Monthly Current Affairs June 2020

Easy to PICK287 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Making sense of China’s calculations By, M.K. Narayanan is a former National Security hackles. Adviser and a former Governor of West Bengal # China’s reaction has been consistent — Context India must move out of Galwan. # The number of casualties, 20 on the Indian side was the highest since 1967, and included that of # What took place in the Galwan heights cannot a high ranking Colonel of the Bihar Regiment. be viewed as a mere replay of what took place The number of casualties on the Chinese side has in Depsang (2013), Chumar (2014) and Doklam not been formally indicated, though they have (2017). conceded that at least one Colonel was among those killed. # This is a new and different situation and India must not shrink from addressing the core issue that No aberration relations between India and China are in a perilous # There was a flicker of hope when apparently state. the Corps Commanders of India and China on June 22-23 appeared to reach a “mutual # China’s assertion of its claim to the whole of consensus” to disengage and embark on lowering the Galwan Valley needs close and careful “tensions” through a “gradual and verifiable analysis. disengagement”. # For one, Point 14 gives China a virtual # This proved shortlived, with the Chinese post in stranglehold over the newly completed, and the Galwan area not only being restored, but strategically significant, Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat also, from satellite images available, bigger in Beg Oldie Road, which leads on to size than before. the Karakoram Pass. # What occurred in the Galwan heights on June 15, # For another, the strategic implications for India must not, hence, be viewed as an aberration. It of China’s insistence on keeping the whole of the would be more judicious to view it as signifying Galwan Valley are serious as it a new and fractious phase in China-India fundamentally changes the status quo. relations. Even if the situation reverts to what existed in mid-April (highly unlikely), India- # Finally, by laying claim to the Galwan China relations appear set to witness a “new and Valley, China has reopened some of the issues left different normal”. over from the 1962 conflict, and demonstrates that it is willing to embark on a new confrontation. # Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for instance, accused China of “brazenly and # Ambiguity has existed regarding the Line of illegally seeking to claim parts of Indian Actual Control (LAC) in this sector; the Chinese Territory such as the Galwan Valley and “claim line” is that of November 1959, while Pangong Tso”. for India the LAC is that of September 1962. # Adding spice to the debate was the Prime Importance of Aksai Chin Minister’s statement at an all-party meeting on # A charge that could be levelled against June 19 to discuss the border issue, that “there was successive administrations in Delhi in recent years is that while China has consistently asserted its no intruder on our land now and no post in claims over the whole of Aksai Chin, India anyone’s custody”, which raised the Opposition’s

Easy to PICK288 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 has chosen to overlook China’s more recent # It is at the same time true that while postures in this region. India’s technological capabilities for intelligence collection have vastly increased in # The importance of Aksai Chin for China has recent years, the capacity for interpretation and greatly increased of late, as it provides direct analysis has not kept pace with this. connectivity between two of the most troubled regions of China, viz., Xinjiang and Tibet. # Advances in technology, specially Artificial Intelligence have, across the world, greatly # While Indian policy makers saw the augmented efforts at intelligence analysis. It is a reclassification of Ladakh as purely an internal moot point whether such skills were employed in matter, they overlooked the fact that for China’s this instance. military planners, the carving out of Ladakh into a Union Territory (followed later by Home # The failure to decipher China’s intentions in Minister Amit Shah’s statement last year laying time is no doubt unfortunate, but it has to be claim to the whole of Aksai Chin) posited a threat understood that deciphering China’s intentions, to China’s peace and tranquillity. understanding the Chinese mind (which tends to be contextual and relational), and trying to make On intelligence assessment sense of Chinese thinking, are an extremely # It is in this context, that questions are now being difficult task at any time. raised about the failure of intelligence. # Even so, since last year when China’s # The timing and nature of China’s actions should economy began to show signs of a have aroused keen interest in intelligence circles decline followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, about China’s strategic calculations. China is known to have become extremely sensitive to what it perceived as efforts by others # The Chinese build-up in the Galwan Valley, to exploit its weakness. Pangong Tso and Hotsprings-Gogra did not require any great intelligence effort, since there # It has often felt compelled to was little attempt at concealment by the Chinese. demonstrate that no nation should attempt to exploit the situation to China’s # India also possesses high quality imagery disadvantage. India’s intelligence and policy intelligence (IMINT) and signals intelligence analysts obviously failed to analyse this aspect (SIGINT) capabilities, distributed between adequately, while trying to make sense of China’s the National Technical Research Organisation, latest forward push. the Directorate of Signals Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence and other agencies, which # Another of China’s current preoccupation, viz. made it possible to track Chinese movement. that India is feeling emboldened because of its growing strategic alignment with the United # Where, perhaps, intelligence can be faulted is States, should also have been adequately with regard to inadequate appreciation of what considered by the analysts, in any assessment of the build-up meant, and what it portended for putative Chinese responses. India. # The principal responsibility for intelligence # This is indicative of a weakness in assessment and analysis concerning China, rests interpretation and analysis of the intelligence with the National Security Council Secretariat available, as also an inability to provide a (NSCS) and India’s external intelligence coherent assessment of China’s real intentions. agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and to a lesser extent, the Defence

Easy to PICK289 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Intelligence Agency. # In the case of the R&AW, lack of domain expertise, and an inadequacy of China specialists might also have been a contributory factor. Limitations of summit meets # The preference given recently to Summit diplomacy over traditional foreign policy making structures proved to be a severe handicap. # Summit diplomacy cannot be a substitute for carefully structured foreign office policy making. # Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain was one of the earliest victims of Summit diplomacy. The disastrous meeting between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and U.S. President Richard Nixon had long-term adverse implications for India-U.S. relations. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President George W. Bush did establish a rapport through frequent Summit meetings, but this was the exception rather than the rule. # Currently, India’s Summit diplomacy has tended to marginalise the External Affairs Ministry with regard to policy making, and we are probably paying a price for it. # As it is, the Ministry of External Affairs’s (MEA) stock of China experts seems to be dwindling, and its general tilt towards the U.S. in most matters, has resulted in an imbalance in the way the MEA perceives problems and situations.

Easy to PICK290 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Brief reprieve: On Pakistan and the terror financing watchdog Context Steps taken by Pakistan # According to reports in Pakistan and India, # In the past year, Pakistan has pursued the Financial Action Task Force, the global indictments against LeT leaders, but not on watchdog group, has decided to grant serious charges, and even 26/11 mastermind Pakistan and other countries on its watch list Hafiz Saeed has only been convicted for “being a three-month extension on fulfilling part of a banned terrorist outfit” and for “having commitments, in view of the pandemic. illegal property”. Pakistan’s status # Meanwhile, LeT operations commanders Zaki # Pakistan was placed on the grey list or Ur Rehman Lakhvi, Sajid Mir, and JeM chief “increased monitoring” list in June 2018, and Masood Azhar appear to be at large. given time until October 2019, in order to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran complete a 27-point action plan on countering Khan’s reference in its Parliament to al-Qaeda terror finance and anti-money laundering. founder Osama Bin Laden as a “martyr” underlines the establishment’s attitude to these # Failing that, it would be put on the black list of groups. “high-risk jurisdictions” facing severe financial sanctions. # Pakistan’s failed attempt to have the UNSC designate four Indians as terrorists last week — # This means that in effect, Pakistan will have it was vetoed by the U.S. — speaks to its lack of had at least one extra year to meet its deadlines, credibility on the issue. despite the fact that it has only completed about 14 points so far. # Pakistan is counting on its role in facilitating the Afghanistan peace deal by pushing Taliban # The remainder is still a tall order, and includes leaders to participate in order to mitigate its improving mechanisms to curb terror financing, troubles at the FATF, and with support from amending laws to curb ‘Hawala’ countries keen to conclude the Afghan deal, may transactions and placing sanctions against cash even ensure a few more extensions for its couriers who facilitate terror groups, completing government. the prosecution of groups banned by the UNSC, and converting madrassas run by them into # Eventually, given the rigorous FATF action formal schools. plan, and the combined pressure of countries in the group, Pakistan would do well to realise that only # Despite this being Pakistan’s third stint on the clear and consistent actions would free it from FATF watch list (prior occasions were in 2008 the commitments at the FATF. and 2012-2015), there is little evidence that it has yet internalised that message. # In a U.S. report on terrorism released last week, Pakistan remains a “safe haven” for most UN proscribed groups. # The report also adds that its steps to prosecute certain leaders of JeM and LeT are inadequate.

Easy to PICK291 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Letter and spirit: On new domicile rules in J&K Context # The National Conference and the People’s # New domicile rules that followed the Democratic Party, both Valley-based parties, have termination of the special constitutional status of reiterated their opposition to the changes. Jammu and Kashmir, which was reorganised into two Union Territories, have brought succour and # In the Jammu region also, there are concerns hope for a segment of its population that had to that there could be dispossession of land and contend with fragmented citizenship rights for a shrinking of economic opportunities for local long. people. New domicile rules # Economic growth and vitality of a society # This group, of two to three lakh people, is made often positively correlate with its openness up of refugees from Pakistan, sanitary workers towards the outside world. resettled from other parts of India and Gorkhas who arrived as soldiers before Independence. Way ahead # Communities that are not equipped to negotiate # The erstwhile State of J&K gained special with unfamiliar market and cultural forces powers to define its ‘permanent need some insulation. It is arguable that with residents’ and restrict land, educational and relatively high rates of literacy, education and employment rights only to them. material standards, J&K is not susceptible to any demographic or economic takeover by # This cohort was not classified as permanent immigrants. residents, leading to a denial of opportunities to them in education, employment and politics — a # Movement into the region will be largely situation not merely unjust but also untenable. driven by economic reasons. A state-driven reengineering of the demography of any place is # Subsequent to changes to Articles 370 and not desirable or democratic, but the fear of such a 35A in August 2019, in March 2020, the concept scenario is no good reason to retreat into a cocoon of “permanent resident of the State” of nativism. was discontinued in J&K. # As per the new domicile rules, those persons and their children who have resided for 15 years in J&K, or have studied for seven years and appeared in the Class X or XII exam in an educational institution in the UT, are eligible for grant of domicile. Impacts of new domicile rules # Not everyone is rejoicing, though. There are concerns that the changes in domicile rules will lead to a huge influx into the region; a more uncharitable interpretation is that a deliberate scheme to change the demographic character of the region is unfolding.

Easy to PICK292 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 In 24 hours, Palestine faces an existential threat By, Hamid Ansari is the former Vice-President of violation of the Charter of the United Nations India, 2007-2017 and the Geneva Conventions, and contrary to the Context fundamental rule affirmed many times by the UN # On June 24, the UN Secretary General António Security Council and the General Assembly that Guterres told a virtual meeting of the United acquisition of territory war or by force is Nations Security Council that the Israeli- inadmissible. Palestinian conflict is at a “watershed moment” # It pointed out that the 53-year-old Israeli and that the Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupation is a source of profound human rights West Bank have alarmed the Palestinians, many violations of the Palestinian people and said Israelis and the international community. “these human right violations would # Such annexation would be “a most serious only intensify after annexation. violation of international law”. # What would be left of the West Bank would # He called upon the Israeli government to be Palestinian Bantustan, islands of abandon its annexation plans and asked disconnected land completely surrounded by the Middle East Quartet (the United States, Israel and with no territorial connection with Russia, the European Union and the UN) to the outside world. resume its mandated mediatory role. # Israel has recently promised that it will maintain permanent security control between the A violation Mediterranean and the Jordan River. # The UN Secretary General’s alarm has been # Thus, the morning after the annexation would be sounded in the context of the Israeli Prime the crystallisation of an already unjust reality: two Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plan peoples living in the same space, ruled by the same to annex on July 1 around 30% of the Occupied state, but with profoundly unequal rights. This is a West Bank. vision of a 21st century apartheid. # This will include annexation of all the existing (post-1967) settlements in addition to The Israeli pulse areas surrounding them and access roads. # Despite Mr. Netanyahu’s bravado, an opinion # Under international law, annexation is forcible poll conducted by the Israeli newspaper, acquisition of territory by one state at the expense Haaretz, in March last year showed that while of another state. 28% of the Israelis opposed annexation, 11% # According to Prof. Nathaniel A Berman of supported full annexation with political rights Brown University, U.S., such an act even if for the Palestinians and 16% full annexation with sanctified by Israeli law is illegal under no political rights for Palestinians. international law and would violate # An interesting, unprecedented, entrant in the the universally acknowledged principle of the debate is an opinion article, titled “It’s either “inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory Annexation or Normalization”, written in Hebrew by force”. by the United Arab Emirates Ambassador in # This, according to him, is the Washington and published in an Israeli accepted position of all international legal bodies newspaper, Yediot Ahronot. It urged the Israeli including the International Court of Justice. government to desist from the contemplated # The same position has been taken by the Office move. of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights). The effect of the plan # In a statement on June 16, it described the # Israel, by its foundational proclamations, “is not annexation of occupied territory as a serious a Jewish state only because most of its inhabitants

Easy to PICK293 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 are Jews. It is state for the Jews wherever they may be, and for any Jew who wishes to be here”. # Its official ideology of Zionism (somewhat analogous to other doctrines of strident nationalism of the 20th century) was described much earlier by Vladimir Jabotinsky as “a colonizing adventure and therefore it stands or falls by the question of armed force”. # Ever since the war of June 1967, the Israeli effort has been to procrastinate a settlement and change ground realities. # Israel today is member of the international community and contributes to international cooperation. It has succeeded in normalising its relations with a wide range of countries. # A concomitant of this is the observance of globally accepted norms of state conduct. A reluctance to do this is premised on the support of “powerful friends” and imperatives of geopolitics. # Jean Jacques Rousseau said a long time back, “the strongest is never strong enough to be always master unless he transform his power into right, and obedience into duty”. For New Delhi # India has a substantive relationship, reaching strategic dimensions, with Israel. # It is mutually beneficial. India’s amity with the Palestinian people, and its principled support to their cause, predates India’s own independence. # On the global stage, we have invariably supported the UN Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions supportive of the Palestinians. # At this critical juncture, and now that we are back on the Horse Shoe Table, would we support an annexation in contraventions of international legality and of our own commitments?

Easy to PICK294 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Cautious, but firm: on India-China stand-off Context # It is only inevitable that the government will # After weeks of more diplomatic wording, face probing questions on its silence when such the statement by the Ministry of External a large troop mobilisation by China threatened Affairs (MEA) on June 26 appears to signal Indian frontiers weeks ago, and whether it that patience in dealing with Beijing is reaching missed signals out of Beijing that this build-up a dead end. was intended. Shifts of note # Other questions remain about Prime Minister # The statement said publicly, for the first time Modi’s insistence and the MEA’s since reports of the stand-off, that the Chinese consistent stand that Chinese troops have not build-up and clashes with Indian troops, come across the LAC, and that there have only including the Galwan Valley incident on June 15 been “attempted transgressions” by the PLA. in which 20 Indian soldiers were brutally killed, had a “larger context”. # Satellite pictures and media accounts point to the contrary. # It also admitted that the Chinese side had built up a large armed presence since early May, # The government must now ensure some making it clear that India’s strategic establishment clarity. The nation must be apprised on has had much to worry about. the challenges and the steps planned beyond ongoing military and diplomatic exchanges, to # While each of the MEA’s several references to ensure that the status quo ante, prior to May, is the situation at LAC in May and June had restored by China. mentioned dialogue as the way forward, its latest statement makes it clear that it is China’s # Each step, whether it involves military action, responsibility to restore peace and international support, or sanctions by banning tranquillity along the LAC, without citing further Chinese products or the participation of dialogue. Chinese telecom and other companies, will come with serious consequences, and the government # It warned that a continuation of the current must ensure wide consultations, simultaneously situation “would only vitiate the atmosphere” preparing the people for what may follow. for the relationship, indicating that the current status quo is unacceptable. # In detailing the number of clashes, the use of unauthorised violence on June 15, and the sheer numbers of troops and weaponry “amassed”, the government is pointing out that China has violated every agreement on border peace that the two sides have committed to since the 1993 Agreement. # In short, the message is this — not only is the situation at the LAC of concern, but China’s actions have also probably undone decades of careful negotiations on the boundary.

Easy to PICK295 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 The World Bank's STARS project needs an overhaul By, Kiran Bhatty is Senior Fellow, Centre for resources is a precondition. Unfortunately, in Policy Research, New Delhi, and Martin Haus is the education sector we are short of that level in an independent researcher working on public all areas. sector reforms # Second, administrative or governance Context reforms must give greater discretion to # Atmanirbhar Bharat calls for an India that the front-line bureaucracy to address local is able to produce and deliver local goods and issues and innovate if required. services to its citizens. This applies # This is as much a function of better equally to education for all children. resources at the local level as of greater # Delivering a service, like education, requires decentralisation of decision-making or political a capable state, especially given the scale and authorisation. complexity of its large and diverse population. # The movement against # Building state capability involves a process of corruption and towards accountability has had learning to do things on one’s own. an unfortunate fallout on innovation for fear of # In other words, state capability is about getting misuse of an increased room for manoeuvre. things done in the government, and by the # Yet, for reforms to be successful, public sector government, by ensuring effective entities need to be able to try new things, and at implementation that is responsive to local times, to fail. needs, but also about being able to design and # Outsourcing to non-state partners not just takes conduct reforms. away discretion from state actors but also a sense # However, the World Bank’s STARS project, of accountability and ownership towards their a $3 billion project to improve education in six job. Indian States, has the mistaken understanding # Third, there needs to be trust within the that state capability should be built by giving a administration among peers and across different larger role to non-state actors and by increasing levels within the administration. the use of technology. # If suspicion is the guiding # Both these premises are misguided as they do principle, institutional arrangements will be not contribute to the capability of the state to geared to monitoring and surveillance, not deliver better education. support and improvement. # The reason is that there are some preconditions for effective governance within A flawed approach the public sector that must be met before either Why is the STARS approach to build state technology or non-state actors can be useful. capacity flawed? # First, it fails to address the basic capacity For effective governance issues: major vacancies across the education # First, the administration must be equipped system from District Institutes of with adequate physical, financial and human Education and Training (DIETs), district and resources. block education offices, to teachers in schools, # An overburdened remain unaddressed. bureaucracy with vacancies and without basic # Without capable and motivated faculty, equipment cannot be expected to be effective. teacher education and training cannot be expected # Often one hears that increasing inputs is to improve. a waste of resources as they are used inefficiently. # Similarly, at the block level, an # This criticism neglects the fact that for already overburdened bureaucracy cannot be efficiency, a critical minimum level of expected to perform miracles without

Easy to PICK296 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 a substantial increase in trained manpower, “democratically promote people’s support staff and other forms of institutional support. participation by empowering local authorities” as # Second, the Bank ignores that decentralising decision-making requires the devolution of stated in the project document. funds and real decision-making power. # Greater decentralisation can # New private initiatives do not have allow accountability to flow to the people rather than to supervising officers. these institutional memories, nor do they have a # It requires not just investment in the capacity of the front-line bureaucracy but also grasp of socio-cultural realities that play in increasing their discretionary powers while fostering social accountability. an important part in the delivery process. # The issue of discretion hinges crucially on trust – the third, important element requiring # While state structures need to develop more attention if state capability is to be enhanced. # Trust, which implies listening and skills to enable them to solve both local and collaborating across different levels within the administration, is entirely ignored in the World structural problems more effectively, it is not Bank project. # Instead, the Bank displays yet again an over- clear how they can be imparted by agencies that reliance on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a panacea that lacks any are extraneous to both the context and the system. backing in evidence. # It is based instead on the idea that a flawed # If we want DIETs, block and community system can be fixed merely through the injection of more and better technology. resource centres, and schools to be atma nirbhar, # In fact, technology does not address most of the systemic or governance challenges; it we need to enable them to develop their own simply by-passes them. # This is not to deny that technology has its uses, capability to reform themselves. but its usefulness depends on whether preconditions for an effective use of ICT-systems # Outsourcing, an over-reliance on measurement have been put in place. # Otherwise the likelihood of exacerbating, by standardised assessments, and an excessive use rather than solving, problems increases. Technology as a short-cut to creating a capable of ICT will not get us closer to an Atmanirbhar state has not worked in the past. # Fourth, measurement is seen as a way to improve Bharat. performance. Yet, just like fever does not go away by checking the temperature more # The World Bank would do well to learn from frequently, service delivery does not improve by measurement alone. its past mistakes and use evidence, often times # Schools in India need improvement. # Lastly, outsourcing basic governance generated by its own research arms, to formulate functions by “expanding private initiatives” and “reducing government tasks” will not make projects. education “more relevant to local needs” or # In its current form, STARS is bound to fail to deliver its core objective: to reform the governance architecture in order to improve the quality of education.

Easy to PICK297 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Share public data with the public M. S. Santhanam is a physicist and a professor at data sharing and enable access to Government the Indian Institute of Science Education and of India owned data for national planning, Research, Pune development and awareness”. Systemic discrepancies # The implementation # The unsatisfactory state of India’s data guidelines for NDSAP include lofty ideals such as collection and processing system is among the “openness, flexibility, transparency, quality” many systemic deficiencies exposed by the of data, and aim to facilitate “access to pandemic. Government of India shareable # It was highlighted by the recent upward data in machine-readable form”. revisions to the COVID-19 death toll in some # The guidelines prescribe open digital States. formats suitable for analysis and dissemination. # Apart from this implicit acknowledgement of the # Opaque formats such as the portable document discrepancies in the data-handling process, there format and the image format are discouraged. are also allegations of under-reporting COVID- As part of the Open Government Data (OGD) 19 cases. initiative, data.gov.in, was launched in 2012. # In general, on every issue encountered during the # In the current climate, the OGD initiative could last three months, from the migrants’s travails to potentially have made a substantial difference to the inadequate fiscal package, lack of reliable India’s COVID-19 response. data in the public domain has hampered the search # Had the district-wise, demographic-wise case for policy alternatives. statistics and anonymous contact traces been # From 2006 onwards, several open-source released in the public domain, reliable model software enthusiasts and civil society forecasts of disease spread and targeted activists came together in the U.S. and U.K. with regional lockdown protocols could have been a demand to unlock the data gathered by generated. governments for unfettered access and reuse by # Model forecasts have limitations, but b from citizens. empirical data are even more unreliable. # Principles of OGD notwithstanding, Principle of Open Data Charter sufficiently granular infection data are not # After all, the data collected at public expense available. must belong to the people. This principle is the # Ironically, violating the data format basis for the Open Data Charter adopted by 22 guidelines, OGD portal provides COVID-19 data countries since 2015. only as a graphic image unsuitable for any # It calls upon governments to disseminate analysis. public data in open digital formats. In return, # The other official data sources (the Indian the Charter argues, governments can expect Council of Medical Research and mygov.in) fare “innovative, evidence-based policy solutions”. no better. # They too do not publish district-wise statistics, Making data accessible and the available data are not in usable formats. # In India, a step towards making non-sensitive # Such half-hearted attempts throttle any government data accessible online was taken in possibility of data-driven research, innovation 2012 with the adoption of the National Data and useful outcomes. Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP). # In contrast, the data portals of Canada, the # However, the implementation has lagged far U.K. and the U.S. present district-wise COVID- behind its stated objectives. 19 cases data, and also the emergent effects on # The main thrust of the policy is to “promote mental health, jobs and education.

Easy to PICK298 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 # According to the latest report of the Open Data Barometer, an independent group measuring the impact of open data, these nations lead the pack while India is a contender to reach the top bracket and not a laggard. # The government must provide the impetus and incentive to exploit this voluminous data by invigorating the dated national data portal. Creating social impact # Every department must be mandated to share substantive data respecting privacy concerns. # Much of the Census and socio-economic data, publicly funded research data, and scientific data are either not open or rotting in unusable formats. # The government should look within for examples of creative outcomes of opening up the database. # Start-ups have built novel applications using Indian Railways data to provide ticket confirmation prediction and real-time train status. Sharing public data is a way to create beneficial social impact.

Easy to PICK299 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 GS-III

Easy to PICK300 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 3-D Bio-Printing The development of 3D bio-printers has raised  Similar to conventional 3D printing: the prospects of making tissues and organs in a Here a digital model becomes a physical more affordable way and consistent way. 3D object layer-by-layer. However, a Bangalore based start-up Next Big Innovation living cell suspension is utilized instead Lab has made human skin with its own 3D bio- of a thermoplastic or a resin. printer using 3D bio-printing with a secret bio- ink.  Caution: In order to optimize cell viability and achieve a printing resolution History of bio-printing adequate for a correct cell-matrix Creation of human skin in a lab for commercial structure, it’s necessary to maintain use dates back to 1993 when MatTek, a company sterile printing conditions. This ensures founded by two chemical engineering professors accuracy in complex tissues, requisite at MIT, launched Epiderm. cell-to-cell distances, and correct output. They took live tissue cells from cosmetic surgeries and circumcisions, and then cultured  Key steps in bio-printing: Several bio- them in petri dishes to produce skin. EpiDerm is printing methods exist, based on a proven in vitro model system for chemical, extrusion, inkjet, acoustic, or laser pharmaceutical and skin care product testing. technologies. But the process principally involves preparation, printing,  Bio-printing is an additive manufacturing maturation, and application which can process where biomaterials such as cells essentially be summarized into three key and growth factors are combined to steps: create tissue-like structures that imitate 1. Pre bio-printing involves natural tissues. creating the digital model that the o A material known as bio-ink is printer will produce. The used to create these structures in a technologies used are computed layer-by-layer manner. tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.  Bio-ink: Bio-ink is a combination of The 3D imaging should provide a living cells and a compatible base, perfect fit of the tissue. Further, like collagen, gelatine, hyaluronan, silk, 3D modelling is done where the alginate or nanocellulos A compatible blueprint includes a layer-by-layer base provides cells with scaffolding to instruction in high detail. grow on and nutriment to survive on. The 2. Bio-printing is the actual printing complete substance is based on the patient process, where bio-ink is placed in and is function-specific. a printer cartridge and deposition takes place based on the digital Next Big Innovation Lab (NBIL) case: The model. This process involves NBIL has made human skin with its own 3D bio- depositing the bio-ink layer-by- printer using 3D bio-printing with a secret bio- layer, where each layer has a ink. It has filed for patents related to its 3D bio- thickness of 0.5 mm or less. printing process and its bio-ink formulation is a 3. Post bio-printing is the trade secret. Using its internally developed 3D mechanical and chemical bio-printer gives NBIL a cost advantage. stimulation of printed parts so as to create stable structures for the The process of bio-printing biological material. As deposition takes place, the layer starts as a

Easy to PICK301 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 viscous liquid and solidifies to technology. Victims of burns and other hold its shape. This happens as wounds could get relief from its more layers are continuously commercial availability, once it is deposited. The process of blending developed further to be good enough for and solidification is known as grafting. crosslinking and may be aided by UV light, specific chemicals, or Concerns heat (also typically delivered via a  Regulatory concerns: The future of 3D UV light source). bio-printed tissues and organs depend on regulatory clearances and getting the Application technology right.  Medicine and Bio-engineering: The  Moral and ethical concern: The entire technique is widely applicable in fields of process is also criticized from a moral and medicine and bioengineering. Recently, ethical perspective. the technology has even made  Hype: Many new developments are over- advancements in the production of hyped as the ultimate and ready-to-use cartilage tissue for use in reconstruction breakthroughs in the field of 3D bio- and regeneration. printing, when in fact there are many o The process can eradicate the need unsolved problems in tissue engineering of organ donation and before complex organs like the heart, transplantation. kidney and liver can be bio-printed. o While organ replacement is the  Vasculature: The vasculature—network main objective, but tissue of blood vessels that feeds the organ—is repair is also possible in the still a challenge. The vasculature still has meantime. to be developed to allow lab skin to o With bio-ink, it’s much easier integrate with the human body’s blood to solve problems on a patient- vessels. specific level, promoting simpler operations. Stem cell engineering to grow all the cells of an o Bone tissue regeneration as well organ in a personalised way to avoid rejection by as prosthetics and dental the recipient’s immune system is another applications. challenge. Researchers still hve to ensure that a  Pharmaceutical testing and reduced lab organ will work with all the other organs in a need for animal trials: The bio-printed human body. tissue-like structures mimic the actual micro- and macro-environment of human tissues and organs. This is critical in drug testing and clinical trials, with potential, for example, to drastically reduce the need for animal trials. o Treatment for diseases can be tested using artificially affected tissues. o This is a more cost-effective and ethical option.  Cosmetic surgery: Cosmetic surgery, particularly plastic surgery and skin grafting, also benefits from this

Easy to PICK302 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Chardham Pariyojana: Chamba Tunnel Recently, the Union Minister for Road  These four pilgrimages sites in Transport & Highways inaugurated Uttarakhand are known as Chota Char the Chamba Tunnel which has completed Dham so as to differentiate them from the under Chardham Pariyojana through video bigger circuit of modern-day Char Dham conference mode. sites namely Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. About Chamba tunnel:  The Chamba tunnel is a horse-shoe type About Border Road Organisation (BRO): tunnel with 10 m carriageway width and  BRO is engaged in road construction to 5.5 m vertical clearance. provide connectivity to difficult and  It is 440 m long Tunnel below the busy inaccessible regions in the border areas of Chamba town on Rishikesh-Dharasu the country and works under the aegis of road Highway (NH 94). The Ministry of Defence.  BRO (Border Road Organisation) is  The Border Roads Organization plays a a key stakeholder in this project and the very important role in construction, work of Chamba tunnel has been maintenance and security of roads and in completed by Team Shivalik with use of the development of border areas like those the latest Austrian technology. of North, Eastern states, Jammu and  This tunnel project will be completed for Kashmir etc. traffic in October 2020, ie, three months  BRO has also undertaken work in ahead of the schedule. numerous foreign countries, thus having  This tunnel will facilitate the speedy contributed immensely towards movement of traffic and will also reduce maintaining friendly and diplomatic congestion and distance to Chamba town relations with them e.g. Delaram-Zaranj bringing economic prosperity to the Highway in Afghanistan in 2008 and region. the Farkhor and Ayni airbases of Tajikistan were also restored and repaired About Chardham Pariyojana: by BRO.  Ministry of Road Transport & Highways launched this project It is entrusted for construction of Roads, Bridges, to improve connectivity for Char- Tunnels, Causeways, Helipads and Airfields along Dham namely Kedarnath, Badrinath, the borders. Yamunotri & Gangotri in Uttarakhand. Officers from the Border Roads Engineering The length of 889 km is to be covered Service (BRES) and personnel from the General under the project. Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent  This project is being implemented cadre of the Border Roads Organisation. on Engineering Procurement and It is also staffed by officers and troops drawn from Construction (EPC) mode of contract. the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers on extra  This project is being implemented by three regimental employment. different executing agencies of Ministry of The BRO operates and maintains over 32,885 Road Transport and Highways, namely, kilometres of roads and about 12,200 meters of Uttarakhand State PWD, Border Road permanent bridges in the country. Organization(BRO) and National Highway & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

Easy to PICK303 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 3-D Printing Three-dimensional printing (3-D printing), also printing technology. known as Additive manufacturing (AM) is a  Bio printers: Organ printing or body part process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer. It is printing is being printed and some parts basically a process of making three dimensional being used as implants of actual body solid objects from a digital file. parts. Example: Titanium pelvic, plastic This is opposite of ‘Subtractive tracheal splint, titanium jaws Manufacturing’ which works on removal of  Tissue engineering: Tissue engineering material to create a desired object. It is similar to made remarkable progress with printing of a man who cuts a stone to create a sculpture. The 3D blood vessels. This was achieved 3D ?rst working 3-D printer was created in 1984 by bio-printing technology and biomaterials Charles W. Hull of 3-D Systems Corp. The through vascularisation of hydrogel machine was named Sterolithgraphy Apparatus. constructs.  Dentistry: Dental Implants are being made Process of 3D Printing: on a commercial level using 3D printing  3D printing starts by making a virtual technology design of the object to be created.  Prosthetics: 3D printing is being used to Virtual design can be made using a 3D make surrogate body parts modelling program such as CAD  Artificial organ: Additive manufacturing (Computer Aided Design) or 3D of stem cells has also led to various scanners. possibilities in printing artificial organs,  The 3D digital copy is then put into a 3D although most of the work is still in the modelling program. The model is then experimental stage sliced into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers in preparation for 3.Manufacturing: 3D printing can be used to printing. manufacture varied forms of products- from car or  This prepared file is thus uploaded in the plane parts to sport goods, toys etc. Customised 3D printer which reads each slices in 2D products are able to be manufactured as customers format and then proceeds to create the can edit the digital design file and send to the object layer by layer and the resulting manufacturer for productions. object has no sign of layering visible, but a 3 dimensional structure. 4.Domestic Usage: 3D printers can be used in the home to make small objects such as ornamental objects, small toys etc. Applications of 3D Printing: 5.Architecture, housing: The technology can be used for a variety of housing projects with 1.Defence and Aerospace: At present, AM application in custom luxury designer homes, technology in the aerospace and defence sector is large scale development projects, to temporary broadly used for prototyping, repair of small parts housing projects. It could also enable engineers to and component manufacturing. Examples: The design and build stiffer and safer geometries for UK Royal Air Force and Navy use AM for houses. Further, can also help engineers to rebuild repairing spare parts. and restore old heritage designs quickly yet accurately. 2.Health:  Hearing aids have been made using 3D 6.Food: 3D printing enables fast automated and

Easy to PICK304 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 repeatable processes, freedom in design, as well as Disadvantages of 3D Printing: allowing large and easy variability of the cooking 1. Limited size: The size of objects created process which can be customized. with 3d printers is currently limited 7.Education: Affordable 3D printers in schools 2. Limited Raw Materials: With 3D may be used for a variety of applications which printing being an additive method (layer can aid students with learning better. after layer), the materials available suited for it are limited- ceramics, resin, plastics, Advantages of 3D printing: etc. 1. Low cost: 3D printing is cheaper than 3. Effect on employment: Jobs in traditional method of manufacturing. Cost manufacturing will be rendered obsolete of producing or manufacturing products which will have a negative impact on using 3d printing technology is equal for developing economies. small-scale and mass manufacturing. For 4. Concerns over copyright example: China was able to able to infringements: There is concern over construct 10 one storey houses at less than counterfeit printing of copyrighted or $5000 per house patented products. Anyone who gets a hold 2. Less Time: Printing of the 3D object can of a blueprint will be able to counterfeit be done directly, differing from the products easily traditional manufacturing where different 5. Production of dangerous items: There components had to be joined to form the are concerns over deterring or controlling final product. people from 3D printing potentially 3. Efficiency: Generating prototypes with dangerous items. Example: International 3D printers is much easier and faster with regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers 3D printing technology. Group, Missile Technology Control 4. Increased Productivity: It enables quick Regime and the Wassenaar Agreement production with a high number of that control technology have been prototypes or a small-scale version of the concerned about proliferation of high- real object performance 3-D printers, which have the 5. Flexibility: Different materials can be capability to print parts for missile or used in the 3D models. This makes it very nuclear weapon. easy to create construction models or 6. Cyber security concerns: Studies have prototypes for a wide variety of projects shown that the 3-D printer connected to within many industries. online network is vulnerable to 6. Customization: Every item can be cyberattacks. customized to meet a user’s specific needs 7. Ethical concerns associated with use of without impacting the manufacturing 3D technology in healthcare: costs. 7. Quality assurance: the technology builds Justice in access to health care: One major concern robust products with superior functionality about the development of personalised medicine is 8. Employment opportunities: The that it might increase cost of treatment and widen widespread use of 3d printing technology the disparity between rich and poor in terms of will increase the demand for engineers access to healthcare who are needed to design and build these Testing for safety and efficacy: second concern is printers and design blueprints of products. how it is to tested that the treatment is safe and 9. Reduced wastage: AM process produces effective before it is offered as a clinical treatment less waste in comparison with other traditional manufacturing techniques 3D Printing in India  The government has launched several initiatives such as ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital

Easy to PICK305 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 India’ and ‘Skill India’ to improve industries in India. investment opportunities and to enhance 3. Employment:3D printing carries manufacturing capabilities in the country. Given the government’s interest in dangerous implications for employment boosting manufacturing, major scenario in developing nations such as manufacturers have established 3-D India as it decreases reliance on assembly printing assembly lines and distribution workers. It may lead to the creation of centres in partnership with foreign software-based design platforms in the technological firms. West that distribute work orders to small  A PwC report titled ‘The Global Industry manufacturing facilities, whether located 4.0’ in 2016 shows that in India, 27% of in developed or developing countries, but industries have either already invested or ultimately transfer value creation towards will be investing in AM technology within software and design and away from the next five years physical manufacturing. 4. Awareness: Due to lack of awareness Opportunities for India: many business entities do not opt for 1. Owing to the well-established Indian design-prototyping-manufacturing software industry and plans to increase assistance which largely reduces the reach connectivity are well under way as part of of 3D printing. ‘Digital India’, 3D Printing could lead to 5. Research: Research involving AM and its the creation of manufacturing facilities in allied technologies in India is inadequate small towns and foster industrial for competing in the global arena. Lack of development outside of major cities. a centralised approach to AM has been 2. Traditional small and medium constraining Indian institutions from enterprises can benefit by switching to 3D undertaking intense research on AM- printing technology which is cost-effective related technologies. and efficient. 3. The technology can be used to boost International best practice: manufacturing in the aviation and China had launched the first national plan for 3-D automotive industry. It can enhance printing, called “Additive Manufacturing production times as well as product Industry Promotion Plan 2015–2016”. Later, a performance in terms of strength, weight new additive manufacturing Action Plan (2017- and environmental impact. 2020) for the further development of the technology in the country was launched. The Plan Challenges for India: focuses on strengthening research and 1. Lack of domestic manufacturers of 3D development, as well as accelerating applications printer: Though, there has been some of 3D printing and its adoption in industry. attempts in producing 3D printers domestically they are not of industrial Conclusion grade and industries largely depend on It is important to create an environment that is imports conducive for industry to form collaborations with 2. High cost of imports: There is a lack of foreign firms to co-create the technology. Training clarity relating to the import of 3-D and skilling is another important aspect which printers that attract close to 30–40% requires considerable attention. There is huge customs duty, over and above the shipping scope under the ‘Skill India’ initiative to reach out cost. The huge cost associated with to the many technical institutes in the country to importing industrial grade 3-D printers is sensitise them regarding the opportunities in 3D too much for the medium and small-scale printing. There is a need for strong support from the

Easy to PICK306 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 government and business houses for AM-related studies and R&D for the growth of the technology in India. Research in India with regard to AM technology needs to be significantly scaled up if it is to emerge as a competitive player in this field.

Easy to PICK307 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Operation Vijay Operation Vijay Operation Vijay may refer to: 1. Operation Vijay (1961), the operation by the Military of India that led to the capture of Goa, Daman and Diu and Anjediva Islands 2. Operation Vijay (1999), the Indian operation to push back infiltrators in the Kargil War Operation Parakram Operation Parakram  Operation Parakram, launched in the wake of the December 13, 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament, was the first full- scale mobilisation since the 1971 Indo-Pak war.  It began on December 15, 2001 after the Cabinet Committee on Security's (CCS) decision and was completed on January 3, 2002.

Easy to PICK308 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM)  Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) is a military award of India.  It was constituted in 1960 and since then till date, it is awarded in recognition to peace-time service of the most exceptional order and may be awarded posthumously.  All ranks of the Indian Armed Forces including Territorial Army, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces, Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing services and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces are eligible for the award. Order of Precedence  Next (higher)->Padma Bhushan  Equivalent-> Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal  Next (lower)-> Maha Vir Chakra ITEWS Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS) is established by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under ministry of earth sciences. The ITEWS comprises a real-time network of seismic stations, tsunami buoys and tide gauges to detect tsunami genic earthquakes and to monitor tsunamis. It detects globally occurring earthquakes of 5 magnitude and above within 5-10 minutes of the event. The system is capable of displaying ticket messages related to tsunami events and triggering of a built-in siren alert system audible for up to 1 km

Easy to PICK309 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Project Sunrise Project Sunrise was launched in 2015, by union government to tackle the increasing HIV prevalence in the North-Eastern states. It aims to provide treatment and care facilities free of cost for people living with HIV/AIDS and create more awareness about the disease in these N-E states. The project is a five-year programme (2015-2020) aimed at complementing the ongoing National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). The project has been sponsored by US based Centre for Disease Control.

Easy to PICK310 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Why Moody’s downgraded India’s rating, what the implications may be ? Why Moody’s downgraded India’s rating, currently projects.  In particular, what the implications may be ? Moody’s has  On Monday, Moody’s Investors Service highlighted persistent structural (“Moody’s”) downgraded the challenges to fast economic growth such as “weak infrastructure, rigidities in Government of India’s foreign- currency and local-currency long-term labor, land and product markets, and issuer ratings to “Baa3” from “Baa2”. rising financial sector risks”.  It stated that the outlook  In other words, a “negative” implies India remained “negative”. could be rated down further.  The latest downgrade reduces India to the lowest investment grade of ratings and Is the downgrade because of Covid-19 impact? brings Moody’s — which is historically  No. Moody’s was categorical that while the most optimistic about India — this downgrade is taking place “in the ratings for the country in line with the context of the Coronavirus pandemic, other two main rating agencies in the world it was not driven by the impact of the — Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and Fitch pandemic”. What is the reason for this downgrade? Then why did the downgrade happen? There are four main reasons why Moody’s has  More than two years ago, in November 2017, Moody’s had upgraded India’s taken the decision. rating to “Baa2” with a “stable” 1. Weak implementation of economic outlook.  At that time, it expected that “effective reforms since 2017 implementation of key reforms would 2. Relatively low economic growth over a strengthen the sovereign’s credit profile” sustained period through a gradual but persistent 3. A significant deterioration in the fiscal improvement in economic, institutional position of governments (central and state) and fiscal strength. 4. And the rising stress in India’s financial  But those hopes were belied. sector  In November last year, Moody’s changed  The low effectiveness of policy and the outlook on India’s Baa2 rating to “negative” from “stable” precisely the resulting loss of growth momentum is because these risks were increasing. evidenced in the sharp deceleration in India’s GDP growth rates.  Since many of the apprehensions that it  The provisional estimates for 2019-20 had in November 2019 have come were pegged at 4.2% — the lowest annual through, Moody’s has downgraded the growth in a decade — and even these rating to “Baa3” from “Baa2”, while estimates are likely to be revised down maintaining the negative outlook. further. What does “negative” outlook mean?  Poor growth has been made worse  The negative outlook reflects dominant, by worsening government (both Centre mutually-reinforcing, downside and state-level) finances. risks from deeper stresses in the  Each year, the central government has economy and financial system that could failed to meet its fiscal deficit (essentially lead to a more severe and prolonged the total borrowings from the market) erosion in fiscal strength than Moody’s target. This has led to a steady accretion

Easy to PICK311 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 of total government debt. recovery in 2021-22.  But over the longer term, it states “growth  Total government debt (measured as a rates are likely to be materially lower than percentage of GDP) is nothing but the debt in the past, due to persistent weak private till the last year and the fiscal deficit of the sector investment, tepid job creation current year. and an impaired financial system”.  According to Moody’s, even before “the coronavirus outbreak, at an estimated 72% of GDP in fiscal 2019, India’s general government (combined central and state governments) debt burden was 30 percentage points larger than the Baa median”.  In other words, government debt was already quite high.  This already high number is expected to go up to 84% of the GDP just within 2020 — thanks to governments being forced to borrow even more, in a big part because their revenues are likely dry up as the economy contracts. What will be the implications of this downgrade?  As explained above, ratings are based on the overall health of the economy and the state of government finances.  A rating downgrade means that bonds issued by the Indian governments are now “riskier” than before, because weaker economic growth and worsening fiscal health undermine a government’s ability to pay back.  Lower risk is better because it allows governments and companies of that country to raise debts at a lower rate of interest.  When India’s sovereign rating is downgraded, it becomes costlier for the Indian government as well as all Indian companies to raise funds because now the world sees such debt as a riskier proposition. What is Moody’s outlook on economic growth, jobs and per capita income?  Moody’s expects India’s real GDP to contract by 4.0% in the current financial year. Thereafter it expects a sharp

Easy to PICK312 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 CHAMPIONS portal CHAMPIONS portal other web based mechanisms.  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today  The entire ICT architecture is created in launched the technology platform CHAMPIONS which stands for Creation house with the help of NIC in no cost. and Harmonious Application of Modern Similarly, the physical infrastructure is Processes for Increasing the Output and created in one of ministry’s dumping National Strength.  As the name suggests,the portal is rooms in a record time. basically for making the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding.  It is a real one-stop-shop solution of MSME Ministry.  This ICT based system is set up to help the MSMEs in present difficult situation and also to handhold them to become national and international champions. Detailed objectives of CHAMPIONS: 1. Grievance Redressal: To resolve the problems of MSMEs including those of finance, raw materials, labor, regulatory permissions etc particularly in the Covid created difficult situation; 2. To help them capture new opportunities: including manufacturing of medical equipments and accessories like PPEs, masks, etc and supply them in National and International markets; 3. To identify and encourage the sparks: i.e. the potential MSMEs who are able to withstand the current situation and can become national and international champions.  It is a technology packed control room- cum-management information system.  In addition to ICT tools including telephone, internet and video conference, the system is enabled by Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Machine Learning.  It is also fully integrated on real time basis with GOI’s main grievances portal CPGRAMS and MSME Ministry’s own

Easy to PICK313 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Ultra Swachh Ultra Swachh  Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh to disinfect a wide range of materials, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), electronics items, fabrics, etc.  Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), the Delhi based laboratory of DRDO has developed this product with industry partner M/s Gel Craft Healthcare Private Ltd, Ghaziabad.  The system uses an advanced oxidative process comprising of multiple barrier disruption approach using Ozonated Space Technology for disinfection.  The system is double layered with specialised Ozone sealant technology assuring trapping of ozone for the necessary disinfection cycle.  It also has catalytic converter to ensure environment friendly exhaust i.e. only oxygen and water.  The system is in compliance with International Standards of Industrial, Occupational, Personal and Environmental Safety.  The Ultra Swachh comes in two variants namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra Technology.  Trinetra technology is the combination of Ozonated space and radical dispenser. Treatment is optimised with automation for quick disinfection cycle.

Easy to PICK314 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi Scheme  The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a micro-credit scheme for street vendors, which was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 14 as a part of the economic package for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.  The Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi Scheme is aimed at benefiting over 50 lakh vendors who had their businesses operational on or before March 24.  The scheme is valid till March 2022.  The vendors will be able to apply for a working capital loan of up to ?10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments within a year.  On timely/early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy of 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer on a six monthly basis.  There will be no penalty on early repayment of loan.  The Ministry said an online portal and mobile application were being developed to ensure speedy implementation of the scheme.  The loans would be without collateral.  The loans are meant to help kick-start activity for vendors who have been left without any income since the lockdown was implemented on March 25.

Easy to PICK315 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Avifavir  Russia will start giving its first drug approved to treat COVID-19 to patients next week, its state financial backer said, a move it hopes will ease strains on the health system.  Russian hospitals can begin giving the antiviral drug, which is registered under the name Avifavir, to patients from June 11.  Avifavir, known generically as favipiravir, was first developed in the late 1990s by a Japanese company later bought by Fujifilm as it moved into healthcare.  RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev said Russian scientists had modified the drug to enhance it, and said Moscow would be ready to share the details of those modifications within two weeks.  Japan has been trialling the same drug, known there as Avigan.  It has won plaudits from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and $128 million in government funding, but has yet to be approved for use.

Easy to PICK316 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Social stock exchange (SSE)  A working group constituted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on social stock exchanges has recommended allowing non-profit organisations to directly list on such platforms while allowing certain tax incentives to encourage participation on the platform.  The idea of a social stock exchange (SSE) for listing of social enterprise and voluntary organisations was mooted by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2019- 20.  According to a release issued by the capital markets regulator, the group has recommended allowing non-profit organisations to directly list through issuance of bonds while recommending a range of funding avenues, including some of the existing mechanisms such as Social Venture Funds (SVFs) under Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).  There is a great opportunity to unlock funds from donors, philanthropic foundations and CSR spenders, in the form of zero coupon zero principal bonds. These bonds will be listed on the SSE.  The group has also suggested a new minimum reporting standard for organisations that raise funds on social stock exchanges.  The working group has also suggested that the social stock exchange can be housed within the existing national bourses like the BSE and the National Stock Exchange.

Easy to PICK317 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) Context the merged structure of PCIM&H and its The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to re- laboratory by virtue of making necessary establish Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) amendment and enabling provisions in as Subordinate Office under Ministry of AYUSH by merging into it Pharmacopoeia the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Laboratory for Indian Medicine (PLIM) and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory  Post-merger PCIM&H will (HPL)- the two central laboratories established at Ghaziabad since 1975. have adequate administrative About Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian structure under the Ministry to strive for Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) augmenting the capacity and outcomes  Presently, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy of pharmacopoieal work, achieving (PCIM&H) is an autonomous body under the aegis of Ministry of harmonization of pharmacopoeial AYUSH established since 2010. standards of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani  The merger is aimed at optimizing the use of infrastructural facilities, technical and Homoeopathy drugs, preventing manpower and financial resources of the three organizations for enhancing the duplication and overlapping of drug standardization outcomes of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy standardization work and optimal drugs towards their effective regulation and quality control. utilization of resources in effective manner. Pharmacopoeia A pharmacopoeia, pharmacopeia, or pharmacopoea, in its modern technical sense, is a book containing directions for the identification of compound medicines, and published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society. Importance  This merger will facilitate focused and cohesive development of standards of AYUSH drugs and publication of pharmacopoeias and formularies.  It is also intended to accord legal status to

Easy to PICK318 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Amendment to Essential Commodities Act Historic Amendment to Essential Commodities safeguarded. Act  It has been provided in the Amendment,  The Cabinet today approved historic that in situations such as war, famine, amendment to the Essential Commodities extraordinary price rise and natural Act. This is a visionary step towards calamity, such agricultural foodstuff can transformation of agriculture and raising be regulated. farmers’ income. Barrier-free trade in agriculture produce Background  Cabinet approved 'The Farming Produce  While India has become surplus in most Trade and Commerce (Promotion and agri-commodities, farmers have been Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020' unable to get better prices due to lack of investment in cold storage, warehouses, Background of 'The Farming Produce Trade processing and export as the and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) entrepreneurial spirit gets dampened due Ordinance, 2020' to hanging sword of Essential Commodities Act.  Farmers in India today suffer from  Farmers suffer huge losses when there are various restrictions in marketing their bumper harvests, especially of perishable produce. commodities. With adequate processing facilities, much of this wastage can be  There are restrictions for farmers in selling reduced. agri-produce outside the notified APMC market yards. Benefits  With the amendment to Essential  The farmers are also restricted to sell the Commodities Act, commodities like produce only to registered licensees of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, the State Governments. onion and potatoes will be removed from list of essential commodities.  Further, Barriers exist in free flow of  This will remove fears of private agriculture produce between various States investors of excessive regulatory owing to the prevalence of various APMC interference in their business operations. legislations enacted by the State  The freedom to produce, hold, move, Governments. distribute and supply will lead to harnessing of economies of scale Benefits of 'The Farming Produce Trade and and attract private sector/foreign direct Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) investment into agriculture sector. It will Ordinance, 2020' help drive up investment in cold storages and modernization of food supply chain.  The Ordinance will create an ecosystem where the farmers and traders will enjoy Safeguarding interest of consumers freedom of choice of sale and purchase of  The Government, while liberalizing the agri-produce. regulatory environment, has also ensured that interests of consumers are  It will also promote barrier-free inter- state and intra-state trade and commerce outside the physical premises of markets notified under State Agricultural Produce Marketing legislations.  This is a historic-step in unlocking the vastly regulated agriculture markets in the

Easy to PICK319 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 country.  A series of steps were announced as part of  It will open more choices for the the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan to farmer, reduce marketing costs for the provide a boost to those engaged in farmers and help them in getting better agriculture and allied activities. prices.  These include provision of concessional  It will also help farmers of regions with credit through Kisan Credit Cards, surplus produce to get better prices and financing facility for agri-infra consumers of regions with shortages, projects, Pradhan lower prices. MantriMatsyaSampadaYojana and  The ordinance also proposes an electronic other measures to strengthen fisheries, trading in transaction platform for vaccination against Foot & Mouth Disease ensuring a seamless trade electronically. and Brucellosis, Herbal Cultivation  The farmers will not be charged any cess promotion, boost to beekeeping, Operation or levy for sale of their produce under this Green etc. Act. Further there will be a  Through PM KISAN, over 9.54 separate dispute resolution crorefarmer families(as on first June mechanism for the farmers. 2020) have benefited and an amount of Rs.  Farmers will engage in direct marketing 19,515 crore has been disbursed so far thereby eliminating intermediaries during the lockdown period. An Amount resulting in full realization of price. of Rs. 8090 crore has been paid during  Farmers have been provided adequate lockdown period under PMFBY. protection. Sale, lease or mortgage of farmers’ land is totally prohibited and farmers’ land is also protected against any recovery.  Effective dispute resolution mechanism has been provided for with clear time lines for redressal. One India, One Agriculture Market  The ordinance basically aims at creating additional trading opportunities outside the APMC market yards to help farmers get remunerative prices due to additional competition.  This will supplement the existing MSP procurement system which is providing stable income to farmers.  It will certainly pave the way for creating One India, One Agriculture Market and will lay the foundation for ensuring golden harvests for our hard working farmers.  Farmers empowered to engage with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters Government committed to the cause of farmer welfare

Easy to PICK320 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) and Project Development Cells (PDCs) for attracting investment in India Context clearances from different departments and Ministries.  The Union Cabinet under the leadership of  To attract increased investments into India Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra and provide investment support and facilitation to global investors. Modi has given its approval for setting up  To facilitate investments of top investors of an “Empowered Group of Secretaries in a targeted manner and to usher policy stability & consistency in the overall (EGoS) and Project Development Cells investment environment.  To evaluate investments put forward by (PDCs) in Ministries/Departments of the departments on the basis of their (i) project creation (ii) actual investments that Government of Indiafor attracting come. investments in India”. Project Development Cell (PDC)  This new mechanism will reinforce India’s  A ‘Project Development Cell’ (PDC) is also approved for the development of vision of becoming a US$ 5 investible projects in coordination between the Central Government and trillion economy by 2024-25. State Governments and thereby grow the pipeline of investible projects in India and  DPIIT proposes strategic in turn increase FDI inflows.  Under the guidance of the Secretary, an implementation of an integrated approach officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary of each relevant central line that will eventually bring about synergies Ministry, who will be in-charge of the PDC will be tasked to conceptualize, between Ministries/Departments and strategize, implement, and disseminate details with respect to investable projects. among the Central and State Governments PDC will have the following objectives: in our investment and related incentive  To create projects with all approvals, land available for allocation and with the policies. complete Detailed Project Reports for adoption/investment by investors. Background  To identify issues that need to be resolved  In the midst of current ongoing COVID-19 in order to attract and finalise the pandemic, India is presented with an investments and put forth these before the opportunity to attract FDI inflows into Empowered Group. the country especially from large companies which seek to diversify their investments into new geographies and mitigate risks.  Also, ramping up production across product lines will help to serve big markets in the US, EU, China and elsewhere. Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) In order to provide support and facilitation to investors for investing in India and to boost growth in key sectors of the economy, an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) is approved with the following composition and objectives: Objectives of EGoS:  To bring synergies and ensure timely

Easy to PICK321 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Initiatives of Coal Ministry to improve efficiency Introduction Salient features  Ministry of Coal has taken initiatives to re-  Registration of Qualified Persons for visit old laws with an aim to improve Mining Plan preparation is no longer efficiency, ease of doing business and required. Project proponent’s declaration to open up coal sector which would result in this regard will suffice. in improving domestic coal production  Empowering block allocatee to make and reduce imports. minor changes in mining  In the present scenario of coal sector, there plan and reducing requirement of has been dominance of public sector repeated approvals thus giving flexibility companies both in exploration and mining in operation. of coal.  An option is now available to Coal Block  Age old Mineral Concession Rule, allocatee to engage an Accredited 1960 was governing many aspects of coal Prospecting Agency for conduct mining and needed amendment in of prospecting operation and furthering the Coal Sector Reforms and preparation of Geological Report also due to several legislations coming into (GR) with a view to expedite exploration, existence such as those related to bringing technology and faster growth of Environment and Forest conservation etc. coal sector.  Additional option is also made available to Mineral Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020: Salient Project Proponent through accreditation features system for Mining Plan Preparing Agency for preparation.  Amendment to provide for allocation of  Similarly, a peer review of Mining Plan to coal blocks for composite Prospecting improve quality of mine planning and fast License-cum-Mining Lease (“PL-cum- tracking approval system has also been ML”) to help in increasing the available introduced. inventory of coal/ lignite blocks for  Provision for regulating grant of PL- auction. cum-ML in light of the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020.  Provisions for any company selected  Process has been made compatible to through auction/ allotment to carry on coal online approval so as to formulate an mining operation for own consumption, online single window clearance system. sale without possessing any prior coal mining experience in India.  FDI Policy in Coal Sector allowing 100% FDI through automatic route for sale of coal, coal mining activities including associated processing infrastructure.  Provisions to remove the requirement of previous approval in cases where the allocation or reservation of coal/ lignite block is made by the Central Government  Entitlement to an allottee to utilize mined coal in any of its plants or plants of its subsidiary or holding company. Amendment in Mineral Concession Rule 1960:

Easy to PICK322 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 SWADES (Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support) SWADES (Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support)  With the aim of making the best of our skilled workforce returning to the country due to the ongoing pandemic, the Government of India has launched a new initiative SWADES (Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support) to conduct a skill mapping exercise of the returning citizens under the Vande Bharat Mission.  This is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of External Affairs which aims to create a database of qualified citizens based on their skillsets and experience to tap into and fulfil demand of Indian and foreign companies.  The collected information will be shared with the companies for suitable placement opportunities in the country.  The returning citizens are required to fill up an online SWADES Skills Card.  The card will facilitate a strategic framework to provide the returning citizens with suitable employment opportunities through discussions with key stakeholders including State Governments, Industry Associations and Employers.  MSDE’s implementation arm National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is supporting the implementation of the project.

Easy to PICK323 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 IEM (Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum) Context  Applications for IEM/IL under I(D&R) Act, 1951 are currently accepted through the IEM portal at https://services.dipp.gov.in.  Through this portal, applications for acknowledgement of IEM – Part A (for establishment of business) and IEM – Part B (upon commencement of commercial production) are filed online by entrepreneurs of prescribed industrial undertakings. (1) What is an IEM (Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum)?  Industrial undertakings exempted from the requirements of Industrial Licensing under I (D&R) Act, 1951 are required to file information relating to setting up of industries is known as IEM (Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum).  This is filed online by filing details as per 'Part A' of IEM through portal G2B. (2) Whether all industries are required to file IEM?  All industrial undertakings exempted from the requirements of industrial licensing under I (D&R) Act, 1951 and having an investment of Rs 10 Crore or above in the 'manufacturing sector' and Rs. 5 Crore or above in the 'services sector', including Existing Units, New undertaking (NU) and New Article (NA), are required to file an IEM, i.e. \"Form IEM\" in the prescribed format 'Part A'.

Easy to PICK324 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Limited Liability Partnership About:  What is it? LLP is an alternative corporate business form that gives the benefits of limited liability of a company and the flexibility of a partnership. Hence LLP is called a hybrid between a company and a partnership. Legislation in India All limited liability partnership is governed under the limited liability partnership act of 2008. The Corporate Affairs Ministry implements the Act. LLP vs Traditional partnership firm:  Under “traditional partnership firm”, every partner is liable, jointly with all the other partners and also severally for all acts of the firm done while he is a partner.  Under LLP structure, liability of the partner is limited to his agreed contribution. Thus, individual partners are shielded from joint liability created by another partner’s wrongful acts or misconduct. LLP vs a Company:  The internal governance structure of a company is regulated by statute (i.e. Companies Act, 1956) whereas for an LLP it would be by a contractual agreement between partners.  The management-ownership divide inherent in a company is not there in a limited liability partnership.  LLP will have more flexibility as compared to a company.  LLP will have lesser compliance requirements as compared to a company.

Easy to PICK325 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Steps taken by Navy to protect ocean ecology Steps taken by Navy to protect ocean ecology projects are at various stages of Indian Navy has voluntarily implemented all six implementation in the Navy’s shore schedules of International Convention for the establishments. Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)  All Naval units have adopted aggressive regulations. waste handling processes for collection, All Naval ships have been fitted with MARPOL segregation and subsequent handling as compliant pollution control equipment such as : per GoI Green norms.  An Integrated Solid Waste Management 1. Oily Water Separators (OWS) and Facility (ISWMF) is being setup at Naval 2. Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) for station, Karwar, which includes a centralised waste segregation treating waste generated onboard. plant, Organic Waste Converter (OWC) for wet waste and a facility to Further, to ensure upkeep of harbour waters, handle dry/ unsegregated domestic waste. accelerated bioremediation technology has also  Green Initiatives of the Navy have also been developed through Naval Materials Research been augmented by afforestation and Laboratory (NMRL), Mumbai. plantation drives.  In the past one year, over 16,500  In efforts to reduce carbon footprint, trees have been planted which would measures have been brought in force for a mitigate an estimated 330 tonnes of steady increase in utilisation of e-vehicles Carbon Dioxide. such as e-cycles, e-trolley and e-scooters.  Community participation has played a major role in implementation of these  As a long term strategy, it is being planned initiatives. to gradually reduce the usage of fossil-fuel  To foster a sense of responsibility towards based vehicles during working hours the environment, various mass through use of e-vehicles or bicycles. participation events such as mass ‘shramdan’, coastal cleanship drives etc  To promote the same, units observe ‘No are organized regularly. Vehicle Days’ regularly and the concept  Further, a trophy introduced to recognise of a ‘Vehicle Free Base’ is also being the unit adopting best green practices for introduced in some Naval the year, has proved useful in encouraging establishments. units to embrace Green initiatives.  Reduction of overall power Overall, Indian Navy has maintained a steadfast consumption through a progressive focus towards sustainable future while integrating induction of energy efficient equipment. energy efficiency and environment conservation within its operational and strategic roles.  Substantial efforts have yielded a near- complete transition from conventional lighting to more energy efficient solid- state lighting.  Use of capacitor banks to maintain high power factor, use of transparent acrylic sheet roofs to harness natural light, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) based electricity metering for effective monitoring, use of occupancy sensors, sky-pipes and turbo-ventilators in workshop floors, to name a few.  24 MW of Solar Photo Voltaic

Easy to PICK326 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Wajre Urban Forest model  This year’s theme for World Environment Day is ‘Biodiversity’. In view of the prevalent situation due to COVID-19 pandemic the ministry will be holding virtual celebrations of World Environment Day on this year’s theme theme with focus on Nagar Van (Urban Forests).  In Pune city on the forest land of 40 acres a forest has been developed.  More than 65000 trees, 5 ponds, 2 watch towers have been established, with many trees growing up to 25-30 feet.  Today, the forest is rich in biodiversity with 23 plant species, 29 bird species, 15 butterfly species, 10 reptiles and 3 mammal species.  Not only the Urban Forest project is helping maintain ecological balance, but also provides the Punaikars a good walk way and a place to be for the morning and evening walkers.  The Wajre Urban Forest is now a role model for the rest of the country.

Easy to PICK327 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)  The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental organization, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.  It aims to manage the supply of oil in an effort to set the price of oil in the world market, in order to avoid fluctuations that might affect the economies of both producing and purchasing countries.  It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.  OPEC membership is open to any country that is a substantial exporter of oil and which shares the ideals of the organization.  Gabon terminated its membership in January 1995. However, it rejoined the Organization in July 2016.  As of 2019, OPEC has a total of 14 Member Countries viz. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates(UAE), Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Angola, Ecuador and Venezuela are members of OPEC.

Easy to PICK328 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) – Annual Report [July, 2018 – June, 2019] Introduction  In view of these changes, the PLFS estimates are not comparable with Considering the importance of availability of the results of Employment labour force data at more frequent time Unemployment Survey (EUS) of 2011- intervals, National Statistical Office 12 and earlier years. (NSO) launched Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) on April 2017.  Villages and urban blocks are the smallest area units taken as first-stage Objective of PLFS sampling units (FSU) in rural and urban The objective of PLFS is primarily twofold: areas respectively. 1. to estimate the key employment and Sampling method unemployment indicators (viz. Worker The number of households surveyed was 1,01,579 Population Ratio, Labour Force (55,812 in rural areas and 45,767 in urban areas) Participation Rate, Unemployment and number of persons surveyed was 4,20,757 Rate) in the short time interval of three (2,39,817 in rural areas and 1,80,940 in urban months for the urban areas only in areas). the Current Weekly Status (CWS) Conceptual Framework of Key Employment and Unemployment Indicators: The Periodic 2. to estimate employment and Labour Force Survey (PLFS) gives estimates of unemployment indicators in both usual Key employment and unemployment Indicators status (ps+ss) and CWS in both rural and like the Labour Force Participation Rates (LFPR), urban areas annually. Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), etc. This is the second Annual Report being brought out by NSO on the basis of Periodic Labour Force These indicators are defined as follows: Survey conducted during July 2018-June 2019. 1. Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): LFPR is defined as Sample Design of PLFS the percentage of persons in labour  The sampling design remains the same as force (i.e. working or seeking or available during 2017-18, that is, a rotational panel for work) in the population. sampling design in urban areas. 2. Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR  In this rotational panel scheme, is defined as the percentage of employed each selected household in urban areas is persons in the population. visited four times, in the beginning with 3. Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is First Visit schedule and thrice periodically defined as the percentage of persons later with a Revisit schedule. unemployed among the persons in  The scheme of rotation ensures the labour force. that 75% of the first-stage sampling units 4. Activity Status- Usual Status: The (FSUs)1 are matched between two activity status of a person is determined on consecutive visits. the basis of the activities pursued by the  There was no revisit in the rural samples. person during the specified reference  For rural areas, samples for a stratum/sub- period. When the activity status is stratum were drawn randomly in the form determined on the basis of the reference of two independent sub-samples. period of last 365 days preceding the date  For rural areas, in each quarter of the of survey, it is known as the usual activity survey period, 25% FSUs of annual allocation were covered.

Easy to PICK329 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 status of the person. 5. Activity Status- Current Weekly Status (CWS): The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.

Easy to PICK330 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 GAVI Context line and developed an electronic vaccine Prime Minister Addresses the virtual Global Vaccine Summit 2020. India has today pledged intelligence network to monitor the 15 Million US Dollars to Gavi, the international vaccine alliance. integrity of its cold chain. GAVI(Global Vaccine Summit)  These innovations are ensuring  The virtual Global Vaccine Summit hosted by UK Prime Minister the availability of safe and potent Boris Johnson in which over 50 ?countries - business leaders, UN vaccines in the right quantities at the right agencies, civil society, government ministers, Heads of State and country time till the last mile. leaders participated.  India is also the World’s foremost  India’s civilization teaches to see the world as one family and that during producer of vaccines and that it is this pandemic it had tried to live upto this teaching. fortunate to contribute to  Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India did it so by sharing the country’s the immunization of about 60 percent of available stocks of medicines with over the World’s children. 120 countries, by forging a common  Prime Minister said India’s support to response strategy in its immediate GAVI is not only financial but that India’s neighborhood and by providing specific support to countries that sought it, while huge demand also brings down the Global also protecting India’s own vast population. price of vaccines for all, saving almost 400  Referring to Gavi, he said it is not just a global alliance but also a symbol of Million Dollars for GAVI over the past global solidarity and a reminder of that by helping others we can also help ourselves. five years. Steps taken by India to vaccinate  Prime Minister said that one of the first programmes launched by his government was Mission Indradhanush, which aims to ensure full vaccination of the country’s children and pregnant women, including those in the remote parts of the vast nation.  He said in order to expand protection, India has added six new vaccines to its National Immunization Programme.  Prime Minister elaborated that India had digitized its entire vaccine supply

Easy to PICK331 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 MARPOL Treaty International Convention for the Prevention of greenhouse gas emissions from Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Treaty) international shipping.  MARPOL is one of the most significant International Maritime Organization international marine environmental  The International Maritime Organization conventions. is a specialized agency of the United Nations.  The International Convention for the  IMO is responsible for measures to Prevention of Pollution from Ships improve the safety and security of (MARPOL) is the main international international shipping and to prevent convention covering prevention of pollution from ships. pollution of the marine environment by  It is also involved in legal matters, ships from operational or accidental including liability and compensation causes. issues and the facilitation of international maritime traffic.  The MARPOL Convention was adopted  It was established by means of a on 2 November 1973 at IMO. Convention adopted under the auspices of The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in the United Nations in Geneva on 17 March response to a spate of tanker accidents in 1948 and met for the first time in January 1976-1977. 1959.  It currently has 174 Member States.  The current convention is a combination of the 1973 Convention and the 1978 Protocol, which entered into force on 2 October 1983.  The Convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing pollution from ships - and currently includes six technical Annexes: 1. Annex I: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil 2. Annex II: Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk 3. Annex III: Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form 4. Annex IV: Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships 5. Annex V: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships 6. Annex VI: Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships  In 2011, IMO became the first international regulator for a transport sector to adopt globally binding energy efficiency requirements, which apply to all ships globally, regardless of trading pattern or flag State, aimed at reducing

Easy to PICK332 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 World Environment Day World Environment Day  After two years of discussions and  World Environment Day is celebrated deliberations, the World Environment Day on June 5 every year to spread awareness, was first celebrated in 1974 with the theme encourage people to take steps to protect \"Only One Earth.\" The idea of different the environment across more than 150 countries hosting World Environment Day countries. began in 1987.  This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this day will be celebrated via its first-ever online campaign. Even though the day might be subtle in exposure as compared to previous years, digital celebrations will not lessen its significance. World Environment Day 2020 theme  The theme for Environment Day this year is \"Celebrate Biodiversity\" as there has never been a more important time to focus on this issue than now, with 1 million plants and animal species on the brink of extinction.  According to the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP): \"2020 is the critical year for national commitments towards preserving and restoring biodiversity as the UN Decade (2021-2030) on Ecosystem Restoration is intended to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems.\"  This year, World Environment Day will be hosted by Colombia in South America in partnership with Germany.  For the last year's Environment Day, the host nation was China and the theme was \"Beat Air Pollution\".  This theme was chosen as air pollution killed around 7 million people annually. World Environment Day history  This day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 on the first day of the Stockholm Conference (June 5) on the Human Environment that resulted in discussions on the integration of human interactions and environment.

Easy to PICK333 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 The Urban Learning Internship Program (TULIP) The Urban Learning Internship Program  TULIP would help enhance the value-to- (TULIP) market of India’s graduates and help create a potential talent pool in diverse  Ministry of Human Resource fields like urban planning, transport Development, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, and All India Council for engineering, environment, municipal Technical Education (AICTE) have finance etc. thus not only catalyzing jointly launched an online portal for creation of prospective city managers but `The Urban Learning Internship also talented private/ non-government Program (TULIP)’ - A program for sector professionals. providing internship opportunities to  TULIP would benefit ULBs and smart fresh graduates in all Urban Local cities immensely. Bodies (ULBs) and Smart Cities across  It will lead to infusion of fresh ideas and the country. energy with engagement of youth in co- creation of solutions for solving India’s About The Urban Learning Internship urban challenges.  More importantly, it will further Program (TULIP) Government’s endeavors to boost  TULIP is a program for providing fresh community partnership and government- academia- graduates experiential industry-civil society linkages.  Thus TULIP- “The Urban Learning learning opportunities in the urban Internship Program” would help fulfill twin goals of providing interns with sector. hands-on learning experience as well as infusing fresh energy and ideas in the  TULIP has been conceived pursuant to functioning of India’s ULBs and Smart Cities. the Budget 2020-21 announcement by the  This launch is also an important stepping stone for fulfillment of MHRD and Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala AICTE’s goal of 1 crore successful Sitharaman under the theme ‘Aspirational internships by the year 2025. India’.  The digital platform powering TULIP  The announcement read as follows: “The enables discovery, engagement, Government proposes to start a program aggregation, amplification and transparency. whereby the urban local bodies across the  Technical support for the platform shall be anchored by AICTE and country would provide internship the programmatic non-technical support shall be anchored by MoHUA. opportunities to fresh engineers for a  A Steering Committee under the period up to one year.” Chairmanship of Secretary, HUA including Chairman AICTE and other Importance of TULIP officials from MoHUA and AICTE has also been constituted to review the  Such a program will help reap the benefits progress of the program on a periodical of India’s demographic dividend as it is poised to have the largest working-age population in the world in the coming years.  General education may not reflect the depth of productive knowledge present in society. Instead of approaching education as ‘doing by learning,’ our societies need to reimagine education as ‘learning by doing.’

Easy to PICK334 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 basis. Way ahead  MoHUA would reach out to State Governments to help boost internships in their cities. It will undertake capacity building initiatives in partnerships with State Governments to enable participation of ULBs and smart cities under TULIP.  As States & UTs have a deeper understanding of the regional challenges and opportunities at the urban level, they can effectively implement TULIP by matching their needs with skills developed through such internships.  State Governments/Union Territories are also urged to explore scaling up TULIP to parastatal agencies/ State Financial intermediaries and other organizations/ agencies related to urban development in their respective jurisdictions.

Easy to PICK335 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Global Virtual vaccine summit – GAVI and India’s Immunisation programme PM Modi said this while addressing the virtual vaccine intelligence network to monitor Global Vaccine Summit hosted by UK Prime the integrity of its cold chain. Minister Boris Johnson in which over 50  India is also the World’s foremost countries - business leaders, UN agencies, civil producer of vaccines and that it is society, government ministers, Heads of State fortunate to contribute to the immunization and country leaders participated. of about 60 percent of the World’s children. Imp Points  India recognizes and values the work of  He said, India’s civilization teaches to see GAVI, that is why it became a donor to the world as one family and that during this GAVI while still being eligible for GAVI pandemic it had tried to live upto this support. teaching.  He also said India did it so by sharing the The Prime Minister said India’s support to GAVI country’s available stocks of medicines is not only financial but that India’s huge demand with over 120 countries, by forging a also brings down the Global price of vaccines common response strategy in its for all, saving almost 400 Million Dollars for immediate neighborhood and by providing GAVI over the past five years. India stands in specific support to countries that sought it, solidarity with the world along with its proven while also protecting India’s own vast capacity to produce quality medicines and population. vaccines at low cost, its own domestic experience  India pledged 15 Million US Dollars to in rapidly expanding immunization and its GAVI, the international vaccine considerable scientific research talent. alliance.  Referring to GAVI, PM Modi said it is Immunisation program in India not just a global alliance but also a What symbol of global solidarity and a Immunization is the process whereby a person reminder of that by helping others we can is made immune or resistant to an infectious also help ourselves. disease, typically by the administration of a The Prime Minister said India has a vast vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own population and limited health facilities and immune system to protect the person against that it understands the importance of subsequent infection or disease. immunization. Immunization is a proven tool for controlling  He added that one of the first and eliminating life-threatening infectious programmes launched by his diseases and is estimated to avert between 2 and government was Mission 3 million deaths each year. It is one of the most Indradhanush, which aims to ensure full cost-effective health investments, with proven vaccination of the country’s children and strategies that make it accessible to even the most pregnant women, including those in the hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. It has remote parts of the vast nation. clearly defined target groups; it can be delivered  He also said in order to expand effectively through outreach activities; and protection, India has added six new vaccination does not require any major lifestyle vaccines to its National Immunization change.  India had digitized its entire vaccine supply line and developed an electronic

Easy to PICK336 – “UPSC Monthly Magazine\" June - 2020 Universal Immunisation Programme birth or as early as possible within 24 hours. Subsequently 3 dose are given at 6, 10 and 14 Immunization Programme in India was introduced weeks in combination with DPT and Hib in the in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of form of pentavalent vaccine. Immunization’ (EPI) by the Ministry of Health • Route and site- Intramuscular injection is given at anterolateral side of mid thigh and Family Welfare, Government of India. In Pentavalent Vaccine 1985, the programme was modified as • About-Pentavalent vaccine is a combined ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP) vaccine to protect children from five diseases Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertusis, Haemophilis (PT) to be implemented in phased manner to cover influenza type b infection and Hepatitis B. • When to give - Three doses are given at 6, 10 and all districts in the country by 1989-90 with the one 14 weeks of age (can be given till one year of age). • Route and site-Pentavalent vaccine is given of largest health programme in the world. intramuscularly on anterolateral side of mid thigh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rotavirus Vaccine • About -RVV stands for Rotavirus vaccine. It Government of India provides several vaccines to gives protection to infants and children against rotavirus diarrhoea. It is given in select states. infants, children and pregnant women through the • When to give - Three doses of vaccine are given at 6, 10, 14 weeks of age. Universal Immunisation Programme. • Route and site-5 drops of vaccine are given orally. The program now consists of vaccination for 12 PCV diseases- tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis • About- PCV stands for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine. It protects infants and young children (whooping cough), tetanus, poliomyelitis, against disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is given in select measles, hepatitis B, diarrhoea, japanese states. • When to give - The vaccine is given as two encephalitis, rubella, pneumonia (haemophilus primary doses at 6 & 14 weeks of age followed by a booster dose at 9 months of age influenzae type B) and Pneumococcal diseases • Route and site- PCV is given as intramuscular (IM) injection in outer right upper thigh. It should (pneumococcal pneumonia and be noted that pentavalent vaccine and PCV are given as two separate injections into opposite meningitis). Hepatitis B and Pneumococcal thighs. fIPV diseases was added to the UIP in 2007 and 2017 • About- fIPV stands for Fractional Inactivated Poliomylitis Vaccine. It is used to boost the respectively. protection against poliomylitis. • When to give- Two fractional doses of IVP are Vaccines provided under UIP: BCG • About-BCG stands for Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine. It is given to infants to protect them from tubercular meningitis and disseminated TB. • When to give – BCG vaccine is given at birth or as early as possible till 1year of • Route and site- BCG is given as intradermal injection in left upper arm. OPV • About-OPV stands for Oral Polio Vaccine. It protects children from poliomylitis. • When to give- OPV is given at birth called zero dose and three doses are given at 6, 10 and 14 weeks. A booster dose is given at 16-24 months of age. • Route and site - OPV is given orally in the form of two drops. Hepatitis B vaccine • About – Hepatitis B vaccine protects from Hepatitis B virus infection. • When to give- Hepatitis B vaccine is given at