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Context: Recently, the Goa High court gave a Judgement regarding the daughter’s right to the family property in Terezinha Martins David vs. Miguel Guarda Rosario Martins & Others.
In Prakash v Phulwati (2015), a two-judge Bench headed by Justice A K Goel held that the benefit of the 2005 amendment could be granted only to “living daughters of living coparceners” as on September 9, 2005 (the date when the amendment came into force).
In February 2018, contrary to the 2015 ruling, a two-judge Bench headed by Justice A K Sikri held that the share of a father who died in 2001 will also pass to his daughters as coparceners during the partition of the property as per the 2005 law.
The petitioner's brothers asserted that all four sisters received "appropriate dowries" at the time of their marriages, after which three of them established the partnership.
They argued that the suit shop and the land underneath it were added to the partnership and became a part of the company's assets.
They claimed that as a result, neither the petitioner nor her three sisters had any claim to the suit shop.
First appellate court upheld the dismissal of the daughter’s suit, set aside the decree in the counterclaim.
A daughter’s right to family property will not extinguish even if dowry was provided to her at the time of marriage.
The mentioned that there is no evidence about providing a sufficient dowry to the daughters of the house. However, even if it is assumed that some dowry was provided to the daughter that does not mean that the daughters cease to have any right in the family property.
The court observed that although the present suit was filed by the petitioner after four years of instituting the transfer deed, the daughter came to know about it only six weeks prior to the institution of the suit.
Article 1565 of the Code provides that the parents or grandparents shall not be entitled to sell or mortgage to children or grandchildren if the other children or grandchildren do not consent to the sale or mortgage.
Article 2177 of the Code provides that a co-owner may not, however, dispose of any specific part of the common property unless the same is allotted to him in partition; and the transfer of the right which he has to the share which belongs to him may be restricted in terms of the law.
The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 granted equal rights to women.
Women were recognised as coparceners or joint legal heirs for partition arising from 2005.
Section 6 of the Act was amended that year to make a daughter of a coparcener also a coparcener by birth “in her own right in the same manner as the son”.
The law also gave the daughter the same rights and liabilities “in the coparcenary property as she would have had if she had been a son”.
The law applies to ancestral property and to intestate succession in personal property — where succession happens as per law and not through a will.
The 174th Law Commission Report had also recommended this reform in Hindu succession law.
Context: The leader of opposition was recently held guilty and sentenced to 2 years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation case.
The Rahul Gandhi commented that “Why do all thieves, be it Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi, have Modi in their names”. These remarks were made during a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Verma convicted Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case, for saying ‘why do all thieves have the name Modi’, and sentenced him to two years in prison.
Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) prescribes for defamation a simple imprisonment for a “term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.”
In India, defamation can both be a civil and a criminal offence.
A civil offence may be redressed with monetary compensation, while a criminal offence attracts a jail term.
Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) prescribes for defamation a simple imprisonment for a term which may extend up to 2 years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 499 of the IPC states that any words spoken, read, published or gestured with the intention of harming a person's reputation is to be considered defamation.
Section 202 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) deals with the postponement of issue of process against the accused as Magistrate thinks fit.
The Articles 102(1) and 191(1) states about disqualification of a member of Parliament (MP) and a member of the Legislative Assembly respectively.
The grounds here are holding an office of profit, being of unsound mind or insolvent or not having valid citizenship.
The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the disqualification of the members on grounds of defection.
Under The Representation of The People Act (RPA), 1951, the member of Parliament can be disqualified for conviction in criminal cases.
Section 9 deals with disqualification for dismissal for corruption or disloyalty, and for entering into government contracts while being an MP.
Section 10 deals with disqualification for failure to lodge an account of election expenses.
Section 11 deals with disqualification for corrupt practices.
Section 8 deals with disqualification for conviction of offences to prevent criminalisation of politics and keeping ‘tainted’ MPs away from contesting elections.
Section 8(1) includes specific offences such as section 153A for promoting enmity between two groups, section 171E for bribery, and section 171F undue influence or personation at an election.
Defamation does not fall in this list.
Section 8(2) includes offences that deal with hoarding or profiteering, adulteration of food or drugs and for conviction and sentence of at least 6 months for an offence under any provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Section 8(3) states that a person convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 2 years shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of 6 years since his release.
The disqualification can be reversed if a higher court grants a stay on the conviction or decides the appeal in favour of the convicted lawmaker.
In Lok Prahari v Union of India 2018, the Supreme Court (SC) stated that the disqualification will not operate from the date of the stay of conviction by the appellate court.
Under Section 389 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the stay cannot merely be a suspension of sentence but a stay of conviction.
Under Section 389 of the CrPC, an Appellate Court can suspend the sentence of a convict while the appeal is pending.
This is similar to releasing the appellant on bail.
In ‘Lily Thomas v Union of India’ 2013, the SC struck down Section 8(4) of the RPA as unconstitutional.
Section 8(4) states that the disqualification takes effect only after 3 months have elapsed from the date of conviction.
Within that period, MPs can file an appeal against the sentence before the High Court.
A Constitution bench judgment of the SC in 2005 stated that a stay on punishment is not relevant for the purposes of disqualification nor will it obliterate the conviction.
Context: Recently, the Rajasthan Assembly passed the Right to Health (RTH), even as doctors continued their protest against the Bill, demanding its complete withdrawal.
The doctors and paramedical staff of private hospitals have been protesting against the Bill. They have criticised the provisions of the Bill as “draconian” as they significantly affect the private health sector.
Further, the Bill has made it mandatory to provide free treatment during an emergency but the Bill does not define an “emergency”.
Private healthcare providers have also highlighted the ambiguity around who will pay for the mandatory free-of-cost emergency treatment.
Experts also opine that the Bill abdicates the State’s responsibility in providing health care protection and puts a larger patient load on the private sector.
Private doctors have also argued that the Bill is futile and over-regulative in nature.
According to agitating doctors and other staff of private healthcare establishments, amendments suggested by them to the Select Committee were not considered.
Civil society groups and healthcare activists say that the Bill needs further clarity and must be sharpened to prevent implementation loopholes.
The Right to Health is not explicitly mentioned in the Indian Constitution.
However, the concept of the Right to Health is derived from the Right to Life and Liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Furthermore, various courts in the past have highlighted the State’s obligation to safeguard and promote the health of citizens, based on constitutional provisions such as:
Article 38 talks about promoting the welfare of people.
Article 47 mandates the government to meet the nutrition and health requirements of the population.
The Bill provides the right to health and access to healthcare for people in the state. This includes free health care services at any clinical establishment to residents of the state.
The Bill sets certain obligations on the state government to ensure the right to health and maintain public health.
Health Authorities will be set up at the state and district level. These bodies will formulate, implement, monitor, and develop mechanisms for quality healthcare and management of public health emergencies.
Share in Population: Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Rajasthan--account for about 47% of India's population; they are more rural and socioeconomically backward compared to the rest of the country.
They are also high focus states under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), in view of their relatively higher fertility and mortality indicators.
Post COVID: The COVID pandemic has exposed the incompetence of the health care system and refutation of basic health amenities.
Simple functions of health care such as testing, contact tracing or even changing the behaviour of citizens required the intervention and undivided attention of the district administration.
During the pandemic, even non-COVID patients were denied treatment and still they were unable to give adequate treatment to all the COVID affected patients.
Demand for Right to Health: It’s also been nearly a decade since various civil organisations have been demanding and persuading different governments to propose laws that make health a public right.
Political Will: It was only in the election manifestos of a couple of political parties that this issue was highlighted and political commitment was visible. However, that went to the gallows as they never came near to being in power or having any say as such in government decision making.
Despite recent improvements, India's healthcare infrastructure remains inadequate, particularly in rural areas.
India has 1.4 beds per 1,000 people, 1 doctor per 1,445 people, and 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people. Over 75% of the healthcare infrastructure is concentrated in metro cities, where only 27% of the total population resides—the rest 73% of the Indian population lack even basic medical facilities.
India has a high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and diabetes.
Addressing these diseases requires significant investment in healthcare infrastructure and resources.
According to a report by Frontiers in Public Health, more than 33% of the individuals are still suffering from infectious diseases out of the total ailing population in India.
The per capita out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on infectious diseases is INR 7.28 and INR 29.38 in inpatient and outpatient care, respectively.
Women in India face significant health disparities, including limited access to healthcare, higher rates of maternal mortality, and gender-based violence.
According to the World Economic Forum 2021, India consistently ranks among the five worst countries in the world for the health and survival of females.
Women from poor households account for over 2,25,000 lesser hospital visits than men between 2017 and 2019 for nephrology, cardiology, and oncology services alone,
India's health financing system is limited, with low levels of public spending on healthcare. This limits the government's ability to invest in healthcare infrastructure and resources, and it can lead to inadequate healthcare services for individuals.
Government of India spent 2.1% of GDP on healthcare in FY23. This is much lower than the average health spending share of the GDP — at around 5.2% — of the Lower- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).
India needs to significantly increase its investment in healthcare infrastructure and resources, including medical facilities, equipment, and healthcare professionals. This can be achieved through increased public spending on healthcare and increased private sector investment.
To improve access to healthcare, India needs to address the barriers that prevent individuals from accessing healthcare services, including financial constraints, transportation, and discrimination.
This can be achieved through targeted policies and programs, such as health insurance schemes and mobile healthcare units.
There is a need to create a designated and autonomous agency to perform the functions of disease surveillance, information gathering on the health impact of policies of key non-health departments, maintenance of national health statistics, enforcement of public health regulations, and dissemination of information to the public.
With the passage of the Right to Health Bill which ensures mandatory free and affordable medical services in both public and privately owned healthcare institutions, Rajasthan became the first ever state in the country to legislate the right to health. However, fault lines have appeared around the Bill as critics believe that the Bill is hastily drafted.
Context: Recently, Renowned Carnatic vocalist and Padma Shri awardee Bombay Jayashri has been selected for the Sangita Kalanidhi award for 2023 by the Music Academy.
Kalanidhi award is the title awarded yearly to a Carnatic musician by the Madras Music Academy.
She is known for her melodic and meditative style of singing and is recognised by a Padma Shri from the Indian government.
Where as the Nritiya Kalanidhi award for dance goes to Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari.
It is considered the highest accolade in the field of Carnatic music.
It came into existence in 1942.
Prior to that, a senior musician/expert was invited to preside over the Music Academy’s annual conference.
In 1942, it was decided that the musician so invited would be conferred the title of Sangita Kalanidhi, the award comprising a gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).
It is presented in the field of dance every year by the Madras Music Academy.
Instituted in 2012 by Dr Engikollai Krishnan and Dr Leela Krishnan it is conferred each year in January on a senior dancer at the inauguration of the annual dance festival.
It is a landmark institution in the history of the fine arts. It emerged as an offshoot of the All India Congress Session held in Madras in December 1927.
It was conceived to be the institution that would set the standard for Carnatic music.
It also confers the various awards such as the Sangita Kalanidhi, Nritya Kalanidhi, Sangita Kala Acharya, TTK, and Musicologist awards for the year.
Carnatic music or Carnatic sangeet is the south Indian classical music.
Carnatic Sangeet has developed in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. These states are known for their strong presentation of Dravidian culture.
Purandardas is considered to be the father of Carnatic music.
In Carnatic music there is a very highly developed theoretical system. It is based upon a complex system of Ragam (Raga) and Thalam (Tala). Raga is basically the scale and the seven notes of this scale are Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha and Ni.
The Tala (thalam) is the rhythmic foundation of Carnatic music.
Notable Carnatic music exponents are Papanasam Shivan, Gopala Krishna Bharati, Swati Tirunal, Mysore Vasudevachar, Narayan Tirtha, Uttukadu Venkatasubbair, Arunagiri Nathar and Annamacharya.
Context: The prime minister of India presented a sandalwood Buddha statue to the Japanese Prime Minister.
Statue has hand carvings along with traditional designs and natural scenes.
Buddha is sitting in ‘dhyana mudra’ under the Bodhi tree.
Dhyan Mundra: It is the mudra of meditation and the attainment of spiritual perfection.
The obverse of the image has an intricate carving of the Bodhi tree.
It has imprints of birds and animals, the leitmotif of Indian art for countless generations.
The art of sandalwood carving is an exquisite and ancient craft that has been practiced in Karnataka for centuries.
It involves carving intricate designs into blocks of fragrant sandalwood and creating intricate sculptures, figurines, and other decorative items.
Indian Sandalwood is a species native to India.
It has been an important part of Indian culture for centuries, and is widely regarded as one of the most valuable and prized woods in the world.
It is one of the most sacred herbs of Ayurveda.
The art of sandalwood carving has been an integral part of Karnataka’s cultural heritage for centuries.
Its earliest origins can be traced back to the 3rd century B.C. when sandalwood was used to make wooden idols and carvings for temples and other religious sites.
The state has also set up a Sandalwood Development Board to ensure that the resources are sustainably managed.
Context: The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has inaugurated the Agriculture Investment Portal (Krishi Nivesh Portal).
Launched by: It works under the aegis of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare.
Purpose: The portal is a one-stop solution for all investors who are looking to invest in India in agriculture and allied sectors.
The portal highlights the steps for ease of doing business in India, the market entry strategies and the regulatory frameworks that are involved in setting up the operations.
Boost investments in the agriculture sector of India,
To ease the hand holding process for the investors,
Tap the potential of all the sub sectors in Agriculture,
To guide and assist the investors with the major infrastructure available in India,
Support investors and companies with the schemes, policies and incentives given by the State and the Central Government.
Context: On 20th March every year, the world celebrates World Happiness Day and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network releases an annual report named World Happiness Report.
It is an annual publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
It is based on global survey data from people in more than 150 countries.
It is based on people's own assessment of their happiness, as well as economic and social data.
The report considers six key factors: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.
It assigns a happiness score based on an average of data over a three-year period.
The reports measure global happiness on several standards which include national and international aspects.
The report speaks for countries' level of happiness based on the responses of a nationally representative sample of people about the levels of satisfaction in life these days.
Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the sixth consecutive year.
And other Norwegian countries like Denmark, Iceland are ranked second and third. In the list of top 10, other countries are Israel, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg and New Zealand.
For more than a year now, Russia and Ukraine are fighting each other but when it comes to happiness, the countries are ranked above India, i.e. 70th Russia and 92nd Ukraine.
India's rank has certainly improved from 136 to 125 but the country still ranks below most neighboring counties, including Pakistan (108) and Sri Lanka (112).
Despite being the fastest-growing economy in the world, India has consistently ranked low in the index and several people have even raised questions on how India can rank lower than countries in crises.
Out of the 137 countries, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan has ranked last and is most unhappy according to the report.
Other regions at the bottom of the list include Lebanon, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, etc.
The report adds that these countries have high-level of corruption and low life expectancy.
It was launched in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.
SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.
SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society.
Context: Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released Women and Men in India 2022 report.
From 904 in 2017-19, the sex ratio at birth increased by three points to 907 in 2018-20.
By 2036, India’s sex ratio—the number of females per 1,000 males—is expected to rise to 952, up from 943 in 2011.
Since 2017-2018, the rate of people over 15 entering the labor force in India has increased. However, women are significantly behind men in this area.
In 2021-2022, the male rate was 77.2 and the female rate was 32.8, and over time, this disparity has not changed.
Social factors, educational qualifications, and gender discrimination in terms of wages and workplace opportunities all contribute to lower participation rates.
From 2.2% in 1971 to 1.1% in 2021, population growth is expected to continue to decline until it reaches 0.58% in 2036.
In absolute terms, this means that from 1.2 billion people in 2011, 48.5% of the population was female, there will be an expected 1.5 billion in 2036, with a slight increase in the percentage of women in the population (48.8%).
India’s age and sex structure, according to which the number of people under the age of 15 is expected to fall and the number of people over 60 is expected to rise by 2036.
As a result, the population pyramid will change in 2036, with the middle of the pyramid getting bigger and the base getting smaller.
Gender issues can be impacted in a variety of ways by the age and sex distribution of a nation’s population. Trends in fertility and mortality are the primary factors that determine the age structure that affects various aspects of societies.
Access to health information and services is more difficult for women and girls than it is for men and boys due to factors such as mobility restrictions, lack of access to resources, and decision-making authority.
The age-explicit ripeness rate for the long term and 25-29 years age bunch somewhere in the range of 2016 and 2020 diminished from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6 separately.
This is probably a result of achieving economic independence through employment and a quality education.
The same indicator increased from 32.7 in 2016 to 35.6 in 2020 for the 35-39 age group.
From 22.1 years in 2017 to 22.7 years in 2020, the average age of marriage has slightly increased.
The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 prioritizes gender equity for quality education to all students with an emphasis on socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) launched in 2018-19 is aligned with the recommendations of NEP.
SSA includes various interventions like opening of schools in the neighbourhood, provision of free textbooks, 2 sets of uniform to all girls, SC, ST children and Below Poverty Line (BPL) children.
It has provision of gender segregated toilets in all schools, stipend to CWSN girls from preprimary to class XII, and self-defence training for girls.
The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana; Stand Up India, Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) will help the women to set up their own enterprise.
The Skill India Mission ensures economic independence of women through skill development and vocational training.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendras emphasises creating infrastructure both for training and apprenticeship for women; flexible training, afternoon batches and gender sensitive training environment and remuneration, employment of women trainers.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) mandates that at least one third of the jobs generated should be given to women.
‘Mission Shakti’ is an umbrella scheme to strengthen interventions for women safety, security and empowerment.
It has 2 components: Samarthya and Sambal.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) compensates for loss of wages due to pregnancy and childbirth and inducing health seeking behaviour under Samarthya.
Nari Adalat to provide women with an alternate grievance redressal mechanism for resolving cases of petty nature.
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) under the National Health Mission (NHM) aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.
Pradhan Mantri UjjwalaYojna (PMUY) safeguards the health of women by providing them with clean cooking fuel and reduce burden on them from drudgery of collecting firewood.
Context: Recently, a report by Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said India should target $350 billion worth of goods exported through e-commerce by 2030.
The current e-commerce export provisions in India are a patchwork over the rules framed for regular B2B (business-to-business) exporters.
Global business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce exports are estimated to grow from USD 800 billion to USD 8 trillion by 2030.
India's strengths in high-demand customized products, expanding seller base, and higher profit margins per unit of export place it in a prime position to benefit from this trend.
Government should issue a separate e-commerce export policy, addressing all pain points faced by exporters.
This policy should be jointly issued by the RBI, customs, and the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) after making necessary changes to their regulations.
It should include provisions for business development, easing regulatory burden, and setting up a national trade network.
This will bring together the RBI, Customs, DGFT, GSTN, India Post, courier companies, platforms like Amazon to create a central technology platform that streamlines the entire process.
Redefining responsibilities of sellers
Simplifying payment reconciliation and processes
Developing business ecosystem
Setting up a National Trade Network for the medium.
Small and medium-sized firms rely on online platforms for global exposure and value-added services, such as timely payment assurance.
However, this conflicts with FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) regulations as the platform is responsible for receiving payment, while the ownership of goods remains with the seller.
Compliance procedures can be challenging for small sellers due to high sales volume.
Report added that payment reconciliation is a major roadblock for third-party e-commerce exporters.
The RBI guidelines for B2B exports need changes to accommodate B2C exports.
To simplify payment reconciliation, the report suggested more time to receive export proceeds, lower restrictions on the receipt of export proceeds, annual financial reconciliation process; and simplification of forex payments.
Raise the value cap for e-commerce exports from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh to allow exporters to choose the shipment mode as per their business requirements.
Most trade is shifting to global value chains requiring timely deliveries, exporters must be allowed to choose the shipment mode as per their business requirements.
The government should create a separate customs code of such shipments, exempting import duties on rejects and treating reimports.
India should focus on developing market intelligence, organizing training for artisans, and facilitating the fulfillment of export orders for high-potential product categories such as handicrafts, jewelry, ethnic wear, decorative paintings, and Ayurveda.
Context: In a conference at the Payment System Operators (PSO)in Kochi RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das informed that the electronic platform Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) — introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2014 for MSMEs to finance or discount their invoices — finances around 35,000 factoring units (FUs) per month.
It is an electronic platform for facilitating the financing/discounting of trade receivables of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through multiple financiers.
These receivables can be due from corporates and other buyers, including Government Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
Purpose: To allow MSME sellers to discount invoices raised against major corporations, which helps them manage their working capital demands. The platform enables MSMEs to receive payments more quickly.
Sellers, buyers, and financiers are the participants on a TReDS platform.
Only MSMEs can participate as sellers in TReDS.
Corporates, Government Departments, PSUs, and any other entity can participate as buyers in TReDS.
Banks, NBFC - Factors, and other financial institutions, as permitted by the RBI, can participate as financiers in TReDS.
RBI has not made it compulsory for any buyer, seller, or financier to participate in TReDS.
The Government has made it compulsory for certain segments of companies to mandatorily register as buyers on the TReDS platform(s). The government directive, however, does not make it compulsory for these entities to perform transactions in TReDS.
Creation of a Factoring Unit (FU) - standard nomenclature used in TReDS for invoice(s) or bill(s) of exchange - containing details of invoices/bills of exchange.
Acceptance of the FU by the counterparty - buyer or the seller, as the case may be;
Bidding by financiers;
Selection of best bid by the seller or the buyer, as the case may be;
Payment made by the financier (of the selected bid) to the MSME seller at the agreed rate of financing/discounting;
Payment by the buyer to the financier on the due date.
Trade receivables are defined as the amount owed to a business by its customers following the sale of goods or services on credit.
Context: Recently, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in reply to a parliamentary question, informed about various aspects of the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES).
It is a Government of India initiative that aims to enhance the export competitiveness of India’s goods and services by developing and improving trade-related infrastructure and facilities
Parent Ministry: TIES is a central sector scheme that was launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Funding: Under TIES, the government provides financial assistance to state governments and central agencies for creating or upgrading infrastructure that is essential for promoting exports.
Scope: The TIES scheme covers various aspects of trade-related infrastructure such as setting up new infrastructure, modernizing and upgrading existing infrastructure, and providing necessary equipment and facilities for exporters.
Project Funding: Financial assistance for a total of 40 export infrastructure projects has been approved under TIES Scheme during FY 2019-20, 2020-21 2021-22 & 2022-23.
The maximum amount of funding available for a single project under the TIES scheme is Rs. 20 crores. However, the actual amount of funding will depend on the nature of the project, its scope, and the extent of financial assistance required.
Significance: The Department of Commerce has been working closely with State Governments and Union Territories to facilitate the growth of exports of goods and services from the country.
This involves helping them develop a comprehensive export strategy that leverages the strengths of each state through a thorough assessment process.
The primary objective of the TIES scheme is to enhance export competitiveness by bridging the gaps in infrastructure, which could include areas such as transportation, storage, cold storage, quality testing and certification, trade-related infrastructure for trade promotion, and last-mile connectivity.
Any central or state agency, including Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), Commodities Boards, SEZ authorities, and apex trade bodies, can apply for financial assistance under the TIES scheme. Private sector entities such as individual firms and companies are not eligible to apply.
The Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) scheme provides funding for various types of infrastructure projects such as:
Border Haats: These are local markets that are set up on the border areas of India to promote trade between India and neighboring countries.
Cold Chain infrastructure: This includes storage and transport infrastructure for perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
Dry Ports: These are inland ports that are equipped with facilities for handling and storing cargo.
Export Promotion Industrial Parks (EPIPs): These are industrial parks that are developed specifically for export-oriented units.
Trade-related infrastructure for agricultural exports: This includes facilities such as pack-houses, ripening chambers, and irradiation facilities for agricultural products.
Rising Protectionism and Deglobalisation: Countries around the globe are moving towards protectionist trade policies due to disrupted global political order (Russia-Ukraine War) and weaponization of supply chain, that is in way shrinking India’s export capacities.
Lack of Basic Infrastructure: India’s manufacturing sector lacks sufficient manufacturing hubs, internet facilities and transportation are costly when compared to developed nations which is a huge deterrence to Industries.
India uses only 4.3% of its GDP for infrastructure construction each year, as compared to China’s 20% of its GDP. For infrastructure, Rs 10 lakh crore (3.3% of GDP) was allocated in the budget 2023-24, an increase of three times from 2019.
Uninterrupted power supply is another challenge.
Lack of Innovation Due to Low Spending On R&D: Currently, India spends about 0.7% of GDP on research and development. This prevents the manufacturing sector from evolving, innovating and growing.
Filling Up Infrastructural Gaps: A robust infrastructure network - warehouses, ports, testing labs, certification centres, etc. will help Indian exporters compete in the global market.
It also needs to adopt modern trade practices that can be implemented through the digitisation of export processes. This will save both time and cost.
Exploring Joint Development Programmes: Amidst a wave of deglobalisation and slowing growth, exports cannot be the sole engine of growth.
India can also explore joint development programmes with other countries in sectors like space, semiconductor, solar energy to improve India’s medium-term growth prospects.
Frontlining MSME Sector: Currently, MSMEs contribute to one-third of the country's GDP, account for 48% of exports making them key players in achieving ambitious export targets.
It is important for India to link Special Economic Zones with the MSME sector and incentivize small businesses.
The TIES scheme aims to promote export-led growth by improving the infrastructure that supports India’s export sector. It also aims to boost employment and economic development in the country by creating new job opportunities in the export sector.
Context: Prime Minister of India and Bangladesh recently inaugurated the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP) in a virtual mode.
It is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh.
The project is borne by the Government of India under grant assistance to Bangladesh.
It was initiated in September 2018 to provide 1 million metric tonnes per Annum (MMTPA) of high-speed diesel (HSD) in the Northern West Bengal districts.
This will reduce the cost, time and the carbon footprint of the supply.
It will supply HSD initially to seven districts in northern Bangladesh.
Pipeline will carry diesel from Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Ltd's (NRL) at Siliguri in West Bengal to the Parbatipur depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).
The project is jointly implemented by the Numaligarh Refinery Limited of India and Meghna Petroleum Limited of Bangladesh.
This is the second cross-border energy pipeline between India and its neighbouring countries.
The Godda thermal power plant in Jharkhand supplies electricity to Bangladesh.
India is playing a key role in helping Bangladesh access clean and cheap energy from Bhutan and Nepal.
India has proposed expansion of power trade within the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) framework.
The Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bangladesh is built under a concessional financing scheme offered by India to Bangladesh.
This will be Bangladesh’s largest power plant.
The two countries set up the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL).
BIFPCL is a 50:50 joint venture between India’s National Thermal Power Corporation and Bangladesh Power Development Board.
India will export Bangladesh power generated from upcoming hydro-power projects in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh once these are commissioned.
Bangladesh is an energy-deficit country.
Long power cuts are common even in capital Dhaka, and this has stunted production in key export industries such as the ready-made garments sector.
Ready-made garments sector accounts for nearly 85% of the country’s exports.
Due to daily power outages, many industrial units in Bangladesh reported a fall in production by up to 50% in 2022.
Result: it affects the country’s export earnings.
It suffered during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the exponential increase in oil and gas prices.
Bangladesh stopped purchase of gas and shut down many diesel-run power plants.
Context: Recently Reserve Bank India Deputy Governor emphasizes the need for better rupee volatility management to deal with risks of internationalization.
Currency internationalization is the widespread use of a currency outside the borders of its original country of issue.
It refers to the process of making the Indian rupee a globally accepted currency, similar to other major currencies like the US dollar, Euro, and Japanese yen etc.,
This process aims to promote India’s economic growth and development by increasing the use of the rupee in cross-border transactions, foreign investment, and global trade.
It requires the liberalization of India’s capital account, which means allowing free flow of capital in and out of the country without any restrictions.
Currently, Indian rupee totals over 80 against USD.
The first country to open a special Rupee Vostro account is Russia followed by Sri Lanka and Mauritius which are expected to use the Indian rupee trade settlement mechanism.
A further assessment says that by 2040, the Rupee will challenge China’s Renminbi as the strongest global currency.
Currency risk is reduced for Indian businesses when using the Rupee in international transactions.
Protection from currency volatility improves business growth and lowers operating costs, increasing the likelihood that Indian companies will expand internationally.
The requirement for maintaining foreign exchange reserves decreases.
Reserves have an impact on the economy even though they help control exchange rate volatility and project external stability.
India becomes less susceptible to outside shocks by reducing its reliance on foreign currency.
For instance, excessive foreign currency liabilities of domestic businesses result in a de facto domestic tightening during phases of monetary tightening in the US and a strengthening dollar.
The discomfort of reversing capital flows would be significantly lessened by reduced exposure to currency risk.
The bargaining power of Indian business would increase as the rupee’s use increased, adding weight to the Indian economy and raising India’s stature and respect internationally.
It requires integration with global financial markets, which can pose challenges in terms of regulatory compliance, market infrastructure, and investor protection.
It is the primary challenge of internationalising the rupee as it can create risks for businesses and investors that operate in multiple currencies, leading to uncertainty and higher transaction costs.
India’s financial markets are still relatively underdeveloped compared to other major economies, which can limit the range of products and services available to international investors.
The rupee is not yet a widely traded currency, which means there is limited liquidity in global markets making it difficult for investors to buy and sell rupee-denominated assets, which can limit the attractiveness of the currency.
It requires a supportive regulatory environment that balances the need for openness with the need for financial stability and regulatory oversight which is challenging to achieve, especially given the complexities of global financial markets.
Recently the RBI has introduced a mechanism to facilitate international trade in rupees.
Enabling external commercial borrowings in Rupees (especially Masala Bonds).
The Asian Clearing Union is also exploring a scheme of using domestic currencies for settlement.
An arrangement, bilateral or among trading blocs, which offers importers of each country the choice to pay in domestic currency is likely to be favoured by all countries, and therefore, is worth exploring.
Promotion of offshore rupee markets: The RBI has allowed Indian banks to participate in the offshore non-deliverable market for rupee derivatives, which has facilitated the development of offshore rupee markets.
Currency swap agreements: The RBI has signed currency swap agreements with several countries, which allow for the exchange of rupee and foreign currency between the central banks of the two countries.
Bilateral trade agreements: The government has signed several bilateral trade agreements with other countries, which has facilitated greater cross-border trade and investment and increased the use of the rupee in international transactions.
Therefore, Any possibility of conversation on rupee internationalization must be backed by a sustained and stable position of the Indian Rupee. Scale, stability and liquidity can be achieved through strong economic fundamentals and a process-driven regulatory environment. Overall, increase in the international use of the Indian rupee will go a long way in positioning India as a more attractive destination for foreign investment and trade.
Context: Recently, the Prime Minister unveiled a vision document for the rollout of 6G communications technology in India by 2030.
While, technically, 6G does not exist today, it has been conceived as a far superior technology promising internet speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G
As opposed to 5G, at its peak can offer internet speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, 6G promises to offer ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per second.
6G use cases will include remote-controlled factories, constantly communicating self-driven cars and smart wearables taking inputs directly from human senses.
While 6G promises growth, it will simultaneously have to be balanced with sustainability since most 6 G-supporting communication devices will be battery-powered and can have a significant carbon footprint
India’s 6G project will be implemented in two phases, the first one from 2023 to 2025 and the second one from 2025 to 2030.
The government has also appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardization, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development, among other things.
A key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as Terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet, artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G devices.
In phase one, support will be provided to explorative ideas, risky pathways and proof-of-concept tests.
Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create implementational IPs and testbeds leading to commercialisation as part of phase two.
It aims to enable India to become a leading global supplier of intellectual property, products and solutions of affordable 6G telecom solutions and identify priority areas for 6G research based on India’s competitive advantages.
The project will provide an R&D platform to start-ups, researchers, industry and other broadband wireless applications in India like e-Governance, smart cities, rural Broadband or other Digital India initiatives under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
South Korea has outlined a 6G research and development plan with Rs.1200 crore worth of investments in the first phase running till 2025.
It aims for attaining global leadership, developing key original technologies, making significant contributions to international standards and patents, and building a strong foundation for 6G research and industry.
In Japan, the Integrated Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Forum has published its Vision 2030 white paper for 6G, which laid out key technology directions for infrastructure evolution in four dimensions: cognitive capacity, responsiveness, scalability, and energy efficiency.
Context: With an aim to make India a global hub for building green ships, the Ministry of ports, shipping and waterways (MoPSW) launched ‘Green Tug Transition Programme’ (GTTP).
Tugs are special boats that assist other vessels into and out of port. The primary purpose of these boats is to help move larger ships by towing, pushing, and guiding.
The plan is to expand the exercise of conversion of tugboats into green tugs into full-fledged manufacturing of these all important boats in the country that are essential elements of any port, helping in the mooring or berthing operation of a ship by either towing or pushing a vessel towards the port.
Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways said that plan is afoot to make India as the ‘Global hub for building Green Ships’ by 2030.
The goal is to turn every tugboat in use in the nation into a "Green Hybrid Tug," one that runs on non-fossil fuels like hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol.
The initial Green Tugs are expected to begin operating in all Major Ports by 2025, according to a target set by the Ministry of Ports.
The programme will start with ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’, which will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems and subsequently, adopt non-fossil fuel solutions (like Methanol, Ammonia, and Hydrogen).
At least 50% of all the Tugs are likely to be converted into Green Tugs by 2030, which will considerably reduce emissions as the country moves towards achieving sustainable development.
The minister also inaugurated India’s first National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) in Gurugram, Haryana.
Located at: Gurugram, Haryana
Setup by: NCoEGPS is the result of collaboration between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, the Government of India and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
Purpose: The centre will engage in developing the regulatory framework and alternative technology adoption roadmap for green shipping in India.
It will act as a technological arm of MoPSW for providing the needed support on Policy, Research and Cooperation in Green Shipping areas.
The Centre is aimed at playing a crucial role towards the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14) to sustainably manage and protect marine & coastal ecosystems from pollution, conservation & sustainable use of ocean-based resources.
To empower ‘Make in India’ in Port, Coastal and Inland water transport, and Engineering by developing state of art technologies and application products.
To create a pool of competent manpower to the industry equipped with state of the art theoretical and practical knowhow.
It will engage in developing the regulatory framework and alternative technology adoption roadmap for green shipping in India.
It will act as a technology arm of the Ministry for providing the needed support on policy, research, and cooperation in green shipping areas.
It will also carry out education, applied research and technology transfer in maritime transportation at the local, regional, national and International levels.
It will focus on areas like energy management, emission management, Sustainable Maritime Operations etc.
It will work on 10 crucial projects, including ones on developing a regulatory framework for the usage of wind energy for marine applications, and identifying a suitable biofuel for blending with conventional marine fuels.
It will work towards identifying a fuel cell technology for long haul shipping as well as developing a regulatory framework for the transportation of hydrogen upto 700 bar pressure.
It will prepare detailed project reports on low energy consumption port, and on an offshore platform for tapping solar energy, production, storage and usage of green hydrogen.
India is the first country selected under the International Maritime Organisation’s Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to green shipping.
Context: Recently, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched ‘Sagar Manthan’, the Real-time Performance Monitoring Dashboard developed in-house by the Ministry, the Dashboard is to enable organizations to monitor and track the progress of their projects & Key Performance Indicators in real-time.
It is the Real-time Performance Monitoring Dashboard of MoPSW that will monitor and track the progress of their projects.
This new digital platform has integrated all the data related to the Ministry and other subsidiaries.
Data-driven decision making
Data visualization
Real-time monitoring
Improved communication
Increased accountability
The dashboard is a positive development towards Digital India vision.
It will ensure the timely completion of projects, informed decision-making, increased efficiency & effectiveness of projects.
It will also promote risk management, resource allocation, and progress reporting.
The launch of ‘Sagar Manthan’ Dashboard is a development towards digitalization and transparency in the maritime transport sector which will help in growth of maritime sector in India.
Context: With Ajay Banga nominated to be the next World Bank president, there is great hope in his abilities to revamp this vital global institution.
Today, the world needs a global institution for global transformation towards a sustainable planet and promoting shared prosperity. The WB is largely missing in action in the climate fight.
Instead, the WB is now seen as a multi-purpose development bank that tries to provide support to countries for their perceived needs. It does not have a broad strategic vision.
It used to be a leader in thinking on economic development but has not been able to address these issues.
WB is overly conservative and too risk-averse in the use of its capital base. It has not been able to leverage private capital flows for infrastructure and climate change.
It has underutilised its guarantees and focused largely on loans. It has not financed insurance facilities as much as it could have.
It’s also been criticised for being too slow. Bureaucratic procedures of the WB cause costly delays to its borrowers.
Its country focus has improved performance but neglects its ability to meet global and regional financing needs.
The WB and other regional banks now provide a small share of net flows to emerging markets. They have been overly conservative in their equity-to-loan ratios.
It needs a substantial overhaul of its objectives and much more innovative use of its capital base and financial instruments.
There is a need for actions on a much larger scale internationally for energy and ecological transformation for a more sustainable planet.
Its new role should be as the global institution for climate change and sustainability. It must also be able to provide monitoring and advice on climate action in the entire world. These include a range of issues such as climate adaptation, mitigation, carbon pricing, environmental, social, and corporate governance and net-zero transformation.
It is not sufficient to create a climate change department in the WB to continue with a business-as-usual approach. The entire organisation must be transformed to make it the premier global institution for dealing with climate change and shared prosperity.
The WB must also shift the focus from lending to catalysing resource flows. It must help build the institutions and regulatory systems. These will help to draw in more capital from the private sector and from sovereign wealth funds.
Its success must be judged how much resources it can catalyse to address social and physical infrastructure and climate finance needs.
More innovative use of its financing instruments is needed especially in the way it books and uses guarantees and insurance backstops.
The International Finance Corporation, is also a big player in private finance. It should spend much more effort on helping develop systems for SME finance, which can attract international capital.
The WB must continue its country-based assistance and also focus more on global problems. The WB has huge power to address these issues by working in partnership with specialised agencies at the UN. It may need new and more innovative sources of financing for this purpose, including green bonds.
The WB’s capital base must also be increased, and there must also be changes to the way it uses its capital.
The emerging economies could also be allowed more leeway in the use of capital by changing their capital adequacy ratios without hurting their credit ratings.
Context: Recently, fifth World Air Quality Report was published by IQAir.
It is based on the annual average level of pollutant PM2.5 data from 7,323 cities and 131 countries.
Data is taken from ground-based air quality monitoring stations.
In 2022, out of 131 countries, India ranked 8th with a population weighted average PM2.5 level of 53.3 μg/m3.
India in 2021 recorded little lower than the 58.1 μg/m3.
India was preceded by Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Kuwait.
The WHO guideline for annual safe limit of air pollution PM2.5 levels is 5 μg/m3.
Out of 116 capital cities N’Djamena in Chad topped the list with PM2.5 level of 89.7 μg/m3.
A total of 39 Indian cities were listed in worlds’ 50 most polluted cities.
Delhi is the most polluted metropolitan city with PM levels of 92.6 μg/m3.
New Delhi is the second most polluted capital city in the world.
The national capital was ranked fourth on a list of 50.
Bhiwadi in Rajasthan with PM levels of 92.7 was the most polluted city in India.
It was third most polluted city in the world.
Other cities included in the list: Patna, Muzzaffarnagar, Dharbanga, Noida, Gurgaon, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Charkhi Dadri, Jind, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Dadri, Meerut, Hisar and Greater Noida.
Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad saw a decline in pollution level based on the comparison of the current average PM 2.5 levels.
Context: Recently a group of geologists gathered to scout a fossil park at Jhamarkotra and the metallurgical remains at Zawar in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
Geoheritage are sites that offer insights into the evolution of the earth that can be used for research, reference, and awareness.
Instead, Geodiversity is the variety of rocks, fossils, minerals, and natural processes that shape the landscapes.
Dinosaur fossils in Bagh, Madhya Pradesh, and in the Kachchh region of Gujarat focused on Jurassic life and tectonic features.
Both the states can offer tourism, science, and education.
Landscapes across the Indian subcontinent bear signatures of many geological events, from the evolution of life to the cycles of mass extinction preserved in the fossil records.
Important events include meteorite impacts; volcanic eruptions that laid down the Deccan Traps, the collision of continents that formed the Himalaya and rivers Lakshadweep’s coral atolls.
Important events also includes formation of fertile river valleys, massive deltas, and the world’s largest mangrove forests.
It is a fossil park near Jhameshwar Mahadev pond that hosts stromatolites dating back 1.8 billion years.
It exhibits a variety of textures and sizes.
The fossils are phosphate-rich as they trap sediments consisting mainly phosphate minerals.
This phosphate is mined for use as agricultural fertilisers.
A stromatolite is a layered sedimentary rock created by microorganisms.
Stromatolite fossils preserve records of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae that was the earliest life on the planet.
The stromatolites allowed their colonies to expand and flourish like microbial reefs.
Cyanobacteria developed the ability to photosynthesise and make their own food.
It pumps large quantities of oxygen into the atmosphere of primaeval earth.
This helped other life to evolve and flourish.
They live in shallow waters and quests for sunlight and photosynthesis.
This caused them to trap sediments and deposit them as lens-like layers creating stromatolites.
It is the world’s oldest (approx. 2,000 years) old known zinc-smelting site located in Udaipur.
It has numerous traces of zinc mining and smelting operations since ancient times, including open stopes, trenches, chambers, galleries, shafts, and open-pit mines.
Discovery of earthen materials such as brinjal-shaped, long-necked vessels.
This suggests Zawar had a unique zinc-smelting legacy.
Before the advent of high-pressure technology, extracting zinc was a considerable challenge.
Zinc has low boiling and melting points, so heating it forms a vapour, which oxidises in contact with the atmosphere.
The people of Zawar extracted zinc using a distillation process that required the use of a retort and an external condenser.
In ancient time zinc was used in medicine and in mediaeval weapons of war.
The people in this region also traded it with their counterparts in China and Japan.
UNESCO has criteria for ‘Global Geoparks’: sites with geological heritage of international value under which both Jhamarkotra and Zawar may qualify if they meet its conditions.
India has 40 locations on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Context: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched Mission Sahbhagita in 2022 with a mission of ‘a healthy and effectively managed network of 75 wetlands of national and international significance.
It is a platform for sharing wetland management experiences, best practices, success stories, and associated challenges.
It has been launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
It is an important step towards participatory conservation and wise use of wetlands.
Its aim is to enable a society ownership approach with communities leading at the forefront.
‘Save Wetlands Campaign’ is a part of this mission.
This campaign is structured on a “whole of society” approach for wetlands conservation, enabling affirmative actions for wetlands conservation at all levels of the society and involving all strata of the society.
This campaign over next one year will include sensitizing people of the value of wetlands, increasing the coverage of wetland mitras and building citizen partnerships for wetlands conservation.
Wetlands authorities have been constituted in States/UTs through Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 for notification, conservation and management of wetlands.
National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems(NPCA): It is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. It is a conservation programme for the management of identified wetlands (including lakes) in the country on cost sharing basis between the Central Government and respective State Governments / Union Territories.
The scheme covers various activities such as interception, diversion and treatment of wastewater, shoreline protection, lakefront development, in-situ cleaning i.e. desilting & de-weeding, stormwater management, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification etc.
Context: Recently, Finland has installed the world’s first sand battery that can store heat from renewable energy sources for months.
A “sand battery” is a high temperature thermal energy storage that uses sand or sand-like materials as its storage medium. It stores energy in sand as heat.
The battery uses sand as a medium to store thermal energy. It was invented by Polar Night Energy.
The battery has four metres wide and seven metres high steel container with 100 tonnes of recycled sand.
The latest battery model can store up to 8 megawatt-hours of energyas heat.
The reservoir is so well-insulated from the outer environment thatit can retain temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius and prevent heat losses over time.
The sand at the core is very far from the boundary, so the heat stored in the core does not easily get lost, even if we wait for days or weeks.
The battery receives electricity from the grid through excess solar and wind power, which is converted to heat and transferred to the sand.
Sand is a very effective medium for retaining heat over a long period, storing power for months at a time.
Its main purpose is to work as a high-power and high-capacity reservoir for excess wind and solar energy.The energy is stored as heat, which can be used to heat homes, or to provide hot steam and high temperature process heat to industries that are often fossil-fuel dependent.
The sand battery helps to ambitiously upscale renewables production by ensuring there’s always a way to benefit from clean energy, even if the surplus is massive.
Water-based storage systems are a renewable alternative to produce building heat.
The sand battery can store heat up to 600 degrees Celsius, thus having a great significance.
Context: The Kerala government recently announced the State’s first waste-to-energy project in Kozhikode. The planned facility is expected to be built in two years and generate about 6 MW of power.
These projects use non-recyclable dry waste to generate electricity and in turn increase the State’s power generation capacity and ease the solid waste management (SWM) burden.
These plants use non-biodegradable waste to generate power. The waste is combusted to generate heat, which is converted into electricity.
Kozhikode has a population of about 6.3 lakh and generates approximately 300 tones per day (TPD) of waste. Of this, around 205 TPD is biodegradable and 95 TPD is non-biodegradable.
Out of the 95 TPD non-biodegradable waste, only about 5 TPD is recycled. Therefore, the remaining non-recyclable dry waste could be used to generate power at the waste-to-energy plant.
Solid wastes usually contain 55-60% biodegradable organic waste which gets converted into organic compost. 25-30% are non-biodegradable dry waste and around 15% are silt, stones, and drain waste.
Out of non-biodegradable wastes, only 2-3%, like hard plastics, metals, and e-waste, is recyclable. The remaining consists of low-grade plastic, rags, and cloth that can’t be recycled.
This part of the non-recyclable dry waste is the most challenging portion of the SWM system. The presence of these materials also reduces the efficiency of recycling other dry and wet waste.
The level of subsidy required to make WTE plants financially viable presents another set of problems. These plants involve significant capital investment and the cost of energy produced is higher than from the grid, unless there are government subsidies.
Municipal bodies give benefits to WTE plants, such as land for free or at token amounts plus a tipping fee for each tonne of waste processed. However, this does not suffice to make the cost of electricity produced from these plants competitive with conventional sources.
First, people need to follow strict segregation practices and process biodegradable wastes. For example, Kozhikode’s projected population and waste generation rate could use around 100 TPD of non-recyclable dry waste to generate power. But this is only possible when people follow proper segregation.
Second, the municipality must ensure that only non-biodegradable dry waste is sent to the plant and separately manage the other kinds of waste.
Third, it is also necessary that biodegradable-waste-processing plants should operate efficiently. Else, all the waste would be transferred to Waste to Energy Plants which might affect its power generation capacity.
Fourth, Segregation should be streamlined to ensure the waste coming to the facility has 2,800-3,000 kcal/kg calorific value for proper generation of electricity.
Fifth, the department responsible for SWM should be practical about the high cost of power generation. Hence, a tripartite agreement between the municipality, the plant operator, and the power distribution agency might be fruitful.
Context: Recently, three States have commenced joint action to stop illegal sand mining in National Chambal Sanctuary.
Sand is classified as a “minor mineral”, under The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) and administrative control over minor minerals vests with the State Governments.
Rivers and coastal areas are the main sources of sand, and the demand for it has increased significantly in recent years due to the construction and infrastructure development boom in the country.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued "Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines 2016" to promote scientific sand mining and environmentally friendly management practices.
Water Scarcity: Sand mining can lead to the depletion of groundwater reserves and cause water scarcity in nearby areas.
For instance, Yamuna River in Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana is facing severe threat from mechanised and unsustainable stone and sand mining.
Floods: Excessive sand mining can cause the riverbeds to become shallow, which can increase the risk of floods.
For example, in the state of Bihar, sand mining has led to increased flooding in the Kosi River, causing damage to crops and property.
Associated Illegal Activities: Unregulated sand mining also involves illegal activities, such as encroachment on public land, corruption, and evasion of taxs.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, located at the trijunction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
It is a fragile lotic ecosystem, which is a critically important breeding ground for gharials - fish-eating crocodiles.
The sanctuary is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and is listed as an ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Area’.
The sanctuary is also a proposed Ramsar site, and over 320 species of resident and migratory birds inhabit the area.
The sanctuary is known for its population of gharials and Gangetic dolphins.
The 5,400 sq. km. sanctuary is a fragile lotic ecosystem critical for breeding of gharials.
Context: After 375 years of speculation and exploration, scientists have finally confirmed the existence of a “missing” continent known as Zealandia.
Discovered by: The existence of Zealandia was first recorded in 1642 by Dutch businessman and sailor Abel Tasman, who was on a mission to find the “great Southern Continent,” or Terra Australis.
Size: It is a long, narrow microcontinent that is mostly submerged in the South Pacific Ocean. It is 1.89 million square miles land, , about half the size of Australia.
Located in: It was once part of an ancient supercontinent called Gondwana. The vast majority of this “new” continent is located underwater, lying beneath 6,560 feet (2km) of water.
Reason for submergence: Zealandia began to “pull away” from Gondwana roughly 105 million years ago. As Zealandia started pulling away, it began to sink beneath the waves, with over 94 percent remaining underwater for millennia.
Zealandia is now recognized as the world’s eighth continent,
The part of Zealandia which is above water forms the foundation of New Zealand’s north and south islands as well as the island of New Caledonia.
The discovery will shed light on the earth’s geological history and the forces that shaped the planet.
Context: The Deforestation Report by Utility Bidder has revealed that India has seen the highest surge in deforestation in the past 30 years.
The highest deforestation rate in the world is in Brazil, followed by India and Indonesia.
Brazil: It has higher deforestation rates of 1,695,700 hectares between 2015-2020.
India: It has deforestation rates of 668,400 hectares.
India has seen the highest rise in deforestation in the last 30 years, with a stark surge recorded between 2015 and 2020.
India has seen the biggest increase in deforestation with a difference of 284,400 ha in forestry loss between 1990 and 2020.
Zambia recorded the second biggest deforestation increase between 1990 and 2020.
The report highlights that cattle rearing and oil seed cultivation are the leading causes of global deforestation. Cattle rearing alone causes an annual loss of 2,105,753 ha of forests, followed by the cultivation of oil seeds causing a loss of 950,609 ha.
Indonesia witnessed a significant loss of forests due to palm oil cultivation, leading to the destruction of 650,000 ha of forests. It ranks third globally in terms of deforestation.
While palm oil has been a big driver of deforestation for many years, soybean cultivation is also responsible for significant deforestation globally. The report states that many ha of grassland and forests have been destroyed to make room for soybean cultivation.
Logging is the third highest factor responsible for deforestation, causing around 678,744 ha of annual deforestation globally.
The report suggests that India has had to compensate for the increase in residents due to its status as the country with the second-largest population in the world. This has come at the cost of deforestation, making it the country with the largest increase in deforestation from 1990 to 2020, with a difference of 284,400 ha in forestry loss.
Context: The Spring Equinox falls on 21 March every year, also called the vernal equinox is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
There is an imaginary line from North to South called the axis along where the Earth rotates.
This rotation is responsible for day and Night.
The axis tilts at 23.5 degrees.
This brings more sunlight to one hemisphere of the planet as compared to the other for half of the year’s orbit around the sun.
This difference in sunlight results in different seasons. More effect is visible, especially in late June and late December.
According to Hindu astrology, Vernal Equinox is known as Vasant Vishuva or Vasant Sampat.
The Persian New Year, ‘Nowruz’ falls on the first day of spring that welcomes all the positivity, peace, and prosperity.
In China, during the spring equinox, the “trying to stand egg upright” game is played.
In Japan, the Spring Equinox is declared a public holiday to celebrate the new beginning through family gatherings and paying visits to the graves of family members.
As a result, the Sun is located directly above the equator, and both hemispheres receive an almost equal amount of sunlight.
After the spring equinox, the northern hemisphere tilts closer to the sun in March, resulting in more hours of daylight, with earlier sunrises and later sunsets.
The Spring equinox brings earlier sunrises, later sunsets, and sprouting plants in the northern hemisphere.
Later sunrises, earlier sunsets, chillier winds, and dry and falling leaves are observed in the south of the equator (southern hemisphere).
Context: A new analysis of archival radar images taken around three decades ago has found direct geological evidence of recent volcanic activity on the surface of Venus.
Scientists made the new discovery by pouring over images of Venus taken by NASA’s Magellan spacecraft between 1990 and 1992.
During their examination, they looked at the planet’s Atla Regio area, where two of the biggest volcanoes of Venus, Ozza Mons and Maat Mons, are located.
NASA’s Magellan mission to Venus was one of the most successful deep space missions.
It was the first spacecraft to image the entire surface of Venus and made several discoveries about the plane.
In 1994, communication with Magellan was lost when it was instructed to descend into the atmosphere of Venus to gather aerodynamic data.
Magellan used radar to image Venus’ surface from different orbits. A few locations, including those suspected to have volcanic activity, were observed two or three times over two years.
The study found new evidence of active volcanoes on Venus. A 2.2 square kilometre volcanic vent on Venus changed shape in eight months, indicating volcanic activity.
It showed signs of drained lava, the radar images indicated that the same vent had doubled in size and the lava lake seemed to have reached the rim. The vent is associated with Maat Mons.
Note: Maat Mons is Venus ‘second-highest’ volcano. It sits in the Atla Regio, a vast highland region near Venus’ equator. These changes were likely due to lava flow escaping the vent, hinting at a possible volcanic activity.
The volcanoes act like windows to provide information about a planet’s interior, the new findings take scientists a step further to understand the geological conditions of not just Venus but also other exoplanets.
An exoplanet is a planet outside our own Solar System, sometimes referred to as an extrasolar planet.
The findings give a glimpse of what more is to come regarding Venus as in the next decade, three new Venus missions would be launched, including the European EnVision orbiter and NASA’s DAVINCI and VERITAS missions.
A volcano is a vent or fissure in Earth’s crust through which lava, ash, rocks, and gases erupt.
A volcano can be active, dormant or extinct. An eruption takes place when magma (a thick flowing substance), formed when the earth’s mantle melts, rises to the surface.
The magma is lighter than solid rock, it is able to rise through vents and fissures on the surface of the earth. After it has erupted, it is called lava.
Not all volcanic eruptions are explosive since explosivity depends on the composition of the magma.
When the magma is runny and thin, gases can easily escape it, in which case, the magma will flow out towards the surface and if the magma is thick and dense, gases cannot escape it, which builds up pressure inside until the gases escape in a violent explosion.
Earth’s Twin: Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbour which is similar in structure but slightly smaller than Earth, it is the second planet from the sun. Therefore, Venus has been called Earth’s twin.
Thick & Toxic Atmosphere: Venus has an atmosphere 50 times denser than Earth’s. Venus is wrapped in a thick, toxic atmosphere filled with carbon dioxide that traps in heat.
Inhabitable: Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system. The temperature of Venus is too high, and its atmosphere is highly acidic, just two of the things that would make life impossible. Surface temperatures reach a scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit (471 degrees Celsius), hot enough to melt lead.
Other Features: It has no moons and no rings. Venus’ solid surface is a volcanic landscape covered with extensive plains featuring high volcanic mountains and vast ridges. It spins from east to west, the opposite direction from all other planets in our solar system but the same as Uranus.
Context: Amid an ‘imminent’ global water crisis, the desalination of our oceans into drinking water has emerged as the ultimate means to drought-proof regions suffering water poverty.
The centuries-old concept uses thermal distillation or a reverse osmosis membrane to separate salt from the sea.
The technique is now being utilized globally, with well over 20,000 desalination plants currently operating in over 170 countries — the 10 largest in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel.
It uses thermal distillation or a reverse osmosis membrane to separate salt from the sea.
Globally, over 20,000 desalination plants currently operate in over 170 countries.
The 10 largest are in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel.
Around 47% of the world’s desalinated water is produced in the Middle East and North Africa.
They generate less than 500 cubic meters of water per capita through rainfall or river runoff.
This is half the upper limit of water scarcity as defined by the UN.
The United States produces 1,207 cubic meters of freshwater per person.
Water poverty will worsen as populations increase along with temperatures.
The Sub-Saharan Africa will become a “hotspot of water scarcity” by 2050.
The hottest and driest nation in the European Union, Cyprus relies on desalination for 80% of its drinking water.
Earlier it used to ship water from Greece in case of shortfall of drinking water.
Separating salt from water is highly energy intensive.
The four desalination plants in India generate around 2% of its total greenhouse gas emissions.
In Cyprus, the plants accounted for 5% of the total electricity consumption which is one of the largest shares by sector of electricity consumption.
Desalinated water generated around 103 million cubic meters of toxic, high-salinity brine effluent that impacted the Mediterranean seagrass ecosystem in the region of the discharge pipes.
The state of desalination and brine production increases salinity, combined with climate-driven temperature rise.
This can decrease the dissolved oxygen content, resulting in hypoxia.
This hypersaline water can sink to the ocean bed and kill marine microorganisms that are vital to the entire food chain.
Chemical compounds such as copper and chloride are found in the desalination pre-treatment process that can be toxic to organisms in the discharged water region.
The high CO2 emissions can be reduced by using renewable energy such as off-grid solar and wind energy desalination plants.
Though brine discharge can be diffused through outfall pipes that are not in the vicinity of vulnerable marine life and keeping the remnant solids on the land.
The harvested sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, bromine, boron, strontium, lithium, rubidium and uranium from the filtered material could be reused in industry and agriculture.
Brine can be reused to produce caustic soda, or sodium hydroxide.
Such sodium hydroxide when used to pre-treat seawater prevents the fouling of the reverse osmosis membranes that filters the ocean water.
Such fouling is a source of breakdowns and adds to the energy inefficiency and overall cost.
Around 12% of the world’s desalinated water is created in the US but only 3.9% of brine is produced.
The Middle East and North Africa generates around 47% of desalinated water but 70% of the total global brine output due to the presence of less efficient plants.
Context: Recently, the co-chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water said that climate change and land use change are shifting that very significantly.
Global Commission on the Economics of Water allows scientists to track flows of water vapor rising from rainforests like the Amazon and Argentina’s soybean and wheat fields.
They are experiencing worsening drought as the Amazon shrinks.
Vapour originating from the vast plains of Kazakhstan and other parts of Central Asia also provides about half of China’s water.
Losses of forests and other nature disrupt those flows and climate change brings more extreme and unpredictable rainfall on a hotter planet, water security is weakening in much of the world.
Eroding water security poses a risk to food supplies and hydropower production.
Example: Severe water scarcity in the Horn of Africa after five failed rainy seasons: political instability, conflict, displacement, and migration.
About 2.3 billion people, almost one in three live in water-stressed countries, a third of those facing critical pressures. (UN-Water 2021 data)
3.2 billion live in agricultural areas facing high to very high-water scarcity or shortages. (U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization)
Changing the trajectory toward growing water scarcity will require a deeper understanding of how closely water supplies are linked to climate and nature protection.
It will also require looking at freshwater as a global rather than just a local or regional issue, and strengthening how limited supplies are managed, shared, and valued.
A desire to capture and store more water – to withstand longer droughts, manage extreme rainfall when it comes, and generate clean hydropower – is leading to a surge in dam-building around the world.
Constructing new dams often results in losses of forests, other nature, and farmland. The land rights of local communities can also be threatened.
Increasing water storage in river dams can lead to growing tensions with neighbors downstream.
Examples: The new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has prompted protests in Egypt, while India and Pakistan continue to argue over more dam-building.
Only six of the world’s nearly 600 underground aquifers shared across international borders have a formal cooperative agreement covering their use.
Agriculture is responsible for more than 70% of global freshwater use each year, food trade is also trade in water.
Improving water security is likely to require shifts to more precise and sparing irrigation systems, crops that require less water, farming methods that stand up to drought, and growing fewer thirsty crops in water-short places.
In urban areas, changes such as boosting freshwater storage, recycling more wastewater, and using less water in manufacturing will be key.
In many developing countries such reforms will require money debt-strapped nations don’t have – though some cash could be raised by phasing out nearly $700 billion a year in farming and water subsidies that encourage water waste.
Just Water Partnerships, modelled on existing multi-billion-dollar Just Energy Transition Partnerships designed to speed a global transition to clean energy, should also be considered.
Deal funded by richer donor nations, seeks to help countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam wean themselves off climate-wrecking coal, providing a global benefit as well as a local supply of sustainable energy.
Context: To highlight the importance of water and raise awareness about the global water crisis, World Water Day is being observed on March 22 every year.
World Water Day serves as a reminder to the world to take action to tackle the global water crisis.
The theme for World Water Day 2023 is 'Accelerating the change to solve the water and sanitation crisis', emphasising the necessity of taking stern action to address the global water crisis.
The UN said, "Billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centres, farms and factories don’t have the safe water and toilets they need. There is an urgent need to accelerate change – to go beyond business as usual".
The main objective of the day is to aware and inspire people to sustainably manage the freshwater resources and learn more about water-related issues like water pollution, water scarcity, inadequate water, and lack of sanitation, and take appropriate steps to make a difference.
The resolution to observe World Water Day was first adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 22, 1992, after which March 22 was declared as World Water Day and is celebrated around the world since then.
The first World Water Day was observed in the year 1993.
The day has been observed annually since 1993 to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater resources and to promote sustainable management of water resources.
Everyone knows that 'Water is the elixir of life'. From drinking to cleaning and other things, life cannot sustain without it.
While many people are privileged to have running water 24x7, there is a huge population around the globe that does not have access to any amount of water.
According to UN, at present, one in four people (two billion people worldwide) – lack safe drinking water.
Around 1.4 million people die annually and 74 million will have their lives shortened by diseases related to poor water, sanitation and hygiene.
As per the estimates by OECD, global water demand (in water withdrawals) would increase by 55% by 2050.
Various organisations, NGOs and individuals celebrate the day in their own way to conserve water in a bid to tackle water crisis.
Context: The INS Androth, the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), was launched in Kolkata recently.
The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence and GRSE in April 2019.
INS Arnala was the first of the eight indigenously-built ASW SWC.
These Arnala-class of ships are expected to replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the Indian Navy.
The ASW SWC ships are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations, Mine Laying operations and subsurface surveillance in littoral waters.
It is an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC).
It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata for the Indian Navy.
Primary Role: To conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low-intensity maritime operations, and mine-laying operations.
It is also capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance of coastal waters and various surface platforms and coordinated ASW operations with aircraft.
INS Androth and ASW SWC ships are 77.6 metres long, have a displacement of 900 tons and can achieve maximum speeds of close to 25 knots.
These ships are propelled by three diesel-driven water jets.
It will be fitted with hull-mounted sonar and a low-frequency variable depth sonar.
Context: The Parliamentary standing committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice has submitted its recommendations on the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI).
There is a need to enact new legislation to define CBI’s status as Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act has many limitations.
Under DSPE Act, the consent of the State government is a prerequisite for any investigation by the CBI.
Nine States have withdrawn the general consent.
Effort should be made to fill up vacancies in CBI at the earliest.
Total of 1,709 posts are vacant in the CBI against its sanctioned strength of 7,295.
Vacancies in the cadres of executive ranks, law officers, and technical officers will increase the pendency of cases and decrease the quality of investigation.
The Director of CBI should monitor the progress made in filling up vacancies every quarter and take necessary measures to ensure that the organization is sufficiently staffed.
CBI should reduce its dependence on deputationists and strive to recruit permanent staff in the ranks of inspector of police and deputy superintendent of police.
However, CBI justified its stand citing that deputationists bring in fresh ideas, and varied skill sets with them and that direct recruitment at higher levels would affect career progression.
Committee feels that an organization should keep the mode of recruitment through deputation to a minimum.
CBI should put the details of cases registered with the CBI, the progress made in their investigation, and the final outcome in the public domain.
Providing access to information will not only empower the citizens but will also make the functioning of CBI more accountable, responsible and transparent.
CBI should publish case statistics and annual reports on its website.
CBI should maintain a case management system which would be a centralized database containing details of cases registered with it and the progress made at their disposal.
It should also enable tracking of the progress of each case and should be accessible to the general public.
It is a nodal agency for enhancing inter-state and international cooperation in law enforcement.
CBI was recommended by the Santhanam Committee.
It is not a statutory body.
It derives its power from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
CBI can take up suo moto cases only in Union Territories.
To investigate a case in the state CBI needs to take the consent of the concerned state.
Supreme Court can direct CBI to investigate anywhere in the country without the consent of the states.
cases of corruption, bribery, and misconduct of Central government employees.
cases relating to infringement of fiscal and economic laws.
serious crimes, having national and international ramifications, committed by organized gangs of professional criminals.
Coordinating the activities of the anti-corruption agencies and the various state police forces.
It takes up any case of ‘public importance’ at the request of the state government for investigation.
Maintaining crime statistics and disseminating criminal information.
The CBI acts as the “National Central Bureau” of Interpol in India.
The Interpol Wing of the CBI coordinates requests for investigation-related activities originating from Indian law enforcement agencies and the member countries of Interpol.
Context: Recently, Researchers from S. N. Bose National Center for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata have tested the efficacy of the laccase enzyme in degrading some standard dye molecules.
Laccase is an enzyme generated by a group of fungi. It is known for its capacity to degrade various organic molecules.
It contains 4 copper atoms in two different oxidation states. It degrades substrates through redox reactions, producing only water and the simplest non-virulent or less virulent oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur.
Laccase has been found capable of degrading a variety of hazardous organic dye molecules that are regularly drained into water bodies after dying clothes in the textile industry.
This observed characteristic which the scientists termed substrate promiscuity can have deep implications in designing enzyme-coated cassettes for treating heavily dye-polluted water through a natural solution to make the environment greener.
Enzyme promiscuity is defined as the capability of an enzyme to catalyze a reaction other than the reaction for which it has been specialized.
Although the enzyme is known for its specificity, many enzymes are reported to be promiscuous.
Context: As India & China remain in a stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Army and Air Force have conducted a 96-hour multi-domain air and land exercise, ‘Vayu Prahar’, in the eastern sector.
It is a multi-domain air-land exercise jointly conducted by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
The special forces also participated along with the Army and the Navy in the 96-hour exercise which was held in the eastern theatre.
Objective: To validate joint plans to prosecute synergized multiple-domain operations.
The scope of the exercise included the rapid mobilization of an earmarked Rapid Reaction Force from the hinterland to undertake air-landed operations in a nominated Advance Landing Ground.
The air-landed force further executed contingency tasks as per a realistic exercise scenario in challenging high-altitude terrain conditions.
The exercise enabled coordination and rehearsal amongst various agencies for quick mobilization, transportation, and deployment of forces within a theatre.
Context: World TB Day is observed on March 24 every year around the world. This annual event tries to educate people about the impact of TB and how to eliminate this devastating disease.
Tuberculosis is a serious condition which affects your lungs. It is transfer from one person to another via coughing, sneezing or any other medium that can transfer infected droplets.
India continues to be the largest contributor to global TB cases, there has been a decline in the number of cases in 2021.
India accounts for 28% of all TB cases in the world.
There were 21.3 lakh cases detected in 2021 as compared to 18.05 lakh cases in 2020. The number is still lower compared to 24.04 lakh cases in 2019.
India plans to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, although the global target is 2030.
The national strategic plan 2017-2025 sets the target of India reporting no more than only 77 cases per lakh population by 2023, and 44 new TB cases or 65 total cases per lakh population by 2025.
The estimated TB incidence stood at 210 per lakh population in 2021.
The program aims to reduce the mortality to 3 deaths per lakh population by 2025.
The estimated TB mortality for the year 2020 stood at 37 per lakh population.
The plan also aims to reduce catastrophic costs for the affected family to zero.
However, 7 to 32 percent of those with drug-sensitive TB, and 68 percent with drug-resistant TB experienced catastrophic costs.
World Health Organisation’s End TB strategy calls for:
80% reduction in the number of new cases,
90% reduction in mortality, and
zero catastrophic cost
India’s targets are in line with the WHO’s End TB strategy.
The government has taken several steps including looking for cases actively among vulnerable and co-morbid populations, screening for them at the health and wellness centers, and calling on the private sector to notify all TB cases.
An online Ni-kshay portal has been set up to track the notified TB cases.
There are 4,760 molecular diagnostic machines available, covering all districts of the country.
It is used in more accurate molecular diagnostic tests like CB-NAAT and TureNat tests.
Line probe assay laboratories and liquid culture testing laboratories have been set up for the diagnosis of multi and extremely drug-resistant TB.
The government has also implemented this, which means that the antibiotic susceptibility of the mycobacterium is determined for all newly diagnosed cases.
Earlier, the patients were started on first-line treatment and were tested for drug resistance only if the therapy did not work.
Conducting a drug susceptibility test at the outset ensures that the patients are given antibiotics that will work for them.
It was launched in 2022 where Ni-kshay Mitras can adopt TB patients and provide them with monthly nutritional support.
Newer drugs such as Bedaquiline and delamanid have been included in the government’s basket of drugs provided to free TB patients.
These new drugs have also been included in the new National List of Essential Medicines that gives the government power to regulate their market price as well.
Researchers have also been studying shorter three- and four-month courses instead of six-month therapy.
Anti-tubercular drugs have to be taken for six months to over two years depending on the susceptibility of the mycobacterium.
Long duration of treatment results in people dropping out in between.
It can protect against severe forms of TB like the ones in the brain.
It uses a weakened form of the TB bacteria to train the immune system.
However, the protection is not very good against the most common form of TB in the lungs.
It offers limited protection to adults, it doesn’t prevent people from getting the infection or re-activation of a latent infection.
As of now trials are underway to test the effectiveness of a vaccine called Immuvac, which was initially developed to prevent leprosy, preventing TB.
The vaccine developed using mycobacterium indicus pranii has antigens – the portions of a pathogen against which antibodies are developed – similar to those of leprosy and TB bacteria.
Researchers are also testing the vaccine candidate called VPM1002, which is a recombinant form of the BCG vaccine modified to express the TB antigens better.
This results in better training of the immune system and protection against TB.
Researchers are also studying whether the existing BCG vaccine booster shot should be given to household contacts of a person with active tuberculosis.
Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Earth Sciences said that an umbrella scheme Research, Education and Training Outreach (REACHOUT) is being implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences for capacity building.
It is a central sector scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
Its aim is to nurture Research and Development (R&D) in academic institutions and formulating mechanisms to translate the R&D into operational use in different fields of Earth sciences.
In addition to the above, It is also aimed bringing awareness to the user communities and general public alike about various activities being carried out by MoES in various scientific aspects related to Earth system science.
R&D in Earth System Science (RDESS)
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean)
Program for Development of Skilled manpower in Earth System Sciences (DESK)
This scheme is being implemented for the entire country and not State/UT-wise.
Supporting various R &D activities in the thrust areas of different components of Earth System Sciences that are theme and need-based and that would help in attaining the National goals set up for MoES.
Develop useful collaborations with international organizations for the mutual transfer of advanced knowledge in science and technology in Earth Sciences and to provide services to developing countries.
Develop skilled and trained manpower in Earth Sciences with the support of academic institutions in the country and abroad.
Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)
Ocean services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)
Atmosphere and Climate Research - Modelling Observing Systems and Services (ACROSS)
Polar Science and Cryosphere (PACER) Seismological and Geoscience (SAGE)
Context: The Union Minister of Science & Technology has inaugurated Asia’s largest 4-metre International Liquid Mirror Telescope at Devasthal in Uttarakhand
Located at: The telescope is located at an altitude of 2450 metres at the Devasthal Observatory campus owned by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES),Nainital in Uttarakhand.
Working of the telescope: ILMT employs a 4-metre-diameter rotating mirror made up of a thin layer of liquid mercury to collect and focus light.
The metal mercury is in liquid form at room temperature and at the same time highly reflective. It is ideally suited to form such a mirror.
The telescope is designed to survey the strip of the sky passing overhead each night, allowing it to detect transient or variable celestial objects such as supernovae, gravitational lenses, space debris and asteroids.
While scanning the strip of the sky every night, the telescope will generate nearly 10-15 Gigabytes of data and the Big Data and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) algorithms will be implemented for classifying the objects observed with the ILMT.
The data will be analyzed quickly to discover and discern variable and transient stellar sources.
Countries involved: The telescope has been set up by India in collaboration with Belgium, Canada, Poland and Uzbekistan.
It was designed and built in Belgium at the Advanced Mechanical and Optical Systems Corporation and the Centre Spatial de Liez.
ILMT is the first liquid mirror telescope designed exclusively for astronomical observations and this is the largest aperture telescope available in the country at present and is also the first optical survey telescope in India.
Firstly, a conventional telescope is steered to point towards the celestial source of interest in the sky for observations.
The liquid-mirror telescopes, on the other hand, are stationary telescopes that image a strip of the sky which is at the zenith at a given point of time in the night.
In other words, a liquid-mirror telescope will survey and capture any and all possible celestial objects — from stars, galaxies, supernovae explosions, asteroids to space debris.
Secondly, Conventional telescopes have highly polished glass mirrors — either single or a combination of curved ones — that are steered in a controlled fashion to focus onto the targeted celestial object on specific nights. The light is then reflected to create images.
As opposed to this, the liquid-telescope is made up of mirrors with a reflective liquid, in this case, mercury — a metal which has a high light-reflecting capacity.
The mercury will spread as a thin layer in the container forming a paraboloid-shaped reflecting surface which will now act as the mirror. Such a surface is ideal to collect and focus light.
Thirdly, the difference between the two is their operational time. While conventional telescopes observe specific stellar sources for fixed hours. ILMT will capture the sky’s images on all nights — between two successive twilights — for the next five years starting October 2022.
Note: For protecting it from moisture during monsoon, the ILMT will remain shut for operations between June and August.
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