INDEX

1. POLITY

1.1 CAUVERY WATER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY AND WATER DISPUTES 24

1.2 TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT AMONG FIVE INSURGENT GROUPS OF ASSAM, CENTRE AND STATE 26

1.3 STEADY DECLINE IN LEFT WING EXTREMISM, ACCORDING TO MHA 27

2. ECONOMY

2.1 SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS : INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS 30

2.2 BIHAR’s DEMAND FOR A SPECIAL CATEGORY STATE 31

2.3 MINISTRY OF FINANCE’s GRANTS TO THE RURAL LOCAL BODIES 32

2.4 WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE 33

2.5 MINISTERIAL GROUP’s REPORT ON INTRODUCING A DIFFERENTIATED GST REGIME 36

2.6 VARIOUS INFRA PROJECTS AND TUNNELS IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR 37

2.7 NATIONAL ASSET RECONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED (NARCL) 38

2.8 RELIEF AND REFOMRS IN TELECOMS 40

3. ENVIRONMENT

3.1 BIHAR: GROUNDWATER ARSENIC CONTAMINATION 42

3.2 16TH SEPTEMBER: WORLD OZONE DAY FOR PRESERVATION OF OZONE LAYER 43

3.3. WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION’s UNITED IN SCIENCE 2021 REPORT 45

3.4 IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON EL NINO AND LA NINA 46

3.5 US-EU LED EFFORT TO CUT METHANE EMISSION: GLOBAL METHANE PLEDGE 48

3.6 MURA-DRAVA-DANUBE -FIRST FIVE COUNTRY BIOSPHERE RESERVE 49

3.7 IPCC’s REPORT HIGHLIGHT IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON PERMAFROST 51

3.8 DEEPOR BEEL DECLARED AS ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE 52

3.9 BLUE FLAG CERTIFICATION 54

4. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

4.1 ECONOMIC EMERGENCY IN SRI LANKA DUE TO RISING FOOD PRICES 56

4.2 BIDEN-MODI FIRST BILATERAL MEETING 57

4.3 FIRST 2+2 DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDIA-AURSTRALIA 59

4.4 AFGHANS OPPOSE FENCES ERECTED ALONG DURAND LINE 61

4.5 CEPA: INDIA – UAE 63

4.6 INDIA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA VIRTUAL MEETING FOR CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP 65

4.7 TRILATERAL SECURITY PARTNERSHIP FOR INDO-PACIFIC: AUKUS 66

4.8 INDIA-led UNSC resolution 2593 67

5. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5.1 WIPO’s GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX 69

5.2 EAT RIGHT INDIA MOVEMENT ; STATE FOOD SAFETY INDEX : FSSAI 70

5.3 AROMA MISSION AND FLORICULTURE MISSION 71

5.4 HOME MADE RICE WINE, JUDIMA OF ASSAM’s DIMASA TRIBE GETS GI TAG 73

6. SOCIAL ISSUES

6.1 POSHAN 2.0 74

6.2 BCG VACCINE AND TUBERCULOSIS(TB) 75

6.3 TRIBUTE TO V.O. CHIDAMBARAM PILLAI ON HIS 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY 77

6.4 ACHARYA VINOBHA BHAVE AND HIS CONTRIBUTION 78

6.5 CHICAGO 1893 ICONIC SPEECH OF SWAMI VIVEKANAND 80

6.6 ARTEFACTS AND ANTIQUITIES HANDED OVER TO INDIA BY USA INCLUDING NATARAJ 81

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PRELIMS BOOSTER

8th Meeting of Agricultural Experts of BIMSTEC Countries held

Highlights

• Meeting was attended by Agricultural Ministries from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar and Thailand.

• During this meet, Chairman highlighted the UN Food System Summit 2021 and transformational aspects that are happening across agriculture and food systems globally.

• He asked to enhance engagement and deepen cooperation amongst BIMSTEC Member States in the field of agriculture and allied sectors by encouraging exchange of students, experts, knowledge and germplasm.

• He further stressed on addressing biosafety and biosecurity concerns and promoting digital agriculture and trade of technologies in order to develop resilient agriculture, food systems & value chains.

• BIMSTEC Member States also appreciated greater engagement of India in offering six slots of scholarships for Master and PhD program in agriculture and other initiatives for capacity development & training.

About BIMSTEC

• BIMSTEC was founded in 1997 with the objective of pursuing mutual trade, connectivity & cultural, technical & economic development in the region. It earlier included six sectors viz., technology, trade, energy, transport, fisheries, and tourism. Sectors were later expanded to 14 areas of cooperation. Agriculture is one among the 14 sectors.

Significance of BIMSTEC

• It provides a unique link between South and South-East Asia. Five countries viz., India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are from South Asia while two countries viz., Myanmar and Thailand are from South-East Asia.

Background

• 1st meeting of the BIMSTEC agriculture Ministers was held on July 12, 2019 in Myanmar. During the meeting, a stronger agricultural cooperation was reiterated among BIMSTEC countries. This cooperation has become more significant amid the COVID-19 pandemic situation and its impacts on the food system.

India’s GDP growth accelerates to 20.1% in Q1 FY22

Highlights

• It reflects a very weak base in 2020, rebound in consumer spending, and improved manufacturing amidst the second wave of Covid cases.

• As per data, the Gross domestic product has increased to 20.1% in the three-month period as compared to contraction of 24.4% in the same quarter in 2020.

• GDP at Constant (2011-12) price in Q1 of 2021-22 was Rs 32.38 lakh crore as compared to Rs 26.95 lakh crore in Q1 of 2020-21.

• Quarterly GVA at Basic Price at Constant (2011-12) Prices for Q1 of 2021-22 was Rs 30.48 lakh crore as compared to Rs 25.66 lakh crore in Q1 of 2020-21 reflecting a growth of 18.8%.

• This is India’s fastest growth since the quarterly data started being released.

• This growth is bit slower than the projection of Reserve Bank of India (21.4%).

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Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

• Market value of all final goods and services that are produced within an economy is called as Gross Domestic Product. It is calculated in two ways:

o Nominal GDP– GDP at the current market prices is called as Nominal GDP. GDP is calculated in accordance with the market prices for the year for which the GDP is calculated.

o Real GDP– GDP at base year prices is called as real GDP. It is calculated in accordance with the market prices in the base year. It also negates the inflation in goods and services.

• In case of high rate of inflation, nominal GDP will be higher than the real GDP. But in case of deflation, real GDP will be e higher than the nominal GDP.

UNEP: Leaded petrol eradicated from the world

Highlights

• UNEP highlighted, this milestone will prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths and save over USD 2.4 trillion annually for world economies.

• This milestone was achieved century after doctors first issued warnings regarding the toxic effects of leaded petrol, Algeria (last country to use the fuel) exhausted the supplies in July 2021.

• It is a big milestone for global health and environment as well.

• UNEP also warned that, use of fossil fuel must still be drastically reduced, in general, to do away with the frightening effects of climate change.

Background

• During 1970s, almost all the gasoline that used to be sold worldwide contained lead. The UNEP launched its campaign called “Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV)” for eradication of ‘leaded petrol’ in 2002.

• Major economies including United States, China and India had already stopped using fuel in 2002.

• But, the situation in lower-income countries was critical. Concerns regarding the leaded petrol were first raised in 1924.

Impact of leaded petrol 1. Use of leaded petrol in transport sector is responsible for about quarter of energy-related

global 2. greenhouse gas emissions. It is set to grow to one third by the year 2050. 3. Leaded petrol causes major health problems like heart disease, stroke and cancer. 4. Leaded petrol also impacts the development of human brain.

Significance of eradication

• Eradication of leaded petrol is expected to support realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) like good health & well-being, clean water, clean energy, sustainable cities, climate action and life on land.

Vaccine scientist Dr Firdausi Qadri wins Ramon Magsaysay Award

Who is Dr Firdausi Qadri?

• Dr Qadri is an emeritus scientist at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR).

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• She is also a laureate of the 2020 L’Oréal-Unesco for Women in Science Award which was presented to her for her advocacy of early diagnoses and global vaccination & her work on understanding and preventing infectious diseases affecting children across developing countries.

When did she started medical research?

• She decided early on to pursue a career in medical research. She joined icddr,b in 1988 to focus her research on communicable diseases, immunology, vaccine development and clinical trials.

Challenging assignment

• The most difficult assignments before her were in the fight against cholera and typhoid. These two major diseases are prevalent in Bangladesh as well as in Asian and African nations with limited access to adequate water, sanitation, medical treatment and education. Dr Qadri played a key role in development of a more affordable oral cholera vaccine (OCV) as well as typhoid conjugate vaccine (ViTCV) for infants, children and adults.

Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives

• This institute was founded by her in 2014. It conducts biomedical research and runs training courses as well as a testing center.

• The institute has become a hub of scientific activity by local and visiting scientists in Bangladesh.

About Ramon Magsaysay Award

• Ramon Magsaysay Award is the highest honour in Asia. It was established in April 1957 and is widely regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Asia. The award is presented to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in eradication of poverty and development of the society in Asia.

IMF raises India's SDR allocation

Highlights

• SDR is an alternate reserve currency which is floated by the IMF.

• SDR can be freely exchanged between the member countries instead of relying on currency of any one particular country.

• IMF has increased India’s SDR quota to 12.57 billion. It is equivalent to $17.86 billion at the latest exchange rate.

Special Drawing Rights (SDR)

• SDR is neither a currency nor a claim on the IMF. It is a potential claim on freely usable currencies of the member countries. SDRs can be exchanged for these currencies among the members. It serves as the unit of account for IMF and other international organizations.

How SDR value is determined?

• Currency value of the SDR is calculated by summing the values of SDR basket of currencies in U.S. dollars on the basis of market exchange rates. It is calculated daily (except on IMF holidays or when IMF is closed for business).

• The valuation basket of SDR is reviewed and adjusted every five years. SDR basket of currencies

• SDR basket comprises of U.S. dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling and Chinese renminbi.

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International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• IMF is an organization comprising of 189 member countries. Each member is having representation on the IMF’s executive board in proportion of their financial importance. Thus, most powerful countries in global economy have the most voting power. IMF was conceived in July 1944 at a UN conference in Bretton Woods, United States.

BRICS Bank admits UAE, Bangladesh, Uruguay as new members

Key Points

• This first batch of new members were added to the bank as part of its expansion drive. New Development Bank

• New Development Bank was Launched in 2015 by (Fortaleza declaration) the BRICS Members- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It was formerly referred as “BRICS development bank”. It is headquartered in Shanghai.

• The first regional office of the NDB was set up in Johannesburg, South Africa while second regional office was established in 2019 in Brazil, followed by in Russia.

Function of the Bank

• The bank mobilizes resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the member countries as well as in other developing nations.

• It complements the existing efforts made by multilateral and regional financial institutions towards global growth and development.

Membership expansion

• NDB started it membership expansion and started formal negotiations with prospective members in 2020.

• Admission of the UAE, Uruguay and Bangladesh as Bank’s first new member countries, was approved after a round of successful negotiations.

NDB’s capital and projects

• The Bank has an authorized capital of USD 100 billion. It is open for subscription by members of the United Nations.

• NDB has approved about 80 projects in all of its member countries which amount to portfolio of USD 30 billion. Projects in areas of transport, water & sanitation, digital infrastructure, clean energy, social infrastructure and urban development are within the scope of NDB.

What is 5-star ‘Eat Right Station’ certification?

Highlights

• This certification was awarded for providing high-quality, nutritious food to passengers.

• It was awarded the certification after the conclusion of an FSSAI-empanelled third-party audit agency with ratings from 1 to 5.

• 5-star rating indicates exemplary efforts made by stations in ensuring that safe and hygienic food is available to passengers.

Which body is responsible for food supply?

• Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC) is the body responsible for food supply to the

• Railways. It also looks after the upgradation of railway stations. IRSDC has selected the Chandigarh Railway station to upgrade it on the line of World Class Railway Station.

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Eat Right Station certification

• The ‘Eat Right Station Certification’ was the part of the ‘Eat Right India’ movement. It is a large-scale effort made by FSSAI to transform food system in India in order to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.

• As per IRSDC, Eat Right India adopts a mix of regulatory, capacity building, collaborative, and empowerment approaches in ensuring that the food is suitable both for people as well as planet.

Which stations have got this certification?

• Chandigarh Railway Station has become the fifth station in India to receive this certification. Other stations with this certification include- Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station in Delhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, Mumbai Central Railway Station in Mumbai and Vadodara Railway Station in Vadodara.

NASA’s Mars Rover collected its First Rock Sample

Highlights

• Rock sample was termed as the perfect core sample by the Perseverance rover’s chief engineer, Adam Steltzner.

• In earlier attempt, Perseverance drilled into much softer rock to crumble the sample, but it didn’t get inside the titanium tube. Then the rover drove a half-mile for a better sampling spot to drill again.

• Perseverance arrived at the Jezero Crater of Mars in February 2021. The Jezero Crater is believed to be the home of a lush lake-bed and river delta billions of years ago.

• Thus, this mission was launched in search of rocks that could reveal about ancient life.

• NASA has planned to launch more spacecraft to get samples collected by Perseverance. About Mars 2020

• Mars 2020 is a ‘Mars rover mission’ under the NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. It comprises of rover Perseverance and a small robotic, coaxial helicopter Ingenuity. This mission was launched from Earth on July 30, 2020 on an Atlas V launch vehicle.

• It touched down the Martian crater Jezero on February 18, 2021.

• NASA named the landing site of the rover as Octavia E. Butler Landing on March 5, 2021. Perseverance and Ingenuity have been on Mars for 191 sols (196 total days) as of now.

What is Sol?

• Sol is a solar day on Mars. It is the apparent interval between two successive returns of the Sun to the same meridian as witnessed by observer on Mars. Sol is longer than the Earth Day by 24 hours, 39 minutes, 35 seconds.

Ladakh's New State animal and State bird

Key Points

• Ladakh adopted these species two years after it was separate Union created as a separate Union

• Territory (UT) from the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

• Snow leopard and black-necked crane are the designated State animal and State bird respectively

• from the date of issue of the notification.

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Black-Necked Crane

• Black-necked Crane are scientifically known as Grus nigricollis. It is a medium-sized crane found in Asia. It breeds on the Tibetan Plateau and remote parts of India & Bhutan. The crane is 139 cm long with a wingspan of 235 cm and weighs of 5.5 kg. It is whitish-grey in colour along with a black head, red crown patch, white patch to the rear of eye, black upper neck & legs.

• Some of its populations are known to make seasonal movements. It is respected in Buddhist traditions and is culturally protected in much of its range.

• In India, Black-necked crane are only found in Ladakh region. It was the State bird of J&K before it was made a UT in 2019. It is an endangered species.

Snow leopard

• Snow leopard is scientifically called as Panthera uncia. It is a felid of genus Panthera and is native to the mountain ranges in Central and South Asia. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List as its global population is lesser than 10,000 mature individuals. It is expected to decline by 10% by 2040.

• Poaching and habitat destruction are the biggest threat to them.

PM addresses plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF)

Key Points

• During the session, Prime Minister noted that, India-Russia energy partnership can bring stability in the global energy market. At the same time, International North-South Transport Corridor will bring both the countries closer.

• The plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) was held in Vladivostok. Background

• EEF is an international meet, held annually in Vladivostok in order to encourage foreign investments in the resource-rich but underdeveloped Far East region of Russia. Russia has actively engaged India to invest in this region, following which India had announced a $1-billion line of credit for the Far East during EEF 2019.

India-Russia cooperation

• Energy is one of the major pillars of India-Russia strategic partnership. Energy partnership between both the countries can help in bringing stability in the global energy market.

• Both the countries have also been making a Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor. This connectivity project and International North-South (Transport) Corridor will bring both the countries physically closer.

• India’s state-run Mazagon Docks Limited (India’s largest shipyards) will partner with Russian shipbuilding facility at Zvezda in order to build important commercial ships in the world.

• India and Russia are also partners in space exploration through the Gaganyaan programme.

• Both will also partner in opening the Northern Sea Route for international trade. Eastern Economic Forum

• EEF is an international forum organised each year in Vladivostok, Russia. It is held in a bid to encourage foreign investment in Russian Far East region. It was first held in September 2015, at Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.

• This forum is sponsored by the organizing committee appointed by Roscongress.

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What are AT1 bonds?

Key Points

• AT1 bonds were raised at a coupon rate of 7.72%.

• It the first such issuance in domestic market after the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) notified new rules.

• SBI has AAA credit rating from local credit agencies while the AT1 offering is rated AA+. This is the highest rating in India for such instruments.

• SBI was also the first lender to raise capital through offshore AT1 bonds in 2016.

• The latest issuance by SBI has encouraged other lenders such as Axis Bank to look after the offshore AT1 bond issue in order to raise about $1 billion.

Axis Bank Bond

• Axis Bank will use these proceeds for green and social projects. It has set an initial price guidance of 4.4% for the bonds. Axis Bank became the second Indian lender in 2021 to tap overseas debt markets to raise funds using AT1 bonds. HDFC Bank also raised $1 billion, recently.

SEBI Rule

• SEBI amended the 100-year valuation rule for perpetual bonds, in March 2021. As per new rules, deemed residual maturity period of Basel III AT-1 bonds will be 10 years until March 31, 2022.

• This period will be increased to 20 and 30 years in subsequent six-month period. According to new rule, from April 2023, residual maturity of AT-1 bonds will become 100 years from the date of issuance of these bonds.

What are AT1 bonds?

• AT1 bonds are also called perpetual bonds. They carry no maturity date but are having a call option.

• The issuer of these bonds may call or redeem the bonds in case it is getting money at a cheaper rate, especially when interest rates are decreasing.

India: 1st Asian Country to launch a Plastics pact

Key Points

• This new platform was developed by World-Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF India) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

• It will help to promote a circular system for plastics.

• New platform was launched by British High Commissioner to India, Alexander Ellis.

• It will bring together prominent enterprises on a national level in order to make pledges for the creation of a circular plastics system.

Aim of the pact

• Commitments under the pact are aimed at keeping plastic packaging in the economy and out of natural environment.

• It mentioned 17 businesses including major FMCG brands, manufacturers, retailers and recyclers who have committed with the pact as founding members. Nine businesses have joined as supporting organizations.

• The pact provides for time-bound targets of reducing, innovating and re-imagining plastic packaging.

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• It aims to define a list of unnecessary or problematic plastic packaging & items and take measures to address these problems with the help of redesign and innovation, by 2030.

• Under the pact, 100 per cent of plastic packaging will be made reusable or recyclable, 50 per cent of plastic packaging will be effectively recycled and 25 per cent average recycled content will be made across all plastic packaging.

Plastic waste in India

• India generates about 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. Out of this, 40 per cent are not collected. In India, half of all plastics production are used in packaging and most of it is single use plastic.

Who provide support to plastic pacts?

• UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and WRAP fully support the plastic pact in India. They also support plastics pacts in Europe, US, Australia, and Africa.

Centre set to sign a tripartite ‘Karbi Peace Accord’

Highlights

• This accord is significant because insurgency by Karbi group has a long history in Assam which is

• marked by killings, ethnic violence, abductions and taxations since 1980s.

• Karbi is a major ethnic community in Assam and are dotted by several factions and splinters.

• About 200 Karbi terrorists will be present while signing of the agreement. These 200 Karbi terrorists

• are part of 1,040 terrorists who surrendered before the Assam government in February 2021. Background

• Around 1,040 terrorists from five insurgent groups of Karbi Anglong district ceremonially put down their arms at an event in Guwahati in February, in the presence of then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

• This development further bolstered the ‘terrorism-free Assam’ image of present BJP-led government.

• Surrendered terrorists belong to Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK) and Kuki Liberation Front (KLF).

• They had come to surrender their weapons a year after signing of Bodo Peace Accord to end the long-run violence in Bodoland.

Bodoland Region

• Bodoland region is an autonomous territorial region, administered by the Bodoland Territorial Council, which is an elected body. Bodo Accord was first signed in 2003 in a bid to maintain peace in the region.

• In 2020, it was extended by central government. How these different outfits originated?

• These outfits were originated from the core demand of establishing a separate state. Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) is an autonomous district council, which is protected under Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

• Karbi National Volunteers and Karbi People’s Force joined together to form United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) in 1990s. UPDS put down arms and signed a tripartite memorandum of settlement, in November 2011, with Centre and Government of Assam in return of enhanced autonomy and special packages for the KAAC.

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Karbi Anglong Peace Accord- Highlights

• The historic tripartite Karbi Anglong Accord was signed on September 4, 2021 between the government of India, government of Assam and six factions of the Karbi.

Key facts

• As per the accord, the armed groups shall shun their path of violence, surrender their weapons and disband their organizations within one month of the date of signing of the Karbi Anglong Peace Accord.

• Under it, all camps occupied by karbi groups shall be vacated right after.

• Thousands of militants would return to the mainstream and will also lay down about 300 sophisticated arms they possess.

Salient features of this agreement

• The agreement provides that, the Government of Assam will consider favourably a proposal of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to notify Karbi as official language of KAAC.

• English, Hindi and Assamese will continue to be used as official languages.

• Government of India will allocate Rs 500 crore (Rs 100 crore a year) to development KAAC.

• Government of Assam will allocate Rs 500 crore for the development projects that will be taken up as part of special package.

• Army, paramilitary forces and police will have to organise a special drive to recruit the Karbi youth.

• Non-heinous cases filed against the armed groups will be withdrawn by the Assam government in accordance with the law. However, the call for heinous cases will be taken on a case-to-case basis.

• Assam government will be providing financial compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each of the next of kin of persons who lost their lives in agitations demanding autonomous State.

Institutional Mechanism

• As per agreement, an institutional mechanism will be set up to coordinate between government of Assam and KAAC on periodical basis in order to resolve issues of mutual concern such as pending legislature, financial transactions and flow of revenue.

Deity is owner of land attached to temple: SC

Supreme Court’s ruling

• According to the bench, a priest cannot be treated as Bhumiswami (owner of land).

• The priest holds the land just for the management of property of the temple.

• SC bench noted that, ownership column only requires the name of the deity alone because deity as a juristic person is the owner of the land.

• Occupation of the land is also by the deity which is carried out by servant or managers in behalf of the deity. Thus, name of the manager or priest is not required to be mentioned in the column of occupier.

SC’s stand on priests

• According to the bench, law clearly notes that Pujari is not a tenant in cultivation (Kashtkar Mourushi) or a government lessee or ordinary tenant of the land exempted from payment of revenue (maufi lands).

• But he holds such land on behalf of Aukaf Department (relating to Devasthan) for its management.

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• Priest is only a grantee to manage the property of the deity. Such grantees can be reassumed if he fails to do the task assigned to him such as to offer prayers and manage the land.

Can collector be the manager of property?

• SC bench notes that, name of the Collector as manager cannot be recorded with respect to the property vested in the deity because Collector cannot be a manager of all temples unless the temple is vested with the State.

Background

• PIL was filed by Madhya Pradesh against an order of High Court that put down the two circulars issued by state government under the MP Law Revenue Code, 1959. Both the circulars ordered to delete the names of priests from the revenue record in order to protect the temple properties from unauthorized sale by priests.

MSP increased for all Rabi crops for 2022-23

Highlights

• MSP was increased for the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2022-23 with the aim of realigning MSPs in favour of pulses, oilseeds, and coarse cereals. The Differential remuneration aims to encourage crop diversification.

Benefits of increased MSP

• This move will encourage farmers to shift to larger area under these crops and adopt best

• technologies & farm practices in order to correct the demand-supply imbalance.

• With this step, government seeks to ensure remunerative prices for the growers for farmer’s

produce.

MSP rate

• Highest absolute increase in MSP has been recommended. MSP has been increased by Rs 400 per quintal on each of lentil, rapeseeds and mustard. On gram, it was increased by Rs 130 per quintal while in case of safflower, it was increased by Rs 114 per quintal as compared to MSP in 2020.

Background

• MSP for Rabi crops for RMS 2022-23 was increased in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement. In budget it was announced to fix the MSPs at the level of at least 1.5 times of the all-India weighted average cost of production.

Other Steps by Government 1. National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

Government announced this centrally sponsored scheme recently to help in increasing the domestic production of edible oils and reduce imports dependency. It was announced with a total outlay of Rs 11,040 crore. Scheme will aid farmers in expanding area and productivity of the sector and benefit them by increasing their income and generation of additional employment.

2. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) This scheme was announced in 2018 to aid farmers in providing remunerative return for their produce. It has three sub-schemes namely, Price Support Scheme (PSS), Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPSS) and Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS).

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Tamil Nadu-Denmark plan energy island in Gulf of Mannar

Key points

• This plan was made as Tamil Nadu is looking to expand its footprint in the green energy sector.

• To achieve this target, Denmark is likely to invest $5-10 billion in the renewable energy sector in the state. It also includes investment for an energy island in the Gulf of Mannar.

• With this investment, island would be able to produce 4-10 GW of energy. Background

• A delegation of experts from Denmark met Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin on September 8, 2021 to discuss the plan. If the plan materialises, it will be India’s first offshore floating wind park.

• Tangedco Solar power projects

• Tamil Nadu and Denmark made their plan for the investments, days after the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) announced to launch 20,000 Mw of solar power projects with adequate battery storage, 2,000 Mw of gas-based power units and 3,000 Mw of pumped storage hydroelectric projects.

• These projects will require loans of about Rs 1.32 trillion. Denmark’s investment in Tamil Nadu

• Value of Danish investment in Tamil Nadu in the period of January 2003 to January 2021 is estimated at $ 751.72 million. Some of the Danish companies operating in Tamil Nadu include Maersk, Vestas, Cubic, Danfoss, Grundfos, and FLSmidth.

India-Danish cooperation

• Around 200 Danish companies are operating in other parts of India, including Ramboll, A.P. Moller Maersk, and Novo-Nordisk. In the last decade, Denmark has invested more than $1 billion in India.

• Indian companies operating in Denmark include Tata Consultancy Services, ITC Infotech, Infosys Technologies and L&T Infotech.

Finance Ministry releases Revenue Deficit Grants to States

Highlights

• Grants were released on the recommendations of 15th Finance Commission to 17 states for 2021-22.

• Grants were released in accordance with the Article 275 of the Indian constitution. Under, article 275, post devolution revenue deficit grant is provided to the states.

• Grants are released on the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission in monthly instalments in order to meet the gap in revenue accounts of the states post-devolution.

• This sixth monthly instalment was released by the Department of Expenditure.

• In the current fiscal year, a total amount of Rs 59,226 crores has been released for eligible states, as of now.

Who decide the eligibility of states?

• Eligibility of states for receiving this grant and quantum of the grant are decided by finance commission on the basis of gap between assessment of revenue and expenditure of the state. Commission also takes into account the assessed devolution for the respective financial year.

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Which states received grants this year?

• Fifteenth Finance Commission recommended names of the states to receive the Grant. They include- Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

15th finance commission recommendation

• The Fifteenth Finance Commission has recommended a total revenue deficit Grant of Rs 1,18,452 crore for 17 states in 2021-22. Out of this, Rs 59,226 crore that is 50 per cent has been released so far.

Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant

• Revenue deficit grant of Post devolution revenue deficit grant is provided to the States under Article 275 of the Constitution. Grants are released in accordance with the recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission in monthly installments. It is provided to meet the gap in Revenue Accounts post devolution.

World’s largest plant to suck CO2 from air starts in Iceland

Key Points

• This plant has been named as Orca, after the Icelandic word “orka”, meaning energy.

• The plant comprises of four units. Each of the units are made up of two metal boxes. They are similar to the containers used for maritime transport, in appearance.

Who constructed the plant?

• Orca plant has been constructed by Switzerland’s Clime works and Iceland’s Carbfix. Plant’s capacity

• When the plant will operate at its full capacity, it will draw 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from air every year. As per US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this amount is equal to the emissions from about 870 cars.

How CO2 will be collected?

• In order to collect the CO2, Orca plant uses fans to draw air into the collector comprising of filter material inside.

• Once the filter material is filled with carbon dioxide, collector is closed and temperature is raised to release the carbon dioxide from the material. Following this process, highly concentrated gas can be collected. Collected CO2 is mixed with water and are injected at a depth of 1,000 metres into nearby basalt rock where it is petrified.

Significance of the plant

• As per the proponents of carbon capture and storage (CCS), these technologies can become a major tool towards the fight against climate change.

What are the concerns?

• This technology is still prohibitively expensive and will take decades to operate at larger

scale.

Iran to allow nuclear surveillance by IAEA

Highlights

• Iran has allowed the international inspectors to install new memory cards into surveillance cameras across its sensitive nuclear sites and to continue filming there,

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• This announcement was made by Mohammad Eslami of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

• Currently, Tehran holds all recordings at its sites in the backdrop of negotiations over the U.S. and Iran returning to the 2015 nuclear deal got stalled in Vienna.

• Iran is now enriching small amounts of uranium to its closest levels to weapons-grade purity because its stockpile continues to increase.

IAEA – Iran Deal over Nuclear Inspections

• Iran and IAEA had agreed over temporary measures to offset decision of Iran to restrict access to inspectors.

• Iran’s Parliament passed a lew in 2020 and demanded the suspension of some inspections in case USA failed to lift sanctions. Under the deal, Iran will stop the implementation of voluntary measures in accordance with 2015 nuclear deal. However, it will continue to implement its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.

Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement

• Under this agreement, IAEA has the right & obligation to ensure that safeguards are applied on all nuclear material in the territory or jurisdiction or control of the State.

• Under it, no access will be given to IAEA beyond safeguards of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran would also deny the IAEA real-time access to footage from surveillance cameras.

2015 Nuclear Deal

• This deal was agreed between Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers namely USA, UK, China, France, Russia, and Germany in 2015. It was named as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

• Under this deal, Iran had agreed to curb its nuclear activity in return of lifting of sanctions and access to global trade.

Centre allows 11 states to borrow Rs 15721 crore from market

Highlights

• States that have been allowed to borrow include- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

• Additional open market borrowing permission equivalent to 0.25% of their Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was granted.

• Additional financial resources will help these states to push their capital expenditure further.

Multiplier effect

• Capital expenditure is having a high multiplier effect. It will enhance the future productive capacity of economy and also result in higher rate of economic growth.

Net borrowing ceiling

• Out of total net borrowing ceiling of 4% of GSDP, about 0.50% of GSDP has been kept for incremental capital expenditure to be incurred by states during FY22.

Who fixes the target?

• Target of incremental capital expenditure for each state in order to qualify for the additional borrowing is fixed by the Department of Expenditure.

What was the target?

• To be eligible for additional borrowing, states were required to achieve around 15% of the target by June quarter, 45% by September quarter, 70% by December quarter and 100% by March quarter of FY22.

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Why states require centre’s permission while borrowing?

• Article 293(3) of the Constitution provides for states to require Centre’s permission in order to borrow additional funds. This permission is granted after fulfilling certain conditions provided by Article 293(4).

• Centre has been exercising this power as per recommendations of the Finance Commission.

WPI inflation increases to 11.39 per cent in August

Highlights

• Inflation in August got reversed from the easing trend of two months (June and July).

• WPI remained in double-digit for the fifth consecutive month.

• In July 2021, WPI inflation was 11.16 per cent.

• WPI inflation was at 0.41 per cent, in August 2020.

• Retail inflation has softened to a four-month low of 5.3 per cent in August as compared to 5.59 per cent in the previous month.

Why WPI increased in August?

• High rate of inflation in August 2021 is basically due to increase in prices of non-food articles, crude petroleum & natural gas, mineral oils, manufactured products such as basic metals, textiles, food products, chemicals & chemical products etc as compared to corresponding month in 2020.

Food inflation

• Inflation in food articles decreased for the fourth straight month. It was recorded as (-) 1.29 per cent in August 2021 as compared to zero per cent in July 2021. For instance, inflation in onions was high at 62.78 per cent whereas in pulses was 9.41 per cent. For vegetables it was recorded as (-) 13.30 per cent in August 2021. Inflation in crude petroleum and natural gas was at 40.03 per cent.

Retail inflation

• The Reserve bank of India (RBI) mainly takes into account the retail inflation. In the monetary policy of August 2021, RBI has kept interest rates unchanged at record lows. RBI projected Consumer Price Index (CPI) or retail inflation at 5.7 per cent for the year 2021-22.

Cabinet approves relief package for Telecom Companies

Highlights

• Cabinet has also allowed 100 percent foreign investment (FDI) through the automatic route.

• Overall, nine structural reforms have been approved for the telecom sector.

• These measures are expected to relax the cash flow issues that some of the telecom industry is facing.

Definition of AGR

• Definition of AGR has been a major cause for stress in the telecom sector. Its definition has now been rationalized by excluding the non-telecom revenue of telecom companies. AGR are the revenues, considered for payment of statutory dues.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

• Any investment made from an individual or firm of a foreign country into a country is called Foreign Direct Investment.

• When a foreign company acquires ownership or controlling stake in shares of a company in one country or establishes businesses there, is called as FDI. It is different than the foreign

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portfolio investment in which foreign entity just buys equity shares of a company. Foreign entity gets a day-to-day say in operations of the company under FDI.

FDI routes in India

• Automatic Route FDI: In this route of FDI, foreign entity does not require prior approval of the government or the RBI. For example, FDI in Medical devices, Thermal power, Services under Civil Aviation Services like Maintenance & Repair Organizations etc does not require prior approval.

• Government Route FDI: Under this route of FDI, foreign entity is required to compulsorily take approval of the government. To get the approval, it should first file an application through Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal. Then this application is forwarded to the respective ministry or department, which lastly approves or rejects the application in consultation with the DPIIT.

September 15: International Day of Democracy

Theme of the day

• Theme of International Day of Democracy for year 2021 is “Strengthening democratic resilience in the face of future crises”.

Background

• International Day of Democracy was established in 2007 by a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

• It owes its existence to the Universal Declaration on Democracy, that was adopted on September 15, 1997 by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

• IPU is an international organisation of national parliaments.

• Following this, Qatar led efforts to promote this day.

• Finally, on November 8, 2007, this day was established.

• UNGA’s resolution of establishing the day is titled as “Support by United Nations system of efforts of governments to promote and consolidate a new or restored democracies.”

Why this day is celebrated on September 15?

• IPU had suggested to celebrate this occasion on September 15, every year in order to commemorate the adoption of Universal Declaration on Democracy 10 years ago. First such celebration was held in 2008.

• Every year, events are organized under an individual theme. Significance of the day

• United Nations notes that, the International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review “state of democracy” worldwide. Democracy is a process as a goal which can be made into a reality only with the full participation of international community. Essential elements of democracy include: values of freedom, respect for human rights and holding periodic & genuine elections by universal suffrage.

AUKUS: New security partnership for Indo-Pacific

Highlights

• This security grouping called AUKUS, will focus towards advancing strategic interests in the Indo- Pacific region.

• Officials noted that, the trilateral grouping was security focused and is different but complementary to arrangements like the Quad.

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Features of the partnership

• The central feature of this partnership comprises of a trilateral 18-month effort in order to help Australia in acquiring nuclear powered submarines which are quieter, more capable as compared to their conventional counterparts.

• Such submarines can be deployed for longer periods and needing to surface less frequently.

• These are nuclear powered submarines and not armed with nuclear weapons.

• AUKUS will also involve a new architecture of meeting and engagements between three countries.

• It also involves the cooperation across emerging technologies like AI, quantum technologies as well as undersea capabilities.

Why this partnership came into picture?

• Australia has felt increasing pressure from assertive China, like other countries in the region felt. So, Australia has sought to strengthen its partnerships with India, the U.S., the U.K. and Japan as well as through other plurilateral forums.

• Though QUAD is there but according to the officials, QUAD is not a response to China.

• However, this initiative was launched in response of Australia wanting to strengthen its feet with regard to maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Background

• AUKUS partnership is a very rare because U.S. shared this kind of technology on nuclear powered submarines only once to UK, before sharing it with Australia.

Cabinet approves Eklavya Model Residential School

Key points

• Eklavya Model Residential School will be constructed at the Majjivalasa village of Araku Valley mandal in Visakhapatnam district.

• Cabinet has also decided to allot 53.45 acres of land to Yogi Vemana University at Masapeta village of Rayachoti mandal. Land will be given for its Post-Graduate Centre.

• 59 acres of land was allocated to L.V. Prasad Eye Institute at Putlampalli village of Kadapa mandal.

• Cabinet also approved the proposal of setting up a new Law and Order Police Station in Kasinayana mandal of Kadapa district as well as an agriculture polytechnic college at Thogaram village of Amadalavalasa mandal.

Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)

• EMRS is a government scheme for the construction of model residential school for Indian tribals that is Scheduled Tribes across India. This scheme was started by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

• It was introduced in the year 1997-98. The scheme seeks to ensure that tribal students get access to quality education in their remote tribal areas.

Which article empowers the govt to fund this scheme?

• EMRSs are set up in States and UTs with government’s grants in accordance with the Article 275(1) of the Constitution.

Which blocks can set up EMRs?

• According to budget 2018-19, blocks having 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have to set up Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.

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Cabinet approves decks for NARCL

Highlights

• This proposal requires the government to guarantee Security Receipts (SR) issued by NARCL, while buying non-performing assets (NPAs) from banks.

• This move will clear the path for launching NARCL. Who issue security receipts?

• Security Receipts (SR) are issued by Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) when NPAs of the commercial banks (CB) or financial institutions (FI) are acquired by the ARCs for recovery.

About National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL)

• NARCL is a type of Bad Bank that are set up to resolve the problem of bad loans which are impacting the public sector banks. They take over the stressed assets of lenders. Proposal to create NARCL was announced in the Budget for 2021-22. It is having a public sector character because e idea is mooted by the government and majority ownership is likely to rest with state-owned banks.

Who Sponsored NARCL?

• NARCL is primarily sponsored by Canara Bank. Canara Bank is likely to take 12% equity stake in NARCL.

• NARCL also has equity participation by other nationalised banks. Functions of NARCL

• NARCL will buy bad loans from banks and issue security receipts (SR) to them for up to 85%. Remaining 25% will be provided in cash. These receipts can be redeemed as and when the ARC recovers a particular loan.

About Bad Bank

• Bad-banks are the entities that houses the bad loans or the non-performing assets of banks and liquidates them in order to recover money.

World Bank Group to stop publishing ‘Doing Business’ report

Highlights

• This decision was taken in the backdrop of probe of data irregularities allegedly because the pressure by top bank officials, for boosting China’s ranking in 2017, came to light.

• World bank also noted that, it will remain firmly committed towards advancing the role of private sector in development and providing support to governments in order to design the regulatory environment that supports this.

• World Bank will now be working on a new approach of assessing the business and investment climate.

Trust in research

• According to World Bank, trust in the research is vital. World Bank Group research informs about the actions of policymakers and helps countries in making better-informed decisions. It also allows stakeholders in measuring economic and social improvements accurately. Research has also been a valuable tool for private sector, academia, civil society, journalists etc in broadening their understanding of global issues.

What is the issue?

• Data irregularities were reported on Doing Business 2018 and 2020 internally in June 2020. Following this, World Bank management stopped the next edition of Doing Business report and initiated a series of reviews & audits of the report along with its methodology.

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Doing Business 2020 report

• According to Doing Business 2020 report, India had jumped 14 places in the ease of doing business ranking, to the 63rd position. It has improved the rank by 79 positions over five years that is, in between 2014 to 2019.

45th GST Council Meeting-Highlights

Highlights

• Issue of Petrol & Diesel was discussed as Kerala High Court had questioned it. However, Council

• decided not to put petrol and diesel under GST.

• In the meeting, concessional GST rates on Covid-19 related medicines were also announced, which

• are applicable till September 30. Now, the date has been extended till December 31, 2021. Key Decisions

1. Concessional GST rates on drugs used in COVID-19 treatment extended till Dec 31. 2. Tax rates on medicines used in cancer treatment was cut from 12 pc to 5 pc. 3. GST rate on biodiesel for blending it with diesel was reduced from 12 pc to 5 pc. 4. Inverted duty structure on footwear & textiles will be corrected from January 1, 2022. 5. It is not the correct time to bring petroleum products under GST regime. 6. A Group of state ministers (GoM) will be established to look after the rate rationalisation

related issues. GoM will be making recommendations in 2 months. 7. E-commerce operators Swiggy & Zomato will come under GST regime. They are now required

to pay GST on restaurant service supplied through them, since tax is charged at point of delivery. Earlier, restaurants used to pay the tax.

8. Another GoMs will be set up in order to look after issues of e-way bills, FASTAGs, compliances, technology, plugging of loopholes, composition schemes etc.

Two more Indian beaches gets International Blue Flag certification

Key Points

• Blue flag certification is an international eco-level tag.

• With the addition of two beaches, the total number of such beaches in India have reached to 10.

• Two beaches that received the certification in 2021 are Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry.

• Blue Flag recertification was also done for eight nominated beaches namely, Shivrajpur in Gujarat, Ghoghla in Diu, Kasarkod & Padubidri in Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, Golden in Odisha and Radhanagar in Andaman & Nicobar. All these beaches were awarded this certificate in the year 2021.

Blue Flag certification

• Beaches with Blue Flag certification are considered as the cleanest beaches across the world. It is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels that are awarded to beaches, marinas, as well as sustainable boating tourism operators. Blue flag certification programme was launched in 1985 in France.

What are the Criteria for Certification?

• To certify a beach with blue flag certification, a series of stringent environmental, educational, accessibility & safety criteria is checked. There are 33 such criteria that are

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required to be met in a bid to qualify for a Blue Flag certification. Criteria include water meeting certain quality standards, being disabled- friendly, having waste disposal facilities, having first aid equipment etc. Some of these criteria are voluntary and some are compulsory.

Who gives this certification?

• The Blue Flag Certification Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, nongovernmental & non-profit organisation called “Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)”.

India to become trans fat-free by 2022

Key Points

• In India, only 1.34 percent of the newly tested processed food samples shows more than the permissible levels of ingredients.

• FSSAI cited pan-India survey results and dismiss the perception of excessive use of industrial trans fats in processed food products.

• India has mandated to reduce the limit of industrially produced trans fats to 2 per cent in order make India free from the industrially produced trans fats by 2022, one year ahead of the WHO guidelines.

About the survey of FSSAI

• To test compliance by the industry, the FSSAI collected 6,245 samples of processed foods, in association with the Quality Council of India. Samples were collected from six predefined categories in 419 cities. As per survey, 34% of 6,000 processed food samples were high in fats 3% of packaged food item samples comprises of over 2% trans fat

WHO guidelines on Trans Fat

• According to WHO, Increased intake of trans fat that is, more than 1% of total energy intake, increases the risk of coronary heart disease mortality.

Casualties due to trans fat

• Trans fat intake is associated with 5,00,000 premature deaths worldwide, due to coronary heart disease each year.

About Trans fat

• Trans fat is considered as the worst type of fat. Unlike other dietary fats, trans fat or trans-fatty acids increases bad cholesterol and lowers the good cholesterol. A diet comprising of trans fat increases the risk of heart disease.

IPCC report: Sea level rise is certain

Key Points

• IPCC report provides one of the most expansive scientific reviews on science and impacts of climate change.

• It discussed five different shared socio-economic pathways for future with different levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It illustrated following scenarios- 1. Very low and low GHG emissions– Here, emissions decline to net zero around the middle

of the century. Beyond this, emissions are net negative. 2. Intermediate GHG emissions- Emissions are double the current level by 2100. 3. High and very high emissions– Here, emissions are double the current levels by 2050. In

the intermediate scenario, Average warming is likely to exceed 2°C near mid-century.

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Average global temperature is currently 1.09°C higher than pre-industrial levels while the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is 410 ppm as compared to 285 ppm in 1850.

Concerns of rising sea level

• About 700 million people across the world live along the coast and the plans to expand coastal cities still continue.

• Thus, understanding of the risks involved from climate change and rising sea level is crucial in 21st and 22nd centuries.

• Sea level will continue to rise even after emissions are no longer increasing, because oceans respond slowly to warming.

• Global mean sea level (GMSL) increased by 0.2m in between 1901 and 2018.

• Average rate of sea level rise was 1.3 mm/year in between 1901-1971 and increased to 3.7 mm/year in the year 2006-2018.

How Sea level increases?

• Sea level rises due to the expansion of warm ocean waters, melting of ice sheets in Greenland & Antarctica and melting of glaciers on land.

India-UAE negotiations for Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Highlights

• First round of CEPA negotiations will be held on September 23 and 24.

• Both the countries aim to conclude the negotiations by December 2021.

• Once the negotiations are concluded, they will sign a formal agreement in March 2022 after completing the internal legal procedures and ratification.

Significance of CEPA

• India and the UAE are each other’s largest trading partners. CEPA will help in enhancing the bilateral trade and investment flows. This agreement will also assist in post-Covid economic recovery and future economic growth of both the countries. It will create new job opportunities, boost living standards, and improve general welfare of the people of both the countries.

India-UAE Economic Relations

• The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner, having a bilateral trade of $59 billion in Financial Year 2020.

• UAE is also the second-largest export destination of India, after the US. Its exports are valued at around $29 billion in FY20. India is also the second-largest trading partner of UAE, as of 2019 with bilateral non-oil trade is valued at $41 billion.

• UAE is also the eighth-largest investor in India, that invested $11 billion in between April 2000 to March 2021. Investment by Indian companies in the UAE is valued at around $85 billion.

India’s export to UAE

• Major exports to the UAE comprise of stones, petroleum products, precious metals, gems and jewellery, minerals, food items like sugar, cereals, fruits & vegetables, meat, tea, meat & seafood, textiles, chemicals and engineering & machinery products. India imports crude petroleum and petroleum products, precious metals, minerals, stones, gems & jewellery, chemicals & wood and wood products from UAE.

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China Evergrande Debt Crisis- Things to Know

Key Points

• As per Rushi Advanced Institute of Finance, condominium prices in Shenzhen city are now 57 times greater than the average annual income and 55 times greater than the income in Beijing.

• Prices in China are much greater than the Japan’s bubble economy in 1990, when Tokyo condos were 18 times greater than the average annual income.

• Homes are beyond the reach of average households while investors fear President Xi Jinping could take measures to cool the bubble, especially in light of his “common prosperity campaign” that envisions a more equitable economy in which fruits of development are widely shared.

What are the concerns?

• Such moves increase the risk of puncturing the bubble and trigger a downward spiral, making a soft-landing imperative. If this situation is mishandled; it could push the China into an economic downturn.

Red Lines in China

• In 2020, People’s Bank of China had put out three “red lines” that major real estate developers needed to be careful about in terms of their financial status. Central bank sought to make it difficult for developers to increase leverage by forcing real estate companies to stay within a debt-to-asset ratio.

Common Prosperity campaign

• In August 2021, China had launched a political campaign on the theme of “common prosperity”. It aims to tackle inequality in China. Major element of the inequality in China is the money that wealthy make through real estate speculation.

India is Dubai's second biggest trade partner

Key Points

• As per a statement of Dubai government, Dubai had a trade volume of 86.7 billion dirham with China in H1 (first half) of 2021. It is followed by India and the U.S. respectively at second and third positions.

• Trade with India has increased by 74.5% year-on-year to 67.1 billion dirhams in 2021 from 38.5 billion dirham in H1 of year 2020.

• China recorded a growth of 30.7% growth year-on-year. It is having a total trade of 66.3 billion dirhams with Dubai in H1 2021.

• In H1 2021, the US traded 32 billion dirhams with Dubai. This amount has increased by 1% year-onyear from 31.7 billion dirhams in 2020.

• Saudi Arabia was placed at fourth position with the trade value of 30.5 billion dirhams. It has increased by 26% as compared to H1 quarter of 2020.

• Saudi Arabia is followed by Switzerland with trade volume of 24.8 billion dirham. Total share of trade partners

• Total share of the five biggest trade partners in H1 of 2021 amounted to 241.21 billion dirhams as compared to 185.06 billion dirhams in H1 of 2020. It has increased by 30.34%.

Which commodities topped the list of trade?

• Gold topped the list of commodities in H1 external trade of Dubai, amounting to 138.8 billion dirhams.

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• It accounts for 19.2% of Dubai trade. Gold is followed by telecoms amounting to 13% of total trade. It is followed by Diamonds, jewellery and vehicle trade. Non-oil external trade of Dubai has increased by 31% in the first half of 2021.

What is Dark Energy?

Highlights

• Dark energy is a mysterious form of energy, making up about 68% of the universe. This energy has intrigued physicists as well as astronomers for decades.

• Researchers noticed some unexpected results in an underground experiment and noted that. Dark energy may be responsible for it.

The XENON1T Experiment

• XENON1T experiment is the most sensitive dark matter experiment in the world. It was operated deep underground at INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy. Finding of the experiment suggests that experiments like XENON1T could be used to detect dark energy.

What is Dark energy?

• Dark energy makes up about 68% of the universe. 27% of the universe is made up of dark matter while planets, moons & massive galaxies make up only 5% of the universe. Dark matter attracts & holds galaxies together on the other hand, dark energy repels & causes the expansion of universe.

How dark energy was detected?

• While conducting the XENON1T experiment, researchers reported an unexpected signal. There was some background noise and the electrons in XENON1T move a bit on their own even with no dark matter or dark energy around due to the noise. This excess was probably caused by the dark energy.

When dark energy can be directly detected?

• As per researchers, upcoming upgrades to the XENON1T experiment and similar experiments like LUXZeplin could help in detecting the dark energy directly.

Gold and Social Stock Exchanges- Key Facts

Key facts

• With this approval, SEBI has made it easier for start-up founders to retain control.

• SEBI also eased merger and acquisitions (M&A) norms for listed companies. Which entities would be counted?

• According to SEBI, following entities would be counted as related parties: o People or entities that are part of promoter group o Entity withholding of 20% or more in a listed entity, either as beneficia; owner or

directly during the preceding fiscal. o Entities withholding of 10% or more starting April 1, 2023.

Definition of RPTs

• Definition of related party transactions (RPTs) will comprise of deals between listed entities or any of the units of entities with a related party.

Approval of shareholder

• As per SEBI norms, approval of shareholders will be required in advance for material RPTs or for the deals which have a threshold value of either Rs 1,000 crore or 10% of the consolidated annual revenue of company, whichever is lower.

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• Any transaction, which is benefiting a related party directly or indirectly, would require approval of audit committee and shareholders of the listed firm.

Spot trading of gold

• SEBI also approved the framework for spot trading of gold in India. It allows vault managers to accept gold deposits and issue securities called “electronic gold receipts (EGRs)”. These EGRs can be traded on exchanges and will have clearing and settlement features like other securities.

NASA’s Lucy Mission- Key Facts

Key Points

• Spacecraft will be launched from “Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida” on October 16, 2021.

• This spacecraft would obtain new insights into the formation of solar system 4.5 billion years ago.

• The spacecraft has been named as Lucy. It was named after an ancient fossil which provided insights into the evolution of human species.

Objective of the mission

• Mission Lucy will be launched with the objective of investigating the group of rocky bodies that are circling the Sun in two swarms- one preceding Jupiter and the other trailing behind it.

About the mission

• Mission Lucy will go for a 12-year journey after receiving boosts from Earth’s gravity. 12-year journey will be completed across eight different asteroids including one in Main Belt between Mars & Jupiter and seven Trojans.

• Spacecraft will fly by its target objects within 400 kilometres of their surfaces. It will use onboard instruments and large antenna to investigate the geology of target objects. It will be the first solar-powered spacecraft at a distance of 400 kms. Total cost of the mission is $981 million.

What are Trojans?

• Trojans are small celestial body or asteroids, sharing the orbit of larger one. They remain in a stable orbit, nearly 60° ahead or behind the main body. They can share the orbits of planets or large moons.

• Trojans are a type of co-orbital object. In Trojans, a star and a planet orbit around a common barycenter.

• Barycenter is close to the center of the star as it is much more massive as compared to the orbiting planet. Most of the known trojans in solar system share the orbit of Jupiter. They are in a very small region of space but are physically different from one another. As of now, about 7000 trojans are known.

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1. POLITY

1.1 CAUVERY WATER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY AND WATER DISPUTES

Why in News?

• Recently, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka to

immediately release the balance quantum of water to Tamil Nadu.

• However, CWMA dropped discussion on the Mekedatu reservoir project following “strong

protest” from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

Cauvery Water Dispute:

• It involves 3 states and one Union Territory (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry).

• The genesis of the dispute is 150 years old and dates back to the two agreements of

arbitration in 1892 and 1924 between the then Madras presidency and Mysore.

• It entailed the principle that the upper riparian state must obtain consent of lower riparian

state for any construction activity viz. reservoir on the river Cauvery.

Recent Developments:

• From 1974, Karnataka started diverting water into its four newly made reservoirs, without

the consent of Tamil Nadu resulting in a dispute.

• To resolve the matter, the CWDT (Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal) was established in 1990

which took 17 years to arrive at the final order (2007) on how Cauvery water should be

shared between the 4 riparian states in normal rainfall conditions.

• CWDT was constituted by the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by

section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

• In distress years, a pro-rata basis shall be used, it instructed. The government again took 6

year and notified the order in 2013.

• This was challenged in SC (Supreme Court) which directed Karnataka to release 12000 cusecs

of water to Tamil Nadu prompting protests in the State.

• The final verdict of the SC came in 2018 where it declared the Cauvery a national asset and

largely upheld the water-sharing arrangements finalised by the CWDT and also reduced the

allocation of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu.

• As per the SC, Karnataka would get 284.75 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft), Tamil Nadu

404.25 tmcft, Kerala 30 tmcft and Puducherry 7 tmcft.

• It also directed the Centre to notify the Cauvery Management Scheme. The central

government notified the ‘Cauvery Water Management Scheme’ in June 2018, constituting

the ‘Cauvery Water Management Authority’ and the ‘Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’

to give effect to the decision.

Mekedatu Reservoir Project:

• It aims to store and supply water for drinking purposes for the Bengaluru city. Around 400

megawatts (MW) of power is also proposed to be generated through the project.

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• In 2018, Tamil Nadu approached the SC against the project even if Karnataka had held that

it would not affect the flow of water to Tamil Nadu.

• TN is opposed to any project being proposed in the upper riparian unless it was approved by

the SC.

River Cauvery

• It is known as ‘Ponni’ in Tamil, also known as Ganga of the south, and it is the fourth largest

river of southern India.

• It is a sacred river of southern India. It rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in

southwestern Karnataka state, flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of

Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls and

drains into Bay of Bengal through Pondicherry.

• Some of its tributaries are Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini and

Harangi.

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1.2 TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT AMONG FIVE INSURGENT GROUPS OF ASSAM, CENTRE AND STATE

Why in News?

• Recently, a tripartite agreement among five insurgent groups of Assam, the Centre and the

state government was signed.

• This agreement is in synergy with the vision of Insurgency free prosperous North East, that

envisages all-round development of northeast, peace and prosperity.

About the Karbi Anglong Crisis

• Located in central Assam, Karbi Anglong is the state’s largest district and a melting pot of

ethnicities and tribal groups — Karbi, Dimasa, Bodo, Kuki, Hmar, Tiwa, Garo, Man (Tai

speakers), Rengma Naga. Its diversity also generated different outfits and fuelled an

insurgency that did not allow the region to develop.

• The Karbis are a major ethnic group of Assam, dotted by several factions and splinters. The

history of the Karbi group has been marked by killings, ethnic violence, abductions and

taxation since the late 1980s.

• Insurgent groups of Karbi Anglong district like People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri

(PDCK), Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), etc. originated from the core demand

of forming a separate state.

Some of the other demands of the militant groups are:

1. Inclusion of some areas into Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC),

2. Reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes,

3. More powers to the council,

4. Inclusion of Karbi language in the Eighth Schedule,

5. Financial package of Rs 1,500 crore.

Note

• The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) is an autonomous district council, protected

under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Highlights of the Karbi-Anglong Peace Agreement:

• Karbi Outfits Surrendered: 5 militant organizations (KLNLF, PDCK, UPLA, KPLT and KLF) laid

down arms and more than 1000 of their armed cadres have given up violence and joined the

mainstream of society.

• Special Development Package: A special development package of Rs. 1000 crore will be

allocated over five years by the Central Government and the Assam Government to take up

special projects for the development of Karbi areas.

• More Autonomy to KAAC: This agreement will transfer as much autonomy as possible in

exercising their rights to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, without affecting the

territorial and administrative integrity of Assam.

• Overall, the present agreement proposes to give more legislative, executive, administrative

and financial powers to the KAAC.

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• Rehabilitation: A provision has been made in this agreement to rehabilitate the cadres of

armed groups.

• Development of Local People: The Government of Assam will set up a Karbi Welfare Council

to focus on the development of the Karbi people living outside the KAAC area.

• This agreement will also ensure the protection of the culture, identity, language, etc. of the

Karbi people and all-round development of the region.

• The Consolidated Fund of the State will be amended to meet the resources of the KAAC.

Other Recent Peace Agreements of the Northeast:

• NLFT Tripura Agreement, 2019: National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) has been banned

under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 since 1997 and has been involved in

violence, operating from their camps across the international border.

• NLFT signed a Memorandum of Settlement on 10th of August, 2019 with the Government of

India and Tripura.

• Under this, a Special Economic Development Package (SEDP) of Rs.100 crore has been

offered by the Government of India for a period of five years.

• Bru Accord, 2020: Bru or Reang is a community indigenous to Northeast India, living mostly

in Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable

Tribal Group.

• In Mizoram, they have been targeted by groups that do not consider them indigenous to the

state.

• In 1997, following ethnic clashes, nearly 37,000 Brus fled Mizoram and were accommodated

in relief camps in Tripura.

• Under the Bru accord, the permanent settlement of 6959 Bru families in Tripura with a

financial package has been agreed between the Government of India, Tripura and Mizoram

with representatives of Bru migrants.

• Bodo Peace Accord: Bodos are the single largest community among the notified Scheduled

Tribes in Assam. They have been demanding a Bodo state since 1967-68.

• In 2020, the Government of India, Government of Assam and representatives of Bodo groups

signed an agreement, wherein the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) was redrawn and

renamed as the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), in Assam.

1.3 STEADY DECLINE IN LEFT WING EXTREMISM, ACCORDING TO MHA

Why in News?

• According to data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), there has been a steady

decline in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) related violence and geographical spread of LWE

influence in the country.

• The geographical influence of Maoists has contracted to only 41 districts in the country,

which is a sharp reduction from 96 such districts in 10 States in 2010.

• LWE incidents have also reduced from 2,258 in 2009 to 349 incidents till August 2021.

Left Wing Extremism in India:

• Left-wing extremists, popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.

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• The term Naxalism derives its name from the village Naxalbari of West Bengal. It originated

as a rebellion against local landlords who bashed a peasant over a land dispute.

• The rebellion was initiated in 1967, with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to

working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.

• The movement has spread across the Eastern India in less developed areas of states such as

Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

• It is considered that Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.

• Maoism is a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung. It is a doctrine to capture State

power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic

alliances.

• The region, affected by LWE, is referred to as the Red corridor.

Reasons for the LWE:

• Tribal Discontent:

o The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has been used to target tribals, who depend on

forest produce for their living.

o Massive displacement of tribal population in the naxalism-affected states due to

development projects, mining operations and other reasons.

• Easy Target for Maoists:

o Such people who do not have any source of living are taken into naxalism by Maoists.

o Maoists provide arms and ammunition and money to such people.

o Gaps in the Socio-Economic System of the Country:

o Government measures its success on the basis of the number of violent attacks rather

than the development done in the naxal-affected areas.

o Absence of strong technical intelligence to fight with naxalites.

o Infrastructural problems, for instance, some villages are not yet connected properly

with any communication network.

• No Follow-Up from Administration:

o It is seen that even after police take hold of a region, administration fails to provide

essential services to the people of that region.

o Confusion over tackling naxalism as a social issue or as a security threat.

Governments Initiatives to Check Naxal Activities:

• Aspirational Districts Program: Launched in 2018, it aims to rapidly transform the districts

that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.

• SAMADHAN (2017): It stands for

• S- Smart Leadership,

• A- Aggressive Strategy,

• M- Motivation and Training,

• A- Actionable Intelligence,

• D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas),

• H- Harnessing Technology,

• A- Action plan for each Theatre, and

• N- No access to Financing.

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• This doctrine is the one-stop solution for the LWE problem. It encompasses the entire

strategy of government from short-term policy to long-term policy formulated at different

levels.

• National Policy and Action Plan in 2015: It consists of a multi-pronged approach comprising

security measures, development initiatives and ensuring rights & entitlements of local

communities.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is supporting the State Governments extensively by way

of deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) Battalions, provision of helicopters and

UAVs and sanction of India Reserve Battalions (IRBs)/ Special India Reserve Battalions (SIRBs)

etc.

• Funds are provided under Modernization of Police Force (MPF), Security Related Expenditure

(SRE) Scheme and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) for modernization and training of State

Police.

• Several development initiatives have been implemented for construction of roads,

installation of mobile towers, skill development, improving network of banks and post

offices, health and education facilities.

• Funds for development are also provided to most LWE affected districts under the Special

Central Assistance (SCA) scheme.

o Greyhounds: It was raised in 1989 as an elite anti-naxal force.

o Operation Green Hunt: It was started in 2009-10 and massive deployment of security

forces was done in the naxal-affected areas.

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2. ECONOMY

2.1 SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS : INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS

Why in News?

• Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made an allocation of Special Drawing

Rights (SDR) 12.57 billion (equivalent to around $17.86 billion at the latest exchange rate) to

India.

• Now, the total SDR holdings of India stand at SDR 13.66 billion.

Special Drawing Rights (SDR):

• The SDR is neither a currency nor a claim on the IMF. Rather, it is a potential claim on the

freely usable currencies of IMF members. SDRs can be exchanged for these currencies.

• The SDR serves as the unit of account of the IMF and some other international organizations.

• The currency value of the SDR is determined by summing the values in US dollars, based on

market exchange rates, of a SDR basket of currencies.

• The SDR basket of currencies includes the US dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling and

the Chinese renminbi (included in 2016).

• The SDR currency value is calculated daily (except on IMF holidays or whenever the IMF is

closed for business) and the valuation basket is reviewed and adjusted every five years.

• Quota (the amount contributed to the IMF) of a country is denominated in SDRs.

• Members’ voting power is related directly to their quotas.

• IMF makes the general SDR allocation to its members in proportion to their existing quotas in

the IMF.

• India's foreign exchange reserves also incorporate SDR other than gold reserves, foreign

currency assets and Reserve Tranche in the IMF.

International Monetary Fund (IMF):

• The IMF was set up along with the World Bank after the Second World War to assist in the

reconstruction of war-ravaged countries.

• The two organisations were agreed to be set up at a conference in Bretton Woods in the US.

Hence, they are known as the Bretton Woods twins.

• Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 190 countries that make up

its near-global membership. India joined in December 1945.

• The IMF's primary purpose is to ensure the stability of the international monetary system —

the system of exchange rates and international payments that enable countries (and their

citizens) to transact with each other.

• Its mandate was updated in 2012 to include all macroeconomic and financial sector issues

that bear on global stability.

Reports by IMF:

1. Global Financial Stability Report 2. World Economic Outlook.

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2.1 BIHAR’s DEMAND FOR A SPECIAL CATEGORY STATE

Why in News?

• Recently, the Bihar Government has asserted that it has not dropped the demand of special

category status to Bihar.

About Special Category Status (SCS):

• Special category status is a classification given by the Centre to assist development of states

that face geographical and socio-economic disadvantages.

• This classification was done on the recommendations of the Fifth Finance Commission in

1969.

It was based on the D.R. Gadgil formula. The parameters for SCS were:

1. Hilly Terrain;

2. Low Population Density And/Or Sizeable Share of Tribal Population;

3. Strategic Location along Borders With Neighbouring Countries;

4. Economic and Infrastructure Backwardness; and

5. Nonviable Nature of State finances.

• SCS was first accorded in 1969 to Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Nagaland. Since then eight

more states have been included (Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya,

Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand).

• There is no provision of SCS in the Constitution.

• Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the National

Development Council to the States that are characterized by a number of features

necessitating special consideration.

• Now, it is done by the central government.

• The 14th Finance Commission has done away with the 'special category status' for states,

except for the Northeastern and three hill states.

• Instead, it suggested that the resource gap of each state be filled through ‘tax devolution’,

urging the Centre to increase the states' share of tax revenues from 32% to 42%, which has

been implemented since 2015.

Benefits to States with SCS:

• The Centre pays 90% of the funds required in a centrally-sponsored scheme to special

category status states as against 60% or 75% in case of other states, while the remaining

funds are provided by the state governments.

• Unspent money does not lapse and is carried forward.

• Significant concessions are provided to these states in excise and customs duties, income tax

and corporate tax.

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2.3 MINISTRY OF FINANCE’s GRANTS TO THE RURAL LOCAL BODIES

Why in News?

• Recently, the Ministry of Finance has released an amount of Rs. 13,385.70 crore to 25 States

for providing grants to the Rural Local Bodies.

• This Grant-in-aid is the 1st installment of Tied grants of the year 2021-22.

• The grants have been released as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.

Finance Commission (FC) Grants:

• The Union Budget provides funds to local bodies, state disaster relief funds and compensates

any revenue loss to states after devolution of taxes on the recommendation of FC.

• The 73rd Constitutional Amendment, 1992 requires both the Centre and states to help

Panchayati Raj institutions to evolve as a unit of self-governance by assigning them funds,

functions and functionaries.

• The 15th FC has recommended over 1 lakh 42 thousand crore rupees tied to Panchayats for

water & sanitation during the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Tied vs United Grant:

• Out of the total Grant-in-aid allocated for Panchayati Raj institutions, 60% is ‘Tied Grant’.

Tied grants are meant to ensure availability of additional funds to the Rural local bodies

over and above the funds allocated by the Centre for improving the sanitation and

maintenance of Open-Defecation Free (ODF) status and supply of drinking water, rain water

harvesting and water recycling under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

• Remaining 40% is ‘Untied Grant’ and is to be utilized at the discretion of the Panchayati Raj

institutions for location specific needs, except for payment of salaries.

• Allocation of Resources: The States are required to transfer the grants to the Rural local

bodies within 10 working days of their receipt from the Union Government.

• Any delay beyond 10 working days requires the State Governments to release the grants with

interest.

Finance Commission (FC)

• The FC is a constitutional body that determines the formula for distributing the tax proceeds

between the Centre and states, and among the states as per the constitutional arrangement

and present requirements.

• Under Article 280 of the Constitution, the President of India is required to constitute a FC at

an interval of five years or earlier.

• The 15th FC was constituted in November 2017, under the chairmanship of NK Singh.

• Its recommendations will cover a period of five years from the year 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Division of FC Grants

• Grants for Rural Local Bodies: The three-tier model of governance envisioned in the

Constitution assigns clear roles and responsibilities to Gram Panchayats.

• The FC recommendations ensure that these local bodies are adequately funded.

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• In fact, nearly half of the FC Grants in the Union Budget goes to village local bodies.

• Grants for Urban Local Bodies: In addition to units of self-governance at the village level,

the Constitution also envisages cities as units of self-governance.

• Urban local bodies like municipal councils receive the largest chunk of FC Grants after Rural

Local Bodies and Post Devolution Deficit Grants to states.

• Assistance to SDRF: The central government also provides funds to State Disaster Relief

Funds in addition to funding the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

• The assistance to the state government’s disaster relief authorities is provided as per the

recommendations of the FC.

• Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grants: About a third of the total revenue collected by the

Centre is directly transferred to states as their share in the divisible pool.

• However, the FC also provides a mechanism for compensation of any loss incurred by states,

which is called post-devolution revenue deficit grants.

• This grant forms the second largest chunk of FC transfers after the assistance to local rural

bodies.

• In addition to the four main transfers under the FC Grants, the Centre also transfers a

considerable sum to states and vulnerable groups from its own resources.

• Central pool of resources for north-eastern region and Sikkim

• Externally aided project grants

• Externally aided project loans

• Schemes for north-east council

• Schemes under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution

• Special central assistance to scheduled castes and special central assistance to tribal areas.

2.4 WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE

Why in News?

• Recently, while addressing the G-33 Virtual Informal Ministerial Meeting, India’s Commerce

and Industry Minister pointed out the imbalances in the Agreement on Agriculture at the

World Trade Organization (WTO).

• He claimed that it was in favour of developed countries and historical asymmetries and

imbalances must be corrected to ensure a rule-based, fair and equitable order.

• He urged that G33 must strive for positive outcomes on a permanent solution to Public

Stockholding (PSH) for food security purposes, finalization of a Special Safeguard Mechanism

(SSM) quickly and a balanced outcome on Domestic Support.

G-33

• It is a forum of developing countries formed during the Cancun ministerial conference of the

WTO, to protect the interest of the developing countries in agricultural trade negotiations.

• India is a part of the G33, which is a group of 47 developing and least developed countries.

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• It was created in order to help group countries which were all facing similar problems. The

G33 has proposed special rules for developing countries at WTO negotiations, like allowing

them to continue to restrict access to their agricultural markets.

About:

• It is aimed to remove trade barriers and to promote transparent market access and

integration of global markets.

• The WTO's Agriculture Committee oversees implementation of the Agreement and provides a

forum for members to address related concerns.

Three pillars of Agreement on Agriculture:

1. Domestic Support: It calls for reduction in domestic subsidies that distorts free trade and

fair price. Under this provision, the Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) is to be

reduced by 20% over a period of 6 years by developed countries and 13% over a period of 10

years by developing countries. Under this, Subsidies are categorized into:

2. Market Access: Market access for goods in the WTO means the conditions, tariff and non-

tariff measures, agreed by members for the entry of specific goods into their markets.

Market access requires that tariffs fixed (like custom duties) by individual countries be cut

progressively to allow free trade. It also required countries to remove non-tariff barriers and

convert them to Tariff duties.

3. Export Subsidy: Subsidy on inputs of agriculture, making export cheaper or other incentives

for exports such as import duty remission etc are included under export subsidies. These can

result in dumping of highly subsidized (and cheap) products in other countries and damage

the domestic agriculture sector of other countries.

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World Trade Organization

• It came into being in 1995. The WTO is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs

and Trade (GATT) established in the wake of the Second World War.

• Its objective is to help trade flow smoothly, freely and predictably.

• It has 164 members, accounting for 98% of world trade.

• It was developed through a series of trade negotiations, or rounds, held under the GATT.

• GATT is a set of multilateral trade agreements aimed at the abolition of quotas and the

reduction of tariff duties among the contracting nations.

• The WTO’s rules – the agreements – are the result of negotiations between the members.

• The current set is largely the outcome of the 1986- 94 Uruguay Round negotiations, which

included a major revision of the original GATT.

• The WTO Secretariat is based in Geneva (Switzerland).

Other Mechanisms of WTO

1. Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)

2. Trade Facilitation Agreement

3. General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)

4. Trade Policy Review Mechanism

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2.5 MINISTERIAL GROUP’s REPORT ON INTRODUCING A DIFFERENTIATED GST REGIME

Why in News?

• The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is likely to consider a ministerial group’s report on

introducing a differentiated regime for sectors where tax evasion is very high.

• Tax Evasion is an illegal way to minimize tax liability through fraudulent techniques like

deliberate under-statement of taxable income or inflating expenses. It is an unlawful

attempt to reduce one's tax burden.

GST Council

• It is a constitutional body (Article 279A) for making recommendations to the Union and State

Government on issues related to Goods and Services Tax.

• The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and other members are the Union

State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all

the States.

• It is considered as a federal body where both the centre and the states get due

representation.

Background:

• The GST council had earlier constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) to consider demands of

some States to tax the sectors with high tax evasion based on production capacity rather

than output (i.e. Special Composition schemes)

• Capacity based tax is based on manufacturing capacity rather than production.

• Some examples of sectors with high tax evasion include brick kilns, sand mining, and gutkha

and pan masala production.

• For instance, Rs. 830 crore of evasion was detected at a single pan masala unit earlier in

2021.

Concerns:

• Capacity based tax goes against the very structure of GST as one of the objectives was to

ensure buoyancy in revenues with increase in sales volumes.

• It could also open the floodgates for such demands from other sectors, like textiles.

• In terms of implementation also it will not be easy and it may not even yield the desired

result of curbing evasion, the main reason for which is extremely high tax rates.

• Such a shift would be detrimental to the fundamental idea of GST and send out the wrong

signal to honest taxpayers. It would introduce added complexity in the GST structure.

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2.6 VARIOUS INFRA PROJECTS AND TUNNELS IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Why in News?

• The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways will lay the foundation stone of various

National Highway (NH) Projects and will review and inspect Z-Morh and Zojila Tunnel in the

Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

Key Points

• Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Tunnel: The Chenani-Nashri Tunnel renamed as Shyama Prasad

Mukherjee Tunnel.

• It is not only India’s longest highway tunnel (9 km long) but also Asia’s longest bi-directional

highway tunnel.

• It is located in the lower Himalayan mountain range, between Udhampur and Ramban in

Jammu & Kashmir.

• Banihal Qazigund Tunnel: It is the 8.5 km road tunnel at elevation of 1,790 m in the Pir

Panjal range in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir connecting Banihal and Qazigund.

• Jawahar Tunnel: It is also called Banihal Tunnel or Banihal Pass. The length of the tunnel is

2.85 km.

• It is situated between Banihāl and Qazigund on NH 1A that has been renumbered NH 44.

• The tunnel facilitates round-the-year road connectivity between Srinagar and Jammu.

• Nandni Tunnels: These tunnels are the series of four highway tunnels built under Nandni

wildlife sanctuary on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Udhampur district.

• At a combined length of 1.4 km, the tunnels have reduced the distance and travel time

between Jammu and Srinagar.

• Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel: It is India’s longest transportation railway tunnel measuring 11.2

km long.

• The tunnel link, which is the only broad gauge mountain railway in India, stretches through

the Pir Panjal mountain range between Quazigund and Baramulla.

• The tunnel section is a part of the 202km Udhampur – Srinagar – Baramulla rail link project

undertaken by the Northern Railways.

• Z-Morh Tunnel: It is an under construction tunnel, 20 km away from the Zojila Pass, on

Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway.

• The 6.5 km long tunnel will connect Gagangir directly to Sonamarg in Kashmir.

• Zojila Tunnel: It is an under construction tunnel located to the north-east of Srinagar, on the

Srinagar- Leh section of the NH 1.

• The 14.2 km road tunnel between Baltal and Minamarg.

• The Zojila Tunnel will be Asia’s longest road tunnel, to be built at an altitude of 11,578 m

above sea level.

• It will ensure safer, all weather year round connectivity between Leh, Kargil and Srinagar.

Nilgrar Tunnels:

• The Nilgrar-I is a twin tube tunnel of 433 m length each.

• The Nilgrar twin tunnel-II is of 1.95 Km length each.

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• Nilgrar-I and Nilgrar-II tunnels are part of the 18 Km long approach road to Zojila west

portal.

• Zojila tunnel will provide connectivity to Ladakh region Kargil, Drass and Leh.

• Chattergala Tunnel: It is an under construction road tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir.

• The tunnel will be 6.8 km long and will connect Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and

Kashmir via basohli-bani through Chattergala.

2.7 NATIONAL ASSET RECONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED (NARCL)

Why in News?

• Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the Rs 30,600 crore guarantee to back Security

Receipts issued by National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) for acquiring

stressed loan assets.

• The NARCL is a part of a new Bad bank structure that was announced in the Budget 2021.

About the New Bad Bank Structure:

• For resolution of huge NPAs (Non-Performing Assets) in the Indian Banking sector, the

government of India has set up two new entities to acquire stressed assets from banks and

then sell them in the market.

• NPA refers to a classification for loans or advances that are in default or in arrears.

• NARCL: NARCL has been incorporated under the Companies Act and has applied to the

Reserve Bank of India for a license as an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC).

• NARCL will acquire stressed assets worth about Rs 2 lakh crore from various commercial

banks in different phases.

• Public Sector Banks (PSBs) will maintain 51% ownership in NARCL.

• IDRCL: Another entity, India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL), will then try to sell the

stressed assets in the market.

• PSBs and Public Financial Institutes (FIs) will hold a maximum of 49% stake in IDRCL. The

remaining 51% stake will be with private-sector lenders.

• The NARCL-IDRCL structure is the new bad bank structure.

Need for NARCL-IDRCL Structure:

• Existing ARCs have been helpful in the resolution of stressed assets, especially for smaller

value loans.

• Various available resolution mechanisms, including Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC),

have proved to be useful.

• However, considering the large stock of legacy NPAs, additional options/alternatives are

needed and thus, the NARCL-IRDCL structure was announced in the Union Budget 2021.

Working of NARCL-IDRCL and Guarantee Offered:

• The NARCL will first purchase bad loans from banks.

• It will pay 15% of the agreed price in cash and the remaining 85% will be in the form of

“Security Receipts”.

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• When the assets are sold, with the help of IDRCL, the commercial banks will be paid back

the rest.

• If the bad bank is unable to sell the bad loan, or has to sell it at a loss, then the government

guarantee will be invoked.

• The difference between what the commercial bank was supposed to get and what the bad

bank was able to raise will be paid from the Rs 30,600 crore that has been provided by the

government.

• This guarantee is extended for a period of five years.

• Security receipts are defined under section 2(1) (zg) of SARFAESI Act.

• It means a receipt or other security, issued by an asset reconstruction company to any

qualified buyer pursuant to a scheme, evidencing the purchase or acquisition by the holder,

thereof, of an undivided right, title or interest in the financial asset involved in

securitization.

Bad Bank

• The bad bank is an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) or an Asset Management Company

(AMC) that takes over the bad loans of commercial banks, manages them and finally recovers

the money over a period of time.

• The bad bank is not involved in lending and taking deposits, but helps commercial banks

clean up their balance sheets and resolve bad loans.

• The takeover of bad loans is normally below the book value of the loan and the bad bank

tries to recover as much as possible subsequently.

Effect of Bad Bank:

• Commercial Banks’ Perspective: Commercial banks are saddled with high NPA levels, setting

up of the Bad bank will help.

• That’s because such a bank will get rid of all its toxic assets, which were reducing its profits,

in one quick move.

• When the recovery money is paid back, it will further improve the bank’s position.

Meanwhile, it can start lending again.

• Government and Taxpayer Perspective: Whether it is recapitalising PSBs laden with bad

loans or giving guarantees for security receipts, the money is coming from the taxpayers’

pocket.

• While recapitalisation and such guarantees are often designated as “reforms”, they are band

aids at best.

• The only sustainable solution is to improve the lending operation in PSBs.

• The plan of bailing out commercial banks will collapse if the bad bank is unable to sell such

impaired assets in the market. The burden indeed will fall upon the taxpayer.

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2.8 RELIEF AND REFOMRS IN TELECOMS

Rationalization of AGR:

• AGR was previously interpreted as being based on all revenue, rather than just that

associated with a company’s core telecom business.

• The government has accepted that this interpretation was problematic, which will reduce

the future financial burden on companies.

• Telecom companies have to pay a pre-fixed percentage of AGR (excluding non-telecom

revenues) to the government as statutory levies but this will apply prospectively.

• Moratorium on AGR Dues: The earlier definition of AGR, backed by the Telecom Department

and upheld by the Supreme Court in 2019, had made telcos liable to pay Rs. 1.6 lakh crore.

• This payment has cash-strapped the telecom sector, which led to the losses of business to

telecom companies like Vodafone and established a duopoly (reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel).

• In order to revive the telecom sector, a four-year moratorium on all spectrum and AGR dues

has been approved.

• However, those TSPs opting for the moratorium will be required to pay interest on the

amount availed under the benefit.

• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved a

number of structural and process reforms in

the Telecom sector.

• These reforms include a redefinition of the

much-litigated concept of Adjusted Gross

Revenue (AGR), a four-year moratorium on

Telecom Service Providers' (TSPs) dues to

the government, among others.

About the Reforms:

• Spectrum Related Reforms: Spectrum auctions

will be normally held in the last quarter of

every financial year (fixed calendar).

• The future spectrum auctions will be done for

a period of 30 years instead of the current 20

years.

• A telco will be allowed to surrender its

spectrum after completing a 10-year lock-in

period from the date of purchase.

• Spectrum sharing is being encouraged and the

additional SUC (Spectrum Usage Charges) of

0.5% for spectrum sharing is removed.

• Spectrum relates to the radio frequencies

allocated to the mobile industry and other

sectors for communication over the airwaves.

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Interest Rates Rationalized and Penalties Removed:

• The interest which is compounded monthly on the Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) will now

be compounded annually and also the interest rate will be lowered, based on MCLR + 2%

instead of MCLR + 4%.

• MCLR refers to the lowest lending rate banks are permitted to offer - the Marginal Cost of

funds-based Lending Rate.

• Additionally, the penalty and interest on penalty stand removed.

• FDI Reforms: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the sector has also been allowed up to 100%

under the automatic route, from the existing limit of 49%.

Adjusted Gross Revenue

• AGR is a fee-sharing mechanism between the government and the telcos who shifted to the

'revenue-sharing fee' model in 1999, from the 'fixed license fee' model.

• In this course, telcos are supposed to share a percentage of AGR with the government.

• Under this, mobile telephone operators were required to share a percentage of their AGR

with the government as annual License Fee (LF) and Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC).

• In 2005, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) challenged the government’s

definition for AGR calculation.

• The companies claimed that AGR should comprise just the revenue accrued from core

services and not dividend, interest income or profit on the sale of any investment or fixed

assets.

• The Supreme Court upheld the definition of AGR as stipulated by the DoT (revenues from

both telecom and non-telecom services) in October 2019.

Significance of these Reforms:

• Reviving Competition: Four years’ Moratorium would encourage companies to invest in

customer service and new technology.

• Promoting Ease of Doing Business: The allowance of 100% FDI in the sector (through the

automatic route) came shortly after the government decided to scrap a controversial

retrospective tax.

• Together, these signal the return to an investor-friendly climate.

• Promoting Digital India: The telecom sector is one of the prime movers of the economy and

the measures announced by the government would enable the industry to achieve the goals

of Digital India.

• Further Technological Advancement: Together, these measures would pave the way for large

scale investments into the sector, including for 5G technology deployment, and generate

more jobs.

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3. ENVIRONMENT

3.1 BIHAR: GROUNDWATER ARSENIC CONTAMINATION

Why in News?

• A recent study in Bihar has found Arsenic contamination not only in groundwater but in the

food chain as well.

• The research study was a part of the Project Nature and Nurture in Arsenic Induced Toxicity

of Bihar jointly funded by the British Council in the United Kingdom and Department of

Science and Technology in India.

Major Findings:

Food vs Water Contamination:

• The food had more arsenic content than drinking water, even when arsenic levels in drinking

water was above the World Health Organization (WHO) provisional guide value of 10

micrograms per litre (μg/L).

• The concentration was higher in cooked rice compared to raw rice.

Arsenic:

About:

• It is an odourless and tasteless metalloid widely distributed in the earth’s crust.

• It is naturally present at high levels in the earth crust and groundwater of a number of

countries. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form.

Arsenic Poisoning:

• It can get into the human body through drinking water as well as eating food that has been

contaminated with arsenic.

• Arsenicosis is the medical word for arsenic poisoning, which occurs due to accumulation of

large amounts of arsenic in the body.

Food Chain Contamination:

• Arsenic has found its way into the food

chain - mainly rice, wheat and potato.

• Arsenic contamination in groundwater has

been a growing concern in several parts of

the country.

• Arsenic is present in the groundwater as it is

used on a large scale for irrigation by

farmers. That is how it finds its way into the

food chain as well.

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• It leads to adverse health effects through inhibition of essential enzymes, which ultimately

leads to death from multi-system organ failure.

• Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause cancer and skin

lesions. It has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

• In utero and early childhood exposure has been linked to negative impacts on cognitive

development and increased deaths in young adults.

• Steps Taken: Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the indicator of "safely

managed drinking water services" calls for tracking the population accessing drinking water

which is free of faecal contamination and priority chemical contaminants, including arsenic.

• Jal Jeevan Mission is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through

individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.

• Recently, the Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) has also been launched.

3.2 16TH SEPTEMBER: WORLD OZONE DAY FOR PRESERVATION OF OZONE LAYER

About:

• After the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone layer signed by almost

every country in 1987, the United Nation General Assembly, in 1994, proclaimed this day as

the International Day for the Prevention of the Ozone Layer.

• The Montreal Protocol has led to the phase-out of 99% of ozone-depleting chemicals in

refrigerators, air-conditioners and many other products.

• The latest Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion completed in 2018, shows that parts of

the ozone layer have recovered at a rate of 1-3% per decade since 2000.

• Ozone layer protection efforts have also contributed to the fight against climate change by

averting an estimated 135 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, from 1990

to 2010.

• In September 2009, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol became the first

treaties in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal ratification.

• Establishment of a mechanism for cooperation to take action to protect the ozone layer was

formalized in the Vienna Convention in 1985.

• In 2016 as a continuation of the global effort the Parties to the Montreal Protocol reached

agreement at their 28th Meeting of the Parties in Kigali, Rwanda to phase-down

hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

• Recently, the Indian Government approved the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the

Montreal Protocol.

2021 Theme:

• Montreal Protocol – Keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool.

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Ozone

About:

• It is a special form of oxygen with the chemical formula O3. The oxygen we breathe and that

is so vital to life on earth is O2.

• Most ozone resides high up in the atmosphere, between 10 and 40km above Earth's surface.

This region is called the stratosphere and it contains about 90% of all the ozone in the

atmosphere.

Classification:

Bad Ozone:

• In the Earth's lower atmosphere (troposphere) near ground level, ozone is formed when

pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and

other sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight.

• Surface level ozone is a harmful air pollutant.

Good Ozone:

• Ozone occurs naturally in the

Earth's upper atmosphere

(Stratosphere) where it forms a

protective layer that shields us

from the sun's harmful ultraviolet

rays.

• This “good” ozone is gradually

being destroyed by man-made

chemicals referred to as Ozone-

Depleting Substances (ODS),

including chlorofluorocarbons

(CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons

(HCFCs), halons, methyl

bromide, carbon tetrachloride,

and methyl chloroform.

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3.3. WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION’s UNITED IN SCIENCE 2021 REPORT

Climate Change:

• The pace of climate change has not been slowed by the global Covid-19 pandemic and the

world remains behind in its battle to cut carbon emissions.

• It has caused only a temporary downturn in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2020.

• High latitude regions and the Sahel are likely to be wetter over 2021–2025, than the recent

past.

• Reduction targets are not being met and there is a rising likelihood the world will miss its

Paris Agreement target of reducing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-

industrial levels.

• There is an increasing likelihood that temperatures would temporarily breach the threshold

of 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era, in the next five years.

Temperature:

• Average global temperature for the past five years was among the highest on record.

• Rising global temperatures are fuelling devastating extreme weather throughout the world,

with spiralling impacts on economies and societies.

• Climate hazards such as heatwaves, wildfires and poor air quality combine to threaten

human health worldwide, putting vulnerable populations at particular risk.

Greenhouse Gases:

• Recently, the World

Meteorological

Organization (WMO)

released a report named

United in Science 2021.

• It is a multi-organization

high-level compilation of

the latest climate

science information.

• The report is coordinated

by the WMO, with inputs

from the United Nations

Environment Programme,

World Health

Organization,

Intergovernmental Panel

on Climate Change,

Global Carbon Project,

World Climate Research

Program and the Met

Office (UK).

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• Concentrations of major greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continued to increase last year

and during the first half of 2021.

Fossil Fuel Emissions:

• Fossil fuel emissions from coal, gas, cement, etc were back to 2019 levels or even higher in

2021.

Sea Level:

• Global mean sea levels rose 20 cm from 1900 to 2018. Even if emissions are reduced to limit

warming to well below 2°C, global mean sea level would likely rise by 0.3-0.6 m by 2100,

and could rise 0.3-3.1 m by 2300.

Loss of Work Hours:

• An excess of 103 billion potential work hours were lost globally in 2019, compared to 2000.

• It was due to heat-related mortality and work impairment, caused by rising temperatures.

Suggestions:

• More countries should develop long-term strategies that are consistent with the 2015 Paris

Agreement.

• Net-zero commitments needed to be translated into strong near-term policies and action.

• Adaptation strategies are needed where they do not exist – especially in low-lying coasts,

small islands, deltas and coastal cities.

• Covid-19 recovery efforts should be aligned with national climate change and air quality

strategies to reduce risks from compounding and cascading climate hazards, and gain health

co-benefits.

3.4 IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON EL NINO AND LA NINA

Why in News?

• According to recent research, climate change can cause extreme and more frequent El Niño

and La Niña events.

• The findings have been obtained using one of South Korea’s fastest supercomputers, Aleph.

About the Recent Findings:

• Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide can cause a weakening of future simulated El Nino-

Southern Oscillation (ENSO) sea surface temperature variability.

• Future El Niño events will lose heat to the atmosphere more quickly due to the evaporation

of water vapour. Also, in the future there will be a reduced temperature difference between

the eastern and western tropical Pacific, inhibiting the development of temperature

extremes during the ENSO cycle.

• There can be a weakening of Tropical Instability Waves (TIWs) in the projected future which

can cause a disruption of the La Niña event.

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• TIWs are a dominant feature of monthly variability in the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic

Ocean.

ENSO:

• El Nino and the Southern Oscillation, also known as ENSO is a periodic fluctuation in sea

surface temperature (El Niño) and the air pressure of the overlying atmosphere (Southern

Oscillation) across the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

• El Nino and La Nina are complex weather patterns resulting from variations in ocean

temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Region. They are opposite phases of what is known as

the ENSO cycle.

• El Nino and La Nina episodes typically last nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events

may last for years.

El Nino:

• El Nino is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the

eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

• It is the “warm phase” of ENSO.

• It occurs more frequently than La Nina.

Impact:

• The warmer waters cause the Pacific jet stream to move south of its neutral position. With

this shift, areas in the northern US and Canada are dryer and warmer than usual. But in the

US Gulf Coast and Southeast, these periods are wetter than usual and have increased

flooding.

• As El Nino brings rain to South America, it brings droughts to Indonesia and Australia.

• El Niño also has a strong effect on marine life off the Pacific coast.

• During normal conditions, upwelling brings water from the depths to the surface; this water

is cold and nutrient rich.

• During El Niño, upwelling weakens or stops altogether. Without the nutrients from the deep,

there are fewer phytoplankton off the coast. This affects fish that eat phytoplankton and, in

turn, affects everything that eats fish.

• The warmer waters can also bring tropical species, like yellowtail and albacore tuna, into

areas that are normally too cold.

La Nina:

• La Nina, the “cool phase” of ENSO, is a pattern that describes the unusual cooling of the

tropical eastern Pacific.

• La Nina events may last between one and three years, unlike El Nino, which usually lasts no

more than a year.

• Both phenomena tend to peak during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Impact:

• Off the west coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water

to the surface.

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• It usually has a positive impact on the fishing industry of western South America.

• It can also lead to a more severe hurricane season.

• Causes the jet stream to move northward and to weaken over the eastern Pacific.

• Causes drought in the South American countries of Peru and Ecuador.

There are increased temperatures in Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and off the Somalian coast. It

also leads to heavy floods in Australia.

3.5 US-EU LED EFFORT TO CUT METHANE EMISSION: GLOBAL METHANE PLEDGE

Why in News?

• Recently, the US President has announced the Global Methane Pledge, which is an US-EU led

effort to cut methane emissions by a third by the end of this decade.

• The announcement has come ahead of 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow, UK.

• This will also help in abiding by the targets of the Paris climate deal.

About:

• The pact between the US and the EU sets a target of cutting at least 30% from global

methane emissions, based on 2020 levels, by 2030.

• If adopted around the world, this would reduce global heating by 0.2C by the 2040s,

compared with likely temperature rises by then.

• The world is now about 1.2C hotter now than in pre-industrial times.

Methane Gas:

About:

• Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen

atoms (CH4).

• It is flammable, and is used as a fuel worldwide.

• Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.

• Approximately 40% of methane emitted is from natural sources and about 60% comes from

human-influenced sources, including livestock farming, rice agriculture, biomass burning and

so forth.

Impact:

• More Global Warming Potential: It is nearly 80-85 times more potent than carbon dioxide in

terms of its global warming capacity.

• This makes it a critical target for reducing global warming more quickly while simultaneously

working to reduce other greenhouse gases.

• Promotes Generation of Tropospheric Ozone: Increasing emissions are driving a rise in

tropospheric ozone air pollution, which causes more than one million premature deaths

annually.

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Related Indian Initiatives:

• ‘Harit Dhara’ (HD): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed an anti-

methanogenic feed supplement ‘Harit Dhara’ (HD), which can cut down cattle methane

emissions by 17-20% and can also result in higher milk production.

• India Greenhouse Gas Program: The India GHG Program led by WRI India (non-profit

organization), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and The Energy and Resources Institute

(TERI) is an industry-led voluntary framework to measure and manage greenhouse gas

emissions.

• The programme builds comprehensive measurement and management strategies to reduce

emissions and drive more profitable, competitive and sustainable businesses and

organisations in India.

• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): NAPCC was launched in 2008 which aims at

creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the

government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change

and the steps to counter it.

• Bharat Stage-VI Norms: India shifted from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI)

emission norms.

Global Methane Initiative (GMI)

• It is an international public-private partnership focused on reducing barriers to the recovery

and use of methane as a clean energy source.

• GMI provides technical support to deploy methane-to-energy projects around the world that

enable Partner Countries to launch methane recovery and use projects.

• India is a partner country.

3.6 MURA-DRAVA-DANUBE -FIRST FIVE COUNTRY BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Why in News?

• Recently, Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) was declared as the world’s first ‘five-country

biosphere reserve’ by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO).

About MDD:

• The biosphere reserve covers 700 kilometres of the Mura, Drava and Danube rivers and

stretches across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia.

• The total area of the reserve is a million hectares - in the so-called ‘Amazon of Europe’,

which is now the largest riverine protected area in Europe.

• The biosphere “represented an important contribution to the European Green Deal (climate

action plan) and contributed to the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy in the

Mura-Drava-Danube region.”

• The strategy’s aim is to revitalise 25,000 km of rivers and protect 30% of the European

Union’s land area by 2030.

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Importance of the MDD:

• The area is one of the richest in Europe in terms of species diversity.

• It is home to floodplain forests, gravel and sand banks, river islands, oxbows and meadows.

• The area is home to the highest density in Europe of breeding pairs of white-tailed eagle and

endangered species such as the little tern, black stork, otters, beavers and sturgeons.

• It is also an important stepping stone for more than 2,50,000 migratory waterfowls every

year.

Biosphere Reserve (BR)

• BR is an international designation by (UNESCO) for representative parts of natural and

cultural landscapes extending over large areas of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or

a combination of both.

• BR tries to balance economic and social development and maintenance of associated cultural

values along with the preservation of nature.

• BRs are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of

the states where they are located.

• These are designated under the intergovernmental MAB Programme by the Director-General

of UNESCO following the decisions of the MAB International Coordinating Council (MAB ICC).

• The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme is an intergovernmental scientific programme

that aims to establish a scientific basis for enhancing the relationship between people and

their environments.

• Their status is internationally recognized.

• There are 727 biosphere reserves in 131 countries, including 22 transboundary sites.

Three Main Zones:

• Core Areas: It comprises a strictly protected zone that contributes to the conservation of

landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation.

• Buffer Zones: It surrounds or adjoins the core area(s), and is used for activities compatible

with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training

and education.

• Transition Area: The transition area is where communities foster socio-culturally and

ecologically sustainable economic and human activities.

Biosphere Reserves in India:

• Presently, there are 18 Biosphere Reserves in India, among which 12 Biosphere reserves in

India find their place in UNESCO’s List of Man & Biosphere Reserves Programme.

• The latest included under the MAB was ‘Panna Biosphere Reserve’ (Madhya Pradesh).

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3.7 IPCC’s REPORT HIGHLIGHT IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON PERMAFROST

Why in News?

• According to the latest IPCC report, increasing global warming will result in reductions in

Arctic permafrost and the thawing of the ground is expected to release greenhouse gases

like methane and carbon dioxide.

Permafrost:

• Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen - 32°F (0°C) or colder - for at least

two years straight.

• These permanently frozen grounds are most common in regions with high mountains and in

Earth’s higher latitudes - near the North and South Poles.

• Permafrost covers about 15% of the land area of the globe.

• Although the ground is frozen, permafrost regions are not always covered in snow.

• Landscapes with large stretches of permafrost are often called tundra. The word tundra is a

Finnish word referring to a treeless plain. Tundra is found at high latitudes and at high

altitudes, where the permafrost has a very thin active layer.

Concerns Regarding Melting Permafrost:

• Affects Infrastructure:

o It will affect countries where roads or buildings were constructed on permafrost.

• Release of Greenhouse Gases:

o It entombed and froze the organic material in the ground.

o If the ground begins to thaw, this material will become available for microorganisms

to break down.

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o In some environments, the microorganisms will release carbon dioxide, and in others

release methane which is about 25 to 30 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than

carbon dioxide.

• Change from Carbon Storehouse to Carbon Emitters:

o Some permafrost regions have changed from being a carbon storehouse to being

places that are net emitters of carbon.

• Increase in the Number of Forest Fires:

o This year Russia witnessed a forest fire whose total area was the size of Portugal.

Usually, after a fire, one expects the forest to grow back in the next 50 years to 60

years. This restores the carbon stock in the ecosystem.

o But in the tundra, the peat is where the organic material is and this takes a very long

time to accumulate. So if peat is burned and released into the atmosphere, then it

will take centuries to restore that carbon stock at ground level.

• Releasing New Bacteria or Viruses:

o The environment now is so much more suitable than during the Ice Age for not just

human life, but also the evolution or development of viruses and bacteria.

o So, the chances of emerging new bacteria or viruses cannot be ignored.

Steps to be Taken:

• Stop Rapid Climate Change: In order to curtail climate change and save the permafrost, it is

indispensable that global CO2 emissions be reduced by 45% over the next decade, and that

they fall to zero after 2050.

• Slow Down Erosion: The scientific journal Nature suggested building a 100-metre-long dam in

front of the Jakobshavn glacier (Greenland), the worst affected by Arctic melting, to contain

its erosion.

• Combine Artificial Icebergs: Indonesian architect has won an award for his project Refreeze

the Arctic, which consists of collecting water from melted glaciers, desalinating it and

refreezing it to create large hexagonal ice blocks.

• Increase Their Thickness: Some researchers propose a solution to manufacture more ice.

Their proposal consists of collecting ice from below the glacier through pumps driven by

wind power to spread it over the upper ice caps, so that it will freeze, thus strengthening

the consistency.

• People’s Awareness: The tundra and the permafrost beneath it may seem far away, but no

matter where we live, the everyday choices we make contribute to climate change.

• By reducing our carbon footprint, investing in energy-efficient products, and supporting

climate-friendly businesses, legislation, and policies, we can help preserve the world’s

permafrost and avert a vicious cycle of an ever-warming planet.

3.8 DEEPOR BEEL DECLARED AS ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified the Eco-

sensitive zone of the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam).

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• Earlier, Kaziranga National Park became the first in the country to use satellite phones and

Dehing Patkai and Raimona were designated as National Parks.

Deepor Beel:

• It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam and the State’s only Ramsar site besides

being an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International.

• It is located towards the southwest of Guwahati city, Assam and is the erstwhile water

channel of River Brahmaputra.

• The lake expands up to 30 sq. km in summer and reduces to about 10 sq. km in the winter.

The wildlife sanctuary measures 4.1 sq. km within this wetland (beel).

Importance:

• It constitutes a unique habitat for aquatic flora and avian fauna.

• It has both biological and environmental importance besides being the only major storm-

water storage basin for Guwahati city.

• It provides a means of livelihood for a number of local families.

• Recently, six young girls from the fishing community from Assam have developed a

biodegradable and compostable yoga mat called ‘Moorhen Yoga Mat’.

Concerns:

• Its water has become toxic and it has lost many of its aquatic plants that elephants would

feed on.

• It has for decades been threatened by a railway track — set to be doubled and electrified —

on its southern rim, a garbage dump, and encroachment from human habitation and

commercial units.

Eco-Sensitive Zone:

• Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas are areas within 10 kms around Protected

Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

• ESZs are notified by MoEFCC, Government of India under Environment Protection Act 1986.

• In case of places with sensitive corridors, connectivity and ecologically important patches,

crucial for landscape linkage, even areas beyond 10 km width can also be included in the

eco-sensitive zone.

• The basic aim is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem

encompassing the protected areas.

Activities:

• Prohibited Activities: Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution (air, water,

soil, noise etc), establishment of major HydroElectric Projects (HEP), commercial use of

wood, Tourism activities like hot-air balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents

or any solid waste or production of hazardous substances.

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• Regulated Activities: Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of

natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture system, e.g.

adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.

• Permitted Activities: Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting,

organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, adoption of green technology for all

activities.

3.9 BLUE FLAG CERTIFICATION

Why in News

• Recently, Foundation for Environment Education (FEE), Denmark has awarded the Blue Flag

Certification to Kovalam (Tamil Nadu) and Eden (Puducherry), taking the total number of

such beaches in the country to 10.

• A waving “Blue Flag" is an indication of 100% compliance to the 33 stringent criteria and

sound health of the beach.

About:

1. It is an internationally recognised eco-label that is accorded based on 33 criterias. These

criterias are divided into 4 major heads namely,

2. Environmental education and information

3. Bathing water quality

4. Environmental management

5. Conservation and safety services in the beaches

Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world. It is an eco-tourism model

endeavouring to provide the tourists/beachgoers clean and hygienic bathing water, facilities, a

safe and healthy environment and sustainable development of the area.

It is accorded by the international jury composed of eminent members - United Nations

Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Denmark-

based NGO Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and International Union for Conservation

of Nature (IUCN).

On the lines of Blue Flag certification, India has also launched its own eco-label BEAMS (Beach

Environment & Aesthetics Management Services).

Other Eight Beaches which have Received the Certification:

1. Shivrajpur in Gujarat,

2. Ghoghla in Daman & Diu,

3. Kasarkod in Karnataka and,

4. Padubidri beach in Karnataka,

5. Kappad in Kerala,

6. Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh,

7. Golden beach of Odisha,

8. Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar.

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BEAMS

• Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services comes under ICZM (Integrated Coastal

Zone Management) project.

• This was launched by the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) and the Union

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

• The objectives of BEAMS program is to:

• Abate pollution in coastal waters,

• Promote sustainable development of beach facilities,

• Protect & conserve coastal ecosystems & natural resources,

• Strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness,

• Hygiene & safety for beachgoers in accordance with coastal environment & regulations.

• It has helped in saving 1,100 ml/year of municipal water through recycling; educating

around 1,25,000 beachgoers about responsible behaviour at the beaches; providing alternate

livelihood opportunities to 500 fishermen families through pollution abatement, safety and

services and has also increased footfall for recreation activities at the beaches by

approximately 80% leading to economic development.

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4. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

4.1 ECONOMIC EMERGENCY IN SRI LANKA DUE TO RISING FOOD PRICES

Why in News?

• Recently, Sri Lankan President, has declared an economic emergency to contain rising food

prices, a depreciating currency, and rapidly depleting forex reserves.

• The emergency was declared under the Public Security Ordinance on the supply of essential

goods.

Factors Responsible for Sri Lankan Economic Crisis:

• Underperforming Tourism Industry: The tourism industry, which represents over 10% of the

country’s Gross Domestic Product and brings in foreign exchange, has been hit hard by the

coronavirus pandemic.

• As a result, forex reserves have dropped from over $7.5 billion in 2019 to around $2.8 billion

in July 2021.

• Depreciating Currency: With the supply of foreign exchange drying up, the amount of money

that Sri Lankans have had to shell out to purchase the foreign exchange necessary to import

goods has risen.

• Due to this, the value of the Sri Lankan rupee has depreciated by around 8% so far this year.

• Rising Inflation: Sri Lanka depends heavily on imports to meet even its basic food supplies,

such as sugar, dairy products, wheat, medical supplies.

• So the price of food items has risen in tandem with the depreciating rupee.

• Diminishing Inflow of Foregin Currency: The pandemic has affected all major sources of

foreign exchange earnings like exports, worker remittances, etc.

• Food Shortage: Sri Lankan Government’s recent decision to ban import of chemical

fertilizers and adopt an “organic only” approach.

• This overnight shift to organic fertilizers could impact food production severely.

Measures Taken Under Emergency Crisis:

• The emergency provisions allow the government to dictate retail prices for essential food

items and seize stocks from traders.

• The emergency law enables authorities to detain people without warrants, seize property,

enter and search any premises, suspend laws and issue orders that cannot be questioned in

court.

• Further, officials who issue such orders are also immune from lawsuits.

• The military will oversee the action which gives power to officials to ensure that essential

items are sold at government-guaranteed prices.

Criticism of the Move:

• The danger is that given the present government’s propensity to stifle dissent, emergency

regulations would be used to curb protests and other democratic action.

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• Sri Lanka does not have a universal public distribution system or ration cards that can ensure

essential goods reach all consumers.

• The current regulations do not address its fundamental economic problem, and instead pose

the risk of creating black market.

• There are concerns over the increasing militarization of state institutions.

• This economic emergency in Sri Lanka is very different from the Financial emergency under

the Indian Constitution.

Financial Emergency under the Indian Constitution

• Grounds of Declaration: Article 360 empowers the president to proclaim a Financial

Emergency if he is satisfied that a situation has arisen due to which the financial stability or

credit of India or any part of its territory is threatened.

• Parliamentary Approval and Duration: A proclamation declaring financial emergency must be

approved by both the Houses of Parliament within two months from the date of its issue.

• Once approved by both the houses of Parliament, the Financial Emergency continues

indefinitely till it is revoked.

Effects of Financial Emergency:

• Extension of the executive authority of the Union over the financial matters of the States.

• Reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving in the State.

• Reservation of all money bills or other financial bills for the consideration of the President

after they are passed by the legislature of the State.

• Direction from the President for the reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class

of persons serving the Union; and the judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts.

4.2 BIDEN-MODI FIRST BILATERAL MEETING

Why in News

• Recently, the Indian Prime Minister met the newly elected US President for their first

bilateral meeting in the US.

• Both leaders discussed a wide range of priority issues, including combating Covid-19, climate

change, and economic cooperation.

• Earlier, the US Secretary of State, in his visit to India, mentioned that actions by India and

the US will shape the 21st century.

Key Points

Highlights of the Meet:

• Discussions to further cement the Indo-US strategic partnership and discussed global issues

of common interest, including threats to democracy, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific.

• Discussed Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan as one of the key challenges, and there was a sense

that it needs more “careful monitoring”.

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• Both sides denounced any use of terrorist proxies and emphasised the importance of denying

the logistical, financial or military support to terrorist groups, which could be used to plan,

or launch terror attacks.

• They called on the Taliban to adhere to these and all of its commitments under Resolution

2593.

• The US Government, companies based in the USA and the Indian diaspora were very helpful

when India was fighting a tough wave of Covid-19 infections.

• India will resume export of surplus Covid-19 vaccines in the fourth quarter of 2021 under the

Vaccine Maitri programme and to meet its commitment to the COVAX global pool.

• India raised several issues involving the Indian community in the US, including access for

Indian professionals there and H-1B visas.

India-US Relations:

About:

• India-US bilateral relations have developed into a "global strategic partnership", based on

shared democratic values and increasing convergence of interests on bilateral, regional and

global issues.

• In 2015, both the countries issued a Delhi Declaration of Friendship and adopted a Joint

Strategic Vision for Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region.

Civil-Nuclear Deal:

• The bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement was signed in October 2008.

Energy and Climate Change:

• As a priority initiative under the PACE (Partnership to Advance Clean Energy), the US

Department of Energy (DOE) and the Government of India have established the Joint Clean

Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC) designed to promote clean energy

innovations by teams of scientists from India and the United States.

• India-US Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership was launched at the Leaders climate summit

2021.

Defence Cooperation:

• Defence relationship has emerged as a major pillar of India-US strategic partnership with the

signing of ‘New Framework for India-US Defense Relations’ in 2005 which was further

updated for 10 years in 2015.

• India and US inked important defence pacts in the last few years and also formalised the

four nation alliance of QUAD (India, US, Japan and Australia).

• The alliance is seen as an important counter to China in the Indo-Pacific.

• The Malabar exercise in November 2020 portrayed a high point in Indo-US strategic ties, it

was the first time in 13 years that all four countries of QUAD came together sending a strong

message to China.

• India now has access to American bases from Djibouti in Africa to Guam in the Pacific. It can

also access advanced communication technology used in US defence.

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India and US have four foundational defence agreements:

• Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Intelligence (BECA).

• General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

• Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).

• Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).

• India-US Counter-Terrorism Cooperation Initiative was signed in 2010 to expand collaboration

on counter-terrorism, information sharing and capacity building.

• A tri-services exercise– Tiger Triumph- was conducted in November 2019.

• Bilateral and regional exercises include: Yudh Abhyas (Army); Vajra Prahar (Special Forces);

RIMPAC; Red Flag.

Trade:

• The US is India’s second largest trading partner and a major destination for India’s exports of

goods and services.

• The US replaced Mauritius as the second largest source of foreign direct investment into

India during 2020-21.

• The previous US government ended India’s special trade status (GSP withdrawal) and also

imposed several bans, India also retaliated with bans on 28 US products.

• Current US government has allowed all the bans by the previous government to expire.

Science & Technology:

• ISRO and NASA are working together to realize a joint microwave remote sensing satellite for

Earth observation, named NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).

Indian Diaspora:

• There is a growing presence of Indian diaspora in all spheres in the US. For example the

current Vice-President (Kamala Harris) of the US has a strong Indian connection.

4.3 FIRST 2+2 DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDIA-AURSTRALIA

Why in News

• Recently, the foreign and defence ministers of India and Australia held the first India-

Australia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi.

• The inaugural dialogue is held in pursuant to the elevation of India-Australia bilateral

relations to comprehensive strategic partnership during the India-Australia Leaders’ virtual

summit in 2021.

Key Points

• Focus on Indo-Pacific: To maintain an open, free, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific

region (in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)).

• To support India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative.

• Need for renewed efforts by the Quad member countries to expand cooperation in the

region.

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• Focus on Supply Chain Resilience Initiative: To work together through multilateral, regional

and plurilateral mechanisms to diversify supply chains between trusted and reliable trading

partners for critical health, technology and other goods and services.

• In this context, they welcomed the launch of the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative by the

Trade Ministers of India, Australia and Japan.

• Keeping-up with the Momentum: Decided to meet at least once every two years in this

format to keep up the momentum.

• Shared Vision on Afghanistan: Displayed a common approach to the Afghan crisis, after the

recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

• India held that the policy is summed up by the United Nations Security Council Resolution

2593.

• UNSC Resolution 2593, emphasises most of all, that Afghanistan must not allow its soil to be

used in any manner by any body for terrorism.

• Countering Terrorism: To continue to work together on counter terrorism; countering of

radicalization and on the proposed UN Comprehensive Convention on International

Terrorism.

• Strengthening Bilateral Relationship: Discussed strengthening their relationship in bilateral

trade, vaccines, defence production, community links, maritime security, cyber and climate

cooperation.

• Cooperation on Covid-19: Agreement was reached to deepen cooperation in vaccine

manufacturing, including under the Quad framework, and to deliver high quality vaccines to

their Indo-Pacific partners.

• Researchers of both countries are working together to advance Covid-19 screening and study

the future health effects of the virus through projects funded by the Australia-India

Strategic Research Fund.

• Defence Relationship: Australia has invited India for participation in future Talisman Sabre

exercises which will raise interoperability while both sides explore longer term reciprocal

arrangements in logistics support.

• Economic Agreements: There was renewed support expressed for finalization of bilateral

Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

• Apart from this, both countries also pitched for early resolution of the issue of taxation of

offshore income of Indian firms under the India Australia Double Taxation Avoidance

Agreement.

• Others: While reaffirming support for the Indian candidacy for permanent membership of the

UNSC, grants of Australian $ 1 million to the International Solar Alliance, and Australian $10

million to the Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure (both India-led initiatives).

‘2+2’ Dialogue

• 2+2 Ministerial is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two countries.

• It is a format of dialogue where the defence/foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their

counterparts from another country.

• India holds such talks with Australia, Japan and the USA.

P a g e 61 | 82

India-Australia Relations

• Geo-Political Relations: Over the past few years, China’s actions– including extensive island

building in the South China Sea has heightened concerns in a number of countries around the

world.

• This has led to formation of Quad (India, Australia, Japan and US) grouping.

• Defence Relations: Bilateral naval exercise (AUSINDEX), Ex AUSTRA HIND (Bilateral Exercise

with Army), EX PITCH BLACK (Australia’s multilateral air combat training exercise) and

multilateral Malabar Exercise (comprising Quad countries).

• The countries have signed the Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement (MLSA).

Multilateral Cooperation:

• Both are members of the Quad, Commonwealth, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN

Regional Forum, Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development, and have

participated in the East Asia Summits.

• Both countries have also been cooperating as members of the Five Interested Parties (FIP) in

the World Trade Organization context.

• Australia is an important player in Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and supports

India's membership of the organisation.

• Other Diplomatic Engagements: A Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed in

September 2014.

• The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and the Extradition Treaty, which were signed in

June 2008.

• Further, recently India-Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE) was also organised.

4.4 AFGHANS OPPOSE FENCES ERECTED ALONG DURAND LINE

Why in News?

IN DEPTH:

• It is a legacy of the 19th century Great Game between the Russian and British empires in

which Afghanistan was used as a buffer by the British against a feared Russian expansionism

to its east.

• Recently, Taliban has said that Afghans oppose the

fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line.

• The fencing of the 2,640 km land border with

Afghanistan began in March 2017 after a spate of

attacks from across the porous border.

• Established in the Hindu Kush in 1893, it runs

through the tribal lands between Afghanistan and

British India. In modern times it has marked the

border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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• The agreement demarcating what became known as the Durand Line was signed between the

British civil servant Sir Henry Mortimer Durand and Amir Abdur Rahman, then the Afghan

ruler in 1893.

• Abdur Rahman became king in 1880, two years after the end of the Second Afghan War in

which the British took control of several areas that were part of the Afghan kingdom. His

agreement with Durand demarcated the limits of his and British India’s “spheres of

influence” on the Afghan “frontier” with India.

• The seven-clause agreement recognised a 2,670-km line, which stretches from the border

with China to Afghanistan’s border with Iran.

• It also put on the British side the strategic Khyber Pass.

• It is a mountain pass in the Hindu Kush, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

• The pass was for long of great commercial and strategic importance, the route by which

successive invaders entered India, and was garrisoned by the British intermittently between

1839 and 1947.

• The line cut through Pashtun tribal areas, leaving villages, families, and land divided

between the two “spheres of influence”.

• With independence in 1947, Pakistan inherited the Durand Line, and with it also the Pashtun

rejection of the line, and Afghanistan’s refusal to recognise it.

• When the Taliban seized power in Kabul the first time, they rejected the Durand Line. They

also strengthened Pashtun identity with an Islamic radicalism to produce the Tehreek-e-

Taliban Pakistan, whose terrorist attacks since 2007 left the country shaken.

Other Important Boundary Lines

McMahon Line:

• It runs from the eastern border of Bhutan along the crest of the Himalayas until it reaches

the great bend in the Brahmaputra River where that river emerges from its Tibetan course

into the Assam Valley.

• China, however, disputes the validity of the McMahon line.

• It claims that Tibet isn’t a sovereign government, and therefore any treaty made with Tibet

stands invalid.

• Named after the British Indian Army officer

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Arthur Henry

McMahon, who was also an administrator in

British India, the McMahon line is a

demarcation that separates Tibet and north-

east India.

• It was proposed by Colonel McMahon as the

boundary between Tibet, China, and India

at the Shimla Convention of 1914.

• It was accepted by Tibetan authorities and

British India, and is now acknowledged by

the Republic of India as the official

boundary.

•

P a g e 63 | 82

• The alignment of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern sector is along the 1914

McMahon Line.

• The LAC is the demarcation that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-

controlled territory.

Radcliffe Line:

• The western side of the Radcliffe Line still serves as the Indo-Pakistani border and the

eastern side serves as the India-Bangladesh border.

4.5 CEPA: INDIA - UAE

Why in News?

• Recently, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) formally launched negotiations on the

India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

• Looking to build on the progress made by both countries under the Comprehensive Strategic

Partnership signed in 2017, both countries expressed a desire to reach a mutually beneficial

economic deal.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement:

• It is a kind of free trade pact which covers negotiation on the trade in services and

investment, and other areas of economic partnership. It may even consider negotiation on

areas such as trade facilitation and customs cooperation, competition, and Intellectual

Property Rights.

• Partnership agreements or cooperation agreements are more comprehensive than Free Trade

Agreements.

• CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade and encompasses an agreement covering

the regulatory issues.

• India has signed CEPAs with South Korea and Japan.

India-UAE Economic Relations:

• The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade in 2019/2020

valued at USD 59 billion.

• The UAE is also India’s second-largest export destination after the US, with exports valued at

approximately USD 29 billion in 2019-2020.

• It divided British India into India and Pakistan.

• It is named after the architect of this line, Sir Cyril

Radcliffe, who was also the chairman of the Boundary

Commissions.

• The Radcliffe Line was drawn between West Pakistan (now

Pakistan) and India on the western side and between India

and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on the eastern side of

the subcontinent.

•

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• The UAE is the eighth-largest investor in India, having invested USD 11 billion between April

2000 and March 2021, while investment by Indian companies in the UAE is estimated to be

over USD 85 billion.

• Major Exports: Petroleum products, precious metals, stones, gems and jewellery, minerals

etc.

• Major Imports: Petroleum and petroleum products, precious metals, stones, gems and

jewellery, minerals etc.

Significance of India-UAE CEPA:

• It is expected to increase bilateral trade in goods to USD 100 billion within five years of the

signed agreement and increase trade in services to USD 15 billion, leading to wider social

and economic opportunities in both nations.

Other Types of Trade Agreements

Free Trade Agreement (FTA):

• It is an agreement in which two or more countries agree to provide preferential trade terms,

tariff concession etc. to the partner country.

• India has negotiated FTA with many countries e.g. Sri Lanka and various trading blocs as well

e.g. ASEAN.

Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA):

• In this type of agreement, two or more partners give preferential right of entry to certain

products. This is done by reducing duties on an agreed number of tariff lines.

• Tariffs may even be reduced to zero for some products even in a PTA. India signed a PTA

with Afghanistan.

Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA):

• CECA generally cover negotiation on trade tariff and TRQ (Tariff Rate Quotas) rates only. It

is not as comprehensive as CEPA. India has signed CECA with Malaysia.

Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT):

• It is a bilateral agreement in which two countries sit together and decide the conditions for

private investments by citizens and firms of the two countries.

Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA):

• It is a trade pact between two or more countries which establishes a framework for

expanding trade and resolving outstanding disputes between countries.

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4.6 INDIA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA VIRTUAL MEETING FOR CONNECTIVITY PARTNERSHIP

Why in News?

• Recently, at the virtual ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit on Future of

India-ASEAN Connectivity Partnerships, the Indian government underlined the importance of

cross-border connectivity between India and Southeast Asian nations.

• ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,

Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – into one

organisation.

Connectivity between India and Southeast Asia:

• These connectivity projects will not only curb existing insurgencies, but also help India’s

northeastern states to develop their economic potential and integrate with mainland India.

• Further, India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is central to India’s growing engagement

with her eastern neighbours.

• It will enable small and medium-sized enterprises in the border areas to explore new

business opportunities.

Examples of Cross Connectivity Projects:

• India currently is working with

ASEAN on multiple connectivity

projects, through land, water,

and air.

• Giving substance to ASEAN-India

relations through connectivity

will gradually change the

geopolitical landscape of this

region.

• Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar

(BCIM) Corridor is part of this.

India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway:

• One of the flagship projects for land

connectivity between ASEAN and India.

• Connecting the three countries from

Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand

to Bagan in Myanmar, was first

proposed in 2002.

• Besides this, the India, Myanmar, and

Thailand Motor Vehicles Agreement.

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Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP):

• To develop connectivity through water, ASEAN and India are working on KMMTTP.

• Initiated by the Indian government in 2008 and is entirely funded by India.

• To seek an alternative route through Myanmar for the transportation of goods to the

northeast region of India.

• Connects Kolkata in India to Sittwe and Paletwa in Myanmar by sea and river respectively.

• Alongside this initiative, India has contributed to build a sea link via Sittwe port in Myanmar

in order to enable an alternative transit route through Bangladesh.

Mekong-India Economic Corridor (MIEC):

• Involves the integration of four Mekong countries – Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and

Cambodia - along with India, connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Dawei, Bangkok, and Phnom Penh

with Chennai.

• The corridor will provide opportunities for the participant countries to develop

infrastructure, enhance their economic base with the region, and especially reduce the

transit distance between India and ASEAN countries.

4.7 TRILATERAL SECURITY PARTNERSHIP FOR INDO-PACIFIC: AUKUS

Why in News

• Recently, the US has announced a new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific,

between Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS).

• The major highlight of this arrangement is the sharing of US nuclear submarine technology to

Australia.

Key Points

• Focusing on Indo-Pacific: The security grouping AUKUS will focus on advancing strategic

interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Though the US has explicitly denied that the grouping is targeted against China, its Indo-

pacific orientation makes it an alliance against China’s assertive actions in the South China

Sea.

• The three countries alongside Canada and New Zealand already share extensive intelligence

through the Five Eyes alliance.

• Transferring Nuclear Submarines to Australia: As part of this initiative, Australia will acquire

nuclear-powered submarines with help from the UK and the US.

• This step is significant because the US has only shared nuclear submarine technology once

before, and it started in 1958 with Great Britain.

• Nuclear submarines that are quieter than their conventional counterparts but also more

capable of being deployed for longer periods and needing to surface less frequently.

• Alongside India’s stated intent to acquire more nuclear-powered submarines, it will amount

to a step-change increase in the Quad’s undersea and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

• Quad is a grouping of India, USA, Australia and Japan.

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• Australia is now set to join an elite group of only six countries – India, the US, the UK,

France, Russia and China – that operate nuclear-powered submarines. It will also be the only

country to have such submarines without having a civilian nuclear power industry.

• Multi-Sectoral Cooperation: AUKUS will also involve a new architecture of meetings and

engagements between the three countries, as well as cooperation across emerging

technologies (applied AI, quantum technologies and undersea capabilities).

Five Eyes Alliance

• The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing arrangement between five English-speaking

democracies: the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

• The alliance was created during the Cold War (1946-1991) that was fought between the

United States and the Soviet Union, as well as their respective allies.

• The alliance was needed to share sensitive information regarding their adversaries on all

possible fronts available.

• It is often described as the world's most successful intelligence alliance.

4.8 INDIA-led UNSC resolution 2593

Why in News?

• Recently, the India-led United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a Resolution 2593 on

Taliban.

• The resolution, sponsored by France, UK and the US, was adopted with 13 members,

including India, voting in favour, none against it.

• Two permanent and veto-wielding members Russia and China abstained.

• The adoption of the resolution is a strong signal from the Security Council and the

international community on its expectations in respect of Afghanistan.

About:

• Reiterates the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including those individuals

and entities designated pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999)

• Called for the Taliban to facilitate safe passage for people wanting to leave Afghanistan,

allow humanitarians to access the country, uphold human rights, including for women and

children and inclusive and negotiated political settlement.

Russia and China’s Abstention:

• Russia abstained as the resolution wasn’t specific enough about terror threats, did not speak

of the “brain drain” effect of evacuating Afghans and did not address the economic and

humanitarian consequences of US freezing the Afghan government’s US accounts following

the Taliban takeover.

• China shared some of Russia’s concerns. It believes that the current chaos was a direct

consequence of Western countries’ “disorderly withdrawal”.

• China is of the view that it is necessary for the international community to engage with the

Taliban, and actively provide them with guidance.

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• Russia and China wanted all the terrorist groups, especially Islamic State (ISIS) and the

Uighur East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) to be named specifically in the document.

India’s Recent Steps:

• India has directed a high-level group composed of EAM (External Affairs Minister), NSA

(National Security Adviser) and senior officials to focus on the immediate priorities of India.

• The group is seized of issues pertaining to the safe return of stranded Indians to India and is

assuring that the territory of Afghanistan is not used in any manner for terrorism directed

against India.

• Recently, India’s ambassador to Qatar met with the head of the Taliban’s political office.

• It is the first time the government has publicly acknowledged such a meeting which came at

the request of the Taliban.

• The Taliban leader assured that all the issues would be positively addressed.

Afghanistan’s Representation in Multilateral Organizations:

• With uncertainty hanging over the international representation of Afghanistan under the

Taliban, a question has risen over the membership of the country in the South Asian

Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

• The question on representation of Afghanistan at the SAARC has come up especially since a

similar issue is yet to be addressed by the United Nations.

• SAARC is already facing many issues and the current situation of Afghanistan has further

increased the problems for it.

• Afghanistan was admitted into the SAARC as the eighth member in 2007.

• Conventionally, countries do not lose membership of regional or global platforms because of

a domestic political change.

• However, a similar question is also likely to come up in the Kathmandu-based

intergovernmental organisation the International Centre for Integrated Mountain

Development (ICIMOD).

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5. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5.1 WIPO’s GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX

Why in News?

• Recently, India has climbed two spots and has been ranked 46th in the Global Innovation

Index (GII) 2021 rankings.

Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021:

About:

• Launch: The GII is launched by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a

specialized agency of the United Nations.

• The GII aims to capture the multi-dimensional facets of innovation ranking and rich analysis

referencing around 132 economies.

• Partnership: It is published in partnership with the Portulans Institute and other corporate

partners:

• The Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI), Confederation of Indian Industry

(CII), Ecopetrol (Colombia) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).

• Indicators: The index ranks world economies according to their innovation capabilities and

consists of roughly 80 indicators grouped into innovation inputs and outputs.

• Innovation inputs: Institutions; Human capital and research; Infrastructure; Market

sophistication; Business sophistication.

• Innovation outputs: Knowledge and technology outputs; Creative outputs

Global Performance:

• Top Five: Switzerland, Sweden, U.S., and U.K. continue to lead the innovation ranking, and

have all ranked in the top 5 in the past three years.

• The Republic of Korea joins the top 5 of the GII for the first time in 2021.

• Asian Countries: Four Asian economies feature in the top 15: Singapore (8), China (12),

Japan (13) and Hong Kong, China (14).

India’s Performance:

• India has been on an upward trajectory over the past few years in the GII.

• India has shot up from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 46 in 2021.

• India performs better in innovation outputs than innovation inputs in 2021.

• This year India ranks 57th in innovation inputs, the same as last year but higher than 2019.

• As for innovation outputs, India ranks 45th. This position is the same as last year but higher

than 2019.

• India ranks 2nd among the 34 lower middle-income group economies.

• India ranks 1st among the 10 economies in Central and Southern Asia.

• The government attributed the country’s improved performance to the departments of

atomic energy, science and technology, biotechnology and space.

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Other Findings from the GII 2021:

• Investments in innovation reached an all-time high before the pandemic with R&D growing at

an exceptional rate of 8.5% in 2019.

• Government budget allocations for the top R&D spending economies showed continued

growth in 2020.

• The publication of scientific articles worldwide grew by 7.6% in 2020.

• India, Kenya, the Republic of Moldova, and VietNam hold the record for overperforming on

innovation relative to their level of development for the 11th year in a row.

Note

• The India Innovation Index has been developed by NITI (National Institution for Transforming

India) Aayog on the lines of the GII.

• The index goes beyond traditional approaches by considering the best parameters in

measuring innovation such as patents per million of population, publication in scientific

journals, percentage of GDP spending on research.

• It also adds parameters that are specific to the Indian economy (eg. Demographic dividend),

to give it a more holistic coverage.

5.2 EAT RIGHT INDIA MOVEMENT ; STATE FOOD SAFETY INDEX : FSSAI

Eat Right India Movement:

• It is an initiative of the Government of India and FSSAI to transform the country’s food

system in order to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.

• It is aligned to the National Health Policy 2017 with its focus on preventive and promotive

healthcare and flagship programmes like Ayushman Bharat, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt

Bharat and Swachh Bharat Mission.

Eat Right Station Certification:

• The certification is awarded by FSSAI to railway stations that set benchmarks (as per the

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006) in providing safe and wholesome food to passengers.

• The Eat Right Research Awards and Grants to encourage and recognize high-quality research

in the area of food safety and nutrition in India has also been launched.

• The results of PAN-India survey for identifying the presence of industrially produced trans

fatty acid content in the selected foods has been released. Overall, only 84 samples, i.e.

1.34%, have more than 3% industrially produced trans fats from the total of 6245 samples.

• In an effort to engage industry on the issue of plastic in food packaging, 24 food businesses

signed a pledge on becoming “Plastic Waste Neutral” by collecting, processing and recycling

of 100% post-consumer plastic waste from across the sources.

Global:

• The Codex Alimentarius, or "Food Code" is a collection of standards, guidelines and codes of

practice adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

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• The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint intergovernmental body of the Food and

Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO).

• Currently, it has 189 members and India is a member.

5.3 AROMA MISSION AND FLORICULTURE MISSION

Why in News?

• Recently, the Union Minister of State Science & Technology has proposed Integrated Aroma

Dairy Entrepreneurship for Jammu & Kashmir to augment the income of farmers.

• The Aroma Mission, also popularly referred as "Lavender or Purple Revolution", has started

from J&K and transformed the lives of farmers who are able to grow lavender, make

lucrative profit and improve their lives.

• Earlier, the floriculture mission was launched in 21 States and Union Territories.

Aroma Mission:

Objectives:

• To promote the cultivation of aromatic crops for essential oils that are in great demand by

the aroma industry.

• To enable Indian farmers and the aroma industry to become global leaders in the production

and export of some other essential oils on the pattern of menthol mint.

• To provide substantial benefits to the farmers in achieving higher profits, utilization of

waste lands and protection of their crops from wild and grazing animals.

Nodal Agencies:

• The nodal laboratory is CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP),

Lucknow.

• The participating laboratories are CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-

IHBT), Palampur; CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu etc.

Coverage:

• The scientific interventions made under the mission project provided assured benefits to the

growers of Vidarbha, Bundelkhand, Gujarat, Marathwada, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha

and other states where farmers are exposed to frequent episodes of weather extremes and

account for maximum suicides.

• Aromatic Plants include lavender, damask rose, mushk bala, etc.

Launch of Second Phase:

• CSIR-IIIM-Jammu announced Aroma Mission phase-II in February, 2021 after the success of

the first phase.

• It focuses on setting up of cooperatives for marketing, promotion of cultivation and

processing of high value medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), development of superior

varieties and their agro technologies, setting up of distillation units and processing facilities,

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skill and entrepreneurship development, value-addition and product development from

MAPs.

Significance:

• Apart from being in sync with government policy of doubling farm incomes by 2022, the

missiom also provided employment to the women farmers thus giving impetus to inclusive

growth.

Floriculture Mission:

Floriculture:

• It is a branch of horticulture that deals with the cultivation, processing and marketing of

ornamental plants vis-à-vis landscaping of small or large areas, and maintenance of gardens

so that the surroundings may appear aesthetically pleasant.

Objectives:

• To focus on commercial floral crops, seasonal/annual crops, wild ornaments and cultivation

of flower crops for honey bee rearing.

• Some of the popular crops include Gladiolus, Canna, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Gerbera,

Lilium, Marigold, Rose, Tuberose etc.

Implementing Agencies:

• Along with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), other implementing agencies

involved are:

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

APEDA and TRIFED

• Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj, and

• Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

• Floriculture Market:

• The Indian Floriculture market was worth INR 157 Billion in 2018. The floriculture market is

expected to reach a value of INR 661 Billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR (Compound Annual

Growth Rate) of 19.2% during 2021-2026.

Significance:

• Employment generation: Floriculture has the potential to provide employment to a large

number of people through nursery raising, floriculture farming, entrepreneurship

development for nursery trade, value addition and export.

• Import Substitution: India has diverse agro-climatic and edaphic conditions (physical,

chemical, and biological properties of soil), and rich plant diversity, still it shares only 0.6%

of the global floriculture market.

• At least 1200 million USD worth of floriculture products are being imported by India every

year from different countries.

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5.4 HOME MADE RICE WINE, JUDIMA OF ASSAM’s DIMASA TRIBE GETS GI TAG

Why in News?

• Judima, a home-made rice wine of Assam’s Dimasa tribe has become the first traditional

brew in all of northeast to bag a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

• This is the second product from the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao to get GI

tag.

• Earlier, Manipur’s most famous Hathei chilli and Tamenglong orange were awarded the GI

Tag.

Geographical Indication (GI)

• GI is an indication used to identify goods having special characteristics originating from a

definite geographical territory.

• It is also a part of the World Trade Organisation’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual

Property Rights (TRIPS).

• GI tag in India is governed by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection)

Act, 1999. It is issued by the Geographical Indications Registry (Chennai).

• The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years.

• The GI protection in India leads to recognition of the product in other countries thus

boosting exports.

About Judima:

• Judima is a rice wine made from sticky rice (glutinous rice called Bora), which is steamed

and mixed with traditional herbs called Thembra (Acacia pennata).

• The wine is a specialty of the Dimasa tribe of the state (Assam) and has a distinct sweet

taste and takes around one week to prepare and it can be stored for years.

• There are around 14 recognized Plain Tribe communities, 15 Hills Tribe communities and 16

recognized Scheduled Caste communities in the state.

• The Bodos are the largest group, comprising almost half of the state's tribal population.

Other major ST groups include Mising, Karbi, Rabha, Kachari, Lalung and Dimasa.

Other Recent GI Tagged Products from Assam:

• Kaji Nemu (a type of lemon) (2020)

• Chokuwa Rice of Assam (2019)

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES

6.1 POSHAN 2.0

Why in News?

• Recently, the Ministry for Women and Child Development inaugurated Poshan 2.0 and urged

all Aspirational Districts to establish a Poshan Vatika (nutrition garden) during the Nutrition

Month (Poshan Mah) from 1st September.

• A month-long celebration of the POSHAN Abhiyan mission places special attention on Severe

Acute Malnourished (SAM) children.

About:

• It is an umbrella scheme covering the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

(Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme For Adolescent Girls, National Creche

Scheme).

• It was announced in Union Budget 2021-22 by merging supplementary nutrition programmes

and the POSHAN Abhiyaan.

• It was launched to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcome, with

renewed focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to

disease and malnutrition in the country.

Poshan Maah:

• Month of September is celebrated as POSHAN Maah since 2018 to improve nutritional

outcomes for children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

• It includes a month-long activities focussed on antenatal care, optimal breastfeeding,

Anaemia, growth monitoring, girls education, diet, right age of marriage, hygiene and

sanitation and eating healthy (Food Fortification).

• The activities focus on Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) and are based

on Jan Andolan Guidelines.

• SBCC is the strategic use of communication approaches to promote changes in knowledge,

attitudes, norms, beliefs and behaviours.

Poshan Vatika:

• It’s main objective is to ensure supply of nutrition through organically home grown

vegetables and fruits simultaneously ensuring that the soil must also remain healthy.

• Plantation drives for Poshan Vatikas would be taken up by all the stakeholders in the space

available at anganwadis, school premises and gram panchayats.

POSHAN Abhiyaan:

• Also called National Nutrition Mission, was launched by the government on the occasion of

the International Women’s Day on 8th March, 2018.

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• The Abhiyaan targets to reduce Stunting, undernutrition, Anemia (among young children,

women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum

respectively.

• It also targets to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4%

to 25% by 2022.

Scenario of Malnutrition in India:

• According to a 2010 World Bank report, India suffered an economic loss of Rs 24,000 crore

due to lack of toilets. And that the health impact on the economy was 38 million dollars.

• According to an Assocham study of the year 2018, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) suffered

a decline of 4% due to malnutrition.

• The report also found that children suffering from malnutrition after growing up earn 20%

less than those who have had healthy childhoods.

• The number of SAM children in the country was earlier 80 lakh, which has now come down to

10 lakh.

Malnutrition:

• It refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or

nutrients. The term malnutrition addresses 3 broad groups of conditions:

• Undernutrition: It includes wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and

underweight (low weight-for-age).

• Micronutrient-related: It includes micronutrient deficiencies (a lack of important vitamins

and minerals) or micronutrient excess;

• Overweight: Obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease,

stroke, diabetes and some cancers).

• The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2: Zero hunger) aims to end all forms of hunger and

malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people – especially children – have access to sufficient

and nutritious food all year round

6.2 BCG VACCINE AND TUBERCULOSIS(TB)

Why in News?

• Centenary celebration is being observed for the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine,

which is presently the sole vaccine available for the prevention of Tuberculosis (TB).

About:

• TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, belonging to the

Mycobacteriaceae family consisting of about 200 members.

• Some of Mycobacteria cause diseases like TB and Leprosy in humans and others infect a wide

range of animals.

• In humans, TB most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but it can also affect other

organs (extra-pulmonary TB).

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• TB is a very ancient disease and has been documented to have existed in Egypt as early as

3000 BC.

• TB is a treatable and curable disease.

Transmission:

• TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze

or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.

Symptoms:

• Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains,

weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.

Global Impact of TB:

• In 2019, 87% of new TB cases occurred in the 30 high TB burden countries.

Eight countries accounted for two thirds of the new TB cases:

• India, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa.

• India reported 1.8 million TB cases between January and December 2020 as compared to 2.4

million the year before.

• In 2019, MDR-TB remained a public health crisis and a health security threat.

• MultiDrug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a strain of TB that cannot be treated with the

two most powerful first-line treatment anti-TB drugs. Extensively Drug Resistant

Tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that are resistant to several of the

most effective anti-TB drugs.

BCG Vaccine:

• BCG was developed by two Frenchmen, Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin, by modifying a

strain of Mycobacterium bovis (that causes TB in cattle). It was first used in humans in 1921.

• In India, BCG was first introduced in a limited scale in 1948 and became a part of the

National TB Control Programme in 1962.

• In addition to its primary use as a vaccine against TB, it protects against respiratory and

bacterial infections of the newborns, and other mycobacterial diseases like Leprosy and

Buruli’s ulcer.

• It is also used as an immunotherapy agent in cancer of the urinary bladder and malignant

melanoma.

• One intriguing fact about BCG is that it works well in some geographic locations and not so

well in others. Generally, the farther a country is from the equator, the higher is the

efficiency.

• It has a high efficacy in the UK, Norway, Sweden and Denmark; and little or no efficacy in

countries on or near the equator like India, Kenya and Malawi, where the burden of TB is

higher.

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Global Efforts:

• The WHO (World Health Organisation) has launched a joint initiative “Find. Treat. All.

#EndTB” with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.

• WHO also releases the Global Tuberculosis report.

India’s Efforts:

• National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination (2017-2025), The Nikshay

Ecosystem (National TB information system), Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY- financial

support), TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign.

Currently, two vaccines VPM (Vaccine Projekt Management) 1002 and MIP (Mycobacterium Indicus

Pranii) have been developed and identified for TB, and are under Phase-3 clinical trial.

6.3 TRIBUTE TO V.O. CHIDAMBARAM PILLAI ON HIS 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

Why in News?

Early Life:

• VOC graduated from Caldwell College, Tuticorin. Before beginning his law studies, he

worked for a brief period as the taluk office clerk.

• His tussle with the judge forced him to seek fresh pastures at Tuticorin in 1900.

• Until 1905, professional and journalistic activities consumed most of his energy.

Entry in Politics:

• VOC entered politics in 1905 following the partition of Bengal.

• Towards the end of 1905, VOC visited Madras and was drawn closer to the Swadeshi

Movement initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai.

• VOC was drawn towards Ramakrishna Mission and came into contact with Subramania Bharati

and the Mandayam family.

• Recently, the Prime Minister paid tribute to V. O. Chidambaram

Pillai, the legendary freedom fighter on his 150th birth

anniversary.

• He was popularly known as Kappalottiya Tamilan (The Tamil

Helmsman) and Sekkizuththa Semmal (scholarly gentry who

suffered at the oil press).

Birth:

• Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) was born

5th September 1872 to an eminent lawyer Olaganathan Pillai

and Paramyee Ammai in Ottapidaram, Tirunelveli district of

Tamil Nadu.

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• It was not until the arrival of VOC at Tuticorin (Present day Thoothukudi) that the Swadeshi

movement in Tirunelveli district began to gather force and momentum.

Role Played in Freedom Movement:

• By 1906, VOC won the support of merchants and industrialists in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli for

the idea of establishing a Swadeshi merchant shipping outfit by the name of the Swadeshi

Steam Navigation Company (SSNCo).

• He established many institutions like Swadeshi Prachar Sabha, Dharmasanga Nesavu Salai,

National Godown, Madras Agro-Industrial Society Ltd and Desabimana Sangam.

• VOC and Siva were aided in their efforts by a number of Tirunelveli-based lawyers, who

formed an organisation called the Swadeshi Sangam, or ‘National Volunteers’.

• The nationalist movement acquired a secondary character with the beginning of the

Tuticorin Coral Mills strike (1908).

• Even prior to Gandhiji’s Champaran Satyagraha (1917), VOC took up the cause of the working

class in Tamil Nadu, and thus he is a forerunner to Gandhiji in this respect.

• VOC, along with other leaders, resolved to take out a mammoth procession on the morning

of 9th March 1908 to celebrate the release of Bipin Chandra Pal from jail and to hoist the

flag of Swaraj.

• Writings: Meyyaram (1914), Meyyarivu (1915), Anthology (1915), Thirukural with literary

notes of Manakudavar (1917), Tholkappiam with literary notes of Ilampooranar (1928),

Autobiography (1946).

• Death: V.O.C died on 18th November 1936 in the Indian National Congress Office at Tuticorin

as was his last wish.

6.4 ACHARYA VINOBHA BHAVE AND HIS CONTRIBUTION

Birth:

• Vinayak Narahari Bhave, born on 11th September 1895, Gagode, Bombay Presidency (now in

Maharashtra).

• Eldest son of Narahari Shambhu Rao and Rukmini Devi.

• His mother had a major influence on him. He was inspired by her to read 'The Gita'.

Brief Profile:

• One of India’s best-known social reformers and a widely venerated disciple of Mohandas K.

(Mahatma) Gandhi. Founder of the Bhoodan Yajna (“Land-Gift Movement”).

Association with Gandhi:

• Attracted towards the principles and ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and considered Gandhi

his guru, from both a political and spiritual point of view.

• Abandoned his high school studies in 1916 to join Gandhi’s ashram (ascetic community) at

Sabarmati, near Ahmedabad.

• Gandhi’s teachings led Bhave to a life of austerity dedicated to improving Indian village life.

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Role in Freedom Struggle:

• Took part in programs of non-cooperation and especially the call for use of Swadeshi goods

instead of foreign imports.

• In 1940, he was chosen as the first Individual Satyagrahi (an Individual standing up for Truth

instead of a collective action) against British Raj by Gandhi in India.

• Bhave was imprisoned several times during the 1920s and ’30s and served a five-year prison

sentence in the ’40s for leading nonviolent resistance to British rule. He was given the

honorific title acharya (“teacher”).

Role in Social Work:

• Worked tirelessly towards eradicating social evils like inequality.

• Influenced by the examples set by Gandhi, he took up the cause of people who were

referred to as Harijans by Gandhi.

• He adopted the term Sarvodaya from Gandhi which simply means “Progress for All”.

• The Sarvodaya movement under him implemented various programs during the 1950s, the

chief among which is the Bhoodan Movement.

Bhoodan Movement:

• In the year 1951, the Harijans of the Pochampalli village of Telangana requested him to

provide them with around 80 acres of land to make a living.

• Vinoba asked the landlords of the village to come forward and save the Harijans. and a

landlord got up and offered the required land. This incident added a new chapter in the

history of sacrifices and non-violence.

• It was the beginning of the Bhoodan (Gift of the Land) movement.

• The movement continued for thirteen years and Vinoba toured the length and breadth of the

country, a total distance of 58741 Km.

• He was successful in collecting around 4.4 million acres of land, of which around 1.3 million

was distributed among poor landless farmers.

• The movement attracted admiration from all over the world and was commended for being

the only experiment of his kind to incite voluntary social justice.

Religious Work:

• In 1923, he brought out 'Maharashtra Dharma', a monthly in Marathi, which had his essays on

the Upanishads.

• He set up a number of Ashrams to promote a simple way of life, devoid of luxuries that took

away one’s focus from the Divine.

• Established the Brahma Vidya Mandir in 1959, a small community for women, aiming at self-

sufficiency on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings.

• He took a strong stand on cow slaughter and declared to go on fast until it was banned in

India.

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Literary Work:

• His important books include: Swarajya Sastra, Geeta Pravachane, Teesri Shakti or The Third

Power etc.

Death:

• Died in 1982, Wardha, Maharashtra.

Awards:

• Vinoba Bhabe was the first international figure to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award in

1958. He was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1983.

6.5 CHICAGO 1893 ICONIC SPEECH OF SWAMI VIVEKANAND

Why in News?

• Recently, the Prime Minister of India recalled Swami Vivekananda’s iconic 1893 speech at

Chicago and said its spirit has the potential to create a more just, prosperous, and inclusive

planet.

• Swami Vivekananda, is regarded as a one of the finest spiritual leaders and intellects India

has produced.

IN DEPTH

• Birth: He was born as Narendranath Datta on 12th January, 1863.

• National Youth Day is held every year to observe the birth anniversary of Swami

Vivekananda.

• In 1893, upon the request of Maharaja Ajit Singh of the Khetri State, he took the name

‘Vivekananda.’

Contributions:

• Introduced the world to the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga.

• He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and

believed in combining spirituality with material progress.

• Laid the greatest emphasis on education for the regeneration of our motherland. Advocated

a man-making character-building education.

• Best known for his speech at the World Parliament of Religion in Chicago in 1893.

• Spelt out the four pathways of attaining moksha from the worldly pleasure and attachment

in his books - Raja-yoga, Karma-yoga, Jnana-yoga and Bhakti-yoga.

• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called Vivekananda the “maker of modern India.”

Associated Organisations:

• He was the chief disciple of the 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna Paramhansa and

established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.

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• Ramakrishna Mission is an organization which works in the area of value-based education,

culture, health, women's empowerment, youth and tribal welfare and relief and

rehabilitation.

• In 1899, he established the Belur Math, which became his permanent abode.

• Death: He died at Belur Math in 1902. Belur Math, located in West Bengal, is the

headquarters of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission.

6.6 ARTEFACTS AND ANTIQUITIES HANDED OVER TO INDIA BY USA INCLUDING NATARAJ

Why in News?

• Recently, as many as 157 artefacts and antiquities were handed over to the Prime Minister

by the United States including a bronze Nataraj figure.

• The list has a diverse set of items bas-relief panel of Revanta in sandstone made in the 10th

century, 56 terracotta pieces, several bronze figurines and copper objects, among others

which mainly belong to 11th and 14th centuries.

• It also includes an 18th-century sword in its sheath, with the inscription mentioning Guru

Hargobind Singh in Persian, some historic antiquities comprise figurines relating to Hinduism,

Buddhism and Jainism.

Key Points

• Nataraja (Lord of the Dance), the Hindu god Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer, is

represented in metal or stone in many Shaivite temples, particularly in South India.

• It is an important piece of Chola sculpture.

• The upper right-hand holds the drum, which signifies the sound of creation. All creations

spring from the great sound of the damru.

• The upper left-hand holds the eternal fire, which represents the destruction. Destruction is

the precursor and inevitable counterpart of creation.

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• The lower right hand is raised in the gesture of Abhay mudra signifying benediction and

reassuring the devotee to not be afraid.

• The lower left-hand points towards the upraised foot and indicates the path of salvation.

• Shiva is dancing on the figure of a small dwarf. The dwarf symbolises ignorance and the ego

of an individual.

• Shiva is shown as the source of all movement within the cosmos and as the god whose

doomsday dance, represented by the arch of flames, accompanies the dissolution of the

universe at the end of an eon.

• The matted and flowing locks of Shiva represent the flow of river Ganges.

• In ornamentation, one ear of Shiva has a male earring while the other has a female. This

represents the fusion of male and female and is often referred to as Ardhanarishwar.

• A snake is twisted around the arm of Shiva. The snake symbolises the kundalini power, which

resides in the human spine in the dormant stage. If aroused, one can attain true

consciousness.

• The Nataraja is surrounded by a nimbus of glowing lights which symbolises the vast unending

cycles of time.