Context: Recently, the Odisha government has promulgated an ordinance allowing investors and farmers to enter into an agreement for contract farming.
Key Points

• The ordinance is aimed at facilitating both farmers and sponsors to develop mutually beneficial and efficient contract farming system.
• It argued the new system will improve production and marketing of agricultural produce and livestock while promoting farmers’ interest.
• The State has, however, made it clear that no title, rights, ownership or possession of land or other such property will be transferred or alienated or vest in the sponsor or its successor or agent.
• The agreement will be entered into between the contract farming sponsor (the one who offers to participate in any component) or entire value chain including pre production, and the contract farming producer (i.e. farmers who agree to produce the crop or rear the livestock).
• Under this loans and advances given by the sponsor to the producer can be recovered from the sale proceeds of the produce.
• It cannot be realised by way of sale or mortgage or lease of the land in respect of which the agreement has been entered into.

About Contract farming

• It involves agricultural production being carried out on the basis of an agreement between the buyer and farm producers.
• Sometimes it involves the buyer specifying the quality required and the price, with the farmer agreeing to deliver at a future date.
• Contract farming is allowed in most states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal under the amended APMC Act, and companies and agencies have to seek permission or license in each state separately.
• It also mentions the constitution of a “Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Committee” to review the performance of the contract farming and to make suggestions to the government for its promotion and efficient performance.

Advantages of Contract Farming

• It will help increase income for farmers, particularly the small and marginal ones, as they will get better access to good quality inputs and better farm practices.
• A deeper engagement between the farmers and food processors or retailers helps in guiding the farmers align the crop varieties, quality, farm management practices, etc. with what the market wants.
• It will reduce the marketing risk for farmers due to pre-agreed prices and market assurance.

How it is regulated in India?

• Regulated under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.
• The Model APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) Act, 2003 provides specific provisions for contract farming, like compulsory registration of contract farming sponsors and dispute settlement.
• Ministry of Agriculture came out with a draft Model Contract Farming Act, 2018. The draft Model Act seeks to create a regulatory and policy framework for contract farming. Based on this draft Model Act, legislatures of states can enact a law on contract farming.

Road Ahead

• The government should focus on providing a successful model for farmers through well-defined legal provisions for Contract farming.
• The government should ensure the security of the growers, which requires buyers and the farmers to sign long term contracts so productivity and the crop quality are maintained through proper investments.
• Monopsony has to be avoided in contract farming since one company entering into an agreement with a large number of farmers puts the growers at a disadvantage.

Context: Taking into account the practical issues faced by companies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed credit rating agencies (CRAs) to bypass the 90-day curing period to revise ratings from default to non-investment grade.
Issue

• While current norms bar CRAs from revising the ratings before 90 days, few companies were able to meet their payment obligations a few days after the due date due to COVID-19-related delays.
• The rating agencies were, however, not able to revise the ratings due to the regulatory framework.
• The rating could not be upgraded and continued to be under sub-investment grade due to the extant provisions on post-default curing period of:
• 90 days for the rating to move from default to speculative grade.
• Generally, 365 days for default to investment grade.
• SEBI has said that CRAs can deviate from the said period of 90 days on a case-to-case basis, subject to the agencies framing a detailed policy in this regard.

About Credit Rating

• Credit Rating is an assessment of the borrower (be it an individual, group or company) that determines whether the borrower will be able to pay the loan back on time, as per the loan agreement.
• A good credit rating depicts a good history of paying loans on time in the past.
• This credit rating influences the bank’s decision of approving an applicant’s loan application at a considerate rate of interest.

How does credit rating work?

• Every credit rating agency has their algorithm to evaluate the credit rating.
• Major factors considered are credit history, credit type and duration, credit utilization, credit exposure, etc. Every month, these credit rating agencies collect credit information from partner banks and other financial institutions.
• Once the request for credit rating has been made, these agencies dig out the information and prepare a report based on such factors. Based on that report, they grade every individual or company and give them a credit rating.

Credit Rating Agencies in India

• CRISIL: Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited is the first credit rating agency of the country which was established in 1987.

It offers 8 types of credit rating which are as follows:

• AAA, AA, A – Good Credit Rating
• BBB, BB – Average Credit Rating
• B, C, D – Low Credit Rating

ICRA: Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India was formed in 1991. It offers comprehensive ratings to corporates via a transparent rating system.

• CARE: Credit Analysis and Research Limited (CARE) offers a range of credit rating services in areas like debt, bank loan, corporate governance, recovery, financial sector and more. Its rating scale includes two categories – long term debt instruments and short term debt ratings.
• ONICRA: Onida Individual Credit Rating Agency of India, established in 1993, offers credit assessment and credit scoring services to both individuals and businesses.
• SMERA: Small Medium Enterprises Rating Agency of India Limited has two divisions – SME Ratings and Bond Ratings. It was established in 2011 and is a hub of financial professionals.

Context: Recently,the  Union Cabinet has given its approval for “Scheme for formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (FME)”, which is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the unorganized sector.
Background

• There are about 25 lakh unregistered food processing enterprises which constitute 98% of the sector and are unorganized and informal. Nearly 66 % of these units are located in rural areas and about 80% of them are family-based enterprises. 
• This sector faces a number of challenges including the inability to access credit, high cost of institutional credit, lack of access to modern technology, inability to integrate with the food supply chain and compliance with the health &safety standards. 
• Strengthening this segment will lead to reduction in wastage, creation of off-farm job opportunities and aid in achieving the overarching Government objective of doubling farmers' income. 

About Scheme for formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (FME)

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Unorganized Sector on All India basis with an outlay of Rs.10,000 crore.
• The expenditure of the scheme will be shared by Government of India and the States in ratio of 60:40.
• Scheme will be implemented over a 5 year period from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
• The Scheme will majorly focus on perishables.
• The Scheme would be monitored at Centre by an Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee (IMEC) under the Chairmanship of Food Processing Industries Minister.
• A State/UT Level Committee (SLC) chaired by the Chief Secretary will monitor and sanction/recommend proposals for expansion of micro units and setting up of new units by the Self Help Groups (SHGs)/Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)s/ Cooperatives.
• The Scheme also envisages the third party evaluation and mid-term review mechanism in the programme.

Support to Individual micro units

• Micro enterprises will get credit linked subsidy @ 35% of the eligible project cost with ceiling of Rs.10 lakh. 
• Beneficiary contribution will be minimum 10% and balance from loan.  
• On-site skill training & Handholding for DPR and technical upgradation. 

Support to FPOs/SHGs/Cooperatives

• Seed capital to SHGs for loan to members for working capital and small tools. 
• Grant for backward/ forward linkages, common infrastructure, packaging, marketing & branding. 
• Skill training & Handholding support. 
• Credit linked capital subsidy. 

Implementation schedule 

• The scheme will be rolled out on All India basis. 
• Back ended credit linked subsidy will be provided to 2,00,000 units. 
• Seed capital will be given to SHGs (@Rs. 4 lakh per SHG) for loan to members for working capital and small tools. 
• Grant will be provided to FPOs for backward/forward linkages, common infrastructure, packaging, marketing & branding. 

Administrative and Implementation Mechanisms 

• The Scheme would be monitored at Centre by an Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee (IMEC) under the Chairmanship of Minister, FPI. 
• A State/ UT Level Committee (SLC) chaired by the Chief Secretary will monitor and sanction/ recommend proposals for expansion of micro units and setting up of new units by the SHGs/ FPOs/ Cooperatives. 
• The States/ UTs will prepare Annual Action Plans covering various activities for implementation of the scheme, which will be approved by Government of India. 
• A third party evaluation and mid-term review mechanism would be built in the programme. 

State/ UT Nodal Department & Agency 

• The State/ UT Government will notify a Nodal Department and Agency for implementation of the Scheme. 
• State/ UT Nodal Agency (SNA) would be responsible for implementation of the scheme at the State/ UT level including preparation and validation of State/ UT Level Upgradation Plan, Cluster Development Plan, engaging and monitoring the work of resource groups at district/ regional level, providing support to units and groups, etc. 

National Portal & MIS 

• A National level portal would be set-up wherein the applicants/ individual enterprise could apply to participate in the Scheme. 
• All the scheme activities would be undertaken on the National portal. 

Convergence Framework 

• Support from the existing schemes under implementation by the Government of India and State Governments would be availed under the scheme. 
• The Scheme would attempt to fill in the gaps, where support is not available from other sources, especially for capital investment, handholding support, training and common infrastructure. 

Impact and employment generation

• Nearly eight lakh micro- enterprises will benefit through access to information, better exposure and formalization. 
• Credit linked subsidy support and hand-holding will be extended to 2,00,000 micro enterprises for expansion and upgradation. 
• It will enable them to formalize, grow and become competitive. 
• The project is likely to generate nine lakh skilled and semi-skilled jobs. 
• Scheme envisages increased access to credit by existing micro food processing entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in the Aspirational Districts. 
• Better integration with organized markets. 
• Increased access to common services like sorting, grading, processing, packaging, storage etc.

Context: Recently, India has resumed purchases of Malaysian palm oil after a gap of four-month following a diplomatic row between the two countries.
Background

• The former Prime Minister had criticised India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which was considered as an interference in the internal matter of India.
• Subsequently, the diplomatic row emerged between the two countries. Following the incident, India imposed a ban on imports of palm oil from Malaysia.
• The renewed purchases come amid improving trade relations between India and Malaysia after the formation of a new government in Malaysia.
• India's total palm oil imports from Malaysia for the first four months of 2020 fell by more than 50% from the same period in 2019.

Key Points

India's Palm Oil import:

• India is the world’s biggest buyer of edible oils.
• India buys more than two-thirds of its total edible oil imports as palm oil.

Malaysian Import over Indonesia:

• Malaysia is the world's second largest producer of palm oil after Indonesia.
• Malaysia's palm oil inventories production has surged and coronavirus lockdowns led to a slump in demand.
• Thus, Malaysian palm oil is available at a discount price compared to supplies from Indonesia. On the other hand, Indonesia has also raised its palm oil export levy.
• Additionally, Malaysia has also signed a deal to buy 100,000 tonnes of Indian rice.

About India-Malaysia Relation

• India established diplomatic relations with Malaysia in 1957.
• Economic Relation: India and Malaysia have signed Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). CECA is a kind of Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• India has also signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in services and investments with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
• Malaysia is the third largest trading partner in ASEAN.
• Bilateral trade between India and Malaysia is significantly biased in favour of Malaysia.
• Defence & Security Cooperation: Joint military exercises “Harimau Shakti” are held annually between the two countries.
• Traditional medicine: India and Malaysia have signed a MoU on cooperation in the field of Traditional Medicine in October 2010.
• The Government of Malaysia has been working to popularize AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) systems in Malaysia.
• AYUSH systems are practiced in Malaysia.

Context: Recently, the Textiles Committee operating under Ministry of Textiles has launched testing equipment for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). The Committee will now test and certify the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) body coveralls required for healthcare workers and other Covid-19 warriors.
Key Points

• Textiles Committee is the ninth approved laboratory to test and certify body coveralls.
• The national accreditation body, National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has approved the lab facility under the textile committee.
• The Textiles Committee has come up with fully indigenously designed (Make in India) PPE Testing Equipment, i.e. Synthetic Blood Penetration Testing equipment, required for determination of the resistance of protective clothing materials to penetration by blood and body fluids.

Benefits

• This will help in overcoming the challenges of non-availability of reputed domestic manufacturers of PPE testing equipment. Further, there is a delay/long gestation period to import machines from China.
• This would also help in making India the world’s second largest manufacturer of body coveralls, next only to China.

About Textile Committee

• It is a statutory body established in 1963 through an Act of Parliament.
• It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles.
• It has been formed to ensure the quality of textiles products and textile machinery both for internal consumption and export purpose.
• The Committee is tasked with the functions of establishing laboratories for the testing of textiles and textile machinery and providing for their inspection and examination.

Context: Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has extended the moratorium on loan repayments by three more months in view of Covid-19. Further, a 40 basis points (bps) cut to both the repo and reverse repo rates has been announced.
Key Point

• It reduced the key interest rate or the Repo Rate (the interest rate that the RBI charges for funds given to banks) by 40 bps to stabilize the financial system.
• Cumulatively, since the imposition of the national lockdown in March 2020, the MPC has cut rates by 115 basis points. The repo rate now stands at 4 per cent.
• These are the set of regulatory and developmental measures which will complement the reduction in the policy rate and also strengthen each other.

Reason behind this move

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), was of the view that the macroeconomic impact of the pandemic is turning out to be more severe than initially anticipated, and various sectors of the economy are experiencing acute stress.
• The impact of the shock has been compounded by the interaction of supply disruptions and demand compression. Beyond the destruction of economic and financial activity, livelihood and health are severely affected.
• Even as various measures initiated by the government and the Reserve Bank work to mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic on the economy, this accommodative step is a necessity to revive growth and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economy
• The decision was also considered keeping inflation within the target.

Other measures taken by the RBI
Refinance Facility to SIDBI extended for another 90 days:

• In order to enable increased supply of affordable credit to small industries, the RBI had, on April 17, 2020, announced a special refinance facility of Rs 15,000 crore to SIDBI at RBI’s policy repo rate for a period of 90 days.  
• This facility has now been extended by another 90 days. 

Relaxation of Rules for Foreign Portfolio Investment under Voluntary Retention Route: 

• The VRR is an investment window provided by RBI to Foreign Portfolio Investors, which provides easier rules in return for a commitment to make higher investments.  
• The rules stipulate that at least 75% of the allotted investment limit be invested within three months; considering the difficulties being faced by investors and their custodians, the time limit has now been revised to six months. 

Measures to Support Exports and Imports: 

• Exporters can now Avail Bank Loans for Higher Period 
• The maximum permissible period of pre-shipment and post-shipment export credit sanctioned by banks to exporters has been increased from the existing one year to 15 months, for disbursements made up to July 31, 2020. 

Loan facility to EXIM Bank:

• The Governor has announced a line of credit of Rs 15,000 crore to the EXIM Bank, for financing, facilitating and promoting India’s foreign trade.  
• The loan facility has been given for a period of 90 days, with a provision to extend it by one year.  
• The loan is being given in order to enable the bank to meet its foreign currency resource requirements, especially in availing a US dollar swap facility. 

More time for Importers to Pay for Imports:

• The time period for import payments against normal imports (i.e. excluding import of gold/diamonds and precious stones/jewellery) into India has been extended from six months to twelve months from the date of shipment.  
• This will be applicable for imports made on or before July 31, 2020. 

Measures to Ease Financial Stress: 

• Extension of Regulatory Measures by another 3 Months 
• The RBI has extended the applicability of certain regulatory measures announced earlier, by another three months from June 1, 2020 till August 31, 2020.  
• These measures will now be applicable for a total period of six months (i.e. from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020).  

The aforesaid regulatory measures are:  

• 3-month moratorium on term loan instalments;  
• 3-month deferment of interest on working capital facilities;  
• easing of working capital financing requirements by reducing margins or reassessment of working capital cycle;  
• exemption from being classified as ‘defaulter’ in supervisory reporting and reporting to credit information companies;  
• extension of resolution timelines for stressed assets; and  
• asset classification standstill by excluding the moratorium period of 3 months, etc. by lending institutions.  
• The lending institutions have been permitted to restore the margins for working capital to their original levels by March 31, 2021.  
• Similarly, the measures pertaining to reassessment of working capital cycle are being extended up to March 31, 2021. 

Provision to convert Interest on Working Capital into Interest Term Loan:

• Lending institutions have been allowed to convert the accumulated interest on working capital facilities over the total deferment period of 6 months (i.e. March 1, 2020 up to August 31, 2020) into a funded interest term loan, to be fully repaid during the course of the current financial year, ending March 31, 2021. 

Increase of Group Exposure Limit to Increase Fund Flow to Corporates 

• The maximum credit which banks can extend to a particular corporate group has been increased from 25% to 30% of the bank’s eligible capital base.  
• This has been done in order to enable corporates to meet their funding requirements from banks, in view of the current difficulties being faced by corporates in raising money from the markets. The increased limit will be applicable up to June 30, 2021. 

Measures to ease financial constraints faced by State Governments 

• States allowed to borrow more from Consolidated Sinking Fund 
• The Consolidated Sinking Fund is being maintained by state governments as a buffer for repayment of their liabilities.  
• The rules governing withdrawal from this Fund have now been relaxed, in order to enable states to enable them to repay their borrowings from the market, which become due in 2020-21.  
• The change in withdrawal norms will come into force with immediate effect and will remain valid till March 31, 2021.  
• The Governor added that the relaxation is being done, while ensuring that depletion of the Fund balance is done prudently. 

Significance of the above mentioned measures

• It will make funds cheaper for banks thus aiding them to bring down lending rates.
• EMIs on home, auto, personal and term loan rates are expected to come down in the coming days.
• It will reduce the Cost of Capital and ease the financial burden on businesses due to the extended lockdown.
• The extension of the Repayment Moratorium on loans is a welcome measure.
• The extension will provide relief to many individuals, especially the self-employed, as they would have found it difficult to service their loans such as car loans, home loans etc. due to loss of income during the lockdown period.
• Missing an EMI payment would mean risking adverse action by banks which can adversely impact one’s credit score.
• In another significant measure, the RBI has allowed borrowers and banks to convert the interest charges during the moratorium period (from March 1 to August 31) into a term loan which can be repaid by March 2021.
• This is expected to reduce the burden on borrowers who have gone for a moratorium.
• The increase in Group Exposure Limit will help large corporate borrowers who may find themselves handicapped in raising funds from the markets now.

Concerns

• The extended period given may however still not be enough as it will offer borrowers only about seven months from the end of the moratorium period during which they will have to crank up their businesses and service their loans.
• The RBI could have put off accumulated interest repayment by one year.
• There was some disappointment in the markets that the RBI did not relax norms for loan restructuring by lenders.
• The smaller Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and corporates may remain stressed, despite liquidity being provided.
• Bankers expect a spurt in Non-Performing Assets down the road as nearly six months of non-payment of debt would likely affect credit culture.
• RBI did not permit a one time restructuring of existing loans to the seriously affected sectors such as real estate, hotels etc. as demanded by banks.

Will monetary easing help?

• Demand for credit is likely to remain low as, with continuing economic and health uncertainty, firms and households will postpone their decisions.
• Moreover, risk averse banks are likely to hold back even if there are borrowers.
• Higher-rated borrowers are likely to continue to get easy funding, while lower-rated borrowers will struggle.

Road Ahead

• Monetary measures may have been taken to ease economic stress. But there are limitations to what it can achieve. It cannot do the heavy lifting alone. Fiscal support is needed. Which means the banks are unwilling to take risks in the current scenario. Thus, there is a need to remove risk averseness in the financial system.

Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved modifications in the existing Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) on purchase of pooled assets.
Key Points

• As part of the extension of the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, the Union Cabinet has approved the Sovereign portfolio guarantee of up to 20% of first loss for purchase of Bonds or Commercial Papers (CPs) with a rating of AA and below issued by NBFCs/ MFCs/Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) by Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
• The modifications have made NBFCs/HFCs reported under SMA-1 category on technical reasons alone during the last one year period prior to 1.8.2018 eligible. Earlier NBFCs/HFCs reported as SMA-1 or SMA-2 during this period was ineligible under the Scheme.
• It has relaxed the net profit criteria to the extent that the concerned NBFC/HFC should now have made a profit in at least one of the financial years of FY2017-18, FY 2018-19 and 2019-20. Earlier, the NBFC/HFC should have made a net profit in at least one of the financial years of FY 2017-18 and 2018-19.
• It has relaxed the criteria regarding date of origination of assets to include new assets originating up to at least six months prior to the date of initial pool rating. Earlier, only assets originated up to 31.3.2019 were eligible under the Scheme.
• It has extended the scheme from 30.6.2020 to 31.3.2021 for purchase of pooled assets.
• PCGS allows for purchase of high-rated pooled assets from financially-sound non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and housing finance companies (HFCs) by public sector banks (PSBs).

About Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme(PCGS) 

• The Union Government had issued the PCG Scheme in the Union Budget this year to provide a one-time partial credit guarantee to PSBs for purchase of pooled assets of financially sound NBFCs. 
• It aims to address temporary asset liability mismatches of otherwise solvent NBFCs/HFCs without having to resort to distress sale of their assets for meeting their commitments. 
• It allows PSBs to purchase pooled assets enabled by Government guarantee support under the Scheme to addressing temporary liquidity / cash flow mismatch issues of otherwise solvent NBFCs / HFCs. 
• This pooling would allow NBFCs without them having to resort to distress sale of their assets for meeting their commitments. 
• This will provide liquidity to the NBFC / HFC concerned for financing the credit demand of the economy, and also protect the financial system of the country from any adverse contagion effect that may arise due to the failure of such NBFCs / HFCs. 

Context: Recently, the Union Finance Minister announced the measures for providing employment and support to businesses, state governments as well sectors such as education and health as part of the fifth and final tranche of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

• The announced measures also form a part of the Rs. 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Earlier, the Economic Stimulus-I, the Economic Stimulus-II, the Economic Stimulus-III and the Economic Stimulus-IV were announced.

Key Points
1) Increase in allocation for MGNREGS to provide employment boost

• Under this the Government will allocate an additional Rs.40,000 crore under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA).
• It will help generate nearly 300 crore person days in total, addressing the need for more work by the migrants who are returning to their hometowns due to the pandemic and lockdown.
• Creation of a larger number of durable and livelihood assets including water conservation assets which will boost the rural economy through higher production.

2) Health Reforms & Initiatives

Public Expenditure on Health will be increased by investing in grass root health institutions and ramping up Health and Wellness Centres in rural and urban areas. Some of them are as follows:

• Setting up of Infectious Diseases Hospital Blocks in all districts.
• Strengthening of lab networks and surveillance (Integrated Public Health Labs in all districts and blocks)
• The National Institutional Platform for One Health by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will encourage research.
• Implementation of National Digital Health Blueprint under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM).
• NDHM was recommended to be established as a purely government organization with complete functional autonomy on the lines of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and Goods and Services Network GSTN.

3) Technology Driven Education with Equity post-COVID

• Under this govt will going to launch PM eVIDYA, a programme for multi-mode access to digital/online education to be launched immediately. 
• Manodarpan, an initiative for psycho-social support for students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional well-being to be launched immediately as well. 
• New National Curriculum and Pedagogical framework for school, early childhood and teachers will also be launched. 
• National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission for ensuring that every child attains Learning levels and outcomes in grade 5 by 2025 will be launched by December 2020.

4) Further enhancement of Ease of Doing Business through IBC related measures

• Minimum threshold to initiate insolvency proceedings has been raised to Rs.1 crore (from Rs.1 lakh, which largely insulates Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises-MSMEs).
• Special insolvency resolution framework for MSMEs under Section 240A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) will be notified.
• Suspension of fresh initiation of insolvency proceedings up to one year, depending upon the pandemic.
• Empowering the Central Government to exclude Covid-19 related debt from the definition of “default” under the IBC for the purpose of triggering insolvency proceedings.

5) Measures Related to the Companies Act

• Decriminalisation of Companies Act, 2013 violations involving minor technical and procedural defaults (shortcomings in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting, inadequacies in Board report, filing defaults, etc).
• Majority of the compoundable offences sections to be shifted to Internal Adjudication Mechanism (IAM).
• The amendments will de-clog the criminal courts and National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

6) Ease of Doing Business for Corporates
Under this key reforms include:

• Direct listing of securities by Indian public companies in permissible foreign jurisdictions.
• Private companies which list Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) on stock exchanges not to be regarded as listed companies.
• Including the provisions of Part IXA (Producer Companies) of Companies Act, 1956 in Companies Act, 2013.
• Power to create additional/specialized benches for National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
• Lower penalties for all defaults for Small Companies, One-person Companies, Producer Companies and StartUps.

7) Public Sector Enterprise Policy for a New, Self-reliant India
Government will announce a new policy whereby:

• List of strategic sectors requiring the presence of Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) in public interest will be notified.
• In strategic sectors, at least one enterprise will remain in the public sector but private sector will also be allowed.
• In other sectors, PSEs will be privatized (timing to be based on feasibility etc.).

8) Support to State Governments

• The Centre has decided to increase borrowing limits of States from 3% to 5% for 2020-21 only which will give States extra resources of Rs.4.28 lakh crore.
• Part of the borrowing will be linked to specific reforms (including recommendations of the Finance Commission).

Reform linkage will be in four areas:

• Universalisation of ‘One Nation One Ration card’.
• Ease of Doing Business.
• Power distribution.
• Urban Local Body revenues.

States can borrow more in the following pattern, notified by the Department of Expenditure:

• The first 0.5% will be an unconditional increase.
• Next 1% in 4 tranches of 0.25%, with each tranche linked to clearly specified, measurable and feasible reform actions.
• The last 0.50% if milestones are achieved in at least three out of four reform areas.

Concerns associated to Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan

• India’s welfare state does not lack intentions but lacks resources as no amount of CSR, philanthropy, or government borrowing can provide the resources for the care of weak, vulnerable, and unlucky that will flow from more productive cities, firms, and citizens.
• The government expects to take a big hit on estimated tax revenues and proceeds of disinvestment and if the ‘gap’ has been estimated at about Rs 4.2 lakh crore, the additional borrowing will fill that ‘gap’, which is unavoidable and the amount of Rs 4.2 lakh crore certainly cannot be counted as a fiscal stimulus.
• There is no clarity from the government regarding cuts in the expenditure of other non-essential things.
• There is a possibility of linking RBI’s economic measures with the Centre’s economic package as liquidity works on the supply side and fiscal stimulus is needed for the demand side.

Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Finance announced the 3rd Tranche of measures under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, to bring upon policy reforms in eight sectors. This includes coal, minerals, defence production, civil aviation (air space managements, air ports, MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul)), power distribution companies in the union territories, space, atomic energy.
Key Points

• The announced measures also form a part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Earlier, the Economic Stimulus-I was announced which includes both liquidity financing measures and credit guarantees; 
• Economic Stimulus-II  for migrant labours, street vendors, migrant urban poor, small traders self-employed people, small farmers and housing and 
• Economic Stimulus-III to strengthen Infrastructure Logistics, Capacity Building, Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Processing Sectors.
• And this fourth tranche of COVID-19 stimulus economic package focuses on reforms across industry, aviation and space.

The following structural reforms in the eight sectors are as follows:
1) Introduction of Commercial Mining and Diversified Opportunities in Coal Sector

• Coal Sector Commercial mining is to brought in coal sector. The mining is to be done on revenue sharing basis and make coal available at market prices. 
• Incentives are to be provided to companies that are interested in coal gasification. This is done to reduce the coal-based pollution. 
• The Coal Bed Methane (CBM) extraction rights will be auctioned from Coal India Limited’s (CIL) coal mines.
• Rs 50,000 crore is to be spent by GoI to create evacuation infrastructure. India being the third largest bearer of coal reserves is still importing coal.
• Thus, Reserve price in auctions for non-power consumers reduced, credit terms eased, and lifting period has been enhanced.

2) Policy reforms in Mineral Sector

• A new regime is to be introduced where a seamless exploration-cum-mining-cum-production will take place. This is currently being undertaken by different stakeholders. Integrating the entire chain under a single collective stakeholder will certainly help improve the efficiency. 
• A joint Auction of Bauxite and Coal mineral blocks to enhance Aluminum  Industry’s competitiveness will be introduced to help Aluminum industry reduce electricity costs.This is because, currently the availability of coal and bauxite at the same time is challenging.
• The distinction between captive and non-captive mines is being removed. This will help in transferring mining leases and also allow sale of surplus unused minerals. Hence, efficiency of mining sector shall be enhanced.
• Even Ministry of Mines is in the process of developing a Mineral Index for different minerals.

3) Policy Reforms in Defence Production

• The Defence production is to focus on Make in India initiative. The GoI is to notify a list of weapons and platforms on which an import ban is to be imposed. This will improve indigenous production of the country.
• The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in defence manufacturing under automatic route will be raised from 49% to 74%.
• ?Every year, the list is to be updated. A separate budget provisioning is to be brought in for domestic capital procurement in the defence sector.
• Improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in Ordnance Supplies by Corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board.
• A mechanism will be established to make sure a time bound procurement process happens in the defence sector. This will help in faster decision making.

4) Efficient Airspace Management for Civil Aviation

• Six more airports are up for auction on private public partnership mode, while additional private investment will be invited at 12 airports.
• Measures to ease airspace restrictions have been announced which would make flying more efficient.
• Currently only 60% of the airspace is freely available.
• The MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) sector of aviation has received attention in the recent announcements. There has been the rationalising of the MRO tax structure with an aim to make India an MRO hub.

5) Power Distribution Companies in Union Territories
Tariff Policy laying out the following reforms will be released:
(i) Consumer Rights

• DISCOM inefficiencies not to burden consumers
• Standards of Service and associated penalties for DISCOMs
• DISCOMs to ensure adequate power; load-shedding to be penalized

(ii) Promote Industry

• Progressive reduction in cross subsidies
• Time bound grant of open access
• Generation and transmission project developers to be selected competitively

(iii) Sustainability of Sector

• No Regulatory Assets
• Timely payment of Gencos
• DBT for subsidy; Smart prepaid meters

(iv) Privatization of Distribution in UTs

• Power Departments /  Utilities in Union Territories will be privatised. This will lead to better service to consumers and improvement in operational and financial efficiency in Distribution. This will also provide a model for emulation by other Utilities across the country.

6) Boosting private participation in Space activities

• Private Sectors are to be allowed as co-traveller in space journey of India. The private sectors will be allowed to use ISRO facilities. Also, the future projects such as outer space travel, planetary exploration are to be opened to private sector.

(7) Social Infrastructure Projects

• The Government will enhance the quantum of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) upto 30% each of Total Project Cost as VGF by the Centre and State/Statutory Bodies. 
• For other sectors, VGF existing support of 20 % each from Government of India and States/Statutory Bodies shall continue. Total outlay is Rs. 8,100 crore. 
• Projects shall be proposed by Central Ministries/ State Government/ Statutory entities.

(8) Atomic Energy related reforms

• Research reactor in PPP mode for production of medical isotopes shall be established to promote welfare of humanity through affordable treatment for cancer and other diseases. 
• Facilities in PPP mode to use irradiation technology for food preservation – to compliment agricultural reforms and assist farmers shall also be established. 
• India’s robust start-up ecosystem will be linked to nuclear sector and for this, Technology Development-cum-Incubation Centres will be set up for fostering synergy between research facilities and tech-entrepreneurs.

Concerns

• There are concerns that the current set of announcements was more of industrial reforms than an economic stimulus. 
• The sectors covered are of strategic importance and would involve a long time period. They would not be able to help revive the economy as it comes out of the lockdown.
• The only direct budgetary cost in the new announcement is the 8,100 crore rupees to be provided as a hiked 30% viability gap funding to boost private investment in social sector infrastructure.
• Some sections have alleged that the government has used the crisis time to utilise the ordinance route or other ways to fast-track industrial reforms, which would have faced resistance otherwise.
• Labour unions have expressed concerns with regard to the reform measures over concerns of privatization of important sectors.

Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Finance announced the 3rd Tranche of measures under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, to strengthen Infrastructure Logistics, Capacity Building, Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Processing Sectors.
Key Points

• The announced measures also form a part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Earlier, the Economic Stimulus-I was announced which includes both liquidity financing measures and credit guarantees and Economic Stimulus-II  for migrant labours, street vendors, migrant urban poor, small traders self-employed people, small farmers and housing.
• And this economic stimulus package involves the fulfilment of the long-pending agricultural marketing reforms.

Contract farming

• There are also plans to ensure a facilitative legal framework to oversee contract farming.
• This would provide farmers with assured sale prices and quantities even before the crop is sown and also allow private players to invest in inputs and technology in the agricultural sector.

Agri Infrastructure Fund for farm-gate infrastructure for farmers

• Under this Financing facility of Rs. 1,00,000 crore will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate & aggregation points (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, Farmers Producer Organizations, Agriculture entrepreneurs, Start-ups, etc.).
• Impetus for development of farm-gate & aggregation point, affordable and financially viable Post Harvest Management infrastructure. Fund will be created immediately.

Formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE)

• A Scheme promoting vision of Prime Minister : ‘Vocal for Local with Global outreach’ will be launched to help 2 lakh MFEs who need technical upgradation to attain FSSAI food standards, build brands and marketing. 
• Existing micro food enterprises, Farmer Producer Organisations, Self Help Groups and Cooperatives to be supported. 
• The focus will be on women and SC/ST owned units and those in Aspirational districts and a Cluster based approach (e.g. Mango in UP, Tomato in Karnataka, Chilli in Andhra Pradesh, Orange in Maharashtra etc.) will be followed.

Provision for fisherman through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

• The Government will launch the PMMSY for integrated, sustainable, inclusive development of marine and inland fisheries. 
• Under this Rs 11,000 crore for activities in Marine, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture and Rs. 9000 crore for Infrastructure - Fishing Harbours, Cold chain, Markets etc shall be provided. 
• Cage Culture, Seaweed farming, Ornamental Fisheries as well as New Fishing Vessels, Traceability, Laboratory Network etc. will be key activities. 
• The focus will be on Islands, Himalayan States, North-east and Aspirational Districts.

National Animal Disease Control Programme

• National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis launched with total outlay of Rs. 13,343 crore to ensure 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population (
• Out of total 53 crore animals for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and for brucellosis. Till date, 1.5 crore cows & buffaloes tagged and vaccinated.

Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund

• Under this Rs. 15,000 crore will be set up, with an aim to support private investment in Dairy Processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure. Incentives will be given for establishing plants for export of niche products.

Promotion of Herbal Cultivation

• Under this the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) has supported 2.25 lakh hectare area under cultivation of medicinal plants. 
• 10,00,000 hectare will be covered under Herbal cultivation in next two years with outlay of Rs. 4,000 crore. 
• This will lead to Rs. 5,000 crore income generation for farmers. There will be network of regional Mandis for Medicinal Plants. 
• NMPB will bring 800-hectare area by developing a corridor of medicinal plants along the banks of Ganga.

Beekeeping initiatives –
With an outlay of Rs 500 crore, Government will implement a scheme for:

• Infrastructure development related to Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres, Collection, Marketing and Storage Centres, Post Harvest & value Addition facilities etc; 
• Implementation of standards & Developing traceability system; 
• Capacity building with thrust on women;and 
• Development of quality nucleus stock and bee breeders.

Extension of Operation Greens

• Operation Greens run by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries will be extended from Tomatoes, Onion and Potatoes (TOP) to all fruit and vegetables, with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.
• It will provide 50% subsidy on transportation from surplus to deficit markets, 50% subsidy on storage, including cold storages and will be launched as pilot for the next 6 months and will be extended and expanded.
• This will lead to better price realisation to farmers, reduced wastages and affordability of products for consumers.

Measures for Governance and Administrative Reforms for Agriculture Sector
Amendments to Essential Commodities Act

• To enable better price realisation for farmers in agriculture food stuffs including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato shall be deregulated. 
• Stock limit will be imposed under very exceptional circumstances like national calamities, famine with surge in prices. 
• Further, No such stock limit shall apply to processors or value chain participant, subject to their installed capacity or to any exporter subject to the export demand.

Agriculture Marketing Reforms 
A Central law will be formulated to provide -

• adequate choices to the farmer to sell their produce at remunerative price;
• barrier free Inter-State Trade;
• a framework for e-trading of agriculture produce.

Agriculture Produce Pricing and Quality Assurance

• The Government will finalise a facilitative legal framework to enable farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, large retailers, exporters etc. in a fair and transparent manner. 
• Risk mitigation for farmers, assured returns and quality standardisation shall form integral part of the framework.

Significance 

• These reforms will benefit both farmers and consumers. 
• The reforms will empower farmers, strengthen agri-food processing linkages and enable demand-driven value added agriculture.
• The reforms will contribute towards mitigating post-harvest losses and wastage by giving a fillip to scientific storage facilities.
• The reforms will help the small farmers earn additional income by way of value-added agri-produce through food-processing.
• The reforms are significant given that the agricultural sector provides livelihoods to about half of India’s workforce. 
• Though several agricultural economists and farm activists have welcomed the reform and investment announcements, they have also expressed concerns over the lack of immediate support to help farmers survive the current crisis.

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has approved the use of Coir Geo Textiles for Rural Road Construction.
Key Points

• Coir Geo textiles, a permeable fabric, natural, strong, highly durable, resistant to rots, moulds and moisture, free from any microbial attack, has finally been accepted as a good material for rural road construction.
• Coir Geo textiles will be used for construction of rural roads under the PMGSY-III.
• Coir is a 100% natural fiber, obtained from a renewable source – the coconut husk.
• Coir Geo Textile is naturally resistant to rot, molds and moisture, and free from any microbial attack hence it needs no chemical treatment.
• It has a permeable, natural and strong fabric with high durability.
• It protects the land surface and promotes quick vegetation.
• It is totally biodegradable, and helps in soil stabilisation.
• It can dissipate the energy of flowing water and absorb the excess solar radiation.

Significance

• The decision opens up a huge market potential for Coir Geo-textiles in the Country and will be a boon to the Covid-19 hit Coir Industry.
• Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
• As per the PMGSY new technology guidelines for road construction, 15% length in each batch of proposals, is to be constructed using new technologies.
• Out of this 5% roads are to be constructed using Indian Road Congress(IRC) accredited technology. The IRC has now accredited coir Geo textiles for construction of rural roads.
• As per these instructions, 5% length of the rural roads under PMGSY-III will be constructed using Coir Geo textiles.
• Accordingly 164 Kms of road will be constructed using coir geo textiles in Andhra Pradesh, 151 kms in Gujarat, 71 kms in Kerala , 328 kms in Maharashtra,470 kms in Odisha, 369 kms TN and 121 kms in Telengana.
• Thus 1674 km road will be constructed using Coir Geo textiles in 07 states for which there will be a requirement of One Crore Sq. mtrs of coir Geo-textiles, estimated cost of which would come to Rs.70 Crore.

About Geo Textiles

• These are synthetic including polyester and polypropylene or man-made materials that have varying degrees of permeability.
• Permeability means their surfaces have very small openings that allow liquid or gases to pass through.
• It has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect and drain when used in association with soils.
• It drains areas where water pools while keeping soil in place.
• It serves as effective filters, catching some materials to prevent drains from clogging.
• It reinforces earthen structures like drains by holding layers in place.
• It protects against erosion in places like roads and beaches.
• These functions make Geo Textile fabrics useful in many industries, especially construction and civil engineering.

About Indian Road Congress

• It is the apex body of Highway Engineers in the country.
• It was set up in December, 1934 on the recommendations of the Indian Road Development Committee also known as Jayakar Committee (under the Chairmanship of Shri M.R. Jayakar) with the objective of road development in India.
• It works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• It is committed to utilise global best practices and promote the use of cutting edge technologies for construction for the maintenance of roads, bridges and road transportation.
• It promotes environmental strategy for promotion of cleaner, less energy intensive and less polluting construction techniques and use of recycled wastes.

Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to enable additional funding of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs.
Key Points

• It has been formulated as a specific response to the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19 and the consequent lockdown, which has severely impacted manufacturing and other activities in the MSME sector.  
• The Scheme aims at mitigating the economic distress being faced by MSMEs by providing them additional funding of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore in the form of a fully guaranteed emergency credit line.  

Its Objective

• The main objective of the Scheme is to provide an incentive to Member Lending Institutions (MLIs), i.e., Banks, Financial Institutions (FIs) and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) to increase access to, and enable availability of additional funding facility to MSME borrowers, in view of the economic distress caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
• This is planned to be done by providing them 100 % guarantee for any losses suffered by them due to non-repayment of the Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) funding by borrowers.

Salient features of the Scheme

• Under this all MSME borrower accounts with outstanding credit of up to Rs. 25 crore as on 29.2.2020 which were less than or equal to 60 days past due as on that date, i.e., regular, SMA 0 and SMA 1 accounts, and with an annual turnover of up to Rs. 100 crore would be eligible for GECL funding under the Scheme. 
• The amount of GECL funding to eligible MSME borrowers either in the form of additional working capital term loans (in case of banks and FIs), or additional term loans (in case of NBFCs) would be up to 20% of their entire outstanding credit up to Rs. 25 crore as on 29th February, 2020. 
• The entire funding provided under GECL shall be provided with a 100% credit guarantee by NCGTC to MLIs under ECLGS. 
• Tenor of loan under Scheme shall be four years with moratorium period of one year on the principal amount. 
• No Guarantee Fee shall be charged by NCGTC from the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the Scheme. 
• Interest rates under the Scheme shall be capped at 9.25% for banks and FIs, and at 14% for NBFCs. 

Implementation schedule

• The Scheme would be applicable to all loans sanctioned under GECL during the period from the date of announcement of the Scheme to 31.10.2020, or till an amount of Rs three lakh crore is sanctioned under the GECL, whichever is earlier. 

Benefits of the scheme

• The scheme aims to mitigate the distress caused by COVID-19 and the consequent lockdown, which has severely impacted manufacturing and other activities in the MSME sector.
• The scheme is expected to provide credit to the sector at a low cost, thereby enabling MSMEs to meet their operational liabilities and restart their businesses.
• By supporting MSMEs to continue functioning during the current unprecedented situation, the Scheme is also expected to have a positive impact on the economy and support its revival.

Context: Recently, the Government of India is getting $1 billion loan from the World Bank to support its COVID-19 relief measures and financial assistance for the poorest and most vulnerable communities. Earlier, $ 1 billion support was announced in April to support India’s health sector.
Key Points

• The money will be used for reforms in social security net, making it more integrated, portable and focussed on the urban poor.
• The new support will be funded in two phases. An allocation of $750 million — more than Rs 5,600 crore —will be made immediately to help fund the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, which the Centre announced in March to scale up cash transfers and free food grain distribution to vulnerable communities, pensioners and poor workers, and provide insurance support to health workers.
• The second phase will provide $250 million almost Rs 1,900 crore post July, which will fund additional cash and in-kind benefits based on local needs through the State governments and portable social protection delivery systems.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has also put the spotlight on some of the gaps in the existing social protection systems.
• This programme will support the Government of India’s efforts towards a more consolidated delivery platform – accessible to both rural and urban populations across state boundaries.

Implications of this move

• Unprecedented introduction of social distancing and lock downs due to Covid-19, to slow down the spread of the virus, have impacted economies and jobs especially in the informal sector.
• Over 90% of India’s workforce is employed in the informal sector, without access to significant savings or workplace based social protection benefits such as paid sick leave or social insurance.
• Over 9 million migrants, who cross state borders to work each year, are also at greater risk as social assistance programmes in India largely provide benefits to residents .
• In an urbanising India, cities and towns need targeted support as its social protection programmes are focused on rural populations.
• Social protection is critical when half of India’s population earns less than $3 a day and are close to the poverty line.

The programme will create a system that will strengthen the delivery of India’s safety nets program. It will:

• Help India move from 460 plus fragmented social protection schemes to an integrated system that is fast and more flexible, acknowledging the diversity of needs across states;
• Enable geographic portability of social protection benefits that can be accessed from anywhere in the country, ensuring food, social insurance and cash-support for all, including for migrants and the urban poor; and
• Move India’s social protection system from a predominantly rural focus to a pan national one that recognizes the needs of the urban poor.

Context: Recently, the International Day for Biological Diversity is observed on 22nd May every year to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
Key Points

• The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) on 22 May 2020 is "Our solutions are in nature". 
• Given the importance of awareness for the implementation of the Convention, the General Assembly proclaimed 22 May, the date of the adoption of its text, as the International Day for Biological Diversity by its resolution in 2000. 

The year 2020 is a reflection, opportunity and solutions for biodiversity issues. The year will witness:

• The final period for the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan on Biodiversity and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
• The end of the 2011-2020 United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, and start of other new pivotal biodiversity related decades for the period 2021-2030: the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
• The UN Biodiversity Summit (15th Conference of the Parties: COP-15) which will highlight the urgency of actions in support of a post-2020 global biodiversity framework that contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and places the global community on a path towards realizing the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.
• Sustainable Goal 15 aims to “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”.

About Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)?

• It  is the international legal instrument for "the conservation of biological diversity" that has been ratified by 196 nations. 
• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993.  

It has 3 main objectives: 

• The conservation of biological diversity 
• The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity 
• The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources 

What are Aichi Targets? 
The ‘Aichi Targets’ were adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at its Nagoya conference. It is a short term plan provides a set of 20ambitious yet achievable targets, collectively known as the Aichi Targets. They can be divided into: 

• Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society. 
• Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use. 
• Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity. 
• Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services. 
• Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building. 

Context: Recently, a rare palm, Pinanga andamanensis, has been successfully cultivated at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) based at Palode, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala).
Key Facts about Pinanga andamanensis

• Endemic tree: Pinanga andamanensis, a palm tree endemic to Andaman Island – found was recently make grown in Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode, Kerala.
• Endemic to Andaman: The entire population of some 600 specimens naturally occurs only in Mount Harriet National Park, South Andaman Island.
• IUCN status: Critically Endangered – as it is vulnerable to natural calamities like cyclones, earthquakes, etc.
• Meaning: The name is derived from ‘Penang’, the modern-day Malaysian state. Penang itself has its origins in ‘Pulau Pinang’, which means ‘Island of the Areca Nut Palm’. 
• How it processed? It was grown on the Indian mainland, through ‘germplasm’ – a technique from which a new plants can be grown from a living tissue.
• The tissues can be from a seed or another plant part – a leaf, a piece of stem, pollen or even just a few cells that can be turned into a whole plant.
• Previous attempt: Previously, in JNTBGRI, five or six specimens were introduced at the Field Gene Bank at Palode in 1994 but it was thwarted by wild elephants which ate them in 2012.
• Significance: This is great step towards the conservation of the species in the era of climate change and it can be extended to other species also – by collecting their tissues and can develop through germplasm.

About Mount Harriet National Park

• It is located in the south of the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
• Mount Harriet National Park was originally a reserve forest which was converted into a national park in 1979.
• The park, established in 1969, covers about 4.62 km2.
• Mount Harriet (383 metres), which is part of the park, is the third-highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago next to Saddle Peak (732 metre) in North Andaman and Mount Thullier (568 metres) in Great Nicobar.
• The park is covered with evergreen forest pockets.
• The tribal community living in the tropical forest of the park are the Negrito people who are hunter-gatherers.
• It is rich in flora and faunal species like andaman wild pigs, saltwater crocodiles, butterflies and palm trees.

Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change interacted with Chief Ministers of six states through a video conference to discuss issues relating to notification of Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) pertaining to Western Ghats.
Key Points

• To protect the bio diversity of Western Ghats while allowing for sustainable development of the region, Government of India had constituted a High Level Working Group under the Chairmanship of Dr. Kasturirangan. 
• The Committee had recommended that identified geographical areas falling in the six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Areas. 
• A draft notification was issued in October 2018 mentioning the areas to be notified in the ESA. 
• The states expressed their desire to expedite early notification while protecting interest of ecology and environment. 

About Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA)

• They are those areas which are located within 10 kms around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. 
• These are notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under Environment Protection Act 1986.
• The basic aim is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.

How did Ecologically Sensitive Areas come up?

• The government had constituted a High Level Working Group under the Chairmanship of Dr. Kasturirangan in order to conserve and protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats while allowing for sustainable and inclusive development of the region.
• As per of the recommendations by the Committee, few identified geographical areas falling in the six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are to be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
• The Committee recommended to bring just 37% of the Western Ghats under the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones — down from the 64% suggested by the Gadgil Committee report.

About the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel or “Gadgil Committee”

• The Gadgil Committee headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil also known as the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) was set up by the government in 2011.
• The committee recommended that all of the Western Ghats be declared as the Ecological Sensitive Areas (ESA) with only limited development allowed in graded zones.
• The panel had classified the Western Ghats into Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) 1, 2 and 3 of which ESA-1 is high priority, almost all developmental activities (mining, thermal power plants etc) were restricted in it.
• It specified that the system of governance of the environment should be a bottom to top approach (right from Gram sabhas) rather than a top to bottom approach.
• It also recommended the constitution of a Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA), as a statutory authority under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, with the powers under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The report was criticized for being more environment-friendly and not in tune with the ground realities.

About Kasturirangan Commission

This Kasturirangan Commission under the Chairmanship of Dr. Kasturirangan sought to balance the development and environment protection in contrast to the system proposed by the Gadgil report. The committees major recommendations were:

• Instead of the total area of Western Ghats, only 37% of the total area to be brought under ESA.
• Complete ban on mining, quarrying and sand mining in ESA.
• No thermal power projects to be allowed and hydropower projects be allowed only after detailed study.
• Red industries i.e. which are highly polluting to be strictly banned.
• Exclusion of inhabited regions and plantations from the purview of ESAs making it a pro farmer approach.

Importance of western ghats

• The Western Ghats is an extensive region spanning over six States.
• It is the home of many endangered plants and animals. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• It is one of the eight “hottest hot-spots” of biological diversity in the world.
• According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer.

Eastern Ghats

• The Eastern Ghats run from the northern Odisha through Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka.
• They are eroded and cut through by four major rivers of peninsular India, viz. Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri.

Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs has released the assessment of garbage free cities for 2019-20 and also launched the revised protocol for the Star Rating of Garbage Free Cities.
Background

• The Star Rating Protocol was launched by the Ministry in 2018 to institutionalize a mechanism for cities to achieve Garbage Free status, and to motivate cities to achieve higher degrees of sustainable cleanliness.
• It is one of the various initiatives which intends to make Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) as a successful project.

About the rating

• It is based on 12 parameters which follow a SMART framework – Single metric, Measurable, Achievable, Rigorous verification mechanism and Targeted towards outcomes.
• It is a comprehensive framework that assesses cities across 24 different components of Solid Waste Management (SWM) and is graded based on overall marks received.

Procedure

• The Star Rating is supported by self-assessment and self-verification for achieving a certain star rating.
• It also ensures the involvement of citizen groups for a transparent system of self-declaration.
• Further, the self-declaration is further verified through an independent third party agency appointed by MoHUA.
• The revised protocol will consider ward-wise geo-mapping, monitoring of SWM value chain through ICT interventions like Swachh Nagar App and zone-wise rating in cities with population of 50 lakh+.
• The protocol has been devised in a holistic manner including components such as cleanliness of drains & water bodies, plastic waste management, managing construction & demolition waste, etc. which are critical drivers for achieving garbage free cities.

Key Findings

• A total of six cities have been certified as 5-Star, 65 cities as 3-Star and 70 cities as 1-Star.
• The 5-Star cities include Ambikapur (Chattisgarh), Surat and Rajkot (Gujarat), Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra).

Significance

• The performance of cities under the Star Rating Protocol is crucial as it carries significant weightage for their final assessment in Swachh Survekshan. (Swachh Survekshan is the annual urban cleanliness survey conducted by the government.)
• It also ensures certain minimum standards of sanitation through a set of prerequisites defined in the framework.
• Since the rating is conducted at a city level, it makes the process easier to implement and helps the cities incrementally improve their overall cleanliness.
• The rating protocol is an outcome-based tool that helps MoHUA and other stakeholders to evaluate cities on the basis of this single rating.

About Swachh Sarvekshan Abhiyaan

• Swachh Survekshan, conducted by MoHUA since 2016, is the world’s largest urban sanitation and cleanliness survey.
• It has been instrumental in fostering a spirit of healthy competition among towns and cities to improve their service delivery to citizens and towards creating cleaner cities and bring behaviour change in the citizen towards cleaning.
• The primary goal of Swachh Survekshans is to encourage large scale citizen participation and create awareness amongst all sections of society about the importance of working together towards making towns and cities better places to reside in.
• Conducted under the ambit of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), the annual survey has managed to mobilise people, resources and authorities in an effort to prove that their city, of all cities in India, is the cleanest and that sustainable practices, both by citizens and ULBs, are being encouraged and promulgated.

Context: Recently, a webinar had been organised by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) on the theme “Sweet Revolution and Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Key Points

• The webinar was conducted by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) on the theme “Sweet Revolution and Atma Nirbhar Bharat” in partnership with the National Bee Board, the Government of West Bengal, the Government of Uttarakhand and the Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, Kashmir.
• The objective of the webinar was to popularize scientific beekeeping as source of livelihood for landless rural poor, small and marginal famers to supplement agricultural income, as also as tool to enhance agriculture and horticulture production.
• It attracted participation of beekeepers, honey processors, marketing and branding professionals, research scholars, academicians, cooperators from major honey producing states, representatives of State and Union Governments, international organizations such as FAO and NEDAC, Bangkok.
• Even Government has allocated Rs. 500 crore towards Beekeeping under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• India is among the world’s top five honey producers.
• Compared to 2005-06 honey production has risen by 242% and exports shot by 265%.
• The National Bee Board has created four modules to impart training as part of the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) and 30 lakh farmers have been trained in beekeeping.

About National Bee Board

• The National Bee Board was registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in 2000 by Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC).
• Its main objective is the overall development of Beekeeping by promoting Scientific Beekeeping in India to increase the productivity of crops through pollination and increase the Honey production for increasing the income of the Beekeepers/ Farmers.

About National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

• It is a Central Sector Scheme which will be implemented through National Bee Board.
• It is launched for overall promotion & development of scientific beekeeping and production of quality honey & other beehive products is approved by the Govt. of India.

The main objectives of NBHM are as follows

• Promoting holistic growth of beekeeping industry for income & employment generation, providing livelihood support to farm and non-farm households and to enhance agriculture/ horticulture production.
• Developing additional infrastructural facilities for developing quality nucleus stock of honeybees, multiplication of stock by bee breeders, setting up of disease diagnostic labs, beekeeping equipment manufacturing units, etc.
• To promote, develop and disseminate latest and State of the Art Technologies and skill development in beekeeping industry for production of honey & other high value beehive products.
• Empowerment of Women through Beekeeping.
• To maximise, economic, ecological and social benefits by diversification through beekeeping by production of higher quantity and good quality honey and other high value beehive products.

Context: The supercyclone ‘Amphan’ is likely to make landfall between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh.
Key Points

• Meteorologists and atmospheric science experts state that higher than normal temperatures in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) may be whetting super cyclones and the lockdown, indirectly, may have played a role.
• Another researcher said the elevated ocean temperatures this year could, in part, be explained by the lockdown. Reduced particulate matter emissions during the lockdown meant fewer aerosols, such as black carbon, that are known to reflect sunlight and heat away from the surface.
• Cyclones gain their energy from the heat and moisture generated from warm ocean surfaces.
• This year, the BoB has posted record summer temperatures, a fall-out, as researchers have warned, of global warming from fossil fuel emissions that have been heating up oceans.
• It is said that warming around India is no longer restricted to just the BoB but also the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
• Tropical cyclones in these seas are a typical feature of the summer months and play a role in aiding the arrival of the monsoon.

Factors responsible for the intensification of cyclones in BoB

• Higher than normal temperatures in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) may be whetting ‘super cyclones’ and the lockdown, indirectly, may have played a role.
• Cyclones gain their energy from the heat and moisture generated from warm ocean surfaces. This year, the BoB has posted record summer temperatures a fall-out, as researchers have warned, of global warming from fossil fuel emissions that has been heating up oceans.
• Lockdown impact: Reduced particulate matter emissions during the lockdown meant fewer aerosols, such as black carbon, that are known to reflect sunlight and heat away from the surface.

General factors responsible for the origin of Cyclones in Bay of Bengal region are:

• Large sea surface with temperature higher than 27° C.
• Presence of the Coriolis force enough to create a cyclonic vortex.
• Small variations in the vertical wind speed.
• A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation.
• Upper divergence above the sea level system.

Arabian Sea is comparatively less prone to cyclonic storms than Bay of Bengal

• Temperature: BOB is hotter than Arabian sea. Hot water temperature is the basic criteria for the development & intensification of cyclones.
• Salinity: Arabian sea has higher salinity than BOB. It’s easier to heat & simultaneously evaporate water having lower salinity.
• Location: The typhoons originating in the Pacific Ocean too influences the cyclones in BOB, not the case in Arabian Sea.
• Movement: According to IMD cyclones originating in Arabian Sea are believed to move northwest. So they actually move away from Indian mainland.
• The Bay receives higher rainfall and constant inflow of fresh water from the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. This means that the Bay’s surface water keeps getting refreshed, making it impossible for the warm water to mix with the cooler water below, making it ideal for a depression.

Why the East Coast?

• More cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea due to wind patterns (that keep oceans cooler on the western side).
• Even among those formed along the western coast, many move towards Oman instead of hitting Indian shores.
• Storms formed on the eastern coast, however, are more intense and since states on that side have relatively flatter topography compared to the western coast, they can’t deflect the winds.

About Cyclones

• They are the formation of a very low-pressure system with very high-speed winds revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.
• Before cloud formation, water takes up heat from the atmosphere to change into vapour. When water vapour changes back to liquid form as raindrops, this heat is released to the atmosphere.
• The heat released to the atmosphere warms the air around. The air tends to rise and causes a drop in pressure. More air rushes to the centre of the storm. This cycle is repeated.
• Hurricanes derive their energy from heated seawater which can be prevented by presence of upper-level-winds that disrupt the storm circulation forcing it to lose its strength.

Context: The cyclone ‘Amphan’, which is currently moving over Southeast Bay of Bengal, is likely to turn into a very severe storm and make a landfall on West Bengal coast on May 20.
Key Points

• At the national level, Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) are the key committees involved in the top-level decision-making related to Disaster Management.

Key Points

• Cyclone Amphan (pronounced as UM-PUN) is a tropical cyclone formed over Bay of Bengal that has intensified and likely to turn into a “super cyclonic storm (maximum wind speed is 120 knots)”.
• According to the India Meteorological Department forecast, it will make landfall as a very severe cyclone between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh.
• The severe cyclonic storm ‘AMPHAN’ over southeast Bay of Bengal is very likely to move nearly northwards slowly during the next 24 hours and then re-curve north-north-eastwards.
• Odisha is bracing for heavy rain under the influence of the severe cyclonic storm Amphan, which is set to skirt away from the State’s northern coast to make landfall between West Bengal and Bangladesh.
• The IMD has issued an ‘orange alert’ expecting heavy to very heavy rainfall in coastal districts.
• It has been named by Thailand.
• Affected Regions:West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh.
• Amphan is the second pre-monsoon cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal in two years. The first one was Cyclone Fani.
• The pre-monsoon period is generally considered to be unsupportive for the formation of tropical cyclones.

About Tropical Cyclones

• It is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain or squalls.
• It is known by different name across the World like they are called 'Hurricanes' in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, 'Typhoons' in South-East Asia and China and ‘Tropical Cyclones’ in the South West Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.
  Because of the Coriolis effect, these storms rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
• In the south Pacific or Indian Ocean, comparable storms are referred to simply as “tropical cyclones” or “severe cyclonic storms”.
• “Tropical” refers to the geographical origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively over tropical seas.
• Tropical cyclones are typically between 100 and 2,000 km (62 and 1,243 mi) in diameter.
• Coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to the impact of a tropical cyclone, compared to inland regions.

Context: Recently, scientists from ESA found an explanation for why the magnetic pole of the Earth performs a rapid motion toward Russia. This phenomenon for several years has haunted professionals from around the world.
Background 

• Earth's magnetic north was located for the first time back in 1831, it was squarely in Canada's corner of the Arctic, on the Boothia Peninsula in the territory of Nunavut.
• Ever since, fresh sets of measurements have recorded this spot drift north by an average of around 15 kilometres (about 9 miles) every year.
• Advanced technology means we can now keep a careful watch on the pole's location with unprecedented accuracy. Prior to the 1970s, the north magnetic pole's position was like a drunken stagger. Since then, it's had a mission, marching in a straight line, building speed.

Key Points

• According to researchers, the observed movement of the North magnetic pole is closer to the Russian Federation can be connected with the stretching of the magnetic field that lies deep beneath the surface of the Blue planet. 
• Experts indicate that the shifts taking place in the flow of the molten material inside the Earth, made adjustments to the nature and effect of the mentioned areas of negative magnetic flux. Visually it can be compared to a tug-of-war. 
• According to the model, over the next few decades, the pole will continue to drift towards Siberia. Moreover, it is unclear whether he will return later to Canada, or movement will occur to the South. 
• Since the 1990s, its movement has quadrupled in speed, to a current rate of between 50 and 60 kilometres a year. In late 2017, the pole's sprint brought it within 390 kilometres (240 miles) of the geographical North Pole. 
• On its current trajectory, we can expect it to be anywhere between 390 and 660 kilometres (240 and 410 miles) further along its journey in ten years, bringing it within a whisker of the northern limits of the East Siberian Sea. 
• The rapid displacement is a concern for navigation systems that rely on pinpoint calculations of the pole's location, forcing the US National Geophysical Data Centre to fast track its usual updates to the World Magnetic Model last year. 
• The pole's heading lines up neatly with two anomalies called negative magnetic fluxes, one deep beneath Canada, and the other below Siberia.
• These large lobes of magnetism grow and shrink with time, having a profound effect on the magnetic field we perceive on the surface.

Context: Recently, some conservationists and former members of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) have sought rejection of approval for the Etalin Hydroelectric Project in the Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh.
About Dibang Multipurpose Project

• It is a concrete gravity dam which will be established in Arunachal Pradesh's lower Dibang Valley.
• The Dibang Valley is home to Idu Mishmi tribe and it shares its boundary with Tibet and China.
• The foundation stone for the project was laid down in 2008 in Itanagar by the then Prime Ministry of India Shri Manmohan Singh.
• The government would be able to harvest 2,880 megawatts from the project that would dam River Dibang along with a small river named Ashu Pani.
• The project is termed ‘multi-purpose’ also because it would be a storage-based hydro-electric venture, envisaged to be key in controlling floods caused by the overflow of monsoon waters of the Brahmaputra in Assam.
• If constructed, it will be India's largest dam and the world's tallest concrete gravity dam, standing 288 metres (945 ft) tall.

About  Etalin Hydroelectric Project

• The Project is based on the river Dibang and is proposed to be completed in 7 years.
• Dibang is a tributary of the Brahmaputra river which flows through the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• It envisages construction of two dams over the tributaries of Dibang: Dir and Tangon.
• The Project falls under the richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone and would be located at the junction of major biogeographic zones like Palaearctic Zone and Indo-Malayan Zone.
• It is expected to be one of the biggest hydropower projects in India in terms of installed capacity.

About Dibang River

• It is also known as 'Sikang' by the Adi tribe and 'Talon' by the Idu.
• It is one of the principal rivers that flows by the Mishmi hills of Arunachal.
• By merging the waters of Dibang and Lohit, the Brahmaputra enters Assam and thereafter flows into Bangladesh before joining the Bay of Bengal.
• It originates near Keya pass on the Indo-Chinese border in the Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Sisar, Mathun, Tangon, Dri, Ithun and Emra are the major tributaries of the Dibang.
• The Dibang is also joined by a number of tributaries such as the Airi, Ilu, Imu, Ahi, Ashu, Epipani and Eze (Deopani) rivers during its course.

Context: Recently, the Government of India, the Government of West Bengal and the World Bank here today signed a loan agreement for a $145 million project to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) in West Bengal.
Key Points

• The project includes the improvement in irrigation and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA).
• The West Bengal Major Irrigation and Flood Management Project will benefit about 2.7 million farmers from five districts of West Bengal across 393,964 ha area with better irrigation services and improved protection against annual flooding to mitigate the impact of climate change.
• The total value of the project is $413.8 million, co-financed between the AIIB ($145 million), IBRD ($145 million) and the Government of West Bengal ($123.8 million).
• The $145 million loan from the AIIB has a 6-year grace period, and a maturity of 24 years.

The project comprises four components:

• Irrigation Management: It will improve the management of the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) irrigation scheme to improve service delivery, performance monitoring and irrigation efficiency evaluation.
• Modernization of Irrigation Infrastructure: It will invest in the modernization of irrigation infrastructure at main, branch, distributary and minor canal levels.
• Flood Management: It will invest in structural measures to reduce flooding in the project area. It will also include the implementation of the recommendations of the Dam Safety.
• Project Management: It will strengthen the implementation agency’s capacity for project management, including financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and environmental and social safeguards management and communication. It will also support a communication campaign to inform stakeholders on the importance of water use efficiency.

About Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)

• It is an Indian governmental organization which operates in the Damodar River area of West Bengal and Jharkhand states of India.
• The corporation operates both thermal power stations and hydel power stations under the Ministry of Power, Govt of India.
• DVC is headquartered in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
• The DVCA is over 60 years old, and in need of modernization. 

Key challenges include:

• Degradation of infrastructure and inadequate irrigation management including poor quality of service delivery.

Inefficient irrigation

• Failure to serve the middle and tail parts of the canal network with surface water.
• Tail end farmers are compelled to extract groundwater, which increases the costs of cultivation and undermines the sustainability of the scheme.
• Between 2005 and 2017, the number of semi-critical blocks increased from five to 19 (out of a total of 41 blocks).
• The Lower Damodar basin area is historically flood-prone. On average, 33,500 hectares of the cropped area and 461,000 people are affected annually.
• This downstream part of the project area lacks the infrastructure to protect against recurrent flooding.
• The project will invest in measures to reduce flooding, including strengthening of embankments and desilting.

Under this project, four dams were constructed namely,

• Tilaiya Dam: It has been constructed across the Barakar river at Tilaiya in Koderma district of Jharkhand.
• Konar Dam: The Konar dam has been constructed across the Konar river—a tributary of the Damodar River in the Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand.
• Maithon Dam: It has been constructed across the Barakar river near the confluence of Barakar with Damodar river.
• Panchet Dam: The Panchet dam has been constructed across the Damodar river, about 20 km south of the Maithon Dam.

About Damodar River

• It rises in the Palamau hills of Chhota Nagpur at an elevation of about 609.75 meter.
• It flows in a south-easterly direction entering the deltaic plains below Raniganj.
• Near Burdwan, the river abruptly changes its course to a southerly direction and joins Hooghly about 48.27 km below Calcutta.
• The principal tributary Barkar joins the Damodar after traveling for about 241 km.
• The catchment area of the river above the confluence is fan shaped and as such is susceptible to the concentration of flood flows but the catchment below the confluence is narrow and has an average width of 16.09 km.
• The upper catchment is rough hilly areas denuded of forest and vegetal cover and is subject to erosion while the lower catchment is silt covered and fertile.
• The lower portion had irrigation from the Anderson Weir situated at Rhondia on the Damodar below the Durgapur Barrage.
• The tributaries and subtributaries of the Damodar include the Konar, Barakar,Haharo, Bokaro, Ghari, Jamunia, Khadia, Guaia and Bhera.

Context: The sun is said to have gone into a state called the 'solar minimum' and is about to enter the deepest period of 'sunshine recession' as sunspots are virtually not visibly at all. 
Key Points

• The sun is said to have gone into a state called the ‘solar minimum’ and is about to enter the deepest period of ‘sunshine recession’ as sunspots are virtually not visibly at all.
• Some reports suggest that it has been almost 100 days this year when the sun has shown zero sunspots.
• Solar Minimum is underway and it’s a deep one. The sun’s magnetic field has become weak, allowing extra cosmic rays into the solar system.
• The sun is currently in a period of “solar minimum,” meaning activity on its surface has fallen dramatically.
• It is like our sun has gone into lockdown, which could cause freezing weather, earthquakes and famine.
• Sunspot counts suggest it is one of the deepest of the past century. The sun’s magnetic field has become weak, allowing extra cosmic rays into the solar system.
• Excess cosmic rays pose a health hazard to astronauts and polar air travelers, affect the electro-chemistry of Earth’s upper atmosphere and may help trigger lightning.

What is solar minimum and why is it happening now? 

• Sun has a cycle that lasts on average 11 years, and right now we are at the peak of that cycle. 
• Every 11 years or so, sunspots fade away, bringing a period of relative calm. This is called the solar minimum. And it’s a regular part of the sunspot cycle. 
• While intense activity such as sunspots and solar flares subside during solar minimum, that doesn’t mean the sun becomes dull. Solar activity simply changes form. For instance, during solar minimum we can see the development of long-lived coronal holes. 

Deepest period of ““sunshine recession” and adverse effects

• Excess cosmic rays pose a health hazard to astronauts and polar air travelers, affect the electro-chemistry of Earth’s upper atmosphere and may help trigger lightning
• NASA scientists fear it could be a repeat of the Dalton Minimum, which happened between 1790 and 1830 — leading to periods of brutal cold, crop loss, famine and powerful volcanic eruptions
• Temperatures plummeted by up to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over 20 years, devastating the world’s food production
• On April 10, 1815, the second-largest volcanic eruption in 2,000 years happened at Mount Tambora in Indonesia, killing at least 71,000 people
• It also led to the so-called Year without a Summer in 1816 — also nicknamed “eighteen hundred and froze to death” — when there was snow in July
• So far this year, the sun has been “blank” with no sunspots 76 percent of the time, a rate surpassed only once before in the Space Age — last year, when it was 77 percent blank
• Dalton brought on a period of lower-than-average global temperatures.
• The Oberlach Station in Germany, for example, experienced a 2C decline over 20 years, which devastated the country’s food production.

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister reviewed the plans being envisaged for implementing “Project Arth Ganga” which implies a sustainable development model with a focus on economic activities related to Ganga.
About Arth-Ganga project

• This project will result in inclusive growth and play a key role in the generation of enormous employment opportunities in the National Waterways stretch.
• Almost half of the Indian population lives around the Ganges River belt in which about 1/5th of all India’s freight originates and 1/3rd terminates in the states around Ganges Belt.
• Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is deploying small floating jetties and ten (10) Ro-Ro vessels for easier and cost-effective transportation of goods/cargo 
• Ministry of Shipping is developing Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) Freight Village and Sahibganj (Jharkhand) Industrial Cluster-cum-Logistics Park with an objective of creating synergy with Inland Waterways at the cost of Rs. 200 crores. 
• National Waterway-1 will act as the main conduit of connection with Nepal in a trilateral manner, which is from Varanasi to Nautanwa (280 km), Kaughat to Raxaul (204 km) and Sahibganj to Biratnagar (233 km).

Significance

• With the call to ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’,  Cargo volume on Ganga will be increased by 4 times with special focus on developing inland waterways.
• The Arth-Ganga project will boost economic development and inclusive growth for farmers, small traders and villagers.
• Farmers should be encouraged to engage in sustainable agriculture practices, including zero budget farming, planting of fruit trees and building plant nurseries on the banks of Ganga.
• Priority would be given to women Self Help Groups and ex-servicemen organizations for these programs.
• Creation of infrastructure for water sports and development of campsites, cycling and walking tracks etc. to tap the ‘hybrid’ tourism potential of the river basin area- for religious purposes as well as adventure tourism.
• The Farmers will get a better return for their produce as the transportation of goods would become easier and cost effective by this. It will improve ‘Ease of Living’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business.’

Initiatives taken so far

• The Arth-Ganga project is a sustainable development model with a focus on economic activities related to River Ganga.
• The Jal Marg Vikas Project aimed to develop river Ganges as a safe mode of navigation and is being implemented with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank.
• ‘Project Arth Ganga’ envisages to re-engineer the JMVP by involving the local community to energise the economic activity along the Ganga river bank.
• The Ministry of Shipping has taken several initiatives in the last few years which has resulted in substantial growth in-terms of increasing Inland Cruises from 3 to 9, Cargo from 30,00,000 MT to 70,00,000 MT, and Vessels in-flow from 300 to 700.
• Development of small jetties have been carried out for the benefit of small communities especially for farmers, traders and general public in the 1400 km stretch of National Waterway-1 from Banaras to Haldia.
• National Waterway- 1 will act as a main conduit of connection with Nepal in a trilateral manner, i.e. from Varanasi to Nautanwa (280km), Kaughatto Raxaul (204km) and Sahibganj to Biratnagar (233km).
• Earlier Nepal was connected by Kolkata and Visakhapatnam Ports for transporting cargo. Now, Inland Waterways, particularly NW-1 will be allowed under the Treaty for Transit of Cargo between Government of India and Government of Nepal.

Context: Recently, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed an online Dashboard – National Migrant Information System (NMIS) to capture the information regarding movement of migrants and facilitate the smooth movement of stranded persons across States amid COVID-19.
About the Portal

• It would maintain a central repository on migrant workers and help in speedy inter-State communication/co-ordination to facilitate their smooth movement to native places.
• It has additional advantages like contact tracing, which may be useful in overall COVID-19 response work.
• Under this key data pertaining to the persons migrating has been standardized for uploading such as name, age, mobile no., originating and destination district, date of travel etc., which States are already collecting.
• After that an unique ID is generated for each migrant, which can be used for all transactions.
• States will be able to visualize how many people are going out from where and how many are reaching destination States.
• In the portal, various dashboards have been created i.e. public dashboard, logistic management, risk index, quarantine alert etc which are being used by states for containment of spread of coronavirus.
• Even Government of India has allowed the movement of migrant workers by buses and ‘Shramik’ special trains to enable them to travel to their native places.

About National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

• It  is an apex Body of Government of India, with a mandate to lay down policies for disaster management.
• NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act enacted by the Government of India on 23 December 2005.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• NDMA is responsible for framing policies, laying down guidelines and best-practices for coordinating with the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) to ensure a holistic and distributed approach to disaster management.
• It is headed by the Prime Minister of India and can have up to nine other members. Since 2014, there have been four other members.
• There is a provision to have a Vice Chair-person if needed.
• It works closely with the National Institute of Disaster Management for capacity building.

Context: Although Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package focuses on reviving economic activities, restoring livelihoods, addressing concerns of hunger and starvation, stimulating small and medium enterprises, and enhancing farm incomes but the health sector has not received much attention.
Challenges associated with our Health care System
Poor state of healthcare facilities:

• The healthcare delivery system in most States is extremely fragile given the poor state of primary healthcare facilities.
• The public provisioning of healthcare has been found to be insufficient, of poor quality and having limited reach.

Poor resource allotment to health sector:

• The public spending on health has been consistently low at around 1.15% of GDP for well over a decade.

Opportunity cost of COVID-19 pandemic:

• It is possible that resources allocated for other health programmes are being diverted to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The opportunity cost of such diversion of funds could be high.
• People’s access to routine maternal and child health as well as family planning services in parts of the country has been negatively impacted. Progress made with respect to various diseases could witness setbacks.

Limitations of private sector:

• India’s private sector in health is sizable.
• The private sector accounts for 93% of all hospitals, 64% of all hospital beds, and 80-85% of all doctors.
• Most private healthcare providers seem to be incapable of and unwilling to help even during a national crisis.
• Rapidly declining revenues and sharply eroding profits are leading to the closure of many private hospitals.
• Only a few private providers have come forward to extend support to the government.

What need to be done?
Strengthening public health:

• The COVID-19 pandemic experience has brought out the critical importance of the public sector in health provisioning.
• There is a need to invest in universal health coverage (UHC) by reversing the financial neglect of public healthcare. Nearly every country in the world that has achieved anything like UHC has done it through the public assurance of primary healthcare.

Increasing investments in health:

• There is a need to urgently and immediately step up investments in health.
• A new ‘health investment plan’ (as part of the stimulus package), at least 1% of the GDP, out of the stimulus package should be earmarked for improving the country’s health infrastructure and strengthening public health service delivery.

Prioritizing primary healthcare:

• Up to 70% of the additional expenditures should be ring-fenced for primary healthcare and further strengthening health and wellness centres, primary health centres and community health centres.
• This would enable the State governments to be better prepared to face a second round of the pandemic.

Context: Recently, Nepal's Cabinet has endorsed a new political map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura under its territory, amidst a border dispute with India. 
Issue

• Amidst the border dispute with India, Nepal’s cabinet has accepted a new political map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura under its territory. 
• The new map shows the northern, southern, eastern and western international borders of Nepal. The politics and administrative systems of the areas adjacent to these borders are also mentioned.

Key Points

• Nepal’s Finance Minister Pradeep Gyawali announced the release of the new map, which was placed in the Council of Ministers meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli, where it was approved.
• The Lipulekh Pass is a remote western place near the disputed border between Nepal and India, Kalapani . Both India and Nepal consider Kalapani as their integral part. India calls it part of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand while Nepal is part of Dharchula district.

Background

• India and Nepal are at a dispute after the Indian side released its new political map on 2 November 2019, which covers Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh areas in Indian territory.
• The tension further increased after Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80km road link connecting Kailash Mansarovar, a holy pilgrimage site situated at Tibet, China, that passes through the territory belonging to Nepal.
• But the Indian government said that it had constructed the road in its own territory.  
• A few days later, the Indian Army chief General M.M. Naravane accused Nepal of acting ‘at the behest of someone else,’ a thinly veiled reference to China. 

Since when and why is there a dispute?

• The Sugauli Treaty of 1816 was signed between Nepal and the British East India Company in 1816 after the Anglo-Nepal War. It depicts the Kali (Mahakali) river as the western border of India and Nepal. On the basis of this, Nepal claims to be under the jurisdiction of Lipulekh and other three regions.
• However, the situation regarding the border between the two countries is unclear. Both countries have their own maps showing the disputed area under their jurisdiction.
• It is to be noted that India and Nepal share 1,800 kilometers (1,118-mile) of open border.

Context: Recently, India and the U.S. plan to work together on vaccine research and testing for COVID-19, U.S. health officials said, listing a number of other ways in which the two countries are working together.
Key Points

• U.S. and Indian scientists have been collaborating on key research questions fostering the development and testing of safe, cost-effective vaccines against a range of infectious diseases that could save innumerable lives in India, the United States, and around the world.
• In the context of the current pandemic, partners under the Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) are planning to collaborate on the development and testing of vaccine candidates and diagnostics for COVID-19.
• The U.S announced a donation of 200 ventilators to India. The ventilators, which will be paid for by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are part of the $5.9 million in funding announced till date for India.
• The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it would separately fund the Government of India $3.6 million to support prevention, preparedness, and response activities in India, in collaboration with and concurrence from the GoI.

About Vaccine Action Programme (VAP)

• The VAP is also known as the Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program (VAP).
• It is a 33-year collaboration between the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Indian Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with other partners.
• The programme was designed to encompass laboratory-based research, evaluation of candidate vaccines, testing for clinical development, vaccine quality control, delivery of vaccines and so on.
• The programme is under implementation since July, 1987 under the Gandhi-Reagan Science & Technology Agreement.

Significance

• Major projects were initiated under VAP in the areas of rotaviral diarrhoea, dengue, viral hepatitis, acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, E. coli, leishmaniasis, pneumococcal, HIV/AIDS, etc.

Context: Recently, the second Addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade was signed between India and Bangladesh.
About Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT)

• Under this India and Bangladesh allows mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways for movement of goods between the two countries by vessels of both countries.
• This Protocol, which was first signed in 1972 and is a reflection of shared history and friendship between the two countries.
• It was last renewed in 2015 for five years with a provision for its automatic renewal for a further period of five years giving long term assurance to various stakeholders.

Major Highlights of the second addendum

• Routes: The number of Indo Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) routes are being increased from 8 to 10 and new locations are also added to the existing routes.
• Inclusion of Sonamura-Daudkandi stretch of Gumti river (93 Km) as IBP route No. 9 & 10 in the Protocol will improve the connectivity of Tripura and adjoining States with Indian and Bangladesh`s economic centres and will help the hinterland of both the countries.
• The operationalization of Rajshahi-Dhulian-Rajshahi Routes and their extension up to Aricha (270 km) will help the augmentation of infrastructure in Bangladesh.
• It would reduce the transportation cost to the northern part of Bangladesh through this route and will decongest the Land Custom Stations on both sides.

Ports of Call

• Five more Ports of Call and two more extended Ports of Call have been added, increasing the number to eleven Ports of Call and two extended Ports of Call in each country.
• Inclusion of Jogighopa in India and Bahadurabad in Bangladesh as new Port of Call will provide connectivity to Meghalaya, Assam and Bhutan.

Movement on shallow draft mechanized vessels

• Both sides have agreed to introduce trade between Chilmari (Bangladesh) and Dhubri (India) through the use of shallow draft mechanized vessels.
• This initiative will allow export of stone chips and other Bhutanese and North East cargo to Bangladesh and easy access for the traders to the hinterland of Bangladesh, enhancing the local economy in Bangladesh and the lower Assam region of India.

New opportunities on cargo movement

• Under this Protocol, Inland vessels of both the countries can ply on the designated protocol route and dock at Ports of Call in each country, notified for loading/unloading of cargo.
• The Indian transit cargo is mainly coal, fly-ash, Over Dimensional Cargo (ODC) for power projects in North East region.
• The other potential cargo for movement is fertilizers, cement, food grains, agricultural products, containerized cargo etc.

Context: Recently, J&K administration has notified the J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate Procedure Rules, 2020 and set a fast-track process in motion to issue the certificates within a stipulated time of 15 days.
Key Points

• Domicile certificates have now been made a basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of J&K following the amendments in the previous Act.
• Under the amended rules, eligible non-locals can also apply for the certificate.
• It amended the rules for issuing domicile certificates in the Union territory.
• The new rules provide a simple time-bound and transparent procedure for issuance of domicile certificates.

About J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020

• It would provide the basis for issuing domicile certificates to those who meet the conditions as stated in the Centre’s gazette notification that introduced the domicile clause through an amendment to the Jammu And Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation And Recruitment) Act, 2010.
• Domicile certificates have now been made a basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of J&K.
• Under the amended rules, eligible non-locals can also apply for the certificate. The new process will allow West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women who married non-locals to apply for jobs.
• It defined domicile as any person who has resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&K or has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in class 10th and 12th examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&K. 
• It also has provisions related to migrants and government officials. 
• These rules provide a simple time-bound and transparent procedure for issuance of domicile certificates. There is a timeline of 15 days for issuance of certificates.
• Domicile certificates have now been made a basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of J&K following the amendments in the previous Act.
• To make the process transparent and time-bound, any officer not able to issue the certificate would be penalised Rs 50,000. The amount would be recovered from his salary.
• All Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside J&K can apply for the certificates.
• Kashmiri migrants living in or outside J&K can get domicile certificates by simply producing their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), ration card copy, voter card or any other valid document.
• Bonafide migrants can apply with the Relief and Rehabilitation department by providing documents like electoral rolls of 1988, proof of registration as a migrant in any State in the country or any other valid document.

Context: Recently, the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania started what is being referred to as a ‘travel bubble’ to help put their economies back on track post-Covid lockdowns.
Key Points

• The three European Union (EU) states, who have launched this measure, have so far remained comparatively unscathed by the virus, recording less than 150 combined Covid-19 deaths as of May 17.
• All three are sparsely populated (Lithuania- 28 lakh, Latvia- 19.2 lakh, Estonia- 13.3 lakh people) and have been fairly successful at managing the outbreak.
• In the Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania travel bubble, residents would be able to travel freely by rail, air and sea without quarantine measures.

About Travel bubble

• Creating a travel bubble involves reconnecting countries or states which have shown a good level of success in containing the Covid-19 pandemic domestically.
• Such a bubble would allow the members of the group to restart trade ties with each other and open travel and tourism.

Process to allow Travel Bubble

• In the Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania travel bubble, residents would be able to travel freely by rail, air, and sea without quarantine measures.
• Those wanting to enter this corridor from countries outside would first have to go into isolation for 14 days.
• To be able to freely travel in the zone, one should not have travelled outside the three countries in the past 14 days, should not be infected with coronavirus, and should not have come in contact with anyone who has been coronavirus infected.

Its Potential across the Globe

• Potential travel bubbles among better-performing countries around the world would account for around 35 per cent of the global GDP. 
• Such arrangements are especially being favoured by smaller countries, who are likely to benefit after being able to trade again with larger partners.

Other Countries to Start

• Australia and New Zealand reached an agreement to form a travel bubble, once it becomes safe to operate flights between them. Once it opens, the trans-Tasman zone (around Tasman Sea) will allow travel without a quarantine period.
• China and South Korea have launched a fast track channel for business travellers.
• In the USA, travel bubbles are being suggested to group states who are doing well against the pandemic.

About Trans-Tasman Zone

• Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an arrangement between Australia and New Zealand which allows for the free movement of citizens of one of these countries to the other. 
• The arrangement came into effect in 1973 and allows citizens of each country to reside and work in the other country, with some restrictions.

Difference between Baltic countries and Balkan countries?
Baltic Countries: The geographic term used for three sovereign states: Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Region gets its name because the region is surrounding the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is a unique territory inhabited by non-Slavic natives as well as ethnic Slavs. Mainly Slavic people. Peoples speak languages belonging to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European linguistic family and are commonly known as Balts. Animals that inhabit the region are elk, boar, roe deer, wolves, hares, and badgers. The region produced the world's earliest known gold treasure and had sophisticated beliefs about afterlife. Climate of Baltic region is very cold in winter. It is found in Northern Europe.
Balkan Countries: The geographic term used for ten sovereign states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains. It is a unique territory inhabited by South Slavs who form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Montenegro. Mainly Nordic people. Region has a very diverse ethno-linguistic region. The Bulgarians, Macedonians, and Slovenes speak their own Slavic languages, while the Slavs of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro all speak dialects of Serbo-Croatian. Region provides habitats for numerous endemic species, including extraordinarily abundant insects and reptiles that serve as food for a variety of birds of prey and rare vultures. Region in Europe was the first to experience the arrival of farming cultures in the Neolithic era. Climate of Balkan region is hot in summer. It is found in Southern Europe.

Context: Recently, India has been elected to the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Executive Board. It will also be holding a Chairmanship of the Executive Board for the next one year (from May 2020- May 2021)
Key Points

• The proposal to appoint India’s nominee to the executive board was signed by the 194-nation at the 73rd World Health Assembly between 18-19 May, 2020.
• In 2019, WHO’s South-East Asia group had unanimously decided that India would be elected to the executive board for a three-year-term beginning from May, 2020.
• Currently, the chairmanship of the WHO Executive Board is being held by Japan.
• WHO Member States are grouped into 6 WHO regions namely, African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Western Pacific Region.
• India has been elected along with 10 other countries including Botswana, Colombia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Oman, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

Abut WHO Executive Board

• Composition: The Executive Board is composed of 34 individuals technically qualified in the field of health, each one designated by a member state elected to do so by the World Health Assembly.
• Member States are elected for three-year terms.
• Chairman: The chairman’s post is held by rotation for one year among regional groups.
• It is not a full time assignment and the chairman is just required to chair the Executive Board’s meetings.
• Meeting: The Board meets at least twice a year.
• Functions: The main functions of the Executive Board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly, to advise it and generally to facilitate its work.

About World Health Assembly 

• It is the decision-making body of WHO.
• It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
• The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland (sometimes in special sessions).

The main functions of the World Health Assembly are:

• To determine the policies of the Organization
• Appoint the Director-General
• Supervise financial policies
• Review and approve the proposed programme budget.
• Reporting to the Economic and Social Council in accordance with any agreement between the Organization and the United Nations.

Context: Recently, the President of the USA made an announcement to host the 46th G7 summit in-person instead of remotely by videoconference. Originally, the annual G7 summit was scheduled to be held on June 10 to June 12, 2020 in Camp David, United States.
About Group of Seven (G-7)

• Group of Seven (G-7) is a bloc of industrialized democracies i.e. France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, and Canada.
• It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975.
• The bloc meets annually to discuss issues of common interest like global economic governance, international security and energy policy.
• The G7 was known as the ‘G8’ for several years after the original seven were joined by Russia in 1997.
• The Group returned to being called G7 after Russia was expelled as a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.
• The world’s biggest population and second-biggest economy, China has relatively low levels of wealth per head of population. Thus it is not considered as an advanced economy like other G7 members. Hence China is not a member of G7.

About G-7 Summits

• Summits are held annually and hosted on a rotation basis by the group’s members.
• The host country not only holds the G7 presidency but also sets the agenda for the year.
• The groundwork for the Summit, including matters to be discussed and follow-up meetings, is done by the sherpas, who are generally personal representatives or members of diplomatic staff such as ambassadors.
• The leaders of important international organizations like European Union, IMF, World Bank and the United Nations are also invited.

Challenges and Concerns

• Internally the G7 has a number of disagreements, e.g. clash of the USA with other members over taxes on imports and action on climate change.
• The organisation has also been criticised for not reflecting the current state of global politics or economics.
• There are no G7 members from Africa, Latin America or the southern hemisphere.
• It is also facing a challenge from fast-growing emerging economies, like India and Brazil are not members of the G7.

India and G-7

• The participation of India at the 45th summit in Biarritz, France, is a reflection of deepening strategic partnership and recognition of India as a major economic power.
• While India has found the European Union a difficult jurisdiction to navigate diplomatically, a better relationship between India and European Union is emerging as a policy priority under G-7.
• Further, India’s ability to safeguard its core sovereign concerns such as trade, Kashmir issue and India’s relations with Russia and Iran can be discussed with G7 members.
• India raised issues on climate change and at meetings which signaled India’s growing willingness to lead on issues that are points of contention for countries like China and the USA.

Road Ahead

• G-7 must focus on the key international issues like terrorism, climate change, trade and internal conflicts between the countries.
• As a platform it must reflect the solutions for the pressing issues and global concerns like elimination of poverty and diseases.
• It should support the economies at the global level and help to establish the equal levels for each country.

Context: Recently, the Union Minister Communication, Electronics and Information Technology has appreciated the efforts of the telecom sector on the occasion of World Telecommunication Day.
Key Points

• The day marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. WTISD is being celebrated annually since 1969.
• The 2020 theme is "Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)".
• First, it was only celebrated as World Telecommunication Day, but in March 2006, the General Assembly adopted a resolution stipulating that World Information Society Day too shall be celebrated every year on May 17.
• It will focus on specific ICT-enabled solutions and emerging trends for fostering economic, environmental and social sustainability, contributing to the five strategic goals of the Connect 2030 Agenda: Growth, Partnership, Innovation, Sustainability and Inclusiveness.

About International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• It is an agency of the United Nations (UN) whose purpose is to coordinate telecommunication operations and services throughout the world.
• Originally founded in 1865, as the International Telegraph Union, the ITU is the oldest existing international organization.
• Headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

The ITU consists of three sectors:

• Radiocommunication (ITU-R) — ensures optimal, fair and rational use of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum.
• Telecommunication Standardization (ITU-T) — formulates recommendations for standardizing telecommunication operations worldwide.
• Telecommunication Development (ITU-D) — assists countries in developing and maintaining internal communication operations.

There are 193 Member States of the ITU, including all UN member states except the Republic of Palau, plus the Vatican City.

• India has been an active member of the ITU since 1869 and has been a regular member of the ITU Council since 1952. In November 2018, India was elected as a Member of the ITU Council for another 4-year term (2019-2022).
• Membership of ITU is open to only UN members, which may join the Union as Member States, as well as to private organizations like carriers, equipment manufacturers, funding bodies, research and development organizations and international and regional organizations, which may join ITU as non-voting Sector Members.

Their Functions

• The ITU sets and publishes regulations and standards relevant to electronic communication and broadcasting technologies of all kinds including radio, television, satellite, telephone and the Internet.
• The organization conducts working parties, study groups and meetings to address current and future issues and to resolve disputes. The ITU organizes and holds an exhibition and forum known as the Global TELECOM every four years.
• Another important aspect of the ITU’s mandate is helping emerging countries to establish and develop telecommunication systems of their own.
• Although the recommendations of the ITU are non-binding, most countries adhere to them in the interest of maintaining an effective international electronic communication environment.

Context: Recently, scientists at Pune based Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), have mapped two alternative dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18 in wheat that can help in reducing rice crop residue burning i.e. stubble burning.
Background

• In India, close to twenty-three million tonnes of leftover rice residues are annually burnt by farmers to get rid of the straw and prepare their fields for sowing wheat, which is the next crop, resulting in air pollution. 
• Also, dry environments pose a challenge for the germination of wheat varieties with short coleoptile.
• To overcome these problems, Scientists at Pune based Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have mapped two alternative dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18 in wheat.

Key Points

• Rht14 and Rht18 genes are associated with better seedling vigour and longer coleoptiles (sheath protecting the young shoot tip).
• The researchers have mapped the dwarfing genes on chromosome 6A in durum wheat and DNA-based markers were developed for a better selection of these genes in wheat breeding lines.
• The DNA-based markers will help wheat breeders to precisely select wheat lines carrying these alternative dwarfing genes from a massive pool of wheat breeding lines.
• The dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18 in wheat conferred a plant height reduction comparable to the Rht1 alleles while retaining early vigour in wheat seedlings, but do not affect coleoptile length and seedling shoot length.
• The improved wheat lines which are being developed at ARI will help reducing stubble burning incidences under the rice-wheat cropping system.
• They will also allow deeper sowing of wheat seeds to avail advantage of residual moisture in the soil, therefore, saving valuable water resources and reduce the cost of cultivation to farmers.

Significance

• The wheat lines with these alternative dwarfing genes will help in reducing stubble burning incidences under the rice-wheat cropping system.
• The improved lines will make it possible for farmers to sow wheat under rice stubble-retained conditions.
• It means farmers won't have to resort to stubble burning for preparing their ground for the sowing of the next crop.
• Burning of leftover rice crop residue (stubble burning) has serious implications for the environment, soil, and human health. Therefore, there is a need to include alternative dwarfing genes in wheat improvement programs.
• Also, only two dwarfing alleles of Rht1 are predominant in Indian wheat varieties; therefore, it is required to diversify the genetic base of dwarfing genes considering diverse wheat growing zones in India.
• Also there is a need for rigorous Research and Development related to the gene varieties of crops so that productivity of the crops can be enhanced.

Context: Recently, the scientists at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have developed Silk Fibroin-based Hydrogel.
About Fibroin 

• Fibroin is an insoluble protein. Silk has two proteins in its raw state called sericin and fibroin. The fibroin is produced by silk worm. It has three chains and light and heavy glycoprotein.

About Hydrogel

• It is a network of polymer chains. They are made of polyvinyl alcohol, acrylate polymers and sodium polyacrylate and copolymers.

Applications of Hydrogel 

• Hydrogels are highly absorbent. They are used in tissue engineering.
• The hydrogels that are responsive specific molecules are used as biosensors. 
• They are also used in diapers and sanitary napkins.
• They are also used in breast implants.
• Injectable hydrogels are used as drug carriers.

Key Points regarding Silk Fibroin-based Hydrogel

• The development is an injectable Silk fibroin-based hydrogel for sustained insulin delivery in diabetic patients.
• The scientists have developed the silk fibroin (SF) formulation using biocompatible additives and prepared an injectable SF hydrogel (iSFH) that can ease insulin delivery in diabetic patients.
• The iSFH has demonstrated successful delivery of active insulin in rats, and the results have been published in the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials.
• The subcutaneous injection of insulin with-iSFH in diabetic rats formed active depot under the skin from which insulin trickled out slowly and restored the physiological glucose homeostasis for a prolonged period of 4 days with no risks of low blood sugar through sudden burst of high concentration of insulin into the blood.
• The microstructures provide mechanical strength (to support injectability), and porous morphology of iSFH allowed the encapsulation of human recombinant insulin in its active form in diabetic rats.
• The iSFH has proved to be an effective insulin delivery tool for diabetic patients with excellent mechanical strength, biocompatibility, encapsulation, storage, and demonstration of its sustained delivery of active insulin in the diabetic animal.
• The active encapsulation and delivery of insulin by iSFH may also have implications for the future development of formulations for oral insulin delivery.
• The current research was funded by JNCASR, Bengaluru, BRICS Multilateral R&D Projects grant, and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India under Swarna Jayanti Fellowship Grant and DST-Nano mission.

Context: Recently, the government has approved the launch of ‘Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS)’ in order to give a boost to domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing.
Key Points

• Under “Make in India”, the Government has accorded high priority to development of manufacturing base of Defence and Aerospace sectors in the country to reduce dependence on imports. 
• Towards this, Government has announced establishment of Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• The objective of the proposed Scheme is to promote indigenous defence production, with special focus on participation of MSMEs and Start Ups by bridging gaps in defence testing infrastructure in the country. 
• Setting up of Defence Testing Infrastructure will provide easy access and thus meet the testing needs of the domestic defence industry.

About Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme

• It is launched with with an outlay of Rs 400 crore for creating state of the art testing infrastructure for defence sector.
• It is aimed to provide boost to domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing.
• The Scheme would run for the duration of five years and envisages to setup six to eight new test facilities in partnership with private industry.
• It will facilitate indigenous defence production, consequently reduce imports of military equipment and help make the country self-reliant.
• The projects under the Scheme will be provided with up to 75 percent government funding in the form of ‘Grant-in-Aid’.
• The remaining 25 per cent of the project cost will have to be borne by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) whose constituents will be Indian private entities and State Governments.
• The SPVs under the Scheme will be registered under Companies Act 2013 and shall also operate and maintain all assets under the Scheme, in a self-sustainable manner by collecting user charges.
• The Scheme aims at setting up of Greenfield Defence Testing Infrastructure (required for defence and aerospace related production), as a common facility under private sector with Government assistance mainly in DICs.

Concerns

• One of the main impediments for domestic defence production is lack of easily accessible state-of-the-art testing infrastructure. 

• Defence Testing Infrastructure is often capital intensive requiring continuous upgradation and it is not economically viable for individual defence industrial units to set up in-house testing facilities. 

Context: Recently, Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) have found methods for preventing the accumulation of neurotoxic molecules in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer’s disease.
Key Findings

• A war trick borrowed from Greek mythology, specifically poet Homer’s epic Iliad, could help reduce short-term memory losses associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
• The cause of Alzheimer’s is the accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides in the brain.
• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) have, after a five-year study, arrived at methods for preventing the accumulation of neurotoxic molecules in the brain, which leads to memory loss.
• One is the use of “trojan peptides” that does what the Trojan horse did for the ancient Greeks in their victory over Troy.
• A “deceitful” peptide with “negative syncretical points” for checking the plaque formation has been designed.
• “Through intravenous injection of the trojan peptide, we can retard the degeneration of nerve cells by 17-35%, translating into a 10-year delay in the onset of the disease,” Dr. Ramakrishnan said.
• The other is the application of a low-voltage electric field toward preventing amyloid plaques from aggregating to cause memory loss.
• The peptide molecules need to have a certain structure to aggregate.
• The use of an external electric or magnetic field modulates these molecules to “pull back the possibility of Alzheimer’s to a certain extent”.
• The next step for the researchers is to work with these techniques on mice induced with Alzheimer’s at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in Guwahati.
• The IIT-G researchers said some 100 potential drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease failed between 1998 and 2011.
• The development of a cure for the disease is important for India, which is third behind China and the U.S. in the number of Alzheimer’s patients, they said.

About Alzheimer

• It is a progressive brain disorder that typically affects people older than 65. When it affects younger individuals, it is considered early onset.
• The disease destroys brain cells and nerves, and disrupts the message-carrying neurotransmitters.
• Eventually, a person with Alzheimer’s loses the ability to perform day-to-day activities.
• Symptoms include memory loss, difficulty in completing familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, problems in speaking and writing, decreased or poor judgment, and changes in mood and personality.
• Alzheimer’s disease is also the most common cause of dementia which is a syndrome and not a disease in itself, and whose symptoms include loss of memory, thinking skills, problems with language, changes in mood and deterioration in behaviour.
• Treatment: There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, because its exact causes are not known. Most drugs being developed try to slow down or stop the progression of the disease.
• There is a degree of consensus in the scientific community that Alzheimer’s involves two proteins, called beta amyloids and tau. 
• When levels of either protein reach abnormal levels in the brain, it leads to the formation of plaque, which gets deposited between neurons, damaging and disrupting nerve cells.
• Most existing drugs for Alzheimer’s try to target these proteins to manage some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

Context: Recently, India joined 61 countries that have moved a proposal at the World Health Assembly to identify the zoonotic source of the coronavirus.
Key Points

• The World Health Assembly is the decision making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• Zoonotic refers to diseases that can be passed from animals to humans.
• It is a part of a seven-page draft resolution moved by 35 countries and the 27-member European Union.
• It asks the WHO chief to work with the World Organisation for Animal Health to conduct scientific and collaborative field missions and the route of introduction to the human population (novel coronavirus), including the possible role of intermediate hosts.
• The countries also demanded an “impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the World Health Organization's (WHO) response to Covid-19.
• Earlier, the WHO was slammed for accepting the findings given by China on face-value. The US has even suspended funding to the body.

Signatories of the Proposal

• The resolution is supported by three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: UK, Russia and France along with Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey.
• From the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, only India, Bangladesh and Bhutan have signed up.

India's stand

• This is the first time India has taken a position in an international forum on the origin of the virus and the need for an independent evaluation of WHO’s response to the crisis.
• Earlier, India had maintained that it is engaged in the fight against Covid-19, and will revisit the issue after the crisis is over.
• But Prime Minister Modi did indicate India's stand at the G20 summit in March where he backed WHO reform and referred to the need for transparency and accountability.
• The virus has cost loss of livelihoods, poverty increase and economic crisis in each sector of India.

Role of China and its Response

• The virus is widely believed to have originated from China’s Wuhan, where the first case of Covid-19 was reported.
• China is accused of concealing crucial information in relation to its spread and clinical diagnosis.
• China had stated in its defence that it may support a review “at an appropriate time”, but criticised the politicisation of the virus’s origin by the US and some other countries, and an inquiry “based on the presumption of guilt”.
• It said that Wuhan city has first reported Covid-19 cases, but that does not mean the virus originated in Wuhan.

Context: Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that like HIV, the novel coronavirus could become endemic and “may never go away”, and urged for a “massive effort” to contain the spread of COVID-19.
About an endemic disease

• According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a disease is endemic when its presence or usual prevalence in the population is constant.
• In simple terms, an endemic disease is “the constant presence of a disease or infectious agent within a given geographic area or population group; may also refer to the usual prevalence of a given disease within such an area or group.”
• Some examples of endemics include the chicken pox and malaria, where there are predictable number of cases every year in certain parts of the world.

What happens when a disease becomes endemic?

• When epidemics become endemic, they become “increasingly tolerated” and the responsibility of protecting against it shifts from the government to the individual.
• Further, the sociopolitical response to the disease may also change, with investment in the disease becoming institutionalised along with the disease-inducing behavioural changes in people.
• Once people become aware of the risks of infection, they will alter their behaviour and mitigate the consequences.

Need for concern

• Epidemic diseases typically have higher mortality and morbidity than endemic diseases, owing to lack of clinical experience and knowledge, as well as innate pathogenicity. Over time, effective prevention and treatment interventions emerge.

When does a disease become endemic?

• One mathematical modelling published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health states that if R0, which is the rate at which the virus is transmitted is equal to 1, then the disease is endemic.
• When R0>1, it implies that the cases are increasing and that the disease will eventually become an epidemic.
• If R0<1, it implies the number of cases of the disease are decreasing.
• Here, R0 refers to the number of people infected by a person who has the disease.

Context: Recently, sonic boom (a loud sound) was heard in Bengaluru which emanated from an Indian Air Force (IAF) test flight involving a supersonic profile.
Background

• Sound travels in the form of waves which are emitted outwards from its source. In air, the speed of these waves depends on a number of factors, such as the temperature of the air and altitude.
• From a stationary source, such as a television set, sound waves travel outwards in concentric spheres of growing radii.
• When the source of sound is moving – e.g, a truck– the successive waves in front of the truck get closer together, and the ones behind it spread out.
• This is also the cause of the Doppler Effect– in which bunched waves at the front appear at a higher frequency to a stationary observer, and spread out waves that are behind are observed at a lower frequency.
• As long as the source of the sound keeps moving slower than the speed of sound itself, this source– say a truck or a plane – remains nested within the sound waves that are travelling in all directions.

About sonic boom

• It is said to occur when an object travels through the air faster than the speed of sound and creates shock waves.
• This can lead to a huge emission in energy, usually in the form of sound, which can be similar to an explosion of thunderclap.
• According to NASA, it is a thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other type of aerospace vehicle flies overhead faster than the speed of sound, or “supersonic.”
• Air reacts like fluid to supersonic objects. As those objects travel through the air, molecules are pushed aside with great force and this forms a shock wave, much like a boat creates a wake in water. The bigger and heavier the aircraft, the more air it displaces.

General Factors Associated with Sonic Booms

• There are several factors that can influence sonic booms — weight, size, and shape of the aircraft or vehicle, plus its altitude, attitude, and flight path, and weather or atmospheric conditions.
• A larger and heavier aircraft must displace more air and create more lift to sustain flight, compared with small, light aircraft. Therefore, they will create sonic booms stronger and louder than those of smaller, lighter aircraft. The larger and heavier the aircraft, the stronger the shock waves will be.

Aircraft and Sound

• The sonic boom is a continuous sound which is emitted by the aircraft all the while it is travelling at a supersonic speed.
• If the aircraft is flying at a low altitude, the sonic boom may also lead to tremors similar to earthquakes and shattering of glass.

Examples of sonic boom

• A sonic boom can be produced while cracking a whip through air. This happens because the whip travels at a supersonic speed and breaks the sound barrier.
• The loud noise produced when a bullet is fired from a gun is also a sonic boom, as the bullet travels at supersonic speed.
• A sonic boom is most commonly heard when an aircraft is travelling at a low altitude, which leads to a very loud boom and tremors in the ground.

Context: Recently, the scientists from S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata have developed a novel protocol to find out whether a pair of electrons is in an entangled state.
About Quantum entanglement 

• It is one of the peculiarities of quantum mechanics, which makes phenomena such as quantum teleportation and super-dense coding possible.
• Quantum entanglement occurs when two particles become inseparably linked and whatever happens to one immediately affects the other, regardless of how far apart they are.
• The pair or group of particles interact in a way such that the quantum state of each particle of the pair or group cannot be described independently of the state of the others.
• Entangled states are key resources to facilitate many quantum information processing tasks and quantum cryptographic protocols.
• However, entanglement is fragile and is easily lost during the transit of photons through the environment.  
• Hence it is extremely important to know whether a pair of photons is entangled, in order to use them as resource.  
• Verification of entanglement requires the use of measurement devices, but such devices may be hacked or compromised by eavesdroppers.  
• Device-independent self-testing (DIST) is a method that can be used in order to overcome such a possibility. 
• This method enables the verification of entanglement in an unknown quantum state of two photons without having direct access to the state, or complete trust in the measurement devices.  
• The theory relies on the application of the quantum uncertainty principle while implementing full device independence is a difficult task.  
• In several practical situations, one of the parties may be fully trusted, whereas, the other may not be trusted like in the case of server-client relationship in banking transactions. For such situations, quantum information theory enables one-sided DIST (1sDIST).

Challenges associated with it are

• Fragility: Entanglement is fragile and is easily lost during the transit of photons through the environment. Hence, it is extremely important to know whether a pair of photons is entangled, in order to use them as resources.
• Safety: Verification of entanglement requires the use of measurement devices, but such devices may be hacked and cannot be trusted fully.

Context: On May 27, NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight will lift off for International Space Station (ISS), becoming the first crewed flight to launch from American soil since the conclusion of the space shuttle era in 2011. 
About the mission

• The Demo-2 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and will see astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. The craft will lift off from a Falcon 9 rocket, from Florida. 
• NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has worked with several American aerospace industry companies to facilitate the development of US human spaceflight systems since 2010, with the aim of developing reliable and cost-effective access to and from the ISS. 
• Essentially, the lift-off on May 27 is a flight test to certify if SpaceX’s crew transportation system can be used to ferry crew to and from the space station regularly. 
• This is the final flight test for the system and intends to validate its different components, including the spacecraft (Crew Dragon), the launch vehicle (Falcon 9), the launch pad (LC-39A) and the operations capabilities. 

About the Commercial Crew Program 

• The main objective of this program is to make access to space easier in terms of its cost, so that cargo and crew can be easily transported to and from the ISS, enabling greater scientific research. 
• Secondly, by encouraging private companies such as Boeing and SpaceX to provide crew transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit, NASA can focus on building spacecraft and rockets meant for deep space exploration missions. 
• Boeing and SpaceX were selected by NASA in September 2014 to develop transportation systems meant to transfer crew from the US to the ISS.  

Context: Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sent alerts to all the States, Union Territories and the central agencies on a malicious software (cerberus) threat that is taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic. The cyber alert related to Cerberus has been sent on the basis of inputs received from the Interpol.

Key Points

• Cerberus: It is a Banking Trojan. It is primarily used to steal financial data, such as credit card numbers.
• Trojan: Trojan is a type of malicious code or software to damage, disrupt, steal, or inflict harmful action on data or network.
• The Trojan can also use overlay attacks to trick victims into providing personal information and can capture two-factor authentication details.
• Overlay attacks: An overlay attack happens when an attacker places a window over a legitimate application on the device. When the target application is running, the overlay opens messages or data input forms identical to the real ones. Victims enter information (E.g. login credentials or bank card numbers), believing that they are dealing with the original program.
• Two-factor authentication: It is a two step verification security process in which users go through two authentication processes to verify themselves.
• Banking Trojan is a malicious program used in an attempt to obtain confidential information about customers and clients using online banking and payment systems.

Working of Cerberus

• It takes advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and sends SMS to lure a user to download the link containing the malicious software.
• It deploys its malicious application usually spread via phishing campaigns to trick users into installing it on their smartphones.
• Phishing: The email or text message carrying a link appears to come from a trusted source like a bank.
• The link takes to a fake website and once details like login name and passwords are entered, the login credentials reach the hacker.

Context: Recently, the Computer Emergency Response of Team (CERT) of India has issued warning against a new malware called “EventBot”.
Key Points

• Warned by: The warning and advises regard the new malware was given by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN).
• Notification: The notification was issued Indian government to make the people aware of this new malware.
• Name of the malware: The new Android mobile malware named “EventBot”, which steals the financial information – bank account details, read SMS messages that allow it to bypass two-factor authentication set for various banks – by abusing the Android”s in-built accessibility features.
• Trojan: CERT-IN saying it as a ‘Trojan’ – a virus or malware that cheats a victim to stealthily attack its computer or phone-operating system.
• Appearance: It uses several icons to masquerade as legitimate apps such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Flash and others using third-party application downloading sites to infiltrate into victim device. 
• Target: The malware targets 200 financial applications – includes banking apps and money transfer services.
• It targets the applications – Paypal Business, Revolut, Barclays, UniCredit, CapitalOne UK, HSBC UK, TransferWise, Coinbase, paysafecard etc.
• As of now, malware has not been spotted in any of the apps available through Google Play Store as of now.

How it attacks?

• After installation, it ask required permissions like controlling system alerts, reading external storage content, auto-initiated upon reboot, receive and read SMS messages etc.
• By securing such permissions, the attackers can access the financial information of the user. They can access it better by reading the Lock Screen and in-app PIN.

CERT-In recommendations:

• The malware has yet to appear in Google Play Store, the CERT-In recommends few things;
• Don’t download apps from third-party app store, unknown (and unsecure) websites
• Install and update antivirus software for mobile devices 
• Check the kind of permissions and access the app is asking before downloading it
• Do not download apps or access mail via unsecure public Wi-Fi network
• Do not download email attachments from unknown senders

About malware

• Malware is the shortened form of malicious software, an umbrella term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software including Ransom wares, Computer Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses, Spyware, Adware, Scareware etc.

Malware can be classified based on how they get executed, how they spread, and/or what they do. Some of them are discussed below.
Virus: A program that can infect other programs by modifying them to include a possible evolved copy of itself.
Worms: Disseminated through computer networks, unlike viruses, computer worms are malicious programs that copy themselves from system to system, rather than infiltrating legitimate files.
Trojans: Trojan or trojan horse is a program that generally impairs the security of a system. Trojans are used to create back-doors (a program that allows outside access into a secure network) on computers belonging to a secure network so that a hacker can have access to the secure network.
Hoax: An e-mail that warns the user of a certain system that is harming the computer. The message thereafter instructs the user to run a procedure (most often in the form of a download) to correct the harming system. When this program is run, it invades the system and deletes an important file.
Spyware: Invades a computer and, as its name implies, monitors a user’s activities without consent. Spywares are usually forwarded through unsuspecting e-mails with bonafide e-mail i.ds. Spyware continues to infect millions of computers globally.
About CERT-In 

• It is an acronym for ‘Indian Computer Emergency Response Team’. 
• As per Information Technology Amendment Act 2008, CERT-In is the National Incident Response Centre for major computer security incidents in its constituency i.e. Indian cyber community. 
• CERT-In’s primary role is to raise security awareness among Indian cyber community and to provide technical assistance and advise them to help them recover from computer security incidents. 
• It functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Objectives of CERT-In

• Preventing cyber-attacks against the country’s cyber space.
• Responding to cyber-attacks and minimizing damage and recovery time.
• Reducing ‘national vulnerability to cyber-attacks.
• Enhancing security awareness among common citizens.

Context: Recently, Government has accepted and implemented three important recommendations of Committee of Experts (CoE) under the Chairmanship of Lt General D B Shekatkar (Retd) relating to border Infrastructure.
Key Points

• The Government has implemented recommendation of CoE to outsource road construction work beyond optimal capacity of Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• It has been made mandatory to adopt Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) mode for execution of all works costing more than Rs 100 crore.
• The government has accepted introduction of modern construction plants, equipment and machinery has been implemented by delegating enhanced procurement powers from Rs 7.5 crore to Rs 100 crore to BRO, for domestic and foreign procurements.
• Border Roads has recently inducted Hot-Mix Plant 20/30 TPH for speedier laying of roads, remote operated hydraulic Rock Drills DC-400 R for hard rock cutting, a range of F-90 series of self-propelled snow-cutters/blowers for speedier snow clearance.
• The land acquisition and all statutory clearances like forest and environmental clearance are also made part of approval of Detailed Project Report (DPR).
• It is mandatory to award work only when 90 per cent of the statutory clearances have been obtained. 

About Shekatkar Committee

• The Shekatkar Committee was set up by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, and submitted its report in December 2016.
• The report covers operational aspects of the armed forces, and its disclosure is not in the interests of national security.
• According to a 2017 report, the Shekatkar Committee had recommended that India’s defence budget should be in the range of 2.5 to 3 per cent of the GDP, keeping in mind possible future threats.
• It had also suggested the establishment of a Joint Services War College for training for middle-level officers.
• It had also recommended that the Military Intelligence School at Pune be converted to a tri-service intelligence training establishment.
• The report also focuses on optimisation of Signals establishments to include radio monitoring companies, corps air support signal regiments, air formation signal regiments, composite signal regiments, and merger of corps operating and engineering signal regiments.
• It included restructuring of repair echelons in the Army to include base workshops, advance base workshops and static/station workshops in the field Army.
• It also called for the closure of military farms and army postal establishments in peace locations, which is among the recommendations already implemented.

Context: Recently, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report on ‘Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia: Latest Developments and Challenges’.
Key Points of the Report

• According to the report, the Movement restrictions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to an initial statistical reduction in drug seizures, but without a real change in terms of supply in the East and Southeast Asia region.
• The priorities and resources towards the pandemic could also jeopardise the efforts to strengthen drug prevention and treatment programmes.
• Organised crime groups active in the region have shown a high degree of flexibility to respond to shortages of supplies, raising risk levels on certain trafficking routes.
• The UNODC said a large proportion of methamphetamine, the main synthetic drug of concern in the region, was manufactured, trafficked and consumed without the need for globalised supply chains.

Methamphetamine: Also known as meth, crystal, glass, ice, speed and shards, methamphetamine is a psychostimulant party drug. It is much cheaper and highly addictive compared to cocaine. Its effect may last for over 12 hours.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

• The UNODC is a United Nations office that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.
• It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and was renamed the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2002.
• It publishes the World Drug Report annually that presents a comprehensive assessment of the international drug problem.
• Main issues that UNODC deals with: Alternative Development, anti-corruption, Criminal Justice, Prison Reform and Crime Prevention, Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care, HIV and AIDS, Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, Money Laundering, Organized Crime, Piracy, Terrorism Prevention.

Menace of drug business in India

• India reported a substantial increase in seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), most of which are suspected to be meth.

The reasons behind the spike are:

• Growth in trafficking of meth from the Golden Triangle overland to Bangladesh, with some routes crossing India.
• The Golden Triangle represents the region coinciding with the rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.
• It is Southeast Asia’s main opium-producing region and one of the oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America.
• Use of maritime trafficking routes from Myanmar along the Andaman Sea, some of which cross Indian territorial waters.
• Being closer to the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle, India has been vulnerable to the trafficking of narcotics and drugs such as heroin, hashish, and synthetic drugs produced in these areas.
• The Golden Crescent, has remained the primary source of trafficked heroin in the country since the early eighties when traffickers started rerouting heroin from this region through India following the Iran-Iraq war.
• Golden Crescent: This region of South Asia is a principal global site for opium production and distribution. It comprises Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
• Stringent narcotics and drugs laws, rising price of heroin and easy availability of synthetic drugs have propelled this shift.
• India also manufactures a lot of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals which are smuggled out of the country:

Concerns

• The alarming increase of alcohol and drug addiction.
• Drug abuse has become common in children and adolescents and causes serious ramifications on their physical and mental health and overall wellbeing.
• The non-availability of government sponsored de-addiction centres is paving way for private centres to exploit patients.
• Instead of medical care, “punishments” are meted out to patients, inflicting severe torture and, in some cases, causing death.
• People seem to forget that drug users are human beings first. By using drugs a person doesn’t cease to be human.
• Those who become chronic drug abusers have rare chances of complete de-addiction.
• Proximity to the largest producers of heroin – the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent (Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran) -has made India’s border vulnerable to drug trafficking.

Road Ahead

• Due to social distancing and movement restrictions in several countries, street dealing of drugs might be significantly impacted and altered. Users’ methods to access drugs would also change. Economic hardship might also reduce the disposable income of some drug users, and result in increased crime.
• Drug trafficking, organised crime, Money Laundering and terrorism are interrelated activities so need Multi-pronged approach, can be handled by synchronising and coherence among domestic laws of neighbouring countries to deter drug traffickers and also for translational exchange of criminals.
• Eliciting cooperation from neighbours by entering into several bilateral and multilateral agreements on prevention of illicit traffic of drugs and chemicals is must to stop drug syndicates across the border to understand changes to drug markets in the wake of the pandemic.

Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Extension of Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) and other changes for the welfare of and to enable old age income security for Senior Citizens.
Key Points

• The scheme has been extended for a period of three years i.e. from 31st March 2020 to 31st March 2023.
• It will allow initially an assured rate of return of 7.40 % per annum for the year 2020-21 per annum and thereafter to be reset every year.
• The annual reset of assured rate of interest with effect from April 1st of financial year in line with revised rate of returns of Senior Citizens Saving Scheme (SCSS) upto a ceiling of 7.75% with fresh appraisal of the scheme on breach of this threshold at any point.
• The approval for expenditure to be incurred on account of the difference between the market rate of return generated by LIC (net of expenses) and the guaranteed rate of return under the scheme.
• The capping Management expenses at 0.5% p.a. of funds of the scheme for first year of scheme in respect of new policies issued and thereafter 0.3% p.a. for second year onwards for the next 9 years.
• The Finance Minister has been authorized to approve annual reset rate of return at the beginning of every financial year.

About Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)

• It is a Pension Scheme announced by the Government of India exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above.
• The pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase.
• The scheme is exempted from Goods & Services Tax (GST).
• The loan upto 75% of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the liquidity needs).Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension installments and loan to be recovered from claim proceeds.
• The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded.
• The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.

Context: Recently, the Union Finance Minister announced several initiatives for transforming education sector in the post-COVID-19 India.
About the Initiatives

A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA will be launched which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education. This will enable multi-mode access to education, and includes:

• DIKSHA (one nation-one digital platform) which will now become the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality e-content in school education for all the states/UTs;
• TV (one class-one channel) where one dedicated channel per grade for each of the classes 1 to 12 will provide access to quality educational material;
• SWAYAM online courses in MOOCS format for school and higher education;
• IITPAL for IITJEE/NEET preparation; and
• study material for the differently abled developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.
• The Manodarpan initiative is being launched to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional wellbeing through a website, a toll-free helpline, national directory of counselors, interactive chat platform, etc.
• Government is expanding e-learning in higher education. Top 100 universities will start online courses. Also, online component in conventional Universities and ODL programmes will also be raised from present 20% to 40%.
• It has been decided to prepare a new National Curriculum and Pedagogical Framework for school education, teacher education and early childhood stage to prepare students and future teachers as per global benchmarks.
• A National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission will be launched, for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy. This mission will cover the learning needs of nearly 4 crore children in the age group of 3 to 11 years.