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Daily Current Affairs | Monthly Magazines | Online Tests www.iasgatewayy.com

Index 1. POLITY & GOVERNANCE

1. Bonded Labour System in India 6

2. Merger of Assam Rifles and ITBP 7

3. Jal Jeevan Mission 8

4. CJI’s Office Comes under ambit of RTI Act, SC says 9

5. National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) 11

6. 250th Session of Rajya Sabha - Rajya Sabha: Role, Journey and Importance 12

7. Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh 13

8. Electoral Bonds – CEC objected 1% Vote Share 14

9. The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019 15

10. Intensified Mission Indradhanush, IMI 2.0 18

11. Cancellation of Telangana MLA’s Citizenship 19

12. NSS report on Persons with Disabilities in India 21

13. Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) 21

14. Bill on protecting mediapersons 23

15. Lokpal 23

16. Restructuring Powers of the Governors 24

17. Merger of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli 27

18. Unlawful Activities Preventions Act (UAPA) 28

1.1. PRELIMS SNIPPETS

1. Pro-active Governance and Timely Implementation. (PRAGATI) 29

2. ICEDASH & ATITHI Initiatives 29

3. Shaala Darpan Portal 30

4. Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh 31

2. SOCIAL ISSUES 1. Improvement in India’s Sex Ratio 32

2. Women, Peace and Democracy 33

3. FSSAI Proposes Ban on Sale of Junk Foods in School 33

4. Indian Lungs Under Extreme Stress 36

5. Maternal Death Rate Declining: Report 38

6. Child Health Programme under NHM 40

7. Helping 10-Year-Olds to read by 2030 41

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8. Spike in Indian Road Accidents 44

3. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. India Refuses to ink RCEP Agreement 46

2. U.S.A exits Paris Agreement 48

3. HADR Exercise TIGER TRIUMPH 50

4. General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) 50


1. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 52

2. Global Migration Report 2020 52

3. ICC Judges approve an investigation into crimes against Myanmar's Rohingya 53

4. Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ 54

4. ECONOMY

1. Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) in Telecom Sector 55

2. Elephant Bonds 56

3. Shrinkage in IIP recorded the Lowest in 8 Years 57

4. International Seed Treaty 58

5. Supreme Court’s Judgment on ESSAR’s Insolvency Case 59

6. Deposit Insurance Cover to be Raised? 62

7. Household Consumer Expenditure Survey 63

8. Disinvestment of CPSEs 64

9. GDP slump will hit $5-Trillion Economy Target 65


1. Khadi gets Separate Unique HS code 66

2. e-NAM 66

3. India Internet 2019 67

4. Toll Operate Transfer Model 68

5. Line of Credit 68

6. Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) 69

5. ENVIRONMENT 1. Most Mount Everest glaciers will disappear with Climate Change, Warns Study 70

2. NGT Issues Ultimatum to Ban Certain RO systems 71




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3. Sunderbans 72

4. Accounting for Every Drop of Water 73

5. Great Barrier Reef’s Coral Spawning 75

6. Drinking Water: Quality & Challenges 77

7. Rolling Out to BS-VI Norms 81

8. Satellites to Assess Pollution Status 82

9. Greenhouse Gas in Atmosphere 83

10. Smog Tower 87

11. UN Climate Change Conference 88

12. UNFCCC CoP25: Climate Change & India 89

13. Assam Govt. to provide Arsenic & Fluoride Free Drinking Water 91

14. Indian Metrological Department 92

15. Production of CNG from Stubble 93


1. Idris Elba- Wasp: 94

2. Ghoramara Island 94

3. Ken Betwa Interlink Project 95

4. Dallol Geothermal Field 95

5. Gamosas 96

6. Olive Ridley Turtles 96

7. Environment Pollution Control Authority 97

8. Brown Blotched Bengal Tree Frog 97

9. Feni River 97

10. Species in News: Pliosaur 98

11. Sisiri River Bridge 99

12. Indian Forest Act, 1927 99

13. Acqua alta 100

14. Decoded: How Birds Influence each other in Coordinated Flights 100

15. Idris Elba- Wasp: 101

16. Ghoramara Island 101

17. Ken Betwa Interlink Project 101

18. Dallol Geothermal Field 102

19. Gamosas 102




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6. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 1. IndiGen Project 104

2. Spyware Pegasus 105

3. Artillery Gun Dhanush 106

4. NASA’s Voyager 2 107

5. China Proposes to Treat Alzheimer’s with New Drug 108

6. Cloud Seeding Technology 109

7. Pneumonia and Diarrhoea in India 110

8. India is Home to 77 Million Diabetics 112

9. Arrokoth 113

10. Spicules in the Sun 114

11. Space Internet 115

12. Quantum Computing 117

13. Paraquat Dichloride 117

14. Golden Rice 118


1. Co2 Injection Technology 119

2. Cartosat-3 Satellite 119

3. Spike: Anti-Tank Guided Missile 120

4. Li-Ion Cell Technology 120

5. Light Water Reactor 121

6. Gaofen-7 121

7. Dwarf Planets 122

8. Waste land Atlas 123

9. Vaccine Hesitancy 123

10. NASA’s first electric plane - X-57 Maxwell 124

11. K4 Missile 124

12. Japanese Spacecraft starts Year-Long Journey home from Asteroid 124

13. Jupiter’s Moon Europa 125

14. Gandhian Challenge 125

15. Mandatory FASTags 126



https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/06/china-proposes-to-treat-alzheimers-with-new-drug/


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7. MISCELLANEOUS 1. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) 127

2. Danakil Depression 127

3. Pannai App 128

4. Kalapani 128

5. Guru Nanak Dev 129

6. Global Cooling Prize 130

7. Jharkhand statehood day 130

8. NISHTHA 131

9. North India's 1st sugar mill which will Produce Ethanol Inaugurated 131

10. Suez Canal 131

11. Special Protection Group 132

12. Female Labour Force Participation 132

13. Secretagogin (SCGN) 134

14. Tuvalu 135

15. Living Root Bridges 136

16. Haryana’s Johads set for Revamp 136

17. Rohtang Tunnel 139

18. Loktak Inland Waterways Project 140




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1. POLITY & GOVERNANCE

1. Bonded Labour System in India

Why in News?

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has conducted a seminar on “bonded

labour” recently.

About Bonded Labour:

• It is a practice in which employers give high-interest loans to workers who work at low

wages to pay off the debt.

• The Supreme Court of India has interpreted bonded labour as the payment of wages that

are below the prevailing market wages and legal minimum wages. The Constitution of

India prohibits forced labour under Article 23 (Fundamental Rights on Prohibition of

traffic in human beings and forced labour).

• Bonded labour was historically associated with rural economies where peasants from

economically disadvantaged communities were bound to work for the landlords.

• Bonded labour is found to exist in both rural and urban pockets in unorganized industries

such as brick kilns, stone quarries, coal mining, agricultural labour, domestic servitude,

circus, and sexual slavery.

• According to International Labour Organization (ILO) there are 1.17 crores bonded

labourers in India (2014).

Reasons for the Persistence of Bonded Labour:

• The lack of awareness among workers and employers

• Low conviction rates

• Social bias towards bonded labour

• Migratory nature of bonded labour

• Weaker implementation of Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976.

Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976:

• The Act extends to the whole of India but implemented by respective State Governments.

• It provides for an institutional mechanism at the district level in the form of Vigilance

Committees.

• Vigilance committees advise District Magistrate (DM) to ensure the provisions of this act

are properly implemented.




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• The State Governments/UTs may confer, on an Executive Magistrate, the powers of a

Judicial Magistrate of the first class or second class for the trial of offences under this Act.

• Under the Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers

(2016) financial assistance to the extent of Rs. Three lakhs is provided to the released

bonded labourers along with other non-cash assistance for their livelihood.

2. Merger of Assam Rifles and ITBP

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has proposed that the Assam Rifles should be

merged with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and serve under the operational

control of the MHA.

About CAPF:

• The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) refers to uniform nomenclature of security forces

in India under the authority of Ministry of Home Affairs. They are the, Border Security

Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force

(CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Assam Rifles (AR), National Security Guard

(NSG) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). At present, the Assam Rifles, a Central paramilitary

force, is under the administrative control of the MHA and under the operational control of

the Army, i.e. the Ministry of Defence.

BSF:

• The primary role of the Border Security Force is to guard the border of the India with

Pakistan and Bangladesh; it is deployed both on the International Border (IB) between

India and Pakistan and the Line of Control (LOC). The BSF also has active roles during

times of war.

CRPF:

• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is India's largest Central Armed Police Force and

also considered to be World's largest Paramilitary Force.

• It functions under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government

of India. The CRPF's primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police

operations to maintain law and order and Counter Insurgency.

CISF:

• One of the largest industrial security forces in the world, the Central Industrial Security

Force provides security to various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and other critical




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infrastructure installations, major airports across the country and provides security during

elections and other internal security duties and VVIP protection.

ITBP:

• The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is deployed for guarding duties on the border with China

from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu La in Arunachal Pradesh covering a

total distance of 3488 km.

Assam Rifles:

• The Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India. The unit can trace its lineage

back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar

Levy. Since 2002 it has been guarding the Indo–Myanmar barrier as per the government

policy "one border one force".

NSG:

• The National Security Guard (NSG) is a counter terrorism unit under the Indian Ministry

of Home Affairs (MHA). It was raised in 15th October1984, following Operation Blue Star,

Akshardham Temple attack and the assassination of Indira Gandhi, "for combating

terrorist activities with a view to protect states against Internal Disturbances".

SSB:

• The objective of the Sashastra Seema Bal (English: Armed Border Force) is to guard the

Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan Borders.

3. Jal Jeevan Mission

Why in News?

• The Union Minister for Water Resources reviewed the Jal Jeevan Mission in the southern

states.

Jal Jeevan Mission:

• The Mission was announced in August 2019.

• The chief objective of the Mission is to provide piped water supply (Har Ghar Jal) to all

rural and urban households by 2024.

• It also aims to create local infrastructure for rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge

and management of household waste water for reuse in agriculture. According to the data

published in various reports, about half of the country’s households don’t have access to

piped water supply.




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• It is an urgent requirement of water conservation in the country because of the decreasing

amount of groundwater level. Therefore, the Jal Jeevan Mission will focus on integrated

demand and supply management of water at the local level.

Benefits:

✓ Household pipeline water supply

✓ Clean and drinkable water

✓ Recharge of groundwater level

✓ Better local infrastructure

✓ Less water-borne diseases

4. CJI’s Office Comes under ambit of RTI Act, SC says

Why in News?

• The office of the Chief Justice of India is a public authority and falls under the ambit of

Right to Information Act, the Supreme Court ruled today.

Highlights:

• The five-judge bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices N V Ramana, D Y Chandrachud,

Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna passed the judgment on an appeal filed by the Supreme

Court administration.

• The appeal challenged the 2010 order of the Delhi high court which held that the CJI’s

office comes under the ambit of the Right to Information Act.

• Oppositions to the plea had contended that courts had time and again given a slew of

directions to infuse transparency in the functioning of various institutions.

• The bench had agreed that there should be transparency, but added there was a need to do

balancing.

Who is a “Public Authority”?

• In 2011, the Punjab-Haryana High Court while deciding on 24 civil writ petitions against

the Central/State Information Commissioners had held that if any person, or body,

satisfies the following conditions then it would “squarely fall within the ambit and scope of

definition of ‘public authorities'” and would be “legally required to impart the indicated

information as envisaged under the RTI Act” –

• The institution cannot come into existence and function unless registered and regulated by

the provisions of a legislation; or the State Government has some degree of control over it

through the medium of Acts/Rules; or it is substantially financed by means of funds




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provided directly, or indirectly, by the appropriate Government; or the mandate and

command of the provisions of the RTI Act along with its Preamble, aims, objects and

regime extends to their public dealing; or The larger public interest and totality of the

other facts and circumstances emanating from the records suggest that such information

may be disclosed.

The Delhi High Court order:

• In a landmark verdict on January 10, 2010, the Delhi High Court had held that the office of

the Chief Justice of India comes within the ambit of the RTI law.

• It said that the judicial independence was not a judge’s privilege, but a responsibility cast

upon him. The 88-page judgment was then seen as a personal setback to the then CJI, KG

Balakrishnan, who has been opposed to disclosure of information relating to judges under

the RTI Act.

• The apex court said that the right to privacy and confidentiality is an important aspect and

has to be balanced while taking a decision on giving out information from the CJI’s office.

• The CJI-led bench added that transparency cannot be allowed to run counter to right to

privacy. The bench said that the information commissioner must apply test of

proportionality while entertaining applications seeking information from the CJI’s office.

• However, it must keep in mind right to privacy and independence of judiciary.

Judicial Accountability:

• Judiciary accountability generally refers to the “answerability or responsibility” of the

judiciary to the various segments.

Relation between Judicial Accountability and Judicial Independence:

• The principal of judicial independence is not meant to benefit the Judges; it is meant to

guarantee a fair and impartial hearing and an unswerving obedience to the rule of law.

• It is also universally accepted that the judiciary has to be independent and impartial and to

be so it must also enjoy some degree of immunity.

• However, Accountability is necessary to prevent any judicial delinquency and ensuring the

efficient functioning of the judiciary.

• Thus, the Independence and Accountability are two sides of the same coin and they

complement each other.

Need for Judicial Accountability in India:

• Power and position in a democracy is depicted as attendant with responsibility, and every

incumbent of a public office must remain constantly accountable to the people.




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• The People's Convention on Judicial Accountability and reform-2017, held in New Delhi

observed that the “The Judicial System of India, remains dysfunctional for the weak and

the poor when it comes to protecting their rights”

• Therefore, any accountability must be comprehensive to include not only the politicians,

but also the bureaucrats, judges and everyone invested with power.

Judicial Accountability in India:

• The Constitution has provided in Article 235, for the 'control' of the High Court over the

Subordinate Judiciary clearly indicating the provision of an effective mechanism to enforce

accountability. The Conference of Chief Justice held in 1996, resulted in a Code of Conduct

being adopted. Full Court Meeting of the Supreme Court in 1997 adopted a resolution

relating to the declaration of assets by the judges. And the SC also adopted a resolution

that the allegations against a Judge would be examined by his peers and not by an outside

agency and thereby, the independence of the judiciary can be maintained. The Judges

Inquiry Act, 1968, contains details regarding the impeachment process of the Judges.

5. National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)

Why in News?

• The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment given by the National Company Law

Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

About NCLAT:

• National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) was constituted under Section 410 of

the Companies Act, 2013 for hearing appeals against the orders of National Company Law

Tribunal(s) (NCLT), with effect from 1st June, 2016.

• NCLAT is also the Appellate Tribunal for hearing appeals against the orders passed by

NCLT(s) under Section 61 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).

• NCLAT is also the Appellate Tribunal for hearing appeals against the orders passed by

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India under Section 202 and Section 211 of IBC.

• NCLAT is also the Appellate Tribunal to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction

issued or decision made or order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

Composition:

• The President of the Tribunal and the chairperson and Judicial Members of the Appellate

Tribunal shall be appointed after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.




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• The Members of the Tribunal and the Technical Members of the Appellate Tribunal shall

be appointed on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting of:

1. Chief Justice of India or his nominee—Chairperson.

2. A senior Judge of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of High Court— Member.

3. Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs—Member.

4. Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice—Member.

5. Secretary in the Department of Financial Services in the Ministry of Finance— Member.

6. 250th Session of Rajya Sabha - Rajya Sabha: Role, Journey and Importance

Background:

• The origin of Rajya Sabha can be traced back to 1919, in pursuance to the Government of

India Act, 1919, the Council of States was created.

• This Council of States, however, hardly reflected any federal features, as its most members

were nominated. The Council continued to function till India became independent.

The Rajya Sabha:

• The Rajya Sabha, in its present form came into being in 1952.

• Its Hindi nomenclature was adopted in 1954.

• The Rajya Sabha is to consist of not more than 250 members - 238 members representing

the States and Union Territories, and 12 members nominated by the President.

• Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution.

• However, one third of the members retire every second year, and are replaced by newly

elected members. Each member is elected for a term of six years.

• The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

• The House also elects a Deputy Chairman from among its members.

• Besides, there is also a panel of "Vice Chairmen" in the Rajya Sabha.

• The senior most Minister, who is a member of Rajya Sabha, is appointed by the Prime

Minister as Leader of the House Rajya Sabha has been an integral part of the socio-

economic transformation of our country

Two Exclusive Powers of the Rajya Sabha:

• It can with the support of two-thirds of its members delist a subject under the exclusive

State List and declare it to be of national importance, empowering Parliament to legislate

on it. It can create one or more new All India Services.




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• Is the Rajya Sabha necessary today?

Argument Against:

• Lok Sabha that has representation from several regional parties more than adequately

represents a federal country, with no necessity for a second house.

• Rajya Sabha has been seen as the backdoor entry for the politicians who have lost the

general elections. Rajya Sabha has become a haven for losers in elections, crony capitalists,

compromised journalists and party fundraisers.

Arguments in Favour:

• RS have been deliberately designed to provide the necessary checks and balance on the

powers of the central government, from passing inadequate or ill-considered bills.

• It upholds the idea of federalism, by providing the states a pathway to give their views and

opinions. It is virtually impossible to abolish the Rajya Sabha without adopting a new

Indian Constitution, as it is likely to be interpreted as a “basic structure" of the Indian

Constitution.

Structural Reforms needed in Rajya Sabha

• The MPs should be directly elected by the citizens of a state, this will reduce cronyism and

patronage appointments, improving the accountability.

• There should be equal representation for each state (say, five members) so that large states

do not dominate the proceedings in the House.

Other Facts:

• Representation of women in Rajya Sabha –have increased from 15 members in 1952 to 26

members in 2019. The Rajya Sabha since its inception had played an important role in

shaping social change, economic transformation, industrial development, health,

education, agriculture, environment and national security. Also, the House's landmark

legislations have enabled the country to be a successful Parliamentary Democracy.

7. Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh

Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh (BPKK):

• The BPKK will be a repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones in India for

better nutritional outcomes.

Objective:

• The Mission aims at targeted reduction of stunting, undernutrition, anemia and low birth

weight babies.




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Highlights:

• The Harvard Chan School of Public Health through its India Research Center and the Bill

and Melinda Gates Foundation will document and evaluate promising regional dietary

practices.

• In consultation with Ministry of WCD and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the project

team will select around 12 high focus states which are representative of the geographical,

social, economic, cultural and structural diversities of India.

• In each of the states or group of states the team will identify a local partner organization

which has relevant work experience in Social and Behavior Change Communication

(SBCC) and nutrition for developing the food atlas.

Efforts Taken for Better Nutrition:

• Two other approaches are required to complement the Government’s efforts to promote

healthy dietary practices. One, addressing the challenge of malnutrition at such a vast scale

requires a basic understanding of the social, behavioural and cultural practices that

promote and reinforce healthy dietary behaviours both at the individual and community

level. Two, creating the first ever database that links relevant agro-food system data at the

district, with an aim to map the diversity of native crop varieties that will be more cost-

effective and sustainable over the long run.

8. Electoral Bonds – CEC objected 1% Vote Share

Why in News?

• Law ministry and Chief Election Commission (CEC) have objected the 1% vote share norm

in Electoral Bonds.

About Electoral bonds:

• Electoral bonds will allow donors to pay political parties using banks as an intermediary.

• Although called a bond, the banking instrument resembling promissory notes will not

carry any interest.

• The electoral bond, which will be a bearer instrument, will not carry the name of the payee

and can be bought for any value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh

or Rs 1 crore.

• As per provisions of the Scheme, electoral bonds may be purchased by a citizen of India, or

entities incorporated or established in India.




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• A person being an individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly with other

individuals. Only the registered Political Parties which have secured not less than one

per cent of the votes polled in the last Lok Sabha elections or the State Legislative

Assembly are eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds.

• The electoral bonds are aimed at rooting out the current system of largely anonymous cash

donations made to political parties which lead to the generation of black money in the

Economy.

What is the Issue?

• The Law Ministry recommended the imposition of a 6% vote share requirement (similar to

the requirement for recognised State and national parties) or the removal of the current 1%

vote share requirement entirely.

• The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) also objected to the vote share requirement as

discriminatory, while political parties themselves were not consulted.

• However, the Finance Ministry chose to ignore these concerns and insisted that only

registered political parties which had “secured not less than one percent of votes polled in

the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly, as the case

may be, shall be eligible to receive the bond.” According to the latest data from the Election

Commission of India, there are eight recognised national political parties, 52 recognised

State parties and 2,487 unrecognised parties registered with the commission.

• A 6% vote share is one condition for recognised parties. It is not clear how many of the

unrecognised parties have a 1% vote share. Individual candidates and new political parties

would not be able to receive donations under the scheme and this is “somewhat

discriminatory” provision which might be challenged in the courts.

• Under the RPI Act, “every political party may accept any amount of contribution

voluntarily offered to it”. But now putting a 1% vote share condition would override a

substantive provision of the Act.

9. The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019

Why in News?

• The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019.

About the Bill:

• The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019 proposes to amalgamate The Trade Unions Act,

1926, The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, and The Industrial

Disputes Act, 1947.




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• Apart from offering some degree of flexibility on government permissions for

retrenchment, the most important aspect of the Bill is that it presents the legal framework

for ushering in the concept of ‘fixed-term employment’ through contract workers on a pan-

India basis. Currently, companies hire contract workers through contractors.

• With the introduction of fixed-term employment, they will be able to hire workers directly

under a fixed-term contract, with the flexibility to tweak the length of the contract based

on the seasonality of industry.

• These workers will be treated on a par with regular workers during the tenure of the

contract.

• The move to include it in a central law will help in wider reach, and states are expected to

follow similar applicability.

• The government had tried a move last year to apply fixed-term employment across “central

sphere establishments” (which are establishments under the authority of the central

government, Railways, mines, oilfields, major ports, or any other central public sector

undertaking) in all sectors, but it failed to elicit the desired results as states did not notify

similar provisions for it.

• The Bill now ensures a pan-India impact of this move.

What are the Changes Made in the Bill?

• The threshold required for government permission for retrenchment has been kept

unchanged at 100 employees, as against the proposal for 300 employees in an earlier draft

of the Bill, which was opposed by trade unions.

• Instead, the government has now provided flexibility for changing the threshold through

notification. The rigidity of labour laws about laying off labour has often been cited by

industry as the main reason limiting scalability and employment generation.

• At present, any company having 100 workers or more has to seek government approval for

retrenchment. The provision of fixed-term employment, which helps in the flow of social

security benefits to all workers along with making it easier for companies to hire and fire,

in The Industrial Relations Code Bill. Last year, the government had included the category

of ‘Fixed Term Employment Workman’ for all sectors in the Industrial Employment

(Standing Orders) Act, 1946.

• This was only applicable to ‘central sphere’ establishments, and the states did not follow

suit.




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Challenges Regarding the Bill:

• While industry has welcomed the changes, others have said that the unclear provision

regarding retrenchment would lead to uncertainty and discretionary behaviour during

implementation by the central or state government.

• “The moment flexibility is provided for the applicability and then it leaves the matter to the

discretion to the appropriate government (states or Centre). Then the clause can be

misused.

• Any discretion in law leads to uncertainty, lack of clarity, discriminatory implementation,

and provides scope for unnecessary usage.

• The government should be clear whether to increase the threshold or retain the threshold

and face the consequences.

• Also, fixed-term employment needs to be introduced with adequate safeguards, otherwise

it runs the risk of encouraging conversion of permanent employment into fixed-term

employment, he said.

Response from the Industry:

• Industry has welcomed the Bill since it has met their demand of providing flexibility in

retrenchment.

• If there is more employment in the organised sector, industry would demand flexibility.

• The original laws were made at a time when one would join and retire from the same

company. Earlier, there were so many interpretations, and simplifying so many laws into

four Codes is a good thing.

• There is no intention of industry to exploit labour, but one cannot run the company to

create employment — it has to be commercially viable.

• Today we are competing with global players so there should be a level playing field. We

want to protect employment as much as possible, when there is commercial viability.

• There is no unending amount of money available with anyone of us to continue to employ

labour when business is not viable.

• Fixed-term employment will help in keeping salaries and facilities to workers such as PF,

gratuity, and medical benefits, the same as those for permanent labour

• Inclusion in the central law will also help in applicability of fixed-term employment

uniformly across the country.




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10. Intensified Mission Indradhanush, IMI 2.0

Why in News?

• Intensified Mission Indradhanush, IMI 2.0 is to be rolled out from 2nd December, 2019.

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP):

• Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of

Immunization’ (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

• In 1985, the programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP) to

be implemented in phased manner to cover all districts in the country by 1989-90.

• This was one of largest health programme in the world.

• Under UIP, immunization is providing free of cost against 12 vaccine preventable diseases:

✓ Nationally against 9 diseases - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella,

severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and Meningitis & Pneumonia

caused by Hemophilus Influenza type B.

✓ Sub-nationally against 3 diseases - Rotavirus diarrhoea, Pneumococcal Pneumonia and

Japanese Encephalitis; of which Rotavirus vaccine and Pneumococcal Conjugate

vaccine are in process of expansion while JE vaccine is provided only in endemic

districts.

Mission Indradhanush:

• ‘Mission Indradhanush’ was launched in December 2014 to fully immunize more than 89

lakh children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. The Mission based on

priority, focused on high risk settlements identified by the polio eradication programme.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI):

• It was launched in 2017, to further intensify the immunization programme.

• The programme has been launched, to reach each and every child under two years of age

and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine

immunisation programme.

• The special drive focused on improving immunisation coverage in select districts and cities

to ensure full immunisation to more than 90% by December 2018. Special attention was

given to unserved/low coverage pockets in sub-centre and urban slums with migratory

population. The focus was also on the urban settlements and cities identified under

National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). The programme was closely monitored at the

district, state and central level at regular intervals.




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Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0:

• The programme aims to achieve targets of full immunisation coverage in 272 districts in 27

states, and will be implemented at the block level (652 blocks) in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

• The scheme will help India achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending

preventable child deaths by 2030.

11. Cancellation of Telangana MLA’s Citizenship

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday cancelled the citizenship of TRS MLA

from Vemulawada in north Telangana Chennamaneni Ramesh.

What is the Issue?

• Ramesh, who had been living in Germany since 1993, applied for Indian citizenship on

March 31, 2008 and was granted the same on February 4, 2009.

• On June 15, 2009, Congress leader from Karimnagar Adi Srinivas filed a revision

application, raising objection to the grant of citizenship to Ramesh.

• Srinivas pointed out that Ramesh had retained his German citizenship, and had travelled

to Germany in the year preceding the date of his application for Indian citizenship, which

was in violation of The Citizenship Act, 1955.

• Based on this, the MHA formed a committee, which investigated the matter for nine years

before submitting in its report in March 2017 that Ramesh had indeed, obtained

citizenship fraudulently. The MHA cancelled Ramesh’s citizenship in August that year.

Action of the MHA:

• In an order served to Ramesh on November 20, the MHA has said that in his application

for citizenship filed on March 31, 2008, he did not disclose that he had not lived in India

for 12 months before the date of the application, even though he had made multiple trips

to Germany during this period. This was in violation of The Citizenship Act, 1955, and the

Rules under it. “Thus he obtained registration of citizenship under section 5(1)(f) by means

of fraud, false representation and concealment of facts and his action attracts provisions of

section 10(2) of the Act. This makes him liable to be deprived of his Indian citizenship,” the

MHA order said.

What does Citizenship Act, 1955 say?

• These sections deal with grant of citizenship and the authority of the government to cancel

the same.




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• According to Section 5(1)(f), “the Central Government may, on an application made in

this behalf, register as a citizen of India any person if a person of full age and capacity who,

or either of his parents, was earlier citizen of independent India, and has been residing in

India for one year immediately before making an application for registration.”

• Section 10(2) says: “Subject to the provisions of this section, the Central Government

may, by order, deprive any such citizen of Indian citizenship, if it is satisfied that the

registration or certificate of naturalization was obtained by means of fraud, false

representation or the concealment of any material fact.”

• The law, however, also provides for checks to ensure that citizenship is not cancelled

arbitrarily. Section 10(3) of the Act says, “The Central Government shall not deprive a

person of citizenship under this section unless it is satisfied that it is not conducive to the

public good that person should continue to be a citizen of India.”

Counter Arguments given by the MLA:

• At the time of application, the law did not specifically require him to “continuously” stay in

India for 12 months prior to the date of application.

• He has also said that since he was a German citizen prior to getting Indian citizenship, he

did not consider going to Germany a trip “abroad”, and therefore maintained that he had

not made any trips abroad. He has also argued that Srinivas’s revision petition was time

barred — the law requires the objection to be raised within 30 days and, in case the

government allows it beyond that period, it must be satisfied that the petitioner was

prevented for making the application in time. He said: “Dr Ramesh Chennamaneni is a

sitting MLA and does not have any criminal backgrounds. Hence section 10(3) of the Act is

not satisfied. He was elected 4 times by the people of his constituency, being satisfied by

his performance and development activity being carried out by him.

• He has not involved in terrorism, espionage, serious organized crime, war crime or

unacceptable behaviour. On the contrary, he has been doing lot of public good.”

Options left:

• Ramesh can go back to the High Court and challenge the decision. Thereafter, he can go to

the Supreme Court. However, unless a stay order is granted on the MHA’s decision, he is

sure to lose his membership of the Telangana Assembly.

• In case he does not get relief from the court, he will have the option of going through the

whole process again; following which it would be the government’s discretion to grant him

citizenship, if he satisfies all conditions.




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12. NSS report on Persons with Disabilities in India

Why in News?

• The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme

Implementation has conducted a Survey of Persons with Disabilities during July 2018 to

December 2018.

Objective of Survey:

• The main objective of the Survey of Persons with Disabilities conducted by NSO was to

estimate indicators of:

✓ Incidence and prevalence of disability,

✓ Cause of disability,

✓ Age at onset of disability,

✓ Facilities available to the persons with disability,

✓ Difficulties faced by persons with disability in accessing/using public building/public

transport,

✓ Arrangement of regular care giver,

✓ Out of pocket expenses relating to disability, etc.

Highlights:

• In India prevalence of disability (percentage of persons with disability in the population)

was 2.2% with 2.3% in rural and 2.0% in urban areas.

• Prevalence of disability was higher among males than females. Among males, prevalence

of disability was 2.4% while it was 1.9% among females. Incidence of disability in the

population, that is the number of persons with onset of disability (by birth or otherwise)

during 365 days preceding the date of survey was 86 per 1,00,000 persons.

13. Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India)

Why in News?

• MoAs for Light House Projects under GHTC – India Exchanged between the Ministry of

Housing and Urban Affairs and State Governments.

Highlights:

• Memorandums of Agreement (MoAs) were signed between the Ministry and six state

governments for Light House Projects under GHTC-India.

• Six states: Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh




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• For addressing the housing demand of more than 10 million houses by 2022, the

Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban, in June 2015.

• To accomplish ‘Housing for All’ mission, the Global Housing Technology Challenge-India

(GHTC-India) was launched to get globally acclaimed, alternate and proven construction

technologies for speedier and cost-effective construction of affordable housing.

• The Prime Minister declared 2019-2020 as ‘Construction Technology Year’.

GHTC – India:

• This is a challenge instituted for all states and UTs to select six sites across the country for

constructing lighthouse projects.

• The challenge has been launched to bring about a paradigm shift in the housing

construction technology sector.

• The states and union territories that score the highest marks were awarded lighthouse

projects.

• The term lighthouse project refers to a model project that aims, besides its original

purpose, to have a signal effect for numerous follow-up projects as they look towards it for

inspiration and guidance. (Light House – Something that gives guidance or shows the way)

• It is under this challenge that the 6 states were awarded the projects.

• The winning states will receive central assistance to construct these projects as per the

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) guidelines.

• The challenge is intended to foster the development of domestic technological research,

and building platforms for knowledge sharing and networking across the sector.

• The challenge was launched in January 2019.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U):

• The PMAY-U was launched in 2015 to provide housing for all by 2022.

• The scheme provides central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other

implementing agencies through States/UTs.

• The programme has 4 verticals:

• Credit Link Subsidy Scheme (CLSS)

• In-situ rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers using land as a resource through private

participation

• Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP)

• Subsidy for beneficiary led individual house construction/enhancement




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14. Bill on protecting mediapersons

Why in News?

• President has given assent to a legislation passed by the Maharashtra Assembly in 2017

that makes violent attacks on mediapersons a non-bailable offence.

• Maharashtra is the first State to pass such legislation.

Maharashtra Mediapersons and Media Institutions Act, 2017:

• The Maharashtra Media Persons and Media Institutions (Prevention of Violence and

Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2017, also has a provision of imprisonment and a fine of

₹50,000. It was passed by the Assembly in 2017, but received the President’s assent in

October after the Union Home Ministry scrutinized the legislation and consulted all

concerned Ministries. The MHA had returned the Bill to the Maharashtra government last

year to seek clarification.

• The Bill has a provision that any offence against a mediapersons will be investigated by a

police officer above the rank of a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Why need such Law?

• There are rampant instances of violence and attacks against mediapersons and damage or

loss to the property of media institutions.

• There is strong demand to prevent such violence against mediapersons or damage or loss

to the property belonging to mediapersons or media institutions and check the recurrence

of such incidents in the State. In 2017, the MHA also issued an advisory to all States to

ensure the “safety and security of journalists”.

• The advisory was issued days after Bengaluru-based journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot

dead near her home.

15. Lokpal

Why in News?

• New logo and motto for Lokpal has been introduced recently.

About:

• A new motto, “Ma Gridhah Kasyasvidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealth)”, was

also adopted.

• The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 provides the establishment of Lokpal for the Union

and Lokayukta for States.




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• These institutions are statutory bodies without any constitutional status.

• They perform the function of an "ombudsman” and inquire into allegations of corruption

against certain public functionaries and for related matters.

Lokpal is a multi-member body that consists of one chairperson and a maximum of 8

members.

• Chairperson of the Lokpal should be either the former Chief Justice of India or the former

Judge of Supreme Court or an eminent person with impeccable integrity and outstanding

ability, having special knowledge and expertise of minimum 25 years in the matters

relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance including

insurance and banking, law and management.

• Out of the maximum eight members, half will be judicial members and minimum 50% of

the Members will be from SC/ ST/ OBC/ Minorities and women.

• The judicial member of the Lokpal should be either a former Judge of the Supreme Court

or a former Chief Justice of a High Court.

• The non-judicial member should be an eminent person with impeccable integrity and

outstanding ability, having special knowledge and expertise of minimum 25 years in the

matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance

including insurance and banking, law and management.

• The term of office for Lokpal Chairman and Members is 5 years or till the age of 70 years.

The members are appointed by the president on the recommendation of a Selection

Committee.

• The selection committee is composed of the Prime Minister who is the Chairperson;

Speaker of Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Chief Justice of India or a Judge

nominated by him/her and One eminent jurist. For selecting the chairperson and the

members, the selection committee constitutes a search panel of at least eight persons.

16. Restructuring Powers of the Governors

Why in News?

• The actions of the Governors of few states over the last few years have invited scrutiny on

their Discretional Powers.

About:

• Being a constitutional head in the state, the Governors have executive, legislative,

financial, judicial and discretionary powers.




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• The most controversial powers of the Governor are the discretionary powers.

• The actions of few Governors of various states have called for scrutinizing their powers.

What does the Constitution say?

• The discretionary powers of Governor in state are much more extensive in comparison to

the President in centre in India. For example, Article 163 of the constitution says that there

shall be a Council of Ministers in the states with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and

advise the Governor in exercise his functions, except those which are required to be done

by the Governor on his/ her discretion.

• The constitution further mentions that if any question arises whether a matter falls within

the Governor’s discretion or not, decision of the Governor shall be final, and the validity of

anything done by the Governor shall not be called in question on the ground that he ought

or ought not to have acted in his discretion.

• Moreover, what advice was tendered by the Governor to the Ministry cannot be inquired

into a court.

Discretionary Powers of the Governor:

• Governor can dissolve the legislative assembly if the chief minister advices him to do

following a vote of no confidence. Now, it is up to the Governor what he/ she would like to

do.

• Governor, on his/ her discretion can recommend the president about the failure of the

constitutional machinery in the state.

• On his/ her discretion, the Governor can reserve a bill passed by the state legislature for

president’s assent. If there is NO political party with a clear-cut majority in the assembly,

Governor on his/ her discretion can appoint anybody as chief minister.

• Governor determines the amount payable by the Government of Assam, Meghalaya,

Tripura and Mizoram to an autonomous Tribal District Council as royalty accruing from

licenses for mineral exploration.

• Governor can seek information from the chief minister with regard to the administrative

and legislative matters of the state.

• Governor has discretion to refuse to sign to an ordinary bill passed by the state legislature.

• Thus, though the Governor is made the constitutional head of a state like president of

India, yet there is a thin line as the Constitution empowers the Governor to act without the

advice of the Chief Minister and his council and can use discretion on certain matters.




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Controversies regarding Governor’s Power:

• In April 1948, the Drafting Committee of the Constitution insisted on omitting all

references to the discretionary powers of the Governor.

• On May 31, 1949, B.R. Ambedkar said in unequivocal terms that the Governor “is required

to follow the advice of his Ministry in all matters”.

• However, it is trite that the Governor is required to exercise discretion in deciding the

formation of government when there is no clear post-poll majority.

• Here, the cases of S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, Rameshwar Prasad v. Union of India,

and Nabam Rebia v. Deputy Speaker provide unambiguous judicial guidance to how the

office of the Governor must encounter tricky post-poll claims to form government and stay

immune to political bias. Unfortunately, the appointment process of Governors has made

the office vulnerable to the influence of the Union government.

• Over the years, occupants of this office have continued to look towards New Delhi for

guidance.

Need for Reform:

• There is little doubt that the appointment and tenure of Governors need to undergo radical

reform. The Justice P.V. Rajamannar Committee, which was tasked by the Tamil Nadu

government to look into Centre-State relations in 1969, recommended that State

governments be included in the appointment process of Governors to drastically reduce

their discretionary powers.

The call to rectify the imbalance in Centre-State equations must begin with such a reform.

Furthermore, for too long, Governors have enjoyed a legal immunity, granted by the

Constitution, on account of their sovereign functions.

• Over the years, the Supreme Court has confirmed its powers to review the actions of the

Governors. Any decision of the Governor can be subjected to judicial scrutiny, including

the materials placed to arrive at that decision.

• However, there is a compelling case that the Westminster model of sovereign and symbolic

head of state is past its expiry date.

• The powers and privileges that are attached to the office of the Governor must be

accompanied by answerability, transparency and accountability. Governors and their

offices must be scrutinized as much as any other public office.

• The court can lay down guidelines in this regard.




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17. Merger of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Why in News?

• Lok Sabha has passed a bill to merge UTs Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

About:

• The Bill amends the First Schedule to merge the territories of the two UTs: (a) Dadra and

Nagar Haveli, and (b) Daman and Diu.

• The merged territory will form the single UT and named as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and

Daman and Diu.

• Article 240(1) of the Constitution allows the President to make regulations for certain

UTs, including the UTs of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu.

• The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019

will help in strengthening administrative efficiency services.

• The First Schedule to the Representation of the People Act, 1950 provides one seat in Lok

Sabha to each of the two UTs. The Bill seeks to amend the Schedule to allocate two Lok

Sabha seats to the merged UT.

• Provisions retained are reservation provided to people in the two union territories will

continue, the number of Lok Sabha seats will also remain unaltered and the jurisdiction of

the Bombay High Court will continue over the two territories, there will be no change in

the status of Group III and IV employees.

• The country currently has nine Union Territories after the creation of the UTs of Jammu

and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

• However, with the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the number of

UTs will come down to eight.




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18. Unlawful Activities Preventions Act (UAPA)

Why in News?

• Central Government extended ban on insurgent outfit United Liberation Front of Assam

(ULFA).

About:

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banned the ULFA which was indulging in illegal and

violent activities intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India in

furtherance of its objective of ‘liberating’ Assam

• The government declared the ULFA and all its wings as “unlawful association” in exercise

of the powers conferred by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

UAPA:

• The UAPA is an upgrade on the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act TADA,

which was allowed to lapse in 1995 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was

repealed in 2004.

• It was originally passed in 1967 under the then Congress government led by former Prime

Minister Indira Gandhi.

• Till 2004, “unlawful” activities referred to actions related to secession and cession of

territory. Following the 2004 amendment, “terrorist act” was added to the list of offences.

Unlawful Activities Preventions act, 2019:

• The proposed amendments to the existing Act redefine “Who may commit terrorism “,

establishing that under the Act, the Centre may designate an organisation as a terrorist

organisation if it commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism,

promotes terrorism, or is otherwise involved in terrorism.

• The Bill also additionally empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists

on the same grounds. The Bill also paves the way for the National Investigation Agency

(NIA) to seize property as part of investigations into terror cases.

• At the same time, while the existing Act provides for investigation of cases to be conducted

by officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police or

above. The proposed amendment additionally empowers the officers of the NIA to

investigate cases — of the rank of Inspector or above.

• Further, the International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005)

has also been added in the Second Schedule through this Amendment.




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Need for Amendments:

• It is often accused that UAPA Act assigns absolute power to the central government to

declare someone as terrorist.

• Terrorism is not just fostered by the gun. Terrorism is also the spread of hate and

radicalism.

• If the bill is passed, a person can be declared a terrorist when they take part in terror

activities, or provide funds, or harbor a terror theory and then spread it among youth.

POLITY & GOVERNANCE SNIPPETS

1. Pro-active Governance and Timely Implementation. (PRAGATI)

Why in News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently chaired the 31st interaction through PRAGATI —

the ICT based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely

Implementation.

About PRAGATI:

• It is a Multi-Purpose and Multi-Modal Platform that is aimed at addressing

common man’s grievances, and simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important

programmes and projects of the Government of India as well as projects flagged by State

Governments. Agencies Involved: It has been designed in-house by the PMO team with the

help of National Informatics Center (NIC).

Key Features:

• It is a three-tier system (involving PMO, Union Government Secretaries, and Chief

Secretaries of the States);

• PM will hold a monthly interaction with the Government of India Secretaries and Chief

Secretaries through Video-conferencing enabled by data and geo-informatics visuals;

• Issues to be raised before the PM are picked up from the available database regarding

Public Grievances, on-going Programs and pending Projects.

2. ICEDASH & ATITHI Initiatives

Why in News?

• Union Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs unveiled two new IT initiatives –

ICEDASH and ATITHI.




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ICEDASH:

• ICEDASH is an Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) monitoring dashboard of the Indian

Customs helping public see the daily Customs clearance times of import cargo at various

ports and Airports.

• With ICEDASH, Indian Customs has taken a lead globally to provide an effective tool that

helps the businesses compare clearance times across ports and plan their logistics

accordingly.

• This dashboard has been developed by CBIC in collaboration with NIC. ICEDASH can be

accessed through the CBIC website.

ATITHI:

• With ATITHI mobile app, CBIC has introduced an easy to use mobile app for international

travellers to file the Customs declaration in advance. Passengers can use this app to file

declaration of dutiable items and currency with the Indian Customs even before boarding

the flight to India. ATITHI would in particular create a tech savvy image of India Customs

and would encourage tourism and business travel to India.

3. Shaala Darpan Portal

Why in News?

• Minister of State for Human Resource Development, launched Shaala Darpan portal, an

E-Governance school automation and management system for Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti

(NVS) in New Delhi.

Shaala Darpan Portal:

• Shaala Darpan is an end to end e-Governance school automation and management system.

• It is a database management portal, where information about all government schools and

education offices is kept online and updated as a continuous process.

• In this portal, “live data” is compiled in connection with primary and secondary education

students, schools and academic and non-academic staff.

• It has been implemented at Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti as the first major initiative to

enable automation of all activities of the country’s largest residential schooling system

through a single umbrella.




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4. Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh

Why in News?

• Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh (JSK) an autonomous body under Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare, implemented the following schemes:

✓ Prerna Scheme (for delaying marriage, childbirth and spacing),

✓ Santushti Scheme (Public Private Partnership for sterilization services)

✓ National Helpline (for information on family planning).

JSK:

• Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh (JSK) is a registered society of the Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare started with a Rs 100 crore grant from government.

• The society was established with the objective of highlighting the need for population

stabilization. Its accounts can be audited by the CAG.

• The “Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh” (JSK) (National Population Stabilisation Fund) has been

registered as an autonomous Society established under the Societies Registration Act of

1860.

• JSK has to promote and undertake activities aimed at achieving population stabilisation at

a level consistent with the needs of sustainable economic growth, social development and

environment protection, by 2045.




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2. SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Improvement in India’s Sex Ratio

Why in News?

• According to the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence’s (CBHI) National Health Profile

(NHP) 2019, India has registered an improved sex ratio and a decline in birth and death

rates.

About CBHI:

• Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), established in 1961, is the health intelligence

wing of the Directorate General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health &

Family Welfare with the vision to have “A strong Health Management Information System

in entire country”. This national institution is headed by a SAG level medical officer with

specialization in public health administration of Central health services (CHS), supported

by officers from Indian Statistical Services as well as CHS and through its six field survey

and training units.

Key Statistics:

• India has registered an improved sex ratio and a decline in birth and death rates

with non-communicable diseases dominating over communicable in the total disease

burden of the country.

• As per the NHP, sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males) in the country has

improved from 933 in 2001 to 943 in 2011. In rural areas the sex ratio has

increased from 946 to 949.

• Kerala has recorded the highest sex ratio in respect of total population (1,084), rural

population (1,078) and urban (1,091).

• The lowest sex ratio in rural areas has been recorded in Chandigarh (690).

• The report also showed that the estimated birth rate, death rate and natural growth rate

are declining.

• The estimated birth rate reduced from 25.8 in 2000 to 20.4 in 2016 while the death rate

declined from 8.5 to 6.4 per 1,000 populations over the same period.

• The natural growth rate declined from 17.3 in 2000 to 14 in 2016 as per the latest available

information.

• As per the report, the total fertility rate (average number of children that will be born to a

woman during her lifetime) in 12 States has fallen below two children per woman and nine

States have reached replacement levels of 2.1 and above.




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• Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have the lowest fertility rate among other States.

2. Women, Peace and Democracy

Context:

• 19 years after UN Resolution 1325, WPS Index estimates the gender discourse is reaching

beyond traditional conflicts to embrace militarisation & Communal Hostilities.

About UN Resolution 1325:

• UNSCR 1325 is a landmark international legal framework that addresses the inordinate

impact of war on women + the pivotal role women play in conflict management +

sustainable peace.

• The experiences of men & women in war are different. Women offer a vital perspective in

the analysis of conflict. Resolution 1325 has 4 pillars – Participation, Protection,

Prevention, and Relief and Recovery. It is implemented through the development of

National Action Plans (NAP) or other national level strategies.

Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index:

• The WPS Index is prepared by Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and

Security, and the Peace Research Institute of Oslo.

• It was first published in 2017 and it operationalises the main values of the WPS resolutions

to measure how women fare across three dimensions of peace and security: inclusion,

justice and security.

• The 2019 update finds that while individually, countries lag far behind on most measures,

“the world seems to be moving in the right direction”.




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• Representation in government is one measure of inclusion, and the index finds that

across legislatures worldwide only 21.5% are women, so that it will take 52 years to

approach parity.

• The WPS Index reports that in 2018, 379 million women experienced intimate partner

violence in which this number exceeds the population of the US.

Statistics of India in WPS Index:

• India which ranks 133 out of 167 is ahead of Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan.

• Kerala, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka top the table while J&K, Tripura, Rajasthan

and Manipur bring up the tail end.

• It is anomalous between the two ends—if Mizoram women are reaping the peace dividend

(economic benefit of a decrease in defence spending), the experience of Rajasthani women

illustrates how patriarchal cultures undermine it.

Interesting Facts of Jammu & Kashmir:

• Women attend school for 5.44 years on average. 60.30% of women have bank accounts;

29% do paid work outside the home and 54.20% have cell phones.

• Men tend to die, be wounded or disappeared disproportionately more, so women become

heads of households. J&K women are about 0.1% of the Indian Parliament but 84% of

them report that they participate in household decisions.

• Girls outnumber boys at birth, 9.4% of them experience intimate partner violence and they

live with an organised violence (“total number of battle deaths from state-based, non-state,

and one-sided conflicts per 100,000”) score of 175.93.

• Several civil society fact-finding teams have travelled to Kashmir since the announcement

of bifurcation of J&K into Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

• They state that men and boys are more likely to be shot, tortured, or questioned; women

are then left to cope. After that they live with the constant threat (or reality) of sexual

violence as an act of control by all conflict parties including the side where they belong,

and lack of access to essential services (like emergency care) affect women whose mobility

is severely impaired.

What does NCRB says about Gender based Violence?

• The latest NCRB report shows that at least seven states have registered a below-10%

conviction rate for crimes against women.

• Odisha, with a 7.4% conviction rate, cuts a sorry figure, though there are some bigger

states like West Bengal, Karnataka and Gujarat that fare worse.




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• But the eastern state has something to worry about. Of the 2,082 victims of rape, at least

62% are girls below 18 years of age.

• As the incidence of rape continues to show an upward trend, rising sexual assault against

minors is a disturbing trend.

• However, recent survey on the status of policing in the country showed that close to 40% of

police personnel who were part of the study believed gender-based violence complaints are

false and motivated.

• Interestingly, over 40% admitted to having received gender-sensitisation training in the

last two to three years, which apparently is having no impact.

• Now, it is important to talk about gender sensitisation of the police, which must be

accorded priority as it has a huge bearing on tackling crimes against women.

3. FSSAI Proposes Ban on Sale of Junk Foods in School

Why in News?

• Aimed at enabling children to eat and grow healthy, the Food Safety and Standards

Authority of India (FSSAI) has released draft regulations titled Food Safety and Standards

(Safe Food and healthy diets for School Children) Regulations, 2019.

Important Provisions of the Proposal:

• One of the important regulations proposed is that foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS)

cannot be sold to children in school canteens/mess premises/hostel kitchens or within

50 m of the school campus.

• Schools should adopt a comprehensive programme for promoting healthy diets among

children.

• The school campus should be converted into ‘Eat Right School’ focussing on local and

seasonal food and no food waste as per the specified benchmarks.

• Nutritionists, dieticians may be engaged by the school to assist in the preparation of menu

periodically.

• Also, it has been proposed that there should be regular inspection of school premises

where safe, healthy and hygienic food should be served to students.

• (FSSAI) has prepared a draft regulation on availability of safe, wholesome and nutritious

food in schools and the same has been sent to the health ministry for approval.

• The FSSAI has invited suggestions and objections from various stakeholders.




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Background:

• The High Court had ordered FSSAI to come out with regulation on healthy diets for school

children three years back. Childhood obesity is a burden in developed and developing

countries. Overweight and obesity are caused by numerous social and environmental

factors that influence people's food habit and physical activity.

• It has been estimated that worldwide over 22 million children under the age of 5 are obese,

and about 8% of schoolchildren are obese in India. FSSAI has also proposed that children

have to be encouraged to consume balanced diet in the school as per the guidelines issued

by the National Institute of Nutrition.

About FSSAI:

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an autonomous statutory body.

• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the Administrative Ministry

for the implementation of FSSAI.

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under

Food Safety and Standards, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have

hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments.

• FSSAI has been created for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to

regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of

safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

4. Indian Lungs Under Extreme Stress

Why in News?

• According to the National Health Profile (NHP)-2019, which was recently released by the

Union Health Ministry, “Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar

Pradesh and West Bengal reported a large number of patients and fatalities due to Acute

Respiratory Infections (ARI)”.

About NHP:

• The NHP is prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) and covers

comprehensive information on demographic, socio-economic health status, health finance

indicators, health infrastructure and health of human resources in the country.

• The objective of the NHP is to create a versatile database of health information and making

it available to all stakeholders in the healthcare sector.




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• The NHP highlights substantial health information under major indicators viz.

demographic indicators (population and vital statistics), socio-economic indicators

(education, employment, housing and amenities, drinking water and sanitation) and

health status indicators (incidence and prevalence of common communicable and non-

communicable diseases and RCH), etc.

• It was released for the first time in 2005. 2019 is the 14th year the NHP is being released. A

digital version of the report was also released.

Facts about ARI:

• Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) accounted for 69.47% of morbidity last year which was

the highest in the communicable disease category leading to 27.21% mortality.

• According to World Health Organisation, acute respiratory infection is a serious ailment

that prevents normal breathing function and kills an estimated 2.6 million children

annually every year worldwide.

• Indians face the double burden of heavy air pollution in addition to the high rate of ARI

which hits children the hardest, said experts here.

• Doctors explained that the high level of air pollution would be an additional burden to the

already high rate of ARI that the country is facing.

Effects of ARI:

• When we breathe in polluted air, particles and pollutants penetrate and inflame the linings

of your bronchial tubes and lungs.

• This leads to respiratory illness such as Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema, Heart Disease,

Asthma, Wheezing, Coughing and difficulty in Breathing.

Effects on Pregnant Women and Children:

• The current level of air pollution poses a high risk to pregnant women and the baby.

• The foetus receives oxygen from the mother, and if

she is breathing polluted air, it can increase the

health risk of unborn babies.

• Pregnant women in the first trimester need to be

more careful as risk increases and pollution can

cause a medical condition called intrauterine

inflammation.




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• Prenatal exposure to pollutants increases risk of pre-term delivery and low birth weight,

factors that can lead to developmental disabilities later on.

• Children are particularly susceptible as they “breathe through their mouths, bypassing the

filtering effects of the nasal passages and allowing pollutants to travel deeper into the

lungs.” Children may ignore early symptoms of air pollution effects, such as an asthma

exacerbation, leading to attacks of increased severity. They seem to be most vulnerable to

the harmful effects of air pollution.

5. Maternal Death Rate Declining: Report

Why in News?

• The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2015-2017 bulletin for MMR which was

released recently has reported a sharp decline in the MMR rate of India.

Key Findings of the Report:

• India’s MMR has seen a decline from 130 in 2014-2016 to 122 in 2015-2017.

• As per the report, nearly 2,000 maternal deaths have been averted per year.

• The figure has declined from 167 in 2011-2013 to 130 in 2014-2016 and to 122 in 2015-17,

registering a 6.15 per cent reduction.

Categorisation of States:

• To understand the maternal mortality situation in the country better and to map the

changes, especially at the regional level, the government has categorised states into three

groups:

✓ Empowered action group (EAG),

✓ Southern States

✓ Other states.

Regional Statistics:

• Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar

Pradesh/Uttarakhand and Assam fall under the EAG and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,

Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are in the southern States group. “Others” comprise the

remaining States and Union Territories.

• Retaining its first position, Kerala has reduced its MMR from 46 in 2014-2016 to 42 in

2015-2017. Likewise, Maharashtra retained its second position with 55 (down from 61) and

Tamil Nadu its third position with 63 (down from 66).




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• While Karnataka has shown the highest percentage decline in MMR, Uttar Pradesh and

Madhya Pradesh have shown an increase by 15 points each in MMR.

• The decline has been most significant in EAG States from 188 to 175.

• The ratio has reduced considerably from 77 to 72 among southern states and in the other

states from 93 to 90.

Government Interventions:

• Focus on quality and coverage of health services through public health initiatives under the

National Health Mission such as LaQshya, Poshan Abhiyan, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit

Matritva Abhiyan, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Janani Suraksha Yojana and

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana have contributed to this decline.

• India is now committed to ensuring that not a single mother or new-born dies due to a

preventable cause and move towards zero preventable maternal and new-born deaths

through the recently launched Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan Initiative (SUMAN).

India meeting the established Targets:

• Decline is important for India as 11 States have achieved the National Health Policy target

of MMR 100 per lakh live births well ahead of 2020.

• The WHO last year lauded India’s progress in reducing the MMR saying the progress puts

the country on track towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of

an MMR below 70 by 2030.

What is MMR?

• MMR is defined as the proportion of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births.

• Maternal mortality is defined as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of

termination of pregnancy.

• Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death and disability

among women of reproductive age.

About SRS:

• Initiated on a pilot basis by the Office of the Registrar General, India in a few selected

states in 1964-65, it became fully operational during 1969-70.

• SRS aims to provide reliable estimates of birth and death rates for the states and also at all

India Level.

• At present, the SRS provides reliable annual data on fertility and mortality at the state and

national levels for rural and urban areas separately.




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6. Child Health Programme under NHM

Why in News?

• Government of India is implementing Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child,

Adolescent health and Nutrition (RMNCHAN) strategy to improve maternal and Child

health outcome under National Health Mission (NHM).

The various interventions under RMNCHA+N strategy are as below:

• Promotion of Institutional deliveries through cash incentive under Janani Suraksha

Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) which entitles all pregnant

women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free delivery including

Caesarean section, post-natal care and treatment of sick infants till one year of age.

• Pradhan Matritvya Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is another maternity benefit programme

under which cash incentive of Rs. 5000 is provided to pregnant women and lactating

mothers. Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriate

Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices are promoted under Mothers’ Absolute

Affection (MAA) in convergence with Ministry of Women and Child Development.

• Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs) are observed for provision of

maternal and child health services and creating awareness on maternal and child care.

• Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) have been set up at public health facilities to treat

and manage the children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) admitted with medical

complications.

• Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is being supported to provide vaccination to

children against life threatening diseases such as Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis,

Polio, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rubella, Pneumonia and Meningitis caused by

Haemophilus Influenzae B.

• The Rotavirus vaccination has also been rolled out in the

country for prevention of Rotaviral diarrhoea. “Mission Indradhanush is targeted to

immunize children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated i.e. those that have

not been covered during the rounds of routine immunization for various reasons.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 is being planned as per road-map for

achieving 90% full immunization coverage across the country.

• All the children from 0 to 18 years of age are screened for 30 health conditions classified

into 4Ds – Diseases, Deficiencies, Defects and Developmental delay under “Rastriya Bal

Swasthya Karyakaram” (RBSK).




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• National Deworming Day (NDD) is implemented biannually every year for deworming of

children (one to nineteen year of age).

• Name based tracking of mothers and children till two years of age is done through RCH

portal to ensure complete antenatal, intranatal, postnatal care and immunization as per

schedule. Capacity building of health care providers is regularly done to build and upgrade

the skills in basic and comprehensive obstetric care of mother during pregnancy, delivery

and for essential new-born care.

• Besides above programme and scheme, few newer initiatives started under

RMNCHA+N are as follows:

✓ Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) has been launched to

provide fixed-day assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care universally to

all pregnant women on the 9th of every month.

✓ “LaQshya” programme aims to improve the quality of care in Labour room and

Maternity operation theatres.

✓ Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) initiative is focussed on assured delivery

of maternal and newborn health care services encompassing wider access to quality

care services, at no cost, zero tolerance for denial of services, assured management

of complications along with respect for women’s autonomy and dignity.

✓ Defeat Diarrhoea (D2) initiative has been launched for promoting ORS and Zinc use

and eliminating the diarrhoeal deaths by 2025.

✓ Social Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS)

initiative is launched for reduction of Childhood morbidity and mortality due to

Pneumonia.

✓ Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy is a part of Poshan Abhiyan that aims to

strengthen the existing mechanisms and foster newer strategies to tackle anaemia,

which include testing & treatment of anaemia in school going adolescents &

pregnant women, addressing non-nutritional causes of anaemia and a

comprehensive communication strategy.

7. Helping 10-Year-Olds to read by 2030

Context:

• India has been successful in increasing access to school, but now the focus must shift to

quality.




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Global Learning Crisis:

• For most children, turning 10 is an exciting moment. They are learning more about the

world and expanding their horizons.

• But too many children — more than half of all 10-year olds in low- and middle-income

countries — cannot read and understand a simple story.

• We are in the middle of a global learning crisis that stifles opportunities and aspirations of

hundreds of millions of children. That is unacceptable.

• In October, we released data to support a new learning target: by 2030, we want to cut, by

at least half, the global level of learning poverty.

Eliminating Learning Poverty:

• Learning to read is an especially critical skill: it opens a world of possibilities, and it is the

foundation on which other essential learning is built — including numeracy and science.

• Wiping out learning poverty (defined as the percentage of children who cannot read and

understand a simple story by age 10) is an urgent matter.

• It is a key to eliminating poverty in general and boosting shared prosperity. It is a key to

helping children achieve their potential.

• But over the last several years, progress in reducing learning poverty has been stagnant.

• Globally between 2000 and 2017, there has only been a 10% improvement in learning

outcomes for primary school-aged children.

• If this pace continues, 43% of 10-year-olds will not be able to read in 2030.

• The good news is, the children who will turn 10 in 2030 will be born next year. If we work

urgently, there is an opportunity to reverse this trend.

• The target we have set is ambitious but achievable — and should galvanize action toward

achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4) — ensuring quality education for all.

• It will require nearly tripling the rate of progress worldwide, which can be done if every

country can match the performance of the countries that made the most progress between

2000 and 2015.

Global Challenges:

• The challenges of reducing learning poverty will differ between countries and regions. In

some countries, access to school remains an enormous problem — 258 million young

people were out of school globally, in 2018. In other countries, children are in classrooms

but are not learning.




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• By setting a global target, the World Bank can work with countries to define their own

national learning targets. Cutting learning poverty in half by 2030 is only an intermediate

goal. Global ambition is to work with governments and development partners to bring that

number to zero.

• As the largest financier of education in low-and middle-income countries, the World Bank

will work with countries to promote reading proficiency in primary schools. Policies

include providing detailed guidance and practical training for teachers, ensuring access to

more and better age-appropriate texts, and teaching children in the language they use at

home.

Setting India as an example:

• In India, the Right-to-Education Act has been successful in increasing coverage and access

to school education but now there is an urgent need to shift the focus to quality.

• The decision of India to join the Programme for International Student Assessment and the

merger of schemes under Samagra Shiksha are encouraging signs that India is moving in

this direction.

• In Kenya, the government’s national reading programme has more than tripled the

percentage of grade two students reading at an appropriate level.

• This was accomplished through technology-enabled teacher coaching, teacher guides, and

delivering one book per child. In Vietnam, a lean, effective curriculum ensures that the

basics are covered, there is deep learning of fundamental skills, and all children have

reading materials. Learning outcomes of Vietnamese students in the bottom 40% of the

income ladder are as high, or higher, than the average student in high-income countries.

What can be Done?

• The World Bank is also working with governments and development partners to improve

entire education systems, so advancements in literacy can be sustained and scaled up.

• That means making sure children come to school prepared and motivated to learn;

teachers are effective and valued and have access to technology; classrooms provide a well-

equipped space for learning; schools are safe and inclusive; and education systems are

well-managed.

• An ambitious measurement and research agenda support these efforts and includes

measurement of learning outcomes and their drivers, continued research and innovation,

and the smart use of new technologies on how to build foundation skills.




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8. Spike in Indian Road Accidents

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently released the annual report on road

accidents in India.

What does the Report Say?

• More than 1.5 lakh people lost

their lives in road crashes in

the country in 2018,

registering an increase of 2.4%

as compared to the year

before, when there were 1.47

lakh fatalities.

• It shows a daily average of

1,280 road crashes and 415

deaths which is 53 crashes and

the loss of 17 lives every hour.

• Road traffic injuries constitute the eighth leading cause of deaths in India in 2018.

• Geneva-based World Road Federation’s World Road Statistics 2018 says India is the

most unsafe country in the world for road users across 199 countries. It’s followed by

China (63,000 deaths) and the U.S. (37,000 deaths).

• The annual report also reveals that of the total people killed in road crash deaths in 2018,

48% were between 18 years and 35 years old. Minors involved in road crash deaths were at

6.6% of the total deaths. Among the States, Tamil Nadu (13.7%) topped the country in

terms of the total number of road crashes, followed by Madhya Pradesh (11%) and Uttar

Pradesh (9.1%). The highest road fatalities were observed In Uttar Pradesh (22,256)

followed by Maharashtra (13,261) and Tamil Nadu (12,216).

What is the Cause for Accidents?

• Over-speeding is a major cause, accounting for 64.4% of the persons killed.

• This category was followed by driving on the wrong side of the road, which accounted for

5.8% of the accident related deaths.

• Use of mobile phones accounted for 2.4% of the deaths and drunken driving accounted for

2.8% of the persons killed.




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What is the Cause for Death?

• Not wearing helmets and seat belts are not causes of crashes, but are critical for avoiding

grievous injuries and fatalities.

• As many as 43,614 deaths or 28.8% of total road accident deaths in the country last year

were caused due to “non-wearing of helmets”.

• “Non-wearing of seat belts” was linked to 24,435 deaths or 16.1% of total road accident

deaths in the country.

What do Experts Say?

• Lot of States have opposed the implementation of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act or

have reduced the fines are amongst the States with the highest road crash fatalities.

• Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttarakhand were among the States that heavily slashed the

penalties levied under the amended law.

• The latest data highlights the urgent need on part of the States to implement key road

safety provisions of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019.”




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3. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. India Refuses to ink RCEP Agreement

Why in News?

• India has decided to not join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

agreement in the recently concluded 3rd RCEP Summit at Bangkok, Thailand. It is because

of the fact that India's concerns not being addressed in the final deal.

What is RCEP?

• RCEP is a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between ten ASEAN member states and

their six FTA partners namely India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South

Korea.

• RCEP negotiations were formally launched in November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in

Cambodia.

Objective of RCEP:

• RCEP aims to boost goods trade by eliminating most tariff and non-tariff barriers — a

move that is expected to provide the region’s consumers greater choice of quality products

at affordable rates. It also seeks to liberalise investment norms and do away with services

trade restrictions.

Significance of RCEP:

• When inked, it would become the world’s biggest free trade pact. This is because the 16

nations account for a total GDP of about $50 trillion and house close to 3.5 billion people.

• India (GDP-PPP worth $9.5 trillion and population of 1.3 billion) and China (GDP-PPP of

$23.2 trillion and population of 1.4 billion) together comprise the RCEP’s biggest

component in terms of market size.

Advantages to India through RCEP:

• It presents a decisive platform for India which could enhance strategic and economic

status in the Asia-Pacific region and can complement its Act East Policy.

• It can augment India’s existing free trade agreements with the Association of South-East

Asian Nations (ASEAN).

• RCEP provides a chance for India to bring in historic trade reforms, which in itself will

cement India's position as a major global economy and make Indian industry competitive.

• It can boost India’s inward and outward foreign direct investment, particularly export-

oriented FDI.




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• It would also facilitate India’s MSMEs to effectively integrate into the regional value and

supply chains.

• It can address challenges emanating from implementation concerns vis-à-vis overlapping

agreements of ASEAN.

• The RCEP would help India streamline the rules and regulations of doing trade, which will

reduce trade costs. India enjoys a comparative advantage in the services sector such as

information and communication technology, healthcare, and education services etc. Thus,

RCEP will create opportunities for Indian companies to access new markets.

• Some of the sectors that have been identified as potential sources of India’s export growth

impulses under RCEP to the tune of approximately $200 billion.

• If India is out of the RCEP, it would make its exports price uncompetitive with other RCEP

members’ exports in each RCEP market, and the ensuing export-losses contributing to

foreign exchange shortages and even subsequent extent of depreciation of the rupee.

Indian Concerns over signing RCEP:

• Widening Trade Deficit: NITI Aayog held that India’s trade deficit with the ASEAN,

Korea and Japan has widened post-FTAs. Thus, Tariff elimination due to RCEP could

worsen the trade deficit, at $105.2 billion in 2018-19.

• Impact on Agriculture: It threatens farm livelihoods, autonomy over seeds and also

endangers the country’s self-sufficient dairy sector.

• Services Sector: India has demanded that the ASEAN countries should open up their

services sector so that Indian professionals and workers can have easier entry into their

market.

• Flooding of Chinese Imports: Almost every sector registered its apprehension that

once the RCEP agreement was in place, China would harm the domestic market with its

cheap exports and would also dump its products. China already has a $70 billion (approx.)

trade surplus with India.

• Decline of Customs Revenue: Since import duties are also a source of revenue for

India, it could experience a disproportionate loss of customs revenue.

• Sensitive List: Most of the RCEP countries have very high tariffs on certain products

sensitive to them, such as rice, footwear, dairy products and honey, which they can

continue to shield through the sensitive lists.

• This shows that ASEAN countries are very sensitive about protecting this sector and have

not offered much liberalisation even within the bloc to each-other.




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• So, in terms of enhanced market access, India would benefit relatively less from its RCEP

partners than the benefits given to them by it.

Way Forward:

• India's entry into RCEP will strengthen its strategic weight but it may act as a double-

edged sword for India.

• The RCEP can be a stepping stone to India’s Act East Policy, but at a time of growing

protectionism and the US-China trade war, opening our market to China (through RCEP)

can prove to be disastrous, given the structural issues in the Indian market.

• So India has to undergo second-generation reforms of its domestic economic policies,

including those that reform its factor markets, to make its trade more competitive and

export-oriented.

• These reforms will help India better access other markets and will mitigate some of the

repercussions arising from the RCEP.

• Hence, it is important that India focuses on resolving the structural issues in the domestic

market, before concluding the RCEP negotiations.

2. U.S.A exits Paris Agreement

Why in News?

• Recently U.S.A has notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from the landmark

climate deal by initiating the process of leaving the Paris Agreement.

About Paris Agreement:

• The Paris Agreement of 2016 is an international accord that brings almost 200 countries

together in setting a common target to reduce global greenhouse emissions in an effort to

fight climate change.Parties to UNFCCC agreed to strive to limit the rise in global warming

to well under 2 degrees Celsius and to try and limit the temperature increase even further

to 1.5 degrees Celsius, over pre-industrial levels by 2100, under Paris Agreement.

• Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) were conceived at Paris summit which

require each Party to prepare, communicate and maintain successive nationally

determined contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve.

• Parties shall pursue domestic mitigation measures, with the aim of achieving the objectives

of such contributions.

• Paris Agreement replaced earlier agreement to deal with climate change, Kyoto Protocol.




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Procedure to leave the Pact:

• A country can leave the pact through Article 28 of the Paris Agreement which allows

countries to leave the Paris Agreement. It also lays down the process for leaving the

agreement. A country can only give a notice for leaving at least three years after the Paris

Agreement came into force.

• The agreement has come into force on November 4, 2016. Therefore, the US was eligible to

move a notice for leaving on November 4 this year, which it did.

• The withdrawal is not immediate, however. It takes effect one year after the submission of

the notice. It means the United States will be out of Paris Agreement only on November 4

next year. After it leaves, the US will be the only country left out of the global protocol.

Syria and Nicaragua, the last remaining countries who were earlier holding out, also

became signatories in 2017.

Implications of the above move:

• The biggest impact of the exit of the United States from the Agreement might be on the

financial flows to enable climate actions.

• The United States plays a preeminent role in mobilising financial resources globally, and

its absence from the scene could seriously hamper that effort.

• The United States is the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. If it does not

reduce its emissions befitting its status as the second largest emitter, it could seriously

jeopardise the world’s objective of keeping the global temperature rise to within 2 degrees

Celsius from pre-industrial times.

• Under the Paris Agreement, developed countries are under obligation to mobilise at least

$100 billion every year from the year 2020 in climate finance meant for the developing

world. The exit of USA might hamper these efforts too.

• While exiting the Paris Agreement does not automatically mean the abandonment of this

target or of any future action by the United States on climate change, it would no longer be

committed to the targets recommended by Paris Agreement.

Can U.S.A re-join the pact at a Later Date?

Yes. It can re-join the agreement whenever it wishes to do so. There is no bar on a country

re-joining the Paris Agreement.

• It is also possible that the United States does a rethink and actually never leaves the Paris

Agreement. It has one full year to reconsider its decision.




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3. HADR Exercise TIGER TRIUMPH

Why in News?

• The maiden India – US joint tri-services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

(HADR) Exercise named ‘TIGER TRIUMPH’ is scheduled to be held in November 2019 for

9 days.

HADR Exercise TIGER TRIUMPH:

• TIGER TRIUMPH is the first joint Indo-US Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

(HADR) exercise.

• It is aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations.

• Participating teams from India:

✓ Indian Naval ships Jalashwa, Airavat and Sandhayak

✓ Indian Army troops from 19 Madras and 7 Guards

✓ Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopters and Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT)

• Participating teams from the USA:

✓ US Navy Ship Germantown

✓ Troops from US Third Marine Division

• It is an exercise carried out on the Eastern coast of India starting with the Harbour Phase

at Visakhapatnam. Personnel from both navies would participate in training visits, subject

matter expert exchanges, sports events and social interactions.

• After this phase, the ships, with troops embarked, would sail for the Sea Phase and

undertake maritime, amphibious and HADR operations.

• On reaching the HADR area at Kakinada, the landing of Relief Forces would be undertaken

to the Exercise scenario. At the HADR Exercise Area, a Joint Command and Control

Centre would be established jointly by the Indian Army and US Marines.

• The IAFRAMT and the US Navy Medical Team would establish a Medical Facility Camp for

providing medical aid to victims, who would have been previously evacuated by road and

air to the Camp.

4. General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)

Why in News?

• South Korea has decided to continue a 2016 military intelligence sharing agreement with

Japan.




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About:

• At an earlier time, South Korea had decided to discontinue the intelligence pact called

GSOMIA, unless Japan decided to review its export control measure.

• In recent years, the relationship between South Korea and Japan has deterioted due to the

territorial dispute over the Dokdo islands known as Takeshima in Japan.

• While South Korea controls them, the islands are claimed by Japan.

GOSMIA Pact:

• It is an exchange intelligence between Japan And South Korea was First suggested by the

latter in 1980s.

• The two countries were expected to sign GSOMIA in 2012, but it was not due to public

outrage in South Korea against the agreement. Its need was felt amidst a growing threat

from North Korea, especially when it started conducting nuclear tests and developing

ballistic missiles.

• The US interest in this agreement stems from its need to forge alliances in the northeast to

be able to analyses and respond to any threats from North Korea.

Takeshima or Dokda Island:

• It is located in Sea of Japan and dispute between Japan and South Korea.

• They are 210 kilometers across the water from Japan and South Korea and are only 19

hectares in area. These islands are called the Liancourt Rocks in the west, Takeshima in

Japan and Dokdo in South Korea.

History:

• Japan occupied Korea during Second World War and withdrew from Korea after its defeat,

which led to the signing of the 1951 treat with the Allied powers, under which Japan

relinquished most of the Korean territory.

• Japan argues that under the 1951 peace treaty, the Takeshima or Dokda islands were

exempt from the deal. South Korea does not accept the Japanese claim; it treats the island

as a part of its territory. Because of that reason why the South Korean government in 1952,

took control of the island. Now it is currently under South Korea control, which is unlawful

by the Japanese government. The South Korea government also wants to build a naval

base on the Ulleung Islands, near the Dokdo islands in order to fortify the area around

Dokdo. There is also a dispute regarding the naming of the sea surrounding these islands.

South Korea refers to the sea as the East Sea, whereas Japan refers it as the Sea of Japan.




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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SNIPPETS

1. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

Why in News?

• World Anti-Doping Agency report outlines Russia's Doping Cover-Up

About:

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Russia’s participation at the 2018

Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

• The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended and barred from attending the event.

• Only a few Russian athletes were allowed to perform under Strict Conditions.

WADA:

• It is established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded

equally by the sport movement and governments of the world.

• It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

• It aims at harmonizing anti-doping regulations in all sports and countries.

• It is collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee.

• Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping

capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) the document

harmonizing anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries.

• It releases an annual report with regards to doping violations.

IOC:

• It was created on 23 June 1894 and is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement.

• It is a not-for-profit independent international organization that is committed to building

a better world through sport. It ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games,

supports all affiliated member organisations and strongly encourages, by appropriate

means, the promotion of the Olympic values.

2. Global Migration Report 2020

Why in News?

• India continues to toped the Global Migration report 2020.

About:

• India is the largest country of international migration with 17.5 million across the world.




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• It receives the highest remittance from United States followed by United Arab Emirates

and Saudi Arabia.

Global Migration Report:

• It is released by International Organization of Migration

• It provides an object and balance account of migration globally.

• It can inform our own work, be it in studies, research and analysis, policymaking,

communication, or migration practice. India have the largest number of migrants living

abroad followed by Mexico and china. United States remain the top destination country for

migration. India, China and Mexico are the top three remittance recipient countries.

• Other migration destinations are France, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi

Arabia. Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar,

South Sudan, Syria and Yemen have led to massive internal displacement in the last two

years Syria has the highest internally population of displaced people followed by Colombia

and the Congo. It also the top refugee-originating country followed by dwarfing

Afghanistan. It also provides data on impact of climate and weather disasters, the report

notes that Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines contributed to the fact that 3.8 million

people were newly displaced there at the end of 2018, the largest number globally.

3. ICC Judges approve an investigation into crimes against Myanmar's Rohingya:

Why in News?

• International Criminal Court Judges have approved a request to open an investigation into

crimes committed against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority.

• The Hague court said that it has jurisdiction over crimes partially committed in

Bangladesh, which is a member state of the court.

International Criminal Court:

• It is an Intergovernmental Organization and International Tribunal that sits in The Hague,

Netherlands.

• The ICC has Jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the International Crimes of

Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, and Crimes of aggression.

• The ICC began functioning on 1 July 2002, the date that the Rome Statute entered into

force. As of March 2019, there are 122 ICC member states. 42 states are non-party, non-

signatory states. India has Not signed Rome Statute.




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• The ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals and is independent of United Nations

(UN). But it may also receive case referrals from UN Security Council and can initiate

prosecutions without UN action or referral.

4. Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’

Why in News?

• India Navy and Indonesian navy hold Joint Naval Exercise “Samudra Shakti” In Bay of

Bengal.

Ex. Samudra Shakti:

• It is a joint exercise between Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy. The joint exercises

include manoeuvres, Surface Warfare exercises, Air Defence exercises, Weapon firing

drills, Helicopter Operations and Boarding Operations. The Harbour Phase included

professional interactions in the form of Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE), cross

deck visits, simulator drills, planning conferences, sports fixtures and social interactions.




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4. ECONOMY

1. Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) in Telecom Sector

Why in News?

• In a strongly-worded order, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Department of

Telecom (DoT)’s interpretation of “adjusted gross revenue” (AGR).

• This came as a huge blow to telecom service providers.

• Following the order, the telcos are now staring at dues of an estimated ₹1.4 lakh crore,

which needs to be paid to the government within three months.

• Most industry players and analysts have argued that the payout of the huge amount could

be the final straw for the already distressed sector.

AGR:

• Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) is the usage and licensing fee that telecom operators are

charged by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

• It is divided into spectrum usage charges and licensing fees, pegged between 3-5 percent

and 8 percent respectively. The definition of AGR has been under litigation for 14 years.

• While telecom companies argued that it should comprise revenue from telecom services,

the DoT’s stand was that the AGR should include all revenue earned by an operator,

including that from non-core telecom operations.

• The AGR directly impacts the outgo from the pockets of telcos to the DoT as it is used to

calculate the levies payable by operators.

• Currently, telecom operators pay 8% of the AGR as licence fee, while spectrum usage

charges (SUC) vary between 3-5% of AGR.

Why do telcos need to pay out Large Amounts?

• Telecom companies now owe the government not just the shortfall in AGR for the past 14

years but also an interest on that amount along with penalty and interest on the penalty.

• While the exact amount telcos will need to shell out is not clear, as in a government

affidavit filed in the top court, the DoT had calculated the outstanding licence fee to be

over ₹92,000 crore.

• However, the actual payout can go up to ₹1.4 lakh crore as the government is likely to also

raise a demand for shortfall in SUC along with interest and penalty. Of the total amount, it

is estimated that the actual dues is about 25%, while the remaining amount is interest and

penalties.




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Concerns:

• The telecom industry is reeling under a debt of over ₹4 lakh crore and has been seeking a

relief package from the government. Even the government has on various occasions

admitted that the sector is indeed undergoing stress and needs support.

• Giving a ray of hope to the telecom companies, the government recently announced setting

up of a Committee of Secretaries to examine the financial stress in the sector, and

recommend measures to mitigate it.

2. Elephant Bonds

Why in News?

• A High-Level Advisory Group on Trade Policy (HLAG) headed by Surjit S Bhalla has

recently suggested the government to issue ‘Elephant Bonds’ which would recover up to

$500 billion of black money that has been stashed overseas.

About:

• An Elephant Bond is a 25-year sovereign bond (a bond issued by a national government).

• This bond is issued to those people who declare their previously undisclosed income and

are then bound to invest 50% of that amount in these securities.

• The fund gathered by the issuance of these bonds is utilized to Finance Infrastructure

Projects only which was recommended by the HLAG.

• One of the key features of the proposed mechanism is that those disclosing their black

money will receive immunity from all local laws including those under foreign exchange,

black money laws, and taxation laws.

• This would enable people to bring their offshore undisclosed wealth into India without fear

of prosecution.

• Countries like Indonesia, Pakistan, Argentina, and the Philippines have already launched

their own tax amnesty schemes for persons who disclose undeclared income without the

risk of prosecution. Tax amnesty is a limited-time opportunity for a specified group of

taxpayers to pay a defined amount, in exchange for forgiveness of tax liability (including

interests and penalties).

• The move is also expected to bring down the real interest rate. It will also strengthen the

rupee. The HLAG was set up under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the year

2018.




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3. Shrinkage in IIP recorded the Lowest in 8 Years

Why in News?

• According to official data released recently, Industrial activity in September contracted

sharply by 4.3%, a historical low, driven by major slowdowns in the capital goods, mining,

and manufacturing sectors.

Historical Shrinkage:

• The contraction in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in September was compared

with the contraction of 1.1% in August. The Index had grown 4.3% in September of the

previous year.

• “This is the first time after November 2012 that all three broad-based sectors have

contracted and the lowest monthly growth in the 2011-12 base year series. “In the old

(2004-05) base, IIP in October 2011 contracted by 5%.”

Various Sectors Growth rate in September

(%)

Growth rate in August

(%)

Capital Goods Sector Decreased by 20.7 Decreased by 21

Mining Sector Decreased by 8.5 Increased by 0.1

Manufacturing Sector Decreased by 3.9 Decreased by 1.2

Electricity Sector Decreased by 2.6 Decreased by 0.9

Consumer Durables Sector Decreased by 9.9 Decreased by 9.1

Consumer Non-durables

Sector Decreased by 0.4 Increased by 4.1

• “The Indian economy is presently facing a structural growth slowdown originating from

declining household savings rate, and low agricultural growth”.

• “Low agricultural growth is feeding into low agricultural and non-agricultural wage growth

in rural areas, which is impacting rural demand adversely.”

About IIP:

• IIP is a composite indicator measuring changes in the volume of production of a basket of

industrial products over a period of time, with respect to a chosen base period.




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• It is compiled and published on a monthly basis by the Central Statistics Office

(CSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with a

time lag of six weeks from the reference month. Base year for IIP is 2011-2012 (Earlier

2004-05) i.e. it is calculated on the basis of their share of GDP at factor cost during 2011-

12. The revised IIP (2011-12) reflects the changes in industrial sector and also aligns it with

base year of other macroeconomic indicators like Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Gross

Domestic Product (GDP).

• IIP covers 865 (Older series 682) items comprising:

1. Manufacturing (809 items, Older series 620 items) – 77.63%

2. Mining (55 items, Older Series 61 items) – 14.37%

3. Electricity (1 item) – 7.99%

• The eight Core Industries comprise nearly 40.27 % of the weight of items included in IIP.

They are:

1. Coal (10.33%)

2. Crude oil (8.98%)

3. Natural gas (6.88%)

4. Refinery products (28.04%)

5. Fertilizers (2.63%)

6. Steel (17.92%)

7. Cement (5.37%)

8. Electricity (19.85%)

4. International Seed Treaty

Why in News?

• A session of the Governing Body of International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for

Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) better known as Seed Treaty is recently held.

Seed Treaty:

• ITPGRFA also known as Seed Treaty is a comprehensive international agreement for

ensuring food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the

world’s plant genetic resources.

• It aims for food and agriculture (PGRFA), as well as the fair and equitable benefit sharing

arising from its use. The governing body meets biennially and India is a signatory to the

treaty.




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Objectives:

• Farmers’ Contribution: To recognize the contribution of farmers to the diversity of crops,

• Access and Benefit Sharing: Establish a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders

and scientists with access to plant genetic materials,

• Sustainability: To conserve and sustainably use plant genetic resources for food and

agriculture, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in

harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

• Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act:

• The PPV&FR Act, 2001 was enacted to grant intellectual property rights to plant breeders,

researchers and farmers who have developed any new or extant plant varieties.

• The rights granted under this Act are exclusive right to produce, sell, market, distribute,

import and export the variety.

• According to the act, a farmer is entitled to save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share or sell

his farm produce including seed of a variety protected under the PPV&FR Act, 2001 except

the brand name. The Act is compliant to Article-9 of the Seed Treaty.

• A few months back in April 2019, PepsiCo sued Gujarati farmers by invoking the

provisions of the act.

• The PPV&FR Authority has registered about 3631 plant varieties out of which 1597 (44%)

belong to the farmers.

5. Supreme Court’s Judgment on ESSAR’s Insolvency Case

Why in News?

• The Supreme Court has recently given its judgement in the Essar Insolvency case that has

paved the way for ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel to take over debt-laden Essar Steel.

What is the Issue?

• In March 2019, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved global steel-giant

ArcelorMittal’s bid for Essar Steel.

• The Committee of Creditors (CoC) approved the resolution plan offered by the

ArcelorMittal. Under the resolution plan, ArcelorMittal offered an advance cash payment

of about ₹42,000 crore to the financial creditors and capital infusion of ₹8,000 in the next

few years.

• However, the offer did not have much for operational creditors to Essar Steel.




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• In 2019, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) cleared the CoC’s plan

but changed the financial distribution plan by ordering an equal recovery plan for all

creditors, including financial and operational creditors.

What did SC Say?

• Wisdom of CoC: It is the commercial wisdom of the requisite majority (66%) of the CoC

under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to negotiate and accept a resolution plan,

which may involve differential payment to different classes of creditors.

• Principle of Equality: The Court held that the equality principle cannot be stretched to

treating unequal’s equally. This will destroy the very objective of the IBC to resolve

stressed assets. Equitable treatment is to be accorded to each creditor depending upon the

class to which it belongs: secured or unsecured, financial or operational.

• Restriction on Tribunals: Tribunals have no “residual equity jurisdiction” to interfere

in the merits of a business decision taken by the CoC. This implies that the NCLT and

NCLAT cannot interfere with the commercial decisions taken by the CoC.

• Financial vs. Operational Creditors: The Court upheld the primacy of financial

creditors over operational creditors in the distribution of funds received under the

corporate insolvency scheme.

• The Court explained that financial creditors are capital-providers for companies, i.e. help

companies to purchase assets and run business operations.

• Operational creditors, in a way, are beneficiaries of amounts lent by financial creditors.

• Relaxation of Resolution Deadline: The Supreme Court has done away with the 330-

day mandatory deadline for the resolution of insolvency and bankruptcy cases after which

liquidation is invoked. The bench allowed a bit of flexibility by allowing exceptions where

the resolution plan is on the verge of being finalised.

• The 330-day mark is violation of Article 14 (right to equal treatment) of the Constitution

and Article 19(1)(g) (Right to carry any business) of the Constitution.

Insolvency Resolution Process in India:

• Eligibility: Under IBC, companies (both private and public limited company) and

Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP) can be considered as defaulting corporate debtors.

• A corporate debtor is any corporate organization which owes a debt to any person.

• Default Amount: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code can be triggered if there is a

minimum default of Rs 1 lakh.




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• This process can be triggered by way of filing an application before the National Company

Law Tribunal (NCLT).

• Resolution Initiation: The process can be initiated by two classes of creditors which

would include financial creditors and operational creditors.

• Creditors: A Creditor means any person to whom a debt is owed and includes a financial

creditor, an operational creditor, etc.

• Financial Creditors: The financial creditor in simple terms is the institution that

provided money to the corporate entity in the form of loans, bonds etc. E.g. banks.

• Operational Creditors: An operational creditor is the entity who has a claim for

providing any of the four categories to the defaulted corporate- goods, services,

employment and Government dues (central govt, state or local bodies).

• Appointment of Interim Resolution Professional: As soon as the matter is

admitted by the NCLT, the NCLT proceeds with the appointment of an Interim Resolution

Professional (IRP) who takes over the management of the defaulting debtor.

• Committee of Creditors (CoC): A committee consisting only of the Financial Creditors

i.e. the CoC is formed by the IRP.

✓ Only operational creditors having aggregate dues of at least 10% of the total debt are

invited into the meeting CoC (Operational creditors are not a member of CoC). The

operational creditors don’t have any voting power.

✓ Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP): The Corporate Insolvency

Resolution Process (CIRP) process includes necessary steps to revive the company

such as raising fresh funds for operation, looking for new buyer to sell the company

as going concern, etc.

✓ The CoC takes a decision regarding the future of the outstanding debt owed to it.

The resolution plan can be implemented only if it has been approved by 66% of the

creditors in the CoC

✓ Liquidation Proceedings: In the event a resolution plan is not submitted or not

approved by the committee of creditors (COC), the CIRP process is deemed to have

failed. In such a situation the liquidation proceedings commence subject to the

order of the tribunal.




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6. Deposit Insurance Cover to be Raised?

Why in News?

• The central government now plans to raise the cover of deposit insurance after the failure

of the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank on the low level of insurance for

deposits held by Customers in Banks.

About Deposit Insurance:

• Currently, in the event of a bank going bust in India, a depositor has claim to a maximum

of Rs 1 lakh per account as insurance cover — even if the deposit in their account far

exceeds Rs 1 lakh. This amount is termed ‘deposit insurance’.

• Depositors holding more than Rs 1 lakh in their account have no legal remedy in case of

the collapse of the bank.

• The cover of Rs 1 lakh per depositor is provided by the Deposit Insurance and Credit

Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), a fully owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India.

The Rs 1 lakh-cover is for deposits in commercial banks, regional rural banks (RRBs), local

area banks (LABs), and cooperative banks.

How Depositors Claim the Money from the Failed Bank?

• The DICGC does not deal directly with depositors. The RBI (or the Registrar), on directing

that a bank be liquidated, appoints an official liquidator to oversee the winding up process.

• Under the DICGC Act, the liquidator is supposed to hand over a list of all the insured

depositors (with their dues) to the DICGC within three months of taking charge.

• The DICGC is supposed to pay these dues within two months of receiving this list. In FY19,

it took an average 1,425 days for the DICGC to receive and settle the rest claims on a de-

registered bank.

What is the Issue?

• As per DICGC data, over the years the level of insured deposits as a percentage of

assessable deposits has declined from a high of 60.5% in 2007-08 to 28.1% in 2018-1.

• At the end of March 2019, the number of registered insured banks with DICGC stood at

2,098 — comprising 103 commercial banks, 1,941 cooperative banks, 51 RRBs, and three

LABs.

• DICGC last revised the deposit insurance cover to Rs 1 lakh on May 1, 1993 — raising it

from Rs 30,000, which had been the cover from 1980 onward. DICGC charges 10 paise per

Rs 100 of deposits held by a bank.




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• The premium paid by the insured banks to the Corporation is required to be borne by the

banks, and not be passed on to depositors. As per DICGC data, commercial banks paid a

total premium of Rs 11,190 crore in 2018-19, while cooperative banks paid a premium of

Rs 850 crore to cover deposits against the risk of default.

• As for cooperative banks, only 44.5% of their assessable deposits were covered in 2018-19,

while for commercial banks this ratio was 25.7%. Commercial banks account for the largest

share of bank deposits in India.

7. Household Consumer Expenditure Survey

Why in News?

• Govt has scrapped this year’s NSOs Consumer Expenditure survey Over Data Quality.

Consumer Expenditure Survey:

• The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) is usually conducted at quinquennial intervals

and the last survey on consumer expenditure was conducted in the 68th round (July 2011

to June 2012).

• It is conducted by National Statistical Office (NSO), MoSPI.

• It generates estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE)

and the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes.

• It is designed to collect information regarding expenditure on consumption of goods and

services (food and non-food) consumed by households.

• The results, after release, are also used for rebasing of the GDP and other Macro-Economic

Indicators.

Highlights of the 2018-19 survey:

• Consumer spending is falling and the report has been withheld due to its ‘adverse’

findings.

• There was a significant increase in the divergence in not only the levels in the consumption

pattern but also the direction of the change when compared to the other administrative

data sources like the actual production of Goods and Services.

Why is the Survey not Published?

• In view of the data quality issues, the Ministry has decided not to release the Consumer

Expenditure Survey results of 2017-2018.

• Concerns were raised about the ability/sensitivity of the survey instrument to capture

consumption of social services by households especially on health and education.




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• The Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics has also separately recommended

that for rebasing of the GDP series, 2017-18 is not an appropriate year to be used as the

new base year.

• The MoSPI is separately examining the feasibility of conducting the next Consumer

Expenditure Survey in 2020-2021 and 2021-22 after incorporating all data quality

refinements in the survey process. The survey allegedly showed that the average amount

spent by an Indian in a month fell 3.7% to Rs 1,446 in 2017-18 from Rs 1,501 in 2011-12.

• While consumer spending declined 8.8% in 2017-18 in India’s villages, it rose 2% over six

years in cities, it said.

8. Disinvestment of CPSEs

Why in News?

• Cabinet approves strategic disinvestment of CPSEs.

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has accorded

‘In-principle’ approval for strategic disinvestment in select central public sector

enterprises (CPSEs).

Highlights:

• The resources unlocked by the strategic disinvestment of these CPSEs would be used to

finance the social sector/developmental programmes of the Government benefiting the

public. The unlocked resources would form part of the budget and the usage would come

under the scrutiny of the public. It is expected that the strategic buyer/acquirer may bring

in new management/technology/investment for the growth of these companies and may

use innovative methods for their development.

• In 2015, the Government reinitiated the policy of strategic disinvestment in order to open

up sectors for private enterprise to bring efficiency in management that would contribute

to general economic development. Strategic Disinvestment is guided by the basic economic

principle that the Government should discontinue its engagement in

manufacturing/producing goods and services in sectors where the competitive markets

have come of age, and such entities would most likely perform better in the private hands

due to various factors e.g. technology up-radiation and efficient management practices;

and would thus add to the GDP of the country.

• Currently, the cabinet approval for strategic disinvestment has been given for:

✓ Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL)




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✓ Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. (SCI)

✓ Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR)

✓ Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL)

✓ North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO)

9. GDP slump will hit $5-Trillion Economy Target

Why in News?

• NITI Aayog has warned the Government that GDP slump will hit $5-trillion economy

target.

What did NITI Aayog said?

• The nominal GDP growth — a measure of growth without accounting for inflation — has to

be at least 12.4% on an average if that target has to be reached but the current rate was a

mere 8% in the first quarter of the current financial year.

• Experts estimate that growth will dip in Q2 compared to Q1 in both real and nominal

terms. For example, while GDP growth in real terms in Q1 stood at 5%, state-run lender

State Bank of India recently estimated that this could dip to 4.2% in Q2, with a

corresponding dip in nominal growth as well.

• “Domestic investment and consumption” are the only dependable drivers for sustainable

re-acceleration of the economy.

• However, a deceleration in investment is visible, primarily in the household sector, due

almost entirely to real estate. Gross fixed capital formation in the sub-sector of ‘dwellings,

other buildings and structures’ fell from 12.8% of GDP in 2011-12 to 6.9% in 2017-18.

• The slowdown in the domestic market is also because of limited availability of capital with

the banks which are tied down due to high non-performing assets in heavy industry and

infrastructure. In the power sector, there is a high cross-subsidization in favour of

residential tariff leading to very high industrial tariffs.

• The electric power transmission and distribution (T&D) losses in India stand at 19%,

higher than that of Bangladesh and Vietnam.

What are the Implications?

• The presentation flagged the urgent need to focus on export of high-value technology and

manufacturing goods instead of primary goods currently exported.

• Citing an example, the NITI Aayog chief said 98% of phones exported by India are in the

low-value category, to the Middle East and Africa.




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• There has been a sharp decline in exports in the textiles from 2017 onwards, according to

the presentation. Several financial experts have blamed the decline on the November 2016

decision to demonetize high value currency that drained vital liquidity out of the cash-

dependent textile market.

ECONOMY PRELIM SNIPPETS

1. Khadi gets Separate Unique HS code

Why in News?

• Khadi has once again come out of its customary veil, marking its presence in the exclusive

HS code bracket, issued by the central government to categorize its products in export.

Highlights:

• Khadi and Village Industries products are eco-friendly and natural and are in great

demand in the International Markets. Recognizing its potential to generate exports, the

Ministry of Commerce had taken various measures to boost the export of Khadi products.

• However, in the absence of separate HS code, the export of Khadi products was difficult to

categorize and calculate. Allocation of separate HS code for this signature fabric of India

will help in making the export of Khadi, exclusively categorized from the general league of

textile products.

• This move will help in keeping a constant eye on khadi export figures and also it will also

help in planning khadhi export strategies.

HS Code:

• HS Stands for Harmonized System and it is a six-digit identification code.

• It was developed by the WCO (World Customs Organization). Customs officers use HS

Code to clear every commodity that enters or crosses any International Border.

2. e-NAM

Why in News?

• Centre has asked the states to dismantle APMC and move towards e-NAM. The electronic

National Agriculture Market.

About e-NAM:

• NAM is an online platform with a physical market or mandi at the backend. NAM is not a

parallel marketing structure but rather an instrument to create a national network of

• physical mandis which can be accessed online.




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• It seeks to leverage the physical infrastructure of mandis through an online trading portal,

enabling buyers situated even outside the state to participate in trading at the local level.

• The launching of e-platform for marketing of agriculture products is being done with the

aim to provide more options to farmers to sell their produce. This initiative is part of

implementation of the roadmap for doubling income of the farmers by 2022.

3. India Internet 2019

Why in News?

• Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has recently released the report “India

Internet 2019”.

About:

• According to the report, Internet penetration rate is highest in Delhi NCR (69%) followed

by Kerala (54%). The lowest penetration rate was in Odisha (25), Jharkhand (26) and

Bihar (28). Internet penetration is defined as number of individuals aged above 12 per 100

populations who accessed the Internet during a particular period.

• It also noted that Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Delhi have the highest proportion of female

Internet users.

INTERNET PENETRATION, 2019

• In terms of Internet subscriptions per 100 populations, Delhi, Punjab and Himachal

Pradesh and Kerala topped the list. The lowest subscriptions are from Bihar and Uttar

Pradesh. Kerala is among States with a huge gap between the number of rural and urban

Internet connections. This is also the case in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.




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4. Toll Operate Transfer Model

Why in News?

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic

Affairs, CCEA, has approved the

amendments proposed in the Toll

Operate Transfer (TOT) Model by

National Highways Authority of

India.

Toll Operate Transfer (TOT) Model:

• TOT was introduced in 2016 to

monetise publicly funded highways.

• Under this model, investors make a one-time lump sum payment in return for long-term

toll collection rights. This model is more attractive for investors as they don’t have to build

an infrastructure project from scratch.

5. Line of Credit

Why in News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a 400million dollar Line of Credit of to Sri

Lanka to boost development in Sri Lanka.

Line of Credit:

• The Line of Credit is not a grant but a ‘soft loan’ provided on concessional interest rates

to developing countries, which has to be repaid by the borrowing government.

• The LOCs also helps to promote exports of Indian goods and services, as certain

value of the contract must be sourced from India.

• The projects under LOCs are spread over different sectors (Agriculture, Infrastructure,

Telecom, Railway, Transmission/Power, Renewable Energy etc.)

• The actual implementation of LOC projects in various countries is dependent on local

factors, such as prevailing political & social conditions in the borrowing countries.




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6. Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)

Why in News?

• The Union Cabinet has recently approved the creation of an Alternative Investment Fund

(AIF) of Rs. 25,000 crores for the realty sector.

• This is to provide last-mile funding for stalled affordable and middle-income housing

projects across the country.

Key Features of the Decision:

• The fund size is of Rs. 25,000 crores with the government providing Rs. 10,000 crore and

the State Bank of India and the Life Insurance Corporation providing the balance.

• The fund was set up as Category-II Alternative Investment Fund registered with the SEBI

and will be managed by SBICAP Ventures Limited.

• The open-ended fund is expected to increase in time. The government is also in talks with

sovereign bonds and pension funds to put in money in this fund further.

• The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a ‘Special Window’ to provide priority debt

financing for completion of stalled housing projects in the affordable and middle-income

housing sector.

What is Alternative Investment Fund:

• AIFs refers to any privately pooled investment fund, (whether from Indian or foreign

sources), in the form of a trust or a company or a body corporate or a Limited Liability

Partnership (LLP).

• In India, AIFs are private funds which are otherwise not coming under the jurisdiction of

any regulatory agency in India, since it does not include funds covered under the SEBI

(Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996, SEBI (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations,

1999 or any other regulations of the Board to regulate fund management activities.




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5. ENVIRONMENT

1. Most Mount Everest glaciers will disappear with Climate Change, Warns Study

Why in News?

• A recent study has painted a bleak future for most glaciers in the Mount Everest region,

warning that they will either disappear or retreat as a result of temperature rise over the

next century.

• There are over 5,000 glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region, which is the

site of Mount Everest and other tall peaks.

• The study has been published in The Cryosphere, the journal of the European Geosciences

Union (EGU), a non-profit international association.

Highlights of the Study:

• According to the study, the volume of several glaciers may reduce by 70 per cent to 99 per

cent by 2100, which will have dire consequences on farming and hydroelectricity

generation.

• Researchers resorted to glacier mass balance and ice redistribution model to examine the

“sensitivity of glaciers in the Everest region of Nepal to climate change”.

• According to the study, high-elevation snow and ice cover play pivotal roles in the

Himalayan hydrologic system.

• In those Himalayan regions affected by monsoon, melt water from glaciers provides an

important source of stream flow during pre-and post-monsoon seasons.

• In view of this, changes in glacier area and volume are expected to affect water availability

during dry seasons, the study warns.

• This, in turn, will affect agriculture, hydropower generation and local water availability.

• The study was conducted in Dudh Koshi basin in central Nepal which has a total

glacierised area of over 400 sq km.

• The region contains some of the world’s highest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest,

Cho Oyu, Makalu, Lhotse and Nuptse.

• The Dudh Koshi river is a major contributor to the Koshi river, which contains nearly one-

quarter of Nepal’s exploitable hydroelectric potential.

The current status of glaciers varies across the HKH region. Most areas have seen glacier

retreat and down wasting in recent years, though areas such as the Karakoram and Pamir

ranges have experienced equilibrium or even slight mass gain, the paper says.




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• The study concludes that lower level glaciers will melt faster because the freezing level—

the elevation where mean monthly temperatures are 0°C—will rise higher with rise in air

temperature. Available studies indicate that the mean annual temperatures have increased

in the region, and particularly at high elevations.

Effects of Glacial Melt:

• One serious consequence of glacier retreat in the Himalayas will be the formation of lakes,

which may pose a risk to communities living downstream.

• Also, farming and hydropower generation downstream is likely to be greatly affected. Over

a billion people in Asia depend on rivers fed by glaciers for their food and livelihood.

• While increased glacier melt initially increases the water flow, retreat leads to reduced

melt water from glaciers during the summer months.

• In the mountains of Asia, changes in glacier volumes will affect the timing and magnitude

of stream flows, particularly in the pre-monsoon period, the study says.

2. NGT Issues Ultimatum to Ban Certain RO systems

Why in News?

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given an ultimatum to the Union Environment

Ministry to issue notifications pertaining to prohibition on the use of RO (reverse osmosis)

systems, which result in wastage of almost 80% of water.

Background:

• The NGT has passed an order this year (May 2019) to Environment Ministry to issue

notifications pertaining to prohibition on the use of RO systems. But the ministry is not in

compliance of the above order till now.

• NGT has noted that delay in compliance of order is causing harm to public health and

environment in terms of an expert committee report to which the environment ministry is

also a party.

About NGT’s Order:

• The notification should be based on the following directions as issued by NGT:

1. Wherever RO is to be permitted, condition of recovery of water to the extent of more than

60% is required.

2. Prohibiting the use of RO where Total Dissolved Solids in water is less than 500 mg/l.

3. Use of RO reject water for purposes such as utensil washing, flushing, gardening, cleaning

of vehicles and mopping.




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• NGT has also observed that, since issuing notification is a policy related matter which

comprises of features of multi-dimensional character, a region wise detailed consultation

should also be conducted before notification.

What is Reverse Osmosis (RO)?

• It is a water purification process that uses a partially permeable membrane to remove ions,

unwanted molecules and larger particles from drinking water.

• In reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used to overcome osmotic pressure, a colligative

property, that is driven by chemical potential differences of the solvent, a thermodynamic

parameter.

• Reverse osmosis can remove many types of dissolved and suspended chemical species as

well as biological ones (principally bacteria) from water, and is used in both industrial

processes and the production of potable water.

About NGT:

• The NGT was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act.

• It is a specialized environmental court that deals with cases relating to environmental

protection and the conservation of forests. It has judicial powers that allow it to exclusively

decide civil environmental matters. The tribunal is guided by principles of natural justice

and is not bound by the mainstream code of civil procedure.

• The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Bhopal,

Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are the other four.

3. Sunderbans

Why in News?

• Sunderbans mangrove forest has reduced the damage caused by the severe cyclone ‘Bulbul’

which has recently hit West Bengal and Bangladesh.

About:

• The Sunderbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world, lies across

India and Bangladesh on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the

Bay of Bengal.

• It is adjacent to the border of India’s Sunderbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987.

• The Indian Sunderbans, considered to be an area south of the Dampier Hodges line, is

spread over 9,630 sq. km., of which the mangrove forests are spread over 4,263 sq. km.




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• The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands

of salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological

processes. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the

Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian

python. It is home to many rare and globally threatened wildlife species such as the

estuarine crocodile, Royal Bengal Tiger, Water monitor lizard, Gangetic dolphin, and olive

ridley turtles. It is also home to one of the noted tiger reserves in India.

• A satellite image from the Indian Space Research Organisation pointed to a loss of 3.71%

mangrove and non-mangrove forest cover along with massive erosion of the archipelago’s

landmass.

• The analysis, based on satellite data of February 2003 and February 2014, shows that

while a 9,990-hectare landmass has been eroded, there has been an accretion (addition) of

216-hectare landmass in the Sunderbans during the period.

4. Accounting for Every Drop of Water

Context:

• The Recent Push under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan has finally set the wheels turning to counter

depleting levels of available water resources.

Today’s Water Scenario:

• Despite the implementation of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, there is a need for a long-term

scientific approach to the water scarcity issue.

• Institutional changes are the need of the hour if we wish to sustain the future benefits of

Jal Shakti Abhiyan and go beyond reactionary policy.

• Groundwater accounts for only 433 billion cubic metres (BCM) of the total 1,123 BCM of

available water, yet dependence on groundwater remains disproportionately high.

• Irrigation is currently the biggest consumer as it uses 89% of all groundwater extracted;

the 9% extracted for domestic use accounts for 50% of urban water usage and 85% of rural

water usage.

• Despite this there is a lack of concerted action to address the extraordinarily high

consumption by the agriculture sector.

What does Government Reports Say?

• The NITI Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index Report, 2019, highlighted the

potential consequences of not addressing the issue by 2030 or at least of not forestalling it.




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• It projected, inter alia, that 6% of the GDP will be lost by 2050 at the current rate, the

MSME sector will be affected both directly and indirectly, and 70% of thermal power

plants will face a water crisis—in fact it has already started. Moreover other indirect effects

of water scarcity such as desertification and land degradation will lead to the creation of a

vicious cycle.

Problems Prevailing in India:

• The colonial vestige in the form of the Indian Easements Act, 1882, which prevents the

creation of easementry rights over ground water, and allows for the easement for a

polluting activity that has been done so for 20 years or more.

• The lack of prescription, i.e. private rights over ground water in practical application

allows for industries to drain water greater than their rightful share due to the fluid nature

of water. The case of Plachimada in Kerala is one such instance which led to a David versus

Goliath confrontation between the people and Coca Cola. This is despite the fact that in M

C Mehta vs. Kamal Nath, the apex court first invoked the Public Trust Doctrine (PTD) and

declared it to be part of the law of the land. However, largely, the principle is echoed only

in courtrooms. Lack of application of PTD has meant that water resources have not been

democratised and decentralised.

What can be Done?

• The government should focus on providing elasticity in the variety of low-water-

consumption crops that farmers can opt to grow while simultaneously disincentivising

water-intensive crops like sugarcane. Basmati rice especially has resulted in India

becoming the biggest virtual exporter of water; on the contrary, China has transformed

itself into one of the top virtual importers of water by resorting to the import of water-

intensive crops like soya. The government must also consider incentivising scientific

methods to grow water-intensive crops sustainably as was done with the use of direct

seeded rice in Punjab that resulted in water savings of up to 30% as it did not require

puddling.

• Providing millets, which requires less water and other inputs, in mid-day meals will

promote its cultivation and ensure better nutrition; while more expensive than rice there

are long-term benefits to be gained.

• Furthermore, encroachments on river banks and flood plains must be strictly dealt with to

ensure that they can be rejuvenated and thereby reduce the stress on groundwater




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reserves. On the contrary, electricity and fertiliser subsidies have incentivised farmers to

grow water-intensive crops.

• Cheap access to electricity and other inputs have allowed for the cultivation of crops in

areas having low productivity, requiring even greater amounts of water as pointed out in

the Economic Survey 2018-2019. Similarly, smaller landholdings that cannot sustain an

economy of scale require a disproportionate amount of water. Further, considering that

water conservation fee may be levied on agriculture, such a move may become yet another

subsidy to be shouldered by the state in line with previous trends.

• But such subsidies remain one of the few ways to financially incentivise agriculture

especially in light of depreciating prices fostered by a pro-consumer approach.

5. Great Barrier Reef’s Coral Spawning

Why in News?

• A mass coral spawning has begun on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef recently.

About Great Barrier Reef:

• The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900

individual reefs and 900 islands.

• The reef is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast of Queensland,

Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest

single structure made by living organisms.

• The reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral

polyps. It was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Coral Bleaching:

• The stunning colours in corals come from marine algae called zooxanthellae, which live

inside their tissues. This algae provides the corals with an easy food supply thanks to

photosynthesis, which gives the corals energy, allowing them to grow and reproduce.

• When corals get stressed, from things such as heat or pollution, they react by expelling this

algae, leaving a ghostly, transparent skeleton behind.

• This is known as ‘coral bleaching’. Some corals can feed themselves, but without the

zooxanthellae most corals starve.

• Causes for Coral Bleaching include Change in Ocean Temperature, Runoff and Pollution,

Overexposure to sunlight and Extreme low tides.




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Hard Corals and Soft Corals:

• Hard corals have hard, calcium-based skeletons. Most hard corals -- also called stony

corals -- consist of numerous single polyps living together in colonies.

• A single polyp consists of a sea-anemone like organism that secretes the calcium-based

structure of the colony's skeleton.

• All hard corals' polyps have rings of six smooth tentacles which provide the majority of

structure on coral reefs. While hard corals secrete calcium-based skeletons, soft corals

do not. Instead, Soft corals contain structures within their tissues called spiracles that

support their bodies. Additionally, soft corals have eight fuzzy tentacles for feeding.

What is Coral Spawning?

• One of the most spectacular events to occur on the Great Barrier Reef is the annual

synchronised spawning of corals.

• This mass reproduction only happens once a year. It involves colonies and species of coral

polyps simultaneously releasing tiny egg and sperm bundles from their gut cavity into the

water.

• By expelling the eggs and sperm at the same time, the coral increases the likelihood that

fertilisation will take place.

• The mass spawning occurs after a full moon and only after rising water temperatures have

stimulated the maturation of the gametes within the adult coral. The day length, tide

height and salinity levels also appear to be factors in deciding when the event will happen.

• The spawning lasts between a few days and a week.

• This is because different species release their eggs and sperm on different days to prevent

hybrids from being produced.

• The phenomenon — which only happens at night — resembles an underwater snowstorm.

But rather than being all white, there are also clouds of red, yellow and orange. All the

bundles rise slowly to the surface where the process of fertilisation begins.

• While spawning takes place on a large scale, it doesn’t happen across the entire Reef all at

once. Instead, the time of year that corals spawn depends on their location. Those on

inshore reefs usually start spawning one to six nights after the first full moon in October,

whereas those in outer reefs spawn during November or December.

• When an egg is fertilised by a sperm it develops into coral larva called a planula that floats

around in the water for several days or weeks before settling on the ocean floor. After the

planula has settled in a particular area it starts to bud and the coral colony develops.




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• The mass spawning also provides ready food for other marine creatures, particularly

nocturnal animals such as plankton and some fish species.

6. Drinking Water: Quality & Challenges

Why in News?

• A study by the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has found samples of tap water collected

from Mumbai, compliant with the Indian standards for drinking water.

• However, other metro cities of Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai failed in almost 10 out of 11

quality parameters tested by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Findings of the Study:

• Mumbai tops the ranking, while Delhi is at the bottom.

• Samples drawn from 17 other state capitals were not as per the prescribed specifications

for drinking water.

• In the next phase, samples from the capital cities of north-eastern states and from 100

smart cities will be tested and their results are expected by January 15, 2020.

India’s Drinking Water Crisis

• “Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium”

• With a diverse population that is three times the size of the United States but one-third the

physical size, India has the second largest population in the world. Although India has

made improvements over the past decades to both the availability and quality of municipal

drinking water systems, its large population has stressed that the quality part is still below

the standards.

• The rapid growth of population in India's urban areas, is making the problem of

availability worse. And also, India's water crisis is often attributed to lack of government

planning, increased corporate privatization and contamination due to industrial and

human wastes.

• A NITI-Aayog report released last year predicts Day Zero for 21 Indian cities by next year.

• The available data points that, India is still water surplus and receives enough annual

rainfall to meet the need of over one billion plus people. According to the Central Water

Commission, India needs a maximum of 3,000 billion cubic metres of water a year while it

receives 4,000 billion cubic metres of rain.

Why a Water-Surplus Country is facing water Crisis Today?

✓ Over-exploitation of groundwater

✓ Wastage of water




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✓ Unequal distribution and availability

✓ Loss of wetlands and water bodies

✓ Fewer upgradation of laws

Over-exploitation of Groundwater

• India is the biggest user of groundwater.

• Groundwater meets more than half of total requirement of clean water in the country.

• In 2015, the standing committee on water resources found that groundwater forms the

largest share of India’s agriculture and drinking water supply.

• Overall, 50 per cent of urban water requirement and 85 per cent of rural domestic water

need are fulfilled by groundwater.

• The report prepared under the ministry of water resources cited rising population, rapid

urbanisation, industrialisation and inadequate rainfall as reasons for sharp decline in

groundwater volume in the country.

Wastage of Water

• The problem in India is that it captures only eight per cent of its annual rainfall - among

the lowest in the world. The traditional modes of water capturing in ponds have been lost

to the demands of rising population and liberal implementation of town planning rules.

• India has been also poor in treatment and re-use of household wastewater. About 80 per

cent of the water reaching households in India are drained out as waste flow through

sewage to pollute other water bodies including rivers and land.

Unequal Distribution and Availability:

• According to the Composite Water Management Index of the NITI Aayog, 75 per cent of

households do not have drinking water on premise and about 84 per cent rural households

do not have piped water access.

• Water is not properly distributed where it is supplied through pipes.

The Case of Israel

• Israel, a country that is located in desert and has learnt to deal with water crisis

situation.

• Israel treats almost 100 per cent of its used water and recycles 94 per cent of it back to

households.

• More than half of irrigation in Israel is done using reused water




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• Mega cities like Delhi and Mumbai get more that than the standard municipal water norm

of 150 litres per capita per day (LPCD) while others get 40-50 LPCD.

• The World Health Organisation prescribes 25 litres of water for one person a day to meet

all basic hygiene and food needs.

• Extra available water, according to the WHO estimates, is used for non-potable purposes

like household cleaning.

• It will have another challenge, however, to plug leakage of piped water in urban areas. It is

estimated that around 40 per cent of piped water in India is lost to leakage.

Loss of Wetlands and Water Bodies

• Many cities and villages in the country had lost their wetlands, water bodies and even

rivers to encroachment to meet the needs of rising population.

• Chennai that is facing acute water shortage, had nearly two dozen water bodies and

wetlands but most of them are out of use today. A recent assessment found that only nine

of them could be reclaimed as water bodies.

• A survey by the Wildlife Institute of India reveals that the country has lost 70-80 per cent

of fresh water marshes and lakes in the Gangetic flood plains, the biggest river plain the in

the country.

• The percentage of districts with overexploited state of groundwater level increased from 3

in 1995 to 15 in 2011, worsening the water security of the country.

Fewer Upgradation of Laws

• The Easement Act of 1882 that gives every landowner the right to collect and dispose

groundwater and surface water within his/her own limits is still in operation.

• This law makes regulation of water usage by a person on his/her land, leading to

commercial exploitation of water sources. Further, water falls under state list of the

Schedule VII Constitution meaning only the state governments can frame a regulatory law.

• In 2011, the central government published a Model Bill for ground water management for

the states. But not all the states have passed a matching legislation which endorses the

doctrine that resources meant for public use cannot be converted into private ownership.




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• Jal Shakti ministry mandated to deal with water issues including drinking water

availability with a holistic and integrated approach.

Chlorination

• Water chlorination is the process of adding chlorine or chlorine compounds such as

sodium hypochlorite to water. This method is used to kill certain bacteria and other

microbes in tap water as chlorine is highly toxic.

The Benefits:

• Proven reduction of most bacteria and viruses in water

• Ease-of-use and acceptability

• Proven reduction of disease incidence – Diarrhoea and Cholera

• Scalability and low cost

The Drawbacks:

• Relatively low protection against protozoans

• Does not solve the problem of turbidity (dissolved contaminants)

• Taste and odour may change

• Potential long-term effects of chlorination by-products

✓ Therefore, the method of chlorination cannot be used as an one-stop solution to treating

the piped municipal water supply.

ARSENIC IN GROUND WATER IN INDIA

• Arsenic is a naturally occurring trace element found in rocks, soils and the water in

contact with them.

• Arsenic has been recognized as a toxic element and is considered a human health

hazard.

• Arsenic contamination in ground water has been found in the states of Assam, Bihar,

Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.

• The occurrence of Arsenic in the states of Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh is in

alluvial formations but in the state of Chhattisgarh, it is in the volcanic rocks

exclusively confined to an ancient rift zone.

• The permissible limit of Arsenic in ground water according to BIS is 0.01 mg/ L.




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• It has already set an ambitious task to provide piped water

connections to every household in India by 2024.

• As Sustainable Development Goals -provides, Goal 6 for

clean water and sanitation for ensuring their availability

and sustainable management, a country like India will be

highly productive if all its population have access to clean

drinking water, and improved sanitation, and adopts a

scientific approach to solve its problems.

7. Rolling Out to BS-VI Norms

Why in News?

• India Ratings & Research report has said rolling out BS-VI norms to Commercial vehicles

(CV) Would Create Short Term Trouble.

About Bharat Stage Emission Standards:

• The Bharat Stage (BS) is emission standard instituted by the Government of India to

regulate the output of air pollutants from motor vehicles.

• The Environment Ministry is responsible for deciding the fuel standard in the country. The

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) implements these standards.

• The BS regulations are based on the European emission standards.

• Companies can come up with new vehicles with BS VI fuel standards even before the April

2020 deadline. But after the deadline, vehicles that do not comply with BS VI standards

will not be registered.

• These norms are applicable to all two wheelers, three wheelers, four wheelers and

construction equipment vehicles.

About BS-VI:

• To curb growing menace of air pollution through the vehicle’s emission, the Government of

India has decided to leapfrog from the exiting BS – IV norms to the BS- VI, thereby

skipping the BS – V norms, and to implement the BS – VI norms with effect from 1st April

2020. Only those vehicles will be sold and registered in India from 1st April 2020

onwards, which comply with these norms.

• The norms are stringent and at par with global standards.




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• The major difference in standards between the existing BS-IV and the new BS-VI auto fuel

norms is the presence of sulphur. The newly introduced fuel is estimated to reduce the

amount of sulphur released by 80%, from 50 parts per million to 10 ppm.

• As per the analysts, the emission of NOx (nitrogen oxides) from diesel cars is also expected

to reduce by nearly 70% and 25% from cars with petrol engines.

Difference between BS-IV and BS-VI:

• The shift makes on-board diagnostics (OBD) mandatory for all automobiles. The OBD

unit will be able to identify likely areas of malfunction by means of fault codes stored on a

computer ensuring that sophisticated emission control device which is fitted in a BS-VI

vehicle runs at optimum efficiency throughout the life of the vehicle.

• Apart from engine calibration, there will be various after treatment additions such as

selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters to meet carbon

monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrous oxide and particulate matter limit of BS VI norms.

• Migration to BS VI norms necessitates the use of oxygen sensors, a complex coding of

the electronic control unit and ignition control.

• The cost of producing BS VI grade fuels will be higher compared to BS IV fuels.

• The two-wheelers predominantly used carbureted engines (air and fuel for internal

combustion are mixed in the proper air–fuel ratio) and they have to now move to fuel

injection engine systems (an injector is used to introduce the fuel for internal

combustion).

• Diesel hydro-treating units that will ensure the reduction of sulphur concentration to

stipulated limits are being created or their capacity is being augmented.

• For meeting gasoline fuel quality, desulphurization technologies along with octane

boosting units are being installed.

8. Satellites to Assess Pollution Status

Why in News?

• ISRO satellites INSAT-3D & 3DR is assessing the pollution status over the country.

Highlights:

• The Imager payload on-board ISRO’s INSAT-3D & 3DR satellites is used to monitor the

Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD).

• The AOD is a measure of the extinction of the solar beam by dust and haze.




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• In other words, particles in the atmosphere (dust, smoke, pollution) can block sunlight by

absorbing or by scattering light. AOD tells us how much direct sunlight is prevented from

reaching the ground by these aerosol particles. It is a dimensionless number that is related

to the amount of aerosol in the vertical column of atmosphere over the observation

location. A value of 0.01 corresponds to an extremely clean atmosphere, and a value of 0.4

would correspond to a very hazy condition.

• It is found that AOD, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are higher over the Indo-Gangetic

Plains covering parts of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during October and November.

• High concentration of these pollutants is seen originating from parts of Punjab and

Haryana during stubble burning.

• Climatological study of satellite-based fire occurrences and associated pollutant

parameters reveal that fire occurrences increased by 4% over Punjab and Haryana region

during October-November between 2003 and 2017.

• The model-based analysis suggests that there is a high probability of transportation of

smoke aerosols from Punjab & Haryana, towards down-wind regions of Delhi, Uttar

Pradesh and Bihar. Using medium resolution Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite data,

stubble burned area maps are generated at the end of stubble burning activity in the Kharif

season.

ISRO has been carrying out monitoring of stubble burning since 2015.

9. Greenhouse Gas in Atmosphere

Why in News?

• According to the World Meteorological Organization, levels of heat-trapping greenhouse

gases in the atmosphere have reached new record high.

About:

• The WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin showed that globally averaged concentrations of

carbon dioxide (CO2) reached 407.8 parts per million in 2018, up from 405.5 parts per

million (ppm) in 2017.

• CO2 remains in the atmosphere for centuries and in the oceans for even longer.

• Concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide also surged by higher amounts than during

the past decade, according to observations from the Global Atmosphere Watch

network which includes stations in the remote Arctic, mountain areas and tropical

islands.




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• From 1990, there has been a 43% increase in total radiative forcing – the warming effect

on the climate - by long-lived greenhouse gases. CO2 accounts for about 80% of this,

according to figures from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Paris Agreement:

• The Paris Agreement builds upon the Convention and for the first time brings all nations

into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt

to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. As such, it

charts a new course in the global climate effort.

• The Paris Agreement central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of

climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees

Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase

even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

• Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the

impacts of climate change.

• To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate financial flows, a New Technology framework

and an enhanced capacity building framework will be put in place, thus supporting action

by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line with their own national

objectives. The Agreement also provides for enhanced transparency of action and support

through a more robust transparency framework.

World Meteorological Organization:

• WMO is the specialized agency of the UN for meteorology (weather and climate),

operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences, established in 1950.

• India is a member of WMO. Its mandate covers weather, climate and water resources.

Emission Gap:

• The WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin reports on atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse

gases. Emission Gap represent what goes into the atmosphere.

• Concentrations represent what remains in the atmosphere after the complex system of

interactions between the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, cryosphere and the oceans.

• Gap Report 2019 indicate that greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise in 2018,

according to an advanced chapter of the Emissions Gap Report released as part of a United

in Science synthesis for the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in September.

UN Environment | Emissions Gap Report:




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• The flagship report from UN Environment is the definitive assessment of the 'emissions

gap' – the gap between anticipated emission levels in 2030, compared to levels consistent

with a 2°C / 1.5°C target. It found that global emissions are on the rise as national

commitments to combat climate change come up short.

• The Emissions Gap report assesses the latest scientific studies on current and estimated

future greenhouse gas emissions; they compare these with the emission levels permissible

for the world to progress on a least-cost pathway to achieve the goals of the Paris

Agreement.

WMO | Greenhouse Gas Bulletin:

• The WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin reports on atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse

gases in the earth’s atmosphere. There is no sign of a reversal in this trend, which is

driving long-term climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification and more extreme

weather. The bulletin includes a focus on how isotopes confirm the dominant role of fossil

fuel combustion in the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

• Fossil fuels were formed from plant material millions of years ago and do not contain

radiocarbon. Burning it will add to the atmosphere radiocarbon-free CO2, increasing CO2

levels and decreasing its radiocarbon content. And this is exactly what is demonstrated by

the measurements.

• Fifty-four countries contributed data for the Greenhouse Gas Bulletin. Measurement data

are reported by participating countries and archived and distributed by the World Data

Centre for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG) at the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Carbon Dioxide:

• Carbon dioxide is the main long-lived greenhouse gas in the atmosphere related to human

activities.




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• Its concentration reached new highs in 2018 of 407.8 ppm, or 147% of pre-industrial level

in 1750. The increase in CO2 from 2017 to 2018 was above the average growth rate over the

last decade. The growth rate of CO2 averaged over three consecutive decades (1985–1995,

1995–2005 and 2005–2015) increased from 1.42 ppm/yr to 1.86 ppm/yr and to 2.06

ppm/yr with the highest annual growth rates observed during El Niño events.

Methane:

• Methane (CH4) is the second most important long-lived greenhouse gas and contributes

about 17% of radiative forcing.

• Approximately 40% of methane is emitted into the atmosphere by natural sources (e.g.,

wetlands and termites), and about 60% comes from human activities like cattle breeding,

rice agriculture, fossil fuel exploitation, landfills and biomass burning.

• It reached a new high of about 1869 parts per billion (ppb) in 2018 and is now 259% of the

pre-industrial level. The increase of CH4 from 2017 to 2018 was higher than both that

observed from 2016 to 2017 and the average over the last decade.

Nitrous Oxide:




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• Nitrous oxide (N2O) is emitted into the atmosphere from both natural (about 60%) and

anthropogenic sources (approximately 40%), including oceans, soil, biomass burning,

fertilizer use, and various industrial processes.

• Its atmospheric concentration in 2018 was 331.1 parts per billion. This is 123% of pre-

industrial levels.

• The increase from 2017 to 2018 was also higher than that observed from 2016 to 2017 and

the average growth rate over the past 10 years. It also plays an important role in the

destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer which protects us from the harmful ultraviolet

rays of the sun. It accounts for about 6% of radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse

gases.

WMO | Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Program:

• It provides information and services related to

✓ The steadily increasing amounts of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, are

impacting the climate

✓ The depletion of the protective stratospheric ozone layer has increased ultraviolet

radiation, which can lead to more incidences of skin cancer and other diseases

✓ The urban air pollution, especially fine particles, which is affecting Human Health.

• It provides data to all bulletin like,

✓ Arctic and Antarctic ozone bulletins, Greenhouse gas bulletins

✓ Aerosol bulletins

10. Smog Tower

Why in News?

• The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to take a concrete decision on having smog

towers in Delhi-NCR to combat pollution.

Air Pollution in Delhi

• The pollution in the NCR Region have become a public health emergency as pollutants in

the air have spiked to extremely toxic levels. According to the World Health Organization

(WHO), India is home to six of the top 10 polluted cities in the world with Delhi sitting on

the top of the list.

The pollution is caused due to several factors:

• Geographical factors - North westerly winds bring high quantities of smoke from

Punjab and Haryana to Delhi-NCR.




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• Local factors - pollution produced by vehicular and industrial pollution. It got further

spiked by bursting of crackers on Deepavali.

• External Factors - Stubble burning in states of Punjab and Haryana, CPCB held that

stubble burning contribution to pollution has gone up to 45%, resulting in the high

particulate matter concentration.

Smog Tower:

• Smog towers are structures that are designed as large-scale air purifiers to combat air

pollution by reducing the particles causing pollution. The tower is said to reduce the

airborne PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles and release clean air around the tower.

Advantages of the Smog Towers:

• It can be very useful in the areas where air pollution is very high.

• It can be a localized solution to combat air pollution

• The carbon which is absorbed by the tower can be used to make other products.

Limitations of Smog Towers

• The initial cost for building the infrastructure is high.

• The tower can reduce the smog only in a small area surrounding it.

• The cost of maintenance is also high.

• It is not a permanent and a sustainable solution.

11. UN Climate Change Conference

Why in News?

• Cabinet approves India’s Approach to the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in

Spain Next Week.

Highlights:

• The Cabinet has approved India’s negotiating stand at the 25th Conference of Parties

(COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

scheduled to be held in Madrid, Spain in the first and second weeks of December 2019.

• The COP is being held under the presidency of Chile.

• The Indian delegation is led by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate

Change.

• COP 25 is an important conference as countries prepare to move from the pre-2020 period

under the Kyoto Protocol to the post-2020 period under the Paris Agreement.




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• India’s approach will be guided by principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and Paris

Agreement particularly the principles of Equity and Common but Differentiated

Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).

• Equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability

(CBDR-RC):

• It is a principle within the UNFCCC that acknowledges the different capabilities and

differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.

• CBDR-RC has served as a guiding principle as well as a source of contention in the UN

climate negotiations.

• Reflecting CBDR-RC, the Convention divided countries into “Annex I” and “non-Annex I,”

the former generally referring to developed countries and the latter to developing

countries. Under the Convention, Annex I countries have a greater mitigation role than

non-Annex-I countries.

India's Role:

• In the Climate Action Summit convened by United Nations Secretary-General, the Prime

Minister announced India’s plan on scaling up of renewable energy target to 450 GW.

• He also called for responsible action by all on the principles of equity and CBDR-RC.

• India has been leading the world in its pursuit of enhanced solar energy capacity through

International Solar Alliance (ISA).

• India has also launched the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which will serve

as a platform to generate and exchange knowledge on different aspects of climate and

disaster-resilient infrastructure.

• Apart from this, India has launched along with Sweden, the ‘Leadership Group for

Industry Transition’ which will provide a platform for government and the private sector in

different countries to work together on accelerating low carbon growth and cooperation in

the area of technology innovation.

12. UNFCCC CoP25: Climate Change & India

• The 25th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change to be held in Spain from 2nd December,2019, holds a lot of significance.

• The countries are preparing to get a transition from the Pre-2020 (Kyoto protocol)

period to the Post 2020 (Paris Agreement) period.




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Issues Ahead:

• Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. Climate change

affects every country and can have devastating effects on communities and individuals.

• According to the World Health Organization, as of the year 2030, climate change is

expected to contribute to approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year, from

malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

Developed Countries vs Developing Countries:

• Developing countries are the most impacted by climate change and the least able to afford

its consequences. Their vulnerability is due to multiple factors that can limit their ability

to prevent and respond to the impacts of climate change.

• Historically, the majority of greenhouse gas emissions have come from developed

countries. UNFCCC has recognised that all countries should protect the climate system on

the basis of equity and in accordance with ‘common but differentiated

responsibilities.’ Accordingly, the developed countries should take the lead in

combating climate change and its adverse effects.

• In this context, India is all set to stress upon the need for fulfilling Pre-2020 commitments

by developed countries and that Pre-2020 implementation gaps should not present an

additional burden to developing countries in the Post-2020 period.

Carbon Reduction vs Carbon Elimination:

• The cost of renewable energy is in decline over the years, and in near future the green

energy can compete on cost, with oil, coal and gas-fired power plants. This has become

possible as a result of consistent fall in the cost of new plants.

• India's renewable energy cost is the lowest in the Asia Pacific. India’s target to have 175

GW of renewable-based installed power capacity by 2022, has been pushed

forward through various national strategies and plans. India ventured into International

Solar Alliance to promote Solar energy around the world. The alliance has a major

objective to increase the global deployment of solar energy by 2030.

• Through CoP25, India and other developing countries would express their readiness to

improve their progress towards renewable energy and would also stress the developed

countries to do the same.

Making the 1.5oC Possible:

• The Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average

temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit




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the increase to 1.5 °C, recognizing that this would substantially reduce the risks and

impacts of climate change.

• But as per the IPCC Report, at present, the world is 1.2°C warmer compared to pre-

industrial levels and at current rate of emissions, the world is set to breach the global

warming limit of 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052.

Raging Forest Fires:

• The forest fires around the world are reducing the available carbon sinks as well as releases

the trapped carbon that has been stored.

• The released carbon would further add to the global warming as Carbon-dioxide.

• The long spell of hot and dry weather that has increased the risk of bushfires. The recent

forest fires in Australia, Europe and California are to be taken as warning alarm, to raise

awareness on conserving the precious resources.

Drowning Venice:

• The recent increase in flooding in Venice which is due to the combined effects of land

subsidence causing the city to sink, and climate change causing the global sea level to rise,

is a cause for concern.

What is the Need of The Hour?

• Make Coal as an unviable source of energy, in order to promote the renewables.

• Create more Carbon Sinks, to sustainably reduce the effects of global warming.

• Countries should focus more on storage technologies, like Lithium-ion batteries to make

renewable energy a viable alternative.

13. Assam Govt. to provide Arsenic & Fluoride Free Drinking Water

Why in News?

• Assam Public Health Minister, stated that, the state

government will provide arsenic and fluoride free drinking

water by March 2021.

• He also added that arsenic was found in the ground water in

24 districts, while fluoride found in 13 districts.

Assam and Ground Water Contamination:

• The draft report of the Assam State Action Plan on Climate Change (2015-2020) states that

Assam has been facing "continued warming of atmosphere" and "erratic rainfall" as a

result of which there have been erratic flood and drought conditions since 2003.




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• Climatic changes, like erratic rainfall which results in sudden long, dry spells, leads to less

runoff water seeping into the ground and rejuvenating the water table.

• Some districts with high concentration of Fluoride, fall in the rain shadow areas of Assam.

• When dilution of aquifers is low (because of erratic rainfall), the concentration (of

minerals like fluoride) goes up.

• This results in increase in concentration of minerals like fluoride, that is pumped up by

borewells.

✓ Excess Fluoride intake can lead to dental fluorosis (stained teeth) and skeletal fluorosis

(bent legs), and arsenic intake is known to cause cancer.

14. Indian Metrological Department

Why in News?

• Indian Metrological Department has said that winter this year would be warmer than

average over most parts of India.

About:

• Minimum temperatures over most parts of central and peninsular India are likely to be

warmer than normal by ≥1 degree Celsius.

• India’s ‘core cold wave’ zone covers Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi,

Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar,

Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana.

What is Cold Wave?

• Cold wave is characterized by a rapid and marked fall of temperature. The term ‘cold’

describes an unusual fall in temperature that is triggered by the transport of cold air

masses into a specific area.

• The “wave” in cold wave is apparent in the upper-air flow (the Jetstream), which is usually

amplified into a strong ridge-trough pattern during a major cold outbreak. Cold waves

affect much larger areas than blizzards, ice storms, and other winter hazards.

About IMD:

• It is an agency of Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.

• It is responsible for meteorological observations, seismology and weather and climate

related forecasts for the country.

• It is mandated to warn against severe weather phenomenon like cold and heat-waves, dust

storms, cyclones, heavy rain and snow and others.




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15. Production of CNG from Stubble

Why in News?

• As part of the SATAT scheme, several PSUs Including Indian Oil Corporation Limited,

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited had launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) for

procurement of CBG from the entrepreneurs at an assured price.

Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT):

• Launched 2018, SATAT is aimed at promoting Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) as an

alternative, green transport fuel for efficient management of biomass and organic waste.

• Similar to LNG, the CBG produced under SDATAT can be sold to automobiles as clean

fuel, and to domestic, industrial and commercial consumers which are using LPG and

other fuels.

Bio-Gas:

• Bio-Gas is produced naturally through a process of anaerobic decomposition from waste/

bio-mass sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal

solid waste, sewage treatment plant waste, etc. After purification, it is compressed and

called CBG, which has pure methane content of over 95%.

• Compressed Bio-Gas is exactly similar to the commercially available natural gas in its

composition and energy potential. With calorific value (~52,000 KJ/kg) and other

properties similar to CNG, Compressed Bio-Gas can be used as an alternative, renewable

automotive fuel.

Benefits of CBG on a commercial scale:

• Responsible waste management, reduction in carbon emissions and pollution

• Additional revenue source for farmers

• Boost to entrepreneurship, rural economy and employment

• Support to national commitments in achieving climate change goals

• Reduction in import of natural gas and crude oil

• Buffer against crude oil/gas price fluctuations

GOBAR-DHAN-Scheme:

• The Government of India had launched the GOBAR-DHAN (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro

Resources) scheme in 2018 to convert cattle dung and solid waste in farms to CBG and

compost.




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• It is funded under Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) component of Swachh

Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) to benefit households in identified villages. The scheme

proposes to cover 700 projects across India in 2018-19.

Way Forward:

• Compressed Bio-Gas networks can be integrated with city gas distribution (CGD) networks

to boost supplies to domestic and retail users in existing and upcoming markets. Besides

retailing from OMC (oil marketing company) fuel stations, Compressed Bio-Gas can at a

later date be injected into CGD pipelines too for efficient distribution and optimised access

of a cleaner and more affordable fuel.

ENVIRONMENT PRELIMS SNIPPETS

1. Idris Elba- Wasp:

Why in News?

• A new wasp spices was named after British actor Idris Elba.

About:

• It is discovered in Mexico which kills an invasive pest threatening crops.

• It is found living as a parasite in eggs of another insect, known as the Bagrada bug, which

is a major pest of cruciferous vegetables. It is parasite species that researchers hope will

deter the stink bug species Bagrada hilaris, which damages crops across North America. It

could be the ultimate weapon in battle against the sting bug also known as the painted bug.

2. Ghoramara Island

Why in News?

• Residents of Ghoramara Island are being forced to migrate as the small island is slowly

being submerged under the sea.

About:

• Ghoramara Island in the Ganga estuary of West Bengal is slowly being submerged by

rising sea levels, forcing people to migrate in large numbers. Neighbouring islands of Sagar

and Mousuni are also under threat of submergence.

• The story of Ghoramara shows how climate change is changing the way people live — how

it divides families, breaks social taboos and hastens forced migration.

• The largely poor people in the island (45 percent live below the poverty line) are under

enormous socioeconomic stress that has upturned their lives.




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3. Ken Betwa Interlink Project

Why in News?

• Central government has put pressure on Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to make

progress on the Ken Betwa interlinking project.

About:

• It is the River interlinking project that aims to transfer surplus water from Ken river in MP

tp Betwa in UP to irrigate the drought prone Bundelkhand region.

• It is one of the 30 rivers inter linking projects conceived across the country.

• Both the river originates in MP and are the tributaries of Yamuna.

• Rajghat, Paricha and Matatila dams are over Betwa river.

• Ken river passes through Panna tiger reserve.

• The Interlinking project solves twin problems of drought and flood by maintain a water

balance between the water deficit and surplus areas.

Disadvantages:

• Construction of Daudhan dam will result into submergence of 10% of critical tiger habitat

of MP's Panna Tiger Reserve. Ken Gharial Sanctuary will adversely affect the sustainability

of the sanctuary due to the construction of one of the barrages in it. Because of

submergence by Daudhan and Makodia reservoirs will result into displacement of 20,00

people.

4. Dallol Geothermal Field

Why in News?

• Researchers have found an Aquatic Environment on the Earth with complete absence of

any form of life. Dallol geothermal field in Ethiopia, is devoid of any form of microbial life.

Significance:

• There is no microbial life in the salty, hot and hyperacid pools or in the adjacent

magnesium-rich brine lakes of Dallol.

• The study may help in understanding the limits of habitability, as it presents evidence that

there are places even on Earth's surface which are sterile though they contain liquid water.




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5. Gamosas

Why in News?

• The multipurpose Assamese Gamosa, a ubiquitous, white cotton towel, has been assigned

a new function — conservation of rare Freshwater Turtles Recently.

About:

• Few cultural symbols are as utilitarian as the white handmade cotton Gamosa, with its

characteristic red border of woven motifs.

• It is also valued as a gift for visitors, used as a scarf, anti-dust mask, wrapped around the

head as a turban. Conservationists are now banking on this cultural icon to carry forward

the message of turtle conservation, with Gamosa woven with turtle images.

• The 124th Geographical Indications Journal has accepted the application for Assamese

Gamosa for GI tag. It is to be noted here that it has not yet approved GI Tag.

• In India, GI tag is governed by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and

Protection Act), 1999. This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs

and Trade Marks, who is also Registrar of Geographical Indications.

6. Olive Ridley Turtles

Why in News?

• The Odisha forest department has banned fishing between November 1, 2019-May 31,

2020, in the state’s Gahiramatha marine sanctuary to protect Olive Ridley turtles.

About Olive Ridley:

• It is best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of

females come together on the same beach each year to lay eggs.

• It is included in Vulnerable category by the IUCN Red list because they nest in a very

small number of places, and thus, any disturbance to even one nest beach could have huge

repercussions on the entire population.

• They are found along both- eastern and western coasts of India.

• Two other major nesting sites in Odisha are - coast along Gahirmatha beach (the largest

mass nesting site) and the mouth of the Debi river.

• Trading in products of Olive Ridley is banned under CITES.

• The species is also a protected animal under Schedule 1 of India's Wildlife Protection Act,

1972.




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7. Environment Pollution Control Authority

Why in News?

• Supreme court orders to end the stubble burning immediately.

About:

• EPCA is Supreme Court mandated body tasked with taking various measures to tackle air

pollution in the National Capital Region. It was notified in 1998 by Environment Ministry

under Environment Protection Act, 1986. Its mandate is to protect and improve quality of

environment and prevent and control environmental pollution in National Capital Region.

• It is also mandated to enforce Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in NCR as per the

pollution levels. The Authority shall have the power Suo-moto or on the complaints made

by the individual, reprensentive body or any organization in the field of the Environment.

• It takes necessary steps for controlling vehicular pollution, ensuring complaints of fuel

standard monitoring and controlling action for traffic planning and Management.

8. Brown Blotched Bengal Tree Frog

Why in News?

• Recently, a new frog species, Polypedates bengalensis was discovered in a residential area

in West Bengal. The discovery points to the vulnerability of little-known species in non-

protected areas.

Brown Blotched Bengal Tree Frog:

• Brown Blotched Bengal Tree Frog or Polypedates bengalensis frog was found in two places

in West Bengal – Badu, North 24 Parganas District and Khordanahala, South 24 Parganas

District. Polypedates are found throughout South and Southeast Asia

• It belongs to the genus Polypedates. There are 25 other Polypedates species round the

world. Polypedates bengalensis is the 26th. The frog’s body colour is yellowish-brown to

greenish-brown.

9. Feni River

Why in News?

• Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for the MoU between

• India and Bangladesh on withdrawal of water from Feni River by India for drinking water

supply scheme for Sabroom town in Tripura.




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About Feni River:

• Feni River is a river in southeastern

Bangladesh.

• It is a trans-boundary river with an

ongoing dispute about water rights.

• The Feni River originates in South

Tripura district and flows through

• Sabroom town and then enters

Bangladesh.

• Muhuri River, also called Little

Feni, from Noakhali District joins it near

• its mouth. The river is navigable by small boats as far as Ramgarh,

• about 80 kilometres upstream.

• The Feni is closed near the sea by the Feni dam.

• Between the dam and the Bay of Bengal the river is a tidal river.

10. Species in News: Pliosaur

Pliosaurs:

• Over 150 million years ago, enormous reptiles swam the Jurassic oceans.

• The largest aquatic carnivorous reptiles that have ever lived, they are often dubbed “sea

monsters”. Scientifically, they are placed in the suborder Pliosauroidea, whose members

are called pliosaurs. Interest in these giants has been revived with the recent discovery of

their bones in a cornfield in the Polish village of Krzyzanowice. Remains of pliosaurs are

rare in Europe. They measured over 10 metres in length and could weigh up to several

dozen tons. They had powerful, large skulls and massive jaws with large, sharp teeth.

• Their limbs were in the form of fins.

Swietokrzyskie Mountains:

• The Swietokrzyskie Mountains are a mountain range in central Poland.

• In the Jurassic era, the Swietokrzyskie Mountains area is believed to have been an

archipelago of islands, where there were warm lagoons and shallow sea reservoirs, home to

the marine reptiles discovered by the palaeontologists.

• The locality where the remains were discovered is considered to be rich in the fossils of

coastal reptiles. Researchers now hope to find more remains in the coming months.




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11. Sisiri River Bridge

Why in News?

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Sisiri River Bridge in East Siang District

and also said that the North Eastern Region is very crucial for the nation from a strategic

point of view.

About:

• The Sisiri bridge will give better connectivity within states of Arunachal Pradesh

connecting western and central parts Arunachal Pradesh with its Eastern section.

• The Sisiri bridge completion will also strategically boost up the troops movement in the

international border with China. The Sisar(Sisiri), Mathun, Tangon, Dri, Ithun and Emra

are the major tributaries of the Dibang.

12. Indian Forest Act, 1927

Why in News?

• The Union Environment Ministry

on Friday withdrew a draft

amendment that proposed

updates to the Indian Forest Act,

1927 (IFA).

About IFA, 1927:

• The Indian Forest Act, 1927 was

largely based on previous Indian

Forest Acts

implemented under the British. The most famous one was the Indian Forest Act of 1878.

• Both the 1878 act and the 1927 one sought to consolidate and reserve the areas having

forest cover, or significant wildlife, to regulate movement and transit of forest produce,

and duty leviable on timber and other forest produce. It also defines the procedure to be

followed for declaring an area to be a Reserved Forest, a Protected Forest or a Village

Forest.

• It defines what a forest offence is, what are the acts prohibited inside a Reserved Forest,

and penalties leviable on violation of the provisions of the Act.




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13. Acqua alta

Why in News?

• High tides in the Adriatic Sea have caused floods in the historic city of Venice.

Acqua alta:

• Venice is situated on the coast of northeastern Italy, bounded by the Adriatic Sea Acqua

alta is the name given to exceptionally high tides in the Adriatic Sea.

• Water levels this week has reached heights of 1.87 metres (well over 6 feet) — only a little

short of the 1.91-metre record that was set during the “great flood” of 1966.

• The city’s Saint Mark’s Square went under more than a metre of water, whereas the

adjacent Saint Mark’s Basilica was flooded for only the sixth time in the last 1,200 years

and for the fourth time in the last 20 years.

• Late autumn and winter are the seasons for high tides or acqua alta in Venice.

• At the end of October last year, over 75% of the lagoon city went underwater after high

tides and stormy weather led to an increase in the water levels of the canals.

14. Decoded: How Birds Influence each other in Coordinated Flights

Why in News?

• Researchers have found how each individual in a pigeon flock is influenced by the other

members during flight, an advance that may lead to a better understanding of Biological

Networks.

Coordinated Flight:

• Until now synchronised flight in birds was believed to be influenced by three basic rules-

avoid collision with peers, match speed and direction of motion with the rest of the group,

and try to stay near the centre.

• The current study, examined how every individual pigeon within a flock is influenced by

the other members of the group, and revealed that the dynamics are not so simple.

• Significance of the Research Findings:

✓ This method could be used to study other coordinated behaviours, like the collective

functioning of cells in the immune system.

Murmurations:

• It is an act of large group of birds, usually starlings, that all fly together and change

direction together. Starling murmurations are one of the most dazzling displays in the

natural world.




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15. Idris Elba- Wasp:

Why in News?

• A new wasp spices was named after British actor Idris Elba.

About:

• It is discovered in Mexico which kills an invasive pest threatening crops.

• It is found living as a parasite in eggs of another insect, known as the Bagrada bug, which

is a major pest of cruciferous vegetables.

• It is parasite species that researchers hope will deter the stink bug species Bagrada hilaris,

which damages crops across North America.

• It could be the ultimate weapon in battle against the sting bug also known as the painted

bug.

16. Ghoramara Island

Why in News?

• Residents of Ghoramara Island are being forced to migrate as the small island is slowly

being submerged under the sea.

About:

• Ghoramara Island in the Ganga estuary of West Bengal is slowly being submerged by

rising sea levels, forcing people to migrate in large numbers. Neighbouring islands of Sagar

and Mousuni are also under threat of submergence.

• The story of Ghoramara shows how climate change is changing the way people live — how

it divides families, breaks social taboos and hastens forced migration. The largely poor

people in the island (45 percent live below the poverty line) are under enormous

socioeconomic stress that has upturned their lives.

17. Ken Betwa Interlink Project

Why in News?

• Central government has put pressure on Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to make

progress on the Ken Betwa interlinking project.

About:

• It is the River interlinking project that aims to transfer surplus water from Ken river in MP

tp Betwa in UP to irrigate the drought prone Bundelkhand region.




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• It is one of the 30 rivers inter linking projects conceived across the country.

• Both the river originates in MP and are the tributaries of Yamuna.

• Rajghat, Paricha and Matatila dams are over Betwa river.

• Ken river passes through Panna tiger reserve.

• The Interlinking project solves twin problems of drought and flood by maintain a water

balance between the water deficit and surplus areas.

Disadvantages:

• Construction of Daudhan dam will result into submergence of 10% of critical tiger habitat

of MP's Panna Tiger Reserve. Ken Gharial Sanctuary will adversely affect the sustainability

of the sanctuary due to the construction of one of the barrages in it. Because of

submergence by Daudhan and Makodia reservoirs will result into displacement of 20,00

people.

18. Dallol Geothermal Field

Why in News?

• Researchers have found an Aquatic Environment on the Earth with complete absence of

any form of life. Dallol geothermal field in Ethiopia, is devoid of any form of microbial life.

Significance:

• There is no microbial life in the salty, hot and hyperacid pools or in the adjacent

magnesium-rich brine lakes of Dallol.

• The study may help in understanding the limits of habitability, as it presents evidence that

there are places even on Earth's surface which are sterile though they contain liquid water.

19. Gamosas

Why in News?

• The multipurpose Assamese Gamosa, a ubiquitous, white cotton towel, has been assigned

a new function — conservation of rare Freshwater Turtles Recently.

About:

• Few cultural symbols are as utilitarian as the white handmade cotton Gamosa, with its

characteristic red border of woven motifs.

• It is also valued as a gift for visitors, used as a scarf, anti-dust mask, wrapped around the

head as a turban. Conservationists are now banking on this cultural icon to carry forward

the message of turtle conservation, with Gamosa woven with turtle images.




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• The 124th Geographical Indications Journal has accepted the application for Assamese

Gamosa for GI tag. It is to be noted here that it has not yet approved GI Tag.

• In India, GI tag is governed by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and

Protection Act), 1999.

• This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who

is also Registrar of Geographical Indications.




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6. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

1. IndiGen Project

Why in News?

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has finished conducting “whole-

genome sequence” of a 1,008 Indians as part of a programme called “IndiGen”.

IndiGen Project:

• Programme funded by the Department of Biotechnology will sequence at least 10,000

Indian genomes.

• The CSIR’s “IndiGen” project, as it is called, selected the 1,000-odd from a pool of about

5,000 and sought to include representatives from every State and diverse ethnicities. Every

person whose genomes are sequenced would be given a report.

• The project is and is also seen as a precursor to a much larger exercise involving other

government departments to map a larger swathe of the population in the country.

• Anyone looking for a free mapping of their entire genome can sign up for “IndiGen”.

• Those who get their genes mapped will get a card and access to an app which will allow

them and doctors to access information on whether they harbour gene variants that are

reliably known to correlate with genomes with diseases.

• The driving motive of the project is to understand the extent of genetic variation in Indians

and learn why some genes — linked to certain diseases based on publications in

international literature — do not always translate into diseases. Once such knowledge is

established, the CSIR expects to tie up with several pathology laboratories who can offer

commercial gene testing services.

Genome:

• A genome is the DNA, or sequence of genes, in a cell.

• Most of the DNA is in the nucleus and intricately coiled into a structure called the

chromosome.

• The rest is in the mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse. Every human cell contains a pair of

chromosomes, each of which has three billion base pairs or one of four molecules that pair

in precise ways.

• The order of base pairs and varying lengths of these sequences constitute the “genes”,

which are responsible for making amino acids, proteins and, thereby, everything that is

necessary for the body to function.




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• It is when these genes are altered or mutated that proteins sometimes do not function as

intended, leading to disease.

Genome Sequencing:

• Sequencing a genome means deciphering the exact order of base pairs in an individual.

This “deciphering” or reading of the genome is what sequencing is all about.

• It has been known that the portion of the genes responsible for making proteins — called

the exome — occupies about 1% of the actual gene. Rather than sequence the whole gene,

many geneticists rely on “exome maps” (that is the order of exomes necessary to make

proteins). However, it has been established that the non-exome portions also affect the

functioning of the genes and that, ideally, to know which genes of a person’s DNA are

“mutated” the genome has to be mapped in its entirety.

India’s Effort:

• While India, led by the CSIR, first sequenced an Indian genome in 2009, it is only now that

the organisation’s laboratories have been able to scale up whole-genome sequencing and

offer them to the public. Globally, many countries have undertaken genome sequencing of

a sample of their citizens to determine unique genetic traits, susceptibility (and resilience)

to disease.

• This is the first time that such a large sample of Indians will be recruited for a detailed

study. Under “IndiGen”, the CSIR drafted about 1,000 youth from across India by

organising camps in several colleges and educating attendees on genomics and the role of

genes in disease. Some students and participants donated blood samples from where their

DNA sequences were collected.

2. Spyware Pegasus

Why in News?

• The popular messaging platform WhatsApp was used to spy on journalists and human

rights activists in India earlier this year.

• The surveillance was carried out using a spyware tool called Pegasus, which has been

developed by an Israeli firm, the NSO Group.

• WhatsApp sued the NSO Group in a federal court in US accusing it of using WhatsApp

servers in the United States and elsewhere to send malware to approximately 1,400 mobile

phones and devices.




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Pegasus:

• All spyware do what the name suggests — they spy on people through their phones.

• Pegasus works by sending an exploit link, and if the target user clicks on the link, the

malware or the code that allows the surveillance is installed on the user’s phone.

• A presumably newer version of the malware does not even require a target user to click a

link.

• Once Pegasus is installed, the attacker has complete access to the target user’s phone. The

first reports on Pegasus’s spyware operations emerged in 2016, when Ahmed Mansoor, a

human rights activist in the UAE, was targeted with an SMS link on his iPhone 6.

Method of working:

• A Pegasus operator must convince a target to click on a specially crafted ‘exploit link’

which allows the operator to penetrate security features on the phone.

• This automatically installs Pegasus without the user’s knowledge or permission.

• Once the phone is exploited and Pegasus installed, it begins contacting the operator’s

command and control and send back the target’s private data, including passwords,

contact lists, events, text messages, and live voice calls from popular mobile messaging

apps. The operator can even turn on the phone’s camera and microphone to capture

activity in the phone’s vicinity.

3. Artillery Gun Dhanush

Context:

• The Indian Army has begun inducting the indigenously upgraded Dhanush artillery guns

recently and plans to have the first regiment in place by March 2020.

About:

• Dhanush is the first indigenous artillery gun with a calibre of 155mm x 45mm. It is the first

long range artillery gun to be produced in India, having a range of 38 km.

• Dhanush is the indigenously upgraded variant of the Swedish-Bofors gun imported in the

1980s. It has been developed by Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) Kolkata based on

requirements of Indian Army and manufactured by Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory

(GCF) and 81 % of its components are indigenously sourced.

Features of Dhanush:

• It is equipped with a navigation- based sighting system, on board ballistic computation

and an advanced day and night direct firing system.




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• It has six round magazines, instead of standard three round.

Significance of Dhanush Artillery Gun:

• Dhanush gun system has laid the foundations for India catapulting itself straight on to the

world stage, India will soon emerge as a leading Artillery Gun design and manufacturer in

the form of evolution of ATAGS, which would be the highly advanced version of Dhanush.

• Self-propulsion unit allows the gun to deploy itself in mountainous terrains with ease.

• It will be deployed along the borders with Pakistan and China. Dhanush gun has emerged

as a reliable and robust gun system at par with the latest in the world and will increase the

fire power of the Indian artillery manifold.

• It is truly Make in India. In future, it will potentially take over guns in this category.

Dhanush’s long-range, light-weight and automation features will help it immensely.

4. NASA’s Voyager 2

Why in News?

• NASA’s Voyager 2 images have shown mysterious boundary where interstellar space

begins.

About Voyager 2:

• Voyager 2 is the only probe ever to study Neptune and Uranus during planetary flybys.

• It is the second man-made object to leave our planet.

• It is now 11 billion miles from Earth, following behind its sister spacecraft, Voyager 1,

which is 6 years ahead of it.

• The probe is estimated to be travelling at 34,000 mph.

• Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited all four gas giant planets — Jupiter, Saturn,

Uranus and Neptune — and discovered 16 moons, as well as phenomena like Neptune’s

mysteriously transient Great Dark Spot, the cracks in Europa’s ice shell, and ring features

at every planet.

Key Findings of Voyager 2:

• Few things that were confirmed by the two Voyager spacecraft was that the plasma inside

the heliosphere is significantly less dense and less cold than the plasma in local interstellar

space. Voyager 2 also sent out signals that hint that the plasma outside the heliosphere

could be compressed as it is slightly warmer, though it is unclear what is causing the

compression.




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• The heliosphere is somewhat leaky, revealed Voyager’s particle instruments.

• Another surprising revelation was the magnetic field in the region just beyond the

heliopause is parallel to the magnetic field inside the heliosphere. This was more clearly

confirmed by Voyager 2 spacecraft.

• The Heliosphere is a bubble around the sun created by the outward flow of the solar wind

from the sun and the opposing inward flow of the interstellar wind.

• The Heliopause marks the end of the heliosphere and the beginning of interstellar space.

• Scientists use the heliopause to mark where Interstellar Space begins; although depending

on how you define our solar system it can stretch all the way to the Oort cloud, which

begins 1,000 times farther away from the sun than Earth’s orbit.

5. China Proposes to Treat Alzheimer’s with New Drug

Why in News?

• The recent announcement of China that a new drug meant to potentially treat Alzheimer’s

disease, will be available to Chinese patients shortly.

• The drug has been named as GV-971 or “Oligomannate”. It is a seaweed-based drug which

is administered orally.

About Alzheimer’s Disease:

• It is a progressive brain disorder that typically affects people older than 65. When it affects

younger individuals, it is considered early onset.

• The disease destroys brain cells and nerves, and disrupts the message-carrying

neurotransmitters. Eventually, a person with Alzheimer’s loses the ability to perform day-

to-day activities.

Alzheimer’s Versus Dementia:

• Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that involve a loss of cognitive

functioning. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. It involves plaques and

tangles forming in the brain. Symptoms start gradually and are most likely to include a

decline in cognitive function and language ability. Other types of dementia include

Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. People can have

more than one type of dementia.

• Symptoms:

• Reduced ability to take in and remember new information

• Impairments to reasoning, complex tasking, and exercising judgment



https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/06/china-proposes-to-treat-alzheimers-with-new-drug/


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• Impaired visuospatial abilities that are not, for example, due to eye sight problems.

• Impaired speaking, reading and writing Changes in personality and behaviour.

• The progression of Alzheimer’s can be broken down into three Main Stages:

✓ Preclinical, before symptoms appear

✓ Mild cognitive impairment, when symptoms are mild

✓ Dementia

Treatment:

• There is No Cure for Alzheimer’s, because its exact causes are not known. Most drugs

being developed try to slow down or stop the progression of the disease.

• There is a degree of consensus in the scientific community that Alzheimer’s involves two

proteins, called beta amyloids and tau.

• When levels of either protein reach abnormal levels in the brain, it leads to the formation

of plaque, which gets deposited between neurons, damaging and disrupting nerve cells.

Most existing drugs for Alzheimer’s try to target these proteins to manage some of the

symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

6. Cloud Seeding Technology

Why in News?

• Haryana Dy. CM has written to PM Modi, requesting him to “undertake cloud seeding plan

to combat the air pollution engulfing Delhi and NCR”.

Cloud Seeding:

• Cloud seeding is a kind of weather modification technology to create artificial rainfall.

• It works only when there are enough pre-existing clouds in the atmosphere.

• Rain happens when moisture in the air reaches levels at which it can no longer be held,

and cloud seeding aims to facilitate and accelerate that process by making available

chemical ‘nuclei’ around which condensation can take place. These ‘seeds’ of rain can be

the iodides of silver or potassium, dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), or liquid propane. The

seeds can be delivered by plane or simply by spraying from the ground.

Existing Practices in World:

• Cloud seeding is not new to India and it has earlier been attempted in Karnataka, Andhra

Pradesh and Maharashtra to address drought.

• Similar experiments of cloud seeding had earlier been tried in Australia, America, Spain

and France. In United Arab Emirates, the cloud seeding technique led to creation of 52




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storms in Abu Dhabi. Till last year, IMD had around 30 successful incidents of seeding.

Also, such seeding is routine in Russia and other cold countries where the technique is

used to disperse fog at the airports.

IIT Kanpur study:

• The scientists at IIT Kanpur had prepared a project to induce artificial rain via cloud

seeding to clear smog in Delhi. Officials in the Environment Ministry had approved the

project. The project demanded an aircraft of National Remote Sensing Agency — an ISRO-

affiliated body — to fly into the clouds.

• It would inject silver iodide that would lead to the formation of ice crystals, making the

clouds denser and causing them to condense into rain and settle atmospheric dust and

clearing the sky.

• It was in 2018 when IIT Kanpur had got all the clearances from DGCA and Defence and

Home ministries for the project. But due to non-availability of the aircraft, the project

could not take off.

• In May 2019, Karnataka Cabinet approved a budget of Rs 91 crore for cloud seeding for a

period of two years. It involved two aircraft spraying chemicals on moisture-laden clouds

to induce rainfall.

• It was expected to begin by June end and continue for three months.

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had also partnered with IIT Kanpur and agreed to

provide Dornier aircraft and their pilots to provide logistical support to the project.

How successful is the Cloud Seeding Technology?

• The Pune-based IIMT has been carrying out cloud seeding experiments for several years

now. These experiments have been done in areas around Nagpur, Solapur, Hyderabad,

Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, and recently Varanasi.

7. Pneumonia and Diarrhoea in India

Why in News?

• The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) has recently released ‘The Pneumonia and

Diarrhoea Progress Report 2018’ at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public

Health.

About the report:

• The report was the 10th edition and was released ahead of the 11th annual World

Pneumonia Day — observed on November 12.




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• This report analyses how effectively countries are delivering 10 key interventions,

including breastfeeding, vaccination, access to care, use of antibiotics, ORS, and zinc

supplementation.

• It measures the countries via the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Pneumonia and

Diarrhoea (GAPPD) score.

• The IVAC report does not reflect on the pneumonia vaccine introduced by India in 2017

under the universal immunisation programme.

Highlights of the Report:

• The 10th pneumonia and diarrhoea progress report card has found that health systems are

falling short of ensuring the world’s most vulnerable children access to prevention and

treatment services in the 23 countries that together account for 75% of global pneumonia

and diarrhoea deaths in children under five.

• India, which is home to a large population of under five children, accounts for a major

portion of these deaths. Rollout of rotavirus vaccines, beginning in 2016 and the

pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, beginning in 2017, helped to improve India’s scores.

• India’s exclusive breastfeeding rate, at 55%, is among the highest of the 23 countries.

• However, the proportion of children receiving important treatments, as with many other

countries, remains below targets.

• Half of the children with diarrhoea receive ORS (oral rehydration solution) and 20%

receive zinc supplementation — to help protect against, prevent and treat pneumonia and

diarrhoea”.




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• Additional reports from organisations like Save the Children and UNICEF have noted that,

in 2017, the highest risk factors for child pneumonia death in India were: 53% caused by

child wasting, 27% by outdoor air pollution, and 22% caused by indoor air pollution from

solid fuels.

Implications of the Report:

• Globally, pneumonia and diarrhoea led to nearly one of every four deaths in children

under five years of age in 2017.

• The global community must increase investment and support countries in developing

smart, sustainable strategies that close gaps and accelerate progress.

• The report also stated that newer vaccines which were not yet reaching most children in

these 23 countries should also be resolved.

8. India is Home to 77 Million Diabetics

Why in News?

• The Ninth Edition of the International

Diabetes Foundation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas was

released on the occasion of International

Diabetes Day.

About IDF Diabetes Atlas:

• The IDF Diabetes Atlas is the authoritative

resource on the global burden of diabetes.

First published in 2000, it is produced by IDF

biennially in collaboration with experts from

around the world and contains data on diabetes cases, prevalence, mortality and

expenditure on the global, regional and national level.

• A full IDF Diabetes Atlas report is produced every two years.

Highlights of the Report:

• India continues to be home to the second-largest number of adults with diabetes

worldwide, with 77 million adults with diabetes in the 20-79 years age group. This follows

China, which has 116 million adults with diabetes in the same age profile.

• The worldwide prevalence of diabetes was estimated at 463 million in this age group, or in

other words, one in 11 adults.




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• India was the largest contributor to diabetes mortality with more than 1 million estimated

deaths attributable to diabetes and related complications, in the larger South East Asian

region. The number of people with diabetes is predicted to rise to 578 million by 2030 and

to 700 million by 2045.

• 374 million adults have impaired glucose tolerance, placing them at high risk of developing

type 2 diabetes. Diabetes was responsible for an estimated $760 billion in health

expenditure in 2019. Diabetes is among the top 10 causes of death, with people under the

age of 60 accounting for almost half the deaths.

• One in six live births is affected by hyperglycaemia in pregnancy.

9. Arrokoth

Why in News?

• The most distant space object ever seen up close has been recently named as ‘Arrokoth’.

• It was earlier nicknamed as Ultima Thule.

Arrokoth:

• The International Astronomical Union and Minor Planets Center, the global body for

naming Kuiper Belt objects have given this name.

• It was discovered in 2014 with the Hubble Space Telescope, which is operated by the Space

Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

• Nasa’s New Horizons spacecraft flew by the snowman figured ice mass in December 2018,

some 1.6 billion kilometres beyond Pluto.

• The New Horizons team of NASA proposed the name to the International Astronomical

Union and Minor Planets Center.

• For the New Horizons team it took some months to finalise this name. In the language of

the Powhatan tribe, Arrokoth means “sky”.

• The team got the approval from the elders of the Powhatan tribe to assign it to their new

found “Baby”.

New Horizons Mission:

• NASA launched the New Horizons mission in January 2006. After crossing by Pluto in

2015, in 2019 it flew by Arrokoth. This remains the “farthest flyby ever conducted.”

Kuiper Belt:

• The Kuiper Belt is a disk-shaped region found in the outer solar system, past the orbit of

Neptune. It is known as the third zone of the solar system, after the zone hosting the gas




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planets in our solar system. It contains hundreds of millions of small icy bodies that are

thought to be left over material from the formation of the outer planets.

• At least three dwarf planets are located in the Kuiper belt: Pluto, Haumea and Make.

• Also, some of the solar system’s moons are thought to have originated there, such as

Neptune’s Triton and Saturn’s Phoebe.

10. Spicules in the Sun

Why in News?

• One of the puzzles concerning is the Sun’s surface and atmospheric temperature.

• A team of researchers has observed the reason why Sun’s Atmosphere is Hotter than its

Surface.

Anomaly of the Sun’s Temperature:

• The temperature at the core of the Sun is nearly 15 million degrees Celsius, while that at its

surface layer, known as the photosphere, is merely 5,700 degrees C.

• The natural thing to expect is that still further outwards, in its atmosphere, known as the

corona, the temperatures would be comparable to that at the surface (photosphere).

• However, the temperature of the corona is much higher.

• It starts increasing outside the photosphere, reaching a value of about one million degrees

or more in the corona.

Coronal Heating:

• One would expect that as there are no extra sources of heat, when you move away from a

hot object, the temperature steadily decreases.

• However, with respect to the Sun, after dropping to a low, the temperature again rises to

one million degrees in the corona which stretches over several million kilometres from the

surface of the Sun.

This implies there should be a source heating the corona. The puzzle of coronal heating has

been tackled by many theories.

• Now, in a research paper, the team of solar physicists has made observations and matched

it with an analysis that explains this Conundrum.

Spicules in the Sun:

• The key to the puzzle lies in geyser-like jets known as solar spicules that emanate from the

interface of the corona and the photosphere. While in a photograph these look like tiny




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hairlike projections, they are in fact 200-500 kilometres wide and shoot up to heights of

about 5,000 km above the solar surface.

• It has been suspected that these spicules act as conduits through which mass and energy

from the lower atmosphere bypass the photosphere and reach the corona.

• These spicules heat up while propagating upward, reaching the coronal temperature. They

are made of plasma – a mixture of positive ions and negatively charged electrons. The

coronal plasma emits light in extreme ultraviolet.

11. Space Internet

Why in News?

• The SpaceX, the world’s leading private company in space technology, last week fired a

spray of 60 satellites into orbit. Following last week’s launch, the company has now

deployed 122 satellites in orbit with a target of 12000 in all.

Space Internet:

• SpaceX announced the satellite Internet constellation in January 2015, and launched two

test satellites in February 2018.

• The Starlink network, as the project is called, is one of several ongoing efforts to start

beaming data signals from space, and also the most ambitious.

• This launch is the first operational batch of what is intended to eventually evolve into a

constellation of nearly 12,000 satellites.

• They are aimed at providing low-cost and reliable space-based Internet services to the

world.

Why Space Internet Services?

• This is mainly to ensure that reliable and uninterrupted Internet services is ensured across

the world.

• Currently, about 4 billion people, more than half the world’s population, do not have

access to reliable Internet networks.

• And that is because the traditional ways to deliver the Internet — fibre-optic cables or

wireless networks — cannot take it everywhere on Earth.

• In many remote areas, or places with difficult terrain, it is not feasible or viable to set up

cables or mobile towers.

• Signals from satellites in space can overcome this obstacle easily.




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Orbital Details:

• Space-based Internet systems have, in fact, been in use for several years now — but only

for a small number of users.

• Also, most of the existing systems use satellites in geostationary orbit.

• This orbit is located at a height of 35,786 km over the Earth’s surface, directly above the

Equator.

• Satellites in this orbit move at speeds of about 11,000 km per hour, and complete one

revolution of the Earth in the same time that the earth rotates once on its axis.

• To the observer on the ground, therefore, a satellite in geostationary orbit appears

stationary. Owing to their lower height, their signals cover a relatively small area. As a

result, many more satellites are needed in order to reach signals to every part of the planet.

• Additionally, satellites in these orbits travel at more than double the speed of satellites in

geostationary orbit — about 27,000 km per hour — to balance the effects of gravity.

Significance of Geostationary Orbit:

• One big advantage of beaming signals from geostationary orbit is that the satellite can

cover a very large part of the Earth. Signals from one satellite can cover roughly a third of

the planet — and three to four satellites would be enough to cover the entire Earth.

• Also, because they appear to be stationary, it is easier to link to them.

• But satellites in geostationary orbit also have a major disadvantage. The Internet is all

about transmission of data in (nearly) real time.

• However, there is a time lag — called latency — between a user seeking data, and the server

sending that data. And because data transfers cannot happen faster than the speed of light

(in reality, they take place at significantly lower speeds), the longer the distance that needs

to be covered the greater is the time lag, or latency.

Limitations:

• Three issues have been flagged — increased space debris, increased risk of collisions, and

the concern of astronomers that these constellations of space Internet satellites will make

it difficult to observe other space objects, and to detect their signals.

• To put things in perspective, there are fewer than 2,000 operational satellites at present,

and fewer than 9,000 satellites have been launched into space since the beginning of the

Space Age in 1957.

• Most of the operational satellites are located in the lower orbits.




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• The European Space Agency (ESA) this year had to perform, for the first time ever, a

“collision avoidance manoeuvre” to protect one of its live satellites from colliding with a

“mega constellation”.

12. Quantum Computing

Why in News?

• Recently quantum processor of Google solved a problem in just 3 minutes.

About:

• It describes the point where quantum computers can do things that classical computers

cannot. Google had achieved Quantum Supremacy by solving a problem which even with

the most powerful classical computer available today would take about 10,000 years to

solve in just 3 minutes.

Significances:

✓ Help to discover exotic materials for variety of requirements.

✓ Provide fool proof cryptographic protection against online frauds.

✓ Enable drug discovery to fight diseases.

✓ Design efficient batteries.

✓ Smarter devices and gadgets.

Qubit/Quantum Bit

• It is the basic unit of quantum information.

• It is a two-state quantum mechanical system, one of the simplest quantum systems

displaying the peculiarity of quantum mechanics. In a classical system, a bit would have to

be in one state or the other.

• Quantum mechanics allows the qubit to be in a coherent superposition of both states

simultaneously, a property which is fundamental to quantum mechanics and quantum

computing. The power of the quantum computer comes from its inherent parallelism, the

ability to manipulate a large collection of qubits in one shot in ways that a classical

computer will not be able to match up.

13. Paraquat Dichloride

Why in News?

• The use of herbicide Paraquat which killed more people in the last two years in Odisha is

now under Serious Restrictions.




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About:

• Paraquat is a toxic chemical that is widely used as an herbicide (plant killer), primarily for

weed and grass control.It has been banned in 32 countries including Switzerland, where

herbicide producing company Sygenta is based. Paraquat also figures on the list of 99

pesticides and herbicides the Supreme Court to ban in an ongoing case.

• Paraquat dichloride is being used for 25 crops in India, whereas it is approved to be used

on only nine crops by the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee. This is a

violation of the Indian Insecticides Act. So far in India, only Kerala has banned the

herbicide. Another violation: since farmers can’t and don’t read the label on paraquat

containers, retailers sell paraquat in plastic carry bags and refill bottles.

• Paraquat poisoning, specifically suicide attempts by consuming the fatal chemical, has

emerged as a social tragedy in Odisha. Unlike other pesticides, insecticides or herbicides,

there is no antidote to this compound. There are reasons the government has not imposed

an outright ban on the herbicide. It has its benefits, like saving farmers money and time as

it is cheap and effectively kills weeds quicker than manual de-weeding.

• Yet, the government could have done more by imposing strict regulations on stock and sale

of the herbicide. Unless open availability is curbed, no exercise will be successful in

preventing deaths.

14. Golden Rice

Why in News?

• Bangladesh is set to becoming the first country to approve plantation of Golden Rice

variety to counter Vitamin A deficiency.

Golden Rice:

• In the late 1990s, German scientists developed a genetically modified variety of rice called

Golden Rice. It is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to

biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, in the edible parts of rice.

• It differs from its parental strain by the addition of three beta-carotene biosynthesis genes.

• The parental strain can naturally produce beta-carotene in its leaves, where it is involved

in photosynthesis.

Why Golden Rice?

• Golden Rice is intended to produce a fortified food to be grown and consumed in areas

with a shortage of dietary vitamin A.




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• It was claimed to be able to fight Vitamin A deficiency, which is the leading cause of

blindness among children and can also lead to death due to infectious diseases such as

measles. Rice is naturally low in the pigment beta-carotene, which the body uses to make

Vitamin A. Golden rice contains this, which is the reason for its golden colour.

• The claim has sometimes been contested over the years, with a 2016 study from

Washington University in St Louis reporting that the variety may fall short of what it is

supposed to achieve.

Why in Bangladesh?

• Advocates of the variety stress how it can help countries where Vitamin A deficiencies

leave millions at high risk. In Bangladesh, over 21 per cent of the children have vitamin A

deficiency. The Golden Rice that is being reviewed in Bangladesh is developed by the

Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute.

• According to the institute, this rice variety will not be more expensive than the

conventional variety.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PRELIM SNIPPETS

1. Co2 Injection Technology

Context:

• State owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is planning to introduce carbon

dioxide (CO2) injection technology in its Gandhar oil field in Gujarat.

About:

• CO2 injection technology is a proven concept in the West specially the US and Canada

which increases oil extraction from ageing oil fields. Under it, CO2 gas is injected with

residual oil in the ageing field in which total oil production has been declining. It reduces

its viscosity and makes it easier to displace oil from the rock pores. CO2 gas also swells oil,

thereby pushing it towards the producing well for extraction.

2. Cartosat-3 Satellite

• ISRO team has successfully launched PSLV-C47 carrying indigenous Cartosat-3 satellite.

Cartosat-3:

• It is an advanced earth imaging and mapping satellite. It would also boost the military’s

space surveillance. The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of

97.5 degrees. Cartosat-3, with an ISRO-best resolution of 25 cm, will be the first of a series

of high resolution, third generation satellites planned for observing the Earth.




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• The satellite will be able to pick up objects of that size (25 cm) from its orbital perch about

509 km away. This will make Cartosat-3 among the few sharpest, if not the best, civil earth

imagers worldwide. Cartosat-3 will also have multi-spectral (captures light from across the

electromagnetic spectrum) capabilities, which will help the military zoom in on enemy

hideouts and terror hubs.

3. Spike: Anti-Tank Guided Missile

Why in News?

• The Indian Army has inducted Israel made Anti-Tank Guided Missiles ‘Spike’ along the

LoC in Jammu and Kashmir to bolster defence along the border with Pakistan.

Spike:

• It is a fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile.

• It was developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defence System.

• It is available in man-portable, vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched variants.

• Nag, AMOGHA are the other anti-tank missiles with India.

4. Li-Ion Cell Technology

Why in News?

• ISRO has transferred its indigenous technology to produce space-grade Li-Ion cells to

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

Highlights:

• The agreement for the technology transfer was signed between ISRO and BHEL in March

2019. This production facility is primarily targeting to meet Li-Ion Cell requirements for

ISRO and other strategic sectors. BHEL can also produce and sell Li-Ion cells for meeting

other national/commercial applications by suitably modifying the space-grade cell which

can lead to cost reduction.

• BHEL is in the process of establishing the Li-Ion production facility near Bangalore in

Karnataka.

• Various equipment (both indigenous and imported) for establishing this facility are

procured and being commissioned. ISRO has already provided all technical

documentation for establishing the production plant as well as hands-on training in

various production activities for BHEL staff at ISRO’s facilities.




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5. Light Water Reactor

Why in News?

• India’s recent decision for building light water reactors (LWRs) under ‘Make in India’

Program.

About the News:

• India is collaborating with Russia’s Rostom State Atomic Energy Corporation for looking

at the possibilities of localisation of LWR systems. In the international conference

organised by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of

India Limited (NPCIL), discussions were held over future utilization of LWRs in India to

supplement existing plans of construction of heavy water pressurized reactors. The

conference is attended by heads and management of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE),

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, BARC, HBNI and other organisations from India and

other countries, that are involved in design, building and operations of LWRs.

• India is now manufacturing Pressurized Heavy Water reactor (PWHR). Only Kudankulam

has imported LWRs reactors, for which India is dependent on Russia for equipment.

About Light-water reactor (LWR)

• Both Light Water Reactors [LWR] and Hard Water reactors [HWR] are reactors based on

Coolant and Moderator. Both are the most common type of thermal-neutron reactor.

• It is a type of thermal-neutron reactor that uses NORMAL WATER, as opposed to heavy

water, as both its coolant and neutron moderator. There are three types of light-water

reactors: the pressurized water reactor (PWR), the boiling water reactor (BWR), and the

supercritical water reactor (SCWR).

6. Gaofen-7

Why in News?

• China has launched a new Earth observation satellite- Gaofen-7.

About:

• China launched a new high-resolution remote sensing satellite capable of providing

stereoscopic imagery marking another important step as Beijing seeks to reduce reliance

on foreign technology in topographic mapping.

• A rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan satellite launch centre in northern China at 11:22am

local time, carrying the Gaofen-7 high resolution satellite into its designated orbit. Gaofen-




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7, a sub-metre resolution optical satellite, boasts the highest mapping accuracy among

domestic peers, and can map China and even the world’s lands stereoscopically with a

margin of error of less than a metre, according to CCTV.

• The satellite, which will be used for land surveys, urban planning and statistical

investigation, will help end China’s reliance on foreign imports in high-resolution stereo

mapping, CCTV added.

• The purpose of China’s satellite remote sensing project—the Gaofen series—is to help build

an all-weather, 24-hour, global Earth remote sensing system by 2020 capable of

monitoring the ground, atmosphere and oceans

7. Dwarf Planets

Why in News?

• As of today, there are officially five dwarf planets in our Solar System. Now, there is a

claimant for a sixth dwarf planet.

Hygiea: New dwarf in the Race:

• Using observations made through the European Space Organization’s SPHERE instrument

at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have now found Hygiea may possibly be a

dwarf planet.

• The most famous is Pluto, downgraded from the status of a planet in 2006. The other four,

in order of size, are Eris, Make Haumea and Ceres.

• Called Hygiea, it has so far been taken to be an asteroid. It lies in the asteroid belt between

Mars and Jupiter.

• If it Qualifies, Hygiea will be the smallest dwarf planet in the Solar System.

What makes a Hygiea Dwarf?

• The International Astronomical Union sets four criteria for a dwarf planet, and Hygiea

already satisfies three — it orbits around the Sun, it is not a moon, and it has not cleared

the neighbourhood around its orbit.

• The fourth requirement is that it have enough mass that its own gravity pulls it into a

roughly spherical shape.

• According to the new study, VLT observations now show Hygiea satisfied that condition,

too. This is the first-time astronomers have observed Hygiea in high resolution to study its

surface and determine its shape and size.




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8. Waste land Atlas

Why in News?

• Fifth edition of waste land atlas was released Recently.

About:

• The Union Minister for Rural Development, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare &

Panchayati Raj released the Wastelands Atlas – 2019.

• The Department of Land Resources in collaboration with National Remote Sensing Centre

(NRSC), Department of Space has published Wastelands Atlases of India - 2000, 2005,

2010 & 2011 editions. The new wastelands mapping exercise, carried out by NRSC using

the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite. India with 2.4% of total land area of the World is

supporting 18% of the World’s population. This Wastelands Atlas-2019 provides district

and state wise distribution of different categories of wastelands area including mapping of

about 12.08 Mha hitherto unmapped area of Jammu & Kashmir.

• Majority of wastelands have been changed into categories of ‘croplands’, ‘forest-dense

‘forest plantation’ and ‘industrial area.

9. Vaccine Hesitancy

Why in News?

• The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared vaccine hesitancy one of the ten

biggest threats to global health in 2019, along with air pollution and climate change.

About:

• It is defined by WHO as a “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of

vaccination services”. Vaccine hesitancy threatens to reverse progress made in tackling.

• vaccine-preventable diseases. Measles, for example, has seen a 30% increase in cases

globally in 2018.

• Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease – it currently

prevents 2-3 million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global

coverage of vaccinations improved.

Some of the Reasons why people choose not to Vaccinate are:

• Complacency, Inconvenience in accessing vaccines, and lack of confidence are key reasons

underlying hesitancy




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10. NASA’s first electric plane - X-57 Maxwell

Why in News?

• NASA unveiled its first all-electric experimental aircraft X-57 Maxwell which was being

developed since 2015.

Maxwell:

• The Maxwell is the latest in a line of experimental aircraft the NASA.

• It has been developed over many decades for many purposes, including the bullet-shaped

Bell X-1 that first broke the sound barrier and the X-15 rocket plane flown by Neil

Armstrong before he joined the Apollo moon team.

• The two largest of 14 electric motors that will ultimately propel the plane are powered by

specially designed lithium ion batteries.

• The Maxwell will be the agency’s first crewed X-plane to be developed in two decades.

• The lift propellers will be activated for take-off and landings, but retract during the flight’s

cruise phase. Electric motor systems are more compact with fewer moving parts than

internal-combustion engines, they are simpler to maintain and weigh much less, requiring

less energy to fly. They also are quieter that conventional engines.

11. K4 Missile

Why in News?

• India to test-fire 3,500 km range K-4 nuclear missile developed by DRDO for Arihant Class

Submarines.

K4 Missile:

• K4 is an Intermediate range Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM).

• The series is named after former president and scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

• It is powered by solid rocket propellants and is considered to be highly accurate with a

strike range of 3500 km.

12. Japanese Spacecraft starts Year-Long Journey home from Asteroid

Why in News?

• Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft started its year-long journey home after successfully

completing its mission to bring back soil samples and data from the asteroid Ryugu.




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Highlights:

• The asteroid Ryugu is about 300 million kilometres from Earth.

• The soil samples and data collected is believed to provide clues to the origins of the solar

system.

13. Jupiter’s Moon Europa

Why in News?

• NASA’s has confirmed the presence water vapour for the first time above the surface of

Jupiter’s Moon Europa.

About Europa:

• Europa is the smallest of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter, and the sixth-closest to

the planet of all the 79 known moons of Jupiter. It is also the sixth-largest moon in the

Solar System.

• Europa was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilee and was named after Europa, the

Phoenician mother of King Minos of Crete and lover of Zeus (the Greek equivalent of the

Roman god Jupiter).

• Europa has the smoothest surface of any known solid object in the Solar System.

• Slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, Europa is primarily made of silicate rock and has a

water-ice crust and probably an iron–nickel core.

• It has a very thin atmosphere, composed primarily of oxygen.

• Its surface is striated by cracks and streaks, but craters are relatively few.

• In addition to Earth-bound telescope observations, Europa has been examined by a

succession of space-probe flybys, the first occurring in the early 1970s.

14. Gandhian Challenge

Why in News?

• The NITI Aayog has announced top 30 winners of the Gandhian Challenge, which was

organized to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhian Challenge:

• On the 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi- Atal Innovation Mission, NITI

Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and UNICEF India, including Generation Unlimited,

launched ‘The Gandhian Challenge’.




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• The Gandhian Challenge was open to students studying in classes 6-12 in two categories -

Art and Innovation, and Science and Technology and Innovation.

15. Mandatory FASTags

Why in News?

• Road Transport and Highways Minister has announced that FASTags will become

mandatory for all vehicles, private and commercial, from December 1, 2019.

About:

• From December, 2019, toll payments will be made only through FASTags under the

National Electronic Toll Collection programme.

• This pan-India programme is intended to remove bottlenecks and ensure seamless

movement of traffic. In case of non-compliance, double the toll amount will be charged for

traveling through FASTag lanes without tags.

FASTag:

• It is an electronic tag that is usually affixed on the inside of a vehicle’s windscreen.

• The tag uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology and it is linked to either a

bank account or a prepaid wallet.

• When a vehicle uses a FASTag to pass a toll plaza, the tag is scanned and the toll amount is

automatically deducted without the vehicle coming to a halt.

• The FASTag makes the process faster and more efficient.

• Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) (a company incorporated by

National Highways Authority of India) and National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI)

are implementing this program.




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7. MISCELLANEOUS

1. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)

Why in News?

• Vice President addresses the Silver Jubilee celebrations of NIOT in Chennai; seeks

innovative solutions to conserve water and tackle climate change, pollution.

About NIOT:

• NIOT is an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, established in 1993.

• It has its main office at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

• The chief objective of the institute is to develop reliable indigenous technologies to solve

the various engineering problems associated with the harvesting of non-living and living

resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is about two-thirds of the

land area of India. The institute engages in developing technologies for sustainable

utilization of ocean resources. It also engages in providing solutions to organisations

working in the field.

2. Danakil Depression

Why in News?

• Microbes are known to survive almost anywhere. Scientists now believe that Danakil

depression in Ethiopia is an exception.

• New research has pointed out that bubbling pools of water and mounds of salt covering its

landscape — that is too daunting even for these microorganisms.

Danakil Depression:

• The Danakil Depression in north-eastern Ethiopia is one of the world’s hottest places, as

well as one of its lowest, at 100 metres below sea level.

• At the northern end of the Great Rift Valley, and separated by live volcanoes from the Red

Sea, the plain was formed by the evaporation of an inland water body.

• All the water entering Danakil evaporates, and no streams flow out from its extreme

environment. It is covered with more than 10 lakh tonnes of salt.

• Now, a new study says that active and naturally occurring life cannot be sustained at

Danakil. It identifies two barriers: magnesium-dominated brines that cause cells to break

down; and an environment having simultaneously very low pH and high salt, a

combination that makes adaptation highly difficult.




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3. Pannai App

Why in News?

• Pannai, a new mobile app for pest-disease warning, developed by the M.S. Swaminathan

Research Foundation (MSSRF).

About:

• Pest-disease Advance Notification and Need–based Agriculture Information (PANNAI).

• It provides advisories, market information and farm-specific weather advisories.

• It also uses information from the Uzhavan app of the State government.

• Funded by Oracle CSR and developed by the MSSRF, the PANNAI is useful for the farmers

involved in the Coastal Agriculture.

• The unique feature of this app is that all the Field Measure Boundary (FMB) level and

records have been digitized and specific land-wise advisories will be given, based on

automatic weather station installed by the MSSRF.

4. Kalapani

Why in News?

• The new political map of India, recently released by the government to account for the

bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, has triggered fresh protests over an old issue in Nepal.

About:

• Kalapani is a 372-sq km area mapped within Uttarakhand, bordering far-west Nepal and

Tibet.

• While the Nepal government and political parties have protested, India has said the new

map does not revise the existing boundary with Nepal and accurately depicts the sovereign

territory of India.

Timeline:

• Nepal’s western boundary with India was marked out in the Treaty of Sugauli between the

East India Company and Nepal in 1816.

• Nepali authorities claim that people living in the low-density area were included in the

Census of Nepal until 58 years ago.

• Nepal claims that the late King Mahendra had “handed over the territory to India” in the

wake of India-China War of 1962.




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• The Prime Ministers of the two countries

discussed the issue in 2000, with Atal Bihari

Vajpayee assuring Nepal that India would

not occupy even an inch of Nepal.

• Five years ago, the matter was referred to a

new mechanism comprising foreign

secretaries of both sides.

• Apart from Kalapani, another unresolved

issue involves a vast area along the Nepal-

Uttar Pradesh border. During his visit to Nepal in 2014, Prime Minister Modi had said that

the Susta and Kalapani issues would be sorted out.

5. Guru Nanak Dev

Why in News?

• Country has recently celebrated the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the

founder of Sikhism.

About:

• Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti is observed to celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak Dev (1469-

1539), who is first of the 10 Sikh Gurus and the founder of Sikhism.

• He advocated the 'Nirguna' (devotion to and worship of formless divine) form of bhakti.

• He rejected sacrifices, ritual baths, image worship, austerities and the scriptures of both

Hindus and Muslims.

• He organised his followers into a community. He set up rules for congregational worship

(Sangat) involving collective recitation.

• The fifth preceptor, Guru Arjan Dev, compiled Guru Nanak Dev’s hymns along with

those of his four successors

and other religious poets like Baba Farid, Ravidas (also known as Raidas) and Kabir in the

Adi Granth Sahib.These hymns, called 'Gurbani', are composed in many languages.

• In the late seventeenth century, the tenth preceptor, Guru Gobind Singh, included the

compositions of the ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and this scripture was called the

Guru Granth Sahib.




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6. Global Cooling Prize

Why in News?

• The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family

Welfare to announce the Global Cooling Prize.

Global Cooling Prize (GCP):

• In 2018, the Ministry of Science & Technology instituted a new prize for innovative cooling

technologies that could reduce the climate impact of Residential Air Conditioning (RAC) at

least by five times, called the Global Cooling Prize, under the Mission Innovation (MI)

programme.

• The award carries a total prize money of $3 million.

• The GCP was launched by the Department of Science & Technology (DST – Under the S&T

Ministry), in partnership with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and the Ministry of

Environment, Forest and Climate Change, jointly with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).

• The RMI is an independent non-profit research institute and think tank founded in 1982 in

the US. GCP aims to spur development of a residential cooling solution that has at least

five times less climate impact than today’s standard products.

• India has proposed to support this innovation prize with a grant up to $2 million, which

would fund the India-based teams in developing working prototypes of their innovative

cooling technology designs including model energy efficient building.

• GCP received 139 applications from 31 countries around the globe from innovators, start-

ups, research institutes, universities, and key AC industry manufacturers, out of which the

maximum (45) are from India.

• Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 24 countries and the European Union to

accelerate global clean energy innovation.

• MI identified “Affordable Heating and Cooling of Building Innovation Challenge” as one of

the seven innovation challenges.

7. Jharkhand statehood day

Why in News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today greeted the people of Jharkhand on their statehood

day. Jharkhand - the land of forests - is celebrating its 19th year of constitution this year.




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Jharkhand

• Jharkhand was carved out of 18 districts of Bihar in the year 2000 on November 15, where

it came out as the 28th State of India. Its foundation day falls on the birth anniversary of

tribal leader Birsa Munda, also known as "Bhagwan Birsa" who played a vital role in

India's struggle for freedom

8. NISHTHA

Why in News?

• National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) was

launched in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

About NISHTHA

• NISHTHA is a capacity building programme for "Improving Quality of School Education

through Integrated Teacher Training" by Ministry of Human Resource Development.

• NISHTHA is the largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world.

• It aims to build competencies among all the teachers and school principals at the

elementary stage. Through this, teachers are trained to develop and strengthen the

personal-social qualities of students and enable their holistic development.

9. North India's 1st sugar mill which will Produce Ethanol Inaugurated

Why in News?

• North India's first sugar mill which will produce ethanol direct from sugarcane was

inaugurated in Pipraich area of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

What is Ethanol?

• Ethanol is basically alcohol of 99%-plus purity, which can be used for blending with petrol.

• Produced mainly from molasses, a by-product of sugar manufacture.

10. Suez Canal

Why in News?

• 150th year of Suez Canal was celebrated recently.

About Suez Canal:

• Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt. It links the Mediterranean with the

Red Sea through Isthmus of Suez. It was first opened in 1869 after a decade of

construction.




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• Strategically and economically it is one of the most important waterways in the world

providing the shortest sea link between Asia and Europe.

• Its opening had provided alternative route to sea voyage between Europe and India. It had

reduced the sea voyage distance between these two regions by about 7,000 kilometres

without navigating around Africa.

• The canal was nationalized by Egypt in 1956 after brief war against the UK, France and

Israel. The canal has been a significant income source for Egypt since then.

11. Special Protection Group

Why in News?

• The SPG (Special Protection Group) cover for the Gandhi family, who had been under the

tightest possible security after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in

1991 by bombers of the Lankan terror group LTTE.

Special Protection Group (SPG):

• It was raised in 1985 with the intention to provide proximate security cover to the Prime

Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.

• SPG officers are ingrained in high leadership qualities, professionalism, knowledge of

proximate security and inculcate the culture of leading from the front, in collaboration

with the IB and State/ UT police forces.

• SPG officers are trained to offer, if necessary, the supreme sacrifice to ensure that the

sacred task assigned to the organization by the Government is fulfilled at all costs.

12. Female Labour Force Participation

Why in News?

• According to an internal study conducted by the National Skills Development Corporation

(NSDC), just one out of five persons entering the labour force is expected to be a female in

next 5 years.

About NSDC:

• NSDC is Public Private Partnership (PPP) under Ministry of Skill Development &

Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

• It was founded in 2009 as not-for-profit Company by Ministry of Finance to address need

for providing skilled manpower across various industry sectors.




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• Government of India (GoI) through MSDE holds 49% of share capital of NSDC, while

private sector has balance 51% of the share capital.

• NSDC aims to promote skill development by catalysing creation of large, quality and for-

profit vocational institutions.

• Its objective is to create training capacity in the country; fund vocational training

initiatives and create market ecosystem for skill development.

• Its mandate is to train 150 million people by 2022.

• It is also involved in re-skilling and also in catering to skilled manpower requirement of

overseas markets, most notably that of Japan (under TITP) and UAE.

What did the Study Found?

• 7 crore additional individuals in the working-age (15-59 years) are expected to enter the

labour force by 2023, of which 84.3 % or 5.9 crore will be in the age group 15-30 years.

• Only six states — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and

Karnataka — are expected to account for 50 % (about 3 crore) of the new youth entrants

(15-30 years) during 2019-23.

• Just one out of five persons — in the 15-30 years age bracket — entering the labour force is

expected to be a female in the five years ending 2023.

• Many female candidates in the age group of 15-19 years may not be actively in the labour

force, instead choosing to opt for higher education, and so, with the changing education

pattern, female labour force participation rate should be watched closely for the 20-34

Years Age Group.




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Comparison with Other Data’s:

• While the NSO’s Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 had estimated female

labour force participation rate for 15 years and above at 23.3 %, the comparative numbers

of other countries highlight the labour market’s gender skew.

• According to World Bank data, India’s female labour force participation rate ranks much

lower than other Asian economies in 2019, including Vietnam (73 %), China (61 %),

Singapore (60 %), Bangladesh (36 %), and is closer to the estimates in countries such as

Lebanon (24 %), Pakistan (24 %), Libya (26 %), Tunisia (24 %) and Sudan (24 %).

13. Secretagogin (SCGN)

Why in News?

• Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad

have demonstrated the role of a protein secretagogin (SCGN) in increasing insulin action

in obesity-induced Diabetes.

Research Findings:

• SCGN was identified as a functional insulin-binding protein with therapeutic potential

against diabetes.

• It said various kinds of cellular stresses can result in loss of structure and function of

insulin, ultimately leading to diabetes.

• SCGN binds to insulin and protects it from various stresses, increases its stability and adds

to its action.

Diabetes:

• Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that occurs due to either a deficiency of insulin or

insulin action or both.

• This is caused when-

1. When the pancreas does not produce Enough Insulin - Type 1 Diabetes

2. When the body cannot effectively use the insulin, it produces - Type 2 Diabetes

• This leads to raised blood glucose (sugar) level and over time, serious damage to many of

the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause

of death by 2030.




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Diabetes Burden in India:

• India continues to be home to the second-largest number of adults with diabetes

worldwide, with 77 million adults with diabetes in the 20-79 years age group.

• India is the largest contributor to diabetes related mortality with more than 1 million

deaths. The number of diabetics in the country is expected to increase to a staggering 109

million cases by 2035 out of an estimated population of 1.5 billion.

• A World Economic Forum report on economic implications of diabetes in India has

estimated that India stands to loseUS$0.15 trillion before 2030.

• The most common risk factors are obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, advancing age,

family history of diabetes, ethnicity and high blood glucose during pregnancy affecting the

unborn child.

• Indians have a peculiar genetic composition and Asian Indian phenotype predisposes them

to a higher propensity of metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and coronary artery

disease.

14. Tuvalu

Why in News?

• The Tiny South Pacific Nation of Tuvalu has rejected offers from Chinese firms to build

artificial islands that would help it deal with rising sea levels.

Chinese Influence:

• China has increased efforts to expand its influence in the Pacific, alarming the United

States and its allies. China also accused US of luring the smaller countries in with the

promise of financial aid and Airplanes.

Tuvalu:

• Tuvalu (formerly known as the Ellice Islands), is a sovereign state in Polynesia, located in

the Pacific Ocean, situated in Oceania and about midway between Hawaii and Australia.

• Tuvalu is a volcanic archipelago, and also consists of three reef islands and six true atolls.

• Because of its low elevation, the islands that make up this nation are vulnerable to the

effects of tropical cyclones and by the threat of current and future sea level rise.




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15. Living Root Bridges

Why in News?

• The living root bridges (found in Meghalaya) can be considered as a reference point for

future botanical architecture projects in urban contexts says Scientific Reports journal.

About:

• Living root bridges (also known as Jing Kieng Jri) are the aerial bridges that are built by

weaving and manipulating the roots of the Indian rubber tree.

• A root bridge uses traditional tribal knowledge to train the roots of the Indian rubber tree

(found in abundance in the area) to grow laterally across a stream bed resulting in a living

bridge of roots.

• It spans between 15 and 250 feet and is built over centuries.

• They have been serving as connectors for generations in the Indian state of Meghalaya.

• The bridges are primarily a means to cross streams and rivers. They have also become

world-famous tourist attractions.

• The two most popular tourist spots are- Riwai Root Bridge and Umshiang Double

Decker Bridge. They have three main properties of the Living Roots are, they are elastic,

the roots easily combine, and the plants grow in rough and rocky soils \

16. Haryana’s Johads set for Revamp

Why in News?

• Haryana’s Johads are all set for a revamp. The state government has come out with a plan

of rehabilitating over 16,400 ponds in rural areas across the state in order to analyze pond

water to ascertain its suitability for irrigation and other uses.

About:

• Johads are community-owned rainwater storage wetland mainly used for harnessing water

resources.

• It is used in the state of Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh.

• It collects and stores water throughout the year, to be used for the purpose of recharging

the groundwater in the nearby water wells, washing, bathing and drinking by humans and

cattle.

• Some johads also have bricked or stones masonry and cemented ghat.




137 | P a g e


• Other names of Johads (Haryanvi language and Rajasthani language) sarovar, taal and

talab in Hindi language, and water pond or lake in English. Johads are called as khadin in

Jaisalmer district.

Traditional Water Conservation:

• History tells us that both floods and droughts were regular occurrence in ancient India.

• Perhaps this is why every region in the country has its own traditional water harvesting

techniques that reflect the geographical peculiarities and cultural uniqueness of the

regions. The basic concept underlying all these techniques is that rain should be harvested

whenever and wherever it falls.

• Archaeological evidence shows that the practice of water conservation is deep rooted in the

science of ancient India. Excavations show that the cities of the Indus Valley Civilization

had excellent systems of water harvesting and drainage.

• The settlement of Dholavira, laid out on a slope between two storm water channels, is a

great example of water engineering. Chanakya’s Arthashashtra mentions irrigation using

water harvesting systems. Sringaverapura, near Allahabad, had a sophisticated water

harvesting system that used the natural slope of the land to store the floodwaters of the

river Ganga.

• Chola King Karikala built the Grand Anicut or Kallanai across the river Cauvery to divert

water for irrigation (it is still functional) while King Bhoja of Bhopal built the largest

artificial lake in India. Drawing upon centuries of experience, Indians continued to build

structures to catch, hold and store monsoon rainwater for the dry seasons to come.

• These traditional techniques, though less popular today, are still in use and Efficient.

Other Traditional Water Conservation Techniques:

• Zing – It is found in Ladakh, are small tanks that collect melting glacier water. A network

of guiding channels brings water from the glacier to the tank.

• Kuhls – They are surface water channels found in the mountainous regions of Himachal

Pradesh. The channels carry glacial waters from rivers and streams into the fields.

• Jack wells - The Shompen tribe of the Great Nicobar Islands uses this system, in which

bamboos are placed under trees to collect runoff water from leaves and carries it to jack

wells which pits encircled by bunds are made from logs of hard wood.

• Pat system – It is developed in Madhya Pradesh, in which the water is diverted from hill

streams into irrigation channels by diversion bunds. They are made across the stream by

piling up stones and teak leaves and mud.




138 | P a g e


• Eri – It is tank system, widely used in Tamil Nadu which acts as flood-control systems,

prevent soil erosion and wastage of runoff during periods of heavy rainfall, and also

recharge the groundwater.

• Zabo or Ruza System– It is practiced in Nagaland. Rainwater that falls on forested

hilltops is collected by channels that deposit the run-off water in pond-like structures

created on the terraced hillsides.

• Phad – It is a community-managed irrigation system in the tapi river basin in

Maharashtra. It starts with check dam built across a river and canals to carry water to

agricultural blocks with outlets to ensure excess water is removed from the canals.

• Panam keni – The Kuruma tribe (a native tribe of Wayanad) uses wooden cylinders as a

special type of well, which are made by soaking the stems of toddy palms and immersed in

groundwater springs.

• Ahar Pynes – They are traditional floodwater harvesting systems indigenous to South

Bihar. Ahars are reservoirs with embankments on three sides and Pynes are artificial

rivulets led off from rivers to collect water in the Ahars for irrigation in the dry months.

• Jhalara - Jhalaras are typically rectangular-shaped step wells that have tiered steps on

three or four sides in the city of Jodhpur.

• Bawari - Bawaris are unique step wells that were once a part of the ancient networks of

water storage in the cities of Rajasthan.

• Taanka - It is a cylindrical paved underground pit into which rainwater from rooftops,

courtyards or artificially prepared catchments flows. It is indigenous to the Thar Desert

region of Rajasthan.

• Khadin – Also called dhora, is a long earthen embankment that is built across the hill

slopes of gravelly uplands. It is indigenous to Jaisalmer region and similar to the irrigation

methods of Ur region (Present Iraq).

• Kund – It is a saucer-shaped catchment area that gently slopes towards the central

circular underground well. It is found in the sandier tracts of western Rajasthan and

Gujarat.

Why it is Needed?

• Water is a cyclic resource which can be used again and again after cleaning.

• The best way to conserve water is its judicious use.

• A large quantity of water is used for irrigation and there is an urgent need for proper water

management in irrigation sector.




139 | P a g e


• In arid areas, wherever water has been brought for irrigation, saline and alkaline tracts

have emerged, rendering the soil infertile.

• Wasteful use of water should be checked. Sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation can play a

crucial role in conserving scarce water resources in dry areas.

• Drip irrigation and sprinkles can save anywhere between 30 to 60 per cent of water.

• Only 0.5 per cent—nearly half of this in Maharashtra—is under drip irrigation and 0. 7 per

cent under sprinklers.

• There is large-scale pollution of water as a result of industrialization and urbanisation.

This trend has got to be checked.

• Although one-eighth of India is declared as food prone, there are several thousand villages

in India which do not have potable Drinking Water.

• The basins should be treated as one unit for planning water utilization.

• Dry farming should be practiced in dry areas.

• The experimentation under the National Watershed Development Programme for Rainfed

Agriculture is being carried on since 1986-87.

17. Rohtang Tunnel

Why in News?

• The Rohtang Tunnel will become the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet,

after its inauguration in September 2020.

Rohtang Tunnel:

• Rohtang Tunnel is a highway tunnel being built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir

Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway.

• At 8.8 km length, the tunnel will be one of the longest road tunnels in India and is

expected to reduce the distance between Manali and Keylong by about 46 km.

• For now, the tunnel provides a temporary winter link to the outside world not only to

residents of Lahaul and Spiti but also to those living in Zanskar Valley of Ladakh.

• While Rohtang Pass is at a height of 13,050 feet, the pass on the road to Leh is Baralacha

La at 16,040 feet.

• An alternate road link to Ladakh has also been developed by BRO on the Darcha-Padam-

Nimu axis, but here again a 4.15-km long tunnel at Sinka La Pass (16,703 feet) would be

required for all-weather access.




140 | P a g e


Significance:

• The project also has significant strategic implications for the military as it will allow access

beyond Rohtang Pass even in peak winters.

• All-winter connectivity to Ladakh, however, is still some time away as more tunnels will

have to be built to tackle the high passes which fall beyond Rohtang.

Why Delay?

• It would have been completed at least four years earlier, but for a massive torrent of water

encountered inside the tunnel. The Seri Nullah, which flows on top of the tunnel, almost

threatened to derail the project and it took several years to devise ways to tackle the

massive flow of water that often went up to 140 litres per second.

18. Loktak Inland Waterways Project

Why in News?

• Ministry of shipping has approved Loktak Inland waterways project in Manipur. The

project will give impetus to the development of inland water transport connectivity in the

North-eastern states and will also boost the tourism sector in the region.

Loktak Lake:

• Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast and is located at Moirang in

Manipur.

• The lake is famous for the Phumdis - the heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and

organic matter at various stages of decomposition floating over it.

• Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating national park in world is located in the

Loktak Lake.

• The park serves as home to one of endangered species - Sangai deer.

• It was designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention

in 1990. Later it was also listed under the Montreux Record in 1993.

• The lake is witnessing pressure due to increased human activities in the area.




141 | P a g e


1. With reference to Irrawaddy Dolphin,

consider the following statements

1. It is not an oceanic dolphin, but a river

dolphin that lives in brackish water

near coasts, river mouths and in

estuaries.

2. Its habitat range extends from the Bay

of Bengal to New Guinea and the

Philippines.

3. IUNC has classified it as Critically

Endangered in Red Data list.

Which of the statements given above are

incorrect?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

2. BRUIE is recently displayed by NASA refers

to

(a) Charged Coupled Device

(b) Land Mine remover

(c) Under-ice exploration

(d) ArtioVision

3. Consider the following statements

regarding Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

(WCCB):

1. It is a statutory created under the

provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act

(WLPA), 1972.

2. "Operation Clean Art" is the recent

operation of WCCB to prevent

smuggling of olive Ridleys.

Choose the correct statement using the code

given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

4. Which of the following is not a specialised

agency of the United Nations?

(a) International Maritime Organization

(IMO)

(b) United Nations Children’s Fund

(UNICEF)

(c) Universal Postal Union (UPU)

(d) International Labour Organization

(ILO)

5. In the context of Hornbill festival, consider

the following statements:

1. Objective of the festival is to

encourage inter-tribal interaction and

to promote cultural heritage of

Nagaland.

2. It is organized by the Ministry of

Tourism and Art & Culture

Departments of the Government of

India.

Which of the statement(s) given above

is/are incorrect?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2




1 | P a g e


6. Which of the following is/are not the

recommendations of Swaran Singh

Committee with respect to Fundamental

Duties?

1. The Parliament may provide for the

imposition of punishment or penalty

as considered suitable for non-

compliance of these duties.

2. Such punishment or law won’t be

questioned in a court of law for the

enforcement of fundamental Rights

and in case it caused a breach of

fundamental rights.

3. Duty to pay taxes by the citizen was by

the citizen was also on the list of

fundamental duties.

Select the correct answer using the codes

given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

7. Surya-Kiran is a military exercise between

India and

(a) Nepal

(b) Srilanka

(c) Bangladesh

(d) Myanmmar


regarding ‘Suriname’

1. Suriname shares land borders with

Guyana, Brazil, and French Guiana

2. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to

the north.

3. Equator passes through it.

Which of the statements given above is/are

correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3


regarding Convention on Biological

Diversity

(CBD).

1. It was adopted at Earth Summit, 1992.

2. The Nagoya Protocol aims at sharing

the benefits arising from the

utilization of

genetic resources in a fair and

equitable way.

3. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

to the Convention on Biological

Diversity is

an international agreement which

aims to ensure the safe handling,

transport and

use of living modified organisms

(LMOs)

Which of the above statements are

correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) All the above




2 | P a g e



regarding Serious Fraud Investigation

Office

(SFIO).

1. It is a constitutional body.

2. It functions under Ministry of

Corporate Affairs.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are

correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2


regarding “Instrument in Support of Trade

Exchanges”

(INSTEX):

1. It is a payment mechanism being

setup by the European Union to

secure trade with Iran and skirt US

sanctions

2. It was initially set up by Belgium,

Denmark, Finland (E3) countries.

Choose the correct answer using the code

given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

12. Consider the following judgements given

below and find the Incorrect Match:

Judgements Relevant Issues

1. I.R Coelho Case (2007) - 9th Schedule

2. Vishaka and State of Rajasthan case

(1997) - Sexual harassment at the

workplace

3. S. R. Bommai case (1994)

- Misuse of Article 356

4. Indra Sawhney (vs) Union of India case

(1992) - Issue of Reservations

Choose the answer using the code given

below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 ,2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3 only

(d) None of the above

13. The Union Home Minister, assured the civil

society groups that the Citizenship Bill

would provide protection to North eastern

regions and states where the Inner Line

Permit (ILP) is applicable. With reference

to Inner Line Permit (ILP) consider the

following statements:

1. It is solely an official travel document.

2. It is currently operational only in

Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

3. It is under the desecration of Central

government.


incorrect?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above




3 | P a g e


14. Operating Ratio is recently seen in news

refers to.

(a) Measure of expenditure against

revenue.

(b) Ratio of total variable cost to Average

cost.

(c) Product of Price and Quantity.

(d) Change in Total Revenue to Change in

Quantity


regarding the ‘Prohibition of Electronic

Cigarettes Bill, 2019’:

1. Any production, import, export,

transport, sale or advertisement of e-

cigarettes shall be a cognizable

offence.

2. Storage of electronic-cigarettes shall

also be punishable with an

imprisonment up to 6 months or fine

up to Rs 50,000 or both.

3. Online sale and online advertisement

of e-cigarettes are still free from

prohibition.


is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3


regarding the Anaemia Mukt Bharat

(AMB):

1. AMB is a 6x6x6 strategy that is

targeting six age groups, with six

interventions and six institutional

mechanisms.

2. Institutional mechanisms include a

National Anaemia Mukt Bharat Unit,

and a Indian Medical Association

(IMA).

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are

correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

17. ‘Jeholbaatar kielanae’, an extinct species

recently seen in news is a

(a) a dinosaur

(b) a rodent

(c) a bird

(d) a bull

18. ‘Justice Verma Committee’, sometimes seen

in news is related to

(a) Reservations for SC’s and ST

(b) Fundamental Duties

(c) Appointment of Supreme Court Judges

(d) Women Safety in Public places

19. Consider the following statements about

Kafala System

1. In the Kafala system, a migrant

worker’s immigration status is legally

bound to an individual employer or

sponsor during the contract period.

2. It is practised in Pakistan, to recruit

Muslim workers from neighbouring

countries.




4 | P a g e


3. The system aims to improve labour

mobility between India and Pakistan


correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

20. What is common to the places known as

Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur?

(a) Recently, Uranium deposits have been

discovered in these places.

(b) These places are known for their water

reservoirs.

(c) Pink revolution which started in these

areas, spread to the other parts of India.

(d) Strategic crude oil storages of India are

located here.

21. Consider the following Statements:

1. A person to be elected to the

legislative assembly must be an elector

for an assembly constituency in the

concerned state.

2. The governor can nominate two

members from the Anglo-Indian

community, if the community is not

adequately represented in the state

assembly.

3. By-polls to State Assembly

Constituencies are conducted by the

State Election Commissions of the

concerned state.

Which of the statements given above

is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

22. In the context of Shipbreaking, consider the


1. Shipbreaking may cause severe

contamination of the sea bed.

2. Dismantling of the ships on the beach

is less polluting than dismantling on

dry docks.

3. The Hong Kong Convention intends to

address the issues around ship

recycling.


correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) All the above


regarding Director Identification Number

(DIN)

1. DIN is a unique identification number

allotted by the Central Government to

any person intending to be a director

or an existing director of a company.

2. DIN number has a lifetime validity.

3. DIN is person-specific, if a person is a

director in two or more companies,

he/she has to obtain only one DIN.

Which of the statements given above

is/are correct?




5 | P a g e


(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3


regarding Particularly Vulnerable Tribal

Groups (PVTGs).

1. Dhebar Commission Report created

Primitive Tribal Groups as a separate

category which was later renamed as

PVTGs.

2. The scheme of Development of PVTGs

is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in

the ratio of 90:10.

Choose the Incorrect statement using

the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

25. ‘Power of Siberia’, which is in news is

related to:

(a) Seed vault for Eurasia

(b) A policy launched by Russia to make

Siberia hub of the crude oil industry.

(c) The inter-country gas pipeline between

Russia and China.

(d) Largest electricity generation plant in

the world.

26. Which of the following serves as

International Corridor for Asian Elephant

Migration between India and Bhutan?

(a) Buxa Tiger Reserve

(b) Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary

(c) Kaziranga National Park

(d) Namdapha National Park


regarding the GST Council:

1. GST Council is a statutory body

constituted under the Goods and

Services Tax Act, 2017.

2. The GST Council is headed by the

Finance Minister of India.

3. Decisions are taken after a majority in

the council with Centre has 1/3rd

voting rights and states have 2/3rd

voting rights.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are

correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

28. Exercise Hand-in-Hand is a bilateral

exercise between India and which of the

following country?

(a) China

(b) Pakistan

(c) Russia

(d) USA

29. Consider the following statements with

reference to Gadhimai Festival:

1. It is held every 5 years at the at

Gadhimai Temple of Bariyarupur, in

Bihar.




6 | P a g e


2. Goat, Rat, Chicken, Pig and Pigeon are

the animals slaughter in this festival.

3. The worshippers from India and Nepal

offer prayers to the Goddess Gadhimai.


correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

30. With reference to National Pension Scheme

for Traders and Self-Employed Persons,

consider the following statements:

1. It is for Vyaparis with annual turnover

exceeding Rs 1.5 crores.

2. It is mandatory and contributory

pension scheme.

3. The Beneficiary should not be a

member of Employees Provident Fund

Organisation, Employees State

Corporation, National Pension

System, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi

Maan-dhan.

4. He/she should be within 18 to 40

years of age group.


correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 4 only

31. ‘Torrefaction’, recently seen in the news, is

related to:

(a) Chemical process to refine petroleum

products

(b) Antibiotic to eliminate Anaemia

(c) Technology for water purification

(d) Thermal process to convert biomass

into a coal-like material

32. Consider the following statements with

respect to ‘Vanilla Alliance’

1. It is an airline alliance formed to

improve air connectivity within the

Indian Ocean region.

2. India is one of the founding members

of the Alliance.

Choose the correct answer using the code

given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

33. The Programme for International Student

Assessment (PISA), a triennial

international survey to evaluate education

systems worldwide is conducted by:

(a) UNICEF

(b) World Economic Forum

(c) United Nations Organization for

Education, Science and Culture

(d) Organisation for Economic Co-

operation and Development




7 | P a g e


34. Consider the following statements:

1. A person to be elected to the

legislative assembly must be an elector

for an assembly constituency in the

concerned state.

2. The governor can nominate two

members from the Anglo-Indian

community, if the community is not

adequately represented in the state

assembly.

3. By-polls to State Assembly

Constituencies are conducted by the

State Election Commissions of the

concerned state.


correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

35. In the context of Shipbreaking, consider the


1. Shipbreaking may cause severe

contamination of the sea bed.

2. Dismantling of the ships on the beach

is less polluting than dismantling on

dry docks.

3. The Hong Kong Convention intends to

address the issues around ship

recycling.


correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4


regarding Director Identification Number

(DIN)

1. DIN is a unique identification number

allotted by the Central Government to

any person intending to be a director

or an existing director of a company.

2. DIN number has a lifetime validity.

3. DIN is person-specific, if a person is a

director in two or more companies,

he/she has to obtain only one DIN.


correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

37. With reference to Mahila Kisan

Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP), consider

the following statements

1. It aims to empower women in

agriculture.

2. It is a part of Deendayal Antyodaya

Yojana-National Rural Livelihood

Mission (DAY-NRLM).

3. Under the scheme 90% of the funding is

provided by central government.


correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only




8 | P a g e


(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

38. In context to Securities Appellate Tribunal

(SAT), consider the following statements:

1. It is a statutory body established

under Securities Laws (Amendment)

Act, 2014.

2. It consists of Presiding Officer and

two members only.


Incorrect?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

39. Which of the following World Heritage

Sites are included in Taj Trapezium Zone

(TTZ)?

1. Taj Mahal

2. Agra fort

3. Fatehpur Sikri

4. Humayun's Tomb

Select the correct code using the options

below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 2, 3 and 4 only

40. Which of the following schemes come

under Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay

Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)?

1. Price Support Scheme (PSS)

2. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme

(PDPS)

3. Pilot of Private Procurement and

Stockist Scheme (PPPS)


given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3


regarding Fugitive Economic Offenders Act,

2018:

1. A person can be named as a “Fugitive

Economic Offender” if there is an

arrest warrant against him for

involvement in economic offences

involving at least Rs.500 crore.

2. A Special Court designated under the

"Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code,

2016 Act” can declare a person as

Fugitive Economic Offender.

3. No person in India has been declared

as Fugitive Economic Offender yet.

Which of the statement(s) given above is /

are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) None of the above.




9 | P a g e



regarding “Scheme for Promotion of

Academic and Research Collaboration

(SPARC)”:

1. The objective of the scheme is to

improve the research ecosystem of

India’s higher educational institutions

by facilitating collaborations with top

institutions of other countries.

2. Indian Institute of Technology,

Kharagpur is the National

Coordinating Institute to implement

the SPARC programme.

Which of the statement(s) given above is /

are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

43. Operation Chammal’ is associated with

which of the following countries?

(a) France

(b) Turkey

(c) Russia

(d) USA

44. With reference to Mekong River, consider


1. It flows through five countries.

2. It drains into South China Sea.

3. It forms part of international border

between Laos and Vietnam.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/

are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

45. In the context to Meteor missile, consider


1. It is a beyond visual range air to air

missile, Russia.

2. It is attached to Sukhoi 30 missiles.

3. It has a range of 150 km and no escape

zone of 60 km.


Incorrect?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

46. Consider the following, with regard to

Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA):

1. It is red coloured food grade alcohol.

2. It does not have impurities.

3. It contains over 95 per cent alcohol by

volume.

4. It is a by-product of sugar industry.


given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 2, 3 and 4 only


regarding the Monetary Policy Committee:

1. The policy interest rate required to

achieve the inflation target is decided by

the Monetary Policy Committee.




10 | P a g e


2. Monetary Policy Committee is a six-

member committee headed by the

Finance Minister.

3. Each member of the MPC has one vote,

and in the event of an equality of votes,

the Governor has a second or casting

vote.


is/are Incorrect?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

48. ‘Zero FIR’, recently seen in news is

referred to

(a) Filing the case outside the jurisdiction

of the police station.

(b) Filing a case without any bribe.

(c) A station which has zero fake cases

filed.

(d) Dealing a case without filing a FIR.

49. In the context to FEMA Act, 1999,


1. The Foreign Exchange Management

Act, 1999 (FEMA) is an Act of the

Parliament of India to consolidate and

amend the law relating to foreign

exchange.

2. The objective is to facilitate external

trade and payments and for

promoting the orderly development

and maintenance of foreign exchange

market in India.

Which of the statement(s) given below

is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

50. Which of the following magazines was

published by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar?

(a) Mook Nayak

(b) New India

(c) Young India

(d) Tribune

51. Which of the following statements is/are

correct?

1. Rajya Sabha also can initiate the

impeachment charges against

President.

2. The only condition for the initiation of

impeachment of Indian president is

the ‘violation of the constitution.’

3. Nominated members cannot vote in

the election of the President, however,

they can participate in President’s

impeachment.


given below

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 3 only




11 | P a g e



regarding Sikhism

1. Guru Gobind Singh, compiled the first

official edition of the Sikh scripture

called the Adi Granth.

2. Guru Arjan Das, introduced the Five

Ks (Kesh, Kangha, Kara, Kirpan and

Kacchera), the five articles of Khalsa

faith.

3. Guru Ram Das was the founder the

city of Amritsar and started the

construction of the famous Golden

Temple at Amritsar.

Select the incorrect using the codes given

Below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only


53. River Sisar(Sisiri) is a major tributary of

(a) Dibang

(b) Yamuna

(c) Pamba

(d) Godavari

54. Recently in news "NISHTHA" refers to

(a) Initiative Holistic Advancement for

School Heads and Teachers

(b) Newly discovered species of Snake in

Western Ghats

(c) Icy region in outer space


55. Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report

2019 is jointly published by?

1. U.S. Chamber of Commerce

2. UN Conference on Trade and

Development

3. UN Economic and Social Commission

for Asia and the Pacific


given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3


regarding the Tenth Schedule of the Indian

constitution:

1. A person disqualified under the Tenth

Schedule is not eligible to contest in

re-election to that constituency.

2. As per the existing constitutional

mandate, the Speaker is not

empowered to disqualify any member

for the entire term of the House.


is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

57. Tiger reserves are absent in which of the

following Indian state?

1. Bihar

2. Uttar Pradesh

3. Sikkim




12 | P a g e


4. Haryana


given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1 and 4 only

58. Bolivia is bordered by which of the

following countries?

1. Chile

2. Peru

3. Brazil

4. Paraguay

5. Argentina


given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only

(d) All the above


regarding the National Company Law

Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT):

1. It is a quasi-judicial body constituted

under the Section 410 of the

Companies Act, 2013.

2. The President, chairperson and

Judicial Members of the Appellate

Tribunal are appointed after

consultation with the President of

India.

3. It can only hear and dispose appeals

against any orders passed by the

Competition Commission of India

(CCI).

Which of the statement(s) given below

is/are incorrect?

(a) 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

60. Recently in news, Acqua alta refers to

(a) High tides in the Adriatic Sea

(b) Low tides regions of Pacific Ocean

(c) High tides in Black Sea

(d) Low tides regions of Caspian Sea


regarding the Insolvency and Bankruptcy

Code:

1. Bankruptcy is the situation where the

debtor is not in a position to pay back

the creditor while insolvency is the

legal declaration of bankruptcy.

2. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

can be triggered if there is a minimum

default of Rs 1 lakh.

3. The code will apply to all sorts of

business entities including corporate

companies, partnerships, and limited

liability partnerships except the

individuals.


is/are incorrect?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only




13 | P a g e


62. In the context of Coral Spawning, consider


1. Coral Spawning is one of the annual

synchronised events to occur on the

Great Barrier Reef.

2. It occurs by releasing tiny egg and

sperm bundles simultaneously from

their gut cavity into the water.

3. The spawning takes place on a large

scale as it happens across the entire

Reef all at once.


correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

63. What is the correct sequence of occurrence

of the following pilgrimage sites as one

proceeds from East to West?

1. Kedarnath

2. Badrinath

3. Gangotri

4. Yamunotri

Select the correct answer using the code

given below

(a) 1-2-3-4

(b) 4-3-2-1

(c) 1-3-2-4

(d) 2-1-3-4


correct?

1. Agni-II missile was developed by

DRDO (Defence Research and

Development Organization)

2. It is a surface-to-surface medium

range nuclear capable missile.

3. It has a range of 2,000–3,500 km


given below

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

65. Consider the following statements about

Ain-i-Akbari

1. It is a detailed document recording the

personal life of Emperor Akbar

2. It is written by his court historian,

Abu'l Fazl

3. It was written in the Persian language.


given below

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

66. Recently in news, SCALP and METEOR

refers to,

(a) Special kind of Asteroids

(b) Advanced Radar systems in S-400

(c) Missiles


67. The Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project

is supposed to be constructed in

(a) Andhra Pradesh

(b) Karnataka

(c) Madhya Pradesh

(d) Ladakh




14 | P a g e


68. Recently in news, the Ziz-Zag technology is

used in

(a) Automobiles for transition from BSIV to

BSVI

(b) High power processors in Super

Computers

(c) Long distane communication satellites

(d) Brick Kiln to reduce ash content

69. Consider the following Statements:

1. All BRICS members are member of

G-20.

2. BRICS was formed earlier than G-20.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are

Incorrect

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

70. What will follow if a Money Bill is

substantially amended by the Rajya

Sabha?

(a) The Lok Sabha may still proceed with

the Bill, accepting or not accepting the

recommendations the Rajya Sabha

(b) The Lok Sabha cannot consider the bill

further

(c) The Lok Sabha may send the Bill to the

Rajya Sabha for reconsideration

(d) The President may call a joint sitting for

passing the Bill

71. India is part of which the following Banks

1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

2. New Development Bank

3. European Bank for Reconstruction

and Development (EBRD)

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the Above

72. "O3b - "Other 3 billion", recently in news

stands for

(a) Population of the world where

broadband Internet is not currently

available

(b) Population of the world under poverty

(c) Population of the world without mobile

phones


73. Satpura tiger resevers is present in

(a) Gujarat

(b) Maharashtra

(c) Madhya Pradesh

(d) Uttar Pradesh

74. Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of The Sea) is joint

exercise between Navies of India

(a) Saudi Arabia

(b) Qatar

(c) Oman

(d) Iran

75. Consider the following about United

Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

1. It releases the State of World

Population-2019

2. The goal of UNFPA is ensure

reproductive rights for all.

Which of the above statements are correct?




15 | P a g e


(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

76. A deadlock between the Lok Sabha and the

Rajya Sabha calls for a joint sitting of the

Parliament during the passage of

1. Ordinary Legislation

2. Money Bill

3. Constitution Amendment Bill


given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

77. Consider the following statements:

1. The city of Dhaka was developed along

its banks as a prime trade centre.

2. The river was once admired by the

Mughals, for its strategic location for

defence.

3. At present, it is one of the most

polluted rivers in the world.

The above statements refer to which of the

following rivers:

(a) Padma River

(b) Meghna River

(c) Buriganga River

(d) Teesta River


regarding the Maternity Benefit Scheme:

1. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana

Yojana (PMMVY) is a maternity

benefit programme being

implemented in all districts of the

country.

2. All Pregnant Women and Lactating

Mothers (PW&LM), including

employees of the Central Government

or the State Governments or PSUs are

also covered under the scheme.

3. The eligible beneficiaries also receive

cash incentive of Rs. 6000 under

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).


is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

79. In the context of the Deposit Insurance,


1. If a bank goes bust in India, a

depositor has claim to a maximum of

Rs 1 lakh per account as insurance

cover.

2. The cover of Rs 1 lakh per depositor is

provided by the Insurance Regulatory

and development Authority (IRDA).

3. Cooperative Banks are excluded from

the Deposit Insurance Cover.

Which of the statement(s) is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only




16 | P a g e


80. Consider the following places which were

recently seen in news:

1. Jayakwadi Dam is located on the

Periyar River in Ernakulam district,

Kerala.

2. Willingdon Island is the largest

artificial island in India, which forms

part of the Elephanta Island, in the

state of Maharashtra.

Which of the following statement(s) given

above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

81. Consider the following

communities/groups and their region

1. Beni Amer - Sudan

2. Uighurs - China

3. Sidama - Yemen

4. Houthi - Ethiopia

Which of the above are correctly matched?

(a) 3 and 4 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 4 only


regarding Article 371.

1. It provides special provisions for the

states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

2. Under this, The President has special

responsibilities to establish separate

development boards for “Vidarbha,

Marathwada, and the rest of

Maharashtra”, and “Saurashtra and

Kutch in Gujarat”.

3. It ensures equitable arrangement

providing adequate facilities for

technical education and vocational

training, and adequate opportunities

for employment.


is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only.

(b) 2 and 3 only.

(c) 1, 2 and 3.

(d) 1 and 3 only.

83. Kimberly Process recently in news is

related to:

(a) To remove conflict diamonds from the

global supply chain

(b) Method to implement transparency in

Electoral Bonds

(c) Initiative to curb illegal arms trade

(d) To decrease import of Gold to control

Current Account Deficit

84. Consider the following regarding Nodal

Agencies for disaster management Disaster

Nodal Agency

1. Cyclones A. Indian Meteorological

Directorate

2. Earthquakes B. Indian Meteorological

Directorate

3. Floods C. Central Water

Commission




17 | P a g e


4. Chemical Disasters D. Council of

Scientific and Industrial Research

(CSIR)

Choose the correctly matched

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

85. The National Company Law Appellate

Tribunal (NCLAT) was established for

hearing appeals against the orders of

1. National Company Law Tribunal(s)

(NCLT)

2. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of

India

3. Competition Commission of India

(CCI).

Which of the above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) All the above


regarding Electoral Bonds in India:

1. Electoral bonds will allow donors to

pay political parties using banks as an

intermediary.

2. As per provisions of the Scheme,

electoral bonds may be purchased by a

citizen of India, or entities

incorporated or established in India.

3. Only the registered Political Parties

which have secured not less than six

per cent of the votes polled in the last

Lok Sabha elections or the State

Legislative Assembly are eligible to

receive the Electoral Bonds.


is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

87. The Suez Canal connects which of the

following seas?

(a) Red Sea and Caspian Sea

(b) Caspian Sea and Mediterranean Sea

(c) Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea

(d) Red Sea and Arabian Sea

88. With regards to Contempt of Court,


1. Civil contempt is a contempt is the

publication whether by words, spoken

or written, or by signs, or by visible

representation.

2. Criminal contempt is a ‘willful

disobedience to any judgment, decree,

direction, order, writ or other

processes of a Court or willful breach

of an undertaking given to the court’.

3. The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971,

very clearly states that fair criticism of

any case which has been heard and

decided is not contempt.


incorrect?




18 | P a g e


(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

89. Which one of the following is the best

description of the term 'ecosystem'?

(a) A community of organisms interacting

with one another.

(b) That part of the Earth which is

inhabited by living organisms.

(c) A community of organisms together

with the environment in which they live

(d) The flora and fauna of a geographical

area

90. INS Trikand which was recently seen in

news is a

(a) Submarine

(b) Light aircraft carrier

(c) Frigate

(d) Anti-submarine warfare


regarding Olive Ridleys:

1. The Olive ridley turtles are the most

abundant of all sea turtles found in the

world, inhabiting warm waters of the

Atlantic and Indian oceans only.

2. The species is listed as Vulnerable in

the IUCN Red List and Schedule 1 in

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

3. In India they are constrained to the

eastern coasts of Rushikulya River and

Gahirmatha coast of Odisha.


is/are correct?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

92. In the context of Bharat Stage Norms,


1. The Central Pollution Control Board

(CPCB) is responsible for deciding the

fuel standard in the country.

2. Government of India has decided to

roll on from BS-V norms to BS-VI

norms from April 2020.

3. On-board diagnostics (OBD) is

mandatory for all BS-VI automobiles

which is a sophisticated emission

control device for optimum efficiency

throughout the life of the vehicle.

Which of the statement given above is

correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) None

93. Which of the following is not a compulsory

feature of Panchayati Raj?

(a) Organisation of Gram Sabha

(b) Creation of a three-tier Panchayati Raj

Structure at the district, block and

Village levels

(c) Providing reservation for backward

Classes.

(d) Reservation for Women in Panchayats

up to 33% and reservation of Seats for

SC/ST, in Panchayats, in proportion to

their population.




19 | P a g e


94. With respect to Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh

(JSK) an autonomous body under Ministry

of Health and Family Welfare, consider the

following schemes:

1. Prerna Scheme

2. Santushti Scheme

3. National Helpline for information on

family planning

Which of the above schemes are

implemented by it:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above


1. The International Court of Justice is

the principal judicial organ of the

United Nations

2. The International Criminal Court is an

intergovernmental organization and

international tribunal that sits in The

Hague in the Netherlands.

3. India is a member of Permanent Court

of Arbitration.

Which of the statement(s) given above is

correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All the above

96. Recently in news, Europa is moon of

(a) Jupiter

(b) Mars

(c) Uranus

(d) Neptune

97. Consider the following pairs:

1. Garba : Gujarat

2. Mohiniattam : Odisha

3. Yakshagana : Karnataka

Which of the pairs given above is / are

incorrectly matched?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3


regarding ‘Sowa-Rigpa’

1. It is a discipline that is practiced

especially for self-defense, exercise,

and spiritual growth.

2. It is also called wushu or quanfa.

3. It originated from Mongolia and

popularly practiced in India, Nepal,

Bhutan, Mongolia and Russia.


is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3



regarding ‘Organoids’

1. Organoids are a group of cells grown

in laboratories into three-

dimensional, miniature structures that

mimic the cell arrangement of a fully-

grown organ.

2. Organoids are grown in the lab using

stem cells that can become any of the




20 | P a g e


specialised cells seen in the human

body, or from induced pluripotent

stem cells

3. Organoids of the brain, small

intestine, kidney, heart, stomach,

eyes, liver, pancreas, prostate, salivary

glands, and inner ear have been

successfully developed in the

laboratory.


is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3



Incorrect?

(a) Plague is also known as the "Black

Death".

(b) Plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia

pestis, a zoonotic bacterium usually

found in small mammals and their fleas.

(c) There is no anti-biotic treatment to

treat plague





21 | P a g e


ANSWER KEY

1 B 21 C 41 D 61 D 81 B

2 C 22 B 42 C 62 A 82 D

3 A 23 D 43 A 63 D 83 A

4 B 24 B 44 B 64 D 84 C

5 B 25 B 45 A 65 C 85 D

6 D 26 A 46 D 66 C 86 B

7 A 27 C 47 B 67 B 87 C

8 A 28 A 48 A 68 D 88 A

9 D 29 C 49 C 69 A 89 A

10 B 30 B 50 A 70 A 90 C

11 A 31 D 51 B 71 D 91 A

12 D 32 A 52 A 72 A 92 C

13 C 33 D 53 A 73 C 93 C

14 A 34 C 54 A 74 B 94 D

15 B 35 B 55 B 75 C 95 D

16 A 36 D 56 B 76 A 96 A

17 B 37 A 57 C 77 C 97 B

18 B 38 A 58 D 78 C 98 D

19 C 39 A 59 B 79 A 99 C

20 D 40 D 60 A 80 D 100 C



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