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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. POLITY 01 • Onion Prices Rises
• Association of World Election Bodies (A- WEB) • PM’s Economic Advisory Council reconstituted
• Electors Verification Programme (EVP) • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
• One Nation, One language • PACEsetter Fund programme
• Madras High Court Chief Justice V.K. Tahilramani Transfer • Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Ltd (PMC
Bank)
• NCST recommends ‘tribal area’ status for Ladakh
• Teaser Loan
• No life-long bungalows or facilities to ex-CMs, says
Rajasthan HC • Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report
• Public Safety Act • Task force recommends online loan sale platform
• Regional Supreme Court Benches • VAHAN Database
• Childhoods lost in a troubled paradise • What is the economics behind e-vehicle batteries?
• Right to Internet Access • USA- China Trade War
• Throttled at the grass roots • Factoring in safety: on stronger worker safety law
• Need not pick incriminatory dying declaration, rules • Futile fines: On traffic violation penalties
Supreme Court
• Registration of steel and iron imports, a must
• Credibility deficit
3. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 34
2. ECONOMY 13 • Eastern Economic Forum (EEF)
• Agroecology • Exercise Maitree
• ANGAN (Augmenting Nature by Green Affordable New- • Exercise TSENTR 2019
habitat)
• Exercise Yudh Abhyas
• Common Digital Platform for Issuance of Electronic
Certificates of Origin • ‘Howdy, Modi’
• CHC Farm Machinery App • Impeachment inquiry against Trump begins
• Corporate Tax • India-BLEU
• Economic Slowdown • India-China Financial Dialogue
• Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme (EBP Programme) • IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral Exercise
• Global SME Business Summit • India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED)
• Insurers can tweak health products • Indo – Thai CORPAT
• Kashmir’s famed saffron gets GI tag • India, South Korea seal logistics pact
• Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative • Lotus Tower- Srilanka
• NERAMAC (North Eastern Regional Agricultural • Motihari-Amalekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline
Marketing Corporation) Limited • Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
• National Animal Disease Control Programme (NACDP) • OIC remarks on Article 370
• Govt. unveils package to boost exports, revive housing • Pangong Tso: Face-off between India, China soldiers in
sector Ladakh
• India among top 10 nations in gold reserves • Petronet signs MoU with Tellurian
• Longest Electrified Rail Tunnel • SCO Military Medicine Conference
• National Infrastructure Pipeline • Supreme Court of UK: Suspending Parliament was
• NBFC loan pricing under RBI lens unlawful
• Trump’s peace negotiation with Taliban • Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Varaha’
• Two-Plus-Two Dialogue • INS Khanderi
• A life in the balance: On Kulbhushan Jadhav • National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)
• Putting the skids under border trade • Project 17A
• Saudi oil plant fire • Jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp
• UK’s new work visa offer • Meet of DGPs discusses draft policy on drones
• John Bolton goes: On the sacking of U.S. National
7. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 81
Security Advisor
• Biocatalyst Cuts Effluent Discharge during Leather
• India, Mongolia to explore space together
Processing
• Trump Administration’s Policy War on Immigration
• Boiga Thackerayi
• Israel, Pakistan ties a bridge too far?
• Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority
• Modi meets Rouhani, discusses Chabahar (EPCA)
4. SOCIAL ISSUES • Environmental Flows

59
• Galos • Gharial
• Live-in Relationships • Global Climate Strikes
• National Nutrition Month (Poshan Maah) • Great Indian Bustard
• Rashtriya Bal Puraskar • India Water Week
• ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon • Jaldoot
• Saharia children battle malnutrition • Maradu Flat Demolition Controversy
• Tabrez Ansari Case- Lynching, not murder • Mussoorie Resolution (Green Bonus)
• Nandankanan Zoological Park
• One year after ‘Navtej Johar’, imagining an equality law
• Beyond Gender Binaries • Nilgiri tahr’s population up by 27% in three years
• Odonates
• Two out of three child deaths due to malnutrition: report
• Pyrolysis (NGT tells CPCB to regulate import of waste tyres)
• Forensic laboratory constitutes special team for POCSO
cases • Tylophora Balakrishnanii
• UN Convention to Combat Desertification
5. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 66
• United Nations Climate Action Summit
• Biotechnology sector- Different peas in different pods
• Vulture culture: How the bird was saved from extinction
• Blackest of All Materials
• World Ozone Day
• Electronics Sector in India
• Windfall for Odisha tribals if single-use plastic is banned
• Facial Payment Technology
• Pipe dreams, ground reality
• Global AMR R&D
• No more waste mounds on Siachen glacier
• ISRO scientists work to decode Chandrayaan2 lander
failure • The future of food is animal-friendly
• What is ‘Quantum Supremacy’? 8. HEALTH ISSUES 96
• SCISAT • Anaemia
6. SEC URITY AND DEFENSE 73 • Ayushman Bharat PMJAY Start-Up Grand Challenge
• Apache Attack Helicopters • Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey
• Chinese trawlers in southern Indian Ocean worry India • Dementia
• Citizenship Bill • Eat Right India Campaign
• Darknet • Genomic Grid for India-Specific Cancer Research
• Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria 13. GOVERNANCE 117
• Gooseberry candy rescues Assam nutrition drive • Fake News
• India Iodine Survey 2018- 19 • Illegal Hoardings
• International Sign Language Day • India Urban Data Exchange (IUDX)
• Leukemia • Jan Soochna Portal (JSP)
• Measles- Vaccine Hesitancy
14. MISCELLANEOUS 121
• Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study
• ERSS- Dial 112, ‘E-Beat Book’ System and ‘E-Saathi’ App
• Ranitidine
• Global Goalkeepers Award
• Silicosis
• Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
• ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ Campaign
• Naga Chilli
• Tobacco
• National Geosciences Awards
• UMMID and NIDAN Kendras
• National Service Scheme
• World Heart Day • Ramanujan prize for U.K. mathematician
9. ART AND CULTURE 108 • Sardar Patel National Unity Award
• Bathukamma • Swachh Mahotsav 2019
• Bronze Idol of Buddha seated in the Bhumisparsha • Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar and National Safety
Mudra Awards
• Dadasaheb Phalke • World’s Most Liveable Cities
• Errum Manzil • New Bill wants engineers to register, follow ethics code
• Keeladi findings traceable to 6th century BCE: report • Livestock ‘traffic’ fine transforms Arunachal’s dirtiest
village
• Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) Programme
• Mangu Mutt • Giant earthworm found at the foot of Western Ghats
• Pulikali 15. PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS 126
• Rakhigarhi DNA does not contain ‘Aryan’ genetic trace 16. ANSWER KEY 140
• Whistling Villages of Meghalaya
17. MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS 143
• Vallam Kali
18. INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS 146
10. GEOGRAPHY 113
• K2-18b
• Minor Planet named after ‘Pandit Jasraj’
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
11. EDUCATION 114

• Curriculum for Life Skills (Jeevan Kaushal)
• Institutions of Eminence status
• National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE)
• National Educational Alliance for Techonology (NEAT)
Scheme
12. DISASTER MANAGEMENT 116
• Boat tragedy exposes serious safety lapses

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SEPTEMBER-2019 1
POLITY
1. Association of World Election Bodies (A- WEB) What is the purpose of the EVP?
• It is the largest association of Election Management • I t aims to provide better electoral services, improve
Bodies (EMBs) worldwide communication between voters and the Commission,
and the overall health of electoral rolls in general.
• A
-WEB was established in 2013 in Song-do, South
Korea. • The purpose is to improve the health of electoral rolls
and augment enrolment of all eligible citizens during
• T he permanent secretariat of A-WEB is located at
special summary revision of the electoral rolls.
Seoul.
• Voters can use the NVSP, app, common service centres
• A
-WEB’s vision is to foster efficiency and effectiveness
or the voter facilitation centre to avail facilities like
in conducting free, fair, transparent and participative
verification and correction of details, authentication,
elections worldwide.
updating details of family members and giving
• I ts activities are guided by its mission to identify latest feedback, among others.
trends, challenges and developments in democratic
electoral management and electoral processes and 3. One Nation, One language
to facilitate appropriate exchange of experience and
Context
expertise among members with the objective of
strengthening electoral democracy worldwide. • H
ome Minister Amit Shah said that the country should
come together to promote Hindi.
Context
Details
• E lection Commission of India hosted the 4th General
Assembly of Association of World Election Bodies • D
uring an event associated with the Hindi Divas, the
(A-WEB) Minister said that Hindi is the only language that
can unify the country and the language needs to be
India and AWEB
promoted.
• Election Commission of India had been closely
• At the same time, he also mentioned that that India is
associated with the formation process of the A-WEB
home to 122 languages and over 19,500 dialects, and
and was one of the founding members of AWEB in
every language has its own importance.
2013.
• He appealed the citizens to increase the use of their
• India continues to promote AWEB’s mission
mother tongue and Hindi
wholeheartedly to promote partnership among
Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) around the Need for Promoting Hindi
world. The Minister stated the following reasons for the
• India is all set to take over as Chair now for the 2019- promotion of Hindi:
21 term. • I t is very important to have a language of the whole
2. Electors Verification Programme (EVP) country which should become the identity of India
globally.
Context
• Hindi can unite the country since it is the most spoken
• The Election Commission of India launched a nation- language.
wide Electors Verification Programme
• ‘One language for the country’ was the dream of
National Voters Service Portal (NVSP) Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.
• T he portal was developed with an aim to provide • There is a huge influence of English on the citizens of
single window service electors. India. Loss of languages due to foreign influence is a
• Through NVSP, a user can avail and access various cultural issue. A language can survive only if the new
services such as access the electoral list, apply for voter generation feels proud in speaking it.
id card, apply online for corrections in voter’s card, Hindi Divas
view details of Polling booth, Assembly Constituency
and Parliamentary constituency, and get the contact • September 14 is celebrated as Hindi Divas to mark the
details of Booth Level officer, Electoral Registration anniversary of the day in 1949 when the Constituent
Officer, among other services. Assembly adopted Hindi as the official language of
India.
For guidance contact us on +91 9243500460

SEPTEMBER-2019 2
• It was first observed in 1953. • There are international lessons that can be drawn that
show the superimposition of one regional language
• As per the Official Languages Act, 1963, Hindi and
over the other as being counterproductive to national
English are languages to be used in correspondence
coherence: an obvious example can be found in
between ministries and State governments.
India’s immediate neighborhood, Pakistan.
Promotion of Hindi
* The dominant Punjabified imposed Urdu
343. Official language of the Union language and culture onto the rest of the country,
(1) The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in and problems began to erupt from there.
Devanagari script * The Bengalis and Balochs were the first to be
• The form of numerals to be used for the official offended by this blatant destruction of their
purposes of the Union shall be the international form indigenous cultural in the name of unity, and
of Indian numerals independent factions soon took to the streets.
351. Directive for development of the Hindi language: • India probably survived because the country never
tried to enforce anything like One Unit Program
It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread
of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve * English is the most commonly used medium
as a medium of expression for all the elements of the in higher education. It enables the students to
composite culture of India and to secure its enrichment go for higher education and research in major
by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the developed countries.
forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the * The people of non-Hindi speaking states fear
other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule, that the plan to promote Hindi might make
and by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its them secondary citizens and undermine the
vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other country’s integrity.
languages
Way forward
Should Hindi be promoted? Yes
• The Centre needs to realise that the reorganisation
• India is a country of different languages and every of States on linguistic lines has already obviated the
language has its own importance but it is very need for a campaign against a “foreign language”
important to have a language of the whole country allegedly fostering a slave mentality.
which should become the identity of India globally
* There is no question of English gaining priority
• Hindi is the mother tongue of 43.6% of the Indian over regional languages as argued by Mr. Shah.
population, or nearly 53 crore Indians, according to
• Because regional languages have become the official
the 2011 census.
languages of the States, and the continued usage of
• Many follow the Devnagri script, and native languages English is only for utilitarian and practical purposes.
have many words in common - their structure and
• While the development and promotion of Hindi is
rules also bear similarities
no doubt a constitutional mandate which cannot
No be ignored by the Centre, but the manner in which
• The Constitution clearly respects India’s diversity as it it is implemented should not give the impression
recognises 22 languages spoken by a large number of to the States that there is a creeping and unilateral
people imposition of Hindi.
* What connects Indians is the Constitution, our Conclusion

history and some epoch-making phenomena, C. Rajagopalachari once wrote in Swarajya: “Hindi is
whether it is the Buddha, the Bhakti movement undoubtedly a beautiful language; it is the language of
or the freedom struggle the vast majority. But I strongly protest against making
• It dismisses India’s federal structure and diversity. Hindi the official language of India, I equally strongly
recommend the inclusion of it in the school curriculum
* The need today is to respect, protect and nurture everywhere. English is compulsory in many European
diversity of our nation so that unity is ensured states on account of its importance. So Hindi be studied
• The 2011 Census listed 1,369 ‘mother tongues’ in the by people of all parts of India on account of its importance.
country. Hindi is only one among them. But this does not mean that the great injustice should be
perpetrated of imposing Hindi as official language of the
• Shashi Tharoor in the parliamentary debate asks
administration of India.” It should be left to one’s wish to
a question what if hypothetically one day some
learn a particular language. As long as people in the South
Southern Indian Language becomes a majority
are not comfortable with Hindi, there is no point in making
speaking language. Are we going to promote that
learning it compulsory. It would be better to leave the
language?
matter as it stands today instead of kindling a simmering
fire.

SEPTEMBER-2019 3
4. Madras High Court Chief Justice V.K. Tahilramani • All transfers are to be made in public interest i.e.
Transfer for promoting better administration of justice
throughout the country.
Context
• After the recommendation of a transfer is received
• Justice Tahilramani, the senior most among the Chief from the Chief Justice of India, the Union Minister of
Justices of High Courts in the country, was proposed to Law, Justice and Company Affairs would submit the
be transferred to Meghalaya High Court by Supreme recommendation along with relevant papers to the
Court collegium. Prime Minister who will then advise the President as
• The transfer of a Chief Justice from one of the bigger to the transfer of the Judge concerned
High Courts to one of the smallest High Courts in However, the apex court’s power to transfer is not
the country is an obvious case of downgrading and unfettered and absolute
amounts to public humiliation of the highest judicial
officer in a State. Her response to this humiliation has • The Supreme Court can order a judge’s transfer to
been graceful but resolute — resignation. improve the functioning of either of the High Courts
or if there are close relatives of the judge practising in
Constitutional Position on transfer the same Court.
• Article 222 of the Constitution makes provision for the • The apex court can also do so if the judge has
transfer of a Judge (including Chief Justice) from one litigation or property interest in the State or has
High Court to any other High Court. become controversial and so her continuance in the
While the Constitution does provide for such transfers same High Court is not conducive.
from one high court to another, it is extremely rare that the Arguments considered for transfer
senior-most Chief Justice in the country is shifted from a
large court with a complement of 75 judges to one of the • One high court is as good as any other
newest courts, which has a strength of only three judges. • Transfers should not be seen as a ‘demotion’
Process followed for transfer of High Court CJI and Judges • C
hief Justice of India (CJI) should be free to transfer
After a spate of “punishment transfers” of upright judges the head of any high court in the interest of “better
by the Central government during the Emergency in administration of justice”.
1975, the judiciary arrogated to itself the power in order to This leads to some unanswered questions and non-
preserve judicial independence. transparent nature of collegium working
• The initiation of the proposal for the transfer of a • There are no known complaints about her
Judge should be made by the Chief Justice of India performance or any public controversy around her
whose opinion in this regard is determinative. judicial or personal conduct.
* In the formation of his opinion for the transfer of • In the case of Justice Tahilramani, though the
a Judge, other than the Chief Justice, the Chief collegium’s recommendation stated that the transfer
Justice of India is expected to take into account was made “in the interests of better administration of
the views of the Chief Justice of the High Court justice,” the lack of public interest is glaring.
from which the Judge is to be transferred, as also
• The judge has conducted herself with dignity befitting
the Chief Justice of the High Court to which the
the high office, has not been mired in any controversy,
transfer is to be effected.
and does not have any close relatives practising in
* The Chief Justice of India should also take into Tamil Nadu.
account the views of one or more Supreme
• I t is possible that the transfer is based on an internal
Court Judges who are in a position to offer his/
performance assessment, if it is performance-related,
their views which would assist in the process
a question arises as to whether all judges are being
of deciding whether or not a proposed transfer
assessed on the same criteria.
should take place.
• The collegium is not a creation of the Constitution, but
• And in the case of a Chief Justice of a High Court,
of the court itself. Yet, when the collegium’s decisions
the CJI needs to take into account, “only the views of
are called into question for having been influenced
one or more knowledgeable Supreme Court Judges”
by extraneous considerations, there is no institutional
while proposing a transfer.
check.
• In the Second and Third Judges cases, the Supreme
• The controversy once again brings under focus
Court felt that the fact that the proposal is initiated by
the flawed collegium system of appointments and
the CJI and recommended by a plurality of judges is
transfers.
enough as a safeguard against arbitrary transfers.
• Any arbitrary transfer by the Supreme Court collegium
• Consent of a Judge for his first or subsequent transfer
reduces the High Court judges to a subordinate status.
would not be required.
Further, the collegium system, by its opacity, has failed
to build a fearless and strong judiciary and serve the
public interest. Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes (Who
will guard the guards themselves)?

SEPTEMBER-2019 4
Immediate attention towards administrative structure is 6. No life-long bungalows or facilities to ex-CMs, says
the need of the hour Rajasthan HC
• The Supreme Court cannot function as a sentinel of Context
justice unless it puts its own house in order.
• I n a landmark verdict, the Rajasthan High Court has
• Its functions, both judicial and administrative, have to ruled that former chief ministers of the state cannot
be transparent and accountable. avail life-long facilities like government bungalow,
• Courts have in the past held illegal executive orders telephone, and car
passed without reason. The same should apply to the • The High Court termed the Rajasthan Ministers’
administrative actions of the apex court’s collegium. Salaries (Amendment) Act 2017 as “illegal” and
Conclusion ‘unconstitutional’.
• R
etired Supreme Court judge, Justice Ruma Pal, had in What did the law say?
2011 called the functioning of the body a “mystique” • T o individuals who have served as Chief Minister
shrouded in “secrecy”. for five consecutive years, section 7BB of the Act
• Later, the government’s attempt to have a National guaranteed for the remainder of their lives, a
Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was government residence of the same type and the same
rejected by the Supreme Court in 2015 and the system facilities and concessions to which a serving CM is
of collegium has continued with its inconsistencies. entitled either in Jaipur or in any district headquarter.
• However, the Tahilramani controversy shows that • In case a government residence is not available or the
the systemic faults of the collegium system — individual does not use the residence, they would be
opaqueness and the scope for personal opinions reimbursed a fixed monthly amount.
colouring decision-making — remain unaddressed. • Such individuals were also entitled to a car provided
by the state for use by them and the members of their
5. NCST recommends ‘tribal area’ status for Ladakh
family, a phone, and secretarial and other staff.
Context:
Background
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)
• T he High Court judgement came on a plea by veteran
has written to Home Minister Amit Shah and Tribal Affairs
journalist Milapchand Dandiya who had challenged
Minister Arjun Munda, recommending that Ladakh be
the law that gave life-long facilities to former CMs.
declared a tribal area under the Sixth Schedule of the
Constitution. • According to the plea, former Chief Ministers
of Rajasthan are given lifelong facilities such as
Details:
government bungalow, car, driver, telephone services
• T he Home Ministry is the central authority for and a staff of 10.
declaring an area as a “tribal area”.
• Dandiya’’s plea, however, questioned the Rajasthan
• The NCST’s recommendation comes against the law referring to a Supreme Court order that quashed
backdrop of growing demand from a predominantly a similar Uttar Pradesh legislation, which granted
tribal population and political leaders of Ladakh for permanent accommodation to the state’s former
according “tribal area” status to the region. chief ministers.
• Though Ladakhis have welcomed the Centre’s * A former Chief Minister is only a commoner
decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and and not a “special class of citizen” who can
Kashmir, and make Ladakh a Union territory, they fear enjoy privileges, perks and official bungalows
an influx of outsiders would lead to a change in the at taxpayers’ expense for his entire lifetime, the
region’s demography, jeopardising their culture and Supreme Court had ruled.
identity.
* The court observed that “the Chief Minister,
• It is estimated that more than 90 percent of Ladakh’s once he/she demits the office, is at par with the
population is tribal. common citizen, though by virtue of the office
• The NCST opines that, including Ladakh under held, he/she may be entitled to security and
Schedule 6 will help in: other protocols. But allotment of government
bungalow, to be occupied during his/her lifetime,
* Democratic devolution of powers. would not be guided by the constitutional
* Preserving and promoting distinct culture of the principle of equality.”
region. • He had said that a financially backward state did not
* Protection of agrarian rights including rights on have the required resources, and that it would be
land and. unfair to spend public money on “luxurious lifestyles”
of politicians.
* Enhancing transfer of funds for speedy
development of the region.

SEPTEMBER-2019 5
• Counsel for the petitioner argued that “having regard • Detention can be up to two years.
to the egalitarian principle underlined by Article 14,… • Unlike in police custody, a person who is detained
‘freebies’ would be distribution of largesse, not based under the PSA need not be produced before a
on any rationale”. magistrate within 24 hours of the detention.
Court’s observation • The detained person does not have the right to move
• T he court observed that Rajasthan is an economically a bail application before a criminal court, and cannot
backward state and such life-long facilities for former engage any lawyer to represent him or her before the
CMs was virtually a ‘misuse of public funds’. detaining authority.
• The court observed: “All power is public trust, to be • The only way this administrative preventive detention
held for and on behalf of the people and for their order can be challenged is through a habeas corpus
benefit. Once the holders of such power stray from petition filed by relatives of the detained person.
the path of rectitude and help themselves to public • The High Court and the Supreme Court have the
largesse, the essence of the democratic principle jurisdiction to hear such petitions and pass a final
and equality is violated. One is reminded of George order seeking quashing of the PSA.
Orwell’s apocryphal portrayal of a distorted meaning
of equality in his much-celebrated Animal Farm— that • However, if the order is quashed, there is no bar on the
all animals are born equal but some are more equal government passing another detention order under
than others.” Assuring former CMs “significant largesse the PSA and detaining the person again.
for life amounts to saying that such individuals are • The District Magistrate who has passed the detention
more equal than the other public servants and citizens order has protection under the Act, which states that
of India”, the court said. the order is considered “done in good faith”. Therefore,
there can be no prosecution or any legal proceeding
7. Public Safety Act against the official who has passed the order.
Context: • Also, a recent amendment by the Governor, persons
• F arooq, the chairman of Jammu & Kashmir National detained under the PSA in Jammu & Kashmir can now
Conference has been detained for 12 days under be detained in jails outside the state.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Public Safety Act. * As per the latest order, the issuing authority
• This is the first time that a former chief minister of cannot mention the period of detention in the
Jammu and Kashmir has been booked under the PSA. order, which earlier used to be six month- one
year.
What is Jammu and Kashmir’s Public Safety Act?
• The default is 12 days detention now, after that the
• T he Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 is a Home department has to ratify the notification and
preventive detention law. present the case before the Advisory Board.
• Under the Act, a person is taken into custody to * If the department concurs he could be released
prevent him or her from acting in any manner after 12 days or can be kept in detention for
that is prejudicial to “the security of the state or the minimum three months. Beyond that, the
maintenance of the public order”. department will have to seek the permission of
• It is very similar to the National Security Act that is used the advisory board.
by other state governments for preventive detention. What happens once the PSA is slapped?
• By definition, preventive detention is meant to be • G
enerally, when a person is detained under the PSA,
preventive, not punitive. the DM communicates to the person within five days
• It comes into force by an administrative order passed (ten days in exceptional circumstances), in writing, the
either by Divisional Commissioner or by the District reason for the detention.
Magistrate and not by a detention order by police • This communication is important because it is on
based on specific allegations or for specific violation the basis of it that the detained person gets an
of laws. opportunity of making a representation against the
• In 2015 new rules were notified and some authority order.
was given to the Home Department to issue such • However, the DM also has the discretion not to disclose
orders that were earlier done by the Divisional all the facts on the basis of which the detention is
Commissioner or District Magistrate. ordered, if he or she thinks that these facts are against
Why is it considered draconian? “public interest”.
• T he PSA allows for detention of a person without a • The DM has to place the detention order within four
formal charge and without trial. weeks before an advisory board, consisting of three
members including a chairperson who is a former
• It can be slapped on a person already in police custody;
judge of the High Court.
on someone immediately after being granted bail by
a court; or even on a person acquitted by the court.

SEPTEMBER-2019 6
• The DM also has to place the representation made What the Law Commission said?
by the detained person. The detained person too can
• B
ack in March 1984, the Tenth Law Commission
make a representation before this advisory board.
of India (95th Report) under Justice K K Mathew
• Within eight week from the date of detention, the recommended that “the Supreme Court of
board submits its report to the government, which India should consist of two Divisions, namely (a)
will determine if the detention is in public interest. Constitutional Division, and (b) Legal Division”, and
that “only matters of Constitutional law may be
• This report is binding on the government. assigned to the proposed Constitutional Division”.
8. Regional Supreme Court Benches • The Eleventh Law Commission under the chairmanship
Context of Justice D A Desai (125th Report, 1988) “reiterate (d)
that the recommendation for splitting the (Supreme)
• V
ice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has suggested that Court into two halves deserves to be implemented”.
the Supreme Court institute four regional Benches to
tackle the enormous backlog of cases, and to ensure • Thereafter, the Eighteenth Law Commission under
their speedy disposal. Justice A R Lakshmanan (229th Report, 2009)
recommended that “a Constitution Bench be set up
• Naidu also endorsed the recommendation of the Law at Delhi to deal with constitutional and other allied
Commission of India that the top court should be split issues”, and “four Cassation Benches be set up in the
into two divisions Northern region/zone at Delhi, the Southern region/
History of constitutional courts zone at Chennai/Hyderabad, the Eastern region/zone
at Kolkata and the Western region/zone at Mumbai to
• T he world’s first constitutional courts were set up in
deal with all appellate work arising out of the orders/
Europe — in Austria in 1920 and in Germany after
judgments of the High Courts of the particular region”.
World War II.
• I ndeed, many countries around the world have
• Today, 55 countries have constitutional courts,
Courts of Cassation that decide cases involving non-
including most European or civil law jurisdictions.
Constitutional disputes and appeals from the lower
• In the early decades of the Republic, the Supreme level of courts. These are courts of last resort that have
Court of India, too, functioned largely as a the power to reverse decisions of lower courts.
constitutional court, with some 70-80 judgments
Argument for multiple Benches
being delivered every year by Constitution Benches of
five or more judges who ruled, as per Article 145(3) of • I t has been pointed out that Article 39A says that “the
the Constitution, on matters “involving a substantial state shall secure that the operation of the legal system
question of law as to the interpretation of [the] promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and
Constitution”. shall… ensure that opportunities for securing justice
are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or
• This number has now come down to 10-12.
other disabilities”.
The problem of pendency of cases
• It is obvious that travelling to New Delhi or engaging
• D
ue to their heavy workload, judges mostly sit in expensive Supreme Court counsel to pursue a case is
two- or three-judge Benches to dispose of all kinds beyond the means of most litigants.
of cases; these include several non-Constitutional
• S tanding Committees of Parliament recommended in
and relatively petty matters such as bans (or lifting of
2004, 2005, and 2006 that Benches of the court be set
bans) on films, or allegations that a Commissioner of
up elsewhere.
Police is misusing his powers.
• In 2008, the Committee suggested that at least one
* On some occasions, even PILs on demands such
Bench be set up on a trial basis in Chennai. But the
as Sardar jokes should be banned come before
Supreme Court has not agreed with the proposal,
the Supreme Court.
which in its opinion will dilute the prestige of the
• T his heavy workload is due to the fact that India’s court.
Supreme Court is perhaps the world’s most powerful
• Article 130 says that “the Supreme Court shall sit
court, with a very wide jurisdiction.
in Delhi or in such other place or places, as the
• It hears matters between the Centre and states, and Chief Justice of India may, with the approval of the
between two or more states; rules on civil and criminal President, from time to time, appoint.”
appeals; and advises the President on questions of law
• Supreme Court Rules give the Chief Justice of India
and fact. On the question of violation of fundamental
the power to constitute Benches — he can, for
rights, anyone can approach the Supreme Court
instance, have a Constitution Bench of seven judges
directly.
in New Delhi, and set up smaller Benches in, say, four
• The result: more than 65,000 cases are pending in the or six places across the country.
Supreme Court, and disposal of appeals takes many
years. Several cases involving the interpretation of
the Constitution by five or seven judges have been
pending for years.

SEPTEMBER-2019 7
9. Childhoods lost in a troubled paradise Such treatment of children is undoubtedly in violation of

Context: multiple laws and conventions.
• T his article speaks about incidents of Illegal detention, • T o begin with, all of them violate Article 14(4) of the
violence and torture in the valley region of Jammu International Convention on Civil & Political rights
and Kashmir and how this has led to mental trauma in which states that “all proceedings against juveniles
the children and stress in Adults. shall take into account their age and the desirability of
promoting their rehabilitation.”
Stats
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified
• B
etween 1990 and 2005, a total of 46 schools were by India, provides that the arrest/detention of a child
occupied by the armed forces shall be in conformity with the law and used only as
• In 2018, the Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period.
Society (JKCCS) found through Right to Information • The guidelines of the National Commission for
applications that hundreds of children had been Protection of Child Rights clearly state that a blanket
detained under the PSA between 1990 and 2013. characterization of adolescent boys as security threats
A look at reports during civil unrest should be avoided and authorities
should investigate and take action against personnel
• A
report by economist Jean Dreze has chilling details
involved in arbitrary detentions, mistreatment or
of illegal detention and torture of boys.
torture of children.
• A recent report by the Indian Federation of Indian
Various court rulings against detention of Juvenile’s
Women and other organisations gave a first-hand
account of the haunting spectre of mothers standing • I n 2003, the Madras High Court in Prabhakaran v.
at their doorsteps in the desperate hope of their State of Tamil Nadu held that the Juvenile Justice
children’s return, not knowing where they are. Act is a comprehensive law and overrides preventive
detention laws enacted for national security.
These disappearances are in clear breach of the Supreme
Court’s directions in the D.K. Basu case • Earlier, in 1982, the Supreme Court had in the Jaya
Mala case condemned the preventive detention of
• T he court in this case said that the next of kin have
a student and observed that young people, even if
to be informed of every such arrest and the reasons
their acts are misguided, cannot be punished with a
thereof.
sledgehammer.
• The police officer carrying out the arrest shall prepare
However, none of these laws and directives seem to be
a memo of arrest at the time of arrest and such memo
followed in Kashmir.
shall be attested by at least one witness, who may
be either a member of the family of the arrestee or How it harms Children?
a respectable person of the locality from where the • P
arents are too scared to send their children to school,
arrest is made. lest they be picked up by authorities or get caught in
* It shall also be counter signed by the arrestee a crossfire. This leads to lack of Education
and shall contain the time and date of arrest. • Children in Kashmir grow up caged and under the
Kashmir’s children have become Pawns in a political game shadow of a gun. As the parents of many of them
go missing, they are also forced to assume the
• A
report by the UN High Commissioner for Human
responsibility of caregivers for their siblings.
Rights found that children in Kashmir, many of whose
ages were wrongly recorded, were being detained • The strain on social structures due to the loss of family
and mistreated for several days in police lock-up, environment, safe spaces and education and health
without any charge, mostly under the Public Safety facilities severely traumatises many of them and
Act (PSA) snatches their childhood away.
• In many of these cases, the police/magistrates had Conclusion
no procedure to verify the age of the detainees • N
o curbs on democratic rights on the promise of
and minors were kept in custody along with adult development can justify inhumane treatment of
criminals and released only after judicial intervention. children.
About 80% of these detentions were held illegal by
courts. • The civil society needs to speak out for the children of
Kashmir or we will also be complicit in the ‘aggravated
Such unlawful detentions, leaves a lifelong impact crime’ by the state apparatus.
on children, perpetuating a cycle of trauma, fear and
bitterness. • T he preventive arrests should be stopped lest the
children of Kashmir go missing forever.
10. Right to Internet Access

Background

SEPTEMBER-2019 8
• A
petition was filed by Faheema Shirin, a third- • “When the Human Rights Council of the United
semester B.A. English student of the Sree Narayana Nations have found that right to access to Internet is
College at Chelanur in Kerala a fundamental freedom and a tool to ensure right to
education, a rule or instruction which impairs the said
• As per the rules of the girls’ hostel, students were
right of the students cannot be permitted to stand in
restrained from using mobile phones from 6 p.m. to
the eye of law”
10 p.m. every day.
• Mobile phones, once a luxury, have now become
* They were informed by the authorities that those
“part and parcel of the day to day life and even to a
not willing to abide by the hostel rules would be
stage that it is unavoidable to survive with dignity and
required to vacate their hostel rooms.
freedom
• She was expelled for not adhering to restrictions on
• The court added that the hostel authorities were
the use of mobile phone.
expected to enforce only those rules and regulations
Context for enforcing discipline.
• S hirin then approached the High Court, saying the * Enforcement of discipline shall not be by
restrictions have affected her learning as she could blocking the ways and means of the students to
not access Internet using her mobile phone. acquire knowledge
• A bench of Kerala High Court was acting upon a • The court further said that college authorities as
petition moved by college student Faheema Shirin, well as parents should be conscious of the fact that
questioning the restrictions imposed on use of mobile the students in a college hostel are adults capable of
phones at her college hostel. taking decisions as to how and when they have to
What did petitioner say? study.
• T he curbs on the use of mobile phones amounted S.Rengarajan and others v. P. Jagjivan Ram (1989) case
to a violation of fundamental right to freedom of • T he court while citing the observations of the
speech and expression under Article 19(1) (a) of the Supreme Court in this case said “the fundamental
Constitution of India freedom under Article 19(1) (a) can be reasonably
• The petitioner also highlighted that the mobile restricted only for the purposes mentioned in Article
restriction was discriminatory on the grounds of 19(2) and the restriction must be justified on the anvil
gender as such restrictions were not imposed in the of necessity and not the quicksand of convenience or
boys Hostel expediency.”
* The petition had also referred to Clause 3.2.(13) * 19 (2) imposes reasonable restrictions on the
of UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal exercise of the right conferred in the interests
of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the
and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) security of the State, friendly relations with
Regulations, 2015 foreign States, public order, decency or morality
or in relation to contempt of court, defamation
• Anjitha K Jose v State of Kerala or incitement to an offence
* The High Court of Kerala had struck down gender Kerala first Indian state to declare Internet a basic human
discriminatory rules in a hostel, observing that right
girls have equal freedom as boys.
• K
erala - the most literate state in India, had declared
* The girls were restricted from attending political Internet access as a basic right for every citizen just
meetings, going for movies etc. like food, education and water.
Kerala High Court • Finland was the first country in the world to recognise
• T he Kerala High Court declared the right to Internet ‘the right to Internet access’
access as a fundamental right forming a part of the Why Internet Matters?
right to privacy and the right to education under
Article 21 of the Constitution. • W
e are now moving to a global economy where
knowledge of digital processes will transform the
* The Judge observed that the action of the way in which people work, collaborate, consume
college authorities infringed the fundamental information, and entertain themselves.
freedom as well as privacy and would adversely
affect the future and career of students who want • This has been acknowledged in the Sustainable
to acquire knowledge and compete with their Development Goals as well as by the Indian
peers, such restriction could not be permitted to government and has led to the Digital India mission.
be enforced. • Offering services online has cost and efficiency
benefits for the government and also allows citizens
to bypass lower-level government bureaucracy.

SEPTEMBER-2019 9
• Digital literacy allows people to access information * Recognizing the right to internet access
and services, collaborate, and navigate socio-cultural and digital literacy will also make it easier to
networks. In fact, the definition of literacy today must demand accountability from the state, as well as
include the ability to access and act upon resources encourage the legislature and the executive to
and information found online. take a more proactive role in furthering this right
Digital inequality • A
right to Internet access would also further provisions
• A
ccording to the Deloitte report, ‘Digital India: given under Articles 38(2) of the Constitution.
Unlocking the Trillion Dollar Opportunity’, in mid- * The State shall, in particular, strive to minimize
2016, digital literacy in India was less than 10%. the inequalities in income, and endeavor to
• In recent times, several government and private eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and
sector services have become digital. Some of them opportunities, not only amongst individuals
are only available online. This leads to a new kind but also amongst groups of people residing in
of inequality, digital inequality, where social and different areas or engaged in different vocations
economic backwardness is exacerbated due to Conclusion
information poverty, lack of infrastructure, and lack of
• Therefore, Unequal access to the Internet creates and
digital literacy.
reproduces socio-economic exclusions.
• However, in the absence of Internet access and
• It is important to recognise the right to Internet access
digital literacy enabling that access, there will be
and digital literacy to alleviate this situation, and allow
further exclusion of large parts of the population,
citizens increased access to information, services, and
exacerbating the already existing digital divide.
the creation of better livelihood opportunities
• Moving governance and service delivery online
without the requisite progress in Internet access and 11. Throttled at the grass roots
digital literacy also does not make economic sense
73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments:
* For instance, Common Service Centres, which
• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were
operate in rural and remote locations, are
passed by Parliament in December, 1992.
physical facilities which help in delivering
digital government services and informing • Through these amendments local self-governance
communities about government initiatives. was introduced in rural and urban India.
* While the state may be saving resources by • It was meant to provide constitutional sanction to
moving services online, it also has to spend establish “democracy at the grassroots level as it is at
resources since a large chunk of citizens cannot the state level or national level”.
access these services. • Establishment of panchayats and municipalities as
• The Bharat Net programme, aiming to have an optical elected local governments, devolving a range of
fibre network in all gram panchayats, is to act as the powers and responsibilities, made them accountable
infrastructural backbone for having Internet access to the people for their implementation.
all across the country. However, the project has Details:
consistently missed all its deadlines
• The Constitution mandates that panchayats and
• Similarly, the National Digital Literacy Mission has municipalities shall be elected every five years and
barely touched 1.67% of the population and has been enjoins States to devolve functions and responsibilities
struggling for funds. to them through law.
This is particularly worrying because Internet access and • Given diverse habitation patterns, political and social
digital literacy are dependent on each other, and creation history, it makes sense to mandate States to assign
of digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with the functions to local governments.
creation of digital skills.
• A study for the Fourteenth Finance Commission by
Responsibility of the state the Centre for Policy Research, shows that all States
• In this framework the state would have have formally devolved powers with respect to five
core functions of water supply, sanitation, roads
* A
Positive Obligation to create infrastructure
and communication, streetlight provision and the
for a minimum standard and quality of Internet
management of community assets to the gram
access as well as capacity-building measures
panchayats.
which would allow all citizens to be digitally
literate and Issue Area:
* A negative obligation prohibiting it from • Over 25 years after the 73rd and 74th constitutional
engaging in conduct that impedes, obstructs or very little and actual progress has been made.
violates such a right. • Local governments remain hamstrung and
ineffective; mere agents to do the bidding of higher-
level governments.

SEPTEMBER-2019 10
Concerns: Corruption in panchayats and municipalities:

• Democracy has not been enhanced in spite of about • Criminal elements and contractors are attracted to
32 lakh peoples’ representatives being elected to local government elections, tempted by the large
them every five years, with great expectation and sums of money now flowing to them. They win
fanfare. elections through bribing voters and striking deals
with different groups.
• Devolution, envisioned by the Constitution, is not
mere delegation. It implies that precisely defined • A market chain of corruption operates, involving a
governance functions are formally assigned by law partnership between elected representatives and
to local governments, backed by adequate transfer officials at all levels.
of a basket of financial grants and tax handles, and • Yet, there is no evidence to show that corruption has
they are given staff so that they have the necessary increased due to decentralisation.
wherewithal to carry out their responsibilities.
Way forward:
• Above all, local governments are to report primarily
to their voters, and not so much to higher level • The gram sabhas and wards committees in urban
departments. Yet, none of this has happened. areas have to be revitalised.
• T he constraint lies in the design of funding streams • Cosmetic reforms of the gram sabha by videography
that transfer money to local governments. of their meetings, does little for democracy.
Consultations with the grama sabha could be
* The volume of money set apart for them is organised through smaller discussions where
inadequate to meet their basic requirements. everybody can really participate.
* Much of the money given is inflexible; even • Even new systems of Short Message Services, or
in the case of untied grants mandated by the social media groups could be used for facilitating
Union and State Finance Commissions, their use discussions between members of a grama sabha.
is constrained through the imposition of several
conditions. • Local government organisational structures have to
be strengthened. Panchayats are burdened with a
* There is little investment in enabling and huge amount of work that other departments thrust
strengthening local governments to raise their on them, without being compensated for the extra
own taxes and user charges. administrative costs.
• Local governments do not have the staff to perform • Local governments must be enabled to hold State
even basic tasks. As most staff are hired by higher departments accountable and to provide quality,
level departments and placed with local governments corruption free service to them, through service-level
on deputation, they do not feel responsible to the agreements.
latter; they function as part of a vertically integrated
departmental system. • Local governments are reluctant to collect property
taxes and user charges fully. The connection between
• In violation of the constitutional mandate of five- tax payment and higher accountability is well known.
yearly elections to local governments, States have These lessons must not be ignored.
often postponed them.
Conclusion:
* In 2005, a Supreme Court constitutional bench
held that under no circumstances can such • India’s efforts in decentralisation represent one of
postponements be allowed. the largest experiments in deepening democracy.
Decentralisation is always a messy form of democracy,
* Supreme Court rejected alibis for election but it is far better than the operation of criminal
postponement, such as delays in determining politicians at the higher level who appropriate huge
the seat reservation matrix, or fresh delimitation sums of tax-payer money, without any of us having a
of local government boundaries. clue. Life must be given to this structure, through the
* Yet, in Tamil Nadu, panchayat elections have not practice of a robust democratic culture. It is important
been held for over two years now, resulting in for us to hold our local governments to account.
the State losing finance commission grants from
the Union government. 12. Need not pick incriminatory dying declaration, rules
• The current Union government has further centralised Supreme Court
service delivery by using technology, and panchayats Context:
are nothing more than front offices for several Union
In a recent judgement, the Supreme Court has said that
government programmes.
in a case of divergent and multiple dying declarations, the
• The ‘Smart City’ programme does not devolve its court need not invariably pick the one that incriminates
funds to the municipalities; States have been forced the accused person. Instead, it is for the court to find out
to constitute ‘special purpose vehicles’ to ring fence which of the dying victim’s statement is true.
these grants lest they are tainted by mixing them up
with municipality budgets.

SEPTEMBER-2019 11
Details: • It is possible that the Collegium and the Centre have

• A Bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and K.M. Joseph observed arrived at a compromise wherein the government
“When there are divergent dying declarations, it is dropped its opposition to his appointment as Chief
not the law that the court must invariably prefer the Justice on the condition that he is sent to a smaller HC.
statement which is incriminatory and must reject the Concern:
statement which does not implicate the accused. The
real point is to ascertain which contains the truth.” • Until Kureshi’s appointment as head of the Tripura HC
is notified, there will be a lurking doubt on whether the
• The bench summarized the principles to be followed latest resolution is in line with the Centre’s approval
in cases were dying declaration is the sole evidence or not which might result in a head off between the
available. It said: judiciary and the executive. This tussle for supremacy
* Conviction of a person can be made solely on between the country’s executive and judiciary can be
the basis of a dying declaration which inspires detrimental and injurious to the country’s democratic
confidence of the court. polity.
* If there is nothing suspicious about the • The SC collegium has not stated the exact reasons
declaration, no corroboration may be necessary; for the modification of its earlier recommendations.
No doubt, the court must be satisfied that there Though it is acceptable that the Collegium and
is no tutoring or prompting; the government resolve their differences through
consultation and correspondence. But the final
* The court must also analyse and come to the
decision shouldn’t be opaque and mysterious. The
conclusion that imagination of the deceased
Collegium has just stated that it modified its decision
was not at play in making the declaration. In this
after considering letters from the Department of
regard, the court must look to the entirety of the
Justice and accompanying material. What exactly was
language of the dying declaration.
the governments concerns are not clear.
* Considering material before it, both in the form
• If the Law Ministry had a bona-fide objection to
of oral and documentary evidence, the court
Justice Kureshi, it could have disclosed its opinion on
must be satisfied that the version is compatible
his suitability. As for the Collegium, it is unclear why
with the reality and the truth as can be gleaned
it couldn’t have disclosed what the government had
from the facts established. wanted in its communications. This has brought in
the avoidable opacity which has resulted in rumours
13. Credibility deficit
being spread.
Context:
• U
nder the current procedure of appointment and
• The Supreme Court (SC) Collegium has modified its transfer in case of lack of consensus between the
recommendation concerning Justice A.A. Kureshi’s executive and the collegium, the Collegium may
appointment as the Chief justice of Tripura High court reconsider a recommendation and the government
as against the previous recommendation to appoint is bound to implement the reiterated decision. The
the senior judge as the Chief Justice of the Madhya current episode is indicative of judiciary yielding to
Pradesh High Court. executive pressure.
Background: • This episode makes a dent in the narrative that
• Justice Kureshi was first recommended to be the Collegium system is a shield against executive
appointed as Madhya Pradesh Chief Justice in May interference in the judicial appointments as
2019, but the government had not cleared the name envisaged in various cases like the third judge’s case
of Justice Kureshi for the post, even when all other and the more recent quashing of the National judicial
recommendations of the collegium were agreed to appointments commission act by the SC.
by the government. • There is no denying the fact that an independent
• The government not acting on the recommendation judiciary is the foundation of democracy because
raised the suspicion that it was blocking his of people’s faith in the judiciary, which would totally
appointment. be eroded if the judicial process of appointment and
transfers is not popularly perceived as fair and non-
• The Collegium stated that it has modified its partisan.
earlier decision after considering letters from the
Department of Justice and accompanying material. • When judges of constitutional courts resign under
mysterious circumstances, or their transfer or
• Justice Kureshi’s elevation had become a subject of elevation as chief justice is altered, it throws up several
controversy after the Gujarat High Court Advocates uncomfortable questions to those in the decision-
Association filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court making body of the higher judiciary. This can act as
alleging Central Government of selectively blocking a pressure tactic on the judges to toe the executive
his elevation due to extraneous considerations. line leading to the committed judiciary which can
be detrimental to the nation. In such scenarios the
judge’s will fail to act independently without “fear and
favour”.

SEPTEMBER-2019 12
Related episodes in the past * How the collegium can be made transparent?
• This is not the first act of delay in judicial appointments, * The fixing of the eligibility criteria for a person
a similar case was observed in the case of Justice K.M. to be considered suitable for appointment as a
Joseph earlier in 2018, whose case of recommendation judge
by the Supreme Court collegium for elevation to the
* A
process to receive and deal with complaints
apex court was delayed for a considerable period of
against judges without compromising on
time. The failure to learn from past is a concern.
judicial independence
• Similar complaints of non-transparency in the
* D
ebate on whether a separate secretariat is
appointment and transfers by the collegium was
required, and if so, its functioning, composition
observed in the backdrop of the resignation tendered
and powers
by the Madras High Court Chief Justice VK Tahilramani
following a transfer order issued to her by the Way forward:
Supreme Court Collegium. • Need immediate concrete steps to arrest the
What should the collegium look at? burgeoning distrust between the two autonomous
wings of the democratic polity.
• The Collegium system is in need of urgent reforms
to rectify its flaws as held by the SC itself in the NJAC • There is a need for fresh clauses in the existing
case. The Court also acknowledged the “failings” of procedure of appointments under which, The
the collegium system, taking note of allegations Collegium’s decisions are to implemented within a
such as side-lining of deserving persons, nepotism, time-frame and the Government’s objections and
purposeful delay in appointments etc. Supreme Court reservations if any are to be made public to bring a
held that it is open to bringing greater transparency degree of certainty and transparency in the process.
in the collegium system within the following existing • The Collegium system is in need of urgent reforms.
four parameters

SEPTEMBER-2019 13
ECONOMY
1. Agroecology Threat to powerful elites
What is Agroecology? • Farming in India, as in most other countries, is largely
under the control of powerful lobbies with vested
• It is recognized worldwide as a system that enhances
interests and connections to deep pockets.
fertile landscapes, increases yields, restores soil health
and biodiversity, promotes climate resilience and * T hese include fossil fuel, fertilizer and seed
improves farmers’ well-being. companies as well as scientists with funding
connections to agribusiness.
• Its practices are supported by many agricultural
scientists, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the * These lobbies perceive large-scale transitions
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, farmers’ to agroecology as a substantial threat to their
groups and several NGOs. influence on farming systems.
• It basically makes the best use of nature’s goods and Examples of Corporate Threats and criticisms
services while not damaging it. It works on enhancing • In Britain, when public hearings were held in the early
healthy ecosystems, and build on ancestral knowledge 2000s to discuss Genetically Modified (GM) crops,
and customs corporations threatened to pull grants from scientists
• As an agricultural practice, Agroecology mimics on the committees if they voted against GM.
natural processes to deliver self-sustaining farming • In some parts of Europe and in University of California
that grows a greater diversity of crops, drastically when individual scientists published articles
reduces artificial inputs (pesticides, fertilizers, describing how GM foods and crops affected the
antibiotics) and recycles nutrients (plant and animal health of human beings and insects adversely, they
waste as manure). were personally attacked and vilified.
Context • When glyphosate trials against Monsanto were
• National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, based decided in favour of litigants who accused the
on a brainstorming session that included industry company of causing cancer, some voices called to
representatives, sent a letter to Prime Minister have only scientists on such juries
Narendra Modi opposing Zero Budget Natural Disturbing Trends
Farming (ZBNF).
• With this introduction of fertilizers into the Agricultural
• ZBNF, developed and publicized by agro-scientist ecosystem, there is grave threat to food systems and
Subhash Palekar, has been adopted by Andhra biodiversity
Pradesh.
• As a result of industrial farming, friendly insects are
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) no longer part of the agricultural landscape, water
• It was established in 1990 and owes it origin to the pollution is rampant, depleted soils are commonplace
vision of the late Dr. B. P. Pal, noted Indian agricultural and falling groundwater tables have become the
scientist norm.
• The Academy focuses on the broad field of agricultural • The opportunity cost incurred from investing only in
sciences including crop husbandry, animal husbandry, industrial methods of agriculture is one that has been
fisheries, agro-forestry and interface between borne largely by the farming community and the
agriculture and agro-industry. natural systems.
• The Academy’s role is to provide a forum to Agricultural • The constant funding by the corporate groups to the
Scientists to deliberate on important issues of scientists has become an established norm. It includes
agricultural research, education and extension and fields like Agriculture, pharmaceuticals and university
present views of the scientific community as policy research.
inputs to planners, decision/opinion makers at * T hese papers published by the scientists funded
various levels. by the corporates is it always legitimate? The
* T o achieve this, the Academy organizes and questions are unanswered.
supports national and international congresses, • So, the enemy is being made out to be Mr. Palekar
conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops but the real attack is on agroecology, for the threat it
and brainstorming sessions on critical issues in poses to entrenched institutions.
the field of agricultural sciences.
• One of its objective is to promote ecologically
sustainable agriculture

SEPTEMBER-2019 14
Conclusion 3. Common Digital Platform for Issuance of Electronic

• ZBNF experiment is showing success largely because Certificates of Origin
farmers are supporting it. • The Common Digital Platform for Issuance of
• The practice may not be all zero budget, may not electronic Certificates of Origin (CoO) was launched.
be fully successful everywhere and will need to be This is a digital platform to give single point access to
adapted to India’s various agroecological zones. But exporters.
the ZBNF has led to sustainable agriculture Details:
• Farmers appear to be listening to and following Mr. • This platform will be a single access point for all
Palekar. exporters, for all FTAs/PTAs and for all agencies
• If policymakers ignore the posturing and stay focussed concerned.
on improving soil health and quality of life for farmers, • Certificate of Origin will be issued electronically which
while observing and supporting successes, farmers can be in paperless format if agreed to by the partner
may even double their incomes and India’s food countries.
security could sow new beginnings. • Authorities of partner countries will be able to verify
2. ANGAN (Augmenting Nature by Green Affordable the authenticity of certificates from the website.
New-habitat) • Further, it provides administrative access to the
Department of Commerce for reporting and
Context
monitoring purposes.
• A three-day international Conference on Energy
Efficiency in Building Sector was conducted in Delhi 4. CHC Farm Machinery App
Details • CHC stands for Custom Hiring Centres.
• It was an international conference which focused on • Through this app, farmers will be able to select and
Energy Efficiency in Building Sector order the required farm machinery at rates feasible for
them from Custom Hiring Centres located in a 50 km
• The Conference was organized by the Bureau
radius.
of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power,
Government of India in collaboration with GIZ under • Over 40000 CHCs have already registered on the app.
the Indo German Technical Cooperation • This is a multilingual app and can be downloaded
• Speakers, Delegates, Experts and Policy Makers from onto any android phone.
16 countries participated in the event Significance
• The Experts discussed various alternative options and • It is especially helpful for small and marginal farmers
technologies in the field of design and construction who will have easy access to high value and technical
of energy efficient Commercial as well as Residential agricultural equipment facilitating optimum use of all
Buildings and suggested the effective ways in types of inputs using these farming machines.
implementing the same through policies and
programmes. • This will help farmers increase their income.
What was the need of this conference? • This will also help increase the rate of mechanisation
of farm holdings.
• Due to lack of awareness and knowledge about
latest technologies, financial assistance, suppliers and Krishi Kisan App
purchase of energy efficient equipment, etc. efforts • This app will provide farmers the information about
on energy efficiency and conservation in this sector the best demonstration of high-yielding crops and
have been moderate and therefore require greater seeds in their nearby area.
push.
• Any farmer with a high quality of crops can utilise this
• This event aimed to provide thrust in this direction platform to demonstrate best practices of cultivation
so as to address such challenges faced by the to other farmers so that this will help other farmers
stakeholders. adopt these methods.
Significance • The app will also help in geo-tagging and geo-fencing
• The International Conference provided a platform of crops and give weather forecast messages to
to deliberate on interdependence between farmers.
organizations, systemic sustainability and feedback Context
loops for better resource efficiency.
• The Union Minister for Agriculture launched two
• It is estimated that an investment of Rs. 2000 billion
mobile apps for agriculture in New Delhi
in Building energy efficiency activities would lead to
a cumulative savings of 388 Billion units of electricity
for the next ten years with payback of about 2 years.

SEPTEMBER-2019 15
5. Corporate Tax Concerns

Context: • The revenue foregone for this move will be Rs 1.45
lakh crore annually. The tax revenue may also decline
• T he Finance Ministry has announced new corporate
and put pressure on fiscal deficit.
tax rates
* T ax collections have not grown at expected rates.
• It has slashed corporate tax rate for domestic
This tax cut will lead to lower tax collection in the
companies to 22% from 30% that don’t avail any
short to medium-term.
exemption/incentive (stopped availing themselves of
any other tax sops) * To meet the fiscal deficit target, the government
has pushed a lot of borrowing off-budget,
Details
making government agencies borrow more.
• The effective tax rate for these companies shall be If the government then borrows to bridge the
25.17% inclusive of surcharge and cess. Also, such gap (on-budget or off-budget), it would limit the
companies shall not be required to pay Minimum benefits for firms.
Alternate Tax or MAT
• These stimulus and structural measures and monetary
• To attract investment in manufacturing, local policy may help reviving the economy to some extent
companies incorporated after October will pay tax at in the near future. But, these measures alone may not
the rate of 15 percent (compared to 25% currently). help in getting higher growth.
* T he effective tax for these new companies will be • Higher levels of surplus income with corporates
17.01 percent, including cess and surcharge will not necessarily translate into a higher level of
* For new manufacturing firms set up after investment and a consequent spurt in economic
October 1, 2019, and commencing operations growth.
by March 31, 2023, the effective tax rate will fall * A
griculture and allied sectors and micro, small
from 29.1% to 17%. and medium enterprises (MSMEs) — not
• A company which does not opt for the concessional corporates — are still the strongest drivers of our
tax regime and avails the tax exemption/incentive economy.
can continue to pay tax at the pre-amended rate. * Agriculture and allied sectors which not
After expiry of their tax holiday/exemption period, only contribute to our food security but to
these companies can opt for the new concessional approximately over 50% employment have
tax regime. been on the decline in spite of several ad hoc
• To provide relief to companies which continue to avail policy pronouncements to revive them.
exemptions/incentives, the government has reduced • The Chief Economic Advisor also mentions that we
the rate of Minimum Alternate Tax or MAT to 15%, need long-term structural reforms for investment-led
from 18.5%. growth. we need to focus on three structural issues:
Significance * Physical infrastructure development,
The continuing deceleration of the Indian economy * raising human capital
was being blamed both on depressed consumption by
* revival of rural economy
private individuals and decline in investment by private
businesses • In a recent book Dani Rodrik an economist discusses
two challenges faced by countries like India.
• A lower rate --comparable with Asian peers will make
large Indian companies far more competitive, leave * The “fundamentals challenge” relates to
them with more cash for investment and expansion development of broad capabilities such as
and persuade them to stay India * We can’t have higher growth without tackling
• It restrains India Inc from demanding more sops, this fundamental challenge.
putting pressure on them to invest. * So the medicine to the plaguing disease is
• The revised tax rate of Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT) Infrastructure, Infrastructure, and Infrastructure!!!
will pave the way for new investments from startups • A
lot of progress has been made in all Infrastructure
and MSMEs, creating a robust ancillary ecosystem Sectors. However, almost all indicators score poorly
• The unstated intention could also be to attract foreign if one looks at India’s urban and rural infrastructure
investors looking for alternative sites for their global particularly compared with South East Asian countries
value chains disrupted now by the tariff war between and China.
China and the U.S. • The second structural issue is raising Human
• The stock exchanges zoomed within minutes of the Capital for higher growth. Health and education
news because for most established companies the tax achievements are essential for human capital. Yet the
cut would immediately lead to a pro-rata increase in country’s progress on both these aspects leaves much
profits. to be desired.

SEPTEMBER-2019 16
* There are islands of excellence that can compete • In nominal terms, the growth stood at 7.99 per cent,
internationally in education while vast majority lowest since December 2002.
of them churn masses of children with poor What is a cyclical slowdown?
learning achievement and unemployable
graduates. • A cyclical slowdown is a period of lean economic
activity that occurs at regular intervals. Such
* The Niti Aayog says that only 2.3 per cent slowdowns last over the short-to-medium term, and
of Indian workers have formal skill training are based on the changes in the business cycle.
compared to 70 to 80 per cent in other countries.
• Generally, interim fiscal and monetary measures,
Steps that can be taken temporary recapitalisation of credit markets, and
• The report of the expert committee on MSMEs that need-based regulatory changes are required to revive
was set up by the Reserve Bank of India has made the economy.
significant recommendations. What is a structural slowdown?
* These include constituting a government- • A structural slowdown, on the other hand, is a more
sponsored “fund of funds” to support venture deep-rooted phenomenon that occurs due to a one-
capital funds and a credit guarantee fund which off shift from an existing paradigm.
would go a long way in enabling their growth.
• The changes, which last over a long-term, are driven
• Disinvestment, reducing non-merit subsidies, by disruptive technologies, changing demographics,
increasing tax base and shifting from revenue to and/or change in consumer behaviour.
capital expenditures are some of the measures for
raising government investment. Dissecting India’s slowdown
• The construction sector was an important source of • A slowdown in consumption demand
job creation during 2004-05 to 2011-12. This sector • The farm sector is still stuck in a low income trap
has to be revived in order to create growth and and 2019’s mercurial monsoon rains, has left some
employment. Need of the hour is structural reforms in parts flooded and others still facing deficits and
land acquisition engendering a shortfall in kharif sowing, rural demand
• Both immediate and long-term structural reforms are is unlikely to return
needed to achieve higher economic growth. Physical • Decline in manufacturing
infrastructure development, tackling fundamental
challenge of raising human capital and stimulus and * The slowdown in the auto sector has worsened,
reforms in rural economy are needed to achieve a with leading car manufacturers posting up to
sustainable 7 per cent to 8 per cent growth. a 50 per cent drop in sales for August 2019 as
against the corresponding month last year. Sales
* Higher levels of public spending for creating are down across segments — passenger vehicles,
much-needed infrastructure in several sectors commercial vehicles, and two-wheelers.
would not only generate employment but also
create productive assets. • inability of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)
to resolve cases in a time-bound manner, and
* For instance, spending on buildings, roads,
bridges, schools, hospitals and waterbodies • rising global trade tension and its adverse impact
would have multiple benefits to the economy. on exports are some of the factors affecting India’s
growth
Conclusion
• The health of real estate is a massive indicator of the
• If swiftly and efficiently implemented, these mundane state of Indian economy. It has links with about 250
measures could pull the sagging economy out of the ancillary industries -- bricks, cement, steel, furniture,
quagmire, especially in the near term, and hopefully electrical, paints etc -- and affects them all if there is a
incentivise and facilitate the much anticipated boom or gloom in the sector.
spurt in corporate investment which apparently the
government was aiming at while announcing the tax * Reports are that the volume of unsold houses
over the past one year has increased in the top
bonanza. cities of the countries.
6. Economic Slowdown • It is also attributed to two mega policy decisions --
Context demonetisation in November 2016 and the rollout
of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in July 2017 --
• India’s real or inflation-adjusted Gross Domestic disrupted the Indian economy.
Product (GDP) grew at 5 per cent in the June 2019
quarter of financial year 2019-20 (Q1FY20), the * Aimed at greater formalisation of the Indian
slowest growth in six years (25 quarters). economy, the twin disruptions struck a big
blow to the informal sectors that employ the
maximum number of the workforce.

SEPTEMBER-2019 17
* The policy disruption hangover still continues * Make MGNREGA truly demand-driven, make the
and is accentuated by the crisis in banking and wage indexation meaningful and involve social
non-banking financial sectors. audits which were successful in some States like
Andhra and Rajasthan.
* This hit the small and medium scale businesses
more adversely than expected in the wake of the * Involve social audits to ensure effectiveness, and
collapse of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial also focus on the dual objective of asset creation
Services (ILFS). wherever possible.
* Money just stopped flowing into the market. The * But primarily it should be about putting some
net result was a huge job loss. income in the hands of rural consumers.
A look at key economic Parameters • The unorganised sector has been hit now for a long
time and unless rural incomes are revived, and that is
• the mainstay of demand — Private Consumption
where 70% of our population is, consumer demand is
Spending — slumped to an 18-quarter low, with the
not going to grow
expansion decelerating sharply to 3.1%, from 7.2% in
the preceding quarter and 7.3% a year earlier. * If the Government intends to fix that structural
break, it needs to bring back rural income to
• Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), a proxy for
some semblance of normalcy.
investment activity, grew a meagre 4%, less than a
third of the 13.3% growth it posted 12 months earlier. Conclusion
• With demand for Manufactured Products ranging • The government must lose no time in consulting
from cars and consumer durables to even biscuits with the widest possible spectrum, including the
having sharply diminished, manufacturing GVA Opposition, and then implement the agreed-on
growth plunged to an eight-quarter low of 0.6%. reforms prescriptions to reinvigorate demand and
Govt Initiatives investment.
• The government is cognizant of the gravity of the 7. Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme (EBP Programme)
situation has initiated policy pronouncements
• Ethanol is an agro-based product, mainly produced
including
from a by-product of the sugar industry, namely
* tweaks to investment norms to draw more molasses.
Foreign Direct Investment,
• Ethanol can be mixed with gasoline to form different
* moves to relieve the debilitating sales slump in blends. As the ethanol molecule contains oxygen,
the auto sector and it allows the engine to more completely combust
* A sweeping consolidation of public banks. the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions and thereby
reducing the occurrence of environmental pollution.
• As part of its measures to boost economic growth,
the government has lifted the ban on its departments • Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness
buying new vehicles, announced a tax benefit for the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered as
automakers, deferred the application of the one-time renewable fuel.
registration fee till June 2020, and assured that the • Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme was
government would consider a scrappage policy for launched in January, 2003. The programme sought
old vehicles to promote the use of alternative and environment
• Any beneficial impact from these measures will, friendly fuels and to reduce import dependency for
however, take time to feed into the economy energy requirements.
Steps that can be taken up Context
• To give a boost to the export sector supply-side • The Union Cabinet has approved a higher
measures like trade facilitation, removing bottlenecks, procurement price for ethanol purchased by Oil
reducing the GST refund period delay, or even Marketing Companies (OMC) for the Ethanol Blended
managing the exchange rate, but fundamentally if Petrol (EBP) programme which will come into effect
the global slowdown is a reality, then export demand from December 1, 2019 for a period of one year.
cannot pick up quickly. Details
• It should identify the cause of the structural slowdown • According to the new decision, the price of ethanol
and address it directly. Indirect instruments would not from C-heavy molasses will be increased from ₹43.46
work in the case of structural constraints. per litre to ₹43.75 per litre.
• To pull India out of the current economic slowdown, • The price of ethanol from B-heavy molasses will be
the government can loosen its purse strings, make increased from ₹52.43 per litre to ₹54.27 per litre.
pending payments, give GST refunds quickly, and
• The price of ethanol from sugarcane juice, sugar, and
revamp MGNREGA to put more money in the hands
sugar syrup has been set at ₹59.48 per litre.
of rural consumers

SEPTEMBER-2019 18
• The oil marketing companies will also pay the Goods Details
and Services Tax and transportation tax associated • Theme for 2019: “Making Indian MSMEs Globally
with the ethanol supply — a provision that existed in Competitive”.
the previous plan as well.
• The Minister, speaking on the occasion, said that the
• OMCs have been advised to fix realistic transportation Government’s target is to increase MSME’s present
charges so that long distance transportation of share of 29 percent of GDP to 50 percent in the next
ethanol is not disincentivised. five years and raise its export contribution from 49
• OMCs are advised to continue according priority of percent to 60 percent.
ethanol from (in order of priority)
9. Insurers can tweak health products
Significance:
Context:
• Ethanol availability for EBP programme is expected
to increase significantly due to higher price being IRDAI has notified a set of guidelines likely to make it easier
offered for procurement of ethanol from all the for health insurers to tweak certain features of the cover
sugarcane based routes, subsuming ‘partial sugarcane provided to individuals.
juice route’ and ‘100% sugarcane juice route’ under Details:
‘sugarcane juice route’ and for the first time allowing
sugar and sugar syrup for ethanol production. • I t has allowed insurance companies to do minor
modifications such as changes in frequency of
• Increased ethanol blending in petrol has many premium payments, change in policy wordings on
benefits including certification basis without waiting for its approval.
* Reduction in import dependency • The guidelines include the one permitting collection
* Support to agricultural sector of premium in installments and another increasing
the maximum entry age.
* More environmental friendly fuel
• However, Insurers will have to ensure that the
* Lesser pollution
proposed modifications will not impact the benefit
* Additional income to farmers. structure of the product, including the manner of
• Ethanol can be mixed with gasoline to form different settlement of the underlying benefits.
blends. As the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, • The minor modifications proposed are to be placed
it allows the engine to more completely combust before the Product Management Committee (PMC) of
the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions and thereby the respective insurance company and the PMC will
reducing the occurrence of environmental pollution. have to approve the proposed minor modifications
before they are implemented.
8. Global SME Business Summit
• IRDAI will issue a new Unique Identity Number (UIN)
• The Summit is organized every year by the Ministry of for the modified product.
MSME and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII)
What is the significance?
for bringing together stakeholders and leaders in the
MSME sector. • General and standalone health insurers can now make
changes in the sum insured options, decrease the
• The summit will help:
minimum or increase the maximum premiums, lower
* Disseminate knowhow on assessing the export the minimum entry age or increase the maximum
potential of the products and services of Indian entry age.
MSMEs.
* A
t present, the maximum entry age for a health
* Identify suitable markets. insurance policy is 65 years.
* Develop strategies to penetrate new markets • It is believed that this move would help in making
through trade associations, multi-lateral the distribution of insurance products better and also
agencies, international business forums and help increasing transparency in the product offering.
E-Commerce platforms.
• These guideline frameworks have also made the
• The event will also help participating Indian MSMEs implementing process faster for the insurer compared
to single out avenues for joint ventures, franchising, to the earlier longer filing process.
cross-marketing, buyer-seller meets, etc.
10. Kashmir’s famed saffron gets GI tag
Context
• Kashmir’s famed saffron has been granted the
• Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Geographic Indication (GI) tag.
16th Global SME Business Summit 2019 in New Delhi

SEPTEMBER-2019 19
• Saffron has several names-Zafran, Kesar, Kang, Kang Leather Sector Skill Council (LSSC)
Posh etc. • I t is a non-profit organisation dedicated to meeting
• Historically, the cultivation of saffron started around the demand for skilled workforce in the leather
three or four centuries back in Arabia and Spain. industry in India.
Thereafter, its cultivation spread as far as Iran, Sweden • The LSSC was set up in 2012 as one of the key sector
and India. skill councils approved by National Skill Development
• Now, saffron growing is a great commercial activity. Corporation (NSDC).
In Indian agriculture, this activity is also known as • The LSSC caters to the training and employment
“Golden Zest”. needs of various subsectors in the leather industry
• India is a leading producer of premium and finest such as finished leather, footwear, garments, leather
quality saffron in the world and Kashmiri saffron has goods, accessories, saddlery and harness sectors.
been a recipient of the Great Taste Award, the world’s • It also has a partnership with the Council of Leather
most coveted award for artisan and specialty food
Exports (CLE).
producers.
12. NERAMAC (North Eastern Regional Agricultural
11. Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative
Marketing Corporation) Limited
Context:
• T he NERAMAC Limited was incorporated in the
• T he Union Minister for Skill Development and year 1982 as a Government of India Enterprise and
Entrepreneurship, GOI awarded Recognition of Prior having its registered office at Guwahati and operating
Learning (RPL) Certificates to more than one thousand under the administrative control of the Ministry of
workers from the leather sector in Chennai. He also Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
launched the Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative.
• NERAMAC was set up to support farmers/producers
RPL Certificates: of North East getting remunerative prices for their
• R
PL certificates are given under the Pradhan Mantri produce and thereby bridge the gap between the
Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) of Skill India to the farmers and the market and also to enhance the
unorganised semi-skilled and unskilled workers. agricultural, procurement, processing and marketing
infrastructure of the Northeastern Region of India.
• These certificates can help them get assessed and
certified on their current competencies as per NSQF Context
levels (National Skills Qualifications Framework). • T he Union Minister of State for Development of
• RPL also shows them a path to bridge their current North Eastern Region (IC) laid the foundation stone of
knowledge and skill levels to reach a competency NERAMAC Marketing complex in Guwahati, Assam
level or go for higher skills for professional growth.
13. National Animal Disease Control Programme (NACDP)
• The RPL scheme envisions to impart skill-based
training to one crore people between 2016 and 2020. • T he program is aimed at eradicating foot and mouth
disease (FMD) and brucellosis in livestock.
• The certificates can give workers the chance to go for
higher education in their respective fields. • The NADCP aims to control these two diseases by
2025, and to eradicate them by 2030.
• It will also give them different options in upgrading
and upskilling. • According to a government release, the programme
aims to vaccinate over 500 million livestock heads,
• RPL certificates certify skills acquired informally and
including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs,
drive young people to venture into aspirational job
against FMD, and some 36 million female bovine
roles.
calves annually against brucellosis.
• The industry will also be benefitted because
• The programme has received 100% funding from the
formalizing the skills of employees will give a clear
picture of the available skill sets, skill gaps and the Centre
need for upgradation to achieve desired quality and Foot and Mouth Disease FMD:
productivity benchmarks.
• I t is a highly infectious viral disease of cattle, swine,
Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative sheep, goats, and other cloven-hooved ruminants.
• I t is a nationwide activity in which the Leather Sector • FMD is generally not fatal in adult animals but leaves
Skill Council (LSSC) will extend support to the cobbler them severely weakened, and results in a drastically
community who provide leather-based services, with reduced production of milk and therefore be
CSR funds and bring respect to their skills by giving financially ruinous for dairy farmers.
them a better working environment in the form of
• Infected animals get a fever, sores in their mouth, on
kiosks/umbrellas.
their teats, and between their hooves.

SEPTEMBER-2019 20
• F MD spreads through excretions and secretions; • As a third step the Govt has initiated
infected animals also exhale the virus. * A ₹50,000 crore Export Incentive Scheme
• According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, * A ₹10,000 crore special window to provide last
the intergovernmental organisation responsible for mile funding for unfinished housing projects
improving animal health worldwide, FMD is endemic easing the plight of home buyers.
in several parts of Asia, most of Africa, and the Middle
East. Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Central and What was the need?
North America, continental Western Europe, and • H
igh growth which any country works for is directly
most Latin American countries are FMD-free. correlated to exports is well. Therefore Augmenting,
• Measures to stop outbreaks and check FMD increasing exports is one of the factors which leads to
transmission include controlled introduction of increase in Growth.
new animals into existing herds, regular cleaning * India’s merchandise exports in August declined
and disinfection of livestock areas, monitoring and for the second time in the current financial year,
reporting of illness, and use of effective vaccination which began in April
strategies.
* It Provides a fillip to exports, which contracted
Brucellosis: 6.05% in August 2019
• Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease. • T here are Multiple Ministries involved in the export
• According to the Department of Animal Husbandry sector. This includes Commerce ministry, Ministry of
and Dairying, it is endemic in most parts of the finance and Ministry of external affairs
country. * Since there were multiple departments involved
• Brucellosis causes early abortions in animals, and it led lack of coordination in implementation
prevents the addition of new calves to the animal * Adding to the woes were the lack of data and
population. coherence for upgradation of Infrastructure in
• To control the disease, the World Health Organisation export sector.
recommends the vaccination of cattle and, in some * To understand these issues of export sector
cases, testing and culling. coherence and addressing key issues, this move
• The Brucellosis Control Programme component of was a requirement
the NADCP envisages 100% vaccination coverage of • A
major challenge that has affected the exporters
female cattle and buffalo calves (4-8 months of age) in recent times is lack of liquidity for working capital
once in their lifetimes. due to delay in receiving GST refunds under Input Tax
Context: Credit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National * W
hich means that tax rebate or partial refunding
Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP). is not happening on time
Details: * This lead to delay in getting clearances at ports.
• I ndia has the world’s largest livestock population of • A
dding to this is Structural and Cyclical Slowdown
125-crore plus heads, but cattle productivity is low, which the Govt intends to change.
and animal diseases are a major concern. Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product
• The diseases have resulted in some overseas markets (RoDTEP)
being shut to Indian dairy and meat products, and • I t will replace the Merchandise Exports from India
prevented the industry from realizing its income Scheme (MEIS).
potential. • The existing dispensation in textiles of MEIS and the
14. Govt. unveils package to boost exports, revive housing old ROSL (Rebate of State Levies) will continue up to
December 31, 2019
sector
* Textiles and all other sectors which currently
Context:
enjoy incentives up to 2% over MEIS will transit
• U
nion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman into RoDTEP from January 1, 2020
announced a third wave of economic reforms to
• The previous MEIS and the new RoDTEP are designed
revive the economy
to incentivise exports by giving them rewards to offset
* First by encouraging Private Sector Investment the duties they pay to export their products.
* Second by bringing further stability into the * In effect, RoDTEP will more than adequately
banking system through several public sector incentivise exporters than existing schemes put
bank mergers. together.

SEPTEMBER-2019 21
• T o increase bank credit to exporters, the Export Credit
Details
Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) will expand the scope
• A
n Inter-Ministerial Working Group will be set up to of its Export Credit Insurance Scheme to provide a
monitor export finance actively higher insurance cover to banks that are lending
* This group will monitor strict implementation of working capital for exports.
the announcements in a time-bound manner. * At present banks are covered for 60% of what
• In another move aimed at freeing up the working they lend to exporters for working capital, this
capital of exporters, the Finance Minister announced will be increased to 90%.
a Fully Electronic Refund Module for the quick and Housing Sector
automated refund of input tax credits
• T he most notable decision was the setting up of a
• The new measures include Priority Lending for Special Fund that would provide last-mile funding for
exporters to address the liquidity crunch. housing projects
* The Reserve Bank of India will release additional • The objective is to focus on construction of unfinished
funds of Rs 36,000 crore to Rs 68,000 crore as units
export credit under priority sector for the same.
• The fund would be set up as a Category-II AIF trust
• Logistics Sector Issues will be addressed. Apart from and would be professionally run with experts from
providing credit and incentives to exporters, the housing and banking sector.
reforms package also included ways to make the
• Besides the Government, the other investors who are
sector more efficient and globally competitive.
likely to contribute to the fund include LIC and other
* The entire process of export clearances will be institutions and private capital from banks and DFIs.
digitised and all offline or manual processes will
• For the housing sector, Sitharaman also announced
be eliminated to reduce the ‘time to export’.
that External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) guidelines
* Further, an action plan to reduce the time to will be relaxed to facilitate financing of home buyers
export and turn-around time in airports and who are eligible under the PMAY, in consultation with
ports benchmarked to international standards RBI.
will be implemented
Exceptions
* The actual turnaround times will be published in
• T his is applicable to ones that are not categorised as
real time for each port and airport and an inter-
non-performing assets
ministerial group will be made accountable for
this. • They are not undergoing National Company Law
Tribunal proceedings.
• Other decisions aimed at making exports more
competitive include working with exporters to help Conclusion
them best exploit the advantages of the various • W
ith all these changes the growth may reach 6 to
Free Trade Agreements India has signed with other 6.5% but we need economy growing at or more than
countries 9% to meet the target of 5 Trillion economy
* Increasing the testing and certification • Unemployment is at the forty five year high so
infrastructure in India structural reforms is the need of the hour as the
* Enforcing the time-bound adoption by industry economy is currently run by Gig Economics and
of all necessary mandatory technical standards. technological upgradation. So a transition and
relevant investment in Human resource is a must to
• Among the most interesting announcements was an
make the demographic dividend an Asset and not a
Annual Mega Shopping Festival that FM Sitharaman
liability.
said, will be hosted by India in four cities on the lines
of the Dubai Shopping Festival. • Countries like Cambodia, Vietnam and in fact our
neighbor Bangladesh have extracted maximum from
* C
ountries in the world like UAE, Japan and USA
the trade war and have expanded their Textile sector.
organize fares, shopping festivals to attract
Tourists and Businesses and its people India should learn lessons as well
* This would promote their home grown culture, 15. India among top 10 nations in gold reserves
unique textiles and a means of Employment
Context:
generation and value addition in economy
• A
ccording to a release by the World Gold council,
* The same would be practiced in India through
India is one among the top countries in terms of Total
these Mega shopping festivals by bringing in
Gold Reserves. It has surpassed Netherlands to move
weavers, household manufacturers, toy makers
into the list of top ten countries totaling 618.2 tonnes,
to uplift their livelihood means and showcasing
which is marginally higher than the Netherlands’
them to the world
reserves of 612.5 tonnes.

SEPTEMBER-2019 22
* India’s gold reserves have grown substantially in 17. National Infrastructure Pipeline
the past couple of decades from 357.8 tonnes
Context
in the first quarter of 2000 to the current 618.2
tonnes. • I n a bid to further give a push to the country’s
infrastructure, government has constituted a high-
Ranking
level task force to identify infrastructure projects for
• A
ccording to the latest release by the World Gold Rs 100 lakh crore investment by 2024-25 as India aims
Council, U.S. leads the country list with total gold to become a USD 5 trillion economy.
reserves of 8,133.5 tonnes followed by Germany with
Composition
3,366.8 tonnes.
• T he task force will be headed by the economic affairs
• While the IMF is ranked third with a holding of 2,451.8
secretary
tonnes, it is followed by countries such as Italy (2,451.8
tonnes), France (2,436.1 tonnes), Russia (2,219.2 • The task force will comprise secretaries from different
tonnes), China (1,936.5 tonnes), Switzerland (1,040 ministries, other senior officials and Niti Aayog CEO.
tonnes) and Japan (765.2 tonnes) before India at the What was the need?
10th spot.
• T he challenge is to step up annual infrastructure
• Pakistan’s position is unchanged at the 45th with total investment so that lack of infrastructure does not
gold reserves of 64.6 tonnes. become a binding constraint on the growth of the
World Gold Council Indian economy,
• T he World Gold Council or the WGC is a nonprofit • These will include social and economic infrastructure
association of the world’s leading gold producers. projects.
• It is a market development organization for the gold Details
industry • This would include greenfield and brownfield projects
* The World Gold Council includes 25 members • It will identify technically feasible and financially/
and many members are gold mining companies. economically viable infrastructure projects that can
* The WGC was established to promote the use be initiated in 2019-20.
of and demand for gold through marketing, • Further, it has been asked to list the projects that can
research and lobbying. be included in the pipeline for each of the remaining
• T he WGC aims to maximize the industry’s potential five years between fiscals 2021-25.
growth by monitoring and defending existing gold • As per the terms of reference (ToR) of the task force,
consumption.
* it has also been asked to estimate annual
• It is Headquartered in London infrastructure investment/capital costs,
16. Longest Electrified Rail Tunnel * guide ministries in identifying appropriate
sources of financing and
Context
* Suggest measures to monitor the projects to
• Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu dedicated the minimize cost and time over runs.
longest electrified railway tunnel in the country
between Rapuru and Cherlopalli in Andhra Pradesh • Each ministry/department would be responsible for
to the nation monitoring of projects so as to ensure their timely and
Details within-cost implementation
• T he 6.6 km long tunnel is situated between Cherlopalli 18. NBFC loan pricing under RBI lens
and Rapuru railway stations and is part of the new Context:
Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam railway line.
• A
fter mandating banks to implement external
• The height of the tunnel is 6.5 metres. benchmarking for retail loan pricing, the Reserve Bank
Significance is currently looking at the loan pricing regime of Non-
Banking Finance Companies to make the practice
• A
t present, a goods train takes an average time
more transparent.
of 10 hours to travel from Krishnapatnam Port to
Obulavaripalli. Issue:
* On the newly electrified line, the travel time gets • I t has often been noticed that lending rates of banks
reduced to about 5 hours, thereby resulting in a and NBFCs, including housing finance companies, are
saving of travel time by 5 hours. not responsive to changes in the RBI’s policy rate or
the repo rate.
• T he tunnel is a game changer in the freight operations
of the zone.

SEPTEMBER-2019 23
• As a result, the banking regulator has mandated • The price of loan comprises the MCLR and the spread
banks that floating rate retail loans for homes, vehicles or the bank’s profit margin.
and loans to small and medium enterprises should The problem with MCLR-based system
be linked to an external benchmark like repo rate or
• T he biggest problem with the current system is the
Government of India T-bills, for example.
lack of required transmission of policy rates.
• The main objective behind linking loans to an external
* They are insensitive to changes in the policy
benchmark was for faster transmission of monetary
interest rate or repo rate
policy rates, particularly in a declining interest regime.
* When the RBI cuts repo rate there is no guarantee
Details
a borrower will get the benefit of the rate cut or
• A
t present, there is no anchor rate for NBFCs, similar to that it will be transmitted down to him.
banks that is linked to the lending rate of a particular
* Due to internal benchmarking of loan price,
loan.
policy rate cuts often don’t reach the borrowers.
* For example, banks have the marginal cost of
• Secondly, the MCLR system is opaque since it’s an
fund based lending rate (MCLR) — the anchor
internal benchmark that depends on the way a bank
rate — and all the loans are linked to such a rate.
does its business.
Earlier, the base rate acted as an anchor rate.
• Banks deviated in an ad hoc manner from the
* Banks were not allowed to lend below the base
specified methodologies for calculating the base rate
rate or the MCLR rate.
and the MCLR to either inflate the base rate or prevent
* However, banks are allowed to add a spread, the base rate from falling in line with the cost of funds.
based on the risk assessment, to the anchor rate.
• Borrowers, who have taken loans on a floating rate
• The way banks set interest rates is critical for the basis, suffer an immediate increase when interest
smooth transmission of policy rates. rates are hiked by the RBI but do not get much relief
• To make this process transparent, RBI has over the when rates go down. This makes a mockery of the
years directed banks to price their loans against their very concept of ‘floating’ rates.
benchmark prime lending rate (BPLR), base rate and • Dr Janak Raj Committee in its report, “Internal Study
then MCLR. Group to Review the Working of the MCLR System”
• However, this is the first time banks have been asked had provided a shocking account of how wide and
to link their lending rates to an external benchmark. deep banking malpractices are with regard to floating
rate loans.
• The primary advantage of an external benchmark
over an internal rate is transparency. While certain How the new system will work?
costs such as business strategy and operating costs • U
nder the new system which will come into effect
were part of the anchor rate under the MCLR regime, from April 1, 2019, banks will have to link their lending
the external benchmark ensures all those are part of rates with an external benchmark instead of MCLR.
the spread and not built into the anchor.
• The RBI has given these options to banks: RBI repo
• The central bank is keen on greater transparency rate, the 91-day T-bill yield; the 182-day T-bill yield; or
and order in the rate-setting process at non-banking any other benchmark market interest rate produced
financial companies (NBFCs) and housing finance by the Financial Benchmarks India Pvt. Ltd.
companies (HFCs), which are not bound by RBI
• One of these benchmarks will be used to decide the
regulations.
lending rate in addition to the spread, Banks will be
• One of the concerns is that only a handful of large free to decide their spread value but it will have to be
NBFCs are supervised by the RBI. fixed for the tenure of the loan.
External Benchmarking • However, it can change if the credit score of the
Background borrower changes. The interest rates under the new
system will change every month.
• T he W • All loans such as for car and home disbursed
from April 1, 2016 are linked to marginal cost of funds- How it will benefit borrowers?
based lending rate (MCLR). The MCLR-based regime • F irst, it will help better transmission of policy rate cuts
had replaced the earlier base rate regime to provide which means an RBI rate cut will immediately reach
transparency in the transmission of monetary policy the borrower in the current system in which internal
decisions. benchmark is not influenced solely by the policy rate
• MCLR is an internal benchmark rate that depends on cut but depends on a variety of factors.
various factors such as fixed deposit rates, source of • Second, it will make the system more transparent
funds and savings rate. since every borrower will know the fixed interest rate
and the spread value decided by the bank.

SEPTEMBER-2019 24
* It will help borrowers compare loans in a better Issue Area

way from different banks. • Both the consumers and the farmers are disheartened.
• U
nder the new system, a bank is required to adopt a * The consumers are concerned about the sharp
uniform external benchmark within a loan category increase in prices
so that there is transparency, standardization and
ease of understanding for the borrowers. * The farmers are worried about the lack of proper
infrastructure to store the produce.
* This would mean that same bank cannot adopt
multiple benchmarks within a loan category. Initiatives taken by Central Government to contain onion
prices
Concerns
In view of the continuing high price of onions in the
• B
ankers have cautioned that the external market, the Central Government took several steps to
benchmarking of new floating rate loans by banks contain the prices namely:
may bring volatility in interest rates, leading to
frequent changes in customers’ monthly instalments. • T he Central Government imposed stock limits on
onion traders to facilitate the release of stocks in the
• The lack of depth in T-Bill and CD (Certificate of market and prevent hoarding by traders.
Deposit) markets can make such benchmarks
* The stock limit of 100 quintal on retail traders
potentially susceptible to manipulation and 500 quintals on wholesale traders has been
19. Onion Prices Rises imposed all over India.
Context * The Centre has also asked the State Governments

to enforce the stock limits strictly and carry out
• O
nion prices have skyrocketed owing to incessant anti-hoarding operations against unscrupulous
rains. A significant number of onions were spoilt traders by organising raids, etc.
following the rain. This coupled with a lesser yield this
year, has led to an increase in its price • T he Government has also banned export of onions
with immediate effect till further orders for improving
Onion growing States and Period domestic availability. The ban on export of onions is
• M
aharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, expected to improve domestic availability and cool
Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal prices.
account for almost 90 per cent of onion production in • The reported export below Minimum Export Price
the country. (MEP) to Bangladesh & Sri Lanka will be immediately
• Maharashtra, with its onion-belt districts like Nashik, stopped and strict action will be initiated against
Pune, Ahmednagar and Aurangabad, contributes those who are found to be violating this.
nearly one third of the country’s production of the * MEP is the price below which an exporter is not
vegetable. allowed to export the commodity from India.
• Farmers across the country take three crops of onions * MEP is imposed in view of the rising domestic
and this ensures uninterrupted supply across the year. retail / wholesale price or production disruptions
* kharif (sown between May and July and in the country. MEP is a kind of quantitative
harvested in October-December) restriction to trade.
* Late kharif (sown in August- September and * Government fixes MEP for the selected
harvested in January- March) are not amenable commodities with a view to arrest domestic
for storage as they have higher moisture content. price rise and augment domestic supply. This is
intended to be imposed for short durations and
* The third, rabi crop (sown in October-November
is removed when situations change.
and harvested after April), can be stored for a
long period. * The removal of MEP helps farmers / exporters
in realizing better and remunerative prices and
Why onion prices have increased?
would also help in earning valuable foreign
• A
combination of factors has led to the increase in exchange for the country.
prices; while the cultivation area under rabi crop has
Concerns
decreased in Maharashtra, neighbouring Karnataka
has received heavy rain during the harvest period for • I t takes years to build export markets but with
kharif crop. such abrupt export restrictions, India becomes an
unreliable exporter, which adversely hits its unit value
• The current increase in onion prices is also due to
of exports. This damage is far greater compared to the
2018’s drought and the delayed monsoon in 2019.
short-term gains the government is eyeing.

SEPTEMBER-2019 25
What else should the Govt do? Context:

• T he Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) • T he government announced that it has reconstituted
should be at the forefront to extensively promote the the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC-
use of dehydrated onions (flakes, powder, granules) PM) for a period of two years.
among domestic households and institutions like the Details:
armed forces, hospitals, restaurants and schools (mid-
day meals). This will take the pressure off fresh onions • G
overnment of India has reconstituted the Economic
during the lean season. Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) for
a period of two years with effect from September 26,
* Currently, India exports 85 per cent of its 2019.
dehydrated onions, and is the largest exporter of
dehydrated onions in the world. • Bibek Debroy and Shri Ratan P. Watal will continue to
be the chairman and member secretary, respectively,
* Dehydrated products are much cheaper to store of the reconstituted EAC-PM.
and are more durable. They can help check the
spikes in onion prices. • The release added that the EAC-PM would have two
part-time members apart from the two full-time
* This will reduce wastage and help farmers
members.
get a fair price and consumers can switch to
these dehydrated onions in the lean season at 21. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
affordable prices.
• It is an old age pension scheme for all land holding
• Overhaul of the APMCs is overdue. Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) in the country.
* An analysis of onion value chains reveals that • It is voluntary and contributory for farmers in the entry
onion farmers get a mere 29 per cent share of age group of 18 to 40 years and a monthly pension of
the consumer’s rupee. Rs. 3000/- will be provided to them on attaining the
* The rest constitutes costs and margins of age of 60 years.
middlemen, with retailers apportioning the • The farmers will have to make a monthly contribution
highest share. of Rs.55 to Rs.200, depending on their age of entry, in
* With the majority of onions traded through the the Pension Fund till they reach the retirement date
APMC markets, the auctioning procedure is i.e. the age of 60 years.
controlled by powerful traders and commission • The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) shall
agents with much less bargaining power for be the Pension Fund Manager and responsible for
farmers. Pension pay out.
20. PM’s Economic Advisory Council reconstituted • The farmers, who are also beneficiaries of PM-
Kisan Scheme, will have the option to allow their
• E conomic Advisory Council is a non-constitutional contribution debited from the benefit of that Scheme
and non-statutory, non-permanent and independent directly.
body.
• In case of default in making regular contributions,
• It is constituted to provide sound policy advice in key the beneficiaries are allowed to regularize the
areas such as reviving economic growth and creating contributions by paying the outstanding dues along
enabling conditions for gainful employment.
with prescribed interest.
• The body comprises of economists of high repute and
How will it work?
eminence.
• I n case of death of the farmer before retirement date,
• The body is constituted to provide advice on
the spouse may continue in the scheme by paying the
economic issues to the government, specifically to
remaining contributions till the remaining age of the
the Prime Minister.
deceased farmer.
• The advice of the EAC-PM would be either on
* If the spouse does not wish to continue, the total
reference from the PM or suo-motu.
contribution made by the farmer along with
• It submits periodic reports to PM related to interest will be paid to the spouse.
macroeconomic developments and issues which will
* If there is no spouse, then total contribution
have implications of the economic policy. along with interest will be paid to the nominee.
• If the farmer dies after the retirement date, the spouse
will receive 50% of the pension as Family Pension.
• After the death of both the farmer and the spouse,
the accumulated corpus shall be credited back to the
Pension Fund.

SEPTEMBER-2019 26
• The beneficiaries may opt voluntarily to exit the Background

Scheme after a minimum period of 5 years of regular • F ounded in 1984, PMC Bank was the youngest bank
contributions. to get the status of a scheduled bank in 2000 and a
* On exit, their entire contribution shall be licence of authorised dealer category 1 in the year
returned by LIC with an interest equivalent to 2011 for forex business by the RBI.
prevailing saving bank rates. • The bank has several small businesses, housing
Pradhan MantriLaghu Vyapari Maan Dhan Yojana: societies and institutions as its customers.
• Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Maan Dhan Yojana is Why was it placed under restrictions?
a pension scheme for shopkeepers and retail traders. • T he decision came after the central bank discovered
• Under the scheme beneficiaries between 18 and 40 certain irregularities in the bank, including the under-
years will get Rs. 3,000 per month after completing 60 reporting of non-performing assets (NPAs).
years of age. * The bank had suppressed the sticky assets and
Swarojgar Pension Scheme under-reported them
• Swarojgar pension scheme is a scheme for the self- • The bank was funding a clutch of companies, mainly
employed. in the troubled real estate sector, led by Housing
Development & Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL). Commercial
• Under this scheme, similar to Pradhan Mantri Laghu
banks have already declared HDIL a defaulter.
Vyapari Maan Dhan Yojana, the beneficiaries between
18 and 40 years will get Rs 3,000 per month after • In the case of PMC Bank, as per RBI, there are three
completing 60 years of age. problems — major financial irregularities, failure of
internal control and systems, and underreporting of
22. PACEsetter Fund programme exposures.
• The PACEsetter fund was constituted by India and Concerns
the USA in 2015 as a joint fund to provide early-stage
grant funding to accelerate the commercialization of • T his episode, once again, raises questions on not
innovative off-grid clean energy products, systems, only the governance structures at these cooperative
and business models. banks, but also on their supervision.
• The mission of the PACEsetter Fund is to accelerate * Cooperative banks are under joint supervision of
the commercialization of innovative off-grid clean the RBI and states.
energy access solutions by providing early-stage * And while the RBI has signed MoUs with
grant funding that would allow businesses to develop state governments, unless state governments
and test innovative products, business models and cooperate in effecting regulations, supervision is
systems. likely to be ineffective.
• The Fund’s main purpose is to improve the viability of * Clearly, there were no early warning signs of
off-grid renewable energy businesses that sell small trouble in this case.
scale (under 1 megawatt) clean energy systems to
Steps taken by RBI
individuals and communities without access to grid
connected power or with limited/intermittent access. • T he RBI has appointed J B Bhoria as administrator
of PMC Bank; he is expected to take appropriate
Context measures to bring the bank back on the rails.
• T he Ministry of New and Renewable Energy awarded Restrictions imposed by the regulator can do more harm
Grants to the awardees of the second round of than good?
PACEsetter fund programme
• T he constraints imposed by RBI, under section 35A of
23. Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Ltd (PMC the banking Regulation Act, are aimed at safeguarding
depositors interest, and preventing a run on the bank,
Bank)
such moves, which are seen as penalising depositors,
Context can end up having the opposite effect, denting trust
• T he Reserve Bank of India has placed Mumbai-based in cooperative banks and increasing the risk of a
Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC contagion.
Bank) a Leading Cooperative Bank headquartered in Way forward
Mumbai under directions and has slapped restrictions
• I nstances such as these are likely to raise calls for
on its operations
reviewing this regulatory framework and giving more
• RBI imposed curbs on the activities of PMC for a period powers to the RBI to oversee these entities. These
of six months. need to be attended to.
• The RBI should also examine the long-term feasibility
of their business models in light of the rapid
technological changes in the financial sector.

SEPTEMBER-2019 27
• The RBI could also explore the option of merging PMC Regulatory checks in place
with another healthy cooperative bank to avoid any Many of the regulatory norms applicable to a commercial
instability bank also apply to cooperative banks, which is comforting.
• The RBI has announced a scheme for voluntary • F or instance, cooperative banks too have to set aside
transition of urban cooperative banks into small 4 per cent of their total deposits as CRR (cash reserve
finance banks, in line with the recommendations of a ratio) with the regulator.
high-powered committee chaired by former Deputy
Governor of the RBI, R. Gandhi. This would enable • They also need to invest another 18.75 per cent of
them to have most of the products available with their total deposits in government securities, which
commercial banks, and help get a pan-India presence. are highly liquid and can be easily pledge (or sold) to
raise money.
Cooperative banks
• Also RBI had put in place a Supervisory Action
It is defined as small-sized units in the co-operative sector, Framework (SAF) in 2012, much like the Prompt
operate both in urban and non-urban centres. These banks Corrective Action (PCA) on commercial banks.
have mostly been centered on communities and localities
lending to small borrowers and businesses. Traditionally, * Here too, trigger points for initiating corrective
the co-operative structure is divided into two parts--rural action on banks is based on certain financial
and urban. parameters such as capital adequacy, gross non-
performing assets, concentration of deposits
The Rural Cooperative Credit system in India is primarily and profitability.
mandated to ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector.
The short-term co-operative credit structure operates with Why people save their money in cooperative banks over
a three-tier system – commercial banks?
• Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) at the • O

ne of the biggest draw for people to park money in
village level, cooperative banks is the relatively higher rates these
banks offer on deposits than commercial banks.
• Central Cooperative Banks (CCBs) at the district level
and Non Compliance a major Problem
• State Cooperative Banks (StCBs) at the State level. • D

espite the regulatory check in place, weak corporate
governance, lack of professionalism, reluctance in
Primary Cooperative Banks (PCBs), also referred to as technology adoption are some of the concerns that
Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), cater to the financial continue to plague the sector
needs of customers in urban and semi-urban areas.
• Urban cooperative banks have been under the radar
How are they regulated? of the RBI, but because of dual regulation, one always
• C
ooperative Banks are registered under the had a feeling that one did not have as much control
Cooperative Societies Act. over these banks in terms of supercession of boards or
removal of directors, as the RBI has over private sector
• The Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) is
in control of management elections and many banks.
administrative issues as well as auditing. 24. Teaser Loan
• The RBI brought them under the Banking Regulation Context
Act, 1949 as applicable to cooperative societies,
which included all the regulatory aspects, namely, • S tate Bank of India’s (SBI) plan to offer teaser loans is
the granting of the licence, maintaining cash reserve, likely to hit a regulatory hurdle as the Reserve Bank of
statutory liquidity and capital adequacy ratios, and India (RBI) is uncomfortable with such products.
inspection of these banks. Meaning
* The banking laws were made applicable to • Teaser loans are fixed-cum-floating home loan rates.
cooperative societies in 1966 through an
amendment to the Banking Regulation Act, • Teaser loans are those which charge comparatively
1949. lower rates of interest in the first few years after which
the rates are increased.
• Therefore banking related functions are regulated
by the RBI and management related functions are What is the issue?
regulated by respective State Governments • S BI’s decision to ponder over such products came
• Powers have also been delegated to National Bank after RBI mandated banks to link floating rate retail
for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) to and MSME loans to an external benchmark.
conduct inspection of State and Central Cooperative • RBI is of the view that some borrowers may find it
Banks. difficult to service the loans once the normal interest
• However, do note that Primary Agricultural Credit rate, which is higher than the rate applicable in the
Societies fall outside the purview of the Banking initial years, becomes effective.
Regulation Act, 1949 and hence are not regulated by
the RBI.

SEPTEMBER-2019 28
• In addition, a bank, while extending the loan, does not Countries Ranking
take into account the borrowers’ repayment capacity • Spain held on to the top spot
after lending rates increase.
• Spain was followed by France, Germany and Japan,
• While such teaser products are not banned by with the United States replacing the UK in the top five.
the regulator, the standard asset provisioning
requirement is higher for such loans. * Japan remains Asia’s most competitive travel and
tourism economy, ranking 4th globally
• RBI had increased the provisioning by five times for
such loans since these loans are perceived as more • O
thers in the top 10 list include the United Kingdom
risky. at the 6th place, Australia (7th), Italy (8th), Canada
(9th) and Switzerland (10th).
• Higher provisioning discourages banks from offering
such products. Following the introduction of higher • The report further added that Asia-Pacific was one of
the fastest-growing travel and tourism regions in this
risk weights, banks had discontinued those products.
year’s ranking.
25. Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report • Pakistan (121st) remains the least competitive country
• It was first published in 2007 by the World Economic in South Asia when it comes to T&T, including the
Forum. region’s least favourable safety and security (134th)
* It is Published biennially conditions.
• The index is a measurement of the factors that make 26. Task force recommends online loan sale platform
it attractive to develop business in the travel and Context:
tourism industry of individual countries, rather than
a measure of a country attractiveness as a tourist • A
task force set up by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
destination. has submitted its report on the development of a
secondary market for corporate loans.
• The study scored countries on four indicators —
enabling environment; travel and tourism policy Details:
and enabling conditions; infrastructure; natural and • T he task force was headed by Canara Bank chairman
cultural rankings. T.N. Manoharan
* The four broad indicators looked at 14 variables, • It recommended setting up of a Self-Regulatory Body
which were further subdivided into 90 indicators (SRB), which will oversee the proposed secondary
such as property rights, efficiency of the legal market.
framework, quality of electricity supply, female
* The SRB may be set up as an association by
labour force participation, visa requirements and
scheduled commercial banks, public financial
the number of World Heritage cultural sites.
institutions and other related entities, and may
• The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), be incorporated as a Section 8 company under
that covered 140 economies, measures the set the Companies Act, 2013.
of factors and policies that enable sustainable
* The SRB’s role will be to standardize loan
development of travel and tourism sector which
documentation and covenants, periodically
contributes to the development and competitiveness
review the documentation, ensure
of a country. standardization of practices, and promote
India’s Ranking growth, liquidity, efficiency and transparency of
the proposed secondary market.
• India has moved up six places to rank 34th
* It will also be responsible for setting up a
central loan contract registry, which will finalize
the detailed design structure, infrastructure,
technological aspects and nature of
incorporation, to ensure legal sanctity of its
operations and for executing agreements with
other agencies.
* It said the SRB may stipulate minimum 5-10% of
the loan outstanding as the threshold limit for
the loan size eligible for sale.
• The Task Force also recommended setting up of an
online loan sales platform to conduct auctions of
secondary market loans.

SEPTEMBER-2019 29
* It said term loans have to be prioritized for the • It also suggested that all new two-wheelers below
auction and, subsequently with experience, 150cc sold after March 2025 should be electric.
other categories of loans, such as revolving credit
• In consonance with these proposals, the Union
facilities (cash credit, credit card receivables,
Budget presented on July 5 2019 announced tax
etc.), assets with bullet repayment and non-fund
incentives for early adopters.
based facilities, could be introduced.
Drivetrain
• O
ther recommendations of the Task Force include
linking the pricing of all loans to an external • T he system in a motor vehicle which connects the
benchmark as the current Marginal Cost of Funds transmission to the drive axles
Based Lending Rate (MCLR) may not be comparable • The drivetrain includes the transmission, the
across banks. driveshaft, the axles, and the wheels.
• Amendment of the regulations with respect to How are cost structures of conventional vehicles and
securitisation and assignment of loans, asset electric vehicles different?
reconstruction, foreign portfolio investment
and external commercial borrowings were also • T he portion of the costs of the drivetrain of EVs — in
recommended. comparison to the cost of the entire vehicle is four
percentage points lower when compared to ICE
• The committee also said that amendments in vehicles.
regulations issued by SEBI, IRDA and PFRDA were
needed to enable participation of non-banking * This is primarily due to less parts in the electric
entities such as mutual funds, insurance companies drivetrain.
and pension funds. • H
owever, the battery pack takes up nearly half the
cost of an electric vehicle.
27. VAHAN Database
* For any meaningful reduction in the physical
• VAHAN is a digital national vehicle registry portal. value of EVs, the cost of battery packs needs to
• It collates all the information available with road reduce significantly
transport authorities for easy access by both citizens What are the components of a battery pack and how much
and regulators. do they cost?
• The portal allows access to all details about vehicles • T he predominant battery chemistry used in EVs is
such as registration number, colour, chassis/engine lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion). No new technologies are
number, body/fuel type, manufacturer and model on the horizon for immediate commercial usage.
and provides various online services to citizens.
• The cost of the materials or key-components of the
• Driving Licence and related information are battery, namely the cathode, anode, electrolyte,
automated through another application called separator, among others, contribute the most (60%)
‘Sarathi’. to the total cost.
• VAHAN offers the following services: • Labour charges, overheads and profit margins
* Vehicle registration (new/renewal/transfer, etc.) account for the rest.
* Permit (issuance/renewal) * Labour is a relatively minuscule component of
the overall cost.
* Taxes (calculation and payment)
• Any reduction in the cost of the battery pack will have
* Fitness (Fitness Certificate issuance and renewal) to come from a reduction in materials cost or the
* Enforcement (issue of challan, settlement of manufacturing overhead.
penalty amount) * Manufacturing overhead includes such things
Context: as the electricity used to operate the factory
equipment, lubricants, depreciation on the
• T he Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has asked factory equipment and building
all PUC Centres (Centres that issue Pollution under
Control Certificates/PUC Certificates to on-road How has the cost of the Li-ion battery pack cost evolved in
vehicles) to link emission test data with the VAHAN the last decade?
Database. The price of these battery packs has consistently fallen
over the past few years.
28. What is the economics behind e-vehicle batteries?
• T his decrease is in part due to technological
Background improvements, economies of scale and increased
• N
ITI Aayog, in May 2019, proposed to ban the sale of demand for lithium-ion batteries.
all internal combustion engine (ICE) powered three- • Fierce competition between major manufacturers has
wheelers post March 2023. also been instrumental in bringing down prices.

SEPTEMBER-2019 30
Where does India stand on EV adoption? • Tariffs were also hiked for the first time on crude oil.
• A
ccording to the NITI Aayog, 79% of vehicles on • China has raised the ante further by initiating a dispute
Indian roads are two-wheelers. in the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the
U.S.’s unilateral tariff increases.
• In India, EV adoption will be driven by two-wheelers
rather than cars in high numbers on because India’s USA targets China for violations of IPR
mobility market is driven more by two wheelers. • E arlier, the U.S. administration had targeted China
• Three-wheelers and cars that cost less than ₹10 lakh primarily for what it perceived to be violations by the
account for 4% and 12% of the vehicle population, latter of intellectual property rights (IPRs) of American
respectively. companies.
• Two-wheelers will also need smaller batteries when • The administration’s argument was that Beijing was
compared to cars and hence the overall affordable forcing these companies to transfer their proprietary
cost. technologies.
Current status of battery manufacturing • In fact, on this issue, the U.S. became the judge and
the jury by indicting China for indulging in “forced
• India needs to manufacture Li-ion cells in-house.
technology transfer” and then bringing penal
• Now, cells are imported and “assembled” into provisions against its imports using the provisions of
batteries. the Trade Act of 1974.
• Setting up a Li-ion manufacturing unit requires high • The provisions of this Act (like Section 301) allow the
capital expenditure. But battery manufacturing in U.S. to “investigate” any country which, in its opinion,
India is expected to grow as electric vehicles grow. has violated IPRs of American companies.
Are EV vehicles completely environment friendly? • If found “guilty”, the violating countries can be
• P
resently, most of India’s electricity is generated using sanctioned with trade retaliation. The tariff increases
conventional sources. against Chinese products were tantamount to trade
retaliation. It needs to be further mentioned here
• In 2018-19, over 90% of India’s electricity was that Section 301 actions are a violation of WTO rules
generated from conventional sources, including as disputes must be resolved by the organisation’s
coal, and around 10% was produced from renewable dispute settlement mechanism.
sources such as solar, wind and biomass.
‘Currency Manipulator’ Label
• While the rate of electricity generated from renewable
sources has increased over the years, more needs to • H
owever, while triggering the most recent escalation,
be done for their adoption. the U.S. administration not only violated the spirit of
multilateralism, it also shifted the goalposts.
• This is because the EV-charging infrastructure needs
to be powered through renewable sources to make it • T he action was triggered when the U.S. Secretary of
Treasury invoked the provisions of Section 3004 of the
truly sustainable.
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act.
29. USA- China Trade War • This Section authorizes the Treasury Secretary
Context to examine whether the U.S.’s trade partners are
manipulating the “rate of exchange for purposes
• T he trade war between the U.S. and China has seen a of preventing effective balance of payments
significant escalation. adjustments or gaining unfair competitive advantage
• Recently, the U.S. administration notified its decision in international trade”.
to impose 15% tariffs, in two phases, on imports • It was based on a report presented to the U.S. Congress
valued at $300 billion. in 2018 that concluded that China’s “exchange rate
• The latest round of tariff increases implies that the practices continue to lack transparency, including its
country has imposed tariffs on almost all of its product intervention in foreign exchange markets”, although
imports from China, totaling nearly $540 billion in it found that “direct intervention in foreign exchange
2018. markets by the People’s Bank of China” over the past
several months was limited.
• Pharmaceutical imports are the only major exception.
The latest action by the Trump administration raises at
China announces additional tariffs
least two sets of issues.
• I mmediately after the U.S. administration issued the
The first concerns its pursuit of unilateralism. The country
notification, China increased tariffs on more than
has challenged the framework of multilaterally agreed
5,000 products imported from the U.S. valued at $75
rules in two ways —
billion.
• By not allowing WTO members to conduct
• The sensitive sectors of agriculture and forestry were
negotiations so that the rules respond to the needs
targeted.
of the members, especially the lesser developed
countries;

SEPTEMBER-2019 31
• By making the dispute settlement mechanism non- • The tragedy that killed nearly two dozen people at a
functional. firecracker factory in Batala, Punjab
* A critical component of the dispute settlement Such incidents make it imperative that the Central
mechanism is the Appellate Body, which needs government abandon its reductionist approach to the
seven members to function effectively. challenge, and engage in serious reform.
* But the U.S. administration has refused to allow The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions
retiring members of the Appellate Body to be Code, 2019
replaced by new members, and this has brought
• T he bill introduced in the Lok Sabha in July to
the dispute settlement mechanism to the brink.
combine 13 existing laws relating to mines, factories,
Second, nearly a year and a half after the trade war was dock workers, building and construction, transport
officially announced in Washington, one question that workers, inter-State migrant labour and so on, pays
begs an answer is: little attention to the sector-specific requirements of
• Have the American people gained anything from the workers.
exertions of the administration? • One of its major shortcomings is that formation of
• Are there any signs that President Trump’s vision safety committees and appointment of safety officers,
of ‘Making America Great Again’ is gaining further the latter in the case of establishments with 500
traction? workers, is left to the discretion of State governments.
This could spell disaster for US economy • Evidently, the narrow stipulation on safety officers
confines it to a small fraction of industries.
• T here is hardly any doubt that the latest round of tariff
increases would hurt the U.S. economy even more • On the other hand, the Factories Act currently
since China has targeted agriculture and crude oil, mandates appointment of a bipartite committee in
two of the most sensitive sectors. units that employ hazardous processes or substances,
with exemptions being the exception. This provision
• An impact on these sectors could adversely affect clearly requires retention in the new Code.
President Trump politically because people and
companies associated with these areas are among the Steps that need to be taken by the Govt
President’s major funders. • A
safe work environment is a basic right, and India’s
• Further, since the current round of tariffs target recent decades of high growth should have ushered
products like garments, toothbrushes, footwear, toys in a framework of guarantees.
and video games, the U.S.’s consumer goods markets • Unfortunately, successive governments have not felt
would be impacted quite considerably. it necessary to ratify many fundamental conventions
• Clearly, the administration is worried about the price of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
increases following the imposition of tariffs on some covering organised and unorganised sector workers’
of these goods, a reason it has postponed the tariff safety, including the Occupational Safety and Health
increases until after the Christmas purchases. Convention, 1981.
Conclusion • Those ILO instruments cover several areas of activity

that the NDA government’s occupational safety Code
• T he timing of the latest escalation could not have now seeks to amalgamate, but without the systemic
been worse; it could bring the global economy closer reform that is necessary to empower workers.
to an economic slowdown, much earlier than its
• It is essential, therefore, that the new Code go back to
predicted onset in 2020.
the drawing board for careful scrutiny by experienced
30. Factoring in safety: on stronger worker safety law parliamentarians, aided by fresh inputs from
employees, employers and experts.
Context
• Industries that use hazardous processes and chemicals
• I ndia’s Industrial and work environment is based on deserve particular attention, and the Code must have
productivity benefits but in promoting occupational clear definitions, specifying limits of exposure for
and industrial safety remains weak even with years of workers.
robust economic growth
Conclusion
Examples
• C
ompromising on safety can lead to extreme
The consequences are frequently seen in the form of a consequences that go beyond factories, and leave
large number of fatalities and injuries something that is etched in the nation’s memory as in
• D
eaths of four people, including a senior officer, in a the case of the Bhopal gas disaster.
fire at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation gas facility
in Navi Mumbai

SEPTEMBER-2019 32
31. Futile fines: On traffic violation penalties • The Transport Ministry could well have made
electronic delivery of RTO services mandatory
Introduction
• Mr. Gadkari should lose no time in forming the
• T he steep penalties for violation of road rules that came
National Road Safety Board to recommend important
into force under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment)
changes to infrastructure and to enable professional
Act, 2019 have produced a backlash, with several
State governments opting to reduce the quantum of accident investigation.
fines, or even to reject the new provisions.
32. Registration of steel and iron imports, a must
* Gujarat has announced a substantial reduction
Context
in the fines,
• T he government has made it compulsory for importers
* West Bengal has refused to adopt the higher
to register themselves with Steel Import Monitoring
penalties,
System (SIMS) to be able to import two hundred odd
* Karnataka and Kerala are studying the prospects iron and steel products including certain flat-rolled
to make the provisions less stringent, and others products; some stranded wire, ropes, cables; certain
are proceeding with caution. items of springs and leaves for springs of iron and
• M
otorists have reacted with outrage at the steel; tubes, pipes and hollow profiles; diesel-electric
imposition of fines by the police, obviously upset locomotives; and some parts of railways.
at State governments pursuing enforcement • The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT),
without upgrading road infrastructure and making under the commerce and industry ministry has said
administrative arrangements for issue of transport that “import policy” for these 215 items “has been
documents. revised from ‘free’ to ‘free’ subject to compulsory
Why was this decision take by the central Govt? registration under SIMS”.
• I ndia has some of the deadliest roads in the world, and Background
1,47,913 people died in road accidents only during • T he Indian steel and aluminium industries have
2017. raised concerns that the trade war between the U.S.
• Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has reiterated and China was leading to the dumping of steel and
that it is left to the States to choose the quantum of aluminium products in India that were originally
fines, since it is their responsibility to bring about meant for the other two countries.
deterrence and protect the lives of citizens. • According to the data with the Ministry of Commerce,
• Mr. Gadkari’s argument is valid, and the intent behind Indian imports of steel and iron had contracted 31%
amending the Motor Vehicles Act cannot be faulted. in 2016-17, the financial year before U.S. President
After all, the question that has arisen is whether Donald Trump imposed higher import duties on steel.
enhanced fines can radically change this record when * The effect of Mr. Trump’s announcement was
other determinants, beginning with administrative not fully felt in the subsequent year as the
reform, remain untouched. announcement only came towards the end of
Section 198 the 2017-18 financial year.
• I t directs designated authorities, contractors, * India’s steel and iron imports reversed the
consultants, and/or concesionaires responsible for contraction of the previous year, and grew 2.8%
the design, construction, or maintenance of road in 2017-18.
safety standards to adhere to prescribed standards • The full effect of the U.S.’ higher tariffs and China’s
laid down by the Central government. retaliatory tariffs was clearly visible by 2018-19, during
• In case the designated authority, contractor, which India’s imports of steel and iron grew more
consultant, or concessionaire are found to have than 14%.
not properly discharged their responsibilities and it To ensure that steel and Aluminium are not dumped
results in disability or death, they will be liable to pay into India the Government has taken this measure of
a fine of ₹1 lakh. registration.
• It can be enforced through litigation by road users How will it work?
in all States. Since the standards are laid down,
• The directorate said that the Steel Import Monitoring
compliance should be ensured without waiting for a
System (SIMS) will require importers to submit
road accident to prove it.
advance information in an online system for import
Way forward of these items and obtain an automatic registration
• S tate governments also cannot escape responsibility number
for failing to reform their Regional Transport
Authorities, since these offices are generally steeped
in corruption.

SEPTEMBER-2019 33
• This number can be obtained by paying a minimum

fee of ₹500 and maximum of ₹1 lakh, depending on
the value of the imports.
• The importer can apply for registration not earlier
than 60 days before and not later than 15 days before
the expected date of arrival of the import, and the
registration number will remain valid for 75 days.
Significance
• It will also protect the domestic industry and help in
taking anti-dumping actionsThe import-export data
will bring transparency and will help solve the issue of
over-invoicing and under-invoicing

SEPTEMBER-2019 34
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) • At Vladivostok’s massive port, shipping and
Context commercial fishing are the main commercial activities.
Automobiles are a major item of import at the port,
• S peaking at the Plenary Session of the 5th Eastern from where they are often transported further inland.
Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi announced that India would extend Geostrategic Significance
a $1 billion line of credit towards the development of • R
ealizing its geostrategic significance, India opened
the Russian Far East. a consulate in Vladivostok in 1992. India was the first
• This was the first instance of an Indian prime minister country to have a resident consulate in Vladivostok
attending the East Economic Forum. then.
Details • This Vladivostok-Chennai sea link is somewhat a

counter to China’s Maritime Silk Route (MSR) plan as
• E EF was established by a decree of the President of part of One Belt One Road project.
the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in 2015, with
the aim of supporting the economic development * Vladivostok-Chennai shipping link is likely to
of Russia’s Far East, and to expand international pass through or very close to the South China
cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Sea, which China has turned into an international
geostrategic hotspot by claiming exclusive
* It is a region extending between Lake Baikal - control over the resource rich maritime zone in
world’s largest freshwater lake and deepest lake, the Pacific Ocean.
and the Pacific Ocean.
* There is an alternate possibility as well that
* This is a region situated in the cold Siberian Vladivostok-Chennai link would become an
climate but more significantly, it shares borders extension of existing India-Japan Pacific to
with China, Mongolia, North Korea and Japan Indian Ocean Corridor, which China considers
(maritime). as a challenge to its maritime OBOR plan in the
* On its own, it could be the eight largest - just region
behind India - in terms of area, and fourth least • A
busy Vladivostok-Chennai link means India
densely populated country. strengthening its checks and balances equation with
• T he Summits have roundtable conferences, panel China.
sessions, business breakfasts, besides business The investment in the Far East, which is often neglected
dialogues and bilateral talks and agreements. given that Russia is seen as a European power in the post-
What has the EEF achieved till now? Soviet era, also underlines India’s desire to draw Russia into
its strategic forays in the Indo-Pacific.
• T here are as many as 17 different countries which
have invested in the Far East, according to the EEF Economic Importance
website. • A
n area of special interest for India is the exploration
• These include regional and global heavyweights like of hydrocarbon reserves along the coast of Russia’s Far
China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, East.
and Vietnam. • Russian Far East is a resource rich region in a hostile
• As a result, 20 advanced special economic zones and climate. It is rich in oil, natural gas, timber, gold and
five free ports have been put in place. A total of 1,780 diamond among other resources. India requires all of
new investment projects, worth over 3.8 trillion rubles, them
and 230 new enterprises have become functional, the Conclusion
EEF website says.
• C
urrent engagement of India with this region is limited
Vladivostok to select pockets such as Irkutsk where the MiG and
• I n Russian, Vladivostok is ‘Ruler of the East’. Located Sukhoi fighter planes are built and in Sakhalin where
on the Golden Horn Bay north of North Korea and a ONGC Videsh has invested over $ 6 billion in oil and
short distance from Russia’s border with China, it is the gas and exploration.
largest port on Russia’s Pacific coast, and home to the • The maiden visit by an Indian prime minister to
Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy. Vladivostok is set to strengthen India’s position in
• It is the eastern railhead of the legendary Trans- Asia-Pacific that has emerged as the kernel of future
Siberian Railway, which connects the Far East of geo-strategy.
Russia to the capital Moscow, and further west to the
countries of Europe.

SEPTEMBER-2019 35
• This push to ‘Act Far East’ allows India to demonstrate * The second will focus on offensive operations.
its commitment to an area of concern for Moscow,
thus reassuring its traditional partner that in an 4. Exercise Yudh Abhyas
increasingly polarised world, India is confident of • I t is a joint military exercise between the Indian and
working with multiple alignments, even if they are at US armies.
cross purposes with each other. • The first edition was in 2004 and the exercise is
designed to augment cooperation between the two
2. Exercise Maitree
armies while sharing training, cultural exchanges, and
• It is a joint military exercise between Indian Army and building joint operating skills.
Royal Thai Army
Context
• It is an annual training event which is being conducted
• T he opening ceremony of Exercise Yudh Abhyas
alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006.
– 2019 was held at Joint Base Lewis MC Chord,
• Exercise MAITREE with Thailand is a significant in Washington, USA.
terms of the security challenges faced by both the
nations in the backdrop of changing facets of global • This is the 15th edition of the joint exercise.
terrorism.
5. ‘Howdy, Modi’
• T he joint military exercise will enhance the level of
• It was a mega diaspora event.
defence co-operation between Indian Army (IA) and
Royal Thailand Army (RTA) which in turn will further • The summit, with the tagline of ‘Shared Dreams, Bright
foster defence cooperation and bilateral relations Futures’ highlighted the contributions of Indian-
between the two nations. Americans to enrich the American life as well as the
key role played in strengthening relations between
Context
the two nations.
• J oint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 between India
• The event included cultural program and an address
and Thailand was conducted at Foreign Training
by PM Modi.
Node, Umroi (Meghalaya)
* A 90-minute cultural program titled, ‘Woven:
3. Exercise TSENTR 2019 The Indian-American Story’ celebrated the
contributions of Indian-Americans to the cultural,
• E xercise TSENTR 2019 is part of the annual series of
and social landscape of the United States.
large scale exercises that form part of the Russian
Armed Forces’ annual training cycle. • Modi has previously addressed similar gatherings at
Madison Square Garden in New York and the Silicon
• The series rotates through the four main Russian
Valley in California but this was the biggest ever
operational strategic commands.
gathering by a global political leader.
* R
ussia holds a major military exercise every year
Why Houston?
at one of its four military Commands i.e Vostok
(East), Zapad (West), TSENTR (Centre) and Kavkas • B
eyond New York, the larger San Francisco area
(South). (including Silicon Valley) and Chicago, Houston, along
with Dallas, has among the largest communities of
• T he exercise aims at evolving drills of the participating
Indian Americans.
armies and practicing them in the fight against the
scourge of international terrorism thereby ensuring • Modi has already held rallies in New York and San
military security in the strategic central Asian region. Francisco. Houston or Chicago were the logical next
sites.
• The TSENTR-2019 strategic measures will focus on
evaluating the level of troop preparedness, the What is the political significance of the event?
acquisition of the required skills and raising the level • T he White House had issued a statement saying, “It will
of interoperability and demonstrate the readiness of be a great opportunity to emphasise the strong ties
the participating armies. between the people of the US and India, to reaffirm
Context the strategic partnership between the world’s oldest
and largest democracies, and to discuss ways to
• E xercise TSENTR 2019 was conducted by Central
deepen their energy and trade relationship.”
Military Commission of Russia.
• The Mega event saw the participation of a large
• The exercise TSENTR 2019 will comprise two modules.
number of elected officials, including senators,
* T he first module will include counter- terror congressmen, governors, judges, and business
operations, repelling air strikes, reconnaissance leaders.
operations and defensive measures

SEPTEMBER-2019 36
How have earlier Prime Ministers of India invested in • Visible post-‘Howdy, Modi’ cracks are appearing
Indian Diaspora? in spheres other than trade as well. Mr. Trump
characterising of Mr. Modi’s remarks on Kashmir or
• P
rime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was the first to appreciate
Pakistan as “a very aggressive statement” belies the
the potential role diaspora could play in advancing
ostensible warmth that was on display at the stadium
national development and improving India’s ties with
between the two leaders
the US.
However, Modi’s visit to the US showcased some of the
• As he launched the reform era, P V Narasimha Rao
emerging problems with India’s diaspora diplomacy.
sought investments from the diaspora.
1. First, Islamabad’s imitation of Delhi in the mobilisation of
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee formalised India’s engagement
Pakistani diaspora is certainly flattering.
with the diaspora by institutionalising the Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas. • While it is reasonable for Pakistan to get its diaspora
to support the improvement of US-Pak relations,
• But few leaders have showered the kind of personal
Islamabad is also firing at the Modi government from
and political attention on the diaspora that Modi has.
the shoulders of the Pakistani diaspora.
* Modi went beyond demanding that the diaspora
• Besides galvanising the Pakistani-Americans,
do more for India. He promised that India would
Islamabad is also mobilising the Muslim American
do more for them as well.
communities on Kashmir and other issues.
Role played by the Indian Diaspora
• Pakistan organised protests against Modi in both
• T he Indian diaspora (including non-resident Indians Houston and New York.
and persons of Indian origin) is estimated to be more
• As India’s outreach to the diaspora strengthens, Modi
than 30 million and growing.
must also give some thought to a broader strategy of
• Its substantive concentration is in the Anglo-American connecting with all people of South Asian origin in
world, the Gulf and the former colonies of the British the future.
empire. Its presence is growing beyond these
2. Second, while India welcomes the opportunity to
traditional areas. So has its political and economic
serenade the American president in front of the diaspora,
influence in the host nations.
Delhi should be careful about not crossing some red lines.
• But nowhere is the presence of the diaspora more
• China, for example, is getting into trouble in many
expansive than in the US. As a rich and accomplished
countries for turning its relationship with the diaspora
minority, the Indian-American community has
into an active intervention in the domestic politics of
become influential in all walks of life in the US.
the host nation.
* In the last decade for example, the diaspora
Conclusion
generated much needed political support in the
US Congress for changing the American non- • I n his embrace of the Indian American community
proliferation laws and facilitating civil nuclear at Houston, the PM reaffirmed the commitment to
cooperation with India. inclusive development of all Indians, irrespective
of their caste or creed and emphasising the new
* Today, the diaspora might once again have a
possibilities for the collective progress of the
critical role in informing the Congress and the
Subcontinent as a whole.
wider public about the situation in Kashmir and
explaining the historic context and the logic • It also underlined that the main purpose of India’s
behind India’s recent actions. diaspora engagement in America is about elevating
the strategic partnership with the US to a higher level.
• In the current context, Mr. Trump’s appearance at the
rally and his effusive support for India were a reflection The Real Deal
of the community’s influence in U.S. politics. Context:
Key issues remain unsettled • C
ontrary to expectations that were generated after
• T he much-vaunted big-bang announcement on the Houston rally of the Indian Prime minister and US
trade that was hinted at prior to ‘Howdy, Modi’ did not president, India and the United States failed to arrive
materialise. at a trade deal.
• Talks may still be in progress over the more Background:
troublesome parts of a potential U.S.-India Free Trade • I ndia shedding its pre 1990 stance of non-alignment
Agreement (FTA), including tariffs on medical devices, has moved decisively towards forging a better
electronic, telecommunications and dairy products; relationship with USA. This is in line with the
the expiration of India’s preferential trade status under present global geo-political atmosphere and India’s
the Generalized System of Preferences immediate needs.

SEPTEMBER-2019 37
• Following strategic alignment between the USA and • India has mandated foreign firms to store their
India in the domain of defence and security post the payments data locally, hurting US companies such as
signing of security agreements like the COMCASA and Mastercard and Visa.
BECA, the granting of Strategic Trade Authorization-1
* Data protection is another contested issues
(STA-1) status by the United States, the call for better
between the U.S. and India. The United States
economic relations between the two for harnessing
has been pushing for data flow across borders
each other’s potentials was gaining ground. A trade
in several countries including India while India
deal was thought as necessary.
claims that data generated in India is a property
• Despite similar worldviews on many issues, India of the country and India is well within its right to
and USA have many differences when it comes to regulate and tax such data.
trade and investment that has cast a shadow over
• India’s new draft policy for its e-commerce sector,
ties between the two big democracies. Both the
focusing on data localisation, improved privacy
countries have also filed cases against each other’s
safeguards and tighter e-commerce foreign
trade practices at the WTO dispute settlement board.
investment rules have forced Amazon.com Inc and
A trade deal can reduce the chances of recurrence of
Walmart Inc to rework their business strategies in the
such disputes.
country.
• N
egotiations were on for a trade deal and an
* Walmart last year invested $16 billion in Indian
announcement was expected during the PMs US visit.
online retailer Flipkart. US has been critical of this
Due to numerous sticking points during negotiations
move, terming them as most discriminatory and
instead of a full trade deal, a limited trade deal was
trade-distortive. US has repeatedly raised the
targeted. However India and the United States failed
American companies concerns about market
to arrive even at a limited trade deal.
access and the lack of a level playing field in
Challenges: important sectors in India.
• T he deal stumbled over duties imposed by India on • The H1B visa issue and the fears of the reversal of this
ICT (information and communication technology) scheme has become a sore point between the two
products from the US. countries.
* While America wanted the 20% duty on mobile * India dragged the US to WTO’s dispute
phones and ethernet switches to be reduced or settlement body against the latter’s measures
eliminated India didn’t oblige keeping in mind imposing increased fees on certain applicants
the interests of local manufacturing units. for L-1 and H-1B visa categories.
• America demand’s greater access to the Indian * India has stated that the move would impact
market for its medical devices such as stents and knee Indian IT professionals. India has alleged that
implants. the US is violating its obligations under General
* They have demanded for the removal of price Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), a binding
control mechanism on these devices. Loosening agreement for all WTO member countries.
price controls now is not an option for India as • Following The US decision to withdraw special duty
that would push up prices of these products in benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences
the country making it unaffordable for millions (GSP), India has repeatedly asked for restoration of
of needy patients. the Generalised System of Preferences which gives
• America demands access to the Indian market for its preferential market access for its products in the U.S.
dairy and agricultural products. Way forward:
* Keeping with the precarious position of the • W
hile the strategic partnership between the United
Indian agriculture system India has so far resisted States and India remains robust, some analysts see
such demands fearing the flooding of markets the relationship as becoming significantly strained
by imported milk and subsequent crash in prices. if current trade disagreements are not managed
This would deprive the farmers of an important properly.
source of income.
• I n the backdrop of the escalation of the US- China
• The US demands for higher level of protection for the trade war even a limited deal with India would be
intellectual property rights while India considers the beneficial for the US. With Indian economy in the grip
need to balance the IPRs and the public needs. of a major slowdown, any concessions from India on
* The US has placed India under special 301 list. The imports of American products may not have gone
Special 301 Report is prepared annually by the down well both politically and in economic terms.
Office of the United States Trade Representative • T here is tremendous potential in India-US trade
(USTR) that identifies trade barriers to United relations. Bilateral trade between India and US has
States companies and products due to the almost touched $150 billion and there has been a
intellectual property laws, such as copyright, growth every year in the last few years. To realize the
patents and trademarks, in other countries. growth potential of this relation will need some give
and take from both countries.

SEPTEMBER-2019 38
• There is a need to narrow down the differences What it means?

gradually on a case by case approach. Trade • I mpeachment is a provision that allows Congress to
negotiations are never easy and for them to succeed, remove the President of the United States.
both sides have to believe in a policy of give and take.
• Under the US Constitution, the House of
6. Impeachment inquiry against Trump begins Representatives (Lower House) has the “the sole
power of impeachment” while the Senate (Upper
Context:
House) has “the sole power to try all impeachments”.
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
• The Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court has the
announced that the House would begin a formal
duty of presiding over impeachment trials in the
impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump
Senate.
to hold him accountable for betrayal of his oath of office,
betrayal of the national security and betrayal of the Grounds for impeachment
integrity of elections. • T he President can be removed from office for “treason,
Details: bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”.
• What constitutes these “high crimes” and
“misdemeanors” (misdemeanors), however, is not
clearly spelt out.
• The New York Times explained that the expression
“high crimes and misdemeanors” came out of the
British common law tradition.
• Essentially, it means an abuse of power by a high-level
public official. This does not necessarily have to be a
violation of an ordinary criminal statute.
• Historically, in the US, it has encompassed corruption
and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial
proceedings.
Impeachment process:
• T rump is alleged to have tried to enlist a foreign

country, Ukraine, on his side in a personal political
battle with Joe Biden, the senior Democratic Party
leader who was President Barack Obama’s vice-
president from 2009 to 2017.
• Biden is the frontrunner to be the Democratic party’s
nominee against Trump in the presidential election of
2020.
• In a telephone conversation, Trump is alleged to have
pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to
open a corruption investigation in his country against
Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
• Before this call, the President issued a personal order
to freeze more than $391 million of US aid to Ukraine.
• T he announcement by Pelosi greatly increases the
possibility thatTrump will become the fourth individual
in the 230-year history of the American presidency to
face removal from office by impeachment.
• None of the previous three — Andrew Johnson (1865-
69), Richard Nixon (1969-74) and Bill Clinton (1993-
2001) — was removed as a result of impeachment.

SEPTEMBER-2019 39
7. India-BLEU • JEC sessions are convened based on an agreement

Context: signed in 1990 in New Delhi.
• T he 16th session of the Joint Economic Commission • It is a biennial event (happens once in two years).
(JEC) between India and Belgium Luxembourg • It is held in the capital cities of the three countries
Economic Union (BLEU) was convened in New Delhi. alternatively.
Details: • It is the main vehicle for discussing economic and
• T he three countries (India – Belgium – Luxembourg) commercial issues between India and BLEU.
reiterated the importance of the JEC towards the • The JEC was set up in 1997.
development of bilateral economic and trade
relations through facilitating dialogue and enhancing Facts about the trade between India and Belgium –
cooperation on a wide range of issues of mutual Luxembourg:
interest, such as, transportation and logistics,
renewable energy, aerospace and satellites, audio and • T he bilateral trade between India and Belgium grew
visual industry, agro and food processing industry, 41% in 2018 – 19 compared to 2017 – 18.
life sciences, ICT, traditional medicine, Ayurveda and
yoga, and tourism.

SEPTEMBER-2019 40
• The bilateral trade between India and Luxembourg Details:

grew 150% for the same time period.
• I t is aimed at bolstering the maritime inter-
• India is Belgium’s second-largest export destination relationships amongst Singapore Thailand and India,
and fourth-largest trade partner outside the European and contribute significantly to enhancing the overall
Union with a significant contribution from the Indian maritime security in the region.
diaspora.
• This would also strengthen the mutual confidence
• Leading exports from Belgium to India: amongst three navies in terms of interoperability
* Gem and jewellery (rough diamonds) and development of a common understanding of
procedures.
* Chemical and chemical products
• Besides fostering co-operation, the maiden IN-RSN-
* Machinery and mechanical products RTN Trilateral exercise would provide an opportunity
• Major exports from India to Belgium: to participating navies to come together in a spirit of
* Gem and jewellery (finished products) collaboration to nurture stronger ties.
* Base metals and articles 10. India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED)
* Chemicals and chemical products • It was set up between erstwhile Planning Commission
and the National Development and Reform
• There are around 160 Belgian companies in India.
Commission (NDRC), China during the visit of Chinese
• Many Indian software companies have established Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to India in December 2010
base in Belgium to cater to the Belgian and European
• It has served as an effective mechanism for enhancing
markets. bilateral practical cooperation.
8. India-China Financial Dialogue • Under the aegis of the SED, senior representatives
• This is a mechanism between India and China with an from both sides come together to constructively
aim to promote cooperation in the financial sector. deliberate on and share individual best practices and
successfully identify sector-specific challenges and
• This is generally held between delegations led by the opportunities for enabling ease of doing business and
Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of facilitating bilateral trade and investment flows.
Finance from the Indian side, and by the Vice Minister,
Ministry of Finance from the Chinese side. Structure
• The dialogue is held on various financial matters • I t is led by NITI Aayog (earlier Planning Commission)
such as the macroeconomic situation and policy, on the Indian side and National Development and
cooperation in multilateral framework, bilateral Reforms Commission (NDRC) on the Chinese side
investment and financial cooperation. • It is held annually alternately at the capital cities of the
Context two countries
• T he 9th India-China Financial Dialogue was held in Context

New Delhi • T hree day dialogue was held from September 7-9 in
Details: New Delhi
• I n 2019 both sides committed to promoting a • The dialogue comprised of round table meetings of
favorable environment to enable continuous growth joint working groups (JWG) on infrastructure, energy,
of bilateral trade and investment, strengthen their high-tech, resource conservation, pharmaceuticals
efforts to promote a more balanced and healthier and policy coordination
development of trade and economic cooperation and Mutual agreements:
further enhance the closer development partnership
• Policy Coordination:
between the two countries.
* The two sides undertook in-depth discussions
• The next round of India-China Financial Dialogue is to
reviewing trade and investment climates in
be held in China. order to mutually identify complementarities
and harness synergies to this effect future
9. IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral Exercise
engagement.
Context
• Working Group on Infrastructure:
• A
maiden trilateral exercise, involving Republic of
* The two sides noted the significant progress
Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and
made in the feasibility study on Chennai-
Indian Navy (IN) was commenced at Port Blair
Bangalore-Mysore railway upgradation project
and personal training of Indian senior railway
management staff in China, both of which have
been completed.

SEPTEMBER-2019 41
* The two sides agreed to identify new projects 12. India, South Korea seal logistics pact
for cooperation as well as support enterprises to
Context:
expand cooperation in the transport sector.
• I t is a India and South Korea concluded a military
• Working Group on High-Tech:
logistics agreement during the visit of Defence
* The two sides assessed the achievements made Minister Rajnath Singh to Seoul.
since the 5th SED and exchanged views on
Details:
regulatory procedures of ease of doing business,
development of artificial intelligence, high-tech • D
efence Minister Rajnath Singh and his South Korean
manufacturing, and next-generation mobile counterpart comprehensively reviewed bilateral
communications of both countries. defence cooperation and signed two agreements.
• Working Group on Resource Conservation and * To expand defence educational exchanges
Environmental Protection: * To extend logistical support to each other’s
* The two sides discussed and reviewed navies.
the progress made in the fields of water • T hey discussed the ongoing cooperation at Service-
management, waste management, construction to-Service level and prospects for enhanced
& demolition waste and resource conservation. cooperation between defence industries of India and
• Working Group on Energy: Korea.
* Both countries identified future areas of • The two countries also formulated a forward-
collaboration and resolved to work on looking road map to take bilateral defence industry
Renewable Energy space, clean coal technology cooperation to the next level.
sector, Smart Grid & Grid integration and Smart • On the road map, a number of proposed areas of
meters & E-mobility sectors. cooperation in land, aero and naval systems, research
• Working Group on Pharmaceuticals: and development cooperation and collaboration in
testing, certification and quality assurance have been
* It was also decided that both sides should
listed.
promote pragmatic cooperation, strengthen
complementary advantages in pharmaceutical • Singh also invited the South Korean industry to
industry and explore cooperation for promoting explore the feasibility of local production of items,
Indian generic drugs and Chinese APIs. used in main weapon systems imported by Defence
public sector undertakings (PSUs).
11. Indo – Thai CORPAT
Conclusion:
* I t is a collaborating exercise between the Indian
• T his foreign cooperation initiative would greatly
and the Thai navies.
help interoperability. India will be able to get assured
* It is being conducted twice a year since 2003. logistic support when it operates in the Indo-Pacific
* T his exercise reflects both forces’ shared in the ports of South Korea. Such agreements extend
commitment for the peaceful Indian Ocean and the reach, presence and sustainability of Navy ships
international maritime security and cooperation. when deployed at great distances from home ports.
Objectives of the Indo – Thai CORPAT 13. Lotus Tower- Srilanka

• E nsure effective implementation of United Nations Context
Conventions on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) which • S ri Lanka unveiled South Asia’s tallest tower, costing
specify regulations regarding over USD 100 million, 80 per cent of which has been
• Protection and conservation of natural resources funded by China under the Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI).
• Conservation of marine environment
Details
• Prevention and suppression of illegal, unregulated
fishing activity/ drug trafficking/ piracy • T he 350-metre-tall 17-storey Lotus Tower, located
in the heart of Colombo city, comprises a television
• Exchange of information in the prevention of
tower, a hotel, a telecommunications museum,
smuggling, illegal immigration
restaurants, auditorium, an observation deck, a
• Conduct of Search and Rescue operations at sea shopping mall and a conference centre.
Context: • The tower, which is expected to function as Sri Lanka’s
• T he 28th edition of the India -Thailand Coordinated ‘digital TV tower’, is built with fibre optic cables and
Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy is fully equipped with necessary telecommunication
(IN) and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) was conducted equipment.
from 05 – 15 September 2019 at Bangkok.

SEPTEMBER-2019 42
14. Motihari-Amalekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline • It is said to have been created as a sequel to India’s first
Context nuclear test conducted in 1974.
• P
rime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese Why is India not a part of NSG?
counterpart K P Sharma Oli “switched on” the Motihari- • The NSG controls most of the world’s nuclear trade.
Amalekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline from their offices in
• While the U.S. and other countries support India’s
New Delhi and Kathmandu.
entry into the NSG, China has opposed it saying India
Background has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
• T he Motihari-Amalekhgunj pipeline project was first (NPT).
proposed in 1996, but progress was slow. • However, it is important to note that membership of
• Things began to move after Prime Minister Narendra NPT is not a condition for becoming a member of NSG.
Modi visited Kathmandu in 2014. It is only a guiding principle to which consideration
needs to be given.
• In 2017, state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)
signed a petroleum trade agreement to supply about • Many other countries have also opposed India’s entry
1.3 million tonnes of fuel annually to Nepal with a into NSG but New Delhi has been making constant
promise to double the volume by 2020. efforts to blow away the resistance.
• In July 2019, the two countries successfully concluded • The opponents argue that granting it membership
a “testing transfer” through the oil pipeline. would further undermine efforts to prevent
proliferation and it would also infuriate India’s rival
Details Pakistan.
• T he pipeline will transport fuel from Barauni refinery Why does India want to Join NSG?
in Bihar’s Begusarai district to Amalekhgunj in
southeastern Nepal, situated across the border from • I ndia seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power
Raxaul in East Champaran district. generation and also enter the export market in the
coming years.
• The Amalekhgunj fuel depot will have the capacity to
store up to 16,000 kilolitres of petroleum products. • Joining the NSG will give India better access to low-
cost, clean nuclear energy important for its economic
Significance growth.
• T he 69-km pipeline will drastically reduce the cost of • Following intense debates, that considered India’s
transporting fuel to landlocked Nepal from India. Nuclear activities and appreciated its commitment to
• The Motihari-Amalekhgunj pipeline will help in non-proliferation, India got an NSG waiver in 2008.
tackling the oil storage problem in Nepal and doing • Although the 2008 NSG waiver to India does provide
away with transportation of petroleum products significant possibilities for India to engage in civilian
through tankers nuclear trade with other countries (and indeed,
India has entered into such agreements with several
15. Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries like Russia, France, UK, USA, Kazakhstan,
• It is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek Australia, and others), membership of the NSG will
to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the provide greater certainty and a legal foundation for
export of materials, equipment, and technology that India’s nuclear regime and thus greater confidence for
can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. those countries investing billions of dollars to set up
ambitious nuclear power projects in India.
• NSG is a transnational body comprised of nuclear
supplier countries that aims to control the proliferation • As India’s international political, economic, military
of nuclear weapons by curbing the export of nuclear and strategic profile and clout increases, India would
weapons development materials and related like to move into the category of international rule-
technology. creating nations rather than stay in the ranks of rule-
adhering nations.
• It ensures that the materials and technologies
transferred to any nation are not diverted to Context:
developing nuclear weapons. • A
t the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York,
• NSG consists of 48 members which include the five Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a pitch for India’s
nuclear-weapon states US, UK, France, China, and membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Russia.
16. OIC remarks on Article 370
• The guidelines of NSG are not binding.
Context:
• Decisions, including on membership, are made
unanimously by consensus. • T he Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) asked
India to “rescind” its actions in Kashmir and abide by
the relevant UN Security Council resolutions following
New Delhi’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s
special status.

SEPTEMBER-2019 43
• The foreign ministers of the OIC Contact Group on • New Delhi at the same time must also demonstrate to
Kashmir discussed the Indian government’s decision the world that its new Kashmir policy is in the larger
to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the interest of all Kashmiris.
state’s bifurcation into two Union Territories during
a meeting on the sidelines of the 74th session of UN 17. Pangong Tso: Face-off between India, China soldiers
General Assembly in Ladakh
Does it have any impact on India? • In the Ladakhi language, Pangong means extensive
• F rom the mid-1990s, when this Contact Group was concavity, and Tso is lake in Tibetan.
formed, it has issued several statements on behalf • Pangong Tso is a long narrow, deep, endorheic
of Pakistan. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, (landlocked) lake situated at a height of more than
Turkey, Niger have issued statements criticizing the 14,000 ft in the Ladakh Himalayas.
government’s actions.
• The western end of Pangong Tso lies 54 km to the
• But the organisation which boasts of a membership southeast of Leh.
of 57 countries has marginal influence in world Affairs.
• The legendary 19th century Dogra general Zorawar
• It is also extremely doubtful if the statement issued Singh is said to have trained his soldiers and horses on
by the Contact Group reflects faithfully the national the frozen Pangong Lake before invading Tibet.
positions of the individual member states.
Strategic significance
• The United Arab Emirates, for instance, conferred the
Order of Zayed, its highest civilian award on Prime • T he LAC cuts through the lake, but India and China do
Minister Narendra Modi, more than a week after not agree on its exact location.
New Delhi’s moves on Article 370, and declared that • As things stand, a 45 km-long western portion of the
Kashmir was India’s internal matter. lake is in Indian control, while the rest is under China’s
• The OIC’s record of conflict resolution when it comes control.
to issues between OIC member states is poor • Most of the clashes between the two armies occur in
In practical terms, its pointless attempts to meddle in the disputed portion of the lake.
Kashmir, including by appointing a so-called special envoy • By itself, the lake does not have major tactical
on Jammu and Kashmir, have amounted to nothing. significance. But it lies in the path of the Chushul
Way Forward approach, one of the main approaches that China can
use for an offensive into Indian-held territory.
• T he organisation constituted on religious lines, but
seeking to fulfil geopolitical interests, needs reforms * I ndian assessments show that a major Chinese
from within. It could begin by asking Pakistan to offensive, if it comes, will flow across both the
change its state policy on terrorism. north and south of the lake.
• The OIC would do a lot better if it did something useful
to better the lot of its members or mediate between
warring Saudi Arabia and Yemen

SEPTEMBER-2019 44
* During the 1962 war, this was where China Significance

launched its main offensive — the Indian Army • Petronet will be able to deliver clean, low-cost and
fought heroically at Rezang La, the mountain reliable natural gas to India from Driftwood.
pass on the southeastern approach to Chushul
valley • Increasing natural gas use will enable India to fuel
its impressive economic growth contributing to a
• Over the years, the Chinese have built motorable cleaner environment
roads along their banks of the Pangong Tso.
• India’s gas demand is expected to be driven by the
• It points to the importance accorded by the Chinese fertilizer, power, city gas distribution, and steel sectors.
to the area.
Indian company’s board had disfavored the Tellurian deal
The dispute in the area: at a meeting in May 2019. Reasons for the board’s disquiet
• The difference in perception over where the LAC lies included:
on the northern bank of the lake, makes this contested • Major price drops in LNG
terrain.
• I ndia’s demand shortfall given the recent downturn
• In 1999, when the Army unit from the area was in manufacturing, coal dependence, and the lack of
moved to Kargil for Operation Vijay, China took the regasification plants and pipeline infrastructure in
opportunity to build 5 km of road inside Indian India.
Territory along the lake’s bank.
• Expected LNG supply from the Indian market
• T he 1999 road added to the extensive network of
roads built by the Chinese in the area, which connect • A
negative experience with “locking in” contracts for a
with each other and to the G219 Karakoram Highway. long period.
• F rom one of these roads, Chinese positions physically 19. SCO Military Medicine Conference
overlook Indian positions on the northern tip of the
Pangong Lake. Context
Context: • It is the first military cooperation event hosted by

India after becoming a full-time member of the SCO.
• Army sources said that the soldiers of India and China
were engaged in a face-off near Pangong Tso lake in Details
eastern Ladakh, which ended after a local delegation- • The conference will be conducted by the Indian
level meeting. Armed Forces under the aegis of Headquarters
* In normal course, the two patrols, after coming Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), with the aim to
face to face, would have engaged in a “banner share best practices in the field of military medicine,
drill”, displaying a banner asking the other side build capacities and overcome common challenges.
to vacate its territory. • During the conference, the Indian Armed Forces will
* This drill could last a few minutes to an hour — also demonstrate the Rapid Action Medical Team and
but barring some occasional jostling, the two organise a visit for the delegates to the Army Research
sides would disengage quietly. and Referral Hospital.
Details: • Deliberations will take place between military

medicine experts of SCO Member States on rendering
• A delegation-level meeting was immediately called at of combat medical support, humanitarian assistance
the Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point in Chusul, during disasters and measures to improve patient
after which the issue was resolved. safety.
• China holds a large part of Pangong Tso, which has • The SCO Member States will be represented by senior
seen face-offs in the past both over land and on the
military medical practitioners.
water as both sides patrol on speed boats.
• There has been an overall reduction in face-offs 20. Supreme Court of UK: Suspending Parliament was
between the two armies. unlawful
• However, transgressions are a common feature along Background
the unsettled Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the two
• The prime minister asked Queen Elizabeth II to approve
sides have instituted several mechanisms to resolve
the suspension of Parliament from September 10 to
such issues October 14 on the basis of needing time to prepare a
new legislative agenda.
18. Petronet signs MoU with Tellurian
• This could allow a “no deal” Brexit to be forced through
Context
• Petronet LNG Ltd, India’s biggest liquefied natural
gas importer, has signed a preliminary deal to buy a
stake in Tellurian Inc’s proposed Driftwood project
in Louisiana and import 5 million tonnes a year of
Liquefied natural gas (LNG).
SEPTEMBER-2019 45
• The move to “prorogue” parliament will effectively • But Johnson was advocating leaving on Oct. 31 “do or
lock lawmakers out of the building for several days die,” or in other words, with or without a deal.
in early September, possibly preventing them from
Why did the Supreme Court get involved?
making laws that would force Britain’s exit from the
European Union to be delayed or even canceled if a • Johnson has been accused of an unlawful “abuse
deal cannot be agreed. of power.” Judges have been asked to determine
whether he misled the queen.
• Britain is scheduled to leave the E.U. on Oct. 31, but
currently has not accepted a withdrawal agreement • The politically neutral head of state is required to act
which would lessen the shock of its departure. upon the advice of the prime minister.
• Johnson has pledged to leave with or without such a Earlier two British High Courts had come to opposite
deal conclusions.
* J ohnson’s opponents have accused him of • First, the High Court in London ruled that the Prime
proroguing parliament in order to make a “no Minister’s advice to prorogue is a political issue and,
deal” Brexit more likely. therefore, not justiciable. The courts cannot look into
it.
What is prorogation?
• Second, the Scottish High Court — more correctly
• The prorogation of parliament is when the Queen
known as the Inner House of the Court of Session —
ends one parliamentary session so that another can
took the opposite view.
begin.
* I t ruled the Prime Minister’s advice can be
• Prorogation can only happen when the Queen says so
reviewed, not on ordinary judicial grounds
and it is only after the Prime Minister has requested
of review but on fundamental constitutional
it. Lawmakers do not have a say in preventing
principles.
prorogation.
* Parliament’s role scrutinizing government, which
• In practice, it means sitting lawmakers will not meet
it called a central pillar of the British Constitution,
for several weeks, meaning they cannot pass laws.
is one such principle.
What might ‘no deal’ mean for everyday Brits?
* Therefore, any advice motivated by an intention
• Britain’s economy is closely tied to the E.U.’s. The bloc to stymie Parliament is unlawful.
is Britain’s biggest trading partner, accounting for 44%
Questions before the Supreme Court of UK
of all U.K. exports.
The issue was essentially whether Johnson had the right to
• As a member state, Britain can trade with other
prorogue Parliament, and whether Britain’s courts had the
members unburdened by customs checks or tariffs.
power to stop him.
* Common regulations mean goods do not have
• The Government argued that the courts had no
to be examined when they cross borders. But
business jumping in because the decision to prorogue
when Britain leaves, those things will change.
Parliament lay “in the territory of political judgment,
• Without a deal, U.K. trucks arriving from the E.U. will not legal standards”.
face customs checks the day after Oct. 31.
• But the court said it was “firmly of the opinion” that
* It might mean exports from the U.K. are subjected the question of the “lawfulness of the Prime Minister’s
to stricter examinations at ports, to check they advice to Her Majesty is justiciable”.
comply with strict E.U. regulations.
* Courts “have exercised a supervisory jurisdiction
* The increased costs to companies will almost over the lawfulness of acts of the Government
certainly mean lines at ports, shortages in shops for centuries”
and raised prices across the board.
* The Justices reasoned: “Although the United
* Without common regulations, Europeans will Kingdom does not have a single document
have no guarantee that British products have entitled ‘The Constitution’, it nevertheless
been manufactured to the E.U.’s strict standards. possesses a Constitution, (which) …includes
* And with Britain no longer enjoying free trade numerous principles of law, which are
with the E.U., goods flowing in each direction will enforceable by the courts in the same way
have to be tracked. as other legal principles… It is (the courts’)
particular responsibility to determine the legal
* The result of that could be food rotting in the limits of the powers conferred on each branch of
backs of trucks and reduced choice – and government, and to decide whether any exercise
increased prices – for British consumers. of power has transgressed those limits. The
What was Johnson’s Plan? courts cannot shirk that responsibility merely on
the ground that the question raised is political in
• In the 2016 Brexit referendum, and in the most recent tone or context.”
U.K. election in 2017, no party campaigned to leave
the E.U. without a deal.

SEPTEMBER-2019 46
What did the SC say? A test for judicial review in India

• A unanimous decision of all 11 judges of the British Context
Supreme Court — the largest constitutional bench • The United Kingdom Supreme Court in its judgment
possible — has declared Boris Johnson’s decision to has decided that the prorogation of parliament by the
prorogue the British Parliament “unlawful, void and of Queen of England, acting on the advice of the Privy
no effect”. Council, was unlawful on the grounds of parliamentary
• The order to prorogue, which was based on Mr. sovereignty and democratic accountability.
Johnson’s advice to the Queen, has been “quashed”. • By doing so, the U.K. Supreme Court asserted
How did the SC come to this conclusion? its majesty in the constitutional framework and
functioned as the true guard.
• F irst and foremost, is the advice to prorogue
justiciable? The court concluded it is. Similar instances in India
• Second they addressed whether the prerogative • There have been at least two key executive actions in
of a prime minister can be inquired into and, again, 2019 that have undermined parliamentary processes:
concluded that it can be challenged on the grounds Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections and
of its limits. the Bills passed around Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• This led to a third question: can the Executive use • The Constitutional (One Hundred and Third)
its prerogative to stop Parliament making laws by Amendment Act 2019 providing reservation for
exercising that prerogative to determine how long Economically Weaker Sections was brought for
Parliament can function? consideration of Parliament in less than 48 hours
from the time the decision was taken by the Centre.
It was the answer to this third question that led to the
By doing so, the government ensured that there was
unanimous decision of all 11 judges to declare the
insufficient time for Parliament scrutiny.
prorogation unlawful.
Violation of rules
• The judges decided that the power to prorogue is
limited by its effect on the rest of the Constitution. • The Monsoon Session of Parliament was originally
scheduled to end in July 26 but was extended to
• In this case it “prevented parliament from carrying out
August by the government.
its constitutional role”.
* On August 5, the Jammu and Kashmir
• Distinguishing between prorogation and a recess, the
Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 was
Supreme Court said that the former meant Parliament
suddenly introduced to the ‘Parliamentary List of
cannot “meet debate or question ministers”. Its
Business’.
conclusion was blunt: “the effect on the fundamentals
of our democracy was extreme”. * When the Rajya Sabha convened, Home Minister
Amit Shah, moved the Statutory Resolution
The case touched on the powers of all the key institutions
proposing to nullify all clauses in Article 370
of Britain’s unwritten constitution.
apart from Clause (1). Copies of the Bill and the
• T o start with, it defined the powers of Parliament Resolution were not provided to MPs until it was
versus those of the judiciary. presented by the Home Minister.
• It determined at what point the jurisdiction of the • The conventional practice is that legislative
legislature ends and that of the executive starts. documents are provided at least a few days before
• It touched upon the constitutional role of the Queen. they are tabled. This is done for the MPs understand
the contents of the legislation, seek views and
• The Supreme Court has underlined that the formulate their positions better.
government and prime minister are the “junior”
partners in the British constitution - that Parliament • The manner in which both these Bills were introduced
is the “senior” partner - and the junior cannot tell the in Parliament was also in direct violation of the Rules
senior, which acts for the people, what to do. of Procedure and Conduct of Business.
• The Supreme Court is underlining that if there is an * In Rajya Sabha, specifically, Rule 69 talks about
exceptional use of executive powers by the prime ‘Motions after Introduction of Bills’ and ‘Scope of
minister that infringes on parliamentary democracy, Debate’.
judges have the power to intervene. * According to the proviso of Rule 69, there is
Conclusion discretion given to the Chairman in exceptional
situations.
• T he Supreme Court was set up to resolve the most
complicated legal and constitutional questions of * But, every discretionary power does require that
the day - and in this judgement it has shown it is not the Chairman must exercise it judiciously and
afraid to tread into matters that judges in previous with proper application of mind.
eras would have feared to have been too political.
• And this is why this judgement is so important for the
future of the British constitution.

SEPTEMBER-2019 47
* There has been no cogent or detailed Conclusion

explanation given by those presiding our Houses • As the highest constitutional court, the Supreme
of Parliament as to why the government has Court has the discretion to decide what matter needs
been allowed to flout parliamentary rules and its urgent attention.
convention on more than one occasion.
• But this discretion must be exercised with public
Issue Area good as the driving force. In this, the UK court has set
• Such actions of government in Britain and India an example that the Indian judiciary would do well to
have revealed a complete disregard for established emulate.
parliamentary processes. This has placed democratic
institutions in the peril of being weakened. 21. Trump’s peace negotiation with Taliban
Lessons for India Context
• The principle of judicial duty stands reiterated: “… the • U.S. President Donald Trump said he cancelled peace
courts have the responsibility of upholding the values talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban leaders after the
and principles of our constitution and making them insurgent group said it was behind an attack in Kabul
effective: And it is their particular responsibility to that killed an American soldier and 11 other people.
determine the legal limits of the powers conferred on • Donald Trump also tweeted that he was cancelling
each branch of government, and to decide whether meetings with Taliban and Afghan President Ashraf
any exercise of power has transgressed those limits.” Ghani in Camp David.
• In habeas corpus writ petitions challenging the Background
detentions of political leaders and others in Kashmir,
the Supreme Court refused to examine the legality of • Taliban fighters now control more territory than
the matter immediately. at any time since 2001, launched fresh assaults on
the northern cities of Kunduz and Pul-e Khumri and
* On the constitutional questions that have carried out two major suicide bombings in the capital
been raised by the abrogation of Jammu and Kabul.
Kashmir’s special status, the court does not seem
to think this is a matter urgent enough for a swift • One of the blasts, a suicide attack in Kabul took the
hearing. It has scheduled a hearing for October. life of U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Elis from Puerto
Rico, bringing the number of American troops killed
* Regardless of the merits of the petitions, the in Afghanistan in 2019 till September to 16.
Court did not show much sense of urgency in
dealing with them. Draft Peace Deal
* A Court conscious of its constitutional duties Earlier U.S. and Taliban negotiators struck a Draft Peace
would have given a decision either ways, at Deal which could lead to a drawdown in U.S. troops from
least in the habeas corpus petitions, by now. The America’s longest war.
approach of the Supreme Court in these matters • Under the draft accord, thousands of U.S. troops
has unfortunately been evasive would be withdrawn over the coming months in
• A
nother remarkable feature of the UK Courts’ hearing exchange for guarantees Afghanistan would not be
was its openness and transparency. used as a base for militant attacks on the United States
and its allies.
* The hearings were completely live streamed.
The written submissions of the parties were Taliban’s resurgence
uploaded in the website. • The Taliban has rejected calls for a ceasefire and
* Also, important updates about the case were instead stepped up operations across the country.
announced through the official twitter handle of • Taliban has been continually engaging in a series
the UK Supreme Court. of wanton attacks against civilians throughout the
* This is a significant gesture underlining the course of the talks that the U.S. had with the group in
democratic nature of the Court. It sends out Qatar. One estimate suggests that it has engaged in
a warm signal that the Court is not an elitist 173 terror attacks resulting in 1,339 fatalities in 2019
or exclusivist institution which shuns public alone.
participation. Encourage public engagement • For Afghans, the Taliban’s recent escalation of attacks
with judicial process makes it more meaningful. has underscored fears it may be impossible to reach
* In India, the Supreme Court had given green a stable settlement following any complete U.S.
signal for live streaming of court proceedings withdrawal.
in its September 2018 decision. Live-streaming * Many have worried about a fracture along ethnic
of court proceedings will effectuate the “public and regional lines, with Persian-speaking Tajiks
right to know” and bring in more transparency in and Hazaras from the north and west against
judicial proceedings, the court said. Even after a southern and eastern Pashtuns, the group that
year, the decision has not seen implementation. have supplied most of Afghanistan’s rulers and
where the Taliban draw most support.

SEPTEMBER-2019 48
• The Taliban has perversely used the attacks as • Third, free from elections, the Afghan government
a bargaining chip of sorts, to undermine the should take the lead in forging a national consensus
Afghanistan government and to seek concessions on behind talks with the Taliban
its own terms.
• Fourth, the international community should support
• But a wave of Taliban violence has cast a long shadow this process and focus its efforts on the Taliban
over the deal. to demonstrate their ‘nationalism’ by distancing
Current Call of US themselves from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence,
halting attacks against fellow Afghans, agreeing
• T he peace process to move forward should have all to a ceasefire, and negotiating directly with a
parties committed to an eventual political settlement representative Afghan delegation.
which, in turn, would result in reduced violence.
• Fifth, resumed U.S. military pressure on the Taliban
• But with increased violence perpetuated by the is not enough. Crucial to Afghanistan’s future is
Taliban during the peace process talks, US has called its ability to stand on its own feet economically,
off the talks at least temporarily through investment in Afghanistan’s mineral sector
India’s View to generate revenues, and militarily, through a
progressive ‘Afghanisation’ of security forces at a lower
With the talks called off, India can heave a sigh of relief. budget. India should be able to help in this.
India was always skeptical of the outcome of the US-Taliban
talks without the participation of the elected Afghanistan • Finally, India should be able to use Prime Minister
government Narendra Modi’s rapport with Mr. Trump and Russian
President Vladimir Putin to influence their policies
• I ndia has long opposed the idea of a US military and play a larger international diplomatic role in
withdrawal from Afghanistan in the belief this would Afghanistan.
bring the Taliban to power in Kabul.
Conclusion
• India believes any Taliban regime will be beholden
to Pakistan’s military and allow their country to once • A draft peace agreement still exists, and Mr Trump will
again become a jihadi back-office for Rawalpindi. probably make at least one more effort to get it signed
before the US election campaign officially kicks off.
• At the very least, it would mean hundreds of Pakistani-
backed militants currently fighting in Afghanistan • But India must accept that the next US president,
would be available for fighting in India and Central whoever it may be, will probably also seek withdrawal.
Asia • Afghanistan claims less than 20 US lives a year, but the
• Many in the security establishment believe that lack of US public support, and the need to handle the
the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country challenge of China, will drive any US leader down the
will push Afghanistan back to medieval times. The same path.
prospects of a civil war loom large. • India’s Afghan priority should be preparing for the day
• If Afghanistan did slip into a full-fledged civil war then after, even though that day has been postponed once
it would be easier for Pakistan to push Afghan jihadis again.
into Kashmir.
22. Two-Plus-Two Dialogue
Suspension of U.S.-Taliban talks has opened the space for
the holding of Afghan presidential elections and a window Context
of opportunity for the international community • Defense Minister of India Rajnath Singh was on
• F irst, the Afghan election authorities and security a bilateral visit to Japan at the invitation Defence
forces should be supported in every way to conduct Minister of Japan
free and fair elections as an exercise of Afghan • The two Ministers held the Annual Defence Ministerial
sovereignty. Meeting
* Concerns about misuse of government • India and Japan have decided to hold their first
apparatus should be addressed. Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2) ahead
* The Taliban will try to disrupt it. But a reasonably of the Japan-India annual summit for “advancing
good turnout even if elections are held only in cooperation towards peace and prosperity of the
secure areas would be a barometer of support Indo-Pacific region”.
elsewhere, victory for the constitutional order Details
and ‘Islamic Republic’, and a repudiation of the
• The ‘2+2’ is a format where Foreign Ministers and
‘Islamic Emirates’ of the Taliban.
Defence Ministers of the two countries have a joint
• S econd, its outcome could provide a stronger meeting to discuss strategic issues.
foundation for talks with the Taliban that are Afghan-
• Prime Ministers of Japan and India in their Vision
led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled, and not
Statement in October 2018 reiterated their
as dictated from Washington, Islamabad, Doha or
unwavering commitment to working together
Moscow.
towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.

SEPTEMBER-2019 49
* The two Prime Ministers had also expressed their * The two-plus-two dialogue could possibly give a
satisfaction at the progress made in fostering political push to future arms sales.
defence cooperation for shared security, and
Exercises
reaffirmed their desire to further deepen the
strategic and defence cooperation between • The Ministers welcomed that the Japan-India-U.S.
Japan and India. trilateral maritime exercise “MALABAR 2019”
• The Ministers welcomed that negotiations on the • The Ministers also welcomed that the second Japan-
Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) India-U.S. trilateral mine-countermeasures exercise
(MINEX)
* The ACSA would permit the Indian Navy (IN)
access to a Japanese base in Djibouti, while • The Ministers recognised the conduct of Japan-India
the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Maritime Exercise (JIMEX)
would be permitted to use India’s military • The Ministers welcomed that ‘SHINYUU MAITRI 18’, the
installations on the Andaman and Nicobar first bilateral exercise between the air components
Islands located in the Indian Ocean, which lie Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and the Indian
near the Malacca Straits, next to other naval Air Force
facilities.
• The Ministers also welcomed the first participation
• The Ministers welcomed the steady progress in of the JASDF in the India-U.S. bilateral exercise “Cope
bilateral cooperation in the area of Maritime Domain
India” as observers
Awareness (MDA) based on the Implementing
Arrangement for Deeper Cooperation between the 23. A life in the balance: On Kulbhushan Jadhav
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the
Indian Navy Context
What does the new 2+2 Dialogue mean for the India- • More than three and a half years after Pakistan
Japan relationship? announced it had arrested Kulbhushan Jadhav on
charges of espionage and terrorism, India finally
Traditionally, India has resisted taking sides in great power received consular access
competition. But that option is becoming increasingly
difficult. New Delhi has been compelled to astutely choose • India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad
its strategic partners in order to strengthen its strategic Gaurav Ahluwalia met Kulbhushan after Pakistan
maneuverability. granted consular access to him
• Two-Plus-Two Dialogue reflects the growing special Background

relationship between India and Japan, which is driven • India had demanded consular access to Jadhav under
by a number of factors including the desire to create the rules of the Vienna Convention on Consular
an Asian strategic framework that is free, fair, and Relations of 1963. This is an international treaty that
inclusive. defines consular relations between independent
• The call for such a framework has become louder states
against the backdrop of increasingly muscular • India ivoked Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on
behaviour by China. Consular Relations which provides for consular access
• The more confrontational China becomes, the more to foreign nationals.
willing countries like India are to play the balance of What is consular access?
power games in Asia and beyond.
• Article 36 of the Vienna Convention states that foreign
• One of the primary objectives for both New Delhi nationals who are arrested or detained be given notice
and Tokyo is to prevent the rise of a unipolar Asia without delay of their right to have their embassy or
dominated by one single hegemonic power. consulate notified of that arrest.
* It is this political objective that has been driving • If the detained foreign national so requests, the police
the relationship and the new two-plus-two must fax that notice to the embassy or consulate,
dialogue will strengthen it further, especially the which can then check up on the person.
security relationship between New Delhi and
• The notice to the consulate can be as simple as a fax,
Tokyo.
giving the person’s name, the place of arrest, and, if
• But Japan does have a technologically advanced arms possible, something about the reason for the arrest or
industry and it is possible that India could tap into it detention
in order to make up for its own weaknesses in critical
Current status
areas.
• This is the first time India has got access to Jadhav
* Another area where Japan could help is with
since his arrest by Pakistani security forces in March
submarines: India was reported to have been
2016.
interested in buying Japanese submarines,
though Tokyo did not appear keen.

SEPTEMBER-2019 50
• Even after India won the case for consular access, Economic Transactions
Pakistan took weeks to respond, offering to allow the • In 2018-19, bilateral trade between India and Pakistan
meeting only in the presence of video cameras, and was valued at $2.5 billion — India’s exports to Pakistan
Pakistani officials. accounted for $2.06 billion and India’s imports from
• India rejected this at first, and it is unclear why the Pakistan were at $495 million.
government finally accepted those same terms, • India’s decision vis-à-vis withdrawal of MFN status and
and nominated its Charge d’affaires to meet Mr. imposition of 200% duty has hurt Pakistan’s exports
Jadhav despite the conversation being recorded, and to India, falling from an average of $45 million per
Pakistani officials being present. month in 2018 to $2.5 million per month in the last
• According to the officials who met him, Mr. Jadhav’s four months from May to August.
responses during the meeting seemed to be tutored Western Border Trade
and coerced, much like his “confessional” statements
that were released by Pakistan during his trial in a • The quantum of loss that has been incurred by traders
military court. in both India and Pakistan has varied according to the
nature of trade and the trade route.
• The MEA concluded that he was under “extreme
pressure to parrot a false narrative”. As a result, • For example, through the Wagah-Attari land route,
Pakistan’s consular access appears to be as much of bilateral trade was heavily in favour of Pakistan; in
a sham as the trial itself, which was held in complete the last two years from, India’s imports from Pakistan
secrecy. accounted for 82% of the total trade through the land
route.
Future Course
• After February, most of this business has been badly
• Despite the disquiet over the process thus far, the affected with only a handful of items including rock
consular access provided marks Pakistan’s initial salt, continuing to be imported.
compliance with the ICJ ruling, and it is hoped that
Islamabad will follow through with the next part of Border Economies
the court’s verdict. • Unlike national economies, border economies
• This includes a review of the trial process and a owe their existence to cross-border economic
reconsideration of the death sentence, pending opportunities. These economies generally experience
which Mr. Jadhav’s execution must be stayed. a sudden boom-bust cycle on account of political
changes, trade bans, price and exchange rate and tax
• The two sides must use their diplomatic channels to fluctuations.
negotiate a possible reprieve for Mr. Jadhav, or discuss
conditions under which Pakistan may be prevailed • As seen elsewhere in South Asia such as via the
upon to release him to India. inception of India-Bangladesh border haats, the costs
and benefits are mutual to the border economies
• New Delhi has been able to secure access to Mr. on both sides; much more in cases such as Amritsar
Jadhav by appealing to international processes, but where major economic activity is largely dependent
the road ahead must be negotiated bilaterally, with on border trade with Pakistan.
the understanding and empathy that a man’s life
Amritsar as an example
hangs in the balance.
• Amritsar is land-locked, is not a metropolis and
24. Putting the skids under border trade traditionally has no significant industry. Hence, any
Background decision on India-Pakistan trade has a direct impact
on the local economy and the people of Amritsar.
• In February 2019, in the wake of the Pulwama attack,
India decided to withdraw the Most Favoured Nation • Since February, according to estimates on ground,
(MFN) status to Pakistan; subsequently, it imposed 5,000 families have been directly affected in Amritsar
200% customs duty on all Pakistani goods coming because of breadwinner dependence on bilateral
into India. trade.
• After the Balakot airstrikes, again in February, India • Traders and their staff members, customs house
and Pakistan closed their airspace, with Pakistan agents (CHAs), freight forwarders, labour force, truck
keeping the ban in place for nearly five months. operators, dhaba owners, fuel stations, and other
service providers are closing shop and going out of
• In April 2019, India suspended trade across the Line
business.
of Control in Jammu and Kashmir citing misuse of the
trade route by Pakistan-based elements. Changing the Trade Balance and its effects on economy
• And more recently, post the Jammu and Kashmir Many a time, upsetting the trade apple cart can have more
Reorganisation Bill, Pakistan cut off diplomatic and repercussions than intended.
economic ties with India — expelling the Indian • For example, gypsum, imported from Pakistan, was
envoy, partially shutting airspace and suspending being used in India as well as in Nepal for the cement
bilateral trade. plants there.

SEPTEMBER-2019 51
• To avoid empty backhauling on the return journey,

trucks carrying these consignments brought back
specific products such as yarn from mills in Uttar
Pradesh to Punjab.
• I n the absence of gypsum trade, the freight rate of
trucks from Uttar Pradesh to Punjab, as per the ground
reports, has increased from ₹3 to ₹7 per kg, with a
single trip absorbing the cost of the entire journey.
• E arlier, prices of tradeable goods which were kept
under check owing to the balancing out mechanisms
of international trade, are experiencing fluctuations
now because of the trade disruptions.
Pakistan takes a hit too
• There is gloom on the Pakistani side too. With Pakistan
deciding to completely suspend bilateral trade,
exports of cotton from India to Pakistan are expected What has been the impact on oil?
to be affected the most, eventually hurting Pakistan’s
• Abqaiq is the world’s largest oil processing facility,
textiles;
where about two-thirds of the total Saudi supply is
• The lawn industry which will now have to source refined and cleaned of impurities such as sulphur and
pricier cotton from alternative markets in the United sand.
States, Australia, Egypt or Central Asia; or there is a
• Saudi oil ministry sources said the production was
high possibility that Indian cotton, along with other
disrupted by about 5m barrels a day – nearly half the
products, will be routed through third countries
kingdom’s estimated output of 9.7m barrels and 5%
such as the United Arab Emirates and Singapore,
of global production.
thereby increasing the share of indirect trade which
is estimated to be more than double the direct trade • Economists believe the oil price could rise higher if
between India and Pakistan Aramco cannot bring supplies back online quickly, or
if there is military action in the Gulf.
Hence, while the overall economies of the two countries
may very well manage to stay afloat despite the suspension • Higher oil prices can drag on global growth. It pushes
of economic ties, it is the local economies that will suffer up transport costs and the prices of petroleum-based
the most and are already perishing. products. This fuels inflation, leaving consumers with
less disposable income.
Conclusion
The fact that it can be severely disrupted is a sign that
• In the spirit of nationalism, the trade fraternity on
the world’s energy infrastructure is more vulnerable than
both sides, by and large, has stood by their respective
previously believed, and considered a legitimate target.
governments.
Who was responsible?
• But locals in border economies on both sides have
mouths to feed, which calls for a solution. • The Houthis, the Iran-aligned rebel army that has been
fighting a Saudi-led military coalition in neighboring
• What are the alternative sources of livelihood that can
Yemen, claimed responsibility for the attack.
be generated to keep border economies afloat? It’s
time to think and come up with solutions. • The Houthis recently acquired much more powerful
drone technology that has given them the power to
25. Saudi oil plant fire strike targets up to 1,500km away, according to the
Context UN.
• Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched drone attacks on the * Abqaiq is within about 1,000km of Houthi-held
world’s largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia territory.
sparking huge fires and halting about half of the How are the regional actors aligned?
supplies from the world’s largest exporter of oil.
• The Houthis are regarded as part of a network of
• Loud explosions erupted at Khurais oilfield and Abqaiq militias in the Middle East who are sponsored or
processing facility, both owned by Saudi Aramco, the assisted in some way by Tehran, part of a broader
country’s state-owned oil company, often described fight to dominate the Middle East between Iran and
as the kingdom’s crown jewel. Saudi Arabia that dates back to the Iranian revolution
of 1979.

SEPTEMBER-2019 52
• The pair do not directly clash; the battle is playing out • If the attacks had originated from Iran, as the U.S. has
through proxy actors in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, claimed, it is a serious act of aggression.
among other countries. * And if it had originated from Yemen, Iran’s
Concerns continued support for the Houthis, which
enables them to carry out a high-precision,
• When Mr. Trump unilaterally pulled the U.S. out of cross-border attack such as this, would come
the Iran nuclear deal and subsequently reimposed under renewed focus.
sanctions on the Islamic Republic, his expectation
was that the renewed pressure tactics would force • The U.S. in May 2019 had effectively cut off Iran’s oil
Tehran to return to talks so that he could bargain for industry, critical for its economy, from the global
a tougher deal. economy. Faced with a precarious economic situation
and mounting U.S. pressure, Iran adopted a two-
* But Iran was so unpredictable in its response pronged strategy —
that tensions have rocketed in West Asia. The
latest flare-up where two critical Saudi Arabian * start violating the nuclear deal step by step
oil installations were attacked is an example. * Target oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz,
a choke-point between the Gulf and the Arabian
Sea and through which a third of crude oil
exports transported on tankers pass.

SEPTEMBER-2019 53
* A number of oil tankers, owned by Norway, Details

Saudi Arabia and Japan, have come under attack • Under the new graduate visa route, students from
near the Strait of Hormuz anywhere including India would be able to work or
• With attack on the Saudi oil installations, Iran has even look for work at any skill level.
upped the ante further, sending a message across the • After the two years, they will be able to switch onto
world that no oil facility or tanker is safe in the Gulf as the skilled work visa if they find a job which meets the
long as Iran is not allowed to trade its oil. skill requirement of the route.
• Also the U.S. pullout from the deal appears to have • The proposed rules also do not place any restriction
tilted the balance of power within the Iranian regime on the type of jobs that students could look for.
in favour of the hardliners.
• There is also no cap on the number of students who
Carrot-and-Stick Policy of Obama could avail the work visa
• U.S. President Obama’s approach was different. Unlike • T he route is non-extendable and does not count
Mr. Trump, he had a strategic goal — to deny Iran a towards settlement.
nuclear bomb.
How does it work now?
• He did not act unilaterally on sanctions. He
consolidated international opinion, got both allies • Currently, most international students pursuing
and partners on his side, imposed UN-recognised bachelors and master’s degrees can stay and work
sanctions and then offered talks. for only four months and those at 27 universities on a
pilot scheme get six months.
• And Iran accepted the offer despite all the bad blood
between the U.S. (“the great Satan”) and the Islamic Background
Republic, joined the talks and agreed to scuttle its • The UK had the post-study work visa scheme till 2012
nuclear programme in return for the removal of the when the then home secretary Theresa May scrapped
international sanctions. it.
• Mr. Obama could have acted unilaterally. He could • In 2012, then Home Secretary Theresa May had
have made greater demands from Iran such as ending introduced a highly restrictive visa regime, known in
its support for regional proxies. the UK as the “hostile environment” policy. Under that
* Or he could have threatened Tehran with military policy, May had reduced the duration for students to
action. seek work in the UK from two years to four months.
* He did not do any of these primarily because 27. John Bolton goes: On the sacking of U.S. National
he was aware of the risks involved in a direct
Security Advisor
conflict with Iran, a country that has always lived
in insecurity and cultivated proxies across the Context
region as part of its forward defence doctrine • President Donald Trump announced that he had fired
Mr. Trump should have followed the policy initiated by John Bolton, his third national security adviser, amid
Obama, force Iran to restrain itself through engagement fundamental disagreements over how to handle
and promote a new equilibrium in the region. major foreign policy challenges like Iran, North Korea
and most recently Afghanistan.
Conclusion
His term in office was marked by ultra-hawkish positions
• Mr. Trump may be reluctant to launch a new war but
his strategy of Unilateralism is unsuccessful. He has • He pursued hostilities with Iran,
failed to foresee how far Iran would go if it is pushed • sanctions with Russia,
to a corner. His unilateral actions have destroyed even
• brinkmanship on trade with China,
the fragile order that existed in the region
• opposed talks on Afghanistan, and with North Korean
26. UK’s new work visa offer leader Kim Jong-un, and
Context • Pushed for regime change in Venezuela.
• To attract more international students, the UK • Mr. Bolton inflicted the greatest damage on
government has announced a new two-year post- multilateral institutions and agreements, as he
study work visa route from 2020. advocated the U.S.’s exit from the Human Rights
Council and UNESCO,

SEPTEMBER-2019 54
• He presided over the cancellation of the multi-party • Recognising that extremism and terrorism posed a
nuclear deal with Iran grave threat to entire humanity, both sides reiterated
their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms
• He informed Moscow that the U.S. was pulling out of
and manifestations including cross-border terrorism.
the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
* The two sides reaffirmed that terrorism cannot
India will heave a sigh of relief
be justified on any grounds whatsoever and
• His final act, one that is regarded with relief in India, it should not be associated with any religion,
was to ensure that the U.S. deal with the Pakistan- creed, nationality and ethnicity.
backed Taliban was scuttled.
* Both sides stressed the critical need for
• The relief, however, may be temporary, given that Mr. enhancing the anti-terrorism and anti-organized
Trump has publicly criticised his outgoing NSA, and crime capacity of developing countries in
may reverse many of the positions the U.S. had taken collaboration with the international community
with Mr. Bolton at the helm. with a view to effectively addressing terrorism
What should India do? and violent extremism challenges.
• New Delhi must continue to keep a keen eye on all • The Mongolian side reiterated its support to India’s
the changes in the White House and Cabinet, it is candidature for permanent membership of the UNSC.
clear that investing too much in any one adviser, or • India has announced it will continue to help Mongolia
expecting consistency in American policy as a result, with capacity building and training programmes for
would be a folly. its citizens across diverse professions.
• Mr. Trump has run a revolving door for recruitments India-Mongolia Relations:
and retrenchments, and is now on his fourth NSA,
third Secretary of Defense and second Secretary of • Ties between India and Mongolia date back centuries
State. with Buddhism seen as a major binding factor
between the two countries.
• India would do well to not allow its bilateral
relationship with the U.S. or other relationships to be • In recent times, the two countries have set up
determined by such a fluid dynamic. mechanisms like the India-Mongolia Joint Working
Group for Defence and the India-Mongolia Joint
Way forward Committee on Cooperation (IMJCC) chaired
• A case in point is ties with Iran, where New Delhi may at ministerial level besides others, to cement
have been better off not acceding to the tough Bolton cooperation.
line, and instead, like China, Russia, Iraq and Turkey, • For Mongolians, India is one of counter-weights to
keeping its own counsel on the issue of oil sanctions. their neighbours (Russia and China).
• On the bilateral front, India must build its strategic • India is considered a spiritual neighbour, a declared
and economic relationship with the U.S. with a keener third neighbour and strategic partner and centre for
eye on the transactional thinking that now prevails in pilgrimage.
Washington.
• India’s attempts to boost cooperation with Mongolia
28. India, Mongolia to explore space together come against the backdrop of China making inroads
into South Asia-Sri Lanka and Nepal besides Myanmar,
Context
considered India’s periphery.
• India and Mongolia signed MoUs on space
• In recent years, New Delhi has increased interaction
cooperation and disaster management that will
with countries like South Korea, Japan and Vietnam,
provide a new dimension to the India-Mongolia
all countries seen as on the periphery of China.
strategic partnership.
• Analysts say India’s interaction with Mongolia gives
Details
India, a much needed diplomatic and strategic
• The space cooperation would allow “peaceful leverage vis a vis the big countries in Mongolia’s
exploration” of outer space and include remote neighbourhood.
sensing and weather forecasting.
29. Trump Administration’s Policy War on Immigration
• India and Mongolia at present carry out regular
military exercises named “Nomadic Elephant” and Context:
“Khaan Quest” which is expected to be broadened • The US administration had imposed several rules in
* Nomadic Elephant August 2019 alone, which has explicitly and implicitly
made immigration to America
* Khaan Quest

SEPTEMBER-2019 55
Rule No.1: • This rule is unlikely to impact a large number of

• According to the new rule, an individual can be children.
denied a green card or even admission to the U.S. if “at • However, the policy tweak indicates the overall
the time of application for admission or adjustment message of the administration with regard to
of status, (the person) is likely at any time to become immigration.
a public charge”.
Rule No.3:
* The changes will make it easier to designate
• The United States Citizenship and Immigration
potential immigrants as being at risk of
Services (USCIS) has sent out letters saying that
depending on state funds.
it would no longer handle the “deferred action”
* It will consequently make it easier to deny them programme for non-military cases.
admission or green cards.
• However, no public announcement was made of the
Public Charge: policy tweak.
• ‘Liable to become a Public Charge’ is the term used in • The programme enables individuals to postpone
the United States to classify prospective immigrants deportation from the USA.
who are denied entry due to their disabilities or lack
• Many of those individuals might have come to the
of economic resources.
U.S. legally, but stayed on after their visas expired.
• The administration has increased the list of benefits
• This has included those in the U.S. for the treatment
that could designate a potential immigrant as likely to
of grave illnesses and life-threatening medical
become a public charge.
conditions.
• Factors that would make a prospective immigrant
* Maria Isabel Bueso, a 24 year old woman has been
‘Liable to become a Public Charge’ include:
in the U.S. since she was seven to participate in a
* Not having an annual income of at least 250% clinical trial for a genetic condition that doctors
of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Earlier, it was said would not let her live through adolescence.
sufficient if the financial sponsor of a potential
* The woman was among those were told to
immigrant meets certain income criteria.
leave the country within 33 days or face possible
* Medical conditions deportation proceedings.
* Old age * In Ms. Bueso’s case, fending off deportation could
* Poor English language skills. mean the difference between life and death.
Public Charge Rule: * USCIS said it had received 1,000 deferred action
applications related to medical conditions.
• The law has its roots in racist policies from the 1840s
and 1850s used to deport and exclude immigrants • The USCIS letters said that the Immigration and
such as Irish Catholics, and Southern and Eastern Customs Enforcement (ICE) would handle the
Europeans. programme.
• It was passed in 1882. The same year, the U.S. Congress Conclusion:
also passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, limiting • At the base of the Statue of Liberty, it is etched
Chinese immigration into the country. that ‘Give me your tired, your poor’. The American
Consequences: administration is suspected to have forgotten those
words.
• The net effect of this rule is to pressure prospective
immigrants to lose benefits they are legally entitled 30. Israel, Pakistan ties a bridge too far?
to.
Context:
• It will also foster a system that favours wealthier,
• Foreign policy experts have recently speculated over
better-educated, younger immigrants who have
the possibility of the Israel and Pakistan establishing
better English speaking skills.
diplomatic ties.
Rule No.2:
• This is an indication of the changing geo-political
• Another rule change will make it harder for children dynamics in the region and Israel’s growing diplomatic
born to naturalized U.S. citizens serving in U.S. reach and success.
Embassies or stationed on U.S. military bases abroad
to acquire citizenship at birth.

SEPTEMBER-2019 56
Israel’s struggle for diplomatic recognition: • While Israel established diplomatic ties with China at
the same time as with India, their relations are largely
• Ever since Israel declared Independence in 1948, it
limited to the economic domain due to the embargo
has repeatedly tried to overcome its regional isolation
placed by the United States on selling sophisticated
and enhance its diplomatic relations with as many
weapons systems to China.
countries as possible.
• On the other hand, Israel is expanding its sale of
• The only states in the region that have recognised
weapons and defence equipment to India and other
Israel are – Turkey (1949), Egypt (1979) and Jordan
countries in Southeast Asia.
(1994).
• Israel is also looking to increase its diplomatic
• On the other hand, Israel has been routinely cornered
influence in South Asia by forging closer ties with
by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for
populous Asian Muslim countries such as Bangladesh
its occupation of Palestinian lands in violation of the
and Indonesia. Because this would help Israel gain
UN resolution.
greater legitimacy in the Islamic world.
• Despite the constant and scathing criticism by
Investment in the Arab world
the Islamic world, Israel has successfully cultivated
diplomatic ties and enhanced its influence in its • However, Israel’s proposed ties with Pakistan will carry
immediate neighbourhood. a different set of geo-political dynamics.
• In fact, Israel has established diplomatic relations with • Pakistan’s national interests would better be fulfilled
a majority of the 193 UN member states. by having relations with Israel, especially because
Israel exercises diplomatic leverage in Washington
India-Israel links
and could perhaps mediate on recurring tensions
• India officially established full diplomatic ties with between U.S and Pakistan.
Israel in 1992. But both had maintained a covert
• Their mutual concerns regarding Iran can also be a
relationship since the 1960’s owing to mutual security
major point of convergence.
concerns.
• However, any hopes of rapprochement between
• There are many factors that brought these two
Israel and Pakistan appears to be far¬-fetched. The
democracies together, but it is a fact that both have
fact is that Pakistan is seen as the “sword-¬arm” of the
dealt with a long history of state centric threats.
Sunni world.
• Israel has overcome the threat posed by the combined
• Pakistan has contributed considerably to the security
Arab opposition in 1948, 1967 and in 1973.
of the Gulf monarchies, including in Saudi Arabia and
• Whereas, India has trumped an acutely hostile Jordan. Pakistani has even stationed its military units
neighbour such as Pakistan in every conflict since in these countries to promote internal stability.
Partition.
• Pakistani leaders such as Nawaz Sharif have sought
• Both Israel and India have been victims of asymmetric and received refuge in the Arab countries.
warfare such as terrorism that has been sponsored by
• Pakistan has exploited the platform provided by the
state actors. So naturally both have collaborated in
OIC to whip up support for its position on the Kashmir
the field of counter-terrorism.
conflict, just as the OIC has done for the Palestinian
• Due to the dynamism infused in India’s foreign policy cause.
by the Prime Minister Modi, India’s interactions with
• If Pakistan were to establish diplomatic relations with
the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have
Israel, it would erode its Islamic credentials and lead to
improved significantly in recent times, and today it
a reduced support base within the OIC on the Kashmir
encompasses economic and security ties.
issue.
* The hallmark of the Narendra Modi government
• The deep state of Pakistan would also face tremendous
has been the high-level political engagement
pressure from its many domestic fundamentalist
with the West Asian region.
Islamist groups, if it seeks to establish ties with Israel.
• There is no doubt that mutual concerns about
The Iran Factor:
Iran have brought Israel and the Sunni Arab states
together. • Iran is considered as a potent threat by Israel and the
Shia¬-Sunni divide within Pakistan is frequently a
• But Israel continues to look beyond its immediate
point of friction between Iran and Pakistan.
neighbourhood for the sake of greater economic
and diplomatic leverage and the Indo-Pacific region • However, Israel cannot expect Pakistan to be used
in particular has emerged as an area of interest for its against neighbouring Iran and risk the dangers of
endeavours. escalation in sectarian conflict, given that more than
20% of Pakistan’s population is Shia.

SEPTEMBER-2019 57
• Pakistan is unlikely to take any adverse steps that Background:

could destabilise its relations with Iran.
• India, the world’s third-biggest oil consumer, meets
• I n April 2015, Pakistan’s Parliament had rejected more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports.
Riyadh’s request to join a Saudi-¬led military Iran was its third-largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi
intervention in Yemen’s civil war to fight the Houthi Arabia till recently.
rebels who are backed by Iran.
• India has stopped orders for Iranian oil since May 2019
Conclusion following U.S. sanctions that kicked after the U.S.A
• India has successfully balanced its ties between Israel pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
and Palestine, and Israel may hope to do the same (JCPOA), an international deal to limit Iran’s nuclear
between India and Pakistan. program in November 2018.
• However, it is not in Israel’s interest to seek diplomatic • India was one of the countries that was given an
ties with a state that is considered as a sponsor of exemption from these sanctions until May, 2019. Iran
terrorism and a hotbed of extremism. is also accused by the US and its allies of attacking
two key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, triggering a new
• While Israel has the sovereign right to decide on its round of tensions in the region.
foreign policy, but for the time being it is unlikely to
• Recently Iran’s envoy to India had expressed
pursue any ties with Pakistan.
concerns that despite a sanction carve out for India’s
31. Modi meets Rouhani, discusses Chabahar participation in the construction and development
of Iran’s Chabahar port work on the project was “very
Context: slow”. It was also asserted that India should not have
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President cooperated with U.S. sanctions.
Hassan Rouhani met along the sidelines of the UN
Chabahar Port:
General Assembly’s 74th session in New York.
• Chabahar Port is located on the Indian Ocean in the
• The leaders especially mentioned operationalization Sistan and Baluchistan province of Iran.
of Chabahar Port and noted its importance as gateway
to and for the landlocked Afghanistan and the Central • It is located on the Gulf of Oman and is the only
Asian region. oceanic port of the country. The port gives access to
the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations’ southern coast.

SEPTEMBER-2019 58
• India’s construction of the Shahid Beheshti terminal • With Chabahar port becoming functional, there will
at Chabahar port since 2016 is a key component of be a significant boost in the import of iron ore, sugar,
its trade and connectivity routes to Afghanistan and and rice to India.
Central Asia, circumventing Pakistan. Details:
• It is a strategic project that would connect India, • The Prime Minister reiterated India’s support for
Afghanistan and Iran to Central Asia. giving priority to diplomacy, dialogue and confidence
• Chabahar port will boost India’s access to Iran, the key building in the interest of maintaining peace, security
gateway to the International North-South Transport and stability in the Gulf region, which is of vital
Corridor that has sea, rail and road routes between importance for India.
India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia. • Noting that India and Iran shared old and civilisational
• It is easily accessible from India’s western coast and is ties, the two leaders positively assessed the progress
increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar in bilateral relations since their first meeting at UFA in
port located at distance of around 80 km from 2015.
Chabahar. • Both agreed to mark the 70th Anniversary of the
• Establishment of a politically sustainable connectivity establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020.
between India and Afghanistan will be ensured by
this project.

SEPTEMBER-2019 59
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. Galos • In the case of S. Khushboo v. Kanniammal & Anr (2010)
it was held that living together is a right to life.
• The Galos are one of the 26 major communities of
Arunachal Pradesh. • In Indra Sarma v. VKV Sarma (2013) the court observed,
“Live-in or marriage like relationship is neither a crime
• This central Eastern Himalayan tribe dominate West
nor a sin though socially unacceptable. The decision
Siang, Lepa Rada and Lower Siang districts. They have
to marry or not to marry or to have a heterosexual
a big population in East Siang, Upper Subansiri and
relationship is intensely personal.”
Namsai districts too.
• In Shafin Jahan v. Asokan (2018), it held that the right
• The Galos belong to the Tani group inhabiting Assam
to choose one’s life partner is an important facet of the
and Arunachal Pradesh, besides Tibet.
right to life, and social approval of intimate personal
• They trace their common origin to a primeval ancestor, decisions should not be the basis for recognising
Abotani. them.
• The Galo have been listed as a Scheduled Tribe under • In Navtej Johar v. Union of India (2018), it read down
the name Gallong since 1950. Section 377 of the IPC which criminalised consensual
What’s in a Galo name? A pointer to ancestors homosexual relationships.
• The Galo community in Arunachal Pradesh follow • At the same time Section 2(f) of the Domestic
a unique system of naming that helps them trace Violence (DV) Act, extends protection to women who
ancestors and origin. are in “relationship in the nature of marriage” but all
live-ins do not qualify as relationship in the nature of
• The Galos maintain genealogy (study of families, marriage.
family history, and the tracing of their lineages)
through given names. Supreme Court had laid down some guidelines (not
exhaustive but insightful) for testing under what
• They follow a system of prefixing the second syllable circumstances, a live-in relationship will fall within the
of a father’s name to that of a son, who passes on the expression “relationship in the nature of marriage.”
suffix in his name to his son.
• The important factors for determination would be –
• The names of ancestors can be traced from the first a reasonable duration of period of relationship to be
syllable or prefix of their names. determined subjectively;
• Example: Kenjum Bagra is the 21st descendant of • partners should have been in a shared household as
Memo, the founder of the Memo clan. Mr. Bagra’s defined under Section 2(s) of the DV Act;
father, at number 20 on the Memo line, is Gumken,
his grandfather is Megum, and his great-grandfather • there must be some pooling of resources and financial
is Gumme. The ‘me’ in his great-grandfather’s name arrangements supporting each other,
was prefixed to his grandfather’s name, whose suffix • sharing bank accounts, joint investments etc; having
decided his father’s name. some sort of domestic arrangements like entrusting
the responsibility of household chores on the woman;
2. Live-in Relationships
• having sexual relationship, not just for pleasure, but for
Meaning emotional and intimate relationship, for procreation
• It involves continuous cohabitation between the of children, so as to give emotional support,
partners without any responsibilities or obligations companionship and also material affection, caring
towards one another. etc; having children and sharing the responsibility for
bringing up and supporting them;
• The Supreme Court in Indra Sarma vs. V.K.V.
Sarma defined live-in relationships as- A domestic • holding out to the public and socializing with friends,
cohabitation between an adult unmarried male and relations and others, as if they are husband and wife;
an adult unmarried female. and
Supreme Court on Live in relationships • Sharing a common intention of parties as to what
their relationship is to be and to involve, and as to
The Supreme Court has, in several rulings, held that live-in- their respective roles and responsibilities, primarily
relationships are not illegal. determines the nature of that relationship.
• In Lata Singh v. State of UP (2006) it was observed that
a live-in relationship between two consenting adults
of heterosexual sex does not amount to any offence
even though it may be perceived as immoral.

SEPTEMBER-2019 60
Protection for Women under such relationship • The right to life and personal liberty under Article
21 includes the right to privacy. The right to choose
• Women in relationships in the nature of marriage are
how to organise one’s personal intimacies is an
entitled to protection and maintenance under the
important facet of the right to privacy and, therefore,
Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
outside the purview of the state. Demanding that
• But the relationships which fail to qualify the above- the government seek to prohibit live-in relationships
mentioned test will not be entitled to seek protection is therefore brazen contempt of the decisions of the
under the DV Act. apex court.
What constitutes illegality? • The language in the order will likely create a chilling
• A live-in could be bigamous, adulterous, or involving effect, preventing vulnerable citizens, in need of
some underage partner. legal protection, from seeking redress. The SHRC
also demanded that governments run awareness
• T hese relations are illegal entailing legal ramifications campaigns against live-in relationships.
for the parties involved therein.
Conclusion
Why younger generation have altogether different
expectations from relationships? • In light of Supreme Court Judgments, it is important
to note that being in a live-in relationship is a valid
• The parties enjoy the liberty to walk out of the choice which deserves the recognition and protection
relationship without legal hassles. of law.
• Live-ins offer an opportunity to check compatibility • Illegality is different from immorality. People may
and know each other better before they take the regard live-in-relationships as immoral, but that is
plunge. their own perception which cannot be allowed to
• There may also be those who cohabit informally influence anyone else’s personal decision.
because they cannot formalise their relationships, • Moral policing cannot be permitted, especially when
such as inter-caste/religion opposite-sex couples who the arrangement has the endorsement from the
are barred from marrying by social norms, or same- touchstone of fundamental rights.
sex couples, who are barred from marrying by law.
• The most important concomitants of any relationship
Context are love, trust and mutual respect. The existence of
• Referring to women in live-in relationships, a Bench these make any relationship blissful, irrespective of
of the State Human Rights Commission of Rajasthan the societal sanction of marriage.
said that the “concubine” life of a woman cannot be
termed a dignified life. 3. National Nutrition Month (Poshan Maah)
Concerns • Under POSHAN Abhiyaan, September was celebrated
as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah across the country to
• This is patriarchy which prompts universities going address the malnutrition challenges and sensitize
forward to have more conservative curfews for female our countrymen regarding the importance of holistic
students. nutrition.
• In the name of protecting the women it indirectly • Poshan Maah aimed at making people aware of the
says don’t challenge the patriarchal structures and importance of nutrition & giving individual access
institutions meant to keep the women in their place. to government services to support supplement
• In stating that women in live-in relationships are ‘kept’ nutrition for their children & pregnant women /
as concubines, it ignores the possibility that such lactating mothers.
relationships could be a viable alternative in cases • The programme is an initiative of WCD Ministry
where marriage is legally or socially prohibited. and NITI Aayog is supported by 18 line Ministries/
* It also assumes that marriage is, or ought to be, Departments/Government Organizations.
the only relationship through which women * It seeks to synergise all efforts by leveraging
sexually associate with men. technology and intends to take nutrition
• At another level, by equating women who cohabit awareness to the level of Jan Andolan or People’s
with concubines, it entrenches the patriarchal Movement.
Madonna-whore dichotomy: Which means that * The programme focuses on 8 themes –
women can either be good women who abide by Antenatal Care, Optimal Breastfeeding (Early &
the societal boundaries set for them, committed to Exclusive), Complementary Feeding, Anemia,
relationship or bad women who dare transgress these Growth Monitoring, Girls-education, diet, right
boundaries. age of Marriage, Hygiene & Sanitation, Food
• Article 19 of the Constitution, which protects the right Fortification.
to freedom of speech and expression, includes the
freedom to express one’s identity, sexual preferences,
and love.

SEPTEMBER-2019 61
POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) • The government said that it was looking for smart,
• The programme through use of technology, a targeted scalable and innovative solutions for economical
approach and convergence strives to reduce the toilets for individual and community use in rural and
level of Stunting, Under-nutrition, Anemia and Low urban contexts.
Birth Weight in Children, as also, focus on Adolescent • Three innovators were selected winners from the
Girls, Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers, thus shortlisted 21 applications.
holistically addressing malnutrition.
6. Saharia children battle malnutrition
• POSHAN Abhiyaan aims to ensure service delivery
and interventions by use of technology, behavioural Saharia Tribes:
change through convergence and lays-down specific • Saharias are a particularly vulnerable tribal group.
targets to be achieved across different monitoring
• The Saharia are an ethnic group in the state of Madhya
parameters over the next few years
Pradesh
4. Rashtriya Bal Puraskar • They are also found in Baran district of Rajasthan.
Context • T he tribe members believe in Folk Hinduism’s gods
• T he Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) and goddess that they worship.
has extended the last date of receipt of applications • The Sahariya tribe health is very poor. There is
for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar – 2020. a prevalence of malnutrition and pulmonary
About the award tuberculosis.
• Prahan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar instituted by Context:

WCD Ministry to felicitate meritorious children, • A
cute malnutrition among Saharia tribes is continuing
individuals and institutions of the country is given to take away lives.
under two categories i.e., Bal Shakti Puraskar and Bal
Details:
Kalyan Puraskar.
• A
cute malnutrition among Saharia tribes is continuing
• The Bal Shakti Puraskar aims to give recognition to
to take away lives, due to crushing poverty, delayed
children who have made extraordinary achievements
breastfeeding, premature pregnancies and seasonal
in various fields including innovation, scholastic,
migrations.
sports, art and culture, social service and bravery.
• There is prevalence of superstitious beliefs among
• The Bal Kalyan Puraskar is given as recognition to
the tribe, such as a newborn has to be fed jaggery
individuals and institutions, who have made an
syrup or honey, as the first milk is impure because it is
outstanding contribution towards service for children
extracted from breasts after nine long months.
in the field of child development, child protection and
child welfare. • According to the National Family Health Survey
2014-2015, just 43.2% of children under three were
5. ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon breastfed within the first hour of their birth in rural
parts of Sheopur district.
Context:
• Seasonal migration also affects children, especially
• Design for Divyangjan-accessible toilets showcased in
girls, as parents mostly take them along with them
‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon.
to fields where they are neglected, wander under
Details: the sun, don’t get food, and contract diseases easily
• Participants of the ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon came up during the monsoon.
with thought-provoking ideas for accessible toilets for • An Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study
the physically challenged (Divyangjans). revealed that, among Saharias, TB prevalence is an
About the ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon: alarming 1,995 per 1,00,000 persons.
• It was organized jointly by the Ministry of Jal Shakti • It is opined that higher incidence of tuberculosis
and the Department of Empowerment of Persons among Saharias is linked to the high malnutrition
with Disabilities, in collaboration with Atal Innovation level among them and vice versa.
Mission and NITI Aayog. The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation and 91springboard were also part of this 7. Tabrez Ansari Case- Lynching, not murder
initiative. Context
• This was an initiative under the Swachh Bharat • Jharkhand Police has dropped murder charges
Mission. against all 11 accused in the Tabrez Ansari lynching
• Applications were invited for designs that make toilets case and said that doctors have stated in the autopsy
smarter, more accessible, and easier to use. report that he died due to cardiac arrest.

SEPTEMBER-2019 62
• The decision of the Jharkhand police that the killing Way forward
of Tabrez Ansari, did not amount to murder is quite • The suspicion that the charge is being diluted
debatable. underscores the need for a special anti-lynching law.
• They have chosen to charge the 11 men arrested for • Such a law could cover acts of group violence, whether
his lynching with culpable homicide that does not spontaneous or planned, so that those who join lynch
amount to murder. mobs do not gain from any ambiguity about their
There are two classes of culpable homicide: intentions.
• Culpable Homicide Amounting to Murder: It is known
8. One year after ‘Navtej Johar’, imagining an equality
as simple murder.
law
• Culpable homicide not amounting to Murder: There
is necessarily a criminal or knowledge in both. The Context
difference does not lie in quality; it lies in the quantity • It’s been a year since Section 377 of the Indian Penal
or degree of criminality closed by the act. In murder, Code-- a draconian, British-era law criminalizing
there is greater intention or knowledge than in same-sex relationship-- was read down.
culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
• With this we have moved from a society where
Background transgender, intersex, lesbian, gay, bisexual and
• Tabrez Ansari was brutally thrashed by a mob on the gender non-confirming persons were treated as
allegations of bike theft criminals to the constitutional recognition of the
rights to sexual orientation, gender identity and
• He was tied to a pole and assaulted for hours at night gender expression.
• It is known that it was only the arrival of the police that Navtej Johar v. Union of India
ended the assault on him.
• This judgment in the Supreme court not only laid the
The official explanation for concluding that it was not ground for stronger equality recognition such as the
murder is unconvincing. judgment in the Joseph Shine case decriminalising
• The two-pronged argument is that the medical report adultery (2018) and the judgment in the Sabarimala
gave the cause of death as ‘cardiac arrest due to stress’, case recognising the rights of women to enter religious
and the fact that the victim did not die immediately, shrines (2018), but also led to the decriminalising of
but succumbed some days later. same-sex intercourse in other jurisdictions such as the
High Court of Botswana and inspired a constitutional
• The police also say a second opinion from forensic
challenge to Section 377A in Singapore.
experts was that the death was caused due to a
combination of heart attack and the injuries he • The recognition of these rights impacts not only LGBTI
suffered. persons, but everyone, for it protects all our rights of
self-expression, equality and autonomy.
• It is quite obvious that merely attributing death to a
heart attack is meaningless without referring to the Steps for equality
trauma caused by the physical assault. The Navtej decision has to be followed by positive steps for
Inferences equality. Transgender persons still face a number of legal
barriers and LGBTI people continue to face discrimination,
• The line between culpable homicide and murder is
exclusion, abuse and harassment at work, school, health
thin.
care settings and in public places.
• It is the courts that usually assess the circumstances
• One reason for this is that we still do not have an
in which a homicide took place and decide whether it
equality and anti-discrimination statute that would
amounted to murder or not.
protect persons from discrimination on different
• Murder is punishable under Section 302 with death or protected grounds.
life imprisonment, while forms of culpable homicide
• Legislation such as the Scheduled Caste and
attract either a life term or 10 years in prison under
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Section 304 of the IPC.
and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 make
• By invoking only the offence of culpable homicide certain caste discriminatory acts criminal offences
not amounting to murder may make it easier for but do not provide civil remedies of injunctions or
the defence to claim that their offence lacked damages for acts of discrimination.
premeditation or intention.
• We have the Sexual Harassment of Women at
* Instead, they could claim that they were deprived Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal)
of their self-control by the “provocation” given by Act, 2013, but this is limited to sexual harassment at
the victim. work.

SEPTEMBER-2019 63
• The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) • Earlier, Srishti Madurai, a student movement in Tamil
Bill, 2019 addresses only transgender and intersex Nadu had approached the National Human Rights
persons’ rights and there is severe criticism of this Bill. Commission on the subject.
The rights of equality and non-discrimination on the The Government Order:
ground of sexual orientation are not covered under
this Bill. • After the court judgment, the Tamil Nadu government
passed an order banning sex normalization surgeries
An overarching legislation in intersex children and infants.
• The need of the hour is a comprehensive legislation • Tamil Nadu’s order comes as the second such move
that guarantees equality to all persons on the basis made by any Government on gender and sexual
of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, identity.
sex, caste, religion, age, disability, marital status,
pregnancy, nationality and other grounds. • The Parliament of the island of Malta adopted
the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex
• The law should impose obligations of equality Characteristics Act in April 2015.
and non-discrimination on all persons, public and
private, and in the areas of education, employment, • The government order specifies that such surgeries
healthcare, land and housing and access to public can only be performed in case there is a life-
places. threatening situation.
• It should provide for civil remedies including • Such a situation will be certified by a team that includes
injunctions to stop discriminatory behaviour, costs pediatric surgeons/urologists, endocrinologists, a
and damages, and positive action to make reparations. social worker/intersex activist and a government
representative.
Most importantly we need an equality law to define what
equality would encompass. What Does Intersex Mean?
Conclusion • Intersex is the term used to refer to people born with
physical and biological characteristics that are more
• Supreme Court comes to rescue on the question diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or
of what equality is, because it held in its privacy female bodies.
judgment in K.S. Puttuswamy v. Union of India (2017)
that equality and liberty cannot be separated, and • There are differences between gender, sexual identity
equality encompasses the inclusion of dignity and and sexual orientation.
basic freedoms. * Gender is assigned at birth based on the anatomy
• Situations like what we see in J&K also show us that (male or female sexual organs).
we need an equality law that not only addresses * Sexual identity is what one sees oneself as.
discrimination against individuals but also addresses
structural forms of discrimination and exclusion. * Sexual orientation is identified based on the sex
a person is attracted to.
• On the first anniversary of Navtej, the time is right for
these reforms, so that we are able to see these battles • Genetically, the male is invested with XY chromosomes
and the female, XX.
being won in the next 25 years.
• In intersex there are at least 40 different variations.
9. Beyond Gender Binaries
Gender Assignment:
Context:
• Sexual development is a complex process.
• A judgment made by the Madras High Court and an
• With huge leaps in the field of medical genetics, it is
order issued by the government of Tamil Nadu aims to
now apparent to scientists that gender assignment is
protect the freedom of intersex infants and children
not merely the function of the X and Y chromosomes.
to choose their gender identity.
• Hundreds of genes have been identified, in which
The Court Verdict:
mutations or changes may lead to a ‘different kind of
• A trans-woman and her husband had approached the development’ impacting the gender of the fetus.
Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court with a plea
• There are several metabolic developments involved
to instruct authorities to register their marriage.
in these pathways. All of these differences can’t be
• In April, 2019, the Bench allowed the plea, but went detected at the time of birth.
on to ban sex reassignment surgeries on intersex
• Doctors and parents identify it only when the baby
infants and children.
exhibits ambiguities in anatomical features. Ex.:
• The court observed that the consent of the parent the presence of both male and female genitalia,
cannot be considered the consent of the child. two different genders for internal and external
• The Bench had also directed the Tamil Nadu reproductive organs, etc.
government to file a compliance report.

SEPTEMBER-2019 64
Why are Sex Selective Surgeries Performed on Infants? * It was launched in October 2015.
• When these differences are identified at birth, parents Findings of the report:
are eager to resolve the question of the gender of the • The report states that the Disability-Adjusted Life Year
baby and pick a gender. (DALY) rate attributable to malnutrition in children
• Surgery to correct the genitalia is then performed on varies 7-fold among the States.
the child. • It is highest in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
• They are ignorant of the fact that the child will have Assam, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
to pick a sexual identity in the process of growing up. Odisha, Nagaland and Tripura.
• The surgery could lead to physical trauma, emotional • The report says the overall under-five death rate and
turmoil and problems arising out of confusion about the death rate due to malnutrition has decreased
identity. substantially from 1990 to 2017.
Future Prospects: • However, malnutrition is still the leading risk factor for
death in children under five years.
• The State’s commitment to its intersex babies would
be evaluated by the effectiveness of implementing • It states that malnutrition is also the leading risk factor
the order. for disease burden for all ages considered together in
most States.
• Awareness is necessary even for the medical
community to recognize the possibilities of gender • Among malnutrition indicators, low birth weight
ambiguity. is the biggest contributor to the disease burden,
followed by child growth failure, including stunting,
• Parents need to undergo counselling in order to
underweight and wasting.
accept their children as they are.
• The prevalence of low birth weight in 2017 was 21%,
• Infants born with apparent intersex features should
and varied across states, ranging from 9% in Mizoram
be given the freedom to choose their gender identity. to 24% in Uttar Pradesh.
10. Two out of three child deaths due to malnutrition: • The prevalence of child stunting was 39%, ranging
report from 21% in Goa to 49% in Uttar Pradesh.
Context: * The trend was the highest in the Empowered
Action Group States, which includes Bihar,
• Malnutrition continues to be the leading cause for Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya
death among Indian children under the age of five, Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
according to a study led by the Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR). * The prevalence of child underweight was at 33%
and child anaemia cases was at 60%, ranging
Details: from 21% in Mizoram to 74% in Haryana.
• According to the first comprehensive estimate of • The study also found that the prevalence of anaemia
disease burden due to child and maternal malnutrition
in women was at 54% in 2017.
and the trends of its indicators in every State from
1990, two-thirds of the 1.04 million deaths in children Way forward:
under five years in India are still attributable to • The National Institute of Nutrition, an ICMR institute,
malnutrition. and other partners are setting in place mechanisms
• The malnutrition trends over about three decades to ensure there is more data on malnutrition in the
reported in the paper has utilised all available data various states, which will help monitor progress.
sources from India, enabling more robust estimates • Efforts are needed in each state to control malnutrition.
than the estimates based on single sources that may
have more biases. • State governments must be encouraged to intensify
efforts to reduce malnutrition and undertake robust
• The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative: monitoring to track progress.
* It is a joint initiative of the Indian Council • For substantial improvements across all malnutrition
of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health indicators, states will have to implement an integrated
Foundation of India, and Institute for Health nutrition policy to effectively address broader
Metrics and Evaluation. determinants of under nutrition across the life cycle.
* The initiative is in collaboration with the Ministry • Focus on improving the overall nutritional status
of Health and Family Welfare along with experts of girls and women during the preconception and
and stakeholders associated with over 100 pregnancy period and providing quality antenatal
Indian institutions, involving many leading care will positively influence low birth weight
health scientists and policy makers from India. indicators and extend the benefits to next generation.

SEPTEMBER-2019 65
• Focus will be needed on major determinants like • The team will have six officials under the technical
provision of clean drinking water, reducing rates of supervision of the head of biology department.
open defecation, improving women’s educational • FSL has also got sanction from the government to
status, and food and nutrition security for the most hire 80 officials on different posts for the Crime Scene
vulnerable families. Management team, who will work round-the-clock to
visit the spots and inspect the crime scene.
11. Forensic laboratory constitutes special team for
POCSO cases • Timely evidence collection is extremely important as
evidence tends to get destroyed or ignored if there
Context: is a delay in collecting them from the scene of crime,
In a move aimed at fast-tracking cases of crime against thereby affecting the quality of investigation, hence,
children, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has the need for a dedicated team.
constituted a team of six officials to concentrate on • The move has been taken in a bid to bust the general
evidence pertaining to the Protection of Children from
perception among criminals that nothing will happen.
Sexual Offences Act and rape.
Details:
• Since Forensic evidence in crimes against women
and children is a priority for FSL, the team would
work on DNA samples, cyber evidence and other
evidence required for POCSO and rape cases, which
will expedite the proceedings.

SEPTEMBER-2019 66
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Biotechnology sector- Different peas in different pods • Over the years, the focus of research has slowly shifted
from fundamental to applied research. Why has India
Introduction
not produced another Jagadish Chandra Bose or G.N.
• India is among the first countries to set up a specialized Ramachandran despite the biotechnology research
agency for the development of research and human budget growing several folds? The fruits of applied
resources in the biotechnology sector. research will only come when we start investing in
• After decades of development, it is imperative to ask: basic research without asking for quick returns.
has the biotechnology sector lived up to its promise? • Compared to the developed economies (the United
More importantly, is the sector poised to stand States), biotechnology research in India is mainly
shoulder-to-shoulder with, if not beat, the IT sector in funded by the public exchequer.
creating jobs for the future?
* Unless the private sector starts supporting
The environment of IT and BT are different applied research and engages with academic
• Biotechnology research often requires access to institutions, the innovation in applied and
laboratories with high-end scientific infrastructure, translational biotechnology will be minimal.
the supply of expensive chemicals and reagents * While continuing and increasing the share of
with minimum shipping time between the supplier funding in basic research, the government
and the user, and a disciplined work culture and should encourage and incentivise the private
documentation practice due to regulatory and sector to invest substantially in applied research.
intellectual property filing requirement.
Advantage China
• Additionally, unlike the products and solutions from
• Unlike India, China has many more labs with the best
the IT industry, biotechnology products and solutions
of scientific infrastructure; each with more number
often require ethical and regulatory clearance, making
of skilled human resources trained in regimental
the process long, expensive and cumbersome.
work culture and trained to practise rigorous
• As the nature of the work in the biotechnology sector documentation.
is specialised, most jobs are filled with experienced
• Chinese students and scientists outnumber Indians
and skilled scientists leaving the demand for young
nearly 5:1 in most American universities in the life
and inexperienced ones low.
sciences/biology-related disciplines.
• In a global marketplace, having a large number of
• A booming economy and a higher science budget
young professionals hungry to work at meagre wage
coupled with a flexible hiring system have made
coupled with the need of large corporations in the
Chinese universities and research labs attract many
West to get work done cheaper created some of the
overseas Chinese scientists.
large IT companies in India.
Initiatives taken by the Indian Government
• Therefore, unlike the IT sector, the biotechnology
sector requires years of experience in the domain, The government has been supporting biotech
access to labs with sophisticated instruments, entrepreneurs.
sustained and long-term funding to innovate. • Initiatives through the Biotechnology Industry
The future of biotechnology is bright in India. However, Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) of the
the sector is not going to displace the IT sector anytime Department of Biotechnology to support the
soon in employment generation innovation ecosystems have resulted in an impressive
outcome.
Impediments in the Biotechnology Sector
• For example, the funding has helped startup
• Modern biotechnological research is expensive. It
companies make nearly 50 biotechnology-related
requires a highly trained and skilled workforce and
products that are in the market today.
access to expensive instruments.
Moving beyond this, however, will require a different
* So far, most of the high-quality research output
strategy and understanding of the mature biotech-led
has come from a handful of institutions with
innovation and economy ecosystems.
better scientific infrastructure.
What can the Govt do going forward?
* The rest, which forms the bulk of the research
publications, is of mediocre quality. This is • Our government needs to make the process of hiring
primarily due to a “publish or perish” culture that in our universities and national labs simpler and
incentivises numbers over quality. flexible, not necessarily provide more salary, to attract
the bright overseas Indian scientists.

SEPTEMBER-2019 67
* The government has been encouraging and Applications:

promoting entrepreneurship, but the culture of
• The material can be useful in optical blinders that
institutions and scientists to be entrepreneurial
reduce unwanted glare.
will take time. This will require a flexible policy in
the institutes to allow scientists incubate startup • It can also help space telescopes in spotting orbiting
companies in their labs while retaining their exo-planets. An exo-planet is a planet outside the
positions Solar System.
• Second, the government should let scientists from 3. Electronics Sector in India
research institutions and universities take unpaid
leave to join the industry for a fixed period. Context:
* Similarly, the government should relax rules The Union Minister for Electronics and Information
to appoint researchers from industry in faculty Technology, Communications and Law & Justice met
positions with the freedom to teach, participate, prominent leaders of the electronics industry
and take students. Key Highlights of the Electronics Sector in India:
* This academia-industry linkage will do the much- • The domestic manufacture in this sector has grown
required communication and understanding of from USD 29 billion in 2014 – 15 to USD 70 billion in
the problems at both ends. 2018 – 19.
* Without a sustained effort in encouraging and • India has emerged as the 2nd largest manufacturer of
promoting science-driven innovation in our mobile handsets in the world.
academic institutions, and a robust academia-
industry collaboration, biotechnology-led • The number of manufacturing units for LCD/LED TVs
innovation will not aid the nation’s economic and LED lights have gone up.
growth. • This sector now generates employment for more than
Conclusion 20 lakh people in the country.
• Discoveries in biotechnology may help us solve some • Off late, the export of electronic goods has also
of the pressing societal issues of our time: cleaning increased.
our rivers, producing life-saving drugs, feeding our • The electronics market is poised to reach USD 400
growing population with nutritious food and helping billion by 2025.
us clean the air we breathe. Therefore, it will be a
National Policy on Electronics 2019
mistake to look at the biotechnology sector through
the lens of employment generation only. • This Policy envisions positioning India as a global
electronics hub by encouraging and driving
• The need for the use of artificial intelligence-based
capabilities in the country for developing core
tools and applications of big data in biology will
components (including chipsets), and creating an
leverage India’s strength in IT and move biotech
enabling environment for the industry to compete
innovations faster to the marketplace.
globally.
• Till then, India needs to do things patiently and
• The policy seeks to:
work on the right side of the ethical and regulatory
boundaries. * Promote domestic manufacturing and export
in the whole value chain of ESDM (Electronics
2. Blackest of All Materials System Design and Manufacturing) sector.
Context: * Offer incentives and support for manufacturing
core electronic products.
• Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) have created a material that is 10 * Provide special package of incentives for mega
times blacker than anything that has previously been projects which are extremely high-tech and
reported. entail huge investments, such as semiconductor
facilities display fabrication, etc.
Details:
* Draft schemes to encourage new manufacturing
• The material is made from vertically aligned Carbon
units and expand existing units.
Nano Tubes (CNTs).
* Encourage R&D and innovation in all subsectors
• The team grew CNTs on a surface of chlorine-etched
of electronics; and in emerging areas of
aluminum foil.
technology such as 5G, AI, Machine Learning,
• The foil captures more than 99.96% of any incoming IoT/Sensors, Drones, Virtual Reality, Robotics,
light, making it the blackest material on record. Nano-based devices, Additive Manufacturing
Photonics, etc.

SEPTEMBER-2019 68
* Give incentives and support for enhancing • It is believed that it could even be used for predictive
availability of skilled manpower, including re- policing.
skilling.
5. Global AMR R&D
* Focus on Medical Electronic Devices Industry,
Fabless Chip Design Industry, Power Electronics Context
for Mobility, Automotive Electronics Industry • India has joined the Global Antimicrobial Resistance
and Strategic Electronics Industry. (AMR) Research and Development (R&D) Hub as a
* Create Sovereign Patent Fund (SPF) to new member.
promote the development and acquisition About Global AMR R&D
of Intellectual Properties in the ESDM sector.
• SPF is a State-led investment fund that • The Global AMR R&D Hub was launched in 2018 in
will acquire Intellectual Property (IP) assets the margins of the 71st session of the World Health
important to national economic objectives. Assembly, following a call from G20 Leaders in 2017.
* Thrust trusted electronics value chain initiatives • The Global AMR R&D Hub supports global priority
setting and evidence-based decision-making on the
to improve national cybersecurity profile.
allocation of resources for AMR R&D through the
4. Facial Payment Technology identification of gaps, overlaps and potential for cross-
sectoral collaboration and leveraging in AMR R&D.
• Under the facial payment technology, the customers
simply make a purchase by posing in front of point- • The operation of the Global AMR R&D Hub is
of-sale (POS) machines equipped with cameras, after supported through a Secretariat, established in Berlin
linking an image of their face to a digital payment and currently financed through grants from the
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
system or bank account.
(BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).
Context
Significance of joining Global AMR R&D
• China has embraced the facial payment technology.
• By partnering with the Global AMR R&D Hub, India
Details looks forward to working with all partners to leverage
• China’s mobile payment infrastructure is one of the their existing capabilities, resources and collectively
most advanced in the world, but the new systems focus on new R&D intervention to address drug-
which require only face recognition is being rolled out resistant infections
nationwide. • AMR is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects
• The software is already widely used, often to monitor of medication that once could successfully treat the
citizens it has been credited with catching criminals. microbe.
• Alipay the financial arm of ecommerce giant Alibaba • Today, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial
has been leading the charge in China with devices resistance continue unabated around the world.
already in 100 cities. • Given the important and interdependent human,
• Supporters of the technology call it a better option, as, animal, and environmental dimensions of
in the traditional way, it’s very dangerous to enter the antimicrobial resistance, India considers it reasonable
password if someone is standing next to you. Now the to explore issues of antimicrobial resistance.
payment can be completed with facial recognition,
which is believed to be a more secure mode of 6. ISRO scientists work to decode Chandrayaan2 lander
payment. failure
Concerns It had two objectives
• The Facial payment technology has raised major • One was to deal with Science or the Scientific
concerns over data security and privacy. exploration
• Authorities have come under fire for using it to crack * This would be performed by Orbiter.
down and monitor dissent, particularly in China’s * Which aimed to study the Moon’s origin and its
surveillance-heavy region of Xinjiang. evolution by conducting topographical studies.
• There have been concerns that the state could use • The second was the technological demonstration
this data for their own purposes, such as surveillance,
monitoring, the tracking of political dissidents, social * Performed by the Lander Vikram
and information control, ethnic profiling, as in the * If touchdown was successful, the Vikram lander
case with Uighurs in Xinjiang. would have served as a listening station for

SEPTEMBER-2019 69
seismic waves from the moon, which could

reveal more details about the structure of the
lunar core, mantle and crust.
Vikram- Lander
will fire, will be switched on, to decelerate it.

* For deceleration, the thrusters will be fired in the
direction of the movement of the lander.
* When fired in the opposite direction, engines
The critical manoeuvre lasting 15 minutes was what space
provide acceleration, like during the lift-off of a
scientists termed as ‘Autonomous Powered Descent’ to the
rocket from the Earth—the rocket’s movement
lunar surface.
is upwards while the exhaust plume from the
Vikram was then travelling at a speed of 6,000 kms per engine is directed downwards.
hour at a height of 30 kms. It had to meet three parameters
* In simple words, these engines will provide thrust
• Spacecraft’s velocity to be brought down to near zero, opposing the downward motion of the lander,
• Control of Trajectory- Its path thereby causing it to decelerate gradually.
• The descent was to be done in a controlled manner • Second, when the lander is at an altitude of around
to enable landing at a pre-determined spot near the 30 km, it will begin what the Indian Space Research
South Pole of the Moon Organisation (ISRO) calls the ‘Absolute Navigation’
Phase.
Soft Landing
* In this phase of its descent to the Moon’s surface,
The soft landing sequence was divided into four distinct the lander will put to use the
phases that would steadily decelerate the spacecraft and
its altitude till it reaches near zero at touchdown. To do * By this time, the lander will have also started to
that, Vikram was equipped with a cluster of five engines turn in order to point its legs in the downward
that would perform specific pre-programmed functions. direction in order to position itself for landing on
the lunar surface.
• First phase, called the Rough Braking Phase.
• Third, the lander will begin the ‘Fine Breaking’ Phase,
* At an altitude of around 100 km, the lander will in which it will continue to use the LPDC to get the
begin the ‘rough braking’ phase. image of the lunar surface.
* In this phase, four of the five Liquid-Fuelled * The thrusters will also continue to fire to
Thrusters on the four corners of the lander’s base decelerate the lander further.

SEPTEMBER-2019 70
• Fourth, when the lander reaches close to the Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer
designated landing site, it will enter the ‘Hovering’ (CLASS).
Phase. • CLASS measures the Moon’s X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)
* In this phase, as is clear from the name, the lander spectra.
will hover over the designated landing site, and * When X-rays from the Sun strike the lunar surface,
two of its thrusters will continue to fire. they can cause some elements to emit additional
What might have gone wrong? X-rays, a process known as fluorescence
• Some scientists believe the problem occurred in the * The elements that emit the X-rays can be
functioning of one or many of the four engines that identified based on the energy of the X-rays that
were involved in the de-boost stage. are emitted.
• The other cause could be a catastrophic failure of * the greater the intensity of the X-rays, the greater
communication either due to overheating or a system the abundance of the element
malfunction that then resulted in the loss of control of * The XRF technique will detect these elements
the spacecraft. by measuring the characteristic X-rays they emit
Pragyan rover when excited by the Sun’s rays
• After three hours of landing, Pragyan would come out • Basically it will examine the presence of major
of the lander and slope down to the moon’s surface to elements such as Magnesium, Aluminium, Silicon,
collect data. Calcium, Titanium, Iron, and Sodium.
• Both the lander and rover are designed to be Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM).
operational for 14 days, during the duration of a lunar • XSM observes the X-rays emitted by the Sun and its
day. corona, measures the intensity of solar radiation in
Orbiter these rays, and supports CLASS.
• The orbiter is circling the Moon at an altitude of 100 Orbiter High-Resolution Camera (OHRC).
kilometres • OHRC provides high-resolution images of the
• Orbiter will cast light on Earth-Moon relations and landing site ensuring the Lander’s safe touchdown by
their origin detecting any craters or boulders prior to separation.
• The orbiter has eight instruments fitted into it and Imaging IR Spectrometer (IIRS).
seven of them are India’s. NASA has one payload • O
ne of its objectives is the global mineralogical and
onboard called the Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) volatile mapping of the Moon.
Payloads Chandrayaan-2 Atmospheric Compositional Explorer 2
Payloads are the scientific instruments carried by that (CHACE 2).
satellite which will help us in conducting experiments, • H
ACE 2’s primary objective is to carry out a study of
the composition and distribution of the lunar neutral
understanding the science behind it and draw a conclusion
exosphere and its variability.
for future exploration.
• It contains electronic components
Two of the instruments are similar to those on Chandrayaan 1
Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2)

• The TMC-2 will map the lunar surface and help to prepare 3D maps of it.
• It will give an idea about the craters, mountain ranges, and other various features
• The data collected by TMC 2 will give us clues about Moon’s evolution
Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR).

• The Mini SAR instrument on Chandrayaan 1 was developed by NASA and it worked in only S-band frequencies with
Hybrid Polarimetry.
• However, the dual-frequency SAR instrument developed by India can simultaneously map the surface in both
L- & S-band frequencies with full polarimetric capabilities (the ability to study the optical activity exhibited by
inorganic and organic compounds
• It will study about the water-ice in the South Pole and thickness of the lunar dust on the surface.

SEPTEMBER-2019 71
• One of the critical differences between the * Looking for really useful information by
atmospheres of Earth and the moon is how processing huge amounts of data quickly is a
atmospheric molecules move. real-world problem and one that can be tackled
* Here in the dense atmosphere at the surface of faster by quantum computers.
Earth, the molecules’ motion is dominated by * In theory, a quantum computer can solve this
collisions between the molecules. problem rapidly because it can attack complex
* However the moon’s atmosphere is so thin, problems that are beyond the scope of a classical
atoms and molecules almost never collide computer.
Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) • Along with these they also need more physical space.
• It will study the density of the electrons in the moon’s Quantum Supremacy
ionosphere i.e. the uppermost part of the atmosphere • It refers to a Quantum Computer solving a problem
that is ionized by radiation. that cannot be expected of a classical computer in a
normal lifetime.
7. What is ‘Quantum Supremacy’?
• This relates to the speed at which a quantum
Context computer performs.
• U.K.-based Financial Times had an article which said • The phrase “Quantum Supremacy” was coined in
Google had claimed to have achieved ‘quantum 2011 by John Preskill, Professor of Theoretical Physics
supremacy’ which means that researchers at Google at the California Institute of Technology in a talk he
had solved a really difficult problem in seconds delivered on the benefits of using quantum hardware
with the help of quantum computers which a over traditional computers.
supercomputer could not
• Google’s quantum computer, named Sycamore,
What are Quantum Computers? claimed ‘supremacy’ because it reportedly did the
The ideas governing quantum computers have been task in 200 seconds that would have apparently taken
around since the 1990s but actual machines have been a supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.
around since 2011, most notably built by Canadian Is this an important achievement?
company D-Wave Systems. Quantum computers work
differently from the classical computers. Yes it is but with a word of caution.
• Exploiting the principles of quantum mechanics, • The number-generating task was the equivalent of
they can easily tackle computational problems that having a Ferrari and a truck compete in a race and, on
may be tough for the classical computer as the size the car’s predictable victory, declare that the Ferrari
of the numbers and number of inputs involved grows could do everything that a truck did.
bigger. • While IBM and a few other private establishments
Difference between classic and Quantum Computers also have quantum computer prototypes, a common
ailment is that they have their own unique propensity
• Conventional computers process information in ‘bits’ to errors and are not as amenable to executing real
or 1s and 0s, following Classical Physics under which world problems as super computers.
our computers can process a ‘1’ or a ‘0’ at a time.
• It gives confidence to private entrepreneurs and even
* They exploit the properties of Quantum academics to invest time and money to improving
Mechanics, the science that governs how matter them and customise them to real world problems.
behaves on the atomic scale.
How do they look?
* Quantum computers use Qubits i.e. 0, 1 and both
of them simultaneously to run machines faster. • Quantum computers do not look like desktops or
laptops that we associate the word ‘computer’ with.
* The advantage of using a quantum computer
is that the particle can be in multiple states • Instead (and there are only a handful of them) they
simultaneously. This phenomenon is called resemble the air-conditioned server rooms of many
superposition. offices or the stacks of central processing units from
desktops of yore that are connected by ungainly
• Information processing is carried out by logic gates tangled wires and heaped in freezing rooms.
e.g. NOT, AND, OR etc.
Is India working on quantum computing?
* Information processing is carried out by
Quantum logic gates. There are no quantum computers in India yet.
How will it help us? • In 2018, the Department of Science & Technology
unveiled a programme called Quantum-Enabled
• The speed and capability of classical supercomputers Science & Technology (QuEST) and committed to
are limited by energy requirements. investing ₹80 crore over the next three years to
accelerate research.

SEPTEMBER-2019 72
• The ostensible plan is to have a quantum computer • With its help, the study says, astronomers can tell
built in India within the next decade. what molecules are found in a planet’s atmosphere by
observing the changes in starlight as it shines through
• Phase-1 of the problem involves hiring research
experts and establishing teams with the know-how the atmosphere.
to physically build such systems.
8. SCISAT
• It is a Canadian satellite designed to make observations
of the Earth’s atmosphere. Its main instruments are an
optical Fourier transform infrared
• The SCISAT satellite was developed by the Canadian
Space Agency to help scientists understand the
depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer by looking
at particles in the atmosphere as sunlight passes
through them.

SEPTEMBER-2019 73
SECURITY AND DEFENCE
1. Apache Attack Helicopters • The trawlers were, however, not in India’s Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) but beyond.
• Apache is the most advanced multi-role heavy attack
helicopter in the world. • This includes trawlers from China, Hong Kong and
Taiwan.
• Alongside the capability to shoot fire and forget anti-
tank guided missiles, air-to-air missiles, rockets and • There were 1,100 occurrences near Somalia and 1,500
other ammunitions, it also has modern Electronic occurrences near the Coast of Oman.
Warfare (EW) capabilities to provide versatility to Automatic Identification System (AIS)
helicopters in a network-centric aerial warfare.
AIS is an automatic ship tracking system used onboard
• The helicopter is capable of delivering a variety of ships as well as onshore VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) systems
weapons which include air-to-ground Hellfire missiles, to monitor vessel movements around the world. An AIS
70 mm Hydra rockets and air-to-air Stinger missiles. signal is sent from a transponder onboard a vessel to a
• Apache also carries one 30 mm chain gun with 1,200 receiver located onshore or on another vessel. AIS was
rounds as part of area weapon sub-system and it originally created to supplement marine radar tracking for
carries fire control radar, which has a 360 degree collision avoidance and safety efforts on the waterway.
coverage and nose mounted sensor suite for target • O
ccurrences are recordings of the AIS aboard trawlers
acquisition and night vision systems. and ships recorded when they are activated.
These helicopters are day/night, all-weather capable and • The AIS information comprises name, MMSI number,
have high agility and survivability against battle damage. position, course, speed, last port visited, destination
This procurement will enhance the capability of IAF in and so on.
providing integrated combat aviation cover to the army
strike corps. • This information can be picked up through various
AIS sensors including coastal AIS chains and satellite
Context based receivers.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has formally inducted eight AH- • A trawler can be recorded multiple times based on its
64E Apache attack helicopters into service at the Pathankot AIS signature.
Air Force Station
• The maritime movements in the region are tracked
Details: at the Navy’s Information Management and Analysis
• A
pache attack helicopters are being purchased to Centre (IMAC) at Gurugram, which is the single-point
replace the Mi-35 fleet. centre interlinking all the coastal radar chains and
other inputs along the coastline.
• India is 16th nation to select the Apache and the AH-
64E is the most advanced variant. • Chinese trawlers have institutional backing and have
processing facilities with them which are sold in the
• India contracted 22 Apache helicopters from the U.S.
vicinity.
government and Boeing in 2015 and the entire fleet
will be in service with the IAF by 2020. Way forward:
• The government has also cleared the acquisition of • T o address the issue, the National Maritime Domain
six additional Apaches for the Indian Army which has Awareness initiative aims to integrate fishing, ports,
been formally approved by the U.S. customs so that the database is available to everyone.
• Currently, the States have their databases. As part of
2. Chinese trawlers in southern Indian Ocean worry India
this evolving mechanism, the National Committee
Context for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security is
• T here has been a huge increase in Chinese deep-sea scheduled to meet to discuss the implementation.
fishing trawlers in the Southern Indian Ocean far from • There has been a national effort to install AIS systems
the Chinese coast which has raised concerns in the on ships under 20m for which a pilot study has been
government and the security establishment. carried out.
A look at stats • AIS works through satellite and the ISRO has already
• I n the last four years (2015-2019), on an average at delivered 1000 transponders for trails in Gujarat and
least 500 Chinese trawlers were present in the region Tamil Nadu.
and around 32,250 incidents per year were recorded.

SEPTEMBER-2019 74
3. Citizenship Bill • The Bill allows cancellation of OCI registration for

violation of any law. This is a wide ground that may
Context cover a range of violations, including minor offences
Non-Governmental Organisations across the North- (e.g. parking in a no-parking zone).
Eastern States have lined up protest programmes against Is it at cross-purposes with the National Register of Citizens
the government’s bid to reintroduce the Citizenship (NRC)?
(Amendment) Bill.
• N
RC was updated under the Citizenship Act to wean
Citizenship Amendment Bill: out illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and other
• T he Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to allow countries.
illegal migrants from certain minority communities • The legacy data—the collective list of the NRC data of
in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for 1951 and the electoral rolls till 24 March 1971—was
Indian citizenship. analysed to update NRC.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 • The amendment paves the way for non-Muslim
and grant citizenship to people from minority minorities who came to Assam from Bangladesh
communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis between 1 January 1966 and 24 March 1974 to get
and Christians — from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and citizenship.
Pakistan after 6 years of stay in India even if they
do not possess any proper document. The current • This negates the NRC exercise, say ethnic Assamese
requirement is 12 years of stay. groups and regional parties.
• They would not face deportation under the Passport * The Bill would hamper the Assam National
(Entry into India) Act of 1920 and the Foreigners Act Register of Citizens (NRC), which defines all
of 1946. illegal immigrants, irrespective of religion, on the
basis of a cut-off date.
• The Bill provides that the registration of Overseas
Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders may be cancelled if * The Citizenship Bill is also seen as a move to
they violate any law. subvert the Assam Accord of 1985. The Accord
deems any person who cannot prove his
• The proposed legislation was cleared by the Lok ancestry beyond March 24, 1971 as an alien. It
Sabha in January, 2019 but not tabled in the Rajya does not differentiate on the ground of religionin
Sabha.
this aspect.
Concerns and criticisms:
4. Darknet
• T he Bill is perceived to be a demographic threat to
indigenous communities. • D
ark Net (or Darknet) is an umbrella term describing
the portions of the Internet not open to public view or
• The Centre’s move to grant citizenship to non-Muslim hidden networks whose architecture is superimposed
minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan on that of the Internet.
is believed to poses a huge threat, which will affect
the spirit of democracy. • Darknet provides anonymity to the users.
• The Bill makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship • Darknet is often associated with the encrypted part
on the basis of religion. This may violate Article 14 of the Internet called Tor network where illicit trading
of the Constitution which guarantees the right to takes place such as the infamous online drug bazaar.
equality. • A variety of darknet markets (black markets) allow for
• The Bill implies that illegal migrants from Afghanistan, the anonymous, illegal buying and selling of drugs
Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Muslims, other and other illegal or controlled substances, such as
minorities who do not belong to the groups stated in pharmaceuticals, and weapons.
the bill (eg. Jews), or atheists who do not identify with • T he services and websites running on the darknet is
a religious group will not be eligible for citizenship, the dark web.
which is also seen as a violation of Article 14.
Are Dark Web and Deep Web one and the same?
• The Bill is believed an attempt to naturalise the
citizenship of illegal immigrants in the region. Civil • D
eep Web is the area of the Internet which is not
Society groups have strongly opposes the proposed accessible through search engines. What can be
bill in its present form that seeks to make drastic accessed through search engines is called Surface
changes in the citizenship and immigration norms Web.
of the country by relaxing the criteria to become an • To get into the Deep Web one should know the right
Indian citizen. address.

SEPTEMBER-2019 75
• Dark Web is part of the Deep Web. • The ship is well equipped with high speed boats,
medical facilities and modern surveillance systems.
• While the Deep Web is accessible, the Dark Web is
deliberately hidden. • It is also capable of carrying pollution response
equipment.
• While incognito mode disables browsing history and
web cache, the Dark Web is shielded by specialised Context
software. • T he Defence Minister commissioned Indian Coast
• Since the real word money trail carries the danger Guard Ship ‘Varaha’ in Chennai. The Minister said that
of exposure, Dark Web operators transact in virtual the ship is a fine example of industry collaboration
currencies, the most popular being Bitcoins. with the Make in India initiative.
Concerns: 6. INS Khanderi
The relative impermeability of Darknet has made it a major Context
haven for drug dealers, arms traffickers, child pornography
collectors and other criminals involved in financial and • Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned
physical crimes so much so that one can buy anything from the INS Khanderi in Mumbai, making it the second
tigers to hand grenades to any kind of narcotic substances, Scorpene-class submarine after INS Kalvari to join the
provided the potential buyer finds the right website on the submarine arm of the Indian Navy.
Darknet. Details
Context: • T he name Khanderi is inspired by the dreaded
Expert from Israel is training Kerala Cyberdome analysts to ‘Sword-tooth fish’, a deadly fish known to hunt while
monitor the Darknet. swimming close to the bottom of the ocean.
Details: * Khanderi is also name of an island fort built by

great Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• K
erala Cyberdome is a technological research and
development Centre of Kerala Police Department • I t has been built in India to the French Scorpene
conceived as a Cyber Centre of excellence in design and is the second submarine of the Project-75
cybersecurity as well as technology augmentation for * The diesel-electric attack submarine is being
effective policing. built at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai.
• The Kerala police have set up a state-of-the-art lab • It has the capability of firing six torpedoes
complete with enabling software to intervene and
• The maximum speed of the INS Khanderi submarine
crack down on the rising criminal activities over the
is 20 nautical miles.
Darknet, known as the underworld of the Internet.
• Its state-of-the-art technology helps reduce noise
• A pool of four analysts have been trained and
under the sea.
deployed in shifts for round-the-clock monitoring of
Darknet. • It saves oxygen availability and increases its capacity
to stay underwater for long periods.
• Since the expertise for imparting training in tracking
the Darknet is limited in the country, the analysts were Operation Trident
given 14-day training by roping in an expert from • December 4, 1971, In the midst of Indo-Pakistani
Israel. War of 1971, Indian Navy conducted an offensive
operation
5. Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Varaha’
* Indian Navy’s fleet sailed towards Pakistani
• The ‘Varaha’ is a state-of-the-art offshore patrol vessel. waters to attack the Karachi port, the stronghold
• It was built by Larson & Toubro. of the Pakistani Navy.
• It has features like ultra-advanced navigation, * In the attack, Indian Navy sank four Pakistani
communication sensors and machinery. vessels and ravaged the Karachi harbour fuel
fields, killing over 500 Pakistani Navy personnel.
• It will operate from the port of New Mangalore on the
West Coast covering the Exclusive Economic Zone up • Three missile boats of the Indian Navy, INS Nipat,
to Kanyakumari. INS Nirghat and INS Veer, played a pivotal role in the
attack.
• ICGS ‘Varaha’ is capable of operating the indigenously-
developed Advanced Light Helicopter by Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

SEPTEMBER-2019 76
• India suffered no losses, Pakistan lost a minesweeper, Importance of NATGRID

a destroyer, a cargo vessel carrying ammunition, and
• N
ATGRID will become a secure centralised database
fuel storage tanks in Karachi.
to stream sensitive information from 21 sets of data
• Navy day is observed on 4th of December every year sources such as banks, credit cards, visa, immigration
to celebrate the achievements, and role of the naval and train and air travel details, as well as from various
force in protecting and guarding the country. intelligence agencies.
Operation Python • The database would be accessible to authorised
• It was a follow-up to Operation Trident persons from 11 agencies on a case-to-case basis, and
only for professional investigations into suspected
• It was the code name of a naval attack launched on cases of terrorism.
Karachi by the Indian Navy
• It has the potential to provide real time tip-offs and
7. National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) predictive intelligence to deal with the terrorist threat.
• NATGRID is a counter terrorism programme, which • NATGRID will help to collate scattered information into
will utilize technologies like Big Data and analytics a transparent, accessible, integrated grid and do away
to study and analyze the huge amounts of data from with the inefficiencies associated with information
various intelligence and enforcement agencies to asymmetries that hitherto delayed counter-terror
help track suspected terrorists and prevent terrorist operations.
attacks. Challenges
• NATGRID was among the ambitious slew of • S ensitive information about individuals is available on
intelligence reforms undertaken in the wake of the a single source in NATGRID, the potential for its misuse
Mumbai attacks of November 2008. might dramatically go up. The poor track record of the
* NATGRID aims to mitigate a vital deficiency — lack Indian security and intelligence agencies on individual
of real time information, which was considered privacy and liberty must be kept in mind
to be one of the major hurdles in detecting US • If states are to actively contribute towards updating
terror suspect David Headley’s movement across the NATGRID database in the spirit of cooperative
the country during his multiple visits between federalism, they should be among the ones who
2006 and 2009. benefit from it.
How does it function? • At the level of execution, NATGRID also faces issues
• N
ATGRID is an intelligence sharing network that like consolidating data from a huge population, lack
collates data from the standalone databases of of compatibility with data sets in regional languages,
the various agencies and ministries of the Indian risk of spies ratting out vital information to outside
government sources and security from external attacks.
• It is a counter terrorism measure that collects and • N
ATGRID suffers from many inadequacies, some
collates a host of information from government due to bureaucratic red tape and others due to
databases including tax and bank account details, fundamental flaws in the system.
credit card transactions, visa and immigration records Context
and itineraries of rail and air travel.
• NATGRID project wants to link social media accounts
• This combined data will be made available to 11 to the huge database of records related to immigration
central agencies, which are: Research and Analysis entry and exit, banking and telephone details among
Wing, the Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of others
Investigation, Financial intelligence unit, Central Board
of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Concerns
Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics Control Bureau, • T he proposal has received resistance from the
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and the intelligence agencies, whose officials fear that linking
Directorate General of GST Intelligence the social media accounts to sensitive government
• It is given access to information on money laundering data could expose the system to “trojan attacks.”
and black money collected by the Financial • Linking the database to social media accounts could
Intelligence Unit. jeopardise the entire exercise as it could be exposed
to unknown virus attacks from open source Internet

SEPTEMBER-2019 77
8. Project 17A Sensors

• T he Nilgiri-class frigate or Project 17A is a follow-on • The Project 17A ships also feature an upgrade in
of the Project 17 Shivalik-class frigate for the Indian sensors. The ship is equipped with the MF-STAR radar
Navy. from Israel.
• The seven Project 17A class warships—four are being • This radar has a range of around 450km and can
built at Mazagon and three at GRSE in Kolkata—are detect multiple targets at once.
the first major surface ships that are being constructed Context
in India using ‘Modular’ Methodology.
• R
aksha Mantri launched INS ‘Nilgiri’, the first of the
‘Modular’ Method Navy’s seven new stealth frigates, at Mazagon Dock
• It involves building a warship by first constructing Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai.
smaller modules or blocks, weighing hundreds of
tonnes, and bringing them together for final welding • INS Nilgiri is the first ship of Project17A.
and assembly. 9. Jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp
• Using the modular method saves time as the blocks Context
can be assembled at different locations. In addition,
the blocks can be built together for multiple ships of • In August 2019, amendments to the Unlawful
the same design. Activities (Prevention) Act (“UAPA”), India’s signature
anti-terrorism legislation, allowing the Central
• An added advantage of modular technology is the government to designate individuals as “terrorists”,
reduced cost and time of incorporating upgrades and caused a furore.
modifications to the ship in the future as parts can be
detached and replaced more easily. • Critics warned that vesting such sweeping powers
in the hands of the political executive would prove
Firepower to be a recipe for abuse, and for political and social
In addition to construction methodology, the Project 17A persecution.
Nilgiri class will be a radical upgrade over the existing • In response, it was argued that the UAPA provided for
Shivalik class in air defence capabilities. a system of checks and balances which would ensure
• T he Shivalik Class Ships used the Russian Shtil surface- that governmental abuse could be swiftly reviewed
to-air missile as their primary air defence weapon. and rectified.
* The Shtil is fired from a single mechanical missile How the UAPA Tribunal Works?
launcher in the bow of the ship. A look at how the UAPA functions presently suggests that
* The use of a mechanical launcher limited the the defenders of the law are too optimistic in their faith in
number of missiles that can be fired at a time to “institutional correctives”.
just one. • B
efore the 2019 amendments, the UAPA could be
• In comparison, the Project 17A class ships will use the used to ban associations and not individuals. To this
Barak-8 surface-to-air missile, jointly developed by end, the UAPA required, and still requires that the
India and Israel. ban must clearly set out the grounds on which the
government has arrived at its opinion; and it may
* The Barak-8 is fired from a Vertical Launch
then be contested by the banned association before
System, which consists of multiple individual
a Tribunal, consisting of a sitting High Court judge.
missiles in separate container-launcher silos
installed in the hull of the ship. • As a number of judgments have held, the task of a
UAPA Tribunal is to carefully scrutinise the decision
* A Vertical Launch System enables multiple
of the government, keeping in mind the fact that
missiles to be fired simultaneously
banning an organisation or a group infringes
* In addition to the advantage of a vertical launch the crucial fundamental freedoms of speech and
system, the Barak-8 features longer range (over association.
70km) and a more advanced radar seeker than
Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami
the Shtil, enabling it to deter attacks by multiple
aircraft and anti-ship missiles, at longer distances. • K
ashmir-based Islamist political party was banned
for five years by the Govt accusing it of supporting
• The Project 17A class ships will also use a larger main
militancy by a recent UAPA Tribunal Order
gun, which has a calibre of 127mm, unlike the Indian
Navy’s existing fleet of ships that use 76mm and • Created in 1942, JeI participated in Indian elections for
100mm guns. more than two decades before becoming engaged
with separatist politics following the onset of militancy
in Kashmir in 1989.

SEPTEMBER-2019 78
Sealed covers and evidence * In essence, therefore: the fundamental freedoms

of speech and association have been violated
• The government’s ban on the JeI, J&K was based
on the basis of secret evidence passed from
on its opinion that the association was “supporting
the government to the Tribunal; an association
extremism and militancy”, “indulging in anti-national
numbering in at least the thousands has been
and subversive activities”, and activities to “disrupt the
shut down for five years, and all its members
territorial integrity of the nation”.
made putatively unlawful, potentially criminal
• In support of this opinion, the government said that without even being told why.
there existed a large number of First Information
• The testimony of a senior and former office bearer of
Reports (“FIRs”) against various members of the
the JeI, J&K about the association’s efforts to distance
association.
itself from “unlawful activities”, “extremism”, and
• Among other things, the JeI, J&K responded that “terrorism” went unrebutted
for almost all of the FIRs in question, the people
• More importantly, as the JeI, J&K argued, a look at
accused had nothing to do with the association. This,
its membership register would make it clear that its
it was argued, could be proven by looking at the
members had nothing to do with criminal activities.
association’s membership register, which had been
seized by the government. * The problem, however, was that its membership
register had been seized by the government.
• One would think that such a case can be resolved
straightforwardly: had the government managed * Consequently, the JeI, J&K made a rather
to prove that there existed sufficient evidence of common-sense argument: let the government
wrongdoing against members of the JeI, J&K, that produce the membership register, since it was in
would justify banning the organisation altogether. its possession.
• It is here, however, that things began to get murky Justice denied by the Tribunal
because the government then fell back on the • T he government, however, refused to do so, and
increasingly convenient “sealed cover jurisprudence”, instead submitted even this piece of evidence in a
submitting material that it claimed was too sensitive sealed cover.
to be disclosed.
• And the Justice of the Tribunal’s response to this
• Notably, the evidence was not disclosed even to the was that “the respondent Association has not led
association and its lawyers, who were contesting the any evidence to substantiate their defence that their
ban. office-bearers or members are not involved in the
Concerns with tribunal kind of activities alleged against them”.
• T hese tribunals have given the Governments vast • In short, therefore, the Tribunal wanted the association
leeway to Prove the Govt’s view and its case, with this to prove that their members were not committing
the tribunals have departed from some of the most illegal activities, while the main source of evidence
fundamental principles of fair procedure, and act as that the association would rely upon to prove exactly
little more than judicial rubber stamps that, was in the hands of the government — and the
association was not allowed to rely on it.
• Now, it would appear to be a very basic principle
of justice that if an association is to be banned for If, therefore, we take a step back and look at the Tribunal’s
unlawful activities, then the material on the basis of opinion, two aspects stand out starkly.
which that ban is justified is put to the association so • F irst, a five-year ban upon an association — going
that it has a chance to defend itself. to the very heart of the freedom of speech and
• To take a decision on the legality of a ban by looking association, potentially making all persons associated
at secret material that is withheld even from the with it criminal — was upheld by a judicial forum on
association itself is exactly akin to condemning a man the basis of secret evidence that the association had
unheard. neither the chance to see, nor to rebut.
• It is kangaroo-court style justice, which has no place • And second, the most valuable piece of evidence that
in a modern democracy. However, this is exactly what the association had to defend itself was seized from
the Tribunal did. it by the very government that had banned it; and
not only did the Tribunal wink at this, but then used
• To this day, neither the association nor anyone reading
the absence of that piece of evidence against the
the Tribunal’s opinion has any way of knowing what
association that it had been seized from, and in favour
the evidence was.
of the government that had seized it.

SEPTEMBER-2019 79
Conclusion • The committee would prepare a draft policy and

present it to the Centre for its consideration.
• T hese “departures” have been made boundless, and
boundlessly manipulable to the extent that they National Drones Policy:
have swallowed up the most basic rules of procedural • India imposed a blanket ban on drones in 2014. In the
justice and fairness. following years, it came to be seen as impractical. So,
• What we effectively have now, is this situation: the government crafted a regulatory policy.
on the one hand, every leeway is provided to the • The National Drones Policy drafted by the Ministry of
government, loopholes have been created where Civil Aviation came into effect from December 1, 2018.
non-existed, and every procedural and evidentiary
standard diluted, while on the other, associations • The “Drone Regulations 1.0” lays down rules as to
(comprising Indian citizens) are held to impossible where, when and how drones can operate within
standards in order to disprove the case against them. India.
• This is not a jurisprudence that respects constitutional • The Ministry of Civil Aviation has kick-started the
democracy or fundamental freedoms such as speech online registration of drones in India through its
and association. Digital Sky portal.
• Rather, it is a jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp: • The Digital Sky Platform is the first-of-its-kind national
courts acting to legitimise and enable governmental unmanned traffic management (UTM) platform that
overreach, rather than protecting citizens and the implements “no permission, no takeoff” (NPNT).
rights of citizens against the government. • Under the new policy, Nano drones which weigh less
• It is a situation where in the words of a famous English than 250 grams or equal does not need a registration
judge the judiciary has gone from “lions under the or license.
throne” to “mice squeaking under a chair in the Home • However, drones that belong to remaining categories
Office” – with “consequences that the nation will one will need to be registered on the Digital Sky portal.
day bitterly regret”.
• Drone Regulations 1.0 intend to enable visual line-of-
10. Meet of DGPs discusses draft policy on drones sight daytime-only and a maximum of 400 ft altitude
operations.
Context
• Air space has been partitioned into Red Zone (flying
At a meeting of the Director General of Police (DGPs) of
not permitted), Yellow Zone (controlled airspace), and
southern States, issues relating to what types of drones
Green Zone (automatic permission).
could be permitted and the formulation of a policy on
their usage were taken up for discussion. • The regulation also defines “No Drone Zones” around
airports; near international border, Vijay Chowk in
Details:
Delhi; State Secretariat Complex in State Capitals,
• With individuals and private companies planning strategic locations/vital and military installations; etc.
extensive usage of drones for purposes like video
Way forward:
coverage of events to agriculture, the Centre wanted
to evolve a drone policy. • Since Indian cities are growing vertically, having nano
drones flying around without much regulation may
* Drone is terminology for Unmanned Aircraft
lead to the invasion of privacy.
(UA).
• They may also be misused for unethical activities such
* There are three sets of Unmanned Aircraft,
as corporate espionage, trespassing, surveillance,
namely, Remotely Piloted Aircraft, Autonomous
unauthorised photography and burglary.
Aircraft and Model Aircraft.
• There is a need for clarity in the policy with a
• The major concern is that the Centre is allowing drones
mechanism to check whether the operators are
weighing 400 gm or less. But the problem is most of
adhering to the norms.
the drones being used while covering marriages or
meant for areas like precision agriculture weigh more • Strict monitoring is needed on how drones collect,
than that. use, store and share data.
• At the meeting, it was decided to constitute five
regional coordination committees and discuss the
finer details on issues relating to law and order.

SEPTEMBER-2019 80
Conclusion:
A comprehensive system for approving applications,
renewing permits, alerting the agencies concerned to deal
with emergencies, and recording the history of a vehicle
can strengthen the policy’s applications. This can help
India use drones effectively for not just aerial mapping
but also in disaster management, traffic control, policing,
security, environmental studies and agriculture.

SEPTEMBER-2019 81
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAND
ANDECOLOGY
ECOLOGY
1. Biocatalyst Cuts Effluent Discharge during Leather • This is apparently the first known species of Boiga
Processing which feeds on frog eggs.
Context: 3. Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control)
• A
novel Amylase-Based Biocatalyst helps in processing Authority (EPCA)
leather in an environment-friendly way. • The EPCA was constituted under the provisions of the
Pollution in the Leather Processing Industry: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• P
re-tanning process generates 60-70% of total • It is tasked with taking various measures to tackle air
pollution during the processing of leather. pollution in the National Capital Region.
• Chromium is used in the process for increasing the * Its objective is to protect and improve the quality
stability of the collagen through cross-linking. It leads of environment
to the discharge of chromium into the environment. * The EPCA is mandated to enforce Graded
Details: Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the city as per
the pollution levels.
• A
Biocatalyst uses biological systems or their parts to
speed up (catalyse) chemical reactions. • The EPCA assists the Supreme Court in various
environment-related matters in the region.
• The biocatalyst was developed by researchers at
the Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI), * They help in preparing Reports and also in
Chennai. monitoring the implementation of the Courts
Orders.
• The team used genetic code engineering to introduce
new chemistry in the amylase enzyme to improve its • The EPCA has been empowered to take suo motu
enzymatic properties. action as well as on the basis of complaints made by
any individual, representative body or organisation
• The biocatalyst has 120 times higher binding to
functioning in the environmental issues sector.
the glycan sugar (glycosaminoglycan) present
predominantly in the skin. • The EPCA in the past had enforced several measures,
including closure of the Badarpur thermal power
• Once the catalysts binds to the sugar, it selectively
plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone
breaks down (hydrolysis) the sugar thus opening up
crushers, and construction activities.
the skin fibre.
Composition
Significance:
The constitution of this body is largely regional.
• T he biocatalyst will make a threefold reduction in
water usage during the processing of leather. • B
esides the chairman, the EPCA has 14 members,
some of whom are the environment secretary of the
• It will also reduce the time taken to process the skin at
National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), chairperson
the pre-tanning stage.
of the New Delhi Municipal Council, transport
• It will increase the absorption of chromium and commissioner of the NCT, the commissioners of
reduces its discharge into the environment. various municipal corporations of Delhi and professors
• The chemical oxygen demand drops by about 35% at IIT Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
while the total solid effluent load reduces by over
4. Environmental Flows
50%.
• I t refers to minimum water levels that must be
2. Boiga Thackerayi maintained in the river at all times of the year for its
• I t is a new species of snake that has been discovered health and sustainability
in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. • It is defined in terms of the quantity, quality and
• The species falls in the category commonly called cat timing of water running through rivers and wetlands.
snakes. • They sustain aquatic ecosystems and human
• It belongs to the genus Boiga and has Tiger like stripes livelihoods.
on its body.
• This is the second species of Boiga after B. dightoni
that is endemic to the Western Ghats and the first
new species of Boiga described after 125 years from
the Western Ghats.

SEPTEMBER-2019 82
Importance of Environmental Flows • ICUN Red list classifies it as Critically Endangered.

• F lows are needed for maintaining the river regime, 6. Global Climate Strikes
making it possible for the river to purify itself,
sustaining aquatic life and vegetation, recharging Greta Thunberg
groundwater, supporting livelihoods, facilitating • S he is a 16-year-old climate activist. She is one of the
navigation, preserving estuarine conditions, world’s youngest climate change crusaders
preventing the incursion of salinity, and enabling the
• She has delivered speeches at the World Economic
river to play its role in the cultural and spiritual lives of
Forum in Davos, the EU Parliament, COP24, and to the
the people.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Threats to minimum flow
FridaysForFuture movement
• R
iver flows are threatened by a proliferation of dams
• # FridaysForFuture is a movement that began in
and over-abstraction of water for agriculture, industry
August 2018, when Greta Thunberg sat in front of the
and urban use.
Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks,
Context to protest against the lack of action on the climate
• T he Centre has cut down by two years the grace crisis.
period accorded to hydropower projects on the * Greta decided to continue striking every Friday
upper stretches of the Ganga, for complying with until the Swedish policies provided a safe
environmental-flow requirements. pathway well under 2-degree C, i.e. in line with
Background the Paris agreement.
• I n October 2018, amidst protests by Ganga activists * It is a campaign, which has seen students walk
and monks, the government had passed a notification out of their schools on Fridays to demand their
requiring hydropower projects to release minimum political leaders take urgent action to address
quantities of water. climate change.
• However, it gave hydropower projects “three years • I n a parallel movement, millions of adults will be
(2018-2021)” to make modifications to projects to joining them in the Global #ClimateStrike.
comply with these norms. Why are students protesting this time?
Reduction in time Period for execution of Minimal water • E ven though climate change affects everyone, the
flow present generation of youngsters are the ones who
• B
ut in September 2019 via a gazette notification, the are going to be bearing the brunt of it in the coming
government advanced this deadline to December 15 decades.
2019. • The sentiments behind these school student
• This decision was taken because the Central Water movements are the “broken promises” of older
Commission has for a year monitored flows from generations, members of which continue to extract
these projects and found that all the projects had the and use fossil fuels, leading to increased CO2
emissions and subsequently, increasing average
capacity to comply with the e-flow regime
global temperatures.
5. Gharial • Distrust of political leaders among the younger
• The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is also known as the generation is also a reason why they feel the need to
gavial, and fish-eating crocodile is a crocodilian in the take things into their own hands. “
family Gavialidae.
7. Great Indian Bustard
• It is native to sandy freshwater river banks in the plains
of the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. • The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) or Indian
bustard is a bustard found on the Indian subcontinent.
• The male gharial has a distinctive boss at the end
of the snout, which resembles an earthenware pot • It is a large bird with a horizontal body and long bare
known in Hindias. legs, giving it an ostrich like appearance.
• Gharials once inhabited all the major river systems • It is among the heaviest of the flying birds.
of the Indian Subcontinent, from the Irrawaddy • These birds are often found associated in the same
River in the east to the Indus River in the west. Their habitat as blackbuck.
distribution is now limited to only 2% of their former
• IUCN Red data list classifies Great Indian Bustard as
range.
Critically endangered.
• In India, Gharials can be found in Girwa River, Chambal
• It is protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife (Protection)
River, Ken River, Son River, Mahanadi River, Ramganga
Amendment Act 2002.
River.

SEPTEMBER-2019 83
Context: 9. Jaldoot
• T he National Green Tribunal has directed the Centre • J aldoot is a travelling exhibition arranged by Regional
to prepare a time-bound action plan within two Outreach Bureau, Pune under the Ministry of
months for protection of Great Indian Bustard. Information and Broadcasting
• The direction comes in the wake of high mortality rate • It is a unique initiative to spread the message of water
of the Great Indian Bustard. conservation to masses.
Concerns: • The exhibition highlights bold initiatives and decisive
• 7
5 per cent of the birds have died due to collision with actions taken by the government.
power lines in the past 30 years.
10. Maradu Flat Demolition Controversy
• Power lines, especially high-voltage transmission lines
Background
with multiple overhead wires, are the major threat to
the critically endangered species as they have poor • T he CPM-ruled Maradu Panchayat granted permission
frontal vision. for the construction for five waterfront apartments
overlooking the scenic canals of Kochi backwaters.
• Activities such as mining, stone quarrying, growth of
industries, heavy pesticide use, grassland conversion • The 343 flats in the five buildings cover an area of
and power projects along with the expansion of 68,028.71 sq mts.
roads, electricity pylons, wind turbines, solar energy • But after granting permission, the panchayat issued
projects and other infrastructures have increased the a notice to the builders following a directive by the
severity of habitat degradation and disturbance. Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA).
• The Union Environment Ministry has acknowledged Why did KCZMA object the construction?
that adult mortality among Great Indian Bustard is
still very high due to collisions with power-lines that • The government body said the site fell under the
crisscross their flying paths. CRZ-III vulnerable category where no construction is
allowed within 200 metres from the coast.
• W
II has suggested a slew of measures, including
mitigation of all power transmission lines passing • Any such act will be identified and acted upon as a
through priority bustard habitats, disallowing new violation of the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) rules.
wind turbines, solar farms among others. • It was also revealed that a directive issued by the
KCZMA makes it mandatory for self-government
8. India Water Week bodies to obtain its clearance before approving
Context constructions in coastal areas.
• T he President Shri Ramnath Kovind inaugurated the • But Maradu panchayat didn’t forward any application
6th India Water Week-2019 at New Delhi to gain a CRZ permit for the five complexes.
Details What is CRZ?
• It was organised for the first time in 2012. • T he CRZ norms are framed under Section 3 of the
Environment Protection Act, 1986 to promote
• The theme for the 2019 event is “Water Cooperation – sustainable development based on scientific
Coping with 21st Century Challenges”. principles.
* This year, the focus is on the need and importance • No construction is allowed within 200 metres from
of water use across all sectors. the coast in areas falling under CRZ-III zone
• T he idea behind the Water Week is to have talks, How did the Supreme Court come into the picture?
discussions, seminars, and sessions to build public
awareness, to get support to implement key strategies • T he builders managed to get an interim stay order
for conservation, preservation and optimum use of from the Kerala High Court in 2007 and finished the
available water. construction before starting selling the flats.
• It is organised by the Ministry of Water Resources • The KCZMA approached the Supreme Court in 2016
in coordination with the nodal ministries of and argued the panchayat issued construction permit
Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Agriculture; without their concurrence.
Urban Development; Rural Development; New and • T he apex court formed a technical committee to
Renewable Energy; Power; Drinking Water Supply and study the issue - whose findings were in favour of the
Sanitation; the NITI Aayog and other PSUs, national CZMA.
and international bodies. • In May 2019, the Supreme Court declared the
construction permission granted by the Panchayat
“illegal” and ordered the demolition of the complexes.

SEPTEMBER-2019 84
• The court said CRZ violations should not be treated • T he Court held that since at the time of construction,
lightly in view of the natural calamities happening in the area fell within CRZ-III, these were unauthorised
different parts of the country. constructions.
What are the builders’ arguments? • The Supreme Court has adopted a narrow view by
merely examining the bureaucratic categorisation
• T he construction was granted in 2006 when Maradu
and ignored that the construction was based on
was a panchayat. However, it was upgraded a
permission granted by the local government and
municipality in 2010.
orders of the High Court.
• The builder’s claim that the building permit was
• The process of adjudication through a three-member
granted before the Coastal Regulation Zone Act came
committee also raises questions since it further
into force. There was no CRZ mapping available when
delegated the task to another technical committee,
the project was sanctioned.
which the residents allege, did not give them a fair
Why is the demolition of the apartments problematic? hearing.
• If the entire structure is demolished at one go • Alarmingly, the court is silent on the fate of the
without proper study and planning, it will result in owners and residents of the apartments. Unlike most
larger ecological disaster, seriously affecting the judgments on evictions, the court does not pronounce
environment and inhabitants of nearby places. on the question of rehabilitation or compensation for
• The method of demolition, if carried out, should be those who would lose their homes.
carefully decided in consultation with experts, though Conclusion
implosion by explosives seems most appropriate.
• W
hile State authorities and courts were complicit in
* Even so, it would be practically impossible to allowing the buildings to be constructed in the first
remove the foundation, especially with the place, liability is now being placed squarely on the
35m-deep cast-in-situ bored reinforced concrete apartment owners.
piles expected under the buildings in Maradu.
• For environmental justice, what we need is a strong
• This could also result in significant environmental environmental governance system that enables all
impact, including air pollution caused by fine material stakeholders to prevent violations instead of the court
over a radius of more than 1 km and noise pollution. becoming India’s new demolition man.
* The fine material and debris could even
contaminate water bodies and set on the leaves 11. Mussoorie Resolution (Green Bonus)
of plants. Context
• The demolition could also cause serious vibrations • ‘ Himalayan Conclave’ was held in Mussoorie to
that may affect nearby heritage structures and deliberate on issues like conservation of the Himalayan
buildings. ecology, biodiversity and the cultural heritage.
• The falling debris on nearby water surfaces (in this Participants
case, the canals connected to the Vembanad Lake),
• Chief Ministers and representatives of the Himalayan
could lead to increase in hardness, alkanility, heavy
states -- Jammu and Kashmir (Before August 5th),
metal concentration, COD, turbidity and slight
Uttarakahand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal
variations in pH of the water.
Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram and
Blind spots and concerns Manipur -- took part in the conclave.
• The case raises multiple concerns regarding • The only absence was of Assam, which was ravaged
environmental governance and adjudication. Even by the floods.
the key question of whether the apartments fall within
Payment for Ecosystems Services (PES)
CRZ-III, which would prohibit construction within 200
metres from the High Tide Line, or the less restrictive • E cosystems support plants, animal and human life
CRZ-II is unsettled. by maintaining the overall balance in nature. When
functioning well, ecosystems also bring multiple
• The three-member panel appointed by the Supreme
benefits to people.
Court stated that as per the CRZ notification of 1991
and the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Plan, 1996, • These benefits include food, fiber, fuel, herbs and
the area in question came under CRZ-III. medicinal plants, genetic resources, drinking water
• Maradu became a municipality in 2010 and • Today, through these activities, we often exploit
consequently, the 2011 CRZ notification categorised it natural resources, influence the capacity of ecosystems
under CRZ-II, though the Union Environment Ministry to provide us with their beneficial services.
approved this only in February 2019.

SEPTEMBER-2019 85
• With our excessive activities we impact air quality, * In the distribution of funds to states, the
water purification processes, flood control, the Earth’s commission attached a 7.5 per cent weight to
climate. forest cover.
• It is an innovative approach to nature conservation. What is the issue now?
* PES encourage the maintenance of natural • A
n assessment of individual state shares, as
ecosystems through environmentally friendly recommended by the commission, reveals that states
practices that avoid damage for other users of cumulatively received over Rs 39,300 crore for forest
the natural resources. conservation in 2015-16.
What they demand now as ‘green bonus’ is called the • While 19 states, which have substantial proportion of
payment for ecosystem services. forest land have gained due to this
Why Green Bonus? • Among the top five beneficiary states, only Arunachal
Pradesh featured.
• M
ost of the country’s rivers originate in the Himalayas
and these states can be termed as the water reservoir Conclusion
of the country. • T he demand for a ‘green bonus’ by Himalayan states,
* They can build dams, take advantages of thus, is not only a valid one but also an ecological
Hydropower, bring changes in the aquatic necessity.
ecosystem by exploiting the fishery sector and • They should demand more, because by giving them
can also become hubs of tourism.
more India’s plains can be saved from many disasters.
• The states have large swathes of land fell into eco
sensitive zones where all sorts of development 12. Nandankanan Zoological Park
activities could not be carried out • Nandankanan, is located near Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
• This is one of India’s major carbon sink. Besides it • It is the first zoo in the World to breed White tiger and
averts soil erosion from the Himalayas. Melanistic tiger.
• For these, they also face numerous restrictions in • Nandankanan is the only conservation breeding
their usual development works such as taking up big centre of Indian Pangolins in the world.
projects that destroy forests.
• It is the only zoological park in India to become an
• Himalayan states provide critical and huge ecosystem institutional member of World Association of Zoos
services to the country. They have forest in around and Aquarium (WAZA).
41.5 per cent of their geographical area.
• It is the first zoo in India where endangered Ratel was
What was the demand of these states? born in captivity.
• T he states that participated in this conclave • It is the second largest heronry for Open Billed Storks
demanded ‘green bonus’ for the ecological services
in Odisha.
being provided by them
* It was the first time that the Himalayan states 13. Nilgiri tahr’s population up by 27% in three years
have come on a single platform to take a • Nilgiri Tahr is also known as the Nilgiri ibex.
unanimous stand on the issue of green bonus
• It is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern
• The Himalayan states also demanded a separate portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil
ministry to deal with problems endemic to them Nadu and Kerala.
Incentives have been awarded to them • It is the State animal of Tamil Nadu.
To some extent, in fact, these states have been getting • It is classified as “Endangered” as per the IUCN Red List.
incentives based on their forest cover under a Finance
Commission formula since 2005. Context:
• The 12th Finance Commission, for the first time, Nilgiri tahr’s sightings in the Mukurthi National Park have
recognised the need to invest in resources and risen from 568 in 2018 to 612 this year(2019).
earmarked Rs 1,000 crores for five years to be given to Details:
states for preserving forests.
• O
fficials have said that this is the second consecutive
• The 13th Finance Commission allocated Rs 5,000 year that an increase in the population of the animal
crore, based on the area under forest cover with an had been recorded in the park.
added parameter of Canopy density.
* The population of the Nilgiri tahr, has risen by
• The 14th commission brought the landmark change 132 since 2016.
of including forest cover as a determining factor in a
state’s share.

SEPTEMBER-2019 86
* There was a decrease in tahr numbers in 2017, • Odonates are good pest controllers, too.
when a population of only 438 was recorded, • Among the 488 species of odonates found in India,
down from 480 in 2016. the Western Ghats is home to 193.
* According to officials, the almost 8% increase Context
in its population follows a similarly significant
increase in its population in 2018. A survey of dragonflies and damselflies population in
Kerala has raised concerns over the ecological impact of
* Preliminary findings pointed to a healthy sex the successive floods in the State.
ratio, slightly skewed in favour of does (female
goats). Concerns:
• Efforts were being made to ensure that the 78-sq.km • A
survey of dragonflies and damselflies held in the
reserve, closed to tourists, remained relatively free of Silent Valley National Park (SVNP) has reported an
some of the species of invasive plants that had begun alarming decrease in the odonate population.
their incursion into other habitats, such as Scotch • The abnormal rain pattern and the successive floods
broom and gorse in Avalanche. in the State could have decimated the population of
* Almost no spread of invasive plants, means that dragonflies and damselflies in the SVNP.
the tahr have plenty of food and more room for • Odonates spend much of their lifetime as eggs and
the population to grow. larvae underwater. There are concerns that the floods
• The area is also free from poaching. could have washed them off.
• Conservation efforts have helped in bringing the • Many Indian odonates are endemic and most of them
desired results in terms of maintaining a healthy are restricted to the riverine ecosystem.
population of the tahr. • Large scale habitat alterations such as damming,
Mukurthi National Park: channel diversion, sand mining and pollution is
seriously threatening the habitat of survival of these
• M
ukurthi National Park (MNP) is a protected area
located in the western corner of the Nilgiris Plateau species.
west of Ootacamund hill station in Tamil Nadu in the 15. Pyrolysis (NGT tells CPCB to regulate import of waste
Western Ghats mountain range
tyres)
• The park was created to protect its keystone species,
• Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of tyres in the
the Nilgiri tahr.
absence of oxygen. It is a process where the material
• It is home to an array of endangered wildlife, including is put through a thermochemical treatment under
royal Bengal tiger and Asian elephant. high temperature to produce industrial oil and other
• The park was previously known as Nilgiri Tahr National matters.
Park. Context
• The park is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India’s • T he National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the
first International Biosphere Reserve. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to regulate
• A
s part of the Western Ghats, it is a UNESCO World import of waste tyres for use in pyrolysis industry so
that India does not become a dump yard for highly
Heritage Site since 1 July 2012.
polluting hazardous waste material from other
14. Odonates countries.
• O
donata is an order of carnivorous insects Health Impact
encompassing the dragonflies and the damselflies. • I n 2014, the National Green Tribunal banned the
• Odonates are amphibiotic (having aquatic larval form burning of used tyres in the open or using them as
and terrestrial adult form) insects. fuel in brick kilns, because they produce toxic smoke
known to be hazardous to health.
• Dragonflies are generally larger, and perch with their
wings held out to the sides. • The toxic pollutants emitted affect public health
adversely.
• Damselflies have slender bodies, and hold their wings
over the body at rest. * The workers employed in such unscientific
practices suffer from neurological disorders, skin
• Odonates are great biological indicators and studies diseases, cancer etc.
on them would provide crucial information on the
health of aquatic habitats and variations occurring in • The activity emits highly carcinogenic/cancer-causing
the climate. pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAH), dioxin, furans and oxides of nitrogen which are
• Regular monitoring of odonates over a long period extremely harmful to the respiratory system.
will help assess the changes in the natural landscape.

SEPTEMBER-2019 87
Failure to comply by rules • It is a tuberous species.

• T he Ministry of Environment and Forests has a well- • Flowers of the plant are reddish-pink and the species
defined Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for is similar to the coastal plant Tylophora flexuosa.
operation of such plants. However, only a very small However, it differs in its floral parts arrangement and
percentage of these plants are partially compliant morphology.
with the SOP. Tylophora Neglecta:
• According to CPCB report in most cases, it was • T ylophora neglecta has been discovered from the
observed that the reason for non-compliance is not shola forest on the Thooval Mala hill under the
meeting the criteria of Standard Operating Procedure Achencoil forest division in Kollam.
[SOP] of Ministry of Environment and Forests and
the consent conditions issued by the State Pollution • The flowers of the species are white with a violet tinge.
Control Boards • Its leaves are thick and bristly in nature.
Steps to be taken Context
• N
GT says there is a need for restrictions on import and • A team of researchers has reported the discovery of
regulation of unregulated units two new plant species from the shola forests of the
• Accordingly, the CPCB may issue appropriate Western Ghats.
directions on the subject after due consideration on Details:
the issue.
• B
oth the plant species belong to the Asclepiadaceaeor
* The directions should also deal with the milkweed family.
restrictions on import so as to ensure that
India does not become a dump yard for highly • Latex in plant parts and pappus seeds are the general
polluting hazardous waste material from other characteristics of the milkweed family.
countries and also to ensure that health of the • The discovery highlights the rich biodiversity and
workers involved in the process the need for a conservation strategy for the fragile
Alternatives ecosystem of the Western Ghats.
• U
sed tyres can be recycled through cleaner processes 17. UN Convention to Combat Desertification
than pyrolysis.
Context
• Through a technology called CRMB (Crum Rubber
• I
ndia hosted the UN Convention to Combat
Modified Bitumen), rubber from used tyres is added
Desertification
to bitumen with crushed stones to lay roads. While
this process was implemented by the Centre until • The UNCCD meeting takes place every two years and
2010, it has been neglected since. the ongoing one in Greater Noida is the 14th such
meeting.
• Contractors are deliberately avoiding this technology.
The motive, it said, was to make more money by using What is it?
the tyres to produce fuel through pyrolysis and other • I t is a major global agreement on issues related to
processes. land, the convention (UNCCD) seeks to address the
Way forward phenomenon of desertification, the process through
which fertile and productive land become degraded
• S tricter norms for granting permission for import of
and unfit for useful activities like agriculture.
waste tyres are required.
Why is desertification a concern?
• Permission should be given only to a company having
mechanical recycling equipment for processing of • A
variety of factors, both natural and human-induced,
waste tyres in an environment friendly manner. are known to be affecting the productivity of land,
and making them desert-like.
• Such companies must submit end use certificate
and power consumption bill to show genuine in- • Increasing populations and the resultant rise in
house processing of waste tyres and who their demand for food and water, feed for cattle, and
end customers are. This should be certified by an a wide variety of ecosystem services these offer,
independent auditor have prompted human beings to clear forests, use
chemicals, cultivate multiple crops, and over-exploit
16. Tylophora Balakrishnanii groundwater. This has affected both the health and
• Tylophora balakrishnanii is a straggling vine, has been productivity of land.
discovered from the Thollayiram shola. • Natural processes such as rising global temperatures
• Thollayiram shola in Wayanad is a biodiversity hotspot increase the frequency and intensity of droughts, and
in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. changing weather patterns have put further pressure
on the land.

SEPTEMBER-2019 88
• A recent report by the International Resources Panel, • Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that
a scientific body hosted by the UN Environment land degradation was impacting the global network
Programme, said that about 25 per cent of world’s of food and commodity supply chains and was
land area has been degraded. getting impacted in return.
• Another report, by the Intergovernmental Science • The crops being grown and the quantities in which
Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem they were being grown were dictated not by local
Services, said that nearly 40 per cent of world’s needs but by global demands. Changes in food
population was being impacted negatively because habits and international trade have altered cropping
of land degradation. patterns in many areas.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change • Large-scale migration to urban centres and industrial
(IPCC) too came out with a special report on land, in hubs has seen a heavy concentration of populations
which it said that the rate of soil erosion in many areas in small areas, putting unsustainable pressure on land
of the world was up to 100 times faster than the rate and water resources.
of soil formation. • A
s an issue, therefore, land degradation of land is,
* It also said the annual area of drylands in therefore, much more complex than it appears.
drought had been increasing at more than 1 To what extent does land degradation fit into the context
per cent every year in the last 50 years, and that of climate change?
nearly 500 million people lived in areas that have
experienced desertification after the 1980s. Land has always been an important conversation in the
climate change debate.
• Desertification has implications for food and water
security, livelihoods, migration, conflicts and even • F orests, trees and vegetation cover are important
international security. sinks of carbon dioxide.
Combating desertification refers to activities that prevent • Land degradation, therefore, reduces the amount of
or reduce land degradation, and restore partially or fully carbon dioxide that is absorbed, and consequently
degraded land. leads to a rise in emissions.
What is the Convention to Combat Desertification? • At the same time, agriculture and activities such
as cattle rearing contribute to emissions and are a
The UNCCD is one of three Conventions that have come major source of methane which is a much stronger
out of the historic 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It is, greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
however, possibly the least known of the three.
• Restoration of degraded land can, therefore, have
• T he Rio summit gave rise to the UN Framework major co-benefits for climate change objectives.
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under
which countries have agreed to restrict the emissions • According to the report by the International
of greenhouse gases, first through the Kyoto Protocol Resources Panel referred to earlier, restoring 350
of 1997 and now through the Paris Agreement that million hectares of degraded landscape by 2030
was finalised in 2015 and becomes operational in would take out between 13 to 26 billion tonnes of
2020. greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. This
would more than offset the emissions from activities
• It also gave rise to the Convention on Biological like agriculture and cattle-rearing.
Diversity (CBD) which too has delivered an
international arrangement to protect and use • The IPCC report had estimated that such activities
biodiversity. contribute about 25 per cent of annual greenhouse
gas emissions, or about 12 billion tonnes of carbon
• The UNCCD has not yet resulted in any international dioxide equivalent.
treaty or protocol to fight desertification.
What change can be expected on the basis of a CCD
• The UNFCCC holds its general meetings every year, meeting?
while CBD and CCD meet every two years.
• T he discussions at the CCD have so far remained
Why was the need felt for such a convention? academic and technical, mainly focusing on the
• A
t the time the UNCCD was born in Rio, degradation kinds of activities that can be undertaken to restore
of land was mostly viewed as a localised problem, one degraded lands.
that was mainly affecting countries in Africa. In fact, it • Working on a recent mandate of the CCD, countries
was on the demand of the African countries that CCD are making efforts towards achieving what is called
came into being. Land Degradation Neutrality, or LDN, within their
• The Convention repeatedly makes a mention of the territories, and trying to ensure that the amount
special needs of Africa in fighting desertification. and quality of land necessary to support ecosystem
services and strengthen food security remains stable
or increases within time periods targeted by them.

SEPTEMBER-2019 89
Bamboonomics at COP 14 UNCCD * The U.K., Australia and island nations such as Fiji
and the Maldives will be part of this coalition.
• Bamboonomics is a movement to combat
desertification and climate change which will involve Issue Area
the tribal community of India since they have the • T o meet its Paris Pact target, India will need to add
expertise in this field. more than 20 GW of RE installation a year, more than
• They have lived for generations without disturbing the double the rate achieved in the past four years.
natural harmony of a place, and without degrading • According to the clean energy research outfit,
the environment. Mercom, the country added 8.3 GW of solar capacity
• The movement will also not compromise the income last year. This is a 13 per cent dip from 2017. The fall in
of the poor in these regions. pace of adding solar installations has continued this
year.
• The movement will ensure that tribals can earn a
livelihood without causing environmental harm. • Land acquisitions are a major worry for large-scale
solar projects, the Mercom report noted.
Context
• But policymakers should ill-afford to ignore it given
• U
nion Minister for Tribal Affairs Mr. Arjun Munda
that solar installations constitute nearly 60 per
launched Bamboonomics at the COP 14 of the
cent of the country’s RE energy mix under its Paris
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
commitments.
(UNCCD).
What else should the Govt do?
18. United Nations Climate Action Summit
While India is shouldering its share of the climate burden,
Context despite problems in climate finance flow, the government
• United Nations Climate Action Summit was held in also needs to strengthen its climate adaptation plans.
New York. It was convened to identify urgent and • The existing internal framework, the National
concrete solutions to climate Change Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) is more
Mr Modi’s speech than a decade old. It lacks the legal foundation to
incorporate the key national commitment under the
It covered four important aspects of India’s climate action Paris Agreement: to reduce the emissions intensity of
— the push for renewable energy, electric mobility, mixing economic growth by a third, by 2030.
of biofuel to reduce consumption of fossil fuels, and the Jal
Jeevan Mission. * Without an update to the NAPCC and its mission-
mode programmes, and legislation approved by
• M
r. Modi reiterated India’s commitment to the creation States for new green norms governing buildings,
of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022 under transport, agriculture, water use and so on, it will
the Paris Climate Agreement. be impossible to make a case for major climate
* He also said India’s renewable energy target will finance under the UNFCCC.
be increased to 450 GW * It is equally urgent to arrive at a funding plan
• India would spend approximately $50 billion “in the for all States to help communities adapt to
next few years” on the Jal Jeevan Mission to conserve more frequent climate-linked disasters such as
water, harvest rainwater and develop water resources cyclones, floods and droughts.
• He said India had plans to make the transport sector • In this 2019’s Union Budget, Rs 100 crore was allocated
green through the use of electrical vehicles. to the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change
(NAFCC), only a fraction of the total budget of over
• He also spoke of the need for behavioural change. Rs 2,900 crore allotted to the Union environment
“Need, not greed, is our guiding principle,” ministry. This is 16% lower than the budget allocated
New initiatives to the NAFCC in 2017-18.
Prime Minister Modi announced two international • India is correct in arguing that developed countries
initiatives. must do more, but a combination of policy, budgetary
support, and a people’s movement is needed to battle
• F irst, a platform with Sweden and other countries, for
the globe’s greatest challenge.
governments and the private sector to work together
to develop low carbon pathways for industry. Conclusion
• Second, a Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. • C
limate chaos is playing out in real time from California
This initiative was approved by the Union Cabinet and to the Caribbean, and from Africa to the Arctic and
₹480 crore has been allocated for technical assistance beyond. Those who contributed least to the problem
and projects. are suffering the most.

SEPTEMBER-2019 90
• Hence a broad coalition -- not just governments and * I n the United States, President Donald Trump not
youth, but businesses, cities, investors and civil society only refuses to enhance actions, he has actively
— came together to move in the direction our world rolled back measures in the electricity sector and
so desperately needs to avert climate catastrophe. actions to limit methane emissions in the name
of competitiveness.
Leadership Group for Industry Transition
* In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has made
Context:
it clear he sees environmental protections as
• A
‘Leadership Group for Industry Transition’ was limiting Brazilian business.
announced at the Global Climate Action Summit
• And nationalism in some countries makes it harder to
to help guide the world’s heaviest greenhouse gas
pursue aggressive action even in countries where the
emitting industries towards a low-carbon economy.
politics is more conducive.
Details:
How can the UN Summit swing the tide of global
• T his group comprising of countries and private movements towards enhanced action?
companies will drive transformation in hard-to-
• In an exercise of diplomatic pressure, countries have
decarbonize and energy-intensive sectors.
been urged to enhance their pledges for action made
• Countries that are part of the Group are: as part of the Paris Agreement, committing to lower
* India future emissions.
* Sweden • The second track seeks to induce changes in real

economies around a set of ‘action portfolios’. Domestic
* Argentina objectives are central to these conversations. If the UN
* Finland Summit is to result in enhanced action, this is believed
to be the more fruitful track.
* France
• These include, for example:
* Germany
* Furthering and accelerating energy transition
* Ireland
toward low-carbon energy
* Luxembourg
* Making cities more climate-friendly and more
* The Netherlands resilient to climate disruption
* South Korea * Starting the process of turning energy-intensive
* The United Kingdom sectors such as steel and cement more carbon
friendly.
• This global initiative will be supported by the World
Economic Forum, the Energy Transitions Commission, * Promoting solar energy for energy security
Mission Innovation, Stockholm Environment Institute, reasons.
and the European Climate Foundation among many * M
aking cities more liveable and making
others. industries more efficient and therefore
• India and Sweden will lead the Group. competitive.
• Industry sector emissions, including those from • These initiatives serve as a focal point for broader
hard-to-abate and energy-intensive sectors like conversations including coalitions of business and
steel, cement, aluminum, aviation and shipping are researchers.
expected to be 15.7 Gigatonnes (Gt) by 2050.
19. Vulture culture: How the bird was saved from
• This initiative is hence, important for industry to find extinction
a workable pathway towards reducing emissions and
deliver on the Paris Agreement. Background:
The Nationalist Hindrance to climate actions • I n the late 1990s, the population of the vultures in the
country had begun to decline sharply.
How is political disconnect affecting the global
initiatives against climate change? • The number declined from 40 million in the 80s to a
few thousand by 2009.
• Unfortunately, national politics in country after
country is trending in the wrong direction. Why vulture Population decreased?
• A turn toward nationalism in multiple countries has • T he major reason behind the vulture population
created a short-term, look-out-for-our-own mentality getting nearly wiped out was the drug Diclofenac.
that is harmful to the global collective action needed • Diclofenac was found in the carcass of cattle the
to address climate change. vultures fed on.
• The drug, whose veterinary use was banned in
2008, was commonly administered to cattle to treat
inflammation.

SEPTEMBER-2019 91
• Apart from the establishment of VCBCs and getting • In India, upon death, cows are dumped in a common
Diclofenac banned, the scientists’ imperative was place which is inhabited by the vultures.
to manage the carcass dumps and make sure that • Vultures are long-lived and slow breeding birds that
poisoned carcasses were not dumped for the vultures attain sexual maturity by five years of age.
to feed on.
• The slow breeding process makes it even more
• There was also an emphasis on creating awareness difficult to conserve or reintroduce them.
and on creating safe zones for vultures in places
where there is an existing vulture population. • Killing them is strictly prohibited, even for research
purposes.
• So far nine states have been undertaken programmes
to create safe habitats for vultures. • A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald
head, devoid of normal feathers.
• Estimation of the vulture population in the wild is said
to have stabilised. • A
lthough it has been historically believed to help
keep the head clean when feeding, the bare skin may
• Surveys in 2015 revealed that there are about 6,000 play an important role in thermoregulation.
White-backed vultures, 12,000 Long-billed vultures
and 1,000 Slender-billed vultures in the wild. • Vultures have been observed to hunch their bodies
and tuck in their heads in the cold, and open their
Vulture Care Centre (VCC)
wings and stretch their necks in the heat.
• T o study the cause of deaths of vultures, a Vulture Care
Centre (VCC) was set up at Pinjore, Haryana. 20. World Ozone Day
• It was here that the rescued vulture from Keoladeo • Every year September 16 is marked as the International
National Park in Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra and Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World
Madhya Pradesh were brought in. Ozone Day.
* By the time vulture conservation breeding • This day was designated by the UN in 2009.
centers were started in 2004, the vulture • This date was chosen because it was the day in
population had already crashed significantly, 1987 when nations signed the Montreal Protocol on
almost by 99 %. Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
* As vultures are slow-breeding birds, intervention • The theme for 2019: 32 Years and Healing
was of immediate requirement otherwise the
Context
vultures would have become extinct.
• T he Union Minister of State (MoS) for Environment,
* With a decline in the vulture population, a rise in
Forest and Climate Change was speaking at an event
the plague causing rodents and feral dogs was
in New Delhi to mark World Ozone Day.
also seen.
Cooling Action Plan:
• Starting with just a few vultures, the VCC, until then
the sole facility for the conservation of vultures in the • T he minister highlighted the fact that India became
country, has come a long way in the past two decades. one of the first countries in the world to launch a
comprehensive Cooling Action plan in March, 2019,
• At present, there are nine Vulture Conservation and
which has a long term vision to address the cooling
Breeding Centres (VCBC) in India, of which three are
requirement across sectors such as residential and
directly administered by Bombay Natural History
commercial buildings, cold-chain, refrigeration,
Society (BNHS).
transport and industries.
• The total number of vultures in these VCBCs is more
• The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) lists out actions
than 700.
which can help reduce the cooling demand, which
• The objective of the VCBCs was not only to look after will also help in reducing both direct and indirect
the vultures and breed them in captivity, but also to emissions.
release them into the wild.
• The India Cooling Action seeks to
• The first objective of the VCBC was to produce a few
* Reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20%
hundred pairs of each of the three species of the
to 25% by 2037-38
endangered vultures.
* Reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by
Vultures:
2037-38
• Vultures are scavenging raptors.
* Reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to
• Vultures are rightfully called the sanitizers of the 40% by 2037-38
ecosystem as they feed on the flesh of dead animals
* Recognize “cooling and related areas” as a
and prevent the bacteria and diseases in animals
thrust area of research under the national S&T
by clearing the carcass to the bones that helps
Programme
to decompose the dead three times faster than
otherwise.

SEPTEMBER-2019 92
* Training and certification of 100,000 servicing • Odisha’s leaf plate and cup market is worth ₹1,500
sector technicians by 2022-23, synergizing with crore.
Skill India Mission. • While 2.5 million people mostly tribals are sal leaf
21. Windfall for Odisha tribals if single-use plastic is pluckers, 1.5 million are siali leaf pluckers.
banned • Around one million are connected with other leaves.
Context • As soon as plastic products are banned, the focus will
shift to degradable materials and leaf plates and cups
• I ndia’s policy on single-use plastic has been much in are one of the obvious choices.
the news
• In 22 of the 30 districts of Odisha, inhabitants of forest-
What is single-use plastic? fringe villages are traditionally involved in leaf-plate
• S ingle-use plastics, often also referred to as disposable making.
plastics, are commonly used for packaging and • In some districts, tribal women have already formed
include items intended to be used only once before
they are thrown away or recycled. These include, federations to get a better deal in the trade.
among other items, grocery bags, food packaging, 22. Pipe dreams, ground reality
bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery.
Context
• Plastic packaging is mostly single-use, especially in
business-to-consumer applications, and a majority of • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced
it is discarded the same year it is produced. in July 2019 that the government will provide piped
water to all rural households by 2024 under the Jal
• Such plastics are problematic because they are not Jeevan Mission.
biodegradable.
• The Prime Minister has also stated that around ₹5
What are the concerns? trillion will be spent under the ambitious Jal Jeevan
• I ndia currently follows the Plastic Waste Management Mission aimed at providing potable water.
Rules, 2018. • Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the government will
• One of its key obligations is to have industries that focus on rainwater harvesting and water conservation
make products that ultimately employ plastic (and in 256 districts in the first phase and carry out other
generate plastic waste) collect a fixed percentage initiatives, including renovation of traditional water
every year. bodies and tanks, reuse of water and recharge
structures, watershed development and intensive
• The State Pollution Control Boards as well
afforestation.
municipalities have the responsibility to ensure that
plastic waste is collected and sent to recycling units. • The NDA government has also formed a new
ministry to address all water issues that looks at the
• Compared to other countries such as the U.S. and
management of water resources and drinking water
China, India has a very low per capita generation of
supply in a holistic manner.
plastic waste.
• T he Jal Shakti Ministry, formed by integrating the
• However, in real terms, this is quite substantial and
Water Resources and Drinking Water and Sanitation
nearly 10,000 tonnes of plastic waste is left uncollected
Ministries, aims to work with state governments to
every day.
ensure Har Ghar Jal to all rural households by 2024.
• Studies by organisations like The Energy Resources
Is the proposed plan viable?
Institute (TERI) on landfills have found that 10.96% of
waste was only plastic and of these, non-recyclable • T his will be a costly and futile exercise since over
plastics accounted for 9.6%. The disparity is because 70% of India’s surface water (rivers and lakes) and
certain kinds of plastic, such as PET bottles are groundwater is polluted.
remunerative for rag pickers as they are in demand at • The plan will require digging up the whole country
recycling facilities. and squandering lakhs of crores away for little gain.
How is the ban on single-use plastics going to benefit • Since surface and groundwater is unfit for domestic
Odisha? use, Indians will soon need reverse osmosis (RO) for
• A
s the focus is likely to shift to alternative products home, which will only burden the country’s already
from single-use plastic millions of people, especially expensive water programme.
tribals residing in Odisha’s forest-rich regions, expect Protecting the unpolluted sources:
an upturn in their income.
• H
ence, it is of utmost importance that we protect the
• Close to five million people in Odisha are currently few unpolluted sources of water that remain.
involved in plate-making using both hand and
machine stitching methods. • Otherwise, India will be consigned as a nation to drink
unhealthy and expensive RO water.
• They depend on two major leaves of forest species –
sal and siali – for their earnings.

SEPTEMBER-2019 93
• The only unpolluted sources of water that remain are • It finally settles in underground aquifers and this is
the waters underlying the floodplains of rivers (for bulk referred to as natural mineral water which is bottled
water) and the subterranean natural mineral water and sold at exorbitant prices.
underlying forest tracts (for drinking). These precious • Many parts of the country can still tap these pristine
unpolluted water resources must be protected and water sources. All major cities that fall under the
conserved at any cost. Western and Eastern Ghats belt have such forest
Yamuna Palla floodplain scheme: A local and sustainable aquifers.
scheme • The hills around Visakhapatnam can provide enough
• There are very few non-invasive schemes which water for millions of people. Shimla has a forest mineral
can perennially provide natural mineral water and water sanctuary spread over nearby hill ranges.
unpolluted bulk water for our cities. • Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park and Mumbai’s
• Such local and sustainable schemes are strongly Sanjay Gandhi National Park have underground forest
supported by Nobel Laureate A.J. Leggett and aquifers that can supply natural mineral water for the
renowned scientist M.S. Swaminathan. entire population of these cities.
• One such scheme is the Yamuna Palla floodplain • So can the Delhi Ridge, for Delhi. Even the Aravallis
scheme for Delhi which was initiated in 2009. can provide the best quality natural mineral water to
all the cities in Rajasthan.
• It has been actively pursued by the Delhi Jal Board
and provides quality water to more than a million Sustainable exploitation and conservation:
people in Delhi. • H
owever, over-exploiting these water resources can
• Such local and sustainable river floodplain schemes destroy the process of natural recharge. Hence, we
can provide water supply for hundreds of river cities need to adopt sustainable ‘conserve and use’ solutions
in India. for the future.
• It will be path-breaking not only for India but also the • Most importantly, the water levels of the floodplain
world to invest in such localised schemes that are self- aquifers need to be monitored scrupulously to
sustaining. be well above the river water level so as to avoid
contamination by river water.
• It is not only environmentally sustainable but it will
also yield great economic returns. • We must maintain adequate water levels for the
subterranean forest aquifers in order to ensure
• In the case of India, examples of self-sustaining
sustainability.
floodplain water cities include Varanasi, Prayagraj,
Agra, Mathura, most towns in Bihar and West Bengal, • These floodplains and forest aquifers need to be
Cuttack, Bhubaneshwar, Amravati, Vijayawada, declared as ‘water sanctuaries’ similar to our national
Rajahmundry, and many cities in Tamil Nadu. parks and tiger reserves, in order to improve
conservation efforts.
• In these above-mentioned cities which are blessed
with a self-sustaining floodplain, such localised water • If not, we will lose this amazing gift of natural
supply schemes can be implemented successfully. infrastructure, as has already happened in some cases.
Conserving and Securing the Floodplains: 23. No more waste mounds on Siachen glacier
• F loodplains can be secured by planting organic Context
food forests or fruit forests which don’t demand or
consume much water. The Indian Army has removed 130 tonnes of garbage from
the Siachen Glacier and is cutting potential trash in rations.
• Carving out lakes, as has been suggested under the
Jal Jeevan Mission, would require digging out vast Issue:
quantities of sand. • O
n average, 236 tonnes of waste is generated every
• This will not only affect the wetland ecology of the year on Siachen glacier.
floodplains but it will also cause loss of water due to • The biggest challenge is the high altitude as most
evaporation. posts are located between 18,000 and 21,000 feet.
For unpolluted water * B
ana post is the highest on the glacier close to
• A
nother source of unpolluted water is natural mineral 22,000 feet.
water that underlies our forests. * At 18,000-19,000 feet, Indian and Pakistani posts
• This water is pure and it is of the highest international face each other.
quality. Unpolluted rain falls on the forest, percolates * Beyond 20,000 feet, it is only India.
through the vegetation, humus or leaf cover on
the forest floor while picking up nutrients, and • N
othing degrades at sub-zero temperatures, so
then through the underlying rock while picking up everything had to be brought down.
minerals.

SEPTEMBER-2019 94
What is being done? Problems of the meat industry

• T he army is looking to cut waste in the rations and • T he very design of our food system is extremely
utilities delivered on the glacier and make Siachen inefficient because we feed grains to cattle and
garbage-free in 12-15 years. chickens and then eat the animals.
• Earlier, waste disposal work was fragmented and • So, essentially, for every 9 calories of food fed to a
intermittent. chicken, we get 1 calorie back due to the natural loss
of energy which takes place in the food chain.
• Based on a 2018 concept note on waste management
on the glacier, the Army has made bringing down • T he irony is, despite the wide availability of food in our
waste a part of the Standard Operating Procedure current agricultural system, around 34.7% of Indian
(SOP) for troops. children suffer from malnutrition.
• The capacity of each person to carry is 10-15 kg due to • This shows how inefficient the current model
the extreme weather. of production is. It is neither fulfilling our basic
requirements nor is it environment-friendly.
• •Since then, nearly 130 tonnes of waste has been
brought down from the Siachen Glacier and disposed • The meat industry is also responsible for tremendous
of. amounts of water wastage. According to reports,
about one¬ third of the world’s water consumption is
• The three types of wastes are disposed of differently.
for producing animal products.
* Biodegradable waste is rolled using baling
• On the other hand, NITI Aayog has predicted that 21
machines.
major cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and
* Non-biodegradable, non-metallic waste: three Hyderabad are going to run out of their groundwater
incinerators have been set up. The waste is burnt supplies by 2020.
in the incinerators but they do not produce
• In the light of these alarming observations on the
Carbon Monoxide. The ash is used as manure.
future availability of water, we need to be all the more
* Metallic waste: there are three extrication judicious while consuming water.
centres. Industrial crushers will be procured to
• Upon this, the usage of antibiotics and hormones is
crush it and send it down.
widespread in the animal husbandry industry and are
• The Army has collaborated with the civil administration used in both livestock and poultry feed.
there and barrels have been painted and set up in
• The World Health Organization has said that antibiotic
villages around to segregate waste.
resistance is one of the biggest threats to global
24. The future of food is animal-friendly health, food security, and development today.
Context: • Perhaps the greatest casualty of the meat industry
are the animals which are crammed into farms, face
• The article talks about the monumental challenges
extreme cruelty during their lives and are inhumanely
that are facing our global food system.
slaughtered.
• It is expected that by 2050 around 10 billion people
• As our incomes increase, our consumption of meat
have to be fed and with our current agricultural
also increases and the pressure on our limited
practices it is almost impossible.
resources will amplify.
Current Food System:
• But despite this significant increase in meat
• C
urrently, our food system puts undue pressure on production in order to meet the rising demand, we
our limited natural resources. will still continue to be a malnourished nation.
• One of the incidents that could highlight the extent The future lies in plant-based meat:
of these pressure factors was the massive Amazonian
• H
owever, the innovation of healthy and nutritious
forest fires, which was mainly a result of man-made
plant-based meat provides a safer and sustainable
fires by cattle ranchers and loggers, in order to clear
alternative.
forest areas for their agro-industrial activities.
• We also have lab-grown meat which is referred to as
• Ranchers deliberately set fire to the forests so that
“cultivated meat”, or also called as clean meat. Clean
they can be cleared for cattle grazing. Cattle ranching
meat is grown in a lab from a small sample of cells
is responsible for nearly 80% of the destruction of the
taken from an animal.
rainforests of Amazon.
• Both plant-based meat and clean meat are free from
• In India as well, our forests are threatened by
the negative impacts of animal meat production,
overgrazing of buffaloes and goats which are used for
such as climate change.
dairy and meat.
• It is also healthier as it is free of antibiotics and
• Further, greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane,
hormones.
are very high from the meat industry.

SEPTEMBER-2019 95
• Globally, the Netherlands, the U.S., Israel, Japan and

Singapore are developing both plant-based and
clean meat.
• India’s huge population can benefit by making plant-
based and clean meat available.
• India enjoys a unique advantage to position itself as
a leader in this sector because crops such as millets,
ragi, pulses and chickpeas, which grow abundantly
here, are ideal raw ingredients for plant-based meats.
• Further, India has already envisioned the setting up
of the world’s first centre of excellence for clean meat.
This can provide a jump start for India’s non-animal
meat sector.
• T his promising sector can counter the climate impact
of the meat industry, increase farmers’ incomes,
combat malnutrition and spare the lives of billions
of animals. It is time we as a people support it and
encourage it to flourish.

SEPTEMBER-2019 96
HEALTH ISSUES
1. Anaemia • Inadequate intake of the vitamins B9 (folate) and B12

is also a frequent cause.
• Anaemia is a condition in which a person has a lower-
than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity • The state programme officer of Delhi said that the
of haemoglobin, which reduces the capacity of their distribution of IFA tablets would be extended to
blood to carry oxygen and can lead to a number of colleges.
health problems, and even death. Steps taken by the government:
• Anaemia can cause weakness, breathlessness, lack • A flagship programme to address anaemia in women
of concentration and if the haemoglobin level falls and children was introduced as far back as 1970,
quickly over a few days, it can even lead to cardiac the National Anaemia Prophylaxis Programme,
failure. concentrated on distributing iron and folic acid
• It is considered a severe public health problem if tablets among two vulnerable population segments–
more than 40% of the population is diagnosed with pregnant women, and children aged 1 to 5 years.
anaemia. • In 1991, the flagship programme was renamed
Criteria National Nutritional Anaemia Control Programme
and made part of the National Child Survival and Safe
• M
en with haemoglobin levels of less than 13.0 grams
Motherhood Programme, which attempts to cater to
(g) per decilitre (dL) are considered anaemic, as per
the overall needs of mothers and children pertaining
World Health Organization norms.
to health and disease.
• Women with levels lower than 12.0 g/dL are
• Yet more than half the targeted population remained
considered anaemic if they are not pregnant.
anaemic in 2015.
• Among pregnant women, levels lower than 11.0 g/dL
• Anaemia Mukt Bharat(AMB) was launched in the year
signal anaemia.
2018 as part of Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative
Context: (NIPI) Program for accelerating the annual rate of
According to an analysis of data collected from ongoing decline of anaemia from one to three percentage
anaemia detection and awareness camps of the Delhi points.
government, about 60% of female students in Delhi * The target groups for AMB are Children 6-59
colleges are anaemic, well above the national average. The months, 5-9 years, Adolescent Girls & Boys of
findings, are yet to be made public. 10-19 years, Women of Reproductive Age (15-49
Concerns: years), Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.
• Anaemia in women and children has been a major • Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS)
problem in India for half a century. program includes supervised weekly ingestion of Iron
Folic Acid (IFA) tablet.
• According to National Family Health Survey-4, the
national average of anaemia among women between * To control worm infestation biannual deworming
15 and 49 years is 53% and in Delhi it’s 54.3%. with Albendazole is provided.
• While the national average came down from 55.3% to • Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)
53% between NFHS-3 and NFHS-4, it rose from 44.3% has been launched to focus on conducting special
to 55.3% in Delhi. ANC check up on 9th of every month with the help
of Medical officers/ OBGYN to detect and treat cases
• Low haemoglobin levels lower productivity and cause of anaemia.
illness and death, and thus impose an economic cost.
Why Anaemia still persists?
• The loss of gross domestic product to anaemia was
estimated at $22.64 billion (Rs 1.50 lakh crore) in 2016, • Low political commitment is one of the major reasons.
more than three times the health budget for 2017-18. Anaemia has not been taken as seriously as we should
have.
Details:
• Interventions that look at possible means to enhance
• Nutritional deficiency is by far the most common the dietary intake of iron such as food fortification in
cause of anaemia worldwide. addition to iron and folic acid tablets have not been
• Nearly half the cases of nutritional deficiency-related implemented.
anaemia in India are caused by consuming too little
iron.

SEPTEMBER-2019 97
• The supplements failed to reach all the intended * It is showcased as a unique, first-of-its-kind
beneficiaries in adequate amounts, and not all opportunity for start-ups to be a critical
beneficiaries who received the supplements actually participant and stakeholder in implementing
ingested them. AB-PMJAY.
• Iron-folic acid supplements are meant to be • The top 7 startups will be selected to work with
distributed under the National Nutritional Anaemia the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Other benefits that
Control Programme and the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid winners will receive include cash prizes, piloting
Supplementation (WIFAS) programme, an initiative and testing opportunities, industry mentorship,
introduced in 2013 to reduce adolescent anaemia, procurement and funding support.
estimated to affect more than half of all adolescent
girls and just under one in three adolescent boys. National Health Authority (NHA)
• Fewer than one in three pregnant women have access • It is the apex body responsible for implementing
to iron and folic acid supplements, according to NFHS- India’s flagship public health insurance/assurance
IV, even after the percentage of women consuming scheme ‘Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
these supplements during pregnancy doubled Yojana’.
between 2005-06 and 2015-16, from 15% to 30%. • The NHA is the successor of the National Health
Way forward: Agency. It was renamed as the National Health
Authority in January 2019.
• To better target anaemia prevention and treatment, a
pan-India survey of 100,000 children and adolescents • NHA has been set up to implement the PM-JAY at the
was conducted to check for vitamin B12 deficiency national level.
and worm infestation. • An attached office of the Ministry of Health and
• A parasitic infestation can cause malabsorption of Family Welfare with full functional autonomy, NHA is
essential nutrients, which, in turn, can cause anaemia, governed by a Governing Board chaired by the Union
which is why de-worming tablets are also distributed Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
under the existing iron and folic acid supplementation • A
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an officer in the rank
programmes. of Secretary to the Government of India manages its
• To improve the coverage of the WIFAS programme for affairs.
adolescents, there are plans to use the Mid-Day Meal • To implement the scheme in the states, State Health
programme software that requires schools to update Agencies (SHAs) in the form of a society/trust have
the number of beneficiaries every week. been set up by the states.
• Efforts to improve supply to women have been Context
on since the launch of the National Iron Plus
• The Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat
programme in 2013, under which the government
Start-Up Grand Challenge in New Delhi at Arogya
provides supplements to all women of reproductive
Manthan function organized by the National
age irrespective of their haemoglobin levels and
Health Authority. This function marks the one-year
pregnancy status, unlike earlier initiatives. What needs
anniversary of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri
more emphasis is improved consumption.
Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).
• Creating awareness is particularly vital because
anaemia can go undetected until it becomes severe. 3. Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey
• Greater awareness can boost community-wide • The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey was
demand for supplements, compelling wider conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family
distribution. Welfare and UNICEF between February 2016 and
October 2018.
2. Ayushman Bharat PMJAY Start-Up Grand Challenge
• It is the first study undertaken to measure
• It is a call to action for the Indian start-up community malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies
to generate cutting-edge solutions for supporting through biochemical measures such as blood and
the National Health Authority towards more effective urine samples, anthropometric data as well as details
implementation of Ayushman Bharat PMJAY. of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes,
• Under this initiative, Startups engaged in sectors hypertension, cholesterol and kidney function in
such as medical devices, digital health, health children and adolescents.
communications, hospital services and hospital
management, medical workforce training and
capacity building, etc. are invited to solve a set of
problem statements reflecting critical implementation
challenges of AB-PMJAY.
* It is in partnership with Startup India.

SEPTEMBER-2019 98
• The National Family Health Survey (NFHS), however, • Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia.
collects anthropometric data (weight for age,
height for age, weight for height, mid-upper arm Context:
circumference) to measure prevalence of stunting, A report was released by Alzheimer’s disease International
wasting and underweight and household dietary (ADI), a London-based non-profit organisation, on the
intake to measure deficiencies. However, these are eve of Alzheimer’s Day. The survey was conducted by the
collected for children in the age group of 1-5 years London School of Economics (LSE) to gauge attitudes
and adults, but not for school going children between towards dementia among those suffering from dementia.
the age of 5 and 19 years. Findings of the study:
Context: • The number of those with dementia worldwide is set
Data from the first-ever national nutrition survey to increase to 152 million by 2050.
conducted by the Centre, yet to be made public, shows • As much as 50% of all people living with dementia
that obesity and undernutrition coexist in India, among never receive a formal diagnosis and in China and
children. Health experts have raised concerns over the India.
delay in release of the survey.
• The current annual cost of dementia is estimated at $1
Findings of the survey: trillion (approximately), which could double by 2030.
• Out of the children in the age group of 5-9 years and Details:
adolescents in the age group of 10-19 years are
• Nearly a quarter of Indians surveyed said that they
* 10% are pre-diabetic considered those suffering from dementia to be
* 5% are overweight “dangerous”.
* 5% suffer from blood pressure. • About three-fourths opined that those with dementia
are “impulsive and unpredictable”.
• The study found prevalence of indicators of non-
communicable diseases alongside indicators of • According to a 2018 report in the Indian Journal of
undernutrition shown by various NFHS surveys such Psychiatry, population projections in India suggest
as stunting, wasting and underweight. that there will be one elderly person for every 3
in the working-age population by 2100 and an
• The survey provides for the first time hard evidence accompanying rise in elderly suffering from dementia.
of the coexistence of obesity and undernutrition,
among school-going children. Way forward:
Conclusion: • Degenerative diseases of the brain cannot be
reversed. However, with some of the measures like
• The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) symptomatic treatment and effective intervention,
considers nutrition as a pillar of human development it is somewhat possible to delay the progress of the
and recommends concrete, large-scale programming disease.
not only to reduce the burden of undernutrition
and deprivation in countries, but also to advance • Citizens need to be educated about the prevalence of
economic progress. such disease in our society and they must shed their
taboos and be more accommodative towards the
• In India’s case, along with undernutrition and needs and infirmities of an old person in the family.
micronutrient deficiencies, there is an emergence of
overweight and obesity, contributing to the disease • Ignoring the needs and rights of the old age
burden just as undernutrition does. population and leaving them unaddressed can pose
a great threat to our social development agenda.
• In this context, it is imperative that the government
rethink and redesign its nutrition policy at every level • Older persons need to be brought into mainstream of
of governance with integrated action on malnutrition the nation by focusing on their issues and encouraging
their active participation in the society.
in all its forms.
• There is a need for National Dementia Policy with
4. Dementia very clear and well-defined action plan for India since
• Dementia is a progressive generative brain disease India has a sizeable population of Alzheimer’s disease
affecting a person’s memory, thinking and the ability affected people.
of social interaction.
5. Eat Right India Campaign
• Dementia is an overall term for diseases and conditions
characterized by a decline in memory, language, • It was launched in 2018 and is led by Food Safety and
problem-solving and other thinking skills that affect a Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
person’s ability to perform everyday activities. • It is a Pan-India cycle movement aimed to create
• Disorders grouped under the general term dementia consumer awareness about eating safe and nutritious
are caused by abnormal brain changes or by damage food.
to brain cells.

SEPTEMBER-2019 99
• It aims to engage, excite and enable citizens to * Funding comes primarily from the public sector,
improve their health and wellbeing. with about 93% of total funding coming from
donor governments.
• It is a collective effort to make both the demand and
supply-side interventions through the engagement * The remaining funding comes from the private
of key stakeholders. sector, private foundations and innovative
financing initiatives.
Aligned with plans
• The Global Fund is a financing mechanism rather than
• This movement is aligned with the government’s an implementing agency.
flagship public health programmes such as POSHAN
Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, Ayushman Bharat • It has its secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland
Yojana and Swachh Bharat Mission. * Programs are implemented by in-country
• The FSSAI has also put in place robust regulatory partners such as ministries of health, while the
measures under three major pillars: Eat Safe, Eat Global Fund secretariat, whose staff only have an
office in Geneva, monitor the programs.
Health and Eat Sustainably for the programme.
Context
6. Genomic Grid for India-Specific Cancer Research
• India has announced a contribution of 22 million US
Context: Dollars to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria
• The central government plans to set up a National (GFTAM) for the 6th replenishment cycle, an increase
Genomic Grid to study genomic data of cancer of 10% over the amount contributed by us in the 5th
patients from India. cycle.
Details: 8. Gooseberry candy rescues Assam nutrition drive
• The National Genomic Grid will be formed in line with Context
the National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB).
A drive for good nutrition among pregnant women and
• T he grid will have four parts corresponding to eastern, children in a southern Assam district has been given a
western, northern and southern parts of India. gooseberry candy twist. This follows a report that the
• The grid will collect samples from cancer patients to targeted groups find the prescribed iron-folic acid tablets
study genomic factors influencing cancer. repulsive.
Objectives: Background:
• The genomic samples will help researchers on India- • According to the 2015 National Family Health Survey,
specific cancer studies. 47.2% of the women of reproductive age in Hailakandi
were anaemic.
• It will help identify the right cancer treatment
modalities for the Indian population. • The district, thus, has the most anaemic children below
5 years, adolescents and women of reproductive age
• It also aims to make cancer treatment viable for
in Assam.
people of different economic classes.
Concerns:
National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB):
• Data reveals that the mothers, pregnant women and
• The NCTB was set up at the Indian Institute of
children in the district, consume only 24.3% of the
Technology, Madras, in collaboration with the Indian
total iron-folic acid tablets that the district receives and
Council for Medical Research (ICMR).
distributes.
• It has the capacity to stock 50,000 genomic samples
• The tablets given to these groups are often not
from cancer patients. It has already collected samples
consumed as they feel nauseated or have constipation
from 3,000 patients.
issues.
• The first set of 350 genomic data of stomach and breast
• There are also myths that these tablets will kill them or
cancer patients developed from the 3,000 samples at
make them incapable of conceiving.
NCTB will be released by the end of October 2019.
• About 32.5% of the children aged below five in
7. Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria Hailakandi are underweight. The average figure for
Assam is 30%.
• Global Fund was created in 2002. It is an international
financing and partnership organization that aims to Details:
“attract, leverage and invest additional resources • To get around the problem while launching Poshan
to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and Maah, or nutrition month, a few days ago, the district
malaria administration decided to produce roundish amla-gur
• It mobilizes and invests more than US$4 billion a year candies with a dose of salt.
to support AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programs
run by local experts in more than 100 countries.

SEPTEMBER-2019 100
• Nutritionists involved in the campaign said amla, or • By and large most States get their salt from Gujarat
gooseberry, is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, while and Rajasthan and because of the distance, it is
jaggery, is rich in iron, vital vitamins and minerals that sent by rail. This salt is strictly monitored by the Salt
boost the immune system. Commissioner’s office and if it is inadequately iodised,
they don’t allot rakes.
• The gooseberry candy is provided alongside iron-
folic acid tablets as behavioural change in nutritious * The salt-producing States have access to
eating is a slow process. common (or non-iodised) salt and, therefore,
they start consuming it since it is readily available
• If women and children avoid the tablet, they can get
the required vitamin and mineral inputs through the Key recommendation
improvised delicacy of which ingredients are available • The key recommendation of the study is to sustain
locally. the momentum so that iodine coverage does not fall
• The candy is cost-effective too. below current levels.
• Anganwadi workers, supervisors and mothers have • It also recommends that the States and the Centre
been engaged to prepare and distribute the ‘laddoos’ work together to address the current gaps and look
with the ingredients given by the district authorities. into issues that vary from one State to another, leading
to adequately iodised salt not being produced.
Conclusion:
World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines
This novel initiative could go a long way in checking
anaemia that increases the risk during pregnancy and • According to WHO, a daily iodine intake of 150
at childbirth, besides resulting in low birth weight and microgram is required to prevent iodine deficiency
malnourished children. disorders and this can be achieved by using
adequately iodised salt, i.e. salt containing a minimum
9. India Iodine Survey 2018- 19 of 15 parts per million (ppm) of iodine.
Context Iodine and its importance
• The survey was conducted by Nutrition International • Iodine is a vital micronutrient needed regularly in
in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical small quantities.
Sciences and the Indian Coalition for the Control of
• Deficiency of iodine can result in a range of disabilities
Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD).
and disorders such as goitre, hypothyroidism,
• The survey tested the iodine content in samples cretinism, abortion, still-birth, mental retardation and
of cooking salt from households to estimate the psychomotor defects.
coverage of iodised salt.
• Children born in iodine-deficient areas may have
• It covered all 29 states and seven Union Territories of up to 13.5 lQ points less than those born in iodine-
the country, and included a total of 21,406 households. sufficient areas.
Details • A majority of these consequences are invisible and
• The study shows that 76.3% of Indian households irreversible but can be prevented.
consumed adequately iodised salt, which is salt with • Fortifying cooking salt with iodine is the easiest and
at least 15 parts per million of iodine most cost-effective way to address this problem.
• The five worst performers were Tamil Nadu (61.9%), Salt regulation
Andhra Pradesh (63.9%), Rajasthan (65.5%), Odisha
• India made fortification of salt with iodine mandatory
(65.8%) and Jharkhand (68.8%).
for direct human consumption in 1992.
* Tamil Nadu has the lowest consumption of
• This was relaxed in 2000 and then reimposed in 2005.
iodised salt despite being the third biggest
producer of salt in the country • In 2011, the Supreme Court, too, mandated universal
* Rajasthan, which is the second largest producer iodisation for the control of iodine deficiencies.
of salt, also figured among the five worst covered 10. International Sign Language Day
States.
Context:
Salt producing states in India
The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre
• Gujarat produces 71% of salt in the country, followed celebrated Sign Language Day on 23rd September.
by Rajasthan at 17% and Tamil Nadu at 11%.
About the International Sign Language Day:
• The rest of the country accounts for a mere 1% of salt
produced. • The UN declared 23rd September as International
Sign Language Day.
• The day was first observed in 2017. This date was
selected because this was the date when the World
Federation of the Deaf was established in 1951.

SEPTEMBER-2019 101
• The theme for 2019 is Sign Language-Rights for all. • Interestingly, most people do not get the disease
• The objective of celebrating this day is enhancing the more than once.
awareness of sign language and making the reach of • The measles vaccine is effective at preventing the
sign language greater. disease and is often delivered in combination with
About the Indian Sign Language Research and Training other vaccines.
Centre (ISLRTC): • It is one of the leading ‘vaccine-preventable disease’
• It is an autonomous body under the Department of causes of death.
Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Context
Social Justice and Empowerment.
• In January 2019, the World Health Organization
• The Centre was established in 2015. included ‘Vaccine Hesitancy’ as one of the 10 threats
• The Centre carries out many activities for promoting to global health, due to a 30% increase in measles
the use of Indian Sign Language as the educational cases in 2018.
mode for deaf students at primary, secondary and • Vaccine hesitancy is defined as the “reluctance or
higher education levels. refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines”.
• It conducts diploma courses in Indian Sign Language • The threat from vaccine hesitancy to global healthcare
Interpretation. only appears to have grown more dangerous over the
years.
• It is located in New Delhi.
How has it spread globally? A look at statistics
11. Leukemia
• In the first six months of 2019, there have been around
• White Blood Cells (WBC), also called leukocytes, are an 3, 65,000 measles cases reported from 182 countries
important part of the immune system. and this comes after a major surge in measles cases
* These cells help fight infections by attacking in 2018.
bacteria, viruses, and germs that invade the • The WHO African region has registered the biggest
body. increase, which stands at 900% for the first six months
* White blood cells originate in the bone marrow of 2019 as compared to the same period in 2018.
but circulate throughout the bloodstream • These cases have largely been reported in the
• Leukemia is a type of cancer found in your blood and Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and
bone marrow and is caused by the rapid production Nigeria.
of abnormal white blood cells. • In the WHO European region as well, there has been
* These abnormal white blood cells are not able to a sharp increase with 90,000 cases being recorded in
fight infection and impair the ability of the bone the first six months of 2019, which is higher than the
numbers recorded for the whole of 2018.
marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets.
• The spread of the infection in the European region
12. Measles- Vaccine Hesitancy has been unprecedented in recent years and it
• Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease has accounted for 1, 74,000 cases from 49 of the 53
caused by the measles virus. countries between January 2018 and June 2019.
• Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure • In fact in August 2019 the following countries have
to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial even lost their measles elimination status – U.K.,
symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose, Greece, the Czech Republic and Albania.
and inflamed eyes. The Lack of Public Confidence in Vaccines:
• Small white spots known as Koplik’s spots may form • A 2018 report on vaccine confidence among the
inside the mouth two or three days after the start of European Union member states shows as to why
symptoms. the coverage of the vaccine has not increased in the
• A red, flat rash which usually starts on the face and European region to reach over the desired target of
then spreads to the rest of the body typically begins 90% in order to offer protection even to those who
three to five days after the start of symptoms. are not vaccinated.
• Common complications include diarrhea, middle ear • It found that younger people in the age group of 18¬-
infection, and pneumonia. 34 years and those with less education are less likely
to agree that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
• These occur in part due to measles-induced vaccine is safe.
immunosuppression. Less commonly seizures,
blindness, or inflammation of the brain may occur. • According to a March 2019 report, only 52% of
respondents from 28 EU member states agree
• Measles is an airborne disease which spreads easily that vaccines are definitely effective in preventing
through the coughs and sneezes of infected people. diseases, while 33% felt they were probably effective.
It may also be spread through direct contact with
mouth or nasal secretions.

SEPTEMBER-2019 102
• The more alarming fact is that 48% of those who were * While in HIC, death from cancer is twice that of
surveyed believed that vaccines can have serious CVD, in LIC, including India, death from cardiac
side effects and 38% think vaccines are actually disease was three times that of cancer.
responsible for causing the disease that they are
• The study establishes that though risk factors are
supposed to protect against.
lower in low income countries, factors such as access
The case with India: to quality health care and lack of insurance have a
• A disconcerting similarity can be seen in India as well play, leading to the mortality
with regard to ‘vaccine hesitancy’. * Access to affordable, quality health care is still a
• A study conducted in 2018 brought out that low dream in many pockets in India.
awareness is the main reason why 45% of the children * A great amount of out-of-pocket expenditure
missed their vaccinations in 121 Indian districts that (according to Health Ministry data for 2014-15,
are known to have higher rates of unimmunized nearly 62.6 % of India’s total health expenditure)
children. often frustrates continuation of treatment, or
• While 24% did not get vaccinated due to concerns adherence to drug regimens.
about adverse side effects, 11% were reluctant to • In another paper, also published in the Lancet, on
get immunised for reasons other than the fear of side ‘Modifiable risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and
effects. mortality’, researchers established indoor air pollution
What needs to be done? as an emerging source of risk for cardiovascular
disease in LIC and MIC.
• These alarming statistics point out the impact of low
awareness and misinformation on the effectiveness Steps that can be initiated
and reach of vaccination programmes. • Some States have shown limited successes with
• Social media, in particular, has played a crucial role in government-sponsored health insurance schemes,
spreading misinformation about vaccines. the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana will have
to take much of the burden of hospitalisation for
• In this regard, the recent commitment made by complications of non-communicable diseases.
Facebook to act against the circulation of vaccine-
related misinformation, will be crucial in winning the * Therefore National and State schemes running
war against vaccine deniers. on mission mode, including the National
Programme for Prevention and Control of
• Measles vaccine not only provides lifelong protection Cancer, Diabetes, CVD and Stroke will have to
against the virus but also reduces mortality from step up efforts to target people at risk with life-
other childhood infections. saving interventions.
• This is because measles viruses kill immune cells, • With better insurance and improving hospital
leaving the child vulnerable to infectious diseases for standards, it is possible for LIC to head towards similar
two to three years. outcomes
13. Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study • The need of the hour is out-of-the-box solutions
combined with inspiration from models of those who
Context seem to have belled this particular cat.
• According to the PURE study published in the Lancet, • Any plans that target the risk factors and prevent
Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) continues to be the the onset of non-communicable diseases will clearly
leading cause of death across the world, but there are have to be truly game-changing, and incorporate the
significant variations between rich and poor nations.
environmental angle as well.
Categorization
14. Ranitidine
• The High Income Countries (HIC) in the study were
Canada, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and United Arab • Ranitidine, popularly known through brand names
Emirates. like Aciloc, Zinetac, Rantac and Rantac-OD, R-Loc and
Ranitin, is an over-the-counter, prescription antacid
• The Middle-Income Countries (MIC) were Argentina,
used in the treatment of acid reflux and peptic ulcer
Brazil, Chile, China, Columbia, Iran, Malaysia, Palestine,
diseases.
Philippines, Poland, Turkey and South Africa.
• It is commonly used to relieve acid-related indigestion
• The Low Income Countries (LIC) were Bangladesh,
and heartburn by decreasing stomach acid
India, Pakistan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
production.
Details
• While other medicines like pantoprazole and
• CVD is the leading cause for death overall, there omeprazole too treat these symptoms and are more
have been some transitions, particularly in the high- commonly prescribed today, ranitidine is still widely
income countries, which have managed to reduce the used in India.
number of deaths from CVD.

SEPTEMBER-2019 103
What is the problem? Context:

• The US FDA stated in a release that it had learned that • Miners of Ganj Basoda district in Madhya Pradesh
some ranitidine medicines contained “low levels” of a suffering from silicosis have decided to organise
substance called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). themselves to press for adequate compensation and
appeal to the government for right treatment, instead
• An environmental contaminant found in water and
of being treated for tuberculosis.
foods, NDMA has been classified by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer as probably Issue:
carcinogenic to humans, which means it has the • Around 10,000 miners from 40 villages in the district
potential to cause cancer. have been facing the threat of the respiratory disease.
• This is the same impurity that the US FDA had • At Pathar village in Ganj Basoda, while the tribal
investigated in blood pressure drugs valsartan and sarpanch himself is a miner, there were 40 women
losartan in 2018. among 600 people, belonging mainly to the Saharia
How has India’s drug regulator responded? tribe, who have lost their husbands to silicosis.
• India’s top drug regulator wrote to state regulators • Silicosis is a disease caused due to inhalation of silica,
asking them to direct ranitidine active pharmaceutical and it is often mixed up with tuberculosis due to lack
ingredient (API) manufacturers to “verify their of awareness.
products and take appropriate measures to ensure • The disease is considered incurable, but if timely
patient safety”. precautions are taken then the people can save
How have companies selling ranitidine in India responded? themselves from it.
• At least two of the company’s marketing top ranitidine • It is observed that the government is not ready to
brands here have decided to take precautionary admit the extent of the Silicosis, and treat them for TB
measures like halting sales while investigations into instead.
their safety are in progress. Details:
* This includes GSK, which publicly announced a • AThe workers are drawing inspiration from Jodhpur’s
voluntary recall of its Zinetac brand Raju Devi, who, after her husband’s death due to
* Torrent Pharmaceuticals, too, has “stopped the silicosis, organised around 25,000 miners and secured
sales of this product” till it concludes a “detailed their rights.
assessment” of its Ranitin * The Pneumoconiosis Board issues certificates
to the patients, making them eligible for the
15. Silicosis government’s financial assistance.
• It is a form of occupational lung disease caused by • The main challenge of eliminating silicosis in India is
inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by in the informal, unregulated sectors of industry which
inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular do not fall under the control of statutory tools such as
lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. the Factory Act of India (1948).
• It is a type of pneumoconiosis. • Silicosis-affected workers in the informal sector are
• It is also known as miner’s phthisis, grinder’s asthma, not entitled to statutory protection, which would
potter’s rot, etc. remove them from the hazardous environment, or
to compensation, which would enable them to leave
• Over time, it could build up in lungs, cause bloody
work.
coughing and breathlessness.
• Continued exposure makes it difficult for physicians
• Silicosis is characterized by shortness of breath,
to manage the disease.
cough, fever, and cyanosis (bluish skin).
• Furthermore, most primary-care physicians in India
• Silicosis is a permanent disease with no cure.
are not trained to manage occupational health
• The best way to prevent silicosis is to identify work- diseases.
place activities that produce respirable crystalline
• Chronic exposure to silica increases workers’ risk of
silica dust and then to eliminate or control the dust
tuberculosis infection and aggravates pre-existing
• W
ater spray is often used where dust emanates. Dust pulmonary tuberculosis. Differential diagnosis is a
can also be controlled through dry air filtering. challenge.
• Jaggery (a traditional sugar) has a preventive action Way forward:
against silicosis.
• Free diagnostic and treatment facilities at primary,
secondary and tertiary-level health facilities to
workers exposed to silica, along with counselling
of patients about how to avoid dust inhalation and
prevent progression of the disease, is the need of the
hour.

SEPTEMBER-2019 104
• Awareness must be raised through information * The interventions will be accompanied

materials printed in the local language. by a comprehensive, mass media and
communications campaign to generate
• Silicosis health-care units need to be established awareness about the disease and the free
in silicosis-risk districts, where free chest X-ray and treatment services available under the
pulmonary function tests are done. government programme.
• Regular inspections must be made of industries • In the year 2018 the government had launched the
that use silica, with active involvement of Nikshay Poshan Yojana, a direct benefit transfer (DBT)
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure scheme to provide nutritional support to TB patients.
proper monitoring. Since then, about 26 lakh patients have received the
• Cost-effective engineering control measures to benefit directly into their bank accounts.
manage silica dust need to be developed and
promoted. Context
• A silicosis control programme must be set up in India. • The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare
launched the ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ Campaign
• Guidelines are needed under the revised Indian along with the National TB Prevalence Survey. He also
national tuberculosis control programme towards released the TB India Report (2019).
management of those at risk of developing
silicotuberculosis. National TB Prevalence Survey
Conclusion: • This survey is crucial for achieving the goal of ending

TB in India by 2025.
Despite many clinical and operational challenges in the
management of silicosis and silicotuberculosis, there is • The survey will take 6 months and cover the whole
an opportunity for the Government of India to formulate country.
a comprehensive policy framework on prevention, • The data thus obtained will be used as a policy tool for
treatment, rehabilitation, compensation and follow- further interventions.
up. Action needs to be taken on active case-finding for
TB India Report (2019)
documenting the burden of silicosis and silicotuberculosis.
• According to this Report, 21.5 lakh cases of TB were
16. ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ Campaign reported in 2018.
• The chief objective of the campaign is to eliminate • In 2017, there were 18 lakh cases and 2018 saw a rise
tuberculosis (TB) from India. of 17% from the previous year.
• The campaign has 3 pillars
17. Tobacco
* Clinical approach
E- Cigarettes
* Public health component
Context
* Active community participation
• The Union Cabinet has approved a ban on e-cigarettes,
• Supporting aspects of the campaign include patient citing the need to take early action to protect public
support, private sector engagement, political and health.
administrative commitment at all levels.
What are they?
• The government will make sure that TB patients
• Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes,
receive free and high quality treatment and care at
e-vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems,
private and public hospitals.
are battery-operated devices that people use to
• The government has set the target year for eradicating inhale an aerosol, which typically contains nicotine
TB from the country as 2025. The global target set by (though not always), flavorings, and other chemicals.
the UN is 2030.
• E- Cigarettes simulates smoking and provides some
• It also aims to improve and expand the reach of TB of the behavioral aspects of smoking, including
care services across the country by 2022. the hand-to-mouth action of smoking, but without
* This includes preventive and promotive burning tobacco.
approaches, and proposes interventions such • E-cigarettes typically have a heating element that
as engagement with private sector health atomizes a liquid solution called e-liquid. E-liquids
care providers, inter-ministerial partnerships, usually contain propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine,
corporate sector engagement, latent TB infection flavorings, additives, and differing amounts of
management, and community engagement. contaminants. E-liquids are also sold without
propylene glycol, nicotine, or flavors. Using an
e-cigarette is known as “vaping” and the user is
referred to as a “vaper.”

SEPTEMBER-2019 105
Stated benefits of E-cigarettes: • Following hundreds of possible cases of severe lung

illness and five confirmed deaths associated with
• E- Cigarettes are sold as aids to reduce or quit smoking,
vaping in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and
and some people find them helpful for smoking
Prevention stated on September 6, 2019 that people
cessation. As it helps them overcome addiction.
should consider not using vaping products while
• E-cigarettes claim to bypass many of the health risks their investigation is ongoing.
of tobacco smoking, and to offer a more healthful
Current Scenario:
alternative to cigarettes and other conventional forms
of nicotine intake. Hence they result in harm reduction • Globally, many countries are evaluating the health
as compared to actual cigarettes. risks associated with using e-cigarettes, and India is
one of a handful of countries to enforce a complete
Concerns:
ban.
• The benefits of e-cigarettes are uncertain. There is
• In India central government banned production,
very little scientific evidence to show that they may
import, sale and distribution of e-cigarettes and
help people quit smoking, although they have not
similar products.
been proven to be more effective than smoking
cessation medicine. Their safety and efficacy for * Arguments in favour of the ban: Health risks
quitting smoking is unclear. associated with E-cigarettes. Public interest to
ensure vaping doesn’t become an “epidemic”
• A 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) report
among young people.
found that the scientific evidence for the effectiveness
of vaping for quitting smoking is “scant and of low * Arguments against the ban: The E-cigarette
certainty”. traders have appealed against this move in
the courts. And there have been some strong
• There is concern with the possibility that non-smokers
arguments against this move. India is the world’s
and children may start nicotine use with e-cigarettes
second-largest consumer of tobacco products
at a rate higher than anticipated than if they were
after China, and more than 900,000 people
never created for they are considered less harmful
die in the country each year from tobacco-
and fashionable. Following the possibility of nicotine
related illnesses. In banning e-cigarettes
addiction from e-cigarette use, there is concern
prematurely, the government is eliminating a
children may start smoking cigarettes. E-cigarettes
line of substitutes for hundreds of millions of
might actually lead to increasing smokers.
consumers that may reduce their reliance on
• Since their entrance to the market in 2003, global use potentially more harmful tobacco products.
has risen exponentially. Large tobacco companies
Way forward:
have greatly increased their marketing efforts.
• There is an urgent requirement to conduct
• Though e-cigarettes are generally regarded as
independent studies to evaluate the effects of
safer than combusted tobacco products, their part
e-cigarettes and arrive at a “rational” decision.
in tobacco harm reduction is unclear. In 2019, an
outbreak of severe lung illness across multiple states • Present and future generations must be urgently
in the US was linked to vaping. Nicotine replacement protected from the devastating health, social,
products may be safer than e-cigarettes. environmental and economic consequences of
tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco
• E-cigarettes create vapour, have been found to contain
smoke.
small amounts of toxicants, carcinogens, and heavy
metals, as well as metal nanoparticles. E-cigarette • Keeping with the spirit of the WHO Framework
vapor potentially contains harmful chemicals not Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) the
found in tobacco. government must work towards reducing the
prevalence of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco
• The long-term effects of e-cigarette use are unknown.
smoke and work towards complete elimination of
Less serious adverse effects include abdominal pain,
tobacco and even E-cigarettes in the longer run.
headache, blurry vision, throat and mouth irritation,
vomiting, nausea, and coughing. Nicotine itself is • Public health must have primacy while deciding the
associated with some health harms. Universal vaping future course of action.
“will bring its own distinct but as yet unknown health National Tobacco Cessation QuitLine
risks in the same way tobacco smoking did, as a result
of chronic exposure”. • The National Tobacco Cessation QuitLine is a
dedicated toll-free number that helps tobacco users
• The scientific community are primarily concerned with to receive free support and guidance to subdue their
the possible effect on public health. There is concern addiction.
among public health experts that e-cigarettes could
renormalize smoking, weaken measures to control
tobacco, and serve as a gateway for smoking among
youth.

SEPTEMBER-2019 106
• The Union government’s tobacco Quitline is 18. UMMID and NIDAN Kendras
monitored by National Institute of Mental Health and
Context:
Neurosciences (NIMHANS).
The Union Health Minister inaugurated the UMMID and
• The helpline started by the Union Health Ministry in
NIDAN Kendras.
April 2018 is displayed on all tobacco products.
About the UMMID:
• Subsequently, the south Indian regional languages
cell, NIMHANS Tobacco Quitline was started in • UMMID stands for Unique Methods of Management
september 2018. and treatment of Inherited Disorders.
• Those who are unable to kick the habit only with the • It has been launched to tackle inherited genetic
help of Quitline, are referred to the nearest Tobacco diseases of new-born babies and pregnant women.
Cessation Clinic (TCC). • The initiative aims to:
• Penetration in rural areas is the next plan. * Produce skilled clinicians in human genetics.
mCessation programme: * Establish five NIDAN Kendras.
• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, in partnership • It is supported by the Department of Biotechnology
with World Health Organisation and the International (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Telecommunications Union, had started an initiative
for utilising mobile technology for tobacco cessation. • This was launched taking into account the fact that
congenital and hereditary genetic diseases are
• WHO-ITU’s ‘Be Healthy Be Mobile’ initiative, aims to becoming a great health burden in India.
reach out to tobacco users of all categories who want
to quit tobacco use. • There is a need for adequate and effective genetic
testing and counselling services.
• The Centre’s ‘mCessation’ Programme to quit tobacco
is a text messaging programme for mobile phone • In India’s urban areas, congenital malformations and
users. genetic disorders are the third most common cause
of mortality in new-borns.
• A person looking to quit tobacco can give a missed
call to the toll-free number after which, they will be • With a very large population and high birth rate,
sent a series of messages over several months. and consanguineous marriage (marriage among
blood-relatives) favoured in many communities, the
• In a 2018 report published by the peer-reviewed prevalence of genetic disorders is high in India.
online journal BMJ Innovations it was reported that
the ‘mCessation’ programme in India had seen a 19% • The NIDAN Kendras will provide counselling,
quit rate (estimated as not used any tobacco in the prenatal testing and diagnosis, management, and
past 30 days). multidisciplinary care in government hospitals (where
there are more patients).
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC) • T he Kendras will produce trained clinicians and also
undertake screening of pregnant women and new-
• The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC) is the world’s first public health treaty enacted borns for inherited genetic diseases.
under the World Health Organization (WHO). 19. World Heart Day
• It is the biggest global initiative in tobacco control. Context
• The WHO FCTC was developed by countries in • The World Heart Foundation organizes World Heart
response to the globalization of the tobacco Day, an international campaign held on September
epidemic. It aims to tackle some of the causes of 29 to inform people about cardiovascular diseases,
that epidemic, including complex factors with cross which are the biggest cause of death.
-border effects, such as trade liberalization and direct
foreign investment, tobacco advertising, promotion • The day promotes preventative measures to reduce
and sponsorship beyond national borders, and illicit the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
trade in tobacco products. * It aims to drive action to educate people that
• WHO-FCTC provides for various measures to reduce by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use,
the demand as well as the supply of tobacco. unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least
80% of premature deaths from heart disease and
• India is a signatory to this treaty since 2004. stroke could be avoided.
• India played a leading role in FCTC negotiations to • World Heart Day is a global campaign during which
finalize its provisions and was the regional coordinator individuals, families, communities, and governments
for the South- East Asian countries. around the world participate in activities to take
charge of their heart health and that of others.

SEPTEMBER-2019 107
* Through this campaign, the World Heart • The Initiative comprises five technical packages
Federation unites people from all countries and which provide a set of high-impact, evidence-based
backgrounds in the fight against the CVD burden interventions that, when used together, will have a
and inspires and drives international action major impact on improving global heart health.
* They celebrate and promote World Heart Day • O
n the prevention side, the Global Hearts Initiative
with activities such as fun runs, public talks, comprises the
concerts, and sporting events.
* MPOWER package for tobacco control in line
Cardiovascular Disease with the WHO Framework Convention on
• It is a general term used to describe a range of Tobacco Control, the
disorders that affect the heart. * ACTIVE package for increasing physical activity,
• The term cardiovascular disease encompasses * SHAKE package for salt reduction, and the
diseases of the blood vessels; heart rhythm problems,
* REPLACE package to eliminate industrially-
or arrhythmias; heart infections; and congenital heart
produced trans-fat from the global food supply.
defects.
* On the management side, the HEARTS technical
Symptoms of heart disease in blood vessels
package is aimed at strengthening the
• Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest management of CVDs in primary health care.
discomfort (angina)
• Shortness of breath
• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or
arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body
are narrowed
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back
In India
• The prevalence of heart disease and stroke has
increased by over 50% from 1990 to 2016 in India,
with an increase observed in every state.
• Heart disease and stroke together contributed to
28·1% of total deaths in India in 2016 —compared
with 15·2% in 1990.
* Heart disease contributed 17·8% of total deaths
* Stroke contributed 7·1% of total deaths.
Simple ways to prevent heart attack and stay healthy
• Ensure that your diet comprises a balance of nutrients
like protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
* Reduce your salt, sweet and red meat intake, to
maintain cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
• Exercise regularly — Lead an active lifestyle, which
will not only keep your weight in check, but also help
improve blood circulation, lower cholesterol and
blood pressure levels.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking — Steer clear of alcohol,
smoking, and any such harmful addictive substances.
• Be relaxed and get enough sleep: Stress is one of the
biggest triggers for heart attack across all age groups
Global Hearts Initiative
To support governments in strengthening the prevention
and control of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), in 2016
WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (US CDC) launched the Global Hearts
Initiative.

SEPTEMBER-2019 108
ART AND CULTURE
1. Bathukamma • The stolen Buddha statue is documented as “Seated

• B
athukamma is a colourful floral festival of Telangana Buddha in Bhumisparsha Mudra” (height 6.5 inches,
and is celebrated by womenfolk with exotic flowers of circa 12th century CE)
the region. Bhumisparsha Mudra
• Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged • This is a common pose found in idols of the Buddha in
with different unique seasonal flowers most of them many countries.
with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in
the shape of temple gopuram. • This means: ‘Touching the Earth’.
• ‘Bathukamma’ means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’ • In this posture, the right hand points downwards
and the patron goddess of womanhood Goddess towards the earth, hanging over the knee and palm
Maha Gauri-‘Life Giver’ is worshipped in the form of facing inwards. The left hand rests on the lap with the
Bathukamma. palm upright.
• It is the festival for feminine felicitation. • Significance of the pose: This pose represents the
moment when the Buddha attained enlightenment.
• The festival has over the years become a symbol of It stands for ‘Calling the Earth to Witness the Truth’.
Telangana culture and identity.
• Bathukamma comes during the latter half of
monsoon, before the onset of winter.
• The festival represents the spirit of Telangana and is
celebrated for nine days during Dasara.
2. Bronze Idol of Buddha seated in the Bhumisparsha

Mudra
Context
• F inance Minister handed over an antique bronze
idol of Buddha to the Minister of State for Culture &
Tourism
Background
• T he idol had been stolen from the Nalanda Museum
of ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) in 1961 and
had resurfaced at an auction in Maastricht in The
Netherlands (organized by a London-based dealer) in
2018. 3. Dadasaheb Phalke
• On receiving this information, the Directorate • T he Dadasaheb Phalke Award is part of the National
of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officer in London Film Awards, themselves a highly coveted collection
contacted the Art & Antique Unit of the Metropolitan of honours in the film industry.
Police (UK). • The Award is named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke,
• The ASI also certified that the statue was stolen from the pioneering filmmaker who gave India its first film–
the Archaeological Museum in Nalanda. ‘Raja Harishchandra’, in 1913.
• The International Council of Museums also inspected • Presented annually by the Ministry of Information and
the image and confirmed that it is the same as the one Broadcasting, the award is considered the highest
stolen from Nalanda in 1961. honour in the Indian film fraternity.
• The India Pride Project, an online volunteer group • It is awarded for “outstanding contribution to the
of art enthusiasts, played an active role in the growth and development of Indian cinema”.
identification of the idol. Details
• British authorities handed over the idol to the Indian • T he award was instituted by the government in 1969,
High Commissioner (UK) on India’s IndeBuddha in and consists of a ‘Swarna Kamal’, a cash prize of INR 10
Bhumisparsha Mudrapendence Day in 2018. lakh, a certificate, a silk roll, and a shawl.
• The first recipient of the award was Devika Rani
Roerich in 1969.

SEPTEMBER-2019 109
• The award is presented by the President of India in • It explains how the World Heritage Fund is to be
the presence of the Union Minister of Information used and managed and under what conditions
and Broadcasting, the Chairpersons of the juries, the international financial assistance may be provided.
representatives of the Film Federation of India, and
• IUCN is the Advisory Body on natural heritage.
the Confederation of All India Cine Employees amid
senior officials • It recognizes the way in which people interact with
nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the
Context
balance between the two.
• A
mitabh Bachchan awarded the prestigious
Dadasaheb Phalke Award 5. Keeladi findings traceable to 6th century BCE: report
Context
4. Errum Manzil
• This article discusses about report titled, ‘Keeladi-An
• Errum Manzilor Iram Manzil is an expansive palace
Urban Settlement of Sangam Age on the Banks of
standing in Hyderabad, Telangana.
River Vaigai’, published by the Tamil Nadu Archaeology
• It was built by Nawab Safdar Jung Musheer-ud-daula Department (TNAD)
Fakhrul Mulk, a nobleman of Hyderabad state.
• According to the report the cultural deposits, artefacts
• It was built around the year 1870. that were unearthed, extracted during excavations at
Context Keeladi in Sivaganga district could be safely dated to
a period between 6th century BCE and 1st century CE.
The Telangana High Court has set aside the decision of the
State Cabinet to demolish heritage structure Errum Manzil Findings of the report
and build a new Assembly building there. • The artefacts that were found in excavations carried
Details: out at Keezhadi have determined a possible link
between the scripts of the Indus Valley Civilisation
• T he decision of Telangana Cabinet taken in June 2019, and Tamil Brahmi, which is the precursor to modern
was challenged by different parties in HC in the form Tamil.
of eight Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions.
* The Indus Valley Civilisation was situated in the
• The HC in its verdict observed the decision was north-western part of India between 5,000 BCE
arbitrary and that the protection given to Errum and 1,500 BCE.
Manzil is that of a “protected heritage building”.
* Around 1500 BCE, the civilization collapsed and
• The division bench said the State had ignored various some have speculated that its people may have
essential provisions of the law while deciding to moved south.
demolish Errum Manzil.
* The script that was used by the people of this
• The Cabinet had also overlooked important factors civilization has been termed the Indus script
and ignored the procedures established by law, the
verdict said.
• Preservation of heritage was incorporated to be part
of “life” enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution, the
bench noted.
• The World Heritage Convention-1972 makes it
imperative for the State to preserve heritage buildings
which contribute to the sense of culture and identity
of the State.
World Heritage Convention, 1972:
• I t is a convention introduced by UNESCO, concerning
the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural
Heritage.
• The primary mission of the convention is to identify
and protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage
considered to be of Outstanding Universal Value.
• It is governed by — World Heritage Committee
supported by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
(Established in 1992)
• By signing the Convention, each country pledges to
conserve not only the World Heritage sites situated on
its territory, but also to protect its national heritage.

SEPTEMBER-2019 110
• T here was an urban civilization in Tamil Nadu that was • It is primarily engaged in ‘Communicating Science to
contemporary to the Gangetic plain civilisation. Empower People’ through its network of twenty-five
* Sangam age is generally considered between Science Centres/Museums spread across India and
300 BC and 300AD. a Central Research & Training Laboratory (CRTL), in
Kolkata.
* But the Sangam age materials unearthed from
the Keeladi excavation site in Sivaganga district • NCSM is the world’s largest network of science
of Tamil Nadu could be dated between 600 BC centres and museums that functions under a single
and 100 AD administrative umbrella.
* This urban civilisation was thriving on the banks 7. Mangu Mutt
of the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu in 6th Century
The Punjab Chief Minister urged the government of Odisha
BCE, around 2500 years ago
to retract the decision to demolish the Mangu Mutt in Puri.
* What this suggests is that the Sangam era -
• T he Mangu Mutt is believed to have been visited by
considered Tamil Nadu’s golden age - began
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
much earlier than what was once thought.
• The Mutt is among many structures within 75-metre
• A
nother major discovery is that people in the Sangam
radius of the Jagannath Temple that are being
period were literate as early as the 6th Century BCE.
demolished to ensure the safety and security of the
* The finding was based on potsherds which temple.
had names of people - like Aadhan and
Kudhiranaadhan - written in Tamil-Brahmi script 8. Pulikali
• T he finding suggests that the society in Keeladi had • Pulikali (Tiger Dance) is a folk art of Kerala.
used animals predominantly for agricultural purposes • Artists wear a tiger mask, paint their bodies like tigers
and dance to the rhythm of traditional percussion
6. Mobile Science Exhibition (MSE) Programme
instruments such as thakil, udukku and chenda.
• M
ounted on a specially designed bus, a Mobile
• It is performed on the fourth day of Onam festival.
Science Exhibition carries a number of interactive
exhibits related to everyday science. • The main theme of this folk art is tiger hunting with
• The MSE or Museo-bus travels from school to school in participants playing the role of tiger and hunter.
rural areas and organize exhibitions there throughout
9. Rakhigarhi DNA does not contain ‘Aryan’ genetic trace
the year.
Context
• Along with the exhibition, some other programmes
like Sky Observation Programme through telescope, • A
paper called ‘An Ancient Harappan Genome
science films show, Science Demonstration Lectures Lacks Ancestry from Steppe pastoralists and Iranian
etc. are also organised. Farmers’, was published in the Cell journal
• The program has been fully funded by Ministry of • This paper says that the inhabitants of the Indus Valley,
Culture, Govt. of India. spread in northwest Asia from 2600 BC to 1900 BC,
lacked the Steppe-Pastoralist (Aryans) ancestry that
Objectives of the programme
brought Indo-European languages into South Asia.
• P
opularize science and technology among the
* Which means that that the hunter-gatherers of
students and general public.
South Asia, have an independent origin.
• Creating a scientific awareness in the society.
Details
• Inculcating a spirit of enquiry among the young
• T he findings of the paper are based on the DNA
people.
sequencing of skeletal remains of a woman found at
• Inspiring youngsters to pursue a career in science, Rakhigarhi in Haryana
technology, engineering and mathematics.
• The hunter-gatherer communities developed into
• Supplementing formal education imparted in schools agricultural communities and formed the Harappan
and colleges with non-formal science education. civilisation.
• Promoting a culture of science in society. • The researchers also suggest that there was a
National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) movement of people from east to west as the
Harappan people’s presence is evident at sites like
• I t is an autonomous organization under the Ministry Gonur in Turkmenistan and Sahr-i-Sokhta in Iran.
of Culture, Govt. of India.
* There was a hint that settled life and
• NCSM has its Headquarters in Kolkata domestication went from South Asia to West
Asia.

SEPTEMBER-2019 111
• As the Harappans traded with Mesopotamia, Egypt,

the Persian Gulf and almost all across South Asia,
there was bound to be movement of people resulting
in a mixed genetic history. India had a heterogeneous
population right from the beginning of settled life
What is ancient DNA (aDNA)?

• D
NA extracted from archaeologically recovered
bones, teeth or fossil plant remains is called ancient Applications of aDNA from human samples:
DNA. It becomes degraded due to ageing, climate • M
odern human DNA databases are built on samples
and soil conditions. from people who are alive today.
• Techniques developed over the past three decades • The comparison of aDNA samples with other aDNA
have led to a revolution in the understanding of the and modern DNA databases can reveal unsuspected
evolution and genetic history of a range of animals genetic histories.
and plants, including extinct species.
• 99% of all human DNA is common.
• Small fragments of aDNA are processed to sequence
• However, specific variant genes (alleles), mutations
the genome of those ancient organisms.
and other markers can be compared with that of
• Palaeogeneticists have established how genetic modern groups.
variation might relate to the independent evolution
• The applications of such comparison include:
of species on different continents or how populations
that today appear distinct in different geographical * Understanding the genetic predisposition
areas were once related and likely existed together in towards certain diseases and responses to
one region. medicines in different social groups in South
Asia.

SEPTEMBER-2019 112
* Tracing the deep ancestry of ancient individuals

and assess how their genetic makeup is distinct.
* However contamination from modern human
DNA is a real challenge and requires special
techniques at every stage of the recovery and
extraction process.
What are the Implications?
• P
opulation genetic history open new lines of evidence
into pasts.
• The aDNA results reflect that a host of Chalcolithic
(Copper-Bronze using) and Iron Age cultures prosper
between 2000 and 1000 BC in almost all regions of the
subcontinent.
• Most people today would readily accept information
about their susceptibility to diabetes or cancer from
their genetic data.
• But people would hesitate to accept that genetic
cleavages that happened a 100 generations ago
define their actions, choices and identity today.
• H
owever, no single story of genetics, of language
families, or of the movement of people can explain the
geographic, technological and cultural complexities
of this millennium.
10. Whistling Villages of Meghalaya

• The Kongthong village of Meghalaya has approached
the government for initiating the procedure for its
inclusion in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural
Heritage.
• The villagers have a practice of giving each child a
unique tune instead of a name. The tune is called
‘jingrwai iawbei’ (in the Khasi language).
• Mothers compose a tune for her child until they attain
a certain age to be called by normal names.
• Some villages around Kongthong also follow a
similar practice. Those villages are also claiming for a
recognition by UNESCO.
• The area comes under the Sohra Hima (a traditional
administrative unit) headed by a syiem or chieftain.
• Khat-ar means an area belonging to 12 clans of the
Khasi community and Shnong means village.
• I n 2017, UNESCO had put Turkey’s whistled language
on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of
urgent safeguarding.
11. Vallam Kali

• It is a traditional boat race in Kerala
• It is a form of canoe racing and uses paddled war
canoes.
• It is mainly conducted during the season of the
harvest festival Onam in autumn.
• Vallam Kali includes races of many kinds of paddled
longboats, and fame in Kerala the traditional boats of
Kerala.

SEPTEMBER-2019 113
GEOGRAPHY
1. K2-18b • Once it is determined that a celestial body is indeed

new, a provisional name is given. This name has the
• It is an exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star K2-18
year of discovery, two letters of the alphabet and,
which is about 110 light years from the Earth in the
perhaps, two numbers. The minor planet that has
Leo constellation
been named after Pandit Jasraj was initially called
• K2-18b was discovered in 2015 and is one of hundreds ‘2006VP32’.
of super-Earths -- planets with a mass between Earth
• Once more information is available about the body,
and Neptune -- found by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft.
particularly its orbit, and after it has been sighted on at
• “K2-18b is not ‘Earth 2.0’ as it is significantly heavier least four occasions, it is entitled to have a permanent
and has a different atmospheric composition. number. In this case, the number allotted was 300128.
* K2-18 b is about 2.3 times wider than Earth and Only after this is the discoverer invited to suggest a
eight times more massive name.
* It orbits a red dwarf, a star much smaller and What are the requirements of the name?
dimmer than our own sun. • T here are rules for nomenclature, and restrictions
Context on the names that can be suggested. The proposed
name must have 16 characters or less, it must be “non-
• K
2-18b, which is eight times the mass of Earth, is now offensive”, and not too similar to an existing name.
the only exoplanet known to have both water and
temperatures that could be potentially habitable, • Names of political or military leaders can be suggested
according to the study published in the journal Nature only 100 years after their death. The same applies for
a political or military event. Names of pets, and names
Astronomy
of a commercial nature are “discouraged”. There
2. Minor Planet named after ‘Pandit Jasraj’ can be restrictions depending on where the body
is located — for example, new objects discovered
Context beyond Neptune are supposed to be given names of
• A
minor planet between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter creation deities.
has been named after the legendary vocalist Pandit
Jasraj. 3. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
What is a ‘Minor Planet’? • N
IOT is an autonomous society under the Ministry of
Earth Sciences, established in 1993.
• M
inor planets are celestial objects orbiting the Sun
that are not large enough for their gravity to pull them • It has its main office at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
into a spherical shape. • The chief objective of the institute is to develop
• This distinguishes a minor planet — or a “small Solar reliable indigenous technologies to solve the various
System body”, which is now the preferred term — engineering problems associated with the harvesting
from planets or “dwarf planets”, which are almost of non-living and living resources in the Indian
spherical. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is about two-
thirds of the land area of India.
• Small Solar System bodies include asteroids, comets,
and several other celestial objects that go around the • The institute engages in developing technologies for
Sun. sustainable utilization of ocean resources.
How are they named? • It also engages in providing solutions to organisations
working in the field.
• N
ames of celestial bodies are finally approved by
a committee at the International Astronomical Context
Union (IAU), a global organisation of professional • O
fficials from the Ministry of Earth Sciences apprised
astronomers, which also decides on definitions of the Vice-president of the status of the National
fundamental astronomical and physical constants. Institute of Ocean Technology’s research facility at
• In the case of small Solar System bodies, the discoverer Thupilipallam village in Nellore District of Andhra
has the privilege to suggest the name. Pradesh
• The discoverer holds this privilege for 10 years since
the discovery. But there is a process to be followed,
and not all names are acceptable.

SEPTEMBER-2019 114
EDUCATION
1. Curriculum for Life Skills (Jeevan Kaushal) • To engage in areas of specialization to make distinctive
contributions to the objectives of the university
Context
education system wherein the academic engagement
• U
nion Minister of State for Human Resource is clearly distinguishable from programmes of an
Development launched the Curriculum for Life Skills ordinary nature.
(Jeevan Kaushal) designed by University Grants
• To develop the capacity of the students and the
Commission (UGC)
researchers to compete in the global tertiary
Details education marketplace through the acquisition and
• L ife skills (Jeevan Kaushal) curriculum cover the set of creation of advanced knowledge in those areas
human talents acquired by an individual via classroom • to provide for high-quality teaching and research
learning or life experience that can help them to deal and for the advancement of knowledge and its
with problems encountered in day to day life. dissemination through various research programmes
* This includes the core skills each individual must undertaken in-house by substantial number of
possess internally as well as externally for the full-time faculty and research scholars in diverse
betterment of self and the society as a whole disciplines
• T he curriculum is designed to impart and strengthen • To pay special attention to teaching and research
the knowledge, skills and dispositions believed to be in unique and emerging areas of knowledge,
the best requisites of the current Industry and thereby including interdisciplinary areas, which are regarded
empower the talent inherent in each learner. as important for strategic needs of the country but
are not being pursued by conventional or existing
* Life Skills like communication skill, interpersonal institutions so far, and award degrees, diplomas and
skill, time management, problem solving ability, other academic distinctions.
decision making capacity, leadership ability
and integrity play a crucial role in boosting the • To aim to be rated internationally for its teaching and
research as a top hundred Institution in the world
employability of the students.
over time.
2. Institutions of Eminence status
3. National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE)
Context
• The National Council for Teacher Education as a
• T he Ministry of Human Resource Development statutory body came into existence in pursuance of
(MHRD) has awarded Institutions of Eminence (IoE) the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993
status to five public universities: IIT-Madras, Banaras
Hindu University, IIT-Kharagpur, University of Delhi • T he main objective of the NCTE is to achieve planned
and University of Hyderabad. and coordinated development of the teacher
education system throughout the country, the
• The decision was taken by the MHRD on the advice regulation and proper maintenance of Norms and
of University Grants Commission and the Empowered Standards in the teacher education system and for
Expert Committee matters connected therewith.
About the Scheme Objectives
• I nstitutions of Eminence scheme has been launched • T o regulate and properly maintain the Norms and
in order to implement the commitment of the Standards in the teacher education system and for
Government to empower the Higher Educational matters connected therewith.
Institutions and to help them become world-class
teaching and research institutions. • It aims at training individuals for equipping them to
teach pre-primary, primary, secondary and senior
Objectives of the scheme secondary stages in schools, non-formal and part-
• t o provide for higher education leading to excellence time education, adult education (correspondence)
and innovations in such branches of knowledge as and distance education courses
may be deemed fit at post-graduate, graduate and
research degree levels and award degrees, diplomas
and other academic distinction

SEPTEMBER-2019 115
4. National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT)

Scheme
Context:
• T he Ministry of Human Resource Development
(MHRD) has announced a new PPP (Public-Private
Partnership) scheme, National Educational Alliance
for Technology (NEAT) for using technology for better
learning outcomes in higher education.
Details:
• T he objective of the scheme is to use Artificial
Intelligence to make learning more personalised and
customised as per the requirements of the learner.
• This requires the development of technologies in
Adaptive Learning to address the diversity of learners.
• There are a number of start-up companies developing
this and MHRD seeks to recognise such efforts and
bring them under a common platform so that learners
can access it easily.
• The Ministry wishes to make such technologies
accessible to a large number of students from
economically weaker sections.
• The Ministry would create and maintain a National
NEAT platform that would provide one-stop access to
these technological solutions.
• Ed-Tech companies would be responsible for
developing solutions and managing the registration
of learners through the NEAT portal.
* They would be free to charge fees as per their
policy.
* As their contribution towards the national cause,
they would have to offer free coupons to the
extent of 25% of the total registrations for their
solution through the NEAT portal.
* The Ministry would then distribute these free
coupons to economically disadvantaged
students.
• The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
would be the implementing agency for the NEAT
programme.
• Expert committees would select the Ed-tech
companies.
• The Ministry proposes to launch and start operations
by November 2019.

SEPTEMBER-2019 116
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. Boat tragedy exposes serious safety lapses • Private boat owners flouting the norms must be
heavily penalised.
Context
• To prevent tragedies, officials should conduct raids
• In a major tragedy in Andhra Pradesh, a private boat
carrying tourists to Papikondalu capsized in the regularly at tourist spots.
Godavari near East Godavari district leaving at least
eight dead
Examples from the past
• Twenty-one persons drowned in the Krishna in 2017,
when a boat carrying tourists to Pavitra Sangamam,
on the outskirts of Vijayawada, capsized.
• Nineteen persons drowned when a boat overturned
in East Godavari district in 2018.
A look at stats
• S ources say that more than 40 boats operate in the
Krishna and about 75 in the Godavari.
• According to the National Crime Records Bureau
(NCRB), on an average, 30 people die in boat mishaps
every year in the state.
Concerns:
• T he boat had no permission from the government to
operate.
• Despite frequent boat accidents in the Godavari and
Krishna rivers claiming several lives, no precautionary
measures are being taken to prevent them.
• According to officials, many private boat operators
don’t follow the rules prescribed by the Indian
Registration of Shipping and the Inland Vessels Act,
1917.
• Only a few possess fitness certificates as per the Public
Canals and Ferry Act, 1890.
* The AP Tourism Department Corporation
(APTDC) operates 52 boats.
* However, unconfirmed reports say that over
200 boats operate in rivers and canals to tourist
places without licence and ignoring safety
norms.
Way forward:
• P
ermission should be given only after verifying the
hull shape, motor capacity, tonnage, length and
breadth, bottom and other specifications.
• AP State Disaster Response and Fire Services personnel
said owners should follow all fire safety norms and
ensure that the boats contain fire extinguishers,
caution boards, sand buckets and other fire-fighting
equipment.

SEPTEMBER-2019 117
GOVERNANCE
1. Fake News • The evolving nature of online business models

encourages the production of information that is
Definition: “click-worthy” and independent of its accuracy. For
• F ake news is a type of yellow journalism or media outlets, the ability to attract viewers to their
propaganda that consists of deliberate disinformation websites is necessary to generate online advertising
or hoaxes spread via traditional news media (print revenue. Publishing a story with false content that
and broadcast) or online social media. Fake news is a attracts users benefits advertisers and improves
neologism often used to refer to fabricated news. ratings. 21st century fake news is often intended to
increase the financial profits of the news outlet.
• Fake news is written and published usually with the
intent to mislead in order to damage an agency, entity, • Hostile government actors have also been implicated
or person, and/or gain financially or politically, often in generating and propagating fake news, particularly
using sensationalist, dishonest, or outright fabricated during elections for political polarization, mobilizing
headlines to increase readership. public opinion and vote bank politics. The relevance
of fake news has increased in the era of post-truth
Background:
politics. Governments and political actors have
• A
s opposed to the popular perception that fake news always invested in disinformation campaigns to build
is a new phenomenon linked to the rise of social narratives of their choice.
media, Fake news has been around since ancient
• Confirmation bias among the people further advance
times. Governments, political actors, individuals have
the spread of fake news. Studies have confirmed that
always invested in disinformation campaigns to build
people don’t care about finding the ‘truth’ behind a
narratives to their advantage.
news item and instead look for evidence to support
• In the 21st century, with the advent of internet and their preferred narrative. In the era of sharply divided
social media platforms, the impact of fake news political opinions conformational bias is a challenge.
has become more widespread. Over time, the
• The state and non-state actors are trying to malign
Internet has grown to unimaginable heights with
the image of enemy countries via fake news. Example:
tons of information updated, allowing the Internet
Intelligence agencies in India have pointed to the role
to be a host for plenty of unwanted, untruthful and
of Pakistani ISI in spreading fake news in India.
misleading information that can be made by anyone.
• The role of internet trolls in spreading fake news
• The advent of social media has merely decentralised
cannot be overlooked. Internet trolls feed on
the creation and propagation of fake news. It is
attention and when interacting with each other, trolls
this that has led to the ubiquity of and difficulty in
often share misleading information that contributes
controlling/eliminating fake news.
to the fake news circulated on sites like Twitter and
• On social networks, the reach and effects of Facebook
information spread occur at such a fast pace, that
• Fake news also refers to satirical news, whose purpose
distorted, inaccurate or false information acquires a
is not to mislead but rather to inform viewers and
tremendous potential to cause real world impacts,
share humorous commentary about real news and
within minutes, for millions of users.
the mainstream media.
Roots of fake news:
Impact of Fake news:
• L oss of confidence in the traditional media and expert
• F ake news in India has led to episodes of violence
knowledge have led to the growth of the social media
between castes and religions. It often spreads through
as a medium of information.
the smartphone instant messenger WhatsApp
• The modern information technology age has led
* 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, which claimed over
to the availability of large amount of information at
60 lives and displaced thousands, was fueled by
very high speeds. The lack of critical thinking leads
videos circulated on WhatsApp.
to obscure sources of information to appear as
authoritative and credible. * 2017 seven people were lynched as rumour of
child abductions spread through WhatsApp in a
village.

SEPTEMBER-2019 118
• F ake news was prevalent during the 2019 Indian • Following over 30 killings linked to rumours spread
general election. The elections were called by some over WhatsApp, WhatsApp introduced various
as “India’s first WhatsApp elections”, with WhatsApp measures to curb the spread of misinformation which
being used by many as a tool of propaganda. Parties included limiting the number of people a message
had weaponized the platforms and misinformation could be forwarded to as well as introducing a tip-line
was widely used for mobilizing public opinion. among other measures such as suspending accounts
• Rumours on the social media in April 2019 related to and sending cease-and-desist letters.
supposed dangers of vaccinations, resulted in some • In India, Facebook has partnered with fact-checking
schools in Mumbai stopping health officials from websites such as BoomLive.
administering vaccinations to children.
• Twitter has also taken action to curb the spread of
• Fake news is being used to target the rival company’s fake news such as deleting accounts. Accountability
sales. Tata Chemicals had to deal with a misinformation to address fake news is partly offloaded on to the
campaign in 2019 saying that Tata Salt contained high technology platforms.
levels of potassium Ferro cyanide.
• Media houses also have their own fact-checking
• The impact of fake news has become a worldwide departments now such as the India Today Group,
phenomenon. The impact of fake news on the Times Internet has TOI Factcheck and The Quint has
Presidential elections in the USA and the Brexit WebQoof
referendum is often quoted as global impacts of fake
2. Educating the public
news.
• T he third leg of the response revolves around
• Fake news is also fuelling racist ideas in the western
educating the end users to be more discerning
nations and is leading to Bullying and violence against
consumers of news by informing them of verification
innocent people.
tools so that they can ascertain the accuracy of a news
Response: item before sharing it.
• C
ombating fake news is a growing preoccupation of • In 2018, Google News launched a program to train
the technology platforms, the political class, the news 8000 journalists in seven official Indian languages
media, and an increasing tribe of citizens concerned including English. The program, Google’s largest
about democracy being hijacked. training initiative in the world, would spread
• The current response to fake news primarily revolves awareness of fake news and anti-misinformation
around three prongs — rebuttal, removal of the fake practices such as fact-checking.
news item and educating the public. 3. Other methods:
1. Rebuttal and Removal • Internet shutdowns have been used by the
• R
ebuttal is a form of fact checking wherein the government as a way to control social media rumours
fake news is debunked by pointing out errors like from spreading in the case of emergencies.
mismatch, malicious editing and misattribution. • Ideas such as linking Aadhaar to social media accounts
• Since fake news items do appear on institutional has been suggested to the Supreme Court of India by
handles, attempts are made to have it removed the Attorney General. This will help track the ‘source’
after rebuttal. There is much pressure on companies of fake news, ostensibly to address the issue at its
like Facebook and YouTube to proactively remove root. This proposal to de-anonymise all social media
fake news from their platforms and rework their accounts, is argued against as it is fraught with serious
algorithms to ensure that such content does not gain issues concerning invasion of privacy and free speech.
prominence. Concerns with the present approach:
• The government is drafting guidelines under Section • I t is impossible to completely ‘remove’ fake news
79 of the Information Technology Act that will bind even after rebuttal, given the decentralised nature
companies such as Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube and of dissemination. Propagation and virality of a news
Facebook to respond to complaints over content in a item are contingent not on its accuracy but on how
“few hours” as against the current norm of 36 hours well it conforms to the dominant narrative and also on
* This is necessary in order to fight the menace of the strength of the associated distribution networks
fake news over social media. Companies will also that spread the narrative. It becomes quite impossible
be required to have grievance officers stationed to rebut and remove all the fake news.
in India. • The increasing complexity of issues, in combination
* The new intermediary guidelines under Section with the deluge of information has made it impossible
79 of the Information Technology Act will also for any individual to develop a well-researched
require companies to respond to complaints stand on all the topics and hence go with whatever
from not just courts and government entities, interpretation is followed by the majority.
but also the general public.

SEPTEMBER-2019 119
• Studies have confirmed that people don’t care about • The Madras High Court had said “The erection of
finding the ‘truth’ behind a news item and instead arches, placards and display boards, banners with
look for evidence to support their preferred narrative poles, etc., abutting into public streets and pavements,
(confirmation bias). Therefore, debunking discrete which obstruct free and safe movement of traffic or
items of fake news without addressing this battle of free and safe movement of pedestrians or obstructs
narratives will have only a marginal value. visibility of drivers is patently illegal”.
Way forward: Negligence of Civic Authorities and Insensitive Political
Parties
• L ook for technological tools like AI to address the
challenge posed by fake news, given its scale and • Subasri joins the list of hapless citizens whose lives
speed. were ended by civic neglect, police indifference,
and, in Tamil Nadu especially, a political culture that
• Need for collaboration between technology
dominates public spaces through exaggerated
platforms, the political class, the news media, and
displays of cutouts, crude arches and flags at the cost
citizens for a long lasting solution to the problem of
of safety.
fake news.
• Political parties from across the spectrum see no need
• A well-defined law for tackling fake news must be
for restraint, even after many directions from the
considered. The Singapore government’s efforts in
Madras High Court to stop endangering public safety
this direction might act like a guiding light.
goes to show that there are no serious consequences.
• We must address the underlying narratives leading
• The Revenue Department and the local body must
to the spread of fake news instead of merely trying to
explain their failure to prohibit the dangerous
rebut individual items. We should thus not lose sight
structures, when there are clear orders in force.
of the desired goal by focussing disproportionately
on individual fake news items instead of the larger Steps to be taken
narrative. • T he government must fix accountability and make
• Educating the public with regard to the menace of individual members of the executive liable for lack of
fake news and providing facts should be the way public safety.
forward. • Acts of omission, neglect and irresponsibility of civic
officials should attract strong action
2. Illegal Hoardings
• It is clear, therefore, that even where limited
Context
permissions could be given, the structures cannot
• S ubhasri Ravi, a software engineer, was crushed to affect public safety.
death by a water tanker in Chennai.
* So a thorough investigation as to who, why was
• She was on her way back home from work, was thrown permission given needs to be taken up and
off her scooter after an illegal hoarding erected on the enforcing penalty for the carelessness, laxity
road’s divider fell on her following which she lost her of officials should set a precedent preventing
balance and was hit by a water tanker. future such issues
• The illegal hoarding was reportedly erected as part • Strong action is needed against recalcitrant politicians
of wedding celebrations of the AIADMK functionary’s and lumpen groups who use banners as displays of
son on the Pallavaram-Thoraipakam radial road. power or fealty
Similar examples from the past • Considering the long history of illegal political
• R
aghu, a young engineer, died under similar banners and religious displays, often involving theft
circumstances in Coimbatore of electricity, the court can bring about compliance
with the law through a special panel, similar to the
• Babu, was electrocuted in Udhagamandalam when Supreme Court’s committee on road safety headed
he touched a party flag that was in contact with a
by a retired judge.
wire; both instances involved ramshackle structures
placed along roads. 3. India Urban Data Exchange (IUDX)
Madras High Court ruling on illegal hoardings • It is a project initiated by Ministry of Housing and
• M
adras High Court has enforced a ban on illegal Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
hoardings since 2006 and the Supreme Court has • Under this platform data would be extracted from
upheld the same in 2008. the Smart City Mission and could be monetised in the
future, similar to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
for bank accounts and digital payments
• The project proposes the example of fire, traffic and
hospitals sharing data for emergency responses.

SEPTEMBER-2019 120
* In another example, it states that streetlight * To ensure that the responsibilities are carried
timers can be connected with traffic density out, the Advisory Group will be the monitoring
patterns to optimise power consumption. agency.
• The IISc has been asked to lead this effort to create * Grievance Redressal Officers will be appointed
the specifications for such a data exchange platform so that citizens can make the State government
through a broad collaboration truly accountable.
Context • The government of Rajasthan has also taken steps
• U
nion Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to train citizens so that they are aware of the facilities
officials have said that the open data platform for the available.
100 cities (part of the Smart Cities Mission) would be • The portal has been arrived at through a regular and
expanded to cover 500 cities by 2022 and all urban rigorous consultative process between government
centres in the country by 2024. officials, IT professionals and civil society.
Significance
4. Jan Soochna Portal (JSP)
• Files which were once accessible only on filing RTI
• It is a portal launched by Rajasthan Government
Applications, would now be provided on suo motu
developed by the Information and Technology
basis by the Government to the public at regular
(IT) department, to enhance Transparency and
intervals
accountability in the Right to information Act 2005,
that deals with proactive disclosure of information. * Since the information is available on the Internet,
every citizen, right down to the municipal ward
* Under Section 4 (2) of the Right to Information
and panchayat, has access to the information.
Act 2005, provisions were made that different
authorities and government departments will • This information is made freely available on the JSP. All
voluntarily disclose information through various information can be accessed immediately, free of cost.
means including the internet, so that general • This Portal provides Information about
public can file least number of publications to
seek to various information coming under the * farm loan waiving scheme beneficiaries
ambit of the government * provides details about pollution and
• However, in the past 14 years, the centre and various environment clearances
state governments had not implemented this * mining licenses
provision of the section.
• List of mines in every district, provides
• Through this portal, common people will get
information pertaining to 13 departments online in a geographical coordinates, and the area
lucid language where mining has been permitted, including
Context the land deed identifiers.
• R
ajasthan launched JSP for quick access to information * It provides details of production and royalties
on government departments and taxes paid.
Details • This kind of information can facilitate a progressive
partnership between government and citizens for a
• U
nder this portal, activities of the government such as cleaner society.
availability of food grains and ration shops and their
distribution, implementation of various schemes and Challenges
their beneficiaries and a variety of other information • The mere launch of the JSP is not enough. There are
are available on a real-time basis virtually making it a huge challenges with regard to maintenance issues
Janta Information System. which needs to be addressed periodically
• Various departments of the government of Rajasthan, • Digital divide is a serious problem in India. To bridge
called Line Departments, have been given a set of this, care should be taken to ensure that access points
obligations that they are expected to fulfil. are open and free.
* For example, they are expected to ensure Conclusion
digitization of records.
• It would be wonderful if all other State governments
* In addition, the Department of Information follow the Rajasthan government’s initiative, which
Technology will serve as the nodal department aims to make people, including the marginalized
for the development, operationalization and sections, a part of the governance process.
maintenance of the JSP.
• This department has been informed of its obligations,
which includes adherence to the norms and standards
laid down by a digital dialogue advisory group.

SEPTEMBER-2019 121
MISCELLANEOUS
1. ERSS- Dial 112, ‘E-Beat Book’ System and ‘E-Saathi’ ‘E-Saathi’ App:
App • T his App is intended to help the general public,
Context including senior citizens, to remain in touch with
the police and also give suggestions to facilitate
• The Union Home Minister launched three citizen- participative community policing.
centric services of the Chandigarh Police which are
ERSS- Dial 112, ‘E-Beat Book’ System and ‘E-Saathi’ • The beat officer would be able to provide services
App, in Chandigarh. like passport verification, tenant verification, servant
verification, character certification, etc. at a click of a
ERSS: button through the App, without people needing to
• ERSS stands for Emergency Response Support System. visit the police station.
• ERSS is one of the key projects of the Union Ministry of 2. Global Goalkeepers Award
Home Affairs under the Nirbhaya Fund.
Context
• ERSS provides a single emergency number (112), and
a computer-aided dispatch of field resources to the • P
rime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with
location of distress. the Global Goalkeeper award by the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation
• C
itizens can send their emergency information
through call, SMS, email and through the 112 India Details
mobile app. • T he Goalkeeper awards felicitate changemakers
Dial 112: around the world for their contributions toward
meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
• T ill now, there were more than 20 emergency helpline (SDGs), which the UN General Assembly set in 2015
numbers, for various kinds of emergencies needing for the year 2030.
the help of rescue forces in the domains of fire, health,
police, etc. • The awards are presented at the annual Goalkeepers
function; the first such event took place in 2017.
• This was ineffective since the public would often get
confused with the numbers and end up wasting time • There are five categories of awards at the Goalkeepers
calling the wrong emergency service. event: Progress Award (age 16-30), Changemaker
Award (age 16-30), Campaign Award (age 16-30),
• To avoid this, the Dial 112 is created, which is a single Goalkeepers Voice Award (any age), and the Global
number for immediate assistance services from police Goalkeeper Award (any age).
(100), health (108), fire (101), and women (1090).
• Prime Minister Modi is being conferred upon this
• Initially, 16 states and Union Territories are planning to award for his work in sanitation through the Swachh
roll-out the service. Bharat Mission.
• In the future, more emergency services would be * The Global Goalkeeper Award, awarded to PM
covered in this initiative. Modi, “celebrates a political leader who has
E-Beat Book: demonstrated their commitment to the Global
Goals through impactful work in their country
• I t is a web and mobile-based application which
will ease the collection, updation and analysis of and/or globally”.
information related to crime and criminals in real-
3. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders
time.
(MSF)
• T he E-Beat Book would be linked with the Crime and
Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), which • It is an international, independent, medical
would help in real-time updation of crime/criminal humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency
data. aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics,
natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare.
• Every Beat Officer would be having an android phone
to use the App. • MSF offers assistance to people based on need,
irrespective of race, religion, gender or political
affiliation.
• Médecins Sans Frontières was founded in 1971, in the
aftermath of the Biafra secession

SEPTEMBER-2019 122
* The Nigerian Civil War is also known as the 6. National Service Scheme
Biafran War and the Nigerian-Biafran War, was • The National Service Scheme (NSS) is a Central Sector
during the period of 1967 to 1970. Scheme of the Government of India, under the
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
4. Naga Chilli
• It gives opportunities to school students of classes XI
• Naga Chilli (Capsicum chinense) also known as King
and XII, and university/college students to take part in
Chilli, is more popular as Bhot Jolokia.
various government led community service activities
• It derives its name from the popular belief that it and programmes.
originated in the hills of Bhutan.
• The chief objective of the NSS is to offer students and
• The Guinness Book of World Records had in 2007 young people a first-hand experience in delivering
named it as the hottest chilli but lost its position service to the community.
first to a U.K. variety called Infinity and then the
• It was started in the year 1969.
U.S.¬developed Carolina Reaper.
• Motto of NSS: “Not Me But You”
• The chilli has now been used by a Naga panchakarma
specialist in India for an acupuncture theory. • All volunteers wear the NSS badge which is a symbol
of pride and honour for them. The badge signifies that
* Panchakarma, entailing five procedures, is the
they are ready for service round the clock.
purification therapy used in Ayurvedic medicine.
The benefits that students get from being a part of this
• The higher degree of pungency compared to the
scheme are:
traditional mix, is believed to make the nutrients
penetrate deeper to particular tissues that need to be • They can get skills to become accomplished social
stimulated for pain relief. leaders in the future
• Traditionally naga chillies are used for treating asthma, • They get experience which will help them become
gastro-intestinal abnormalities, toothache, muscle efficient administrators
pain, arthritis, etc. • It will help them understand human nature better
5. National Geosciences Awards • It will also help them understand the rich cultural
diversity of India
Context:
• It will help them have national pride through a better
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines knowledge of the country
conferred the National Geosciences Awards for the
year 2018 for outstanding contributions in the field of • NSS organises camps, parades, youth festivals, etc. as
geosciences, mining and allied areas to 22 scientists part of its activities.
About the National Geosciences Awards: Context:
• The awards scheme originated in 1966 when the GOI • The President of India presented the National Service
instituted the National Mineral Awards. Scheme Awards at New Delhi
• The National Mineral Awards scheme was enlarged 7. Ramanujan prize for U.K. mathematician
into the National Geosciences Awards (NGA) scheme
from the year 2009 onwards to foster further research • The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, founded by Shanmugha
in geosciences. Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy
(SASTRA) located near Kumbakonam, is awarded
• These awards are given in ten categories namely: every year to a young mathematician, judged to
* Mineral exploration have done outstanding work in Ramanujan’s fields of
interest.
* Groundwater exploration
• The prize carries a citation and an award of $10,000.
* Mining technology
• It is conferred annually on mathematicians from
* Mineral beneficiation
across the world:
* Sustainable mineral development
* Who are less than 32 years of age
* Basic and applied geosciences
* Who are working in an area influenced by
* Geo-environmental studies Srinivasa Ramanujan.
* Natural hazards investigation • The award was instituted in 2005.
* Award for Excellence • The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for 2019 will be awarded
to mathematician Adam Harper, Assistant Professor
* Young Scientist Award with the University of Warwick, England.
• The citation said Mr. Harper was awarded the prize
“for several outstanding contributions to analytic and
probabilistic number theory.”

SEPTEMBER-2019 123
8. Sardar Patel National Unity Award 10. Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar and National Safety
Context: Awards
• The Government of India has instituted the ‘Sardar Context
Patel National Unity Award’ as the highest civilian • The Labour Minister gave away the Vishwakarma
award for contribution to the unity and integrity of Rashtriya Puraskar and the National Safety Awards for
India. the performance year 2017.
Details Details
• The award seeks to recognize notable and inspiring • This award scheme is operated by the Directorate
contributions to promote the cause of national unity General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes
and integrity and to reinforce the value of a strong (DGFASLI) in Mumbai.
and united India.
• This is an attached office of the Ministry of Labour and
• The award will be announced on the occasion of Employment.
National Unity Day, i.e. the birth anniversary of Sardar
Patel Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar:
• The award shall be conferred by the President under his • This award was previously known as ShramVir
hand and seal and presented by him in a presentation National Awards.
ceremony along with the Padma award presentation • It was initiated in 1965 by the Labour Ministry.
ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
• I t is awarded in recognition of outstanding
* The award would consist of a medal and a suggestions given by a worker or a group of workers
citation. and implemented by the management during the
* No monetary grant or cash award would be previous calendar year, resulting in improvement in
attached to this award. quality, productivity, savings to the unit including
savings in foreign currency and working conditions
* Not more than three awards would be given in such as safety, health and environmental conservation
a year. It would not be conferred posthumously in the industrial undertakings where “Suggestion
except in very rare and highly deserving cases. Schemes” are in operation.
* Nominations can be sent by any Indian national, • A
cash prize and a merit certificate are given in three
institution, or organisation based in India. categories.
Individuals can also nominate themselves. State/
UT governments or ministries in the GOI can also National Safety Awards
send nominations. • This award was also initiated in 1965.
9. Swachh Mahotsav 2019 • This award is given in recognition of outstanding

safety performance of industrial establishments,
Context: construction sites, ports and installations under the
• The Swachh Mahotsav 2019 was held at New Delhi Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
organised by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. The • The objective behind the award is to stimulate and
President gave away the Swachh Bharat Awards in maintain the interests of both the management and
various categories. the workers in accident prevention programs.
Swachh Bharat Awards 2019 • The awardees get a shield and a merit certificate.
• Best Swachh Iconic Place award: Vaishno Devi Shrine • These awards are given in 12 schemes (10 for factories/
Board in Jammu and Kashmir.
installations/construction sites and 2 for ports).
• Swachh Award in Swachhta Action Plan category:
Ministry of Railways 11. World’s Most Liveable Cities
• Swachhta Pakhwada Award: Department of Defence Context
• PSU Category award for contribution to Swachh • The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its
Bharat Kosh: Power Grid Corporation annual Global Liveability Index, measuring the most
livable cities in the world in 2019.
• Award for Open Defecation Free (ODF) and Behavior
Change: Gujarat and Sikkim Details
• Ganga Gram: Village Baghori in Uttarkashi • The EIU said its ranking of 140 cities is based on their
scores (out of 100) in five broad categories -- stability,
• Awards were also given to youngsters in the Swachh healthcare, culture and environment, education, and
Bharat Summer Internship category. infrastructure.
• Each factor in a city is rated as acceptable, tolerable,
uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable.

SEPTEMBER-2019 124
Ranking Details:
• With an overall rating of 99.1 out of a possible 100, • In the Ledum village in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang
Vienna has been named the most livable city in the district, fines were imposed on livestock loitering on
world for the second year in a row. the road leading to district headquarters Pasighat.
• The top two cities were followed by Sydney, Osaka • The quantum of fine read: a bullet for a pig, Rs.500 for
and Calgary. a cow and possibility of it being auctioned off.
• Europe claimed eight of the top 20 spots, with cities • It was difficult at first to impose the fine, as some
in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada making village youth came out with their hunting guns and
up the rest began shooting the pigs to let people know the rules
India were not to be taken lightly.
• The national capital has dropped by six places to rank • Ledum has 112 Adi households while few families
118th on a list of the world’s most liveable cities due to belong to the Galo community.
increase in cases of petty crimes and poor air quality * A gun is a prized possession for many men
• It has received substantial downgrades on their scores belonging to the Adi community whose festivals
owing to problems linked to climate change, such as include “Aran” involving community hunting.
poor air quality, undesirable average temperatures * Yakjong dance is also performed in the Aran
and inadequate water provision festival.
12. New Bill wants engineers to register, follow ethics • In 2016-17, the village committee collected Rs.5,000
in ‘bovine fine’. The collection slumped to Rs.2,500 and
code Rs.1,500 during the subsequent financial years. Only
Context 500 has been collected since April 2019.
• A Bill is being drafted under the supervision of All • The villagers also imposed 100 as penalty on those
India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and the who threw plastic and other wastes around. As a
Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) result, the village is spic and span.
which will make it compulsory for engineers to • This is remarkable for a village that was once tagged
register with a body to practice their craft dirtiest in central Arunachal Pradesh.
Details • The villagers have also added value by making Ledum
• The suggestion for a Bill came from E. Sreedharan, a mural village.
architect of the Delhi Metro Rail, who mooted a code * 15-20 members of the Arunachal Akademi of
of ethics and a council. Fine Arts are painting the walls of the houses
• The basic idea is like lawyers, architects, pharmacists with a blend of traditional and modern art.
and medical practitioners, engineers should get * The artwork is being readied ahead of the first
registered and there must be professional ethics and Easterly Essence Ledum Festival in October,
code which they all have to follow. 2019.
• If they don’t follow, their registration can get cancelled. • Ledum located in foothills of central Arunachal
Technology Ethics (Tech Ethics) Pradesh was identified during the British rule in India,
because of its geographical location and water quality.
• It is a field of study that seeks to understand and
resolve moral issues that surround the development Adi and Galo Tribes:
and practical application of mechanical and electronic • The Adipeople are one of the most populous groups
technology. of indigenous peoples in the state of Arunachal
* It is the application of ethical thinking to the Pradesh.
practical concerns of technology. • A few thousand are also found in the Tibet
• Tech ethics focuses on subjects such as the relationship Autonomous Region of China were they are called
between technology and human values and well- the Lhoba together with some of the Mishmi people.
being, the condition in which technological advances • The Galoare a central Eastern Himalayan tribe, who are
occur and the social repercussions for technological descendants of Abo Tani and speak the Tani language
advancements. and Galo language.
13. Livestock ‘traffic’ fine transforms Arunachal’s dirtiest • The Galo people primarily inhabit Arunachal Pradesh.
village • Other names which have been used to reference the
Context: Galo in the past include Duba, Doba, Dobah Abor,
Gallong Abor, Galong, Gallong Adi, etc.
Ledum in East Siang district had prescribed penalties for
roaming pigs and cows, which has transformed the dirty • The Galo have been listed as a scheduled tribe under
village. the name Gallong since 1950.

SEPTEMBER-2019 125
14. Giant earthworm found at the foot of Western Ghats

• Giant earthworm has been spotted in Kollamogaru
village, in the Western Ghats.
• The earthworm measures over three feet in length i.e,
950 mm.
• It is the first time that such a large earthworm has
been sighted in the Western Ghats and the coastal
belt.
• Morphological study of the newly discovered
earthworm has tentatively indicated that it belongs to
the genus of Moniligaster.
• Drawida nilamburensis, belonging to the
Moniligastridae family, reported in the year 2008, is
by far the largest earthworm spotted in India. This
specimen, from the Nilgiris, measured up to 1,000 mm
in length.

SEPTEMBER-2019 126
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Consider the following statements with reference to 4. which of the following is not one of the four ‘mathas’
cholerae: founded by shankaracharya across India?
1. Cholerae bacteria have developed resistance against A. Dwaraka
most routinely used antibiotics. B. Puri
2. Cholerae is caused by eating food or drinking water C. Kanyakumari
contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae
D. Sringeri
Which of the statement/s is/are correct?
A. 1 only
5. Which of the following organizations releases the
B. 2 only Special Report on Climate Change and Land?
C. Both 1 and 2 A. World Meteorological Organization
D. Neither 1 nor 2 B. Climate Action Network
C. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
2. Which of the following statements describes the D. Global Atmosphere Watch
‘Build for Digital India’ programme?
A. It is a programme for educating government
servants about the techniques in e-Governance. 6. Consider the following statements with reference to
Ajmer Dargah:
B. It is a scheme for building more Common Service
Centres (CSCs) across rural India. 1. A Dargah is the tomb or shrine of an Islamic saint.
C. It is a scholarship programme for school children 2. Ajmer Dargah was built as the mausoleum of
who have interest towards innovations in computer Nizamuddin Auliya.
science. 3. It has a square structure of the royal darbar called
D. It is a platform for engineering students to develop Mehfil Khana.
technology-based solutions for key social issues. Which of the statement/s is/are correct?
A. 1 only
3. Consider the following statements with reference to B. 2 only
the Electors Verification Programme (EVP) introduced
by the Election Commission: C. 1 and 2 only
1. Through EVP, voters can update and verify details in D. 1 and 3 only
the electoral roll in order to remove logical errors like 7. Which of the following historic sites has the rock cut
multiple entries and missing names among others. relief sculpture known as Penance of Arjuna or the
2. Both online and offline modes are available for voters Descent of the Ganga?
to participate in the EVP. A. Halebidu
3. A voter will not be able to tag his/her family members B. Mahabalipuram
in the same EVP account to verify and update the
C. Muziris
respective data.
D. Adichanellur
8. Consider the following statements about the
A. 1 only
Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB):
B. 1 and 3 only
1. The A-WEB was founded in the year 1957.
C. 1 and 2 only
2. India is a founding member
D. 1, 2 and 3 only
3. It has 115 members and 20 regional associations or
organisations as associate members.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 3 only

SEPTEMBER-2019 127
9. Consider the following statements: 13. Consider the following statements:

1. Ethanol can be produced from sugarcane, maize, 1. Eastern Economic Forum is an international forum
wheat. always held in Vladivostok, Russia
2. Ethanol is a flammable, colourless liquid. 2. It is held biannually
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
A. 1 only A. 1 only
B. 2 only B. 2 only
C. Both 1and 2 C. 1 and 2 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2
10. Consider the following statements 14. Consider the following statements:
1. Apache is an advanced multi role heavy attack 1. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2019, does not
helicopter. allow government to designate individuals as terrorists.
2. India has signed a contract with Russian government 2. It allows National Investigation Agency officers, of
for apache helicopters rank of Inspector or above, to investigate cases.
A. 1 only A. 1 only
B. 2 only B. 2 only
C. Both 1and 2 C. 1 and 2 only
1. River Yarlung Zangbo is known as the Brahmaputra 1. Sex-sorted semen can be used to ensure that only
in India. female calves or heifers are born.
2. The River forms the world’s largest and deepest 2. Artificial insemination can improve the fertility and
canyon. milk production capacity of the calves they produce.
3. It originates at Angsi Glacier in western Tibet. Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? A. 1 only
A. 1 only B. 2 only
B. 1 and 2 only C. 1 and 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only D. Neither 1 nor 2
D. 1, 2 and 3
16. Consider the following statements:
12. Consider the following statements: 1. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
is a statutory body.
1. Exercise Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise.
2. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the administrative
2. It involves China, Japan and India as permanent
Ministry of FSSAI.
partners.
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
Options:
A. 1 only
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1and 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

SEPTEMBER-2019 128
17. ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ is under the Options:

aegis of A. 1 only
A. NITI Aayog B. 2 and 3 only
B. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs C. 1 and 3 only
C. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare D. 1, 2 and 3
D. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
22. “Craniopagus” is:

18. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) operates under A. A medical condition where twins are born with
the jurisdiction of fused brain and skull
A. Ministry of Home affairs B. A medical condition where a part of the brain
B. Ministry of Defence becomes inflamed and causes symptoms that
present as fever
C. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
C. A new species of spider found in the forests of
D. Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and
Kerala
Pensions
D. None of the above

23. Which of the following is the biggest Harappan site?
1. Measles is a highly infectious illness caused by the
rubeola virus. A. Mohenjo-daro
2. Rubella causes irreversible birth defects. B. Rakhigarhi
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? C. Lothal
A. 1 only D. Kalibangan
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2 24. The peninsula of Crimea is located between which of
the following seas?
D. Neither 1 nor 2
A. Black Sea and Sea of Azov
B. Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea
20. Consider the statements:
C. Mediterranean Sea and Ligurian Sea
1. Great Indian bustard is classified as critically
endangered as per IUCN Red data list. D. North Sea and Celtic Sea
2. These birds are often found in the same habitat as
blackbuck. 25. Consider the following statements with reference to
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act:
A. 1 only 1. The Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special
Powers Act was passed in 1948.
B. 2 only
2. The Act grants special powers to security forces to
C. Both 1 and 2
maintain public order in disturbed areas.
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Options:
A. 1 Only
1. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is
B. 2 Only
a constitutional body.
C. Both 1 and 2
2. Its Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies,
Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are D. Neither 1 nor 2
in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as
enshrined in the Constitution of India and the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
3. As per the commissions’ definition “Children” includes
individuals of age of upto 18 years.

SEPTEMBER-2019 129
26. What is the importance of ‘Gram Stain’ test in medical Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
science? Options:
A. A test to identify different types of bacteria. A. 1 only
B. A test to diagnose colour blindness. B. 2 only
C. A test to assess the degree of burns. C. Both 1 and 2
D. None of the above. D. Neither 1 nor 2
27. Consider the following statements about the National 31. Consider the following statements:
Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB):
1. The keystone species of the Mukurthi National Park is
1. The NCTB is set up at the Indian Institute of the Nilgiri tahr
Technology, Delhi.
2. Mukurthi National Park is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere
2. It has the capacity to stock 50,000 genomic samples Reserve
from cancer patients.
3. It operates in collaboration with the Indian Council
for Medical Research (ICMR). A. 1 only
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? B. 2 only
A. 1 and 2 Only C. Both 1 and 2
B. 1 and 3 Only D. Neither 1 nor 2
C. 2 and 3 Only
D. 3 Only 32. Consider the following statements:
1. Goiter is a swelling of the neck resulting from
enlargement of the thyroid gland.
28. Consider the following statements with respect to
“Sentinelese” tribes : 2. The most common cause of goiter is an excess of
iodine in the diet.
1. Sentinelese are designated as a Particularly Vulnerable
Tribal Group. Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
2. They inhabit the North Sentinel Island of Andaman A. 1 only
and Nicobar islands. B. 2 only
3. They are considered one of the most isolated tribes C. Both 1 and 2
in the world.
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Options:
33. Consider the following statements regarding the
A. 1 Only United Nations convention to combat desertification
B. 2 Only (UNCCD)
C. 1 and 2 Only 1. It stems from a direct recommendation of the Rio
Conference’s Agenda 21
D. 1, 2 and 3
2. It is the only internationally legally binding framework
set up to address the problem of desertification.
29. Nilgiri Tahr is the state animal of: Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
A. Tamil Nadu A. 1 only
B. Kerala B. 2 only
C. Andhra Pradesh C. Both 1 and 2
D. Karnataka D. Neither 1 nor 2
1. Saharias are not classified under the category of 1. In India fortification of salt with iodine is mandatory,
particularly vulnerable tribal group. for direct human consumption.
2. Saharias are majorly found in Madhyapradesh and 2. The Supreme Court has mandated universal
also in Rajasthan. iodization.

SEPTEMBER-2019 130
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? C. Both 1 and 2

A. 1 only D. Neither 1 nor 2
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2 39. Consider the following statements:
D. Neither 1 nor 2 1. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is
a regional intergovernmental organization comprising
six countries in Southeast Asia.
2. India is a Member of ASEAN
1. When the natural gas is liquefied, its volume reduces
3. ASEAN is headquartered at Jakarta in Indonesia
by 600 times from its gaseous state.
2. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is converted back to
natural gas through a process known as Regasification. A. 1 and 2 only
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? B. 2 and 3 only
A. 1 only C. 3 only
B. 2 only D. 1 and 3 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2 40. Consider the following statements with respect to
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes:
1. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes is a
constitutional body.
1. The Smart Cities Mission is undertaken by the Urban
2. It is the central authority for declaring an area as a
Development Ministry.
tribal area.
2. The Smart Cities Mission works in partnership with
the state governments in which the different cities are
located. A. 1 only
Which of the given statement/s is/are INCORRECT? B. 2 only
A. 1 only C. Both 1 and 2.
B. 2 only D. Neither 1 nor 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2 41. Consider the following statements with respect to the
Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution:
1. Sixth Schedule is related to the administration of the
North Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur,
Gwadar Port:
Tripura and Mizoram.
1. Gwadar Port is situated on the Arabian Sea.
2. The Sixth Schedule provides for District Councils and
2. It lies to the West of Chabahar port. Regional Councils.
A. 1 only A. 1 only
B. 2 only B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2 C. Both 1 and 2
1. Motihari-Amlekhganj oil pipeline is a project between 1. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease.
India and Bangladesh.
2. Brucellosis causes early abortions in animals, and
2. It is South Asia’s first cross-border oil product pipeline. prevents the addition of new calves to the animal
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? population.
A. 1 only Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
B. 2 only A. 1 only
B. 2 only

SEPTEMBER-2019 131
C. Both 1 and 2 47. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is a demarcation line
D. Neither 1 nor 2 that separates
A. Indian-controlled territory from Pakistan-controlled
43. Consider the following statements: B. Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled

territory
1. Namami Gange is an integrated Ganga Conservation
Programme that comprehensively addresses pollution C. Indian-controlled territory from Bangladesh-
issues in River Ganga. controlled territory
2. Cleaning of River Yamuna is also part of the Namami D. None of the above
Gange Mission.
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? 48. Consider the following statements:
A. 1 only 1. Article 43 of the Indian constitution directs the states
B. 2 only to provide for its citizens a uniform civil code (UCC).
C. Both 1 and 2 2. Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is defined in the Indian

Constitution.
D. Neither 1 nor 2
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
1. Pangong Tso is an endorheic lake.
C. Both 1 and 2
2. It is a brackish water lake.
D. Neither 1 nor 2
A. 1 only
49. The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) has
B. 2 only been taken from the constitution of:
C. Both 1 and 2 A. Ireland
D. Neither 1 nor 2 B. The U.S.A
C. Britain
45. Consider the following statements: D. Russia
1. Earth’s mass is 8 times the mass of the exoplanet K2-
18b.
50. Which of the following countries do not have a Shore
2. K2-18b planet orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18. based Test Facility?
3. K2-18b was discovered by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft. A. India
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? B. China
A. 1 only C. United States of America
B. 2 only D. Pakistan
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2 and 3 51. The Chairman of the Defence Acquisition Council is:
A. Prime Minister
46. Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is: B. Home Minister
A. An index which shows the growth rates in different C. Defence Minister
industry groups of the economy in a stipulated
period of time. D. National Security Advisor
B. An index which shows the price of a representative

basket of wholesale goods. 52. Which of the following festivals is associated with the
C. An index which shows the inflation rate at retail performance of ‘Pulikali’, a folk art form of Kerala?
level. A. Pongal
D. None of the above B. Onam
C. Bihu
D. Dussehra

SEPTEMBER-2019 132
53. Consider the following statements with reference to 57. Nandankanan Zoological Park is located in:
‘Mangu Mutt’ located in Puri, Odisha. A. Madhya Pradesh
1. It is an important shrine revered by the followers of B. Assam
Sikhism.
C. Tamil Nadu
2. It is believed that the shrine was visited by Guru
Nanak. D. Odisha
A. 1 only 58. “Vallam Kali” is
B. 2 only A. An annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhya Temple
Assam
C. Both 1 and 2
B. A traditional boat race held in the state of Kerala
D. Neither 1 nor 2
C. A traditional performing art from the state of Kerala
D. A type of hand-painted or block-printed cotton
54. What are the applications of Carbon Nanotubes? textile produced in the state of Andhra Pradesh
A. Optical blinders that reduce unwanted glare.
B. Space telescopes for spotting exo-planets. 59. The IUCN Red List classifies White-backed vulture as:
C. Supply of power to wearable devices. A. Extinct in the Wild
D. All of the above. B. Critically Endangered
C. Endangered
55. Consider the following statements with reference to D. Vulnerable
the scheme of ‘Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export
Product’ (RoDTEP):
1. The objective of the scheme is to provide incentives 60. Consider the following statements::
to exporters. 1. The Rohingya Muslims are an ethnic minority that live
2. The scheme will not result in any decline of revenue mainly in the Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
for the government 2. They have been facing persecution in the Buddhist-
majority Myanmar.
3. The scheme will replace the Merchandise Exports
from India Scheme (MEIS). Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
Which of the statement/s is/are correct? A. 1 only
A. 1 and 2 only B. 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only C. Both 1 and 2
C. 2 and 3 only D. Neither 1 nor 2
D. 3 only
56. Consider the following statements: 1. Article 32 provides the right to Constitutional
remedies.
1. The primary reason behind the vulture population
getting nearly wiped out in India was the drug 2. Article 32 in the Indian constitution describes the
Diclofenac. power of High Courts to issue writs.
2. The drug Diclofenac was commonly administered to Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
cattle to treat inflammation. A. 1 only
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? B. 2 only
A. 1 only C. Both 1 and 2
B. 2 only D. Neither 1 nor 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

SEPTEMBER-2019 133
1. Habeas corpus is a judicial mandate to a prison official 1. All the NBFCs are regulated by Reserve Bank of India.
ordering that an inmate be brought to the court. 2. NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits.
2. It is a procedure for challenging why a person has 3. Deposit insurance facility of the Deposit Insurance
been imprisoned. and Credit Guarantee Corporation is not available to
3. This writ can be issued against a public authority only. depositors of NBFCs.
A. 1 and 2 only A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3 only B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 only C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2 and 3 D. 1, 2 and 3
63. Consider the following statements: 67. Which of the following diseases is/are transmitted by
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes?
1. Solomon Islands is a sovereign state.
1. Yellow fever
2. It lies to the east of Papua New Guinea.
2. Dengue
3. Chikungunya
A. 1 only
4. Malaria
B. 2 only
Choose the correct answer.
C. Both 1 and 2
A. 1 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1 and 4 only
64. Consider the following statements with respect to the
exceptions under the Anti-defection law: D. 1, 2 and 3 only
1. When 2/3rdof the legislators of a party decide to
merge into another party, neither the members who 68. Consider the following statements:
decide to merge, nor the ones who stay with the original
party will face disqualification. 1. “Aran” is an important festival of the Adi community
of Arunachal Pradesh.
2. A split in a political party won’t be considered a
defection if a complete political party merges with 2. Rodent trapping is the main activity of the festival.
another political party. Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 only
B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2
C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
65. Consider the following statements: marginal cost of fund based lending rate (MCLR):
1. INS Khanderi is the second of the Indian Navy’s six 1. Banks are not allowed to lend at a rate below MCLR.
Kalvari-class submarines. 2. MCLR is an internal benchmark.
2. It is a diesel-electric attack submarine. Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 only
B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2
C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

SEPTEMBER-2019 134
70. Consider the following statements with respect to 74. Consider the following statements:
Ayushman Bharat–PM Jan Arogya Yojana: 1. POSHAN Abhiyaan targets to reduce stunting among
1. The scheme provides a defined benefit cover of Rs. 5 children in the age group 0-6 years to 25% by 2022.
lakh per individual per year. 2. National Council on India’s Nutrition set up under the
2. Pre and post-hospitalisation expenses are not covered POSHAN Abhiyaan, is chaired by the Chairman of the
under the scheme. NITI Aayog.
3. Beneficiary will be allowed to take cashless benefits Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
from any public or private empanelled hospitals across A. 1 only
India.
B. 2 only
Which of the given statement/s is/are NOT correct?
C. Both 1 and 2
A. 1 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 3 only
D. 2 and 3 only
1. Bharat Net Project is the world’s largest rural
broadband connectivity programme using Optical fiber.
71. Consider the following statements with respect to 2. The project is being funded by NITI Aayog.
“Astra Missile”:
Which of the given statement/s is/are NOT correct?
1. It is a beyond visual range missile.
A. 1 only
3. It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India.
B. 2 only
4. It has a strike range of 700 km.
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
76. Which of the following DO NOT amount to
C. 1 and 3 only disqualification under the Anti-defection law?
D. 1, 2 and 3 1. An independent member joining a political party
within 6 months of being elected.
72. Which of the following is/are the objectives of Janani 2. A nominated member joining a political party within
Suraksha Yojana (JSY): 6 months of his/her nomination to the house.
1. Reducing Maternal Mortality 3. A member abstaining from voting, contrary to the
directions of the party he/she belongs to.
2. Reducing Infant Mortality
Choose the correct option:
3. Promoting Institutional delivery among pregnant
women A. 1 Only
Choose the correct option: B. 2 Only
A. 1 and 3 only C. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 2 only D. 1 and 3 only
C. 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3 77. Consider the following statements with respect to RBI
guidelines on Concurrent Audit System:
1. RBI mandates that the concurrent audit of banks be
73. Consider the following statements with respect to done by external auditors only.
LCA Tejas:
2. The age limit for retired staff engaged as concurrent
1. LCA Tejas is an indigenous multirole combat aircraft. auditors has been capped at 60 years.
2. It can carry air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided 3. The head of internal audit in the bank should
and standoff weaponry. participate in the selection of concurrent auditors.
A. 1 only A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 only B. 3 only
C. Both 1 and 2 C. 2 and 3 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2 D. 1 and 3 only
SEPTEMBER-2019 135
78. With reference to National Investigation Agency: 2. It is an annual exercise organised for sharing of
1. It deals with offenses of terrorism only practices for multinational peacekeeping operations.
2. it does not extend to citizens of India outside India Which of the given statement/s is/are notcorrect?
3. It extends to persons on ships and aircrafts registered A. 1 only

in India wherever they may be B. 2 only
Which of above statements is/ are incorrect? C. Both 1 and 2
A. 1 only D. Neither 1 nor 2
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1, 2 and 3 83. Consider the following statements:
D. None 1. The fiscal deficit is the difference between the
government’s total expenditure and its total receipts
(excluding borrowing).
79. Yellow Vest movement recently seen in news was a
protest in which country? 2. It is an indication of the total borrowings needed by
the government.
A. United Kingdom
3. Fiscal responsibility and Budget Management Act
B. USA concerns both Fiscal and Revenue deficit.
C. France Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
D. Germany A. 1 only
B. 1 and 3 only
80. Consider the following statements about IMMSAREX C. 2 and 3 only
1. It is the world’s largest international maritime warfare D. 1, 2 and 3
exercise
2. It is hosted and administered by the United States
Navy 84. Which of the following countries border the Caspian
Sea?
Which of above statements is/ are correct?
1. Iran
A. 1 only
2. Azerbaijan
B. 2 only
3. Russia
C. Both
4. Kazakhstan
D. None
5. Uzbekistan
Options:
81. Which of the following islands are part of the Pacific
Ocean? A. 1, 2 and 4
1. Comoro Islands B. 1, 2, 4 and 5
2. Nauru Island C. 1, 2, 3 and 4

3. Solomon Islands D. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
4. Agalega Islands
5. Assumption Islands 85. Consider the following statements:
Choose the correct option: 1. GST Council is a statutory body for making
recommendations to the Union and State Government
A. 1, 2 and 3 only on issues related to Goods and Service Tax.
B. 4 and 5 only 2. The GST Council will suo moto notify the rate of tax to
C. 2 and 3 only be levied under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act.
D. 1, 4, and 5 only Which of the given statement/s is/are not correct?
A. 1 only
82. Consider the following statements: B. 2 only
1. “Khaan Quest” is a bilateral exercise between India C. Both 1 and 2
and Mongolia. D. Neither 1 nor 2

SEPTEMBER-2019 136
86. Consider the following statements with respect to 2. UIDAI functions under NITI Aayog.
Biomining: 3. Foreign Nationals residing in India are eligible to
1. It is the process of using microorganisms to extract apply for Aadhaar Card.
metals from rock ores or mine waste. Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
2. Bioleaching, biooxidation and bioremediation are A. 1 only
biomining processes.
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
A. 1 only
D. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2 “Nirbhaya Fund”:
1. It was created with a Rs. 100 crore corpus, aimed at
87. Consider the following pairs: enhancing the safety and security for women in the
country.
1. Garba – Rajasthan
2. It is a non-lapsable corpus fund.
2. Changu – Odisha
3. The Fund is administered by the Ministry of Women
3. Dhimsa – Assam
and Child Development.
Which of the given pairs are correctly matched?
A. 1 and 3 Only
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 Only
B. 2 only
C. 2 and 3 Only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
D. 1, 2 and 3
88. Consider the following statements with respect to The

92. Which of the following are classified as Critically
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC):
Vulnerable Coastal Areas?
1. It is the world’s first public health treaty enacted
1. Sundarban region of West Bengal
under the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. Vembanad in Kerala
2. India has ratified FCTC.
3. Bhitarkanika in Odisha
3. The treaty is legally binding on the parties to the
convention. Choose the correct option:
A. 1 and 2 Only B. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 Only C. 1, 2 and 3
C. 1 and 3 Only D. 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
89. “Bhut Jolokia” recently seen in news is: 1. The Sustainable Development Goal 3 dealing with
consolidated goal on health explicitly mentions
A. A tribal dance performed by the lotha tribesmen.
Tuberculosis.
B. The Naga Chilli which is one of the hottest chilies
2. The Government is committed to achieving the target
in the world.
of TB elimination by 2030 in line with the WHO targets
C. India’s first dragon blood oozing tree. for TB elimination.
D. An instrument made out of dried gourd and a thin Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
rubber drum associated with Bengali folk music.
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
1. Aadhaar Cards are issued by Unique Identification
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Authority of India (UIDAI) only.

SEPTEMBER-2019 137
94. Consider the following statements: A. 1 and 2 only

1. The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic B. 1 and 3 only
Telescope (LAMOST) aims at conducting a 5-year C. 2 and 3 only
spectroscopic survey of 10 million Milky Way stars.
D. 1, 2 and 3
2. It is a Schmidt telescope operated by NASA.
A. 1 only
1. Anaemia is a condition in which a person has a lower-
B. 2 only than-normal number of platelets and white blood cells.
C. Both 1 and 2 2. Worm infestation and deficiency of vitamin b12 are
D. Neither 1 nor 2 among the causes of Anaemia.
3. The reduction of anemia is one of the important
objectives of the POSHAN Abhiyaan.
95. “Operation Megdhoot” refers to:
A. The code name of an operation of the Indian
Armed Forces to capture the Siachen Glacier in the A. 1 and 3 only
Kashmir region B. 2 and 3 only
B. The Cloud seeding operation undertaken by the C. 1 only
government of Delhi to tackle the unprecedented
smog choking it. D. 2 only
C. The code name of an operation where experimental
solar-powered drone was used as atmospheric 99. Consider the following statements:
satellite, intended to act as relay stations for
providing internet access to remote areas. 1. Economic Advisory Council is an independent body
constituted to advice the government on economic and
D. The initiative taken up by the Ministry of Culture to related issue.
restore the literary works of Kalidasa.
2. It is a non-constitutional and non-statutory body.
3. It can provide policy advice only on the reference
96. Consider the following statements with respect to Co- from the Prime Minister.
operative banks:
1. State Co-operative banks can seek refinance facility
from RBI. A. 1 and 2 only
2. Co-operative banks can open their branches in B. 1 and 3 only

foreign countries. C. 2 and 3 only
3. The administration and supervision of the co- D. 3 only
operative banks completely fall under the purview of
the state government.
100. Consider the following statement with respect
to Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change:
A. 1 only
1. IPCC functions under the United Nations Framework
B. 1 and 3 only Convention on Climate Change
C. 1 and 2 only 2. It was formed by the World Meteorological
D. 3 only Organisation and United Nations Environment
Programme
3. IPCC has received the Nobel Prize for Peace.
Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
India: A. 1 only
1. It is an autonomous, statutory body. B. 1 and 2 only
2. IRDAI was established after the recommendations of C. 2 only
the Malhotra Committee report of 1994.
D. 1, 2 and 3
3. The members and the chairman of IRDAI are
appointed by the Government of India.

SEPTEMBER-2019 138
101. Consider the following statements with respect A. 1 only

to Ajanta Caves: B. 3 only
1. The themes of paintings in Ajanta caves include life of C. 1 and 2 only
Buddha, Jatakas and Avadanas.
D. 1, 2 and 3
2. Ajanta caves are recognised as World Heritage Site by
UNESCO.
3. In the Ajanta cave complex, there are more number of 105. Consider the following statements:
“Vihara” than “Chaitya”. 1. Nandankanan Zoological Park is the only conservation
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? breeding centre of Indian Pangolins in the world.
A. 1 and 2 only 2. It is the only zoological park in India to become an
institutional member of World Association of Zoos and
B. 2 only Aquarium (WAZA).
C. 3 only Which of the given statement/s is/are correct?
D. 1, 2 and 3 A. 1 only
B. 2 only.
102. Consider the following statements with respect C. Both 1and 2
to “Chabahar Port”:
D. Neither 1 nor 2
1. Chabahar Port lies in the Gulf of Aden.
2. It is located on the Makran Coast.
106. Consider the following statements about the
3. It is the only Iranian port with direct access to the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority:
ocean.
1. It is a constitutional body.
2. The objectives of the IRDAI include promotion of
A. 1 only competition while ensuring the financial security of the
B. 2 and 3 only Insurance market.
C. 2 only Which of the above statement/s is/are correct?
D. 3 only A. 1 Only
B. 2 Only
103. Consider the following statements: C. Both 1 and 2
1. Call money, notice money and term money are long D. Neither 1 nor 2
term funds.
2. A fall in call money rate indicates a rise in the liquidity. 107. With reference to RBI, Which of the following
Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? best describes ‘Prompt Corrective Action’?
A. 1 only A. It is a facility in which banks borrow the money
from RBI to correct its mismatches in liquidity.
B. 2 only
B. It refers to the actions taken by RBI under Open
C. Both 1 and 2
Market Operations.
D. Neither 1 nor 2
C. Under this, certain restrictions are imposed on the
banks like they are restricted from opening new
104. Consider the following statements with respect branches and paying dividends.
to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): D. None of the above
1. The OIC has permanent delegations to the United
Nations.
108. Which of the following is correctly matched?
2. It is the second-largest inter-governmental
1. Bandipur National Park: : Karnataka
organization after the United Nations.
2. Corbett National Park : Himachal Pradesh
3. It works to safeguard and protect the interests of the
Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international 3. The Great Himalayan National Park: Uttarakhand
peace and harmony. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

SEPTEMBER-2019 139
B. 1 and 2 only Commission are appointed by the Prime Minister.

C. 2 and 3 only Which of the given statement/s is/are incorrect?
D. All of the above A. 1 Only
B. 1 and 2 only
109. ‘Allocation of seats in the Council of States’ C. 2 and 3 only
under the Indian Constitution is related to which
D. 3 only
schedule?
A. 5th schedule
113. Consider the following statements with respect
B. 6th schedule
to Sendai Framework:
C. 10th schedule
1. It is a voluntary, non-binding agreement on disaster
D. 4th schedule risk reduction.
2. It is the successor of Hyogo Framework for Action.
110. Which of the following help in bringing about 3. India is a signatory to Sendai Framework.
fiscal consolidation?
1. Rationalising taxes
A. 1 and 2 only
2. Reducing subsidies
B. 2 and 3 only
3. Introduction of GST
C. 1, 2 and 3
4. Raising interest-free loans
D. 2 and 3 only
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A. Only 2 and 3
114. The Dasara festival in Mysore was first initiated
B. Only 1 and 2 by
C. Only 1, 2 and 3 A. Krishnaraja Wodeyar
D. All of the above B. Chamaraja Wodeyar IV
C. Jayachamarajecndra Wodeyar
111. Which of these pollutants are NOT included D. Raja Wodeyar I
in measurement of air quality under the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards:
115. Consider the following statements
1. Carbon dioxide
1. Darbar Sahib Kartarpur shrine was established by
2. Carbon monoxide
Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.
3. Ammonia
2. Kartarpur gurdwara is on the banks of River Ravi
4. Lead
5. Ozone
A. 1 only
Choose the correct option:
B. 2 only
A. 1 only
C. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2
C. 1 and 5 only
D. 3 and 5 only

1. Finance Commission is a Constitutional Body.
2. It gives recommendations on the distribution of tax
proceeds between the Centre and the States
3. The Chairman and the members of the Finance

SEPTEMBER-2019
SEPTEMBER-2019
SEPTEMBER-2019
SEPTEMBER-2019 143
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Do you agree with the opinion that immigrants are often found depriving locals of their rights and opportunities? Suggest
measures for establishing a harmonious relationship between immigrants and locals.
2. In India, industry and infrastructure related makeover is a prerequisite for the adoption of electric vehicles. Discuss.
3. A convergence between global powers is imperative for the formulation of policies against climate change. Discuss in the
context of Brazil’s initial refusal of international support in the Amazon fire crisis.
4. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has been at the forefront of solving humanitarian crises across the world. Illustrate
with suitable examples.
5. Starvation deaths continue to eat into the right to life and dignity of social fabric and a radical, new measure like community
kitchens need to be set up across the country to feed the poor and the hungry. Discuss.
6. Unlike national economies, border economies owe their existence to cross-border economic opportunities. Elucidate. In the
context of suspension of economic ties between India and Pakistan, suggest alternative measures to keep border economies
afloat.
7. Violence on doctors and hospitals is a complex phenomenon and will require multidimensional institutional response. A law for
deterrence alone might not have the desired impact. Discuss.
8. Chinese shoppers have adopted facial payments in cashless drive. What are the concerns that facial payment system rises. Is it
feasible to adopt such a system in India? Comment.
9. India is in need of a movement on preventive health for all, in the backdrop of the increasing burden of non-communicable
diseases among the population. Comment on the measures being undertaken in light of India’s target to be free of industrial
trans-fats by 2022.
10. The maiden visit by an Indian prime minister to Vladivostok is set to strengthen India’s position in Asia-Pacific that has emerged
as the kernel of future geo-strategy. Discuss.
11. The trade war between the U.S. and China has seen a significant escalation; it could bring the global economy closer to an
economic slowdown, much earlier than its predicted onset in 2020. Discuss
12. The recent amendments to Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (UAPA) impose indirect restriction on right to dissent
which is detrimental for India’s developing democratic society. Critically examine.
13. What is the significance of citizens’ charters in ensuring inclusive development? Illustrate with suitable examples.
14. The identification of appropriate public infrastructure projects is an important factor in India’s quest to become a $5 trillion
economy. Discuss.
15. Write a brief note on the Sentinelese Tribe. Discuss the steps taken by the government to protect them and the impact of
removal of the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) in 2018.
16. Loss of deal with respect to Taliban peace talks indicates greater regional stability, than in its completion. Critically comment.
17. Though the idea of imposing a ban on Single Use Plastic sounds good, the question on the economics, availability and
applicability of alternatives remains unanswered. India needs to chalk out a robust roadmap to achieve freedom from Single Use
Plastic. Elucidate
18 India faces a severe problem of land degradation. Discuss the measures taken by the government to address the problem, also
suggest the way forward.
19. Critically Analyse the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019.

SEPTEMBER-2019 144
20. With a year having passed since Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was read down, LGBTI people continue to face
discrimination, exclusion, abuse and harassment at work, school, health care settings and in public places. The Indian society
needs a comprehensive legislation that guarantees equality to all persons on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression, marital status and other grounds. Discuss
21. How are e-cigarettes different from the conventional cigarettes? Discuss the potential health risks involved in smoking
e-cigarettes?
22 The fact that Mob lynching has become a recurring phenomenon in India, surging hate, violence against minorities underscores
the need for a special anti-lynching law in the country. Comment.
23. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is considered a mega trade deal currently being negotiated. What are India’s
concerns with respect to joining the RCEP trade deal?
24. What is Line of Actual Control (LAC)? Write a note on its strategic significance.
25. Jan Soochana Portal launched by the Rajasthan government is the right step in making people, including the marginalised
sections, a part of the governance process and must be used as a template by other states to enhance transparency and
accountability in the Right to Information Act. Discuss.
26. Codification of different personal laws can help India arrive at certain universal principles that prioritise equity rather than
imposition of a uniform code. Critically examine.
27. The ‘polluter pays’ principle is an effective tool to ensure the responsibility of the generators of pollution. Discuss.
28 How does the study of DNA samples help the early diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases? Discuss.
29. What are single-use plastics? Discuss why, despite the fact that they pose a major environmental threat; they have not been
banned in India yet.
30. The recent Godavari boat mishap underscores the criminal negligence on part of various government wings of Andhra
Pradesh who failed to follow the ‘safety mandate’ recommended. Discuss.
31. In a diverse country like India, with multilingual characteristics, it is important to have “one language” as an official and link
language for all the administrative purposes. Critically analyse.
32. India’s biggest concern is the declining public expenditure. In order to revive demand and put the economy back on a growth
trajectory, the government has to increase public expenditure in critical areas. Discuss.
33. Low birth weight needs particular policy attention among all the indicators of malnutrition, as it is the biggest contributor to
child death and its rate of decline is among the lowest. Elucidate.
34. With reference to Public Safety Act of Jammu and Kashmir, critically analyse if “Preventive Detention” is a feature which is out
of place in a democracy like India.
35. In this increasingly digital age, where the government is on a mission to move towards a cashless economy and promote
e-governance and digitisation, access to Internet is absolutely essential. However, declaring access to the Internet as a citizen’s
right is not a defensible proposition. Critically comment.
36. Write a note on ‘office of profit’. What is the underlying principle for including ‘office of profit’ as criterion for disqualification?
37. In India, there is an urgent need to include dementia as a national health and social priority with provisions to identify the
disease as early as possible. Discuss.
38 While India’s drone policy establishes an intricate system of registration and application procedures, it is lacking when it comes
to thorough monitoring of drones. Critically examine.
39. The Indian Diaspora has played a major role in upgrading India’s relationship worldwide. Substantiate.

SEPTEMBER-2019 145
40 Explain why India needs to rethink about it’s Water Governance Strategies and reorganize its institutional structure.
41. At a time when India is going through an economic slowdown, discuss the need for a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) or a
similar independent fiscal institution. What are the challenges associated with the establishment of such an institution?
42. What is bio-mining? Examine its application in solid waste management and associated challenges.
43. At the Universal Health Coverage meeting in New York, India’s Prime Minister emphasised that a healthy life is a basic right,
underscoring that a healthy life is the right of every person. Write a note on India’s approach towards the health sector.
44. The recent flow of events in Judicial appointments and transfers have raised questions on the credibility of the collegium
system and the prevailing narrative that the Collegium system is a shield against executive interference in judicial appointments.
Discuss.
45. The relative impermeability of Darknet has made it a major haven for drug dealers, arms traffickers, child pornography
collectors and other criminals. Examine the statement and suggest measures to check the growth of Darknet.
46 What is Agroecology? What are the problems and concerns associated with implementing Agroecology in India?
47. What do you understand by Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)? Comment on its role in helping India achieve its goal of
doubling farmers’ income by 2022.
48 Why is India pushing for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)? What are the impediments to India joining the
group?
49. Chabahar port is considered the golden gateway to opportunities for India. Elucidate.
50 The increase in global temperatures and the concomitant natural disasters will make millions of people climate refugees.
Analyse the statement and suggest the way forward.
51. In the current scenario where Silicosis continues to be an occupational health hazard in the mining sector, India needs a
comprehensive Silicosis control programme with an emphasis on differential diagnosis of Silicosis from Tuberculosis, for effective
treatment. Discuss.
52. Examine the controversy surrounding the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019. Why are the North Eastern states widely opposing
it?
53. What are quantum computers? Do they have the potential to change the lives of the people?
54. Discuss about mangrove ecology and the impact of anthropological factors on mangrove depletion
55. With India’s double burdens of undernutrition co-existing with equally high and increasing rates of overweight and obesity,
there is an urgent need for redesigning of India’s nutrition policy with a focus on diet-related no communicable diseases. Discuss
56. Analyse the areas of co-operation between India and Sri Lanka and discuss the measures that India must take in order to
strengthen its ties, countering the increasing influence of China in the Island nation.
57. Write a brief note on the challenges facing the global food system. Is cultivated meat a sustainable alternative?
58. What do you understand by “Vaccine hesitancy”? Is vaccine hesitancy a public health threat in India? Discuss.

SEPTEMBER-2019 146
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Name: Varsha Meena
AIR: 580 (CSE 2017)
Chairperson: Manoj Soni
Duration: 35 minutes
Hometown: Dholpur, Rajasthan
About Varsha Meena
Optional Subject: Geography
Work Experience: No work experience
Education: B.Tech in Electric engineering, IIT Roorkee
Hobbies:
• Playing volleyball, origami, clay art
• Gold medalist in Inter-IIT sports meet
• Captain of IIT Roorkee girls’ Volleyball team
About Dr. Manoj Soni
• Prior to this assignment, Dr. Soni has served three terms as Vice-Chancellor in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU)
and The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
• Dr. Soni has in the past served on the Boards of Governors of several institutions of higher education and public administration.
• He was also a member of a quasi-judicial body constituted by an Act of the Gujarat Legislature, which regulates the fee structure
of the un-aided professional intuitions in Gujarat.
Education Background
• Dr. Soni is scholar of Political Science with specialisation in International Relations Studies.
• Dr. Soni’s doctoral research is on the “Post-Cold War International Systemic Transition and Indo-U.S. Relations”.
Interview
Questions based on DAF and follow-up questions
• So you are from Dholpur, how does it feel like to come to Dholpur house?
• Important historical incident of Dholpur
• Why do you think an IAS officer is more important than an electrical engineer?
• why do you think you are suitable for IAS?
Agriculture
• how far was green revolution successful?
• what were key elements of green revolution?
• what are the problems which our agriculture sector is facing?
• What is greenhouse?

SEPTEMBER-2019 147
• has share of agriculture in GDP increased or decreased?
Science and technology
• What are your views on artificial intelligence?
• Give an example where complete automation has happened in India?
Economy
• About the evolution of telecommunication sector in India?
• Recently there was a player of telecom industry in news? (Reliance Jio)
• so has TRAI raised any objection regarding the schemes of Jio?
• what are the issues in power sector in India?
• what are issues with manufacturing sector in India?
• what are smart cities?
• how smart villages are important for success of smart cities?
• what are few things that India should learn from China?
• Poverty, poor education and corruption are three main problems India is facing, so what will be your priority while tackling
these issues?
Security
• How far has Indian government been successful in curbing insurgency in India?
• About Punjab insurgency?

SEPTEMBER-2019 148

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4. SOCIAL ISSUES • Environmental Flows

• Live-in Relationships • Global Climate Strikes

• National Nutrition Month (Poshan Maah) • Great Indian Bustard

• Rashtriya Bal Puraskar • India Water Week

• ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon • Jaldoot

• Saharia children battle malnutrition • Maradu Flat Demolition Controversy

• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)

11. EDUCATION 114

12. DISASTER MANAGEMENT 116

• Boat tragedy exposes serious safety lapses

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