sepoy of the same rank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They were required to serve in areas far away from their homes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1856 Lord Canning issued the General Services Enlistment Act which required that the sepoys must be ready to serve even in British land across the sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Lord Canning</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Charles John Canning was the statesman and governor general of India during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.</li>
<li>He became the <strong>first viceroy of India</strong> in 1858.</li>
<li>The important events during his tenure include: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Mutiny of 1857, which he was able to suppress successfully</li>
<li>Passing of Indian Councils Act, 1861 which<strong> introduced portfolio system</strong> in India</li>
<li><strong>Withdrawal of &ldquo;Doctrine of Lapse&rdquo;</strong> which was one of the main reasons of mutiny of 1858</li>
<li>Introduction of Code of Criminal Procedure</li>
<li>Enactment of Indian High Courts Act</li>
<li>Indian Penal Code (1858)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Immediate Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Revolt of 1857 eventually broke out over the<strong> incident of greased cartridges.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A rumour spread that the cartridges of the new enfield rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs.</li>
<li>Before loading these rifles the sepoys had to bite off the paper on the cartridges.</li>
<li>Both Hindu and Muslim sepoys refused to use them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Lord Canning tried to make amends for the error and the offending cartridges were withdrawn but the damage had already been done. There was unrest in several places.</li>
<li>In March 1857, <strong>Mangal Pandey,</strong> a sepoy in<strong> Barrackpore,</strong> had refused to use the cartridge and attacked his senior officers. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was hanged to death on 8<sup>th</sup> April.</li>
<li>On 9<sup>th</sup> May, 85 soldiers in Meerut refused to use the new rifle and were sentenced to ten years&rsquo; imprisonment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Centres of The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The revolt spread over the entire area from the neighbourhood of Patna to the borders of Rajasthan. The main centres of revolt in these regions namely Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi, Gwalior and Arrah in Bihar.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lucknow:</strong> it was the capital of Awadh. <strong>Begum Hazrat Mahal,</strong> one of the begums of the ex-king of Awadh, took up the leadership of the revolt.</li>
<li><strong>Kanpur:</strong> the revolt was led by <strong>Nana Saheb,</strong> the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He joined the revolt primarily because he was deprived of his pension by the British.</li>
<li>The victory was short- lived. Kanpur was recaptured by the British after fresh reinforcements arrived.</li>
<li>The revolt was suppressed with terrible vengeance.</li>
<li>Nana Saheb escaped but his brilliant commander <strong>Tantia Tope</strong> continued the struggle.</li>
<li>Tantia Tope was finally defeated, arrested and hanged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jhansi:</strong> the twenty-two-year-old <strong>Rani Lakshmi Bai</strong> led the rebels when the British refused to accept the claim of her adopted son to the throne of Jhansi. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>She fought gallantly against the British forces but was ultimately defeated by the English.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gwalior:</strong> After Rani Lakshmi Bai escaped, she was joined by Tantia Tope and together they marched to Gwalior and captured it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Fierce fighting followed where the Rani of Jhansi fought like a tigress but died, fighting to the very end.</li>
<li>Gwalior was recaptured by the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bihar: the revolt was led by<strong> Kunwar Singh</strong> who belonged to a royal house of Jagdispur, Bihar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suppression and The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Revolt of 1857 lasted for more than a year. It was suppressed by the middle of 1858.</li>
<li>On July 8, 1858, fourteen months after the outbreak at Meerut, peace was finally proclaimed by Lord Canning.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 21px; background-color: #ff0000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Places of Revolt</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 21px; background-color: #ff0000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Indian Leaders</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 21px; background-color: #ff0000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>British Officials who suppressed the revolt</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Delhi</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Bahadur Shah II</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">John Nicholson</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Lucknow</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Begum Hazrat Mahal</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Henry Lawrence</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Kanpur</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Nana Saheb</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Sir Colin Campbell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Jhansi &amp; Gwalior</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Lakshmi Bai &amp; Tantia Tope</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">General Hugh Rose</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Bareilly</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Khan Bahadur Khan</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Sir Colin Campbell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Allahabad and Banaras</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Maulvi Liyakat Ali</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Colonel Oncell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">
<p>Bihar</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Kunwar Singh</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">William Taylor</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Why did the Revolt Fail?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limited uprising:</strong> although the revolt was fairly widespread, a large part of the country remained unaffected by it.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The revolt was mainly confined to the Doab region. Sind, Rajputana, Kashmir, most parts of Punjab.</li>
<li>The large princely states, <strong>Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore, and Kashmir,</strong> as well as the smaller ones of <strong>Rajputana,</strong> did not join the rebellion</li>
<li>The southern provinces did not take part in it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No effective leadership:</strong> the rebels lacked an effective leader. Although Nana Saheb, Tantia Tope and Rani Lakshmi Bai were brave leaders, they could not offer effective leadership to the movement as a whole.</li>
<li><strong>Limited resources:</strong> the rebels lacked resources in terms of men and money. The English, on the other hand, received a steady supply of men, money and arms in India.</li>
<li><strong>No participation of the middle class:</strong> The English educated middle class, the rich merchants, traders and zamindars of Bengal helped the British to suppress the revolt.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Results of The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>End of company rule:</strong> the great uprising of 1857 was an important landmark in the history of modern India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The revolt marked the end of the East India Company&rsquo;s rule in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Direct rule of the British Crown:</strong> India now came under the direct rule of the British Crown. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was announced by Lord Canning at a <strong>Durbar in Allahabad</strong> in a proclamation issued on 1 November 1858 in the name of the Queen.</li>
<li>The Indian administration was taken over by Queen Victoria, which, in effect, meant the British Parliament.</li>
<li>The India office was created to handle the governance and the administration of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Religious tolerance:</strong> it was promised and due attention was paid to the customs and traditions of India.</li>
<li><strong>Administrative change:</strong> the Governor General&rsquo;s office was replaced by that of the Viceroy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rights of Indian rulers were recognised.</li>
<li>The Doctrine of Lapse was abolished.</li>
<li>The right to adopt sons as legal heirs was accepted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military reorganisation:</strong> the ratio of British officers to Indian soldiers increased but the armoury remained in the hands of the English. It was arranged to end the dominance of the Bengal army.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The revolt of 1857 was an unprecedented event in the history of British rule in India. It united, though in a limited way, many sections of Indian society for a common cause.Though the revolt failed to achieve the desired goal, it sowed the seeds of Indian nationalism.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Books written on the Revolt of 1857</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Indian War of Independence </strong>by<strong> Vinayak Damodar Savarkar</strong></li>
<li><strong>Rebellion, 1857: A Symposium </strong>by<strong> Puran Chand Joshi</strong></li>
<li><strong>The Indian Mutiny of 1857 </strong>by <strong>George Bruce Malleson</strong></li>
<li><strong>Great Mutiny</strong> by<strong> Christopher Hibbert</strong></li>
<li><strong>Religion and Ideology of the Rebels of 1857 </strong>by<strong> Iqbal Hussain</strong></li>
<li><strong>Excavation of Truth: Unsung Heroes of 1857 War of Independence </strong>by<strong> Khan Mohammad Sadiq Khan</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/revolt-of-1857'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Typhoon Goni',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Typhoon Goni has made landfall in the <strong>eastern Philippines.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Philippines is used to powerful storms -</strong> it is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons a year.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604302309_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604302309_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Goni - known as Rolly in the Philippines -</strong> is the <strong>most powerful storm</strong> to hit the country <strong>since Typhoon Haiyan</strong> killed more than 6,000 people in 2013.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In fact, Typhoon Goni is the <strong>world&rsquo;s strongest Typhoon in 2020.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Last week, the Philippines was hit by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-molave-vietnam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Typhoon Molave.</strong></a></li>
<li>Another storm,<strong> Atsani,</strong> is gaining strength in the Pacific Ocean as it approaches the Philippines.</li>
<li>Typhoon is a <strong>regionally specific name</strong> for a strong <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-nana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"tropical cyclone"</a></strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones are known as <strong>&lsquo;typhoons&rsquo;</strong> in the <strong>northwest pacific ocean, hurricanes</strong> in the <strong>North Atlantic Ocean, Willy-willies</strong> in <strong>north-western Australia</strong> and <strong>Tropical Cyclones</strong> in the<strong> Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A tropical cyclone is a <strong>generic term</strong> used by meteorologists to describe<strong> a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms</strong> that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones <strong>rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.</strong></li>
<li>These are measured by the <strong>Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naming of Typhoons:</strong> The<strong> Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Centre</strong> assigns a tropical cyclone a name from the five lists. The name <strong>&lsquo;Goni&rsquo;</strong> is contributed by <strong>South Korea.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/typhoon-goni-philippines-6913281/" 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/typhoon-goni'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Dairy Production in Indus Valley Civilisation',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study by Indian and Canadian archaeologists has <strong>found that dairy products were being produced by the Harappans as far back as 2500 BCE.</strong> The finding reveals the<strong> earliest evidence of dairy production.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centenary-of-discovery-of-harappan-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The year 2020 also marks 100 years</strong></a> of discovery of<strong> Indus Valley Civilisation.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Milk Production:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The results of the study are based on <strong>molecular chemical analysis</strong> of residue in shards <strong>of pottery</strong> found at the archaeological site of<strong> Kotada Bhadli,</strong> in <strong>Gujarat.</strong></li>
<li>Traces seen in cooking vessels indicate the <strong>presence of milk,</strong> which<strong> may have been boiled for consumption.</strong> There are also remains of a<strong> perforated vessel,</strong> which indicates <strong>processing of milk into different forms.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pots are porous and absorb liquid from food. This helps the pots to preserve the molecules of food such as fats and proteins.</li>
<li>Using techniques like C16 and C18 analysis the source of foods can be identified.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>large herd indicates that milk was produced in surplus</strong> so that it could be exchanged and there could have been some kind <strong>of trade between settlements.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This could have also given rise to an industrial level of dairy production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Types of Animals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Through a process called <strong>stable isotope analysis,</strong> the researchers were also able to identify that <strong>cattles used for dairy production.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Most of the <strong>cattle and water-buffalo died at an older age,</strong> suggesting they could have been <strong>raised for milk,</strong> whereas the majority of <strong>goat/sheep died when they were young,</strong> indicating they could have been<strong> used for meat.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Faceless Civilisation:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indus Valley Civilisation was faceless &mdash; no king, no bureaucratic organisations, but there were <strong>very close regional interactions between settlements,</strong> a symbiotic <strong>relationship of give and take</strong> that helped the civilisation survive for so long.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indus Valley Civilisation is known for its <strong>metropolitan cities and the big towns, great urban planning, trading systems, jewellery making.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, there was no idea how the common people were living during the Harappan times, and how they were contributing to the larger network.</li>
<li>However, the new study throws fresh light on the rural economy of the Indus Valley Civilisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indus Valley Civilization</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>history of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC),</strong> also known as<strong> Harappan Civilization.</strong></li>
<li>It flourished around <strong>2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia,</strong> in contemporary Pakistan and Western India.</li>
<li>The Indus Valley was home to the<strong> largest of the four ancient urban civilizations</strong> of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.</li>
<li>In the 1920s, the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. <strong>Mohenjodaro and Harappa</strong> were unearthed.</li>
<li>In 1924, <strong>John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the discovery</strong> of a new civilisation in the Indus valley to the world.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #072e1a;" colspan="4"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Important Sites of IVC</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Site</strong></td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Excavated by</strong></td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Location</strong></td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Important Findings</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Harappa</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Daya Ram Sahni in 1921</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Bank of river Ravi in Montgomery district of Punjab (Pakistan)</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sandstone statues of Human anatomy</li>
<li>Granaries</li>
<li>Bullock carts</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Mohenjo-Daro (Mound of Dead)</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R.D. Banerjee in 1922</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Bank of river Indus in Larkana district of Punjab (Pakistan)</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Great bath</li>
<li>Granary</li>
<li>Bronze dancing girl</li>
<li>Seal of Pasupathi</li>
<li>Steatite statue of beard man</li>
<li>A piece of woven cotton</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Sutkagendor</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Stein in 1929</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">In southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistan on Dast river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A trade point between Harappa and Babylon</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 89px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Chanhudaro</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">N.G. Majumdar in 1931</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Sindh on the Indus river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bead makers shop</li>
<li>Footprint of a dog chasing a cat</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 45px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Amri</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">N.G. Majumdar in 1935</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">On the bank of Indus river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Antelope evidence</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 89px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Kalibangan</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Ghose in 1953</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Rajasthan on the bank of Ghaggar river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Fire altar</li>
<li>Camel&rsquo;s bones</li>
<li>Wooden plough</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 155px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Lothal</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R. Rao in 1953</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Gujarat on Bhogva river near Gulf of Cambay</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>First manmade port</li>
<li>Dockyard</li>
<li>Rice husk</li>
<li>Fire altars</li>
<li>Chess-playing</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Surkotada</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">J.P. Joshi in 1964</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Gujarat</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bones of horses</li>
<li>Beads</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Banawali</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R.S. Bisht in 1974</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Hisar district of Haryana</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Beads</li>
<li>Barley</li>
<li>Evidence of both pre-Harappan and Harappan culture</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Dholavira</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R.S Bisht in 1985</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Gujarat in Rann of Kachchh</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Water harnessing system</li>
<li>Water reservoir</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/evidence-of-dairy-production-in-the-indus-valley-civilisation/article32937155.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/dairy-production-in-indus-valley-civilisation'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Urban Flooding',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/time-for-a-sponge-cities-mission-in-india/article32985979.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Time for a &lsquo;sponge cities&rsquo; mission in India&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 31/10/2020. It talks about how urban flooding is man-made disaster and ways to deal with it.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, torrential rains that took place in Hyderabad have caused massive <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/flood-management-in-india#:~:text=Urban%20Flooding%3A%20Flooding%20in%20the,maintenance%20of%20the%20drainage%20infrastructure." target="_blank" rel="noopener">urban floods.</a></strong> In many Indian cities, the urban floods have become a frequent phenomenon in recent years.</p>
<p>As the incidence of climate variability and extreme weather events increases, urban flooding becomes more and more common. While the untimely heavy rains can be attributed to climate variability, the urban flooding is largely due to an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/urbanisation-trends-eiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>unplanned urbanisation.</strong></a></p>
<h3>Urban Flood: Man-Made Disaster</h3>
<p>Overburdened drainage, unregulated construction, no regard to the natural topography and hydro-geomorphology all make urban floods a man-made disaster.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Inadequate Drainage Infrastructure:</strong> Cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai rely on a century-old drainage system, covering only a small part of the core city. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 20 years, the Indian cities have grown manifold with its original built-up area.</li>
<li>As the city grew beyond its original limits, not much was done to address the absence of adequate drainage systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Terrain Alteration:</strong> Lasting irreversible damage has been done to the city by property builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering natural drainage routes.</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Seepage:</strong> Indian cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used (hard, non-porous construction material that makes the soil impervious).</li>
<li><strong>Lax Implementation:</strong> Even with provisions of rainwater harvesting, sustainable urban drainage systems, etc, in regulatory mechanisms like the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)</strong></a>, adoption at user end as well as enforcement agencies remains weak.</li>
<li><strong>Encroaching Natural Spaces:</strong> The number of wetlands has reduced to 123 in 2018 from 644 in 1956. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Green cover is only 9 per cent, which ideally should have been at least 33 per cent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Need For Holistic Engagement:</strong> Urban floods of this scale cannot be contained by the municipal authorities alone. Floods cannot be managed without concerted and focused investments of energy and resources. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Metropolitan Development Authorities, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Disaster Management Authority</strong></a>, State revenue and irrigation departments along with municipal corporations should be involved in such work together.</li>
<li>Such investments can only be done in a mission mode organisation with active participation of civil society organisations at the metropolitan scale.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Developing Sponge Cities:</strong> The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls upon it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sponge cities absorb the rain water, which is then naturally filtered by the soil and allowed to reach urban aquifers.</li>
<li>This allows for the extraction of water from the ground through urban or peri-urban wells.</li>
<li>This water can be treated easily and used for city water supply.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wetland Policy:</strong> There is a need to start paying attention to the management of wetlands by involving local communities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Without doubt, terrain alteration needs to be strictly regulated and a ban on any further alteration of terrain needs to be introduced.</li>
<li>To improve the city&rsquo;s capacity to absorb water, new porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or mandated across scales.</li>
<li>Examples of these technologies are bioswales and retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement, drainage systems which allow storm water to trickle into the ground, green roofs and harvesting systems in buildings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bioswales are made along roadsides so that rainwater from the road flows towards them and percolates into the ground.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Drainage Planning:</strong> Watershed management and emergency drainage plan should be clearly enunciated in policy and law. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Urban watersheds are micro ecological drainage systems, shaped by contours of terrain.</li>
<li>Detailed documentation of these must be held by agencies which are not bound by municipal jurisdictions; instead, there is a need to consider natural boundaries such as watersheds instead of governance boundaries like electoral wards for shaping a drainage plan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Water Sensitive Urban Design:</strong> These methods take into consideration the topography, types of surfaces (permeable or impervious), natural drainage and leave very less impact on the environment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerability analyses and risk assessments should form part and parcel of city master plans.</li>
<li>In a changing climate, the drainage infrastructure (especially storm water drainage) has to be built considering the new &lsquo;normals&rsquo;.</li>
<li>Tools such as predictive precipitation modelling can help do that and are also able to link it with the adaptive capacity of urban land use.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Convergent Approach:</strong> These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along the lines of the <strong><a href="/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-december-2018#:~:text=Atal%20Mission%20for%20Rejuvenation%20and%20Urban%20Transformation%20(AMRUT)&amp;text=AMRUT%20provides%20for%20basic%20civic,the%20poor%20and%20the%20disadvantaged." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)</a></strong>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/promotion-of-buddhist-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres#:~:text=Smart%20City%20Mission,create%20smart%20outcomes%20for%20citizens." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Smart Cities Mission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Urban Flood management will not just help control recurring floods but also respond to other fault lines, provide for water security, more green spaces, and will make the city resilient and sustainable.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604145957_image%200.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604145957_image 0.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 style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f5faff; height: 76px;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>While the untimely heavy rains can be attributed to climate change, the urban flooding is largely due to an unplanned urbanisation. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fO09G0P_EWU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/the-politics-of-a-5-trillion-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Politics of a $5 Trillion Economy&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Economic Times on October 29<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/urban-flooding'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'National Unity Day 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Every year, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-unity-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Unity Day</strong></a> (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is celebrated on <strong>31<sup>st</sup> October</strong> to commemorate the birth anniversary of <strong>Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Prime Minister launched the <strong>seaplane service</strong> from Ahmedabad to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/statue-of-unity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Statue of Unity</strong></a>, Kevadia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The day was <strong>celebrated for the first time in 2014,</strong> when the Government of India decided to celebrate Patel&rsquo;s birthday as the National Unity Day to recognise his monumental contribution and service to the nation.</li>
<li>On this day, several events like Run For Unity, a nationwide marathon to increase awareness about Patel&rsquo;s contributions, National Unity pledge, Ekta Parade, etc. are organised.</li>
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> the Government unveiled the <strong>Statue of Unity</strong> in Gujarat in Patel&rsquo;s honour.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>tallest statue</strong> (182-meter) <strong>in the world.</strong></li>
<li>In January 2020, it was added in the <strong>&lsquo;Eight Wonders&rsquo;</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation</strong></a> (SCO).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604138475_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604138475_image3.png" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Born:</strong> 31<sup>st</sup> October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat.</li>
<li><strong>Achievements:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>First Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India.</li>
<li><strong>Headed various Committees of the Constituent Assembly of India,</strong> namely:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights.</li>
<li>Committee on Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas.</li>
<li>Provincial Constitution Committee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Integrated the farmer&rsquo;s cause in Kheda Satyagraha (1918) and Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) with the national freedom movement.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Women of Bardoli bestowed the title &lsquo;Sardar&rsquo;</strong> on Vallabhbhai Patel, which means &lsquo;a Chief or a Leader&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Known as the <strong>&ldquo;Iron Man of India&rdquo;</strong> for playing an important role in unification and <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/integration-of-princely-states-after-independence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>integration of Indian princely states</strong></a> into the Indian federation and for convincing princely states to align with the Indian Union.</li>
<li>Requested the people of India to <strong>live together by uniting <em>(Ek Bharat)</em></strong> in order<strong> to create a foremost India<em> (Shresth Bharat).</em></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This ideology still reflects in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> initiative which seeks to make India self-reliant.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Remembered as the <strong>&lsquo;Patron Saint of India&rsquo;s Civil Servants&rsquo;</strong> as he <strong>established the modern all-India services system.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> 15<sup>th</sup> December 1950 in Bombay.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sardar-patel-unity-nda-6910484/" 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/national-unity-day-2020'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Sexual Harassment and the Code on Wages',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a provision in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Wages 2019</strong></a>, <strong>&lsquo;conviction for sexual harassment&rsquo;</strong> can be a<strong> ground for denying bonus payouts</strong> to employees.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Central government published the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/issues-related-to-minimum-wage#:~:text=The%20Code%20on%20Wages%2C%202020,be%20fixed%20by%20state%20governments." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Draft Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2020</strong></a> in July 2020 and placed it in the public domain inviting objections and suggestions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Code lays down norms for annual bonus dues that accrue to employees, replacing the <strong>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965,</strong> which bars bonus dues only in case of fraud, violent conduct and theft or sabotage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>minimum bonus</strong> payable is <strong>8.33% of the salary or wage</strong> earned by the employee during the accounting year subject to a <strong>maximum of 20</strong>% of such salary or wage and is<strong> applicable to all employees earning a salary of up to Rs. 21,000 a month.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 29 of the Code</strong> states that &ldquo;Notwithstanding anything contained in this Code, an employee shall be disqualified from receiving bonus under this Code, if he is dismissed from service for fraud or riotous or violent behaviour while on the premises of the establishment or theft, misappropriation or sabotage of any property of the establishment or conviction for sexual harassment.&rdquo;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> salary and bonus payment limits are yet to be notified</strong> under the Code on Wages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Other <strong>disqualification triggers are explicitly restricted to actions on an employer's premises,</strong> the trigger referring to conviction under sexual harassment does not include such a condition about the location of the incident.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of now,<strong> it is not clear if sexual harassment incidents or related crimes against women outside the workplace could lead to dismissal</strong> of employees with loss of bonus payments but it should come under the purview irrespective of where it is done.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of the Move:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a huge step to<strong> get people to be on their best behaviour</strong> in the workplace as the prospect of losing one&rsquo;s benefits may make employees more careful of their conduct.</li>
<li>This is also a step forward <strong>towards creating seriousness about instances of sexual harassment</strong> at the workplace and in general.</li>
<li>This move will serve as an additional deterrent apart from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-s-verma-committee-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Prevention Of Sexual Harassment (POSH) law of 2013.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Code on Wages Act, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-code-on-wages-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>new wage code</strong></a> <strong>removes the multiplicity of wage definitions,</strong> which can significantly reduce litigation as well as compliance cost for employers.</li>
<li>It links minimum wage across the country to the <strong>skills of the employee</strong> and the <strong>place of employment.</strong></li>
<li>It seeks to<strong> universalise the provisions</strong> of minimum wages and their timely payment to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling.</li>
<li>It seeks to ensure <strong>Right to Sustenance for every worker and intends to increase the legislative protection</strong> of minimum wage.</li>
<li>A <strong>National Floor Level Minimum Wage</strong> will be set by the Centre and will be<strong> revised every five years,</strong> while states will fix minimum wages for their regions, which cannot be lower than the floor wage.</li>
<li>It <strong>subsumes the following four labour laws:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>Equal Remuneration Act, 1976</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Prevention Of Sexual Harassment Law 2013</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under it, sexual harassment includes<strong> any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour</strong> (whether directly or by implication):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Physical contact and advances.</li>
<li>Demand or request for sexual favours.</li>
<li>Making sexually coloured remarks.</li>
<li>Showing pornography.</li>
<li>Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As per the POSH law guidelines, firms are required to form an <strong>Internal Complaints Committee</strong> (ICC) to <strong>inquire into complaints of sexual harassment</strong> at the workplace.</li>
<li>ICC is required to<strong> make recommendations</strong> to employers on the action required pursuant to its inquiry in such complaints.</li>
<li>If the ICC upholds a complaint, it<strong> could be interpreted as a conviction</strong> and ICC has the<strong> powers to decide if someone is guilty and report it further to the police,</strong> though not all sexual harassment cases translate into a police case.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-rules-bar-bonus-for-those-facing-sex-abuse-charges/article32985691.ece#:~:text=The%20new%20Code%2C%20expected%20to,conduct%20and%20theft%20or%20sabotage." 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/sexual-harassment-and-the-code-on-wages'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Translocation of Corals in Mumbai',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/assessment-of-plastics-along-the-west-coast-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Institute of Oceanography</strong></a> will carry out the translocation of 18 coral colonies from the coast of Mumbai for the Mumbai Coastal Road Project.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Corals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coral-bleaching" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corals</a> exhibit characteristics of plants, but are marine animals</strong> that are related to jellyfish and anemones.</li>
<li>They are made up of <strong>genetically identical organisms called polyps,</strong> which are tiny, soft-bodied organisms. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At their base is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a<strong> calicle, which forms the structure of coral reefs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These <strong>polyps have microscopic algae called zooxanthellae</strong> living within their tissues. The <strong>corals and algae have a mutualistic (symbiotic) relationship.</strong> i.e.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The coral provides the zooxanthellae with the compounds necessary for photosynthesis.</li>
<li>In return, the zooxanthellae supply the coral with organic products of photosynthesis, like carbohydrates, which are utilized by the coral polyps for synthesis of their calcium carbonate skeletons.</li>
<li>Zooxanthellae are also responsible for the unique and <strong>beautiful colors of corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are 2 types of corals:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Stony,</strong> shallow-water corals&mdash;the kind that build reefs.</li>
<li><strong>Soft corals</strong> and deep water corals that live in dark cold waters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Reefs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reefs</strong></a> <strong>begin</strong> when a <strong>polyp attaches</strong> itself to a <strong>rock on the seafloor, then divides, or buds, into thousands of clones.</strong> The polyp calicles connect to one another, <strong>creating a colony</strong> that acts as a single organism.</li>
<li>As colonies grow over hundreds and thousands of years, they join with other <strong>colonies, and become reefs.</strong></li>
<li>Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but they are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems on Earth. They are referred to as <strong>the rainforests of the sea</strong> for their biodiversity.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> Coral reefs are like underwater cities that<strong> support marine life.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/emission-gap-report-by-unep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> (UNEP)</strong>, they provide at least half a billion people around the world with food security and livelihoods.</li>
<li>Coral reefs also act as<strong> &lsquo;wave breaks&rsquo;</strong> between the sea and the coastline and minimise the impact of sea erosion.</li>
<li>According to a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recent study of University of Queensland (UQ), Australia,</strong></a> <strong>more life can be supported by dead coral remains than live corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection:</strong> In India, they are under <strong>Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong> Climate change remains one of the biggest threats to corals.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Around the world, this threat has been visible in the<strong> &ldquo;bleaching&rdquo; of corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Bleaching:</strong> It is a process during which corals, under stress from warm weather, expel the algae that give corals their brilliant colours and live in their tissues and produce their food.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia</strong> has suffered six mass bleaching events due to warmer than normal ocean temperatures in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2016, 2017, and now 2020.</li>
<li>The Great Barrier Reef is a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UNESCO World Heritage site</strong></a> and <strong>home to one of the largest collections of coral reefs</strong> on the planet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Biorock Technology:</strong> It is a method <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coral-restoration-through-biorock" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>to restore coral reefs</strong></a> using biorock or mineral accretion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under this low voltage electrical currents through seawater is applied, causing <strong>dissolved minerals to crystallize on structures,</strong> growing into a white limestone (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) similar to that which naturally makes up coral reefs and tropical white sand beaches.</li>
<li><strong>Biorock,</strong> also known as Seacrete or Seament, refers to the substance formed by electro-accumulation of minerals dissolved in seawater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Translocation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The translocation of corals is at a <strong>nascent stage along the Indian coastline.</strong> It is difficult and has<strong> not been very successful in India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pilot projects at various sites including, Lakshadweep islands and Andaman islands have been undertaken to study the survival rate, method and site of translocation, and creation of high heat-resistant coral colonies, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Transplanted corals are <strong>more susceptible to storm surges and bleaching from warming ocean waters.</strong></li>
<li>Experts are of the view that <strong>for a high survival rate, it is important to translocate corals in a place with similar environmental characteristics</strong> such as depth, current flow, amount of light, and pressure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604136243_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604136243_image2.png" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mumbai-coastal-road-project-translocation-of-corals-explained/" 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/translocation-of-corals-in-mumbai'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Habitat Loss of Himalayan Brown Bear',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study conducted by scientists of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/skinks-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zoological Survey of India</strong> </a>on the <strong>Himalayan brown bear</strong> <em>(Ursus arctos isabellinus)</em> has predicted a <strong>significant reduction in suitable habitat and biological corridors</strong> of the Himalayan brown bear <strong>due to climate change.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study titled<strong> &lsquo;Adaptive spatial planning of protected area networks for conserving the Himalayan brown bear&rsquo;</strong> was carried out in the<strong> western Himalayas.</strong> It has predicted a <strong>decline of about 73%</strong> of the bear&rsquo;s habitat by the year 2050.</li>
<li>The total habitat loss can make 8 out of 13 PA completely uninhabitable by 2050.</li>
<li>The <strong>western Himalaya</strong> where significant <strong>brown bear population is distributed</strong> is most <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-of-himalayan-glaciers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vulnerable to global warming</strong></a> as this elevation belt is <strong>getting warmer</strong> faster than other elevation zones of Himalayas.</li>
<li>To keep a check on this, scientists have recommended preemptive <strong>spatial planning of PAs in the Himalayan region</strong> for the long-term viability of the species.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The spatial planning of PAs is <strong>aimed at minimising the risks and uncertainty of climate change.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Spatial Planning</strong> is an activity centered on making decisions relating to the location and distribution of land use activities. It allows monitoring of changes, both in climate and socio-economic situations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Himalayan Brown Bear</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Range:</strong> North-western and central Himalaya, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China and Bhutan.</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong> High altitude open valleys and pastures.</li>
<li><strong>Status: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red List</a>- Critically endangered.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a> - Appendix I</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972</a> - Schedule 1</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food:</strong> Omnivorous.</li>
<li><strong>Threat:</strong> Human-animal conflict, rapid habitat loss, poaching for fur, claws and organs and, in some rare cases, bear baiting.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604135536_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604135536_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="568" height="344" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/study-predicts-massive-habitat-decline-for-the-himalayan-brown-bear-by-2050-due-to-climate-change/article32935974.ece#:~:text=The%20Himalayan%20brown%20bear%20is,in%20the%20highlands%20of%20Himalayas.&amp;text=The%20study%20carried%20out%20in,habitat%20by%20the%20year%202050." 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/habitat-loss-of-himalayan-brown-bear'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Uniform Civil Code',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-constitution-article-44-uniform-civil-code-parliament-6907746/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;All states must be brought into the mainstream of family laws&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on 29/10/2020. It talks about the implementation and issues related to Uniform Civil Code.</p>
</div>
<p>Article 44 of the Indian Constitution states that &ldquo;the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/uniform-civil-code#:~:text=Uniform%20Civil%20Code%20seeks%20to,of%20rules%20governing%20every%20citizen." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>uniform civil code (UCC)</strong></a> throughout the territory of India.&rdquo; The desirability of a uniform civil code is consistent with human rights and the principles of equality, fairness and justice.</p>
<p>After the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/article-370-and-35-a-revoked#:~:text=On%205th%20of%20August,and%20Kashmir)%20Order%2C%202019.&amp;text=This%20Order%20comes%20into%20force,Kashmir)%20Order%2C%201954.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>revocation of Article 370</strong></a>, the central family law Acts were extended to Jammu and Kashmir. Although, this is another step towards implementing UCC throughout India, still a long distance is to be covered in this pursuit.</p>
<h3>What is UCC?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) calls for the formulation of one law for India, which would be applicable to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption.</li>
<li>The code comes under Article 44 of the Constitution, which lays down that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background of Uniform Civil Code</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The origin of the UCC dates back to colonial India when the British government submitted its report in 1835 stressing the need for uniformity in the codification of Indian law relating to crimes, evidence, and contracts, specifically recommending that personal laws of Hindus and Muslims be kept outside such codification.</li>
<li>Increase in legislation dealing with personal issues in the far end of the British rule forced the government to form the B N Rau Committee to codify Hindu law in 1941.</li>
<li>Based on these recommendations, a bill was then adopted in 1956 as the Hindu Succession Act to amend and codify the law relating to intestate or unwilled succession, among Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, there were separate personal laws for muslim, chirstian and Parsis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In order to bring uniformity, the courts have often said in their judgements that the government should move towards a uniform civil code.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The judgement in the Shah Bano case is well known, but the courts have made the same point in several other major judgements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By arguing that practices such as triple talaq and polygamy impact adversely on the right of women to a life of dignity, the Centre has raised the question whether constitutional protection given to religious practices should extend even to those that are not in compliance with fundamental rights.</li>
</ul>
<h3>UCC and Implications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Protection to Vulnerable Section of Society:</strong> The UCC aims to provide protection to vulnerable sections as envisaged by Ambedkar including women and religious minorities, while also promoting nationalistic fervour through unity.</li>
<li><strong>Simplification of Laws:</strong> The code will simplify the complex laws around marriage ceremonies, inheritance, succession, adoptions making them one for all. The same civil law will then be applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When enacted the code will work to simplify laws that are segregated at present on the basis of religious beliefs like the Hindu code bill, Sharia law, and others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Adhering to Ideal of Secularism:</strong> Secularism is the objective enshrined in the Preamble, a secular republic needs a common law for all citizens rather than differentiated rules based on religious practices.</li>
<li><strong>Gender Justice:</strong> India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriages, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the rights of women are usually limited under religious law, be it Hindu or Muslim. The practice of triple talaq is a classic example.</li>
<li>If a uniform civil code is enacted, all personal laws will cease to exist. It will do away with gender biases in Muslim law, Hindu law and Christian law that have been often challenged by women on the ground that they violate the right to equality.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges To UCC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Exceptions in Central Family Laws:</strong> The preliminary sections in all central family law Acts enacted by Parliament since Independence declare that they will apply to &ldquo;the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir.&rdquo;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A Second exception was added in 1968 in all these Acts, pronouncing that &ldquo;nothing herein contained shall apply to the Renoncants in the Union Territory of Pondicherry.&rdquo;</li>
<li>A third exception, none of these Acts applies in Goa, Daman and Diu.</li>
<li>A fourth exception, relating to the north-eastern states of Nagaland and Mizoram, emanates from Articles 371A and 371G of the Constitution, decreeing that no parliamentary legislation will replace the customary law and religion-based system for its administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Communal Politics:</strong> The demand for a uniform civil code has been framed in the context of communal politics. A large section of society sees it as majoritarianism under the garb of social reform.</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Hurdle:</strong> Article 25 of Indian constitution, that seeks to preserve the freedom to practise and propagate any religion gets into conflict with the concepts of equality enshrined under Article 14 of indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Collaborative Approach:</strong> The government and society will have to work hard to build trust, but more importantly, make common cause with social reformers rather than religious conservatives.</li>
<li><strong>Brick by Brick Approach:</strong> Rather than an omnibus approach, the government could bring separate aspects such as marriage, adoption, succession and maintenance into a uniform civil code in stages.</li>
<li><strong>Gender-Sensitive Approach:</strong> The government would also do well to complement the overdue move towards a uniform civil code with a comprehensive review of several other laws in the context of gender justice.</li>
<li><strong>Pan-India Approach:</strong> Bringing Jammu and Kashmir into the country&rsquo;s mainstream of family laws is an exercise that needs to be undertaken also for Goa, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Nagaland and Mizoram.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The citizens&rsquo; fundamental rights to equality before law and equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Constitution call for a similar action in respect of these territories as well. So does the provision of Article 44 enjoining the state to make endeavours to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604058219_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604058606_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604058606_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="615" height="291" /></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: #f5fff8;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>The desirability of a uniform civil code is consistent with human rights and the principles of equality, fairness and justice. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/umsAHvhnW-A" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/growth-constraints-120102900054_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Growth constraints&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Business Standard on October 29<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/uniform-civil-code-1'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>National Statistical Office (NSO)</strong> released the <strong>quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)</strong> for October-December 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This dataset differs from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/periodic-labour-force-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annual Report of Periodic Labour Force Survey</strong></a>, which covers <strong>both rural and urban areas.</strong> However, unemployment data for urban areas is released quarterly.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unemployment Rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It eased in urban areas to 7.9% in October-December 2019 compared to 9.9% in October-December 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, state-wise data showed that<strong> urban unemployment rate was higher than the national average</strong> in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Female unemployment rate</strong> decreased to 9.8% in October-December 2019 compared to 12.3% in October-December 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Male unemployment rate</strong> moderated to 7.3% in October-December 2019 from 9.2% in October-December 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Labour Force Participation Rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It rose to 37.2% in October-December 2019 from 36.3% in October-December 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>PLFS is India&rsquo;s first computer-based survey launched by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in 2017.</li>
<li>It has been constituted based on the recommendation of a committee headed by <strong>Amitabh Kundu.</strong></li>
<li>PLFS has two fold objective:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. <strong>Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate)</strong> in the<strong> short time interval of three months</strong> for the <strong>urban areas only</strong> in the <strong>Current Weekly Status (CWS).</strong></li>
<li>To estimate <strong>employment and unemployment indicators</strong> in both<strong> usual status</strong> and<strong> CWS</strong> in both <strong>rural and urban areas annually.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Before PLFS, the NSSO (previous name of NSO) used to bring the data related to <strong>employment and unemployment</strong> based on its <strong>quinquennial (every 5 year) household socio-economic survey programme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Key Terms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unemployment Rate (UR):</strong> UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.</li>
<li><strong>Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):</strong> LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.</li>
<li><strong>Worker Population Ratio (WPR):</strong> WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.</li>
<li><strong>Activity Status:</strong> The activity status of a person is determined on the basis of the activities pursued by the person during the specified reference period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Usual Status:</strong> The activity status determined on the basis of the reference period of the last 365 days preceding the date of survey, it is <strong>known as the usual activity status</strong> of the person.</li>
<li><strong>Current Weekly Status (CWS):</strong> The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of the last 7 days preceding the date of survey is <strong>known as the current weekly status (CWS)</strong> of the person.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Statistical Office</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NSO is the <strong>central statistical agency of the Government</strong> mandated under the <strong>Statistical Services Act</strong> 1980 under the <strong>Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for the development of arrangements for<strong> providing statistical information services</strong> to meet the needs of the Government and other users for information on which to base policy, planning, monitoring and management decisions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The services include collecting, compiling and disseminating official statistical information.</li>
<li>All business operations in NSO are done in compliance with<strong> international standards, procedures and best practices.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/oct-dec-2019-urban-joblessness-eases-labour-activity-rises-6909215/" 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/quarterly-periodic-labour-force-survey'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'DRIP Phase II and Phase III',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-20th-september-2018-#:~:text=Dam%20Rehabilitation%20and%20Improvement%20Project%20(DRIP)&amp;text=Project%20was%20started%20in%202012,to%20be%20completed%20in%202018.&amp;text=It%20is%20an%20externally%2Daided,by%20the%20States%20%2F%20Central%20Government." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project</strong> </a>(DRIP) <strong>Phase II and Phase III.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It envisages <strong>comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams</strong> located across the country and complements the<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-dam-safety-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Dam Safety Bill, 2019.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To improve the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.</li>
<li>To strengthen the dam safety institutional setup in participating states as well as at the central level.</li>
<li>To explore the alternative incidental means at few of selected dams to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Project Cost and Funding: Rs. 10,211 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Financial assistance of Rs. 7,000 from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asian-infrastructure-investment-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank</strong></a> (AIIB).</li>
<li>Rs. 3,211 crore is to be borne by the <strong>concerned implementing agencies in the states.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation Period:</strong> Over a <strong>period of 10 years</strong> from <strong>April 2021 to March 2031,</strong> in two phases of six years duration with two years overlapping.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was<strong> started in 2012</strong> and was <strong>scheduled to be completed in 2018.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In September 2018, the Government <strong>approved its revised cost estimates</strong> along with a <strong>two-year time extension from 2018 to 2020,</strong> for the completion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Apart from its general objectives, it also <strong>aims at ensuring the safety of downstream population and property</strong> that are affected in the case of a dam failure or operational failure.</li>
<li>It was initially taken up <strong>for the repair and rehabilitation of dam projects across the seven states of India,</strong> namely Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1668405" 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/drip-phase-ii-and-phase-iii'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Typhoon Molave: Vietnam',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Vietnam</strong> has been hit by one of its biggest storms in two decades - Typhoon Molave.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vietnam is<strong> prone to natural disasters</strong> in the rainy season between June and November, with central coastal provinces commonly impacted, but the storms have notably worsened in recent years.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604053177_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604053177_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Typhoon is a <strong>regionally specific name</strong> for a strong <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-nana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>"tropical cyclone".</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones are known as <strong>&lsquo;typhoons&rsquo;</strong> in the <strong>northwest pacific ocean, hurricanes</strong> in the<strong> North Atlantic Ocean, Willy-willies</strong> in <strong>north-western Australia</strong> and <strong>Tropical Cyclones</strong> in the <strong>Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A tropical cyclone is a <strong>generic term</strong> used by meteorologists to describe <strong>a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms</strong> that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones <strong>rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.</strong></li>
<li>These are measured by the <strong>Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naming of Typhoons:</strong> The <strong>Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Centre</strong> assigns a tropical cyclone a name from the five lists. The name<strong> &lsquo;Molave&rsquo;</strong> is contributed by the<strong> Philippines.</strong></li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-molave-vietnam'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Mandatory Jute Bag Packaging',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved that <strong>100% of the foodgrains and 20% of the sugar</strong> shall be <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/packaging-in-jute-bags-made-mandatory" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mandatorily packed</strong></a> <strong>in jute bags.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The decision will give an impetus to the diversification of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-two" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>jute</strong></a> industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Extended Norms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The decision mandates that<strong> initially 10% of the orders of jute bags</strong> for packing food grains would be placed through a reverse auction on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/country-of-origin-made-mandatory-on-gem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GeM portal</strong></a>, which will gradually help in a regime of price discovery.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In a <strong>reverse auction,</strong> the sellers compete to obtain business from the buyer and prices will typically decrease as the sellers underbid each other.</li>
<li><strong>Price discovery</strong> is the process of determining the price of an asset in the marketplace through the interactions of buyers and sellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Statutory Provision:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government has expanded the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the<strong> Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987, </strong>also known as the<strong> JPM Act.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under it, the Government is <strong>required to consider and provide for the compulsory use of jute packaging material</strong> in the supply and distribution of certain commodities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Government Dependent Sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The jute industry is <strong>predominantly dependent on the Government sector</strong> which purchases jute bags of value of more than Rs. 7,500 crore every year for packing foodgrains.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is done in order <strong>to sustain the core demand</strong> for the jute sector and to <strong>support the livelihood of the workers and farmers</strong> dependent on the sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nearly 3.7 lakh workers and several lakh farm families are dependent</strong> for their livelihood on the jute sectors so the government has been making <strong>concerted efforts for the development of the jute sector by:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increasing the quality and productivity of raw jute.</li>
<li>Diversifying the jute sector.</li>
<li>Boosting and sustaining demand for jute products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The move will benefit farmers and workers located in the <strong>Eastern and North-Eastern regions</strong> of the country particularly in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura.</li>
<li>The reservation norms in the present proposal would <strong>further the interest of domestic production</strong> of raw jute and jute packaging material in India, thereby, making India self-reliant in consonance with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Initiatives for Promoting Jute Industry</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jute-Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Jute ICARE aims to<strong> improve the productivity and quality of raw jute.</strong></li>
<li>Under it, the Government is <strong>disseminating improved agronomic practices</strong> such as line sowing using seed drills, distribution of quality certified seeds, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jute SMART:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an <strong>e-govt initiative</strong> which was launched in <strong>December 2016 to promote transparency</strong> in the jute sector.</li>
<li>It provides an integrated platform for procurement of sacking by Government agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Definitive Anti-Dumping Duty:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has been<strong> imposed on import of jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal</strong> with effect from 5<sup>th</sup> January 2017 to protect the domestic sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Incentive Scheme for Acquisition of Plants and Machinery:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Launched in<strong> 2013,</strong> it aims to<strong> facilitate modernisation in existing and new jute mills</strong> and up- gradation of technology in existing jute mills.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaboration between the National Jute Board and the National Institute of Design:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to support the diversification of the jute sector through a<strong> Jute Design Cell.</strong></li>
<li><strong>National Jute Board under the Ministry of Textiles, acts as the apex body</strong> for the promotion of the products in India and abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jute is included</strong> in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/msp-raised-for-rabi-crops" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price</strong></a> (MSP) regime of the country.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Jute</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604050944_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604050944_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong> Between 25-35&deg;C.</li>
<li><strong>Rainfall:</strong> Around 150-250 cm.</li>
<li><strong>Soil Type:</strong> Well-drained alluvial soil.</li>
<li><strong>Top Jute Producing States:</strong> West Bengal &gt; Bihar &gt; Assam &gt; Andhra Pradesh &gt; Odisha.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is mainly concentrated in eastern India because of the rich alluvial soil of Ganga-Brahmaputra delta.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The world's <strong>largest jute producing countries </strong>are <strong>India, Bangladesh, China and Thailand.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India is the world's largest producer</strong> of raw jute and jute goods, contributing to over 50% and 40% respectively of global production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is known as the <strong>golden fibre</strong> because it is one of the longest and most used natural fibre for various textile applications.</li>
<li>It is<strong> used in making</strong> gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artefacts.</li>
<li>Due to its high cost, it is<strong> losing market to synthetic fibres and packing materials,</strong> particularly nylon.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1668402" 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/mandatory-jute-bag-packaging'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President of India has signed &lsquo;The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020&rsquo;.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ordinance sets up a <strong>statutory authority - </strong>the<strong> Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.</strong></li>
<li>Through the Ordinance, the Centre has also <strong>dissolved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epca-on-early-burning-of-crop-residue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA)</a></strong> for the NCR.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>monitoring and management of air quality</strong> in the Delhi NCR region has been <strong>done by multiple bodies</strong> including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cpcb-notifies-contaminated-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)</strong></a>, the <strong>state pollution control boards,</strong> the state governments in the region, including <strong>Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and the EPCA.</strong></li>
<li>They, in turn are<strong> monitored by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC),</strong> and the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a></strong> itself, which monitors air pollution as per the judgment in<strong><em> &lsquo;M C Mehta vs Union of India&rsquo;, 1988.</em></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>EPCA is a Central Government constituted committee in the year 1998 for the National Capital Region in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated 7<sup>th</sup> January, 1998.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Ordinance</strong> seeks to create an <strong>overarching body </strong>to<strong> consolidate all monitoring bodies,</strong> and to bring them on one platform so that air quality management can be carried out in a more comprehensive, efficient, and time-bound manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition of the New Commission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission will be headed by <strong>a full-time chairperson</strong> who has been a <strong>Secretary to the Government of India, or </strong>a <strong>Chief Secretary to a State government.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The chairperson will <strong>hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will have <strong>members from several Ministries</strong> as well as representatives<strong> from the stakeholder States.</strong></li>
<li>It will have <strong>experts</strong> from the CPCB, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-ngos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Civil Society.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In matters of air pollution and air quality management, the Commission will <strong>supersede all existing bodies</strong> such as the CPCB, and even the state governments of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. It will have the <strong>powers to issue directions to the states.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>CPCB and its State branches</strong> have the<strong> powers</strong> to implement provisions of the <strong>Environment Protection Act, 1986</strong> for air, water and land pollution. Their powers <strong>continue.</strong> However, <strong>in case of dispute or a clash of jurisdictions,</strong> the <strong>Commission&rsquo;s writ will prevail</strong> specific to matters concerning air pollution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission will also <strong>coordinate efforts of state governments</strong> to curb air pollution, and will <strong>lay down the parameters of air quality</strong> for the region.</li>
<li>It will have <strong>powers to restrict the setting up of industries</strong> in vulnerable areas, and will be able to conduct <strong>site inspections</strong> of industrial units.</li>
<li>If its <strong>directions are contravened,</strong> the Commission will have the <strong>power to impose a fine of up to Rs. 1 crore and imprisonment of up to 5 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NGT&rsquo;s Role:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a>, and <strong>not civil courts,</strong> is <strong>authorised to hear cases</strong> where the Commission is involved.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>EPCA vs New Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jurisdiction</strong>: The <strong>EPCA,</strong> which was set up in 1998, <strong>looked at the NCR;</strong> the purview of the new <strong>Commission extends to &ldquo;adjoining areas as well&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Statutory Status: EPCA</strong> was <strong>not a statutory body</strong> but drew <strong>legitimacy from the Supreme Court.</strong> It did have the <strong>authority to issue fines or directions</strong> and guidelines to the governments in other states. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it had <strong>no state representatives,</strong> just two permanent members.</li>
<li>The <strong>Commission,</strong> on the other hand, will have <strong>representation from the state.</strong> It is a <strong>permanent and statutory body.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Performance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Experts say that <strong>EPCA has failed miserably</strong> in cleaning the air even after being in force for more than 20 years. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the key contributions of the EPCA include - the <strong>notification of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/graded-response-action-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Graded Response Action Plan</a></strong> that lists out measures to be taken in case of worsening pollution, the <strong>construction of the Regional Rapid Transport System</strong> and <strong>early adoption of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-india-will-shift-to-bs-vi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BS-VI fuel standards</a></strong>, among other measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>new Commission&rsquo;s performance will be gauged by changes in the status quo</strong> when it comes to ground implementation and strict action on polluters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Appreciation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jurisdiction:</strong> This Commission will <strong>specifically look at the Delhi NCR and adjoining areas</strong> only.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Whereas, the mandate of the CPCB is to serve the whole country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Stubble Burning: </strong>A <strong>regulatory mechanism</strong> for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/stubble-burning-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stubble burning</strong></a> is being put into place for the first time.</li>
<li><strong>Coordination:</strong> Earlier, there was no single body, authority, Ministry or state which was empowered or dedicated to ensure <strong>coordination</strong> among stakeholder states.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Overrepresentation of the Central Government:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission<strong> has a large number of members from the central government,</strong> which has not gone down well with the states.</li>
<li>States, on the other hand, will have <strong>just one member each. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns of States:</strong> States are <strong>not happy with the overarching powers</strong> being vested in the Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Political differences</strong> will also play a part in the functioning of the Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Dissolution of EPCA:</strong> By forming a new commission, the government has<strong> taken the issue of air pollution out of the purview of the judiciary.</strong> It has been said that new law is needed when the old one fails. The centre has not even tried implementing old laws fully.</li>
<li><strong>Not a air-shed based approach:</strong> According to some experts, the Commission is a lost opportunity to explicitly set the ground rules for an air-shed based approach &mdash; one that could have been deployed in polluted areas across the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An air-shed is an area covered by a volume of air that has similar characteristics and is separated from other volumes of air by weather patterns or topography.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Legal and regulatory changes to tackle public issues like air pollution, need a<strong> democratic conceptualisation.</strong></li>
<li>There is a need for the <strong>massive augmentation of intra-city public transport,</strong> and to move industries, power plants and other users away from polluting fuels like coal to natural gas, electricity and renewable energy to ensure clean combustion.</li>
<li>The government should undertake<strong> a thorough review</strong> of the various laws and institutions in order to look at their efficacy and utility; it must have <strong>detailed consultation</strong> with all relevant stakeholders, especially those outside Delhi, which includes farmers&rsquo; groups and small scale industries and the public at large.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-air-commission-ncr-pollution-6909339/" 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/commission-for-air-quality-management-in-the-ncr'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Institution of Eminence Scheme',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the OP Jindal Global University officially got an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/institutions-of-eminence-ioe-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Institution of Eminence (IoE)</strong></a> tag.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The university was selected by the UGC, along with 13 other higher education institutions, for IoE status in 2019. However, for official confirmation, the institution had to fulfil certain legislative and procedural requirements.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier in 2018, the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) chaired by <strong>former Chief Election Commissioner, N. Gopalasamy recommended</strong> a list of institutions for the consideration of the IoE status.</li>
<li>Under this, the government aims to <strong>establish 20 world class institutes in the country</strong> to provide support and prepare them<strong> to become world-class institutions</strong> and the <strong>ultimate aim</strong> is to make them<strong> secure top global rankings.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Excellence and Innovation:</strong> To provide for higher education leading to excellence and innovations in such branches of knowledge as may be deemed fit at post-graduate, graduate and research degree levels.</li>
<li><strong>Specialization:</strong> To engage in areas of specialization to make distinctive contributions to the objectives of the university education system.</li>
<li><strong>Global Rating:</strong> To aim to be rated internationally for its teaching and research as a top hundred Institution in the world over time.</li>
<li><strong>Quality teaching and Research:</strong> To provide for high quality teaching and research and for the advancement of knowledge and its dissemination</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Criteria:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global/National Ranking:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To get the status, the institutions should be among:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Top 50 in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nirf-and-ariia-rankings-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF).</strong></a></li>
<li>Top 500 in internationally recognised rankings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Public Institutes</strong> that are eligible to apply under Institutes of Eminence are as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Central Universities</li>
<li>Government-owned and controlled Deemed to be Universities.</li>
<li>Institutions of National importance such as IITs, NITs, etc.</li>
<li>State Universities are set up under a law made by the Legislative Assembly of a State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Private institutions</strong> are assessed on the basis of their ranking in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-16th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>QS India</strong></a> <strong>or NIRF,</strong> the NIRF ranking being used as a tie-breaker.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Any institution that did not appear in any rankings is excluded completely from the list of IoE tag.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Greenfield Proposals:</strong> Only after exhausting the above criterion, if any slot remains vacant, consideration shall be given to<strong> yet to be established (Greenfield)</strong> proposals.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term greenfield project generally refers to the initiation of a project without the need to consider any prior work.</li>
<li>The Greenfield Institutions get a 3 <strong>year period</strong> to establish and operationalise the institution.</li>
<li><strong>Satya Bharti Foundation (telecom major Airtel&rsquo;s philanthropic arm)</strong> became the <strong>second greenfield institution</strong> to be given IoE status, <strong>after Reliance&rsquo;s Jio Institute.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Autonomy:</strong> Institutes with IoE tag will be given greater autonomy and freedom to decide fees, course durations and governance structures.</li>
<li><strong>Grant:</strong> The public institutions under IoE tag will receive a government grant of Rs. 1,000 crore, while the private institutions will not get any funding under the scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/education/op-jindal-university-gets-institution-of-eminence-tag-6909196/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Combating Deep Fakes',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/countering-deepfakes-the-most-serious-ai-threat/article32966578.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Countering deep fakes, the most serious AI threat&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Hindu on 20/10/2020. It talks about the dangers associated with the Deep Fakes.</p>
</div>
<p>Technological advancement that has fueled media creation today, has provided opportunities for all people, regardless of their demography, ethnicity, religion etc. It can give people a voice, purpose, and ability to make an impact at scale and with speed.</p>
<p>However, as access to synthetic media technology increases, so does the risk of exploitation. One such aspect of media creation is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/deep-fakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deep fakes</a>. Deep Fakes are the digital media (video, audio, and images) manipulated using <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/artificial-intelligence-and-deepfakes-misuse-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artificial Intelligence</a>.</p>
<p>Deep fakes have evolved from mere annoyance to high stake warfare for creating social discord, increasing polarisation, and in some cases, influencing an election outcome. It allows hyper-realistic digital falsification that can inflict damage to individuals, institutions, businesses and democracy.</p>
<h3>Dangers Associated With Deep Fake</h3>
<p>Deep Fake makes it possible to fabricate media &mdash; swap faces, lip-syncing, and puppeteers &mdash; mostly without consent and bring threat to psychology, security, political stability, and business disruption.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New Front of Warfare:</strong> A deepfake could act as a powerful tool by a nation-state to undermine public safety and create uncertainty and chaos in the target country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Nation-state actors with geopolitical aspirations, ideological believers, violent extremists, and economically motivated enterprises can manipulate media narratives using deepfakes.</li>
<li>It can be used by insurgent groups and terrorist organisations, to represent their adversaries as making inflammatory speeches or engaging in provocative actions to stir up anti-state sentiments among people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Targeting Women:</strong> The malicious use of a deepfake can be seen in pornography, inflicting emotional, reputational, and in some cases, violence towards the individual.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Pornographic deep fakes can threaten, intimidate, and inflict psychological harm and reduce women to sexual objects. Deepfake pornography majorly targets women.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Damage to Personal Reputation</strong>: Deepfake can depict a person indulging in antisocial behaviours and saying vile things.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These can have severe implications on their reputation, sabotaging their professional and personal life.</li>
<li>Even if the victim could debunk the deep fake, it may come too late to remedy the initial harm.</li>
<li>Further, Deepfakes can be deployed to extract money, confidential information, or exact favours from individuals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Undermining Democracy:</strong> A deepfake can also aid in altering the democratic discourse and undermine trust in institutions and impair diplomacy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>False information about institutions, public policy, and politicians powered by a deepfake can be exploited to spin the story and manipulate belief.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disrupting Electioneering:</strong> A deepfake of a political candidate can sabotage their image and reputation. A well-executed one, a few days before polling, of a political candidate spewing out racial epithets or indulging in an unethical act can damage their campaign.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A high-quality deepfake can inject compelling false information that can cast a shadow of illegitimacy over the voting process and election results.</li>
<li>Leaders can also use them to increase populism and consolidate power.</li>
<li>Deepfakes can become a very effective tool to sow the seeds of polarisation, amplifying division in society, and suppressing dissent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enhancing Media Literacy:</strong> Media literacy for consumers and journalists is the most effective tool to combat disinformation and deep fakes.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Improving media literacy is a precursor to addressing the challenges presented by deepfakes.</li>
<li>Media literacy efforts must be enhanced to cultivate a discerning public.</li>
<li>As consumers of media, they must have the ability to decipher, understand, translate, and use the information.</li>
<li>Even a short intervention with media understanding, learning the motivations and context, can lessen the damage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for Regulation:</strong> Meaningful regulations with a collaborative discussion with the technology industry, civil society, and policymakers can facilitate disincentivizing the creation and distribution of malicious deep fakes.</li>
<li><strong>Technological Interventions:</strong> There is also a need for easy-to-use and accessible technology solutions to detect deep fakes, authenticate media, and amplify authoritative sources.</li>
<li><strong>Behavioural Change:</strong> On the part of society, to counter the menace of deep fakes, there is a need to take the responsibility to be a critical consumer of media on the Internet, think and pause before sharing on social media, and be part of the solution to this infodemic.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>To defend the truth and secure freedom of expression, there is a need for a multi-stakeholder and multi-modal approach. Collaborative actions and collective techniques across legislative regulations, platform policies, technology intervention, and media literacy can provide effective and ethical countermeasures to mitigate the threat of malicious deep fakes.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603972257_image1.webp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603972257_image1.webp" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" height="730" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e3faf9; border-color: #03aba2;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1810px;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question<br /><br /></strong></em>Deep fakes allow hyper-realistic digital falsification that can inflict damage to individuals, institutions, businesses and democracy. Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s3IBTb9zAq4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This editorial is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/indo-us-ties-beyond-specific-leaders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Indo-US Ties: Beyond specific leaders&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Economic Times on October 28th,2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Rising Cybercrimes',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)</strong> has written to all States to examine and register First Information Reports (FIRs) based on the complaints received on <strong>National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in).</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Low Conversion Rates:</strong> As per Ministry of Home Affairs, only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the portal are converted into FIRs.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Crime Volunteers:</strong> Through the portal, the Government seeks to promote Cyber Crime Volunteers for identifying, reporting and removal of illegal/unlawful online content.</li>
<li><strong>Increase in Cases:</strong> According to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crime-in-india-2019-report-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)</strong></a>, the number of registered cyber crimes increased by 63.5% in the year 2019 compared to 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Help in curbing rising cyber frauds ,cyber bullying,child pornography etc.</li>
<li>In consonance with the Digital India drive of the government as with rising digital footprint cyber crimes are bound to rise.</li>
<li>Massive Digitalisation in the post-covid world in the sectors of education , health etc highlights the importance of cyber governance initiatives such as this.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched in 2019, it is a citizen-centric initiative enabling citizens to report cybercrimes online.</li>
<li>The portal specifically focuses on crimes against women, children, particularly child pornography, child sex abuse material, online content pertaining to rapes/gang rapes, etc.</li>
<li>It also focuses on crimes like financial crime and social media related crimes like stalking, cyberbullying, etc.</li>
<li>It will improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies to investigate the cases after successful completion by improving coordination amongst the law enforcement agencies of different States, districts and police stations.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Budapest Convention</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Council of Europe&rsquo;s (CoE) Cybercrime Convention, also known as the Budapest Convention</strong> is the<strong> sole legally binding international multilateral treaty</strong> on cybercrime. It coordinates cybercrime investigations between nation-states and criminalizes certain cybercrime conduct.</li>
<li>It was open for signature in 2001 and <strong>came into force in 2004.</strong></li>
<li>The Budapest Convention is supplemented by a Protocol on Xenophobia and Racism committed through computer systems.</li>
<li>India is<strong> not a party</strong> to it. India recently <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/convention-on-global-cybercrime" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>voted in favour of a Russian-led UN resolution</strong></a> to set up a separate convention. The resolution seeks to set up new cyber norms considered as a <strong>counter alternative to the US backed Budapest Accord.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Recent Initiatives to Tackle Cybercrime</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C):</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-facility-to-tackle-cyber-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>I4C will assist in centralising cyber security investigations</strong></a>, prioritise the development of response tools and bring together private companies to contain the menace.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/cyber-crime-data-deprivation-and-data-localisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Draft Personal Data Protection Bill</a>, 2018</strong> (based on the recommendation of Justice BN Srikrishna Committee) to secure citizens data.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Swachhta Kendra:</strong> The "Cyber Swachhta Kendra" (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) is a part of the Government of India's <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India initiative</strong></a> under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/35-percent-of-cyber-attacks-on-indian-sites-from-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT</a>-IN):</strong> It is an organisation of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, with the objective of securing Indian cyberspace. It is the nodal agency which deals with cybersecurity threats like hacking and phishing.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mha-tells-states-to-register-more-firs-for-cyber-crime/article32997209.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source :TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Rising GST Revenues',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the recent data released by the Finance Ministry, the gross <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong> </a>(GST) revenue collected in<strong> October 2020 was Rs. 1.05 lakh crore.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is<strong> 10.25% higher than in 2019</strong> and <strong>10.1% more than the revenue garnered in September 2020.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604311285_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604311285_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="291" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> total revenue</strong> earned in October by the <strong>Central and State governments</strong> stood at <strong>Rs. 44,285 crore and Rs. 44,839 crore, respectively.</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/system-of-cess-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST cess</strong></a> collections, used to compensate the States for switching to the GST regime, <strong>rose to Rs. 8,011 crore,</strong> which is over 5% more than in 2019 and 12.5% higher than September 2020.</li>
<li>October&rsquo;s <strong>revenues from import of goods were 9% higher,</strong> while <strong>domestic transactions</strong> (including import of services) <strong>yielded 11% higher revenues,</strong> on a year-on-year basis.</li>
<li><strong>Status of the States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh recorded the highest 26%</strong> growth in GST collections in October year-on-year, followed by<strong> Jharkhand</strong> (23%) and <strong>Rajasthan</strong> (22%).</li>
<li>The <strong>trend in the more industrially developed States was mixed,</strong> with 15% growth in Gujarat, 13% in Tamil Nadu and just 5% in Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The surge in October's GST inflows could be attributed to the<strong> festive demand and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-waiver-will-increase-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">input tax credits</a></strong> as well as other <strong>reconciliations that were due for businesses in September.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Many <strong>companies raised sale invoices in September</strong> by pushing out their finished products which they had planned in March itself.</li>
<li><strong>Input Tax Credit:</strong> The GST that a merchant pays to procure goods or services (i.e. on inputs) can be set off later against the tax applicable on supply of final goods and services. The <strong>set-off tax is called an input tax credit.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/manufacturing-improved-pmi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>manufacturing sector activities started to show signs of growth</strong></a> in August and September, driven mainly by a pick-up in production along with improvement in customer demand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>GST inflows crossing the Rs. 1 lakh crore mark for the <strong>first time in the financial year (FY) 2020-21</strong> is a<strong> clear sign of a recovery</strong> in the economy after its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-contracted-by-23-9-in-first-quarter#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20recent%20National,reporting%20quarterly%20data%20in%201996." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23.9% contraction in the first quarter of 2020.</strong></a></li>
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-compensation-centre-to-borrow-on-behalf-of-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> expected shortfall in GST compensation</strong></a> for the States could be lower than the current estimate of Rs. 2.35 lakh crore if this revenue momentum is maintained through the rest of 2020-21.</li>
<li>According to the <strong>Consortium of Indian Associations, October&rsquo;s GST inflows must not be considered a return to normalcy</strong> for businesses as these revenues normally <strong>relate to sales that occurred in September,</strong> when a majority of the economy, including public transport, was unlocked. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The consortium of Indian Associations is an umbrella body of <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises</a> (MSME).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>November and December data has to be awaited</strong> before confidently saying that the economy has rebounded to pre-<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> times.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>comprehensive, multi-stage, destination-based indirect tax </strong>that is<strong> levied on every value addition.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Goods and Service Tax Act</strong> was passed in the Parliament on <strong>29<sup>th</sup> March 2017</strong> and came into effect on <strong>1<sup>st</sup> July 2017.</strong></li>
<li>Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST Council</strong></a> and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/major-constitutional-amendments-part-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>101<sup>st</sup> constitutional amendment 2017</strong></a>, the tax is levied at every point of sale.</li>
<li>GST is <strong>categorised into Central GST</strong> (CGST), <strong>State GST</strong> (SGST) and <strong>Integrated GST</strong> (IGST) <strong>depending on</strong> whether the transaction is <strong>intra-State or inter-State.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Central GST:</strong> CGST is a tax levied on <strong>intra-State supplies of both goods and services</strong> by the Central Government and is governed by the CGST Act.</li>
<li><strong>State GST:</strong> SGST is also levied on the<strong> same intra-State supply</strong> but will be <strong>governed by the State Governments.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This implies that both the Central and the State governments agree on <strong>combining their levies with an appropriate proportion</strong> for revenue sharing between them.</li>
<li>However, it is clearly mentioned in <strong>Section 8 of the GST Act</strong> that the taxes be levied on all intra-State supplies of goods and/or services but the <strong>rate of tax shall not be exceeding 14%, each.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Integrated GST:</strong> IGST is a tax levied on all <strong>inter-State supplies of goods and/or services</strong> and is governed by the IGST Act.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>applicable to any supply of goods and/or services in both cases of import into and export from India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-collections-cross-1-lakh-crore-in-oct-for-first-time-in-8-months/article32995877.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Pakistan's Provincial Status to Gilgit-Baltistan',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India has strongly rejected Pakistan's move to grant <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gilgit-baltistan-to-become-a-pakistani-province" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>provisional provincial status to Gilgit - Baltistan.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gilgit-Baltistan</strong> is one of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>disputed territories</strong></a> of India.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604309007_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604309007_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gilgit-Baltistan:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a chunk of high-altitude territory located on the north western corner of the <strong>Union Territory of Ladakh.</strong></li>
<li>It is located strategically as it <strong>borders Pakistan, Afghanistan and China.</strong></li>
<li>The region<strong> was a part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir,</strong> but has been under Pakistan&rsquo;s control since 4<sup>th</sup> November, 1947, following the invasion of Kashmir by tribal militias and the Pakistan army.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of J&amp;K, had signed the Instrument of Accession with India on 26<sup>th</sup> October 1947.</li>
<li><strong>India moved to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-security-council-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Security Council</a></strong> to raise the issue of Pakistan&rsquo;s invasion on 1<sup>st</sup> January 1948.</li>
<li>The <strong>UN Security Council passed a resolution</strong> calling for Pakistan to withdraw from all of Jammu and Kashmir and then India had to reduce its forces to the minimum level following which a plebiscite would be held to ascertain people&rsquo;s wishes.</li>
<li>However, no withdrawal was ever carried out and it remains a point of contention between two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, <strong>Saudi Arabia,</strong> a key ally of Pakistan, had <strong>removed Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from the Pakistan map on its new banknote</strong> after India asked it to take &ldquo;urgent corrective steps&rdquo; about the &ldquo;gross misrepresentation&rdquo;.</li>
<li>On the first anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s special status, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pakistan-s-new-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pakistan government had released a new &ldquo;political map&rdquo;</strong></a> which included Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and parts of western Gujarat as part of its territory.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Describing it as &ldquo;political absurdity&rdquo; and a &ldquo;ridiculous assertion&rdquo;, India said it &ldquo;confirms the reality of Pakistan&rsquo;s obsession with territorial aggrandisement supported by cross-border terrorism&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Gilgit-Baltistan region is at the centre of USD 65 billion <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/viability-of-bri-and-cpec#:~:text=22%20members%20currently.-,China%20Pakistan%20Economic%20Corridor,and%20other%20infrastructure%20development%20projects." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor</strong></a> Infrastructure development plan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India's Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India claims that the entire Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh including Gilgit-Baltistan is an <strong>integral part of India</strong> by the virtue of legal, complete and irrevocable accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the union of India in 1947.</li>
<li>Pakistan&rsquo;s move to name Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth province is meant to &ldquo;camouflage its illegal occupation&rdquo; of the area but it cannot &ldquo;hide the grave human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom&rdquo; to the people for over seven decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pakistan-gilgit-baltistan-province-imran-khan-india-6912694/" 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/pakistan-s-provincial-status-to-gilgit-baltistan'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A recent investigation has found that the money meant for poor students under the <strong>Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme</strong> in Jharkhand has been siphoned off and is not reaching the students.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Scheme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centrally funded</a> scholarship scheme</strong> for students in all states, which<strong> opens every year</strong> and has to be applied between August and November.</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> To <strong>help students of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/identification-of-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minority communities</a></strong> viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists from families with<strong> annual income below Rs. 1 lakh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Eligibility:</strong> Students need to score <strong>at least 50% in their class exams.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Structure of the Scholarship:</strong> It is given in two tiers every year to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Students in <strong>class 1 to 5</strong>: Rs. 1,000 per year.</li>
<li>Students of <strong>class 6 to 10</strong>: Rs. 10,700 if a hosteller or Rs 5,700 if a day scholar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Application Process:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Eligible students need to register at the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Scholarship Portal</strong></a> (NSP) and <strong>submit educational documents,</strong> bank account details and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use#:~:text=The%20existing%20Aadhar%20act%20provides,by%20authentication%20or%20offline%20verification." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aadhaar</a> numbers</strong> among other documents.</li>
<li>The scheme is <strong>online</strong> and one can apply for a<strong> fresh or renewal scholarship on the NSP or through a mobile application</strong> of NSP.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions for Improvement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government is planning to bring a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/scholarship-schemes-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> single national scholarship scheme</strong></a> by merging all the current scholarship schemes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The move came after a multi-crore scam was reported in the <strong>post-matric scholarship scheme for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sub-categorisation-of-backward-classes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scheduled Castes</a></strong> (SC) in Punjab in August 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Scholarship Portal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>&ldquo;one-stop&rdquo; solution</strong> through which various services, starting from student application, application receipt, verification, processing, and disbursal of various scholarships to students are facilitated.</li>
<li>It is taken as <strong>Mission Mode Project</strong> (MMP) under <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India</strong> </a>and aims at providing a <strong>simplified, accountable, responsive and transparent system</strong> for faster and effective disbursal of scholarship to eligible applicants directly into their account through <strong>Direct Benefit Transfer</strong> (DBT) without any leakages.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/jharkhands-pre-matric-scholarship-scam-6912296/" 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/pre-matric-scholarship-scheme'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Revolt of 1857',
		'catname' => 'Paper 1',
		'desc' => '<p>The Indian Mutiny of 1857-59 was a widespread but unsuccessful rebellion against the rule of British East India Company in India which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British crown.</p>
<h3>The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was the first expression of organised resistance against the British East India Company</li>
<li>It began as a revolt of the sepoys of the British East India Company&rsquo;s army but eventually secured the participation of the masses.</li>
<li>The revolt is known by several names:<strong> the Sepoy Mutiny</strong> (by the British Historians), <strong>the Indian Mutiny, the Great Rebellion</strong> (by the Indian Historians), <strong>the Revolt of 1857, the Indian Insurrection, </strong>and<strong> the First War of Independence</strong> (by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes of The Revolt</h3>
<p><strong>Political Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>British policy of expansion:</strong> The political causes of the revolt were the British policy of expansion through the <strong>Doctrine of Lapse</strong> and direct annexation.</li>
<li>A large number of Indian rulers and chiefs were dislodged, thus arousing fear in the minds of other ruling families who apprehended a similar fate.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Rani Lakshmi Bai&rsquo;s</strong> adopted son was not permitted to sit on the throne of Jhansi.</li>
<li>Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi were annexed under the <strong>Doctrine of Lapse.</strong></li>
<li>Jaitpur, Sambalpur and Udaipur were also annexed.</li>
<li>The annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie on the pretext of maladministration left thousands of nobles, officials, retainers and soldiers jobless. This measure converted Awadh, a loyal state, into a hotbed of discontent and intrigue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Doctrine of lapse:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The notable British technique called the<strong> Doctrine of Lapse</strong> was first perpetrated by <strong>Lord Dalhousie</strong> in the late 1840s.</li>
<li>It involved the British prohibiting a Hindu ruler without a natural heir from adopting a successor and, after the ruler died or abdicated, annexing his land.</li>
<li>To those problems added the growing discontent of the Brahmans, many of whom had been dispossessed of their revenues or had lost lucrative positions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Social and Religious Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rapidly<strong> spreading Western Civilisation</strong> in India was alarming concerns all over the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An act in 1850 changed the Hindu law of inheritance enabling a Hindu who had converted into Christianity to inherit his ancestral properties.</li>
<li>The people were convinced that the Government was planning to <strong>convert Indians to Christianity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>abolition of practices like sati and female infanticide,</strong> and the legislation legalizing widow remarriage, were believed as threats to the established social structure.</li>
<li>Introducing <strong>western methods of education</strong> was directly challenging the orthodoxy for Hindus as well as Muslims</li>
<li>Even the introduction of the railways and telegraph was viewed with suspicion.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Economic Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In rural areas, peasants and zamindars were infuriated by the<strong> heavy taxes on land</strong> and the <strong>stringent methods of revenue collection</strong> followed by the Company.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many among these groups were unable to meet the heavy revenue demands and repay their loans to money lenders, eventually losing the lands that they had held for generations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Large numbers of <strong>sepoys belonged to the peasantry class</strong> and had family ties in villages, so the grievances of the peasants also affected them.</li>
<li>After the Industrial Revolution in England, there was an <strong>influx of British manufactured goods</strong> into India, which ruined industries, particularly the textile industry of India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian handicraft industries had to compete with cheap machine- made goods from Britain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Military Causes</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Revolt of 1857 began as a<strong> sepoy mutiny:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian sepoys formed more than 87% of the British troops in India but were considered inferior to British soldiers.</li>
<li>An Indian sepoy was paid less than a European sepoy of the same rank.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They were required to serve in areas far away from their homes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1856 Lord Canning issued the General Services Enlistment Act which required that the sepoys must be ready to serve even in British land across the sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Lord Canning</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Charles John Canning was the statesman and governor general of India during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.</li>
<li>He became the <strong>first viceroy of India</strong> in 1858.</li>
<li>The important events during his tenure include: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Mutiny of 1857, which he was able to suppress successfully</li>
<li>Passing of Indian Councils Act, 1861 which<strong> introduced portfolio system</strong> in India</li>
<li><strong>Withdrawal of &ldquo;Doctrine of Lapse&rdquo;</strong> which was one of the main reasons of mutiny of 1858</li>
<li>Introduction of Code of Criminal Procedure</li>
<li>Enactment of Indian High Courts Act</li>
<li>Indian Penal Code (1858)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Immediate Cause</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Revolt of 1857 eventually broke out over the<strong> incident of greased cartridges.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A rumour spread that the cartridges of the new enfield rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs.</li>
<li>Before loading these rifles the sepoys had to bite off the paper on the cartridges.</li>
<li>Both Hindu and Muslim sepoys refused to use them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Lord Canning tried to make amends for the error and the offending cartridges were withdrawn but the damage had already been done. There was unrest in several places.</li>
<li>In March 1857, <strong>Mangal Pandey,</strong> a sepoy in<strong> Barrackpore,</strong> had refused to use the cartridge and attacked his senior officers. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was hanged to death on 8<sup>th</sup> April.</li>
<li>On 9<sup>th</sup> May, 85 soldiers in Meerut refused to use the new rifle and were sentenced to ten years&rsquo; imprisonment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Centres of The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The revolt spread over the entire area from the neighbourhood of Patna to the borders of Rajasthan. The main centres of revolt in these regions namely Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi, Gwalior and Arrah in Bihar.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lucknow:</strong> it was the capital of Awadh. <strong>Begum Hazrat Mahal,</strong> one of the begums of the ex-king of Awadh, took up the leadership of the revolt.</li>
<li><strong>Kanpur:</strong> the revolt was led by <strong>Nana Saheb,</strong> the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He joined the revolt primarily because he was deprived of his pension by the British.</li>
<li>The victory was short- lived. Kanpur was recaptured by the British after fresh reinforcements arrived.</li>
<li>The revolt was suppressed with terrible vengeance.</li>
<li>Nana Saheb escaped but his brilliant commander <strong>Tantia Tope</strong> continued the struggle.</li>
<li>Tantia Tope was finally defeated, arrested and hanged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jhansi:</strong> the twenty-two-year-old <strong>Rani Lakshmi Bai</strong> led the rebels when the British refused to accept the claim of her adopted son to the throne of Jhansi. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>She fought gallantly against the British forces but was ultimately defeated by the English.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gwalior:</strong> After Rani Lakshmi Bai escaped, she was joined by Tantia Tope and together they marched to Gwalior and captured it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Fierce fighting followed where the Rani of Jhansi fought like a tigress but died, fighting to the very end.</li>
<li>Gwalior was recaptured by the British.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bihar: the revolt was led by<strong> Kunwar Singh</strong> who belonged to a royal house of Jagdispur, Bihar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suppression and The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Revolt of 1857 lasted for more than a year. It was suppressed by the middle of 1858.</li>
<li>On July 8, 1858, fourteen months after the outbreak at Meerut, peace was finally proclaimed by Lord Canning.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 21px; background-color: #ff0000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Places of Revolt</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 21px; background-color: #ff0000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Indian Leaders</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 21px; background-color: #ff0000; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>British Officials who suppressed the revolt</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Delhi</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Bahadur Shah II</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">John Nicholson</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Lucknow</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Begum Hazrat Mahal</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Henry Lawrence</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Kanpur</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Nana Saheb</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Sir Colin Campbell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Jhansi &amp; Gwalior</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Lakshmi Bai &amp; Tantia Tope</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">General Hugh Rose</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Bareilly</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Khan Bahadur Khan</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Sir Colin Campbell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Allahabad and Banaras</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Maulvi Liyakat Ali</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Colonel Oncell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">
<p>Bihar</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">Kunwar Singh</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%; height: 19px; background-color: #ffffe6;">William Taylor</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Why did the Revolt Fail?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Limited uprising:</strong> although the revolt was fairly widespread, a large part of the country remained unaffected by it.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The revolt was mainly confined to the Doab region. Sind, Rajputana, Kashmir, most parts of Punjab.</li>
<li>The large princely states, <strong>Hyderabad, Mysore, Travancore, and Kashmir,</strong> as well as the smaller ones of <strong>Rajputana,</strong> did not join the rebellion</li>
<li>The southern provinces did not take part in it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No effective leadership:</strong> the rebels lacked an effective leader. Although Nana Saheb, Tantia Tope and Rani Lakshmi Bai were brave leaders, they could not offer effective leadership to the movement as a whole.</li>
<li><strong>Limited resources:</strong> the rebels lacked resources in terms of men and money. The English, on the other hand, received a steady supply of men, money and arms in India.</li>
<li><strong>No participation of the middle class:</strong> The English educated middle class, the rich merchants, traders and zamindars of Bengal helped the British to suppress the revolt.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Results of The Revolt</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>End of company rule:</strong> the great uprising of 1857 was an important landmark in the history of modern India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The revolt marked the end of the East India Company&rsquo;s rule in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Direct rule of the British Crown:</strong> India now came under the direct rule of the British Crown. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was announced by Lord Canning at a <strong>Durbar in Allahabad</strong> in a proclamation issued on 1 November 1858 in the name of the Queen.</li>
<li>The Indian administration was taken over by Queen Victoria, which, in effect, meant the British Parliament.</li>
<li>The India office was created to handle the governance and the administration of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Religious tolerance:</strong> it was promised and due attention was paid to the customs and traditions of India.</li>
<li><strong>Administrative change:</strong> the Governor General&rsquo;s office was replaced by that of the Viceroy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rights of Indian rulers were recognised.</li>
<li>The Doctrine of Lapse was abolished.</li>
<li>The right to adopt sons as legal heirs was accepted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military reorganisation:</strong> the ratio of British officers to Indian soldiers increased but the armoury remained in the hands of the English. It was arranged to end the dominance of the Bengal army.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The revolt of 1857 was an unprecedented event in the history of British rule in India. It united, though in a limited way, many sections of Indian society for a common cause.Though the revolt failed to achieve the desired goal, it sowed the seeds of Indian nationalism.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Books written on the Revolt of 1857</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Indian War of Independence </strong>by<strong> Vinayak Damodar Savarkar</strong></li>
<li><strong>Rebellion, 1857: A Symposium </strong>by<strong> Puran Chand Joshi</strong></li>
<li><strong>The Indian Mutiny of 1857 </strong>by <strong>George Bruce Malleson</strong></li>
<li><strong>Great Mutiny</strong> by<strong> Christopher Hibbert</strong></li>
<li><strong>Religion and Ideology of the Rebels of 1857 </strong>by<strong> Iqbal Hussain</strong></li>
<li><strong>Excavation of Truth: Unsung Heroes of 1857 War of Independence </strong>by<strong> Khan Mohammad Sadiq Khan</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/revolt-of-1857'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Typhoon Goni',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Typhoon Goni has made landfall in the <strong>eastern Philippines.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Philippines is used to powerful storms -</strong> it is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons a year.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604302309_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604302309_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Goni - known as Rolly in the Philippines -</strong> is the <strong>most powerful storm</strong> to hit the country <strong>since Typhoon Haiyan</strong> killed more than 6,000 people in 2013.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In fact, Typhoon Goni is the <strong>world&rsquo;s strongest Typhoon in 2020.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Last week, the Philippines was hit by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-molave-vietnam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Typhoon Molave.</strong></a></li>
<li>Another storm,<strong> Atsani,</strong> is gaining strength in the Pacific Ocean as it approaches the Philippines.</li>
<li>Typhoon is a <strong>regionally specific name</strong> for a strong <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-nana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"tropical cyclone"</a></strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones are known as <strong>&lsquo;typhoons&rsquo;</strong> in the <strong>northwest pacific ocean, hurricanes</strong> in the <strong>North Atlantic Ocean, Willy-willies</strong> in <strong>north-western Australia</strong> and <strong>Tropical Cyclones</strong> in the<strong> Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A tropical cyclone is a <strong>generic term</strong> used by meteorologists to describe<strong> a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms</strong> that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones <strong>rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.</strong></li>
<li>These are measured by the <strong>Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naming of Typhoons:</strong> The<strong> Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Centre</strong> assigns a tropical cyclone a name from the five lists. The name <strong>&lsquo;Goni&rsquo;</strong> is contributed by <strong>South Korea.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/typhoon-goni-philippines-6913281/" 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/typhoon-goni'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Dairy Production in Indus Valley Civilisation',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study by Indian and Canadian archaeologists has <strong>found that dairy products were being produced by the Harappans as far back as 2500 BCE.</strong> The finding reveals the<strong> earliest evidence of dairy production.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centenary-of-discovery-of-harappan-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The year 2020 also marks 100 years</strong></a> of discovery of<strong> Indus Valley Civilisation.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Milk Production:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The results of the study are based on <strong>molecular chemical analysis</strong> of residue in shards <strong>of pottery</strong> found at the archaeological site of<strong> Kotada Bhadli,</strong> in <strong>Gujarat.</strong></li>
<li>Traces seen in cooking vessels indicate the <strong>presence of milk,</strong> which<strong> may have been boiled for consumption.</strong> There are also remains of a<strong> perforated vessel,</strong> which indicates <strong>processing of milk into different forms.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pots are porous and absorb liquid from food. This helps the pots to preserve the molecules of food such as fats and proteins.</li>
<li>Using techniques like C16 and C18 analysis the source of foods can be identified.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>large herd indicates that milk was produced in surplus</strong> so that it could be exchanged and there could have been some kind <strong>of trade between settlements.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This could have also given rise to an industrial level of dairy production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Types of Animals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Through a process called <strong>stable isotope analysis,</strong> the researchers were also able to identify that <strong>cattles used for dairy production.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Most of the <strong>cattle and water-buffalo died at an older age,</strong> suggesting they could have been <strong>raised for milk,</strong> whereas the majority of <strong>goat/sheep died when they were young,</strong> indicating they could have been<strong> used for meat.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Faceless Civilisation:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indus Valley Civilisation was faceless &mdash; no king, no bureaucratic organisations, but there were <strong>very close regional interactions between settlements,</strong> a symbiotic <strong>relationship of give and take</strong> that helped the civilisation survive for so long.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Background:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indus Valley Civilisation is known for its <strong>metropolitan cities and the big towns, great urban planning, trading systems, jewellery making.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, there was no idea how the common people were living during the Harappan times, and how they were contributing to the larger network.</li>
<li>However, the new study throws fresh light on the rural economy of the Indus Valley Civilisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indus Valley Civilization</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>history of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC),</strong> also known as<strong> Harappan Civilization.</strong></li>
<li>It flourished around <strong>2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia,</strong> in contemporary Pakistan and Western India.</li>
<li>The Indus Valley was home to the<strong> largest of the four ancient urban civilizations</strong> of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.</li>
<li>In the 1920s, the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. <strong>Mohenjodaro and Harappa</strong> were unearthed.</li>
<li>In 1924, <strong>John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the discovery</strong> of a new civilisation in the Indus valley to the world.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #072e1a;" colspan="4"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Important Sites of IVC</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Site</strong></td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Excavated by</strong></td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Location</strong></td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #cafadf;"><strong>Important Findings</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Harappa</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Daya Ram Sahni in 1921</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Bank of river Ravi in Montgomery district of Punjab (Pakistan)</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sandstone statues of Human anatomy</li>
<li>Granaries</li>
<li>Bullock carts</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Mohenjo-Daro (Mound of Dead)</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R.D. Banerjee in 1922</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Bank of river Indus in Larkana district of Punjab (Pakistan)</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Great bath</li>
<li>Granary</li>
<li>Bronze dancing girl</li>
<li>Seal of Pasupathi</li>
<li>Steatite statue of beard man</li>
<li>A piece of woven cotton</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Sutkagendor</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Stein in 1929</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">In southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistan on Dast river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A trade point between Harappa and Babylon</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 89px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Chanhudaro</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">N.G. Majumdar in 1931</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Sindh on the Indus river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 40px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bead makers shop</li>
<li>Footprint of a dog chasing a cat</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 45px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Amri</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">N.G. Majumdar in 1935</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">On the bank of Indus river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 45px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Antelope evidence</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 89px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Kalibangan</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Ghose in 1953</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Rajasthan on the bank of Ghaggar river</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 89px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Fire altar</li>
<li>Camel&rsquo;s bones</li>
<li>Wooden plough</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 155px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Lothal</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R. Rao in 1953</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Gujarat on Bhogva river near Gulf of Cambay</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 120px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>First manmade port</li>
<li>Dockyard</li>
<li>Rice husk</li>
<li>Fire altars</li>
<li>Chess-playing</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Surkotada</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">J.P. Joshi in 1964</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Gujarat</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bones of horses</li>
<li>Beads</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Banawali</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R.S. Bisht in 1974</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Hisar district of Haryana</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Beads</li>
<li>Barley</li>
<li>Evidence of both pre-Harappan and Harappan culture</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Dholavira</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">R.S Bisht in 1985</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">Gujarat in Rann of Kachchh</td>
<td style="width: 25%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0fff7;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Water harnessing system</li>
<li>Water reservoir</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/evidence-of-dairy-production-in-the-indus-valley-civilisation/article32937155.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/dairy-production-in-indus-valley-civilisation'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Urban Flooding',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/time-for-a-sponge-cities-mission-in-india/article32985979.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Time for a &lsquo;sponge cities&rsquo; mission in India&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 31/10/2020. It talks about how urban flooding is man-made disaster and ways to deal with it.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, torrential rains that took place in Hyderabad have caused massive <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/flood-management-in-india#:~:text=Urban%20Flooding%3A%20Flooding%20in%20the,maintenance%20of%20the%20drainage%20infrastructure." target="_blank" rel="noopener">urban floods.</a></strong> In many Indian cities, the urban floods have become a frequent phenomenon in recent years.</p>
<p>As the incidence of climate variability and extreme weather events increases, urban flooding becomes more and more common. While the untimely heavy rains can be attributed to climate variability, the urban flooding is largely due to an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/urbanisation-trends-eiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>unplanned urbanisation.</strong></a></p>
<h3>Urban Flood: Man-Made Disaster</h3>
<p>Overburdened drainage, unregulated construction, no regard to the natural topography and hydro-geomorphology all make urban floods a man-made disaster.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Inadequate Drainage Infrastructure:</strong> Cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai rely on a century-old drainage system, covering only a small part of the core city. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 20 years, the Indian cities have grown manifold with its original built-up area.</li>
<li>As the city grew beyond its original limits, not much was done to address the absence of adequate drainage systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Terrain Alteration:</strong> Lasting irreversible damage has been done to the city by property builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering natural drainage routes.</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Seepage:</strong> Indian cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used (hard, non-porous construction material that makes the soil impervious).</li>
<li><strong>Lax Implementation:</strong> Even with provisions of rainwater harvesting, sustainable urban drainage systems, etc, in regulatory mechanisms like the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)</strong></a>, adoption at user end as well as enforcement agencies remains weak.</li>
<li><strong>Encroaching Natural Spaces:</strong> The number of wetlands has reduced to 123 in 2018 from 644 in 1956. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Green cover is only 9 per cent, which ideally should have been at least 33 per cent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Need For Holistic Engagement:</strong> Urban floods of this scale cannot be contained by the municipal authorities alone. Floods cannot be managed without concerted and focused investments of energy and resources. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Metropolitan Development Authorities, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Disaster Management Authority</strong></a>, State revenue and irrigation departments along with municipal corporations should be involved in such work together.</li>
<li>Such investments can only be done in a mission mode organisation with active participation of civil society organisations at the metropolitan scale.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Developing Sponge Cities:</strong> The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls upon it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sponge cities absorb the rain water, which is then naturally filtered by the soil and allowed to reach urban aquifers.</li>
<li>This allows for the extraction of water from the ground through urban or peri-urban wells.</li>
<li>This water can be treated easily and used for city water supply.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wetland Policy:</strong> There is a need to start paying attention to the management of wetlands by involving local communities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Without doubt, terrain alteration needs to be strictly regulated and a ban on any further alteration of terrain needs to be introduced.</li>
<li>To improve the city&rsquo;s capacity to absorb water, new porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or mandated across scales.</li>
<li>Examples of these technologies are bioswales and retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement, drainage systems which allow storm water to trickle into the ground, green roofs and harvesting systems in buildings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bioswales are made along roadsides so that rainwater from the road flows towards them and percolates into the ground.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Drainage Planning:</strong> Watershed management and emergency drainage plan should be clearly enunciated in policy and law. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Urban watersheds are micro ecological drainage systems, shaped by contours of terrain.</li>
<li>Detailed documentation of these must be held by agencies which are not bound by municipal jurisdictions; instead, there is a need to consider natural boundaries such as watersheds instead of governance boundaries like electoral wards for shaping a drainage plan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Water Sensitive Urban Design:</strong> These methods take into consideration the topography, types of surfaces (permeable or impervious), natural drainage and leave very less impact on the environment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerability analyses and risk assessments should form part and parcel of city master plans.</li>
<li>In a changing climate, the drainage infrastructure (especially storm water drainage) has to be built considering the new &lsquo;normals&rsquo;.</li>
<li>Tools such as predictive precipitation modelling can help do that and are also able to link it with the adaptive capacity of urban land use.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Convergent Approach:</strong> These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along the lines of the <strong><a href="/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-december-2018#:~:text=Atal%20Mission%20for%20Rejuvenation%20and%20Urban%20Transformation%20(AMRUT)&amp;text=AMRUT%20provides%20for%20basic%20civic,the%20poor%20and%20the%20disadvantaged." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)</a></strong>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/promotion-of-buddhist-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres#:~:text=Smart%20City%20Mission,create%20smart%20outcomes%20for%20citizens." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Smart Cities Mission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Urban Flood management will not just help control recurring floods but also respond to other fault lines, provide for water security, more green spaces, and will make the city resilient and sustainable.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604145957_image%200.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604145957_image 0.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 style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f5faff; height: 76px;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>While the untimely heavy rains can be attributed to climate change, the urban flooding is largely due to an unplanned urbanisation. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fO09G0P_EWU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/the-politics-of-a-5-trillion-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Politics of a $5 Trillion Economy&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Economic Times on October 29<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/urban-flooding'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'National Unity Day 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Every year, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-unity-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Unity Day</strong></a> (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is celebrated on <strong>31<sup>st</sup> October</strong> to commemorate the birth anniversary of <strong>Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Prime Minister launched the <strong>seaplane service</strong> from Ahmedabad to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/statue-of-unity" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Statue of Unity</strong></a>, Kevadia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The day was <strong>celebrated for the first time in 2014,</strong> when the Government of India decided to celebrate Patel&rsquo;s birthday as the National Unity Day to recognise his monumental contribution and service to the nation.</li>
<li>On this day, several events like Run For Unity, a nationwide marathon to increase awareness about Patel&rsquo;s contributions, National Unity pledge, Ekta Parade, etc. are organised.</li>
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> the Government unveiled the <strong>Statue of Unity</strong> in Gujarat in Patel&rsquo;s honour.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>tallest statue</strong> (182-meter) <strong>in the world.</strong></li>
<li>In January 2020, it was added in the <strong>&lsquo;Eight Wonders&rsquo;</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation</strong></a> (SCO).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604138475_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604138475_image3.png" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Born:</strong> 31<sup>st</sup> October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat.</li>
<li><strong>Achievements:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>First Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India.</li>
<li><strong>Headed various Committees of the Constituent Assembly of India,</strong> namely:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights.</li>
<li>Committee on Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas.</li>
<li>Provincial Constitution Committee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Integrated the farmer&rsquo;s cause in Kheda Satyagraha (1918) and Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) with the national freedom movement.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Women of Bardoli bestowed the title &lsquo;Sardar&rsquo;</strong> on Vallabhbhai Patel, which means &lsquo;a Chief or a Leader&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Known as the <strong>&ldquo;Iron Man of India&rdquo;</strong> for playing an important role in unification and <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/integration-of-princely-states-after-independence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>integration of Indian princely states</strong></a> into the Indian federation and for convincing princely states to align with the Indian Union.</li>
<li>Requested the people of India to <strong>live together by uniting <em>(Ek Bharat)</em></strong> in order<strong> to create a foremost India<em> (Shresth Bharat).</em></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This ideology still reflects in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> initiative which seeks to make India self-reliant.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Remembered as the <strong>&lsquo;Patron Saint of India&rsquo;s Civil Servants&rsquo;</strong> as he <strong>established the modern all-India services system.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> 15<sup>th</sup> December 1950 in Bombay.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sardar-patel-unity-nda-6910484/" 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/national-unity-day-2020'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Sexual Harassment and the Code on Wages',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a provision in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Wages 2019</strong></a>, <strong>&lsquo;conviction for sexual harassment&rsquo;</strong> can be a<strong> ground for denying bonus payouts</strong> to employees.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Central government published the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/issues-related-to-minimum-wage#:~:text=The%20Code%20on%20Wages%2C%202020,be%20fixed%20by%20state%20governments." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Draft Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2020</strong></a> in July 2020 and placed it in the public domain inviting objections and suggestions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Code lays down norms for annual bonus dues that accrue to employees, replacing the <strong>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965,</strong> which bars bonus dues only in case of fraud, violent conduct and theft or sabotage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>minimum bonus</strong> payable is <strong>8.33% of the salary or wage</strong> earned by the employee during the accounting year subject to a <strong>maximum of 20</strong>% of such salary or wage and is<strong> applicable to all employees earning a salary of up to Rs. 21,000 a month.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 29 of the Code</strong> states that &ldquo;Notwithstanding anything contained in this Code, an employee shall be disqualified from receiving bonus under this Code, if he is dismissed from service for fraud or riotous or violent behaviour while on the premises of the establishment or theft, misappropriation or sabotage of any property of the establishment or conviction for sexual harassment.&rdquo;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> salary and bonus payment limits are yet to be notified</strong> under the Code on Wages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Other <strong>disqualification triggers are explicitly restricted to actions on an employer's premises,</strong> the trigger referring to conviction under sexual harassment does not include such a condition about the location of the incident.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of now,<strong> it is not clear if sexual harassment incidents or related crimes against women outside the workplace could lead to dismissal</strong> of employees with loss of bonus payments but it should come under the purview irrespective of where it is done.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of the Move:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a huge step to<strong> get people to be on their best behaviour</strong> in the workplace as the prospect of losing one&rsquo;s benefits may make employees more careful of their conduct.</li>
<li>This is also a step forward <strong>towards creating seriousness about instances of sexual harassment</strong> at the workplace and in general.</li>
<li>This move will serve as an additional deterrent apart from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-s-verma-committee-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Prevention Of Sexual Harassment (POSH) law of 2013.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Code on Wages Act, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-code-on-wages-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>new wage code</strong></a> <strong>removes the multiplicity of wage definitions,</strong> which can significantly reduce litigation as well as compliance cost for employers.</li>
<li>It links minimum wage across the country to the <strong>skills of the employee</strong> and the <strong>place of employment.</strong></li>
<li>It seeks to<strong> universalise the provisions</strong> of minimum wages and their timely payment to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling.</li>
<li>It seeks to ensure <strong>Right to Sustenance for every worker and intends to increase the legislative protection</strong> of minimum wage.</li>
<li>A <strong>National Floor Level Minimum Wage</strong> will be set by the Centre and will be<strong> revised every five years,</strong> while states will fix minimum wages for their regions, which cannot be lower than the floor wage.</li>
<li>It <strong>subsumes the following four labour laws:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>Equal Remuneration Act, 1976</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Prevention Of Sexual Harassment Law 2013</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under it, sexual harassment includes<strong> any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour</strong> (whether directly or by implication):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Physical contact and advances.</li>
<li>Demand or request for sexual favours.</li>
<li>Making sexually coloured remarks.</li>
<li>Showing pornography.</li>
<li>Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As per the POSH law guidelines, firms are required to form an <strong>Internal Complaints Committee</strong> (ICC) to <strong>inquire into complaints of sexual harassment</strong> at the workplace.</li>
<li>ICC is required to<strong> make recommendations</strong> to employers on the action required pursuant to its inquiry in such complaints.</li>
<li>If the ICC upholds a complaint, it<strong> could be interpreted as a conviction</strong> and ICC has the<strong> powers to decide if someone is guilty and report it further to the police,</strong> though not all sexual harassment cases translate into a police case.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-rules-bar-bonus-for-those-facing-sex-abuse-charges/article32985691.ece#:~:text=The%20new%20Code%2C%20expected%20to,conduct%20and%20theft%20or%20sabotage." 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/sexual-harassment-and-the-code-on-wages'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Translocation of Corals in Mumbai',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/assessment-of-plastics-along-the-west-coast-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Institute of Oceanography</strong></a> will carry out the translocation of 18 coral colonies from the coast of Mumbai for the Mumbai Coastal Road Project.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Corals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coral-bleaching" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corals</a> exhibit characteristics of plants, but are marine animals</strong> that are related to jellyfish and anemones.</li>
<li>They are made up of <strong>genetically identical organisms called polyps,</strong> which are tiny, soft-bodied organisms. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>At their base is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a<strong> calicle, which forms the structure of coral reefs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These <strong>polyps have microscopic algae called zooxanthellae</strong> living within their tissues. The <strong>corals and algae have a mutualistic (symbiotic) relationship.</strong> i.e.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The coral provides the zooxanthellae with the compounds necessary for photosynthesis.</li>
<li>In return, the zooxanthellae supply the coral with organic products of photosynthesis, like carbohydrates, which are utilized by the coral polyps for synthesis of their calcium carbonate skeletons.</li>
<li>Zooxanthellae are also responsible for the unique and <strong>beautiful colors of corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are 2 types of corals:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Stony,</strong> shallow-water corals&mdash;the kind that build reefs.</li>
<li><strong>Soft corals</strong> and deep water corals that live in dark cold waters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Reefs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reefs</strong></a> <strong>begin</strong> when a <strong>polyp attaches</strong> itself to a <strong>rock on the seafloor, then divides, or buds, into thousands of clones.</strong> The polyp calicles connect to one another, <strong>creating a colony</strong> that acts as a single organism.</li>
<li>As colonies grow over hundreds and thousands of years, they join with other <strong>colonies, and become reefs.</strong></li>
<li>Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but they are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems on Earth. They are referred to as <strong>the rainforests of the sea</strong> for their biodiversity.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong> Coral reefs are like underwater cities that<strong> support marine life.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/emission-gap-report-by-unep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> (UNEP)</strong>, they provide at least half a billion people around the world with food security and livelihoods.</li>
<li>Coral reefs also act as<strong> &lsquo;wave breaks&rsquo;</strong> between the sea and the coastline and minimise the impact of sea erosion.</li>
<li>According to a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/significance-of-dead-coral-reef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recent study of University of Queensland (UQ), Australia,</strong></a> <strong>more life can be supported by dead coral remains than live corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection:</strong> In India, they are under <strong>Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong> Climate change remains one of the biggest threats to corals.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Around the world, this threat has been visible in the<strong> &ldquo;bleaching&rdquo; of corals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Bleaching:</strong> It is a process during which corals, under stress from warm weather, expel the algae that give corals their brilliant colours and live in their tissues and produce their food.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia</strong> has suffered six mass bleaching events due to warmer than normal ocean temperatures in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2016, 2017, and now 2020.</li>
<li>The Great Barrier Reef is a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UNESCO World Heritage site</strong></a> and <strong>home to one of the largest collections of coral reefs</strong> on the planet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Biorock Technology:</strong> It is a method <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coral-restoration-through-biorock" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>to restore coral reefs</strong></a> using biorock or mineral accretion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under this low voltage electrical currents through seawater is applied, causing <strong>dissolved minerals to crystallize on structures,</strong> growing into a white limestone (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) similar to that which naturally makes up coral reefs and tropical white sand beaches.</li>
<li><strong>Biorock,</strong> also known as Seacrete or Seament, refers to the substance formed by electro-accumulation of minerals dissolved in seawater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coral Translocation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The translocation of corals is at a <strong>nascent stage along the Indian coastline.</strong> It is difficult and has<strong> not been very successful in India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pilot projects at various sites including, Lakshadweep islands and Andaman islands have been undertaken to study the survival rate, method and site of translocation, and creation of high heat-resistant coral colonies, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Transplanted corals are <strong>more susceptible to storm surges and bleaching from warming ocean waters.</strong></li>
<li>Experts are of the view that <strong>for a high survival rate, it is important to translocate corals in a place with similar environmental characteristics</strong> such as depth, current flow, amount of light, and pressure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604136243_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604136243_image2.png" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mumbai-coastal-road-project-translocation-of-corals-explained/" 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/translocation-of-corals-in-mumbai'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Habitat Loss of Himalayan Brown Bear',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a study conducted by scientists of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/skinks-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Zoological Survey of India</strong> </a>on the <strong>Himalayan brown bear</strong> <em>(Ursus arctos isabellinus)</em> has predicted a <strong>significant reduction in suitable habitat and biological corridors</strong> of the Himalayan brown bear <strong>due to climate change.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study titled<strong> &lsquo;Adaptive spatial planning of protected area networks for conserving the Himalayan brown bear&rsquo;</strong> was carried out in the<strong> western Himalayas.</strong> It has predicted a <strong>decline of about 73%</strong> of the bear&rsquo;s habitat by the year 2050.</li>
<li>The total habitat loss can make 8 out of 13 PA completely uninhabitable by 2050.</li>
<li>The <strong>western Himalaya</strong> where significant <strong>brown bear population is distributed</strong> is most <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-melting-of-himalayan-glaciers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vulnerable to global warming</strong></a> as this elevation belt is <strong>getting warmer</strong> faster than other elevation zones of Himalayas.</li>
<li>To keep a check on this, scientists have recommended preemptive <strong>spatial planning of PAs in the Himalayan region</strong> for the long-term viability of the species.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The spatial planning of PAs is <strong>aimed at minimising the risks and uncertainty of climate change.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Spatial Planning</strong> is an activity centered on making decisions relating to the location and distribution of land use activities. It allows monitoring of changes, both in climate and socio-economic situations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Himalayan Brown Bear</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Range:</strong> North-western and central Himalaya, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China and Bhutan.</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong> High altitude open valleys and pastures.</li>
<li><strong>Status: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN Red List</a>- Critically endangered.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a> - Appendix I</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972</a> - Schedule 1</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food:</strong> Omnivorous.</li>
<li><strong>Threat:</strong> Human-animal conflict, rapid habitat loss, poaching for fur, claws and organs and, in some rare cases, bear baiting.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604135536_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604135536_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="568" height="344" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/study-predicts-massive-habitat-decline-for-the-himalayan-brown-bear-by-2050-due-to-climate-change/article32935974.ece#:~:text=The%20Himalayan%20brown%20bear%20is,in%20the%20highlands%20of%20Himalayas.&amp;text=The%20study%20carried%20out%20in,habitat%20by%20the%20year%202050." 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/habitat-loss-of-himalayan-brown-bear'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Uniform Civil Code',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-constitution-article-44-uniform-civil-code-parliament-6907746/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;All states must be brought into the mainstream of family laws&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on 29/10/2020. It talks about the implementation and issues related to Uniform Civil Code.</p>
</div>
<p>Article 44 of the Indian Constitution states that &ldquo;the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/uniform-civil-code#:~:text=Uniform%20Civil%20Code%20seeks%20to,of%20rules%20governing%20every%20citizen." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>uniform civil code (UCC)</strong></a> throughout the territory of India.&rdquo; The desirability of a uniform civil code is consistent with human rights and the principles of equality, fairness and justice.</p>
<p>After the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/article-370-and-35-a-revoked#:~:text=On%205th%20of%20August,and%20Kashmir)%20Order%2C%202019.&amp;text=This%20Order%20comes%20into%20force,Kashmir)%20Order%2C%201954.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>revocation of Article 370</strong></a>, the central family law Acts were extended to Jammu and Kashmir. Although, this is another step towards implementing UCC throughout India, still a long distance is to be covered in this pursuit.</p>
<h3>What is UCC?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) calls for the formulation of one law for India, which would be applicable to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption.</li>
<li>The code comes under Article 44 of the Constitution, which lays down that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background of Uniform Civil Code</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The origin of the UCC dates back to colonial India when the British government submitted its report in 1835 stressing the need for uniformity in the codification of Indian law relating to crimes, evidence, and contracts, specifically recommending that personal laws of Hindus and Muslims be kept outside such codification.</li>
<li>Increase in legislation dealing with personal issues in the far end of the British rule forced the government to form the B N Rau Committee to codify Hindu law in 1941.</li>
<li>Based on these recommendations, a bill was then adopted in 1956 as the Hindu Succession Act to amend and codify the law relating to intestate or unwilled succession, among Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, there were separate personal laws for muslim, chirstian and Parsis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In order to bring uniformity, the courts have often said in their judgements that the government should move towards a uniform civil code.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The judgement in the Shah Bano case is well known, but the courts have made the same point in several other major judgements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By arguing that practices such as triple talaq and polygamy impact adversely on the right of women to a life of dignity, the Centre has raised the question whether constitutional protection given to religious practices should extend even to those that are not in compliance with fundamental rights.</li>
</ul>
<h3>UCC and Implications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Protection to Vulnerable Section of Society:</strong> The UCC aims to provide protection to vulnerable sections as envisaged by Ambedkar including women and religious minorities, while also promoting nationalistic fervour through unity.</li>
<li><strong>Simplification of Laws:</strong> The code will simplify the complex laws around marriage ceremonies, inheritance, succession, adoptions making them one for all. The same civil law will then be applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When enacted the code will work to simplify laws that are segregated at present on the basis of religious beliefs like the Hindu code bill, Sharia law, and others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Adhering to Ideal of Secularism:</strong> Secularism is the objective enshrined in the Preamble, a secular republic needs a common law for all citizens rather than differentiated rules based on religious practices.</li>
<li><strong>Gender Justice:</strong> India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriages, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the rights of women are usually limited under religious law, be it Hindu or Muslim. The practice of triple talaq is a classic example.</li>
<li>If a uniform civil code is enacted, all personal laws will cease to exist. It will do away with gender biases in Muslim law, Hindu law and Christian law that have been often challenged by women on the ground that they violate the right to equality.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges To UCC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Exceptions in Central Family Laws:</strong> The preliminary sections in all central family law Acts enacted by Parliament since Independence declare that they will apply to &ldquo;the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir.&rdquo;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A Second exception was added in 1968 in all these Acts, pronouncing that &ldquo;nothing herein contained shall apply to the Renoncants in the Union Territory of Pondicherry.&rdquo;</li>
<li>A third exception, none of these Acts applies in Goa, Daman and Diu.</li>
<li>A fourth exception, relating to the north-eastern states of Nagaland and Mizoram, emanates from Articles 371A and 371G of the Constitution, decreeing that no parliamentary legislation will replace the customary law and religion-based system for its administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Communal Politics:</strong> The demand for a uniform civil code has been framed in the context of communal politics. A large section of society sees it as majoritarianism under the garb of social reform.</li>
<li><strong>Constitutional Hurdle:</strong> Article 25 of Indian constitution, that seeks to preserve the freedom to practise and propagate any religion gets into conflict with the concepts of equality enshrined under Article 14 of indian Constitution.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Collaborative Approach:</strong> The government and society will have to work hard to build trust, but more importantly, make common cause with social reformers rather than religious conservatives.</li>
<li><strong>Brick by Brick Approach:</strong> Rather than an omnibus approach, the government could bring separate aspects such as marriage, adoption, succession and maintenance into a uniform civil code in stages.</li>
<li><strong>Gender-Sensitive Approach:</strong> The government would also do well to complement the overdue move towards a uniform civil code with a comprehensive review of several other laws in the context of gender justice.</li>
<li><strong>Pan-India Approach:</strong> Bringing Jammu and Kashmir into the country&rsquo;s mainstream of family laws is an exercise that needs to be undertaken also for Goa, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Nagaland and Mizoram.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The citizens&rsquo; fundamental rights to equality before law and equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Constitution call for a similar action in respect of these territories as well. So does the provision of Article 44 enjoining the state to make endeavours to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604058219_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604058606_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604058606_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="615" height="291" /></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: #f5fff8;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>The desirability of a uniform civil code is consistent with human rights and the principles of equality, fairness and justice. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/umsAHvhnW-A" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/growth-constraints-120102900054_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Growth constraints&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Business Standard on October 29<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/uniform-civil-code-1'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>National Statistical Office (NSO)</strong> released the <strong>quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)</strong> for October-December 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This dataset differs from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/periodic-labour-force-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annual Report of Periodic Labour Force Survey</strong></a>, which covers <strong>both rural and urban areas.</strong> However, unemployment data for urban areas is released quarterly.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unemployment Rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It eased in urban areas to 7.9% in October-December 2019 compared to 9.9% in October-December 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, state-wise data showed that<strong> urban unemployment rate was higher than the national average</strong> in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Female unemployment rate</strong> decreased to 9.8% in October-December 2019 compared to 12.3% in October-December 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Male unemployment rate</strong> moderated to 7.3% in October-December 2019 from 9.2% in October-December 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Labour Force Participation Rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It rose to 37.2% in October-December 2019 from 36.3% in October-December 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>PLFS is India&rsquo;s first computer-based survey launched by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in 2017.</li>
<li>It has been constituted based on the recommendation of a committee headed by <strong>Amitabh Kundu.</strong></li>
<li>PLFS has two fold objective:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. <strong>Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate)</strong> in the<strong> short time interval of three months</strong> for the <strong>urban areas only</strong> in the <strong>Current Weekly Status (CWS).</strong></li>
<li>To estimate <strong>employment and unemployment indicators</strong> in both<strong> usual status</strong> and<strong> CWS</strong> in both <strong>rural and urban areas annually.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Before PLFS, the NSSO (previous name of NSO) used to bring the data related to <strong>employment and unemployment</strong> based on its <strong>quinquennial (every 5 year) household socio-economic survey programme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Key Terms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unemployment Rate (UR):</strong> UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.</li>
<li><strong>Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):</strong> LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.</li>
<li><strong>Worker Population Ratio (WPR):</strong> WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.</li>
<li><strong>Activity Status:</strong> The activity status of a person is determined on the basis of the activities pursued by the person during the specified reference period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Usual Status:</strong> The activity status determined on the basis of the reference period of the last 365 days preceding the date of survey, it is <strong>known as the usual activity status</strong> of the person.</li>
<li><strong>Current Weekly Status (CWS):</strong> The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of the last 7 days preceding the date of survey is <strong>known as the current weekly status (CWS)</strong> of the person.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Statistical Office</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NSO is the <strong>central statistical agency of the Government</strong> mandated under the <strong>Statistical Services Act</strong> 1980 under the <strong>Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for the development of arrangements for<strong> providing statistical information services</strong> to meet the needs of the Government and other users for information on which to base policy, planning, monitoring and management decisions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The services include collecting, compiling and disseminating official statistical information.</li>
<li>All business operations in NSO are done in compliance with<strong> international standards, procedures and best practices.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/oct-dec-2019-urban-joblessness-eases-labour-activity-rises-6909215/" 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/quarterly-periodic-labour-force-survey'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'DRIP Phase II and Phase III',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-20th-september-2018-#:~:text=Dam%20Rehabilitation%20and%20Improvement%20Project%20(DRIP)&amp;text=Project%20was%20started%20in%202012,to%20be%20completed%20in%202018.&amp;text=It%20is%20an%20externally%2Daided,by%20the%20States%20%2F%20Central%20Government." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project</strong> </a>(DRIP) <strong>Phase II and Phase III.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It envisages <strong>comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams</strong> located across the country and complements the<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-dam-safety-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Dam Safety Bill, 2019.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To improve the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.</li>
<li>To strengthen the dam safety institutional setup in participating states as well as at the central level.</li>
<li>To explore the alternative incidental means at few of selected dams to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Project Cost and Funding: Rs. 10,211 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Financial assistance of Rs. 7,000 from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asian-infrastructure-investment-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank</strong></a> (AIIB).</li>
<li>Rs. 3,211 crore is to be borne by the <strong>concerned implementing agencies in the states.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation Period:</strong> Over a <strong>period of 10 years</strong> from <strong>April 2021 to March 2031,</strong> in two phases of six years duration with two years overlapping.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was<strong> started in 2012</strong> and was <strong>scheduled to be completed in 2018.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In September 2018, the Government <strong>approved its revised cost estimates</strong> along with a <strong>two-year time extension from 2018 to 2020,</strong> for the completion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Apart from its general objectives, it also <strong>aims at ensuring the safety of downstream population and property</strong> that are affected in the case of a dam failure or operational failure.</li>
<li>It was initially taken up <strong>for the repair and rehabilitation of dam projects across the seven states of India,</strong> namely Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1668405" 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/drip-phase-ii-and-phase-iii'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Typhoon Molave: Vietnam',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Vietnam</strong> has been hit by one of its biggest storms in two decades - Typhoon Molave.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vietnam is<strong> prone to natural disasters</strong> in the rainy season between June and November, with central coastal provinces commonly impacted, but the storms have notably worsened in recent years.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604053177_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604053177_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Typhoon is a <strong>regionally specific name</strong> for a strong <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-nana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>"tropical cyclone".</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones are known as <strong>&lsquo;typhoons&rsquo;</strong> in the <strong>northwest pacific ocean, hurricanes</strong> in the<strong> North Atlantic Ocean, Willy-willies</strong> in <strong>north-western Australia</strong> and <strong>Tropical Cyclones</strong> in the <strong>Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A tropical cyclone is a <strong>generic term</strong> used by meteorologists to describe <strong>a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms</strong> that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tropical cyclones <strong>rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.</strong></li>
<li>These are measured by the <strong>Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naming of Typhoons:</strong> The <strong>Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Centre</strong> assigns a tropical cyclone a name from the five lists. The name<strong> &lsquo;Molave&rsquo;</strong> is contributed by the<strong> Philippines.</strong></li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-molave-vietnam'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Mandatory Jute Bag Packaging',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved that <strong>100% of the foodgrains and 20% of the sugar</strong> shall be <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/packaging-in-jute-bags-made-mandatory" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mandatorily packed</strong></a> <strong>in jute bags.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The decision will give an impetus to the diversification of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-two" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>jute</strong></a> industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Extended Norms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The decision mandates that<strong> initially 10% of the orders of jute bags</strong> for packing food grains would be placed through a reverse auction on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/country-of-origin-made-mandatory-on-gem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GeM portal</strong></a>, which will gradually help in a regime of price discovery.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In a <strong>reverse auction,</strong> the sellers compete to obtain business from the buyer and prices will typically decrease as the sellers underbid each other.</li>
<li><strong>Price discovery</strong> is the process of determining the price of an asset in the marketplace through the interactions of buyers and sellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Statutory Provision:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government has expanded the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the<strong> Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987, </strong>also known as the<strong> JPM Act.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under it, the Government is <strong>required to consider and provide for the compulsory use of jute packaging material</strong> in the supply and distribution of certain commodities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Government Dependent Sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The jute industry is <strong>predominantly dependent on the Government sector</strong> which purchases jute bags of value of more than Rs. 7,500 crore every year for packing foodgrains.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is done in order <strong>to sustain the core demand</strong> for the jute sector and to <strong>support the livelihood of the workers and farmers</strong> dependent on the sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nearly 3.7 lakh workers and several lakh farm families are dependent</strong> for their livelihood on the jute sectors so the government has been making <strong>concerted efforts for the development of the jute sector by:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increasing the quality and productivity of raw jute.</li>
<li>Diversifying the jute sector.</li>
<li>Boosting and sustaining demand for jute products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The move will benefit farmers and workers located in the <strong>Eastern and North-Eastern regions</strong> of the country particularly in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura.</li>
<li>The reservation norms in the present proposal would <strong>further the interest of domestic production</strong> of raw jute and jute packaging material in India, thereby, making India self-reliant in consonance with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Initiatives for Promoting Jute Industry</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jute-Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Jute ICARE aims to<strong> improve the productivity and quality of raw jute.</strong></li>
<li>Under it, the Government is <strong>disseminating improved agronomic practices</strong> such as line sowing using seed drills, distribution of quality certified seeds, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jute SMART:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an <strong>e-govt initiative</strong> which was launched in <strong>December 2016 to promote transparency</strong> in the jute sector.</li>
<li>It provides an integrated platform for procurement of sacking by Government agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Definitive Anti-Dumping Duty:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has been<strong> imposed on import of jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal</strong> with effect from 5<sup>th</sup> January 2017 to protect the domestic sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Incentive Scheme for Acquisition of Plants and Machinery:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Launched in<strong> 2013,</strong> it aims to<strong> facilitate modernisation in existing and new jute mills</strong> and up- gradation of technology in existing jute mills.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaboration between the National Jute Board and the National Institute of Design:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to support the diversification of the jute sector through a<strong> Jute Design Cell.</strong></li>
<li><strong>National Jute Board under the Ministry of Textiles, acts as the apex body</strong> for the promotion of the products in India and abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jute is included</strong> in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/msp-raised-for-rabi-crops" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price</strong></a> (MSP) regime of the country.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Jute</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604050944_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1604050944_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong> Between 25-35&deg;C.</li>
<li><strong>Rainfall:</strong> Around 150-250 cm.</li>
<li><strong>Soil Type:</strong> Well-drained alluvial soil.</li>
<li><strong>Top Jute Producing States:</strong> West Bengal &gt; Bihar &gt; Assam &gt; Andhra Pradesh &gt; Odisha.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is mainly concentrated in eastern India because of the rich alluvial soil of Ganga-Brahmaputra delta.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The world's <strong>largest jute producing countries </strong>are <strong>India, Bangladesh, China and Thailand.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India is the world's largest producer</strong> of raw jute and jute goods, contributing to over 50% and 40% respectively of global production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is known as the <strong>golden fibre</strong> because it is one of the longest and most used natural fibre for various textile applications.</li>
<li>It is<strong> used in making</strong> gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artefacts.</li>
<li>Due to its high cost, it is<strong> losing market to synthetic fibres and packing materials,</strong> particularly nylon.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1668402" 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/mandatory-jute-bag-packaging'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the President of India has signed &lsquo;The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020&rsquo;.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ordinance sets up a <strong>statutory authority - </strong>the<strong> Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.</strong></li>
<li>Through the Ordinance, the Centre has also <strong>dissolved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epca-on-early-burning-of-crop-residue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA)</a></strong> for the NCR.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>monitoring and management of air quality</strong> in the Delhi NCR region has been <strong>done by multiple bodies</strong> including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cpcb-notifies-contaminated-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)</strong></a>, the <strong>state pollution control boards,</strong> the state governments in the region, including <strong>Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and the EPCA.</strong></li>
<li>They, in turn are<strong> monitored by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC),</strong> and the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a></strong> itself, which monitors air pollution as per the judgment in<strong><em> &lsquo;M C Mehta vs Union of India&rsquo;, 1988.</em></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>EPCA is a Central Government constituted committee in the year 1998 for the National Capital Region in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated 7<sup>th</sup> January, 1998.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Ordinance</strong> seeks to create an <strong>overarching body </strong>to<strong> consolidate all monitoring bodies,</strong> and to bring them on one platform so that air quality management can be carried out in a more comprehensive, efficient, and time-bound manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composition of the New Commission:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission will be headed by <strong>a full-time chairperson</strong> who has been a <strong>Secretary to the Government of India, or </strong>a <strong>Chief Secretary to a State government.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The chairperson will <strong>hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will have <strong>members from several Ministries</strong> as well as representatives<strong> from the stakeholder States.</strong></li>
<li>It will have <strong>experts</strong> from the CPCB, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-ngos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Civil Society.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Powers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In matters of air pollution and air quality management, the Commission will <strong>supersede all existing bodies</strong> such as the CPCB, and even the state governments of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. It will have the <strong>powers to issue directions to the states.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>CPCB and its State branches</strong> have the<strong> powers</strong> to implement provisions of the <strong>Environment Protection Act, 1986</strong> for air, water and land pollution. Their powers <strong>continue.</strong> However, <strong>in case of dispute or a clash of jurisdictions,</strong> the <strong>Commission&rsquo;s writ will prevail</strong> specific to matters concerning air pollution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission will also <strong>coordinate efforts of state governments</strong> to curb air pollution, and will <strong>lay down the parameters of air quality</strong> for the region.</li>
<li>It will have <strong>powers to restrict the setting up of industries</strong> in vulnerable areas, and will be able to conduct <strong>site inspections</strong> of industrial units.</li>
<li>If its <strong>directions are contravened,</strong> the Commission will have the <strong>power to impose a fine of up to Rs. 1 crore and imprisonment of up to 5 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NGT&rsquo;s Role:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a>, and <strong>not civil courts,</strong> is <strong>authorised to hear cases</strong> where the Commission is involved.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>EPCA vs New Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jurisdiction</strong>: The <strong>EPCA,</strong> which was set up in 1998, <strong>looked at the NCR;</strong> the purview of the new <strong>Commission extends to &ldquo;adjoining areas as well&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Statutory Status: EPCA</strong> was <strong>not a statutory body</strong> but drew <strong>legitimacy from the Supreme Court.</strong> It did have the <strong>authority to issue fines or directions</strong> and guidelines to the governments in other states. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it had <strong>no state representatives,</strong> just two permanent members.</li>
<li>The <strong>Commission,</strong> on the other hand, will have <strong>representation from the state.</strong> It is a <strong>permanent and statutory body.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Performance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Experts say that <strong>EPCA has failed miserably</strong> in cleaning the air even after being in force for more than 20 years. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the key contributions of the EPCA include - the <strong>notification of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/graded-response-action-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Graded Response Action Plan</a></strong> that lists out measures to be taken in case of worsening pollution, the <strong>construction of the Regional Rapid Transport System</strong> and <strong>early adoption of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-india-will-shift-to-bs-vi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BS-VI fuel standards</a></strong>, among other measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>new Commission&rsquo;s performance will be gauged by changes in the status quo</strong> when it comes to ground implementation and strict action on polluters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Appreciation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Jurisdiction:</strong> This Commission will <strong>specifically look at the Delhi NCR and adjoining areas</strong> only.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Whereas, the mandate of the CPCB is to serve the whole country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Stubble Burning: </strong>A <strong>regulatory mechanism</strong> for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/stubble-burning-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stubble burning</strong></a> is being put into place for the first time.</li>
<li><strong>Coordination:</strong> Earlier, there was no single body, authority, Ministry or state which was empowered or dedicated to ensure <strong>coordination</strong> among stakeholder states.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Overrepresentation of the Central Government:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Commission<strong> has a large number of members from the central government,</strong> which has not gone down well with the states.</li>
<li>States, on the other hand, will have <strong>just one member each. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns of States:</strong> States are <strong>not happy with the overarching powers</strong> being vested in the Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Political differences</strong> will also play a part in the functioning of the Commission.</li>
<li><strong>Dissolution of EPCA:</strong> By forming a new commission, the government has<strong> taken the issue of air pollution out of the purview of the judiciary.</strong> It has been said that new law is needed when the old one fails. The centre has not even tried implementing old laws fully.</li>
<li><strong>Not a air-shed based approach:</strong> According to some experts, the Commission is a lost opportunity to explicitly set the ground rules for an air-shed based approach &mdash; one that could have been deployed in polluted areas across the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An air-shed is an area covered by a volume of air that has similar characteristics and is separated from other volumes of air by weather patterns or topography.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Legal and regulatory changes to tackle public issues like air pollution, need a<strong> democratic conceptualisation.</strong></li>
<li>There is a need for the <strong>massive augmentation of intra-city public transport,</strong> and to move industries, power plants and other users away from polluting fuels like coal to natural gas, electricity and renewable energy to ensure clean combustion.</li>
<li>The government should undertake<strong> a thorough review</strong> of the various laws and institutions in order to look at their efficacy and utility; it must have <strong>detailed consultation</strong> with all relevant stakeholders, especially those outside Delhi, which includes farmers&rsquo; groups and small scale industries and the public at large.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-air-commission-ncr-pollution-6909339/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/commission-for-air-quality-management-in-the-ncr'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Institution of Eminence Scheme',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the OP Jindal Global University officially got an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/institutions-of-eminence-ioe-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Institution of Eminence (IoE)</strong></a> tag.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The university was selected by the UGC, along with 13 other higher education institutions, for IoE status in 2019. However, for official confirmation, the institution had to fulfil certain legislative and procedural requirements.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier in 2018, the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) chaired by <strong>former Chief Election Commissioner, N. Gopalasamy recommended</strong> a list of institutions for the consideration of the IoE status.</li>
<li>Under this, the government aims to <strong>establish 20 world class institutes in the country</strong> to provide support and prepare them<strong> to become world-class institutions</strong> and the <strong>ultimate aim</strong> is to make them<strong> secure top global rankings.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Excellence and Innovation:</strong> To provide for higher education leading to excellence and innovations in such branches of knowledge as may be deemed fit at post-graduate, graduate and research degree levels.</li>
<li><strong>Specialization:</strong> To engage in areas of specialization to make distinctive contributions to the objectives of the university education system.</li>
<li><strong>Global Rating:</strong> To aim to be rated internationally for its teaching and research as a top hundred Institution in the world over time.</li>
<li><strong>Quality teaching and Research:</strong> To provide for high quality teaching and research and for the advancement of knowledge and its dissemination</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Criteria:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global/National Ranking:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To get the status, the institutions should be among:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Top 50 in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nirf-and-ariia-rankings-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF).</strong></a></li>
<li>Top 500 in internationally recognised rankings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Public Institutes</strong> that are eligible to apply under Institutes of Eminence are as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Central Universities</li>
<li>Government-owned and controlled Deemed to be Universities.</li>
<li>Institutions of National importance such as IITs, NITs, etc.</li>
<li>State Universities are set up under a law made by the Legislative Assembly of a State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Private institutions</strong> are assessed on the basis of their ranking in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-16th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>QS India</strong></a> <strong>or NIRF,</strong> the NIRF ranking being used as a tie-breaker.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Any institution that did not appear in any rankings is excluded completely from the list of IoE tag.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Greenfield Proposals:</strong> Only after exhausting the above criterion, if any slot remains vacant, consideration shall be given to<strong> yet to be established (Greenfield)</strong> proposals.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term greenfield project generally refers to the initiation of a project without the need to consider any prior work.</li>
<li>The Greenfield Institutions get a 3 <strong>year period</strong> to establish and operationalise the institution.</li>
<li><strong>Satya Bharti Foundation (telecom major Airtel&rsquo;s philanthropic arm)</strong> became the <strong>second greenfield institution</strong> to be given IoE status, <strong>after Reliance&rsquo;s Jio Institute.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Autonomy:</strong> Institutes with IoE tag will be given greater autonomy and freedom to decide fees, course durations and governance structures.</li>
<li><strong>Grant:</strong> The public institutions under IoE tag will receive a government grant of Rs. 1,000 crore, while the private institutions will not get any funding under the scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/education/op-jindal-university-gets-institution-of-eminence-tag-6909196/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Combating Deep Fakes',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/countering-deepfakes-the-most-serious-ai-threat/article32966578.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Countering deep fakes, the most serious AI threat&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Hindu on 20/10/2020. It talks about the dangers associated with the Deep Fakes.</p>
</div>
<p>Technological advancement that has fueled media creation today, has provided opportunities for all people, regardless of their demography, ethnicity, religion etc. It can give people a voice, purpose, and ability to make an impact at scale and with speed.</p>
<p>However, as access to synthetic media technology increases, so does the risk of exploitation. One such aspect of media creation is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/deep-fakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deep fakes</a>. Deep Fakes are the digital media (video, audio, and images) manipulated using <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/artificial-intelligence-and-deepfakes-misuse-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artificial Intelligence</a>.</p>
<p>Deep fakes have evolved from mere annoyance to high stake warfare for creating social discord, increasing polarisation, and in some cases, influencing an election outcome. It allows hyper-realistic digital falsification that can inflict damage to individuals, institutions, businesses and democracy.</p>
<h3>Dangers Associated With Deep Fake</h3>
<p>Deep Fake makes it possible to fabricate media &mdash; swap faces, lip-syncing, and puppeteers &mdash; mostly without consent and bring threat to psychology, security, political stability, and business disruption.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New Front of Warfare:</strong> A deepfake could act as a powerful tool by a nation-state to undermine public safety and create uncertainty and chaos in the target country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Nation-state actors with geopolitical aspirations, ideological believers, violent extremists, and economically motivated enterprises can manipulate media narratives using deepfakes.</li>
<li>It can be used by insurgent groups and terrorist organisations, to represent their adversaries as making inflammatory speeches or engaging in provocative actions to stir up anti-state sentiments among people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Targeting Women:</strong> The malicious use of a deepfake can be seen in pornography, inflicting emotional, reputational, and in some cases, violence towards the individual.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Pornographic deep fakes can threaten, intimidate, and inflict psychological harm and reduce women to sexual objects. Deepfake pornography majorly targets women.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Damage to Personal Reputation</strong>: Deepfake can depict a person indulging in antisocial behaviours and saying vile things.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These can have severe implications on their reputation, sabotaging their professional and personal life.</li>
<li>Even if the victim could debunk the deep fake, it may come too late to remedy the initial harm.</li>
<li>Further, Deepfakes can be deployed to extract money, confidential information, or exact favours from individuals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Undermining Democracy:</strong> A deepfake can also aid in altering the democratic discourse and undermine trust in institutions and impair diplomacy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>False information about institutions, public policy, and politicians powered by a deepfake can be exploited to spin the story and manipulate belief.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disrupting Electioneering:</strong> A deepfake of a political candidate can sabotage their image and reputation. A well-executed one, a few days before polling, of a political candidate spewing out racial epithets or indulging in an unethical act can damage their campaign.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A high-quality deepfake can inject compelling false information that can cast a shadow of illegitimacy over the voting process and election results.</li>
<li>Leaders can also use them to increase populism and consolidate power.</li>
<li>Deepfakes can become a very effective tool to sow the seeds of polarisation, amplifying division in society, and suppressing dissent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enhancing Media Literacy:</strong> Media literacy for consumers and journalists is the most effective tool to combat disinformation and deep fakes.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Improving media literacy is a precursor to addressing the challenges presented by deepfakes.</li>
<li>Media literacy efforts must be enhanced to cultivate a discerning public.</li>
<li>As consumers of media, they must have the ability to decipher, understand, translate, and use the information.</li>
<li>Even a short intervention with media understanding, learning the motivations and context, can lessen the damage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for Regulation:</strong> Meaningful regulations with a collaborative discussion with the technology industry, civil society, and policymakers can facilitate disincentivizing the creation and distribution of malicious deep fakes.</li>
<li><strong>Technological Interventions:</strong> There is also a need for easy-to-use and accessible technology solutions to detect deep fakes, authenticate media, and amplify authoritative sources.</li>
<li><strong>Behavioural Change:</strong> On the part of society, to counter the menace of deep fakes, there is a need to take the responsibility to be a critical consumer of media on the Internet, think and pause before sharing on social media, and be part of the solution to this infodemic.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>To defend the truth and secure freedom of expression, there is a need for a multi-stakeholder and multi-modal approach. Collaborative actions and collective techniques across legislative regulations, platform policies, technology intervention, and media literacy can provide effective and ethical countermeasures to mitigate the threat of malicious deep fakes.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603972257_image1.webp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1603972257_image1.webp" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" height="730" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e3faf9; border-color: #03aba2;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1810px;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question<br /><br /></strong></em>Deep fakes allow hyper-realistic digital falsification that can inflict damage to individuals, institutions, businesses and democracy. Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s3IBTb9zAq4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This editorial is based on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-editorials/indo-us-ties-beyond-specific-leaders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Indo-US Ties: Beyond specific leaders&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Economic Times on October 28th,2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Search/index.ctp, line 85
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

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