Magazine

Topper’s Corner
Interview Transcript: Kajal Jawla (UPSC CSE 2018, Rank 28)

1. Please tell us something about yourself, your family? When and why did you enter in
UPSC competitive exams?
My name is Kajal Jawla. I have secured AIR 28 in CSE 2018. I am a Technical Risk Senior
Consultant at EY. I completed my B. Tech in 2010 and have been working ever since – for the
past 9 years. I am from Meerut and have been married for more than 3 years.
My father used to impress upon me and my two siblings the importance of studies and having a
good job. He wanted one of his children to be an IAS officer and used to constantly motivate me
to take the exam. Some of my college batchmates were preparing for CSE and eventually got
through. This invoked my interest - I began my preparation in 2012 and gave the first attempt
that very year.
2. How much did you rely on online sources/videos while preparing for this exam?
Quite a lot. I had the soft copy versions of most of the books I referred to including NCERTs.
Besides reading The Hindu e-paper, I referred to Insights Daily Current Affairs, online quizzes
on forums like Insights, Civil Services Daily, GK Today, etc. I read IASbaba’s compilations for
budget and economic survey. I also watched daily news analysis on days I could not read the
newspaper completely. For preparation of my optional subject, I read a substantial amount from
online sources.
3. So, did you use www.jatinverma.org/ his Facebook group/ telegram group for your
preparation and if yes, how did it help you?
I used to watch Daily News Analysis by Jatin Verma about 15 days a month. I hadn’t joined the
Telegram group or the Facebook page.
4. How did you find Jatin Verma’s videos for your preparation?
Very helpful. I could dedicate very less time to studies on weekdays and I felt that the Daily
News Analysis was one of the easiest ways to get the gist of the daily news.
5. How did you make notes?
During Prelims preparation, I made notes in MS Word for current affairs – most of those were
from Insights Daily Current affairs. I supplemented them with whatever important news I had
read from that day’s newspaper. I did not make any notes for static content. During preparation
for Mains, I made handwritten notes for current issues in bullet format to enable quicker
revision.
6. Prelim 2017’s and 2018’s GS papers were very tough. What are your views? If you were
to prepare for the Prelims-2019, what changes would you make in the strategy?
©Jatin Verma All Rights Reserved. https://www.jatinverma.org

I found Prelims 2017 difficult and fared very badly at it. Prelims 2018 was not on expected lines
and very difficult but I was better prepared as compared to 2017. If I were to prepare for Prelims
2019, I’d focus more on compressing my current affairs notes and more timely revisions of static
content.
7. Kindly tell us how to complete GS paper-II (Prelims) in time?
I personally feel that comprehension and logic reasoning questions take lesser time than purely
mathematical questions. Attempting them in the beginning and then solving mathematics
questions towards the second half can save time. Also, by then one will be surer of getting a
comfortable score and there would be lesser inclination towards being stuck in a tricky question
at the risk of other easier ones.
8. Kindly tell us about your approximate no. of attempted answers vs. correct answers you
got in Prelims-2018.
GS Paper 1 – 75 attempted; ~ 57 correct
GS Paper 2 – 64 attempted; ~54 correct
9. Compulsory language paper: Your preparation strategy / booklist?
I did not prepare much for Indian language paper (Hindi in my case). I usually read Hindi novels.
I referred to a Hindi grammar book borrowed from a friend for synonyms, idioms, and antonyms.
For English, I did absolutely nothing. All the reading that an English medium aspirant does for
the exam should be enough to get him/her through the compulsory English paper.
10. How did you prepare for the essay paper?
I wrote an essay and got it peer reviewed. Based on the comments I received and after referring
to mock essays written by previous years’ toppers, I re-wrote that essay. I read around 20 essays
by toppers and then wrote a few more for practice.
11. Which two essays did you write and what key points did you include in it?
From Section A, I wrote on ‘Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task’. In this
essay, I wrote about India’s border disputes with Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh. I included Sir
Creek, IB, LoC, PoK, CoK, Arunachal sector, Berubari Union, exchange of estates with
Bangladesh, etc. I added solutions/ suggestions like 2+2 dialogue format, Special
Representatives, non-traditional diplomacy like Wuhan summit, border areas being cultural
ecotones, cross border trade and LOC mandis, etc.
From Section B, I wrote on ‘Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life’. I began this
essay with the story of Alan Turing - a man of incredible genius and a WW2 hero. I wrote about
how the Victorian concept of morality let to a tragic end to the life of a young genius who could
give back so much to the world in general and scientific community in particular. I discussed
about LGBTQ, adultery, traditional women roles, taboo around mensuration, temple entry, etc.

For Mains
General Studies (Mains) Paper 1

Topic How did you prepare? / Referred books
Culture Skipped this topic – only referred to NCERT fine arts
Indian history NCERT History new books 6 -12; Tamil Nadu History 11 & 12; R.S.
Sharma for Ancient; Spectrum (Old edition) for Modern History
world history One reading of NCERT History new book Class 9 & 10; sample answers
for 1 test from Forum IAS test series
post-independence NCERT Polity new book Class 12 (Politics in India since Independence)
India
Indian society One reading NCERT Sociology Class 11 & 12 – Nothing else
role of women, No specific source – from newspaper reading

poverty etc.
globalization on No specific source – from newspaper reading
Indian society
communalism, No specific source – from newspaper reading
regionalism,
secularism
world geo physical NCERT Geography Class 11 for basics
resource distribution No specific source – from newspaper reading
factors for industrial No specific source – from newspaper reading
location
earthquake tsunami No specific source – from newspaper reading
etc
impact on flora- No specific source – from newspaper reading
fauna
General studies (Mains) paper 2
Topic How Did You Prepare? / Referred books

Indian Constitution, devolution, Laxmikant Indian Polity
dispute redressal etc.
comparing Constitution with world Laxmikant Indian Polity
parliament, state Legislatures Laxmikant Indian Polity
executive-judiciary Laxmikant Indian Polity
ministries departments Laxmikant Indian Polity
pressure group, informal associations Laxmikant Indian Polity
Representation of people’s act Laxmikant Indian Polity
various bodies: Constitutional, Laxmikant Indian Polity
statutory
NGO, SHG etc Laxmikant Indian Polity

welfare schemes, bodies Laxmikant Indian Polity
social sector, health, education, HRD No specific source – from newspaper reading
governance, transparency, No specific source – from newspaper reading
accountability
e-governance No specific source – from newspaper reading
role of civil service No specific source – from newspaper reading
India & neighbors No specific source – from newspaper reading
bilateral/global grouping No specific source – from newspaper reading
General studies (Mains) Paper 3
Topic How Did You Prepare? / Referred books

Indian economy, resource mobilization NCERT Economy Class 9-12, Newspaper
inclusive growth No specific source – from newspaper reading
Budgeting IASbaba; Newspaper
major crops, irrigation No specific source – from previous years’ papers solutions
agro produce – storage, marketing No specific source – from newspaper reading
e-technology for farmers No specific source – from newspaper reading
farm subsidies, MSP No specific source – from newspaper reading
PDS, buffer, food security No specific source – from newspaper reading
technology mission No specific source – from newspaper reading
animal rearing economics No specific source – from newspaper reading
food processing No specific source – from newspaper reading
land reforms No specific source – from newspaper reading and previous years’ papers solutions
Liberalization No specific source – from previous years’ papers solutions
Infra No specific source – from newspaper reading
investment models No specific source – from newspaper reading
science-tech day to day life No specific source – from newspaper reading
Indian achievements in sci-tech No specific source – from newspaper reading
awareness in IT, space, biotech, nano, IPR No specific source – from newspaper reading
environmental impact assessment No specific source – from newspaper reading
Disaster Management No specific source – from newspaper reading
non state actors, internal security No specific source – from newspaper reading
internal security – role of media, social networking site No specific source – from newspaper
reading
cyber security No specific source – from newspaper reading
money laundering No specific source – from newspaper reading
border Management No specific source – from newspaper reading
organized crime, terrorism No specific source – from newspaper reading
security agencies- structure mandate No specific source – from newspaper reading

General Studies 4: Ethics, Integrity, aptitude
Topic How Did You Prepare?/ Referred books

ethics and interface, family, society Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
Attitude, moral influence etc. Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
civil service: integrity, impartiality, tolerance to weak etc Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s
anecdotes
emotional intelligence, its use in governance Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
moral thinkers of India and world Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
ethics in pub.ad, accountability, laws, rules etc. Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
corporate governance Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
probity in governance, work culture Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
citizen charter, ethics code, work culture etc. Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
challenges of corruption Lexicon; Abhishek Surana’s anecdotes
case studies on above topics Lexicon
1. In ethics, what are your observations and tips for future aspirants regarding
preparation?
Depth and variety in thinking is needed. Analyze each case study from various dimensions and
from the perspective of various stakeholders and write the answer accordingly. A focused
preparation for ethics is an absolute requirement to score well in the exam.
2. Some experts claim you should attempt all questions in Mains, some say attempt only
those questions you know perfectly. What is your thought?
I attempted almost all questions in GS 1-4 barring 2. I believe that one must maximize the
number of questions attempted (around 18-19 at least). There are very bleak chances that one
will know all 20 answers. Not attempting questions means a lost opportunity and can cost one
dearly. In case of very tricky questions, at least a couple diagrams/ maps or some pointers that
are relevant from the question’s perspective can be written.
3. How was your experience with the ‘fixed space’ answer sheet?
Seemed like a blessing to me. It helps keep the answer limited to the word limit.
4. Did you write answers in bullet points or in paragraphs?
Bullets mostly.
5. Did you follow the “introduction-body-conclusion” format?
Yes. Factual introduction, key points arranged under sub-headers and a balanced 1-2 sentence
long conclusion.
6. What’s your optional subject and why did you choose it?

Zoology. I chose this as I had aptitude in and liking for the subject – I had prepared for one year
for Pre-medical entrance after Intermediate. Being a science subject and a less conventional
choice, I expected to get better returns as compared to conventional optional subjects.
7. Please provide the essential book/resource list.
I am not an expert in the subject but here are resources I followed.
 NCERT Biology Class 11 & 12.
 Veer Bala Rastogi’s books for many units – these are small and written in easy to understand
language.
 Trumann for 12th.
 Guyton & Hall for physiology
 David Hames & Nigel Hooper for Biochemistry
 P.K. Gupta for Genetics
 Online sources – IASZoology.com and studyandscore.com
8. Much of internet-research / current affairs is necessary for this optional?
I had to struggle a lot for some topics – difficult to find content online. I don’t think an extensive
current affairs-oriented study is necessary for Zoology preparation.
9. How many months did it take to finish the core optional syllabus?
Did not count. I was preparing these on and off during the period between Prelims and Mains.
10. How many days/ weeks before the exam, you started answer writing practice?
Only after the Prelims results were out – so approximately 10 weeks before the exam.
11. Do you maintain notes for revision of optional? In which format- electronic or paper?
Some handwritten, some electronic.
12. Your observation about the difficultly level of 2018 mains vs previous papers.
This was my first Mains – Optional Paper 1 was easier; Optional Paper 2 was trickier and
difficult.
13. And what precautions are necessary in the future strategy for given optional subject?
More diagram practice; better revision strategy. Not leaving out any unit completely as the
chances of ruling out the questions from that unit through choice are very bleak – the question
paper had a fair mix of questions from ALL units.
Before the interview
1. How did you prepare for the interview?
Analyzed my DAF meticulously. Compiled a list of all keywords and all potential questions on
those – I took help of my husband and a colleague in this exercise so as to get an outsider’s

perspective. Prepared extensively on these keywords; revised my optional; kept reading the
newspaper and tried to articulate my opinion on current topics in 2-4 sentences.
2. Did you attend any mock interviews by coaching classes?
3 at ForumIAS and 2 at Vajiram.
3. How were they similar / different than official interview?
The mocks had lesser panelists than there are in the actual interview panel. The quality of
questions asked in some mocks was good and the feedback quite relevant.
4. What books/material did you bring for the ‘revision before interview’?
None – I read that day’s newspaper on phone.
5. Describe the formal-dress worn by you in interview.
I wore a beige khadi silk saree. I wore a mustard colored cardigan - it was cold that day as it had
rained.
During the interview
1. How long was the interview?
35 minutes approximately.
2. Please narrate your entire interview- what questions did they ask and what did you
reply and other pleasant or uncomfortable experiences during the interview.
My interview was on 20th February 2019. The interview panel was M. Sathyavathy Madam’s
panel. I was first quizzed on blockchain as reading about blockchain is one of my hobbies – the
technical details, uses, if blockchain can be used to make Aadhar more secure, etc. I responded
with the technical nuances. Then I was asked why I like cooking. This was followed by ‘Why
IAS’ with some cross questioning. Then I was asked of my opinion on EWS reservation, military
training and skill development. I was asked about some national parks of Uttarakhand, reasons
for declining population of house sparrows and vultures, textile sector in Bangladesh, Brexit.
Most of the remaining questions were women oriented – Me too movement, declining labour
force participation, sexual harassment, need for self-defense training, women education, etc.
3. Was your interview on the expected lines of what you had prepared or did they ask you
totally unexpected questions? Was it a stress interview, did they ask any uncomfortable
questions? If yes, how did you handle it?
Some of the questions were expected like the ones on Namami Gange, blockchain, and women
issues. However, I hadn’t expected or faced most of the questions asked of me in any of the
mocks before. It wasn’t a stress interview – it was like a normal conversation. I felt a little
stressed when I was repeatedly asked by the chairperson as to why I wanted to become an IAS
despite doing a high paying and respectable job. I maintained my calm and kept a faint smile. I
was honest to the maximum extent and this kept me composed and confident.

4. Any side details about technicalities like “make sure you bring xyz document or do xyz
thing, or you’ll face problem”?
One must carry photo ID proof – preferably the one that you mention in the application form.
Carry all documents that have been requested and make sure that you are carrying the degree or
provisional certificate of qualifying exam.
5. Any word of wisdom / observations about medical checkup?
The process takes an entire day – be mentally prepared. Carry all required documents and
photographs, and some food and juice. Make sure you go with an empty stomach for blood sugar
tests. Preferable is to maintain an active life before the interview.
Career Backup
1. If you were not selected, what was your career backup plan?
I am already employed. I would have continued with my job as a risk consultant.
2. Many candidates prepare sincerely but constantly live under fear like ‘I am not from a
big college. What if they ask such questions in the interview?
In my opinion, being from a big/ highly reputed college or not doesn’t make any difference. But
if you are from a very prestigious college, the panel will definitely expect more from you and
may ask more questions related to your college/ education.
3. What is your message to these candidates?
I believe starting preparation for the UPSC CSE is a big leap of faith that anyone takes given the
amount of uncertainty and competition involved. Given the fact that you have taken that leap and
are preparing sincerely, you stand as good a chance as anybody else. If you have made it to the
interview round, you are truly deserving. Just believe in yourself and everything else will fall
into place.
4. If you’re a working professional, share some tips on how to manage studies with job?
You must have a very smart strategy and must keep and follow a tight schedule with full
discipline. Plan the topics and subjects that you will focus on and decide well in advance which
topics you can potentially leave out without hurting your chances. Keep reading the newspaper
every day. Minimize social contact on weekends as it is only the weekends that you can fully
dedicate to studies. Never lose sight of your ultimate goal – do not get swayed by the
unimportant and the trivial that may be happening at workplace. Don’t let job security dampen
your momentum.

FOCUS ARTICLES
BIMSTEC v/s SAARC
Leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec)
were invited for PM’s swearing-in ceremony.
There is a tendency to view the diplomatic move through the prism of India’s strategy to ‘isolate Pakistan’
and India’s supposed preference for BIMSTEC over South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC).
By comparing BIMSTEC and SAARC, this article explores the efficacy of both as platforms for regional
cooperation.
The Need for Regional Cooperation
Trends in global affairs suggest growing resistance towards regional cooperation, once considered a
preferred means for propelling economic prosperity among participating countries.
Events such as the Brexit and the US’ scrapping of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017 reflect the global
mood.
However, contrary to global patterns, South Asian countries have shown an increased interest in regional
cooperation. Setting up of the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) subregional cooperation in the
aftermath of the Kathmandu Summit of 2014 is a case in point.
● The South Asian region covers roughly three percent of the world’s total land area and is home to
around 21 percent of the population.
● The region has a diverse socio-economic setup, including major economic powers such as India as
well as a large number of poor people who live on less than a dollar per day. It also has a large young
demographic, in search of employment.
● Before 1947, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were one integral nation, and the countries in the region
had close sociocultural linguistic linkages.
● The countries, therefore, are closely tied in their socio-political state as they face similar threats and
challenges. For example, most of the countries in the region have to deal with terrorism.
● To face such challenges, the South Asian countries must cooperate. The European and ASEAN
experience is testimony to the contribution of regional cooperation in the economic growth of the
countries.
South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

● SAARC has eight member countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
● SAARC was first envisioned in the late 1970s by Gen. Ziaur Rahman, the military dictator of
Bangladesh.
● Initially, India was apprehensive about SAARC because it perceived the grouping to be an attempt
by its smaller neighbours to unite against it.
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● It feared that the association might lead to Asia’s own Cold War, creating a pro-Soviet--–anti-Soviet
rift.
● Eventually, India agreed to join SAARC due to the interest expressed by the neighbouring countries.
The first SAARC meeting took place in Dhaka in 1985, and there have been 18 summits till date.
Objective
● SAARC is aimed at promoting the welfare of the people; accelerating economic growth, social
progress and culture development; and strengthening collective self-reliance.
● The organisation also seeks to contribute to mutual trust and understanding among the member
countries.
● Other objectives include strengthening cooperation with other developing countries, and cooperating
with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.
SAARC has come under serious scrutiny in the last few years. Even after three decades of its existence,
SAARC’s performance has been less than satisfactory, and its role in strengthening regional cooperation is
being questioned.
The Failures of SAARC

● Lack of Trust - Among the member countries this has been the most significant factor between India
and Pakistan. In recent times, Pakistan’s non-cooperation has stalled some major initiatives under
SAARC.
● Inadequate & Untimely Implementation - The South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) is often
highlighted as a prominent outcome of SAARC, but is yet to be implemented.
● Absence of a conducive regional environment - At the 18th SAARC summit in Kathmandu in 2014,
initiatives such as the SAARC–Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA)—crucial for harnessing regional
connectivity across South Asia—could be not signed due to Pakistan’s dithering. SAARC faced another
setback after the 19th summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan in 2016 was suspended for an indefinite
period.
● Perceptions of Threat - SAARC has faced obstacles in the area of security cooperation. A major
hindrance in this regard has been the lack of consensus on threat perceptions. For instance, while cross-
border terrorism emanating from Pakistan is a major concern for India, Pakistan has failed to address
these concerns.
● Asymmetry between member countries - India accounts for nearly 60 percent of SAARC's
population, area or GDP. Except for Afghanistan, no other country shares a border with any other
SAARC country except India. This obvious asymmetry makes meaningful cooperation that much more
problematic.
● Inadequate mechanisms to resolve disputes - Disputes among the member countries often hamper
consensus building, thus slowing down the decision-making process.
● Growing Bilateralism - Bilateralism is an easier option since it calls for dealings between only two
countries. Thus, bilateralism decreases the countries’ dependence on SAARC to achieve their
objectives, making them less interested in pursuing initiatives at a regional level.
● Shortage of resources - SAARC faces a shortage of resources, and countries have been reluctant to
increase their contributions.
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● Intra-regional investment flows in goods in the SAARC region remains around five per cent, and in
services, barely 0.2 per cent. To put these figures in perspective, the intra-region trade in ASEAN is 26
per cent, and in MERCOSUR, it is 15 per cent.
● Lack of connectivity - Trade and other relations between India and Afghanistan are hampered by the
fact that they don't share any border and connectivity through Pakistan. Similar is the case between
Nepal and Pakistan.
What Next for SAARC?

● To make SAARC more effective, the organisation must be reformed and member countries must reach
a consensus regarding the changes required.
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic

Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
In recent years, BIMSTEC has gained popularity among South Asian countries as a platform for regional
cooperation. It connects the littoral countries of the Bay of Bengal and the Himalayan ecologies.
● The BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.5 billion people which make up for around 22% of the
world’s population.
● The region has a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.8 trillion.
● BIMSTEC held its first-ever military exercise “MILEX-2018” in 2018 in Pune, India. It aimed to boost
interoperability among forces and exchange best practices in counterterrorism.
● Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing a BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection to
enhance energy cooperation among the seven BIMSTEC member states — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Why BIMSTEC over SAARC?
BIMSTEC vs SAARC: At a Glance
SAARC BIMSTEC
● Member states - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, ● Member states—Bangladesh, India, Myanmar,
Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan Sri Lanka, Thailand , Nepal and Bhutan
and Sri Lanka. ● Interregional organisation connecting South
● A regional organisation looking into South Asia and South East Asia.
Asia ● Established in 1997 in the post-Cold War.
● Established in 1985; a product of the Cold War ● Members maintain reasonably friendly
era relations
● Member countries suffer for mistrust and ● Core objective is the improvement of economic
suspicion cooperation among countries
● Suffers from regional politics ● Balancing of power with the presence of
● Asymmetric power balance Thailand and India on the bloc
● Intra-regional trade only 5 percent ● Intra-regional trade has increased around 6
percent in a decade
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● Member countries have generally cordial relationships, something patently missing among the
SAARC countries.
● It includes two influential regional powers: Thailand and India. This adds to the comfort of smaller
neighbours by reducing the fear of dominance by one big power.
● The region has countries with the fastest-growing economies in the world. The combined GDP in the
region is around US$2 trillion and will likely grow further.
● Trade among the BIMSTEC member countries reached six percent in just a decade, while in SAARC,
it has remained around five percent since its inception.
● BIMSTEC’s primary focus is on economic and technical cooperation among the countries of South
Asia and South East Asia.
● SAARC is a purely regional organisation, whereas BIMSTEC is interregional and connects both South
Asia and ASEAN.
● With the northeast sharing borders with four BIMSTEC countries, including Myanmar, the
possibility of multiregional cooperation with Southeast Asia and ASEAN makes it an attractive
alternative to SAARC.
Despite the many successes of BIMSTEC, however, some concerns remain.
● Infrequency of the BIMSTEC summits - In its 20 years of existence, the BIMSTEC summit has taken
place only thrice. This calls into question the seriousness of the member countries.
● Delay in the adoption of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a framework that was agreed upon in
2004, fuels doubts about BIMSTEC’s efficacy.
● Resource Crunch - Permanent secretariat in Dhaka faces a severe resource crunch, both in terms of
money and manpower, which has adversely affected BIMSTEC’s performance.
Importance of BIMSTEC: For India
● India’s engagement with the BIMSTEC is driven by both internal and external strategic imperatives.
 Internally, the development and security issues of frontier regions i.e. the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and the Northeast region are interlinked with nations in the Bay of Bengal
subregion.
 Externally, three major policy initiatives guiding India’s current regional approach involves the
BIMSTEC subregion–––the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the ‘Act East’ policy and the
‘Indo-Pacific’ construct.
● The BIMSTEC subregion is where India’s ‘Act East’ policy begins. Maintaining close and cordial ties
with the BIMSTEC nations ensures a smooth eastward drive for India.
● India through BIMSTEC can provide alternative options to the smaller neighbours and minimise
their dependence on China’s infrastructure investment.
● Geographical proximity to the Bay of Bengal subregion provides India a natural advantage.
● BIMSTEC caters to the wider concept of “Indo-Pacific” and an Indian Ocean community, it also
includes two ASEAN member states (Myanmar and Thailand) in its ranks, which is crucial for India’s
key foreign policy priorities.
● India’s key strategic interests are interconnected with the nations in the subregion and BIMSTEC is
a critical platform in securing its interests in the subregion and beyond.
● Changing geopolitical realities in the region have brought about a renewed interest in the Bay of
Bengal. As the SAARC flounders with strained India-Pakistan relations, BIMSTEC allows for a
broader playing field.
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● China’s growing inroads into the Bay of Bengal subregion and the wider Indian Ocean region poses
long-term strategic challenges for India. Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Beijing has
proposed corridors such as the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, China-Laos-Thailand Railway
Cooperation and the China-Nepal Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity in and around the
Bay of Bengal.
● Re-energising BIMSTEC is India’s emerging regional approach. This will hopefully inject new
dynamism in the sub regional grouping and demonstrate India’s greater commitment to the sub regional
forum.
● India’s initiatives have resulted in some important developments, including the setting up of the
BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru and the BIMSTEC Business Council, a forum for business
organisations to promote regional trade.
Importance of BIMSTEC : For Other Members
● For Sri Lanka subregional grouping is vital to prove its ability to play a larger role in Indian Ocean
initiatives.
● For Bangladesh, BIMSTEC is a platform for much needed economic development through regional
integration. Although the Rohingya issue was not brought up at its summit, the forum does provide an
opportunity on the sidelines to address outstanding issues.
● Nepal and Bhutan see BIMSTEC as a way to further integrate with the Bay of Bengal region.
● For Myanmar and Thailand, which are also part of ASEAN, BIMSTEC allows for a way to address
overdependence on China and balance it by providing access to consumer markets in India and other
rising BIMSTEC economies.
What Next for BIMSTEC?
● BIMSTEC should narrow down its areas of focus from 14 to six — trade and investment,
connectivity, energy, people-to-people exchanges, counterterrorism, and the Blue Economy and
enhance the institutional capacity of its Secretariat.
● BIMSTEC region requires a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Even with its members having a
combined GDP of $2.8 trillion, intraregional trade in BIMSTEC barely exceeds 5 percent of the total,
compared to 30 percent within ASEAN. Negotiations for a BIMSTEC FTA have been dragging on for
the last 14 years.
● The Bay of Bengal is one of the least integrated regions in the world. A Thailand-initiated scheme to
“Connect the Connectivities” under the pending BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement must be
finalised soon.
● BIMSTEC should prioritize finishing up the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and
the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, which will allow for sea-access for India’s
landlocked northeastern states via the Kaladan river in Myanmar.
BIMSTEC v/s SAARC: The Conclusion
1. Strategic value of BIMSTEC is driven not by the Pakistan factor alone, rather the BIMSTEC as a
neighbourhood forum presents its own strengths and weaknesses for India, independent of Pakistan and
the SAARC.
2. Framing the diplomatic move by hyphenating SAARC and BIMSTEC to mean one’s gain is
another’s loss does more harm to both the groupings.
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3. The single-factor view fails to capture India’s multi-dimensional regional interests and limits the
scope of analysis in terms of assessing BIMSTEC on its own merit and how India sees the grouping in
advancing its interests in the Bay of Bengal subregion.
4. Both these policies aim for connectivity and development in the frontier states of India’s northeast
and tackle the issue of cross-border insurgency that has plagued this region for decades.
5. The two organisations—SAARC and BIMSTEC—focus on geographically overlapping regions.
SAARC and BIMSTEC complement each other in terms of functions and goals. BIMSTEC
provides SAARC countries a unique opportunity to connect with ASEAN.
6. Going forward, it may be useful to assess each grouping on its own right. SAARC provides a platform
for India to engage with the subcontinental neighbours and the relevance of this grouping need not
wane just because of India’s engagement with other forums. There is no reason not to believe that India
will not leverage SAARC as and when opportunity arises.
7. India’s strategic interests in the Bay of Bengal sub region presents its own specific opportunities and
challenges for India to be leveraged to its advantage. This also applies to other India’s neighbourhoods
such as the Middle East, Central Asia or the Indian Ocean region.
Draft National Education Policy 2019

The Committee for Draft National Education Policy chaired by Dr. K. Kasturirangan submitted its report
on May 31, 2019. It was constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in June 2017.
The report proposes an education policy, which seeks to address the challenges of: access, equity, quality,
affordability, and accountability faced by the current education system.
 The draft Policy provides for reforms at all levels of education from school to higher education.
 It seeks to increase the focus on early childhood care, reform the current exam system, strengthen
teacher training, and restructure the education regulatory framework.
 It also seeks to set up a National Education Commission, increase public investment in education,
strengthen the use of technology and increase focus on vocational and adult education, among others.
School Education
Early Curriculum - Developing a two-part curriculum for early childhood
Childhood Doesn’t meet the care and education.
Care and developmental This will consist of: (i) guidelines for up to three-year-
Education needs of children old children (for parents and teachers), and (ii)
Lack of qualified educational framework for three to eight-year-old
and trained children.
teachers - Improving and expanding the anganwadi system and
Currently, most co-locating anganwadis with primary schools.
early childhood
education is
delivered through
anganwadis and
private-preschools.
Substandard
pedagogy
The Right to Currently, the RTE Extending the ambit of the RTE Act to include early
Education Act provides for childhood education and secondary school education
free and
6
Act, 2009 compulsory i.e. to all children between the ages of three to 18 years.
(RTE Act) education to all
children from the No detention policy must be reviewed as there should
age of six to 14 be no detention of children till class eight. Instead,
years. schools must ensure that children are achieving age-
appropriate learning levels.
Curriculum Current education The current structure of school education must be

framework system solely restructured on the basis of the development needs of
focuses on rote students. This would consist of a 5-3-3-4 design.
learning of facts
and procedures. Curriculum load in each subject should be reduced to
its essential core content.
School exam Current board Track students’ progress throughout their school
reforms examinations: experience.
● Force students It proposes State Census Examinations in classes
to concentrate three, five and eight.
only on a few Restructuring the board examinations to test only core
subjects concepts, skills and higher order capacities.
● Do not test
learning in a
formative
manner
● Cause stress
among
students.
School The small size of Multiple public schools should be brought together to
infrastructure schools makes it form a school complex.
operationally Each school complex will be a semi-autonomous unit
complex to deploy providing integrated education across all stages from
teachers and critical early childhood to secondary education.
physical resources
Teacher There has been a Teachers should be deployed with a particular school
management steep rise in teacher complex for at least five to seven years.
shortage, lack of Teachers should not be allowed to participate in any
professionally non-teaching activities (such as cooking mid-day
qualified teachers, meals) during school hours.
and deployment of Existing B.Ed. programme should be replaced by a
teachers for non- four-year integrated B.Ed. programme that combines
educational high-quality content, pedagogy, and practical training.
purposes. An integrated continuous professional development
should also be developed for all subjects.
Regulation of Separating the regulation of schools from aspects
schools such as policymaking, school operations, and academic
development.
Creating an independent State School Regulatory
Authority for each state that would prescribe basic
uniform standards for public and private schools.
7
Higher Education
According to the All India Survey on Higher Education, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher
education in India has increased from 20.8% in 2011-12 to 25.8% in 2017-18.
GER comparison across countries (2014)
Primary Upper Primary Upper Secondary Higher
(Class 1-5) (Class 6-8) (Class 9-12) Education
India 101.4 89.3 62.5 23
China 103.9 100.4 88.8 39.4
USA 99.5 101.9 93.2 86.7
Germany 103.3 101.6 104.6 65.5
The Committee identified lack of access as a major reason behind low intake of higher education in the
country. It aims to increase GER to 50% by 2035 from the current level of about 25.8%.
Regulatory Current higher education Setting up the National Higher Education

structure and system has multiple Regulatory Authority (NHERA) to replace the
accreditation regulators with overlapping existing individual regulators in higher education,
mandates. including professional and vocational education.
This reduces the autonomy Role of all professional councils such as AICTE and
of higher educational the Bar Council of India should be limited to setting
institutions and creates an standards for professional practice.
environment of dependency The role of the University Grants Commission (UGC)
and centralised decision will be limited to providing grants to higher
making. educational institutions.
Separating NAAC from the UGC into an
independent and autonomous body. NAAC will
function as the top level accreditor. All existing higher
education institutions should be accredited by 2030.
Establishment Higher educational Institutions could be allowed to be set up through a
of new higher institutions can only be set Higher Education Institution Charter from NHERA.
educational up by Parliament or state
institutions legislatures.
Restructuring Institutions should be restructured into three types:
of higher ● Research universities focusing equally on research
education and teaching
institutions ● Teaching universities focusing primarily on
teaching; and
● Colleges focusing only on teaching at
undergraduate levels.
Establishing a Total investment on research Establish a National Research Foundation, an
National and innovation in India has autonomous body, for funding, mentoring and building
Research declined from 0.84% of GDP the capacity for quality research in India.
Foundation in 2008 to 0.69% in The Foundation should be provided with an annual
2014. India also lags behind grant of Rs 20,000 crore (0.1% of GDP).
many nations in number of
researchers (per lakh
population), patents and
publications.
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Moving Making undergraduate programmes interdisciplinary
towards a by redesigning their curriculum.
liberal Four-year undergraduate programmes in Liberal Arts
approach should be introduced and multiple exit options with
appropriate certification must be made available to
students.
Further, within the next five years, five Indian
Institute of Liberal Arts must be setup as model
multidisciplinary liberal arts institutions.
Professional Poor service conditions and Development of a Continuous Professional
development heavy teaching loads at Development programme.
of faculty higher education institutions Introduction of a permanent employment (tenure)
have resulted in low faculty track system for faculty in all higher education
motivation. institutions by 2030.
Further, lack of autonomy Further, a desirable student-teacher ratio of not more
and no clear career than 30:1 must be ensured.
progression system are also
major impediments to
faculty motivation.
Optimal Curricula remain rigid, All higher education institutions must have complete
learning narrow, and archaic. autonomy on curricular, pedagogical and resource-
environment Moreover, the faculty often related matters.
lacks the autonomy to
design curricula, which
negatively impacts
pedagogy.
Education Governance
 Bring in synergy and coordination among the different ministries, departments and agencies.
 Creation of a National Education Commission or Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog, as an apex body for
education, to be headed by the Prime Minister.
 This body will be responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising the vision of
education in the country on a continuous and sustained basis.
 It will oversee the implementation and functioning of several bodies including the National Council of
Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the proposed National Higher Education Regulatory
Authority, and National Research Foundation.
 The Ministry of Human Resources and Development must be renamed as the Ministry of Education
in order to bring focus back on education.
Financing Education
 The Draft Policy reaffirmed the commitment of spending 6% of GDP as public investment in
education.
 First National Education Policy (NEP) 1968 had recommended public expenditure in
education must be 6% of GDP, which was reiterated by the second NEP in 1986.
 In 2017-18, public expenditure on education in India was 2.7% of GDP.
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 The draft Policy seeks to double the public investment in
education from the current 10% of total public expenditure to 20% Country Investment
in the next 10 years. in 2017
(as % of
 The Committee also observed operational problems and leakages in GDP)
disbursement of funds. For instance, it observed that District
Institutes of Education and Training have about 45% vacancies India 2.7
which have led to their allocations not being used or being used USA 5
ineffectively. It recommends optimal and timely utilisation of funds UK 5.5
through the institutional development plans. Brazil 6
Technology in Education
8. Focused electrification of all educational institutions as electricity is a pre-requisite for all technology-
based interventions.
9. National Mission on Education through information and communication technology: To
encompass virtual laboratories that provide remote access to laboratories in various disciplines.
10. A National Education Technology Forum should also be setup under the Mission, as an autonomous
body, to provide evidence-based advice to central and state-governments on technology-based
interventions.
11. National Repository on Educational Data: To maintain all records related to institutions, teachers,
and students in digital form.
12. Single online digital repository will be created where copyright-free educational resources will be
made available in multiple languages.
Vocational Education
13. Less than 5% of the workforce in the age-group of 19-24 receives vocational education in India. This
is in contrast to 52% in the USA, 75% in Germany and 96% in South Korea.
14. Policy recommends integrating vocational educational programmes in all educational institutions in
a phased manner over a period of 10 years.
15. Vocational courses: All school students must receive vocational education in at least one vocation in
grades nine to 12.
16. The proposed Higher Education Institutions must also offer vocational courses that are integrated into
the undergraduate education programmes.
17. The draft Policy targets to offer vocational education to up to 50% of the total enrolment in higher
education institutions by 2025, up from the present level of enrolment of well below 10% in these
institutions.
18. National Committee for the Integration of Vocational Education: To work out the steps that need
to be taken towards achieving the above goals.
19. A separate fund to be setup for the integration of vocational education into educational institutions.
Adult Education
20. As per Census 2011, India still had over 3.26 crore youth non-literates (15-24 years of age) and a total
of 26.5 crore adult non-literates (15 years and above).
21. Establishing an autonomous Central Institute of Adult Education, as a constituent unit of NCERT,
to develop a National Curriculum Framework for adult education.
22. Adult Education Centres must be included within the proposed school complexes.
23. A cadre of adult education instructors and managers, as well as a team of one-on-one tutors should
be created through a newly-established National Adult Tutors Programme.
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Education and Indian Languages
24. The Committee observed that a large number of students are falling behind since classes in schools are
being conducted in a language that they do not understand. Therefore, it recommended that the medium
of instruction must either be the home language/mother tongue/local language till grade five, and
preferable till grade eight, wherever possible.
25. To promote Indian languages, a National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit to be set up.
26. All higher education institutes must recruit high quality faculty for at least three Indian languages, in
addition to the local Indian language.
A reference in draft NPE, 2019 to mandatory teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking States set off a
political storm in Tamil Nadu, which is traditionally opposed to the compulsory study of Hindi. The
draft had a sentence on flexibility on choice of language for school students. Subsequently, the reference
to Hindi was dropped by the committee.
Three Language Formula

 Introduced by the first National Education Policy, the three-language formula stated that state
governments should adopt and implement study of a modern Indian language, preferably one of the
southern languages, apart from Hindi and English in the Hindi-speaking states, and of Hindi along
with the regional language and English in the non-Hindi speaking states.
 The draft Policy recommended that this three language formula be continued and flexibility in the
implementation of the formula should be provided.
 On promotion of Hindi, the NPE 1968 said every effort should be made to promote the language and
that “in developing Hindi as the link language, due care should be taken to ensure that it will serve,
as provided for in Article 351 of the Constitution, as a medium of expression for all the elements
of the composite culture of India.
 The establishment, in non-Hindi States, of colleges and other institutions of higher education which
use Hindi, as the medium of education should be encouraged.
 Incidentally, the NPE 1986 made no change in the 1968 policy on the three-language formula and
the promotion of Hindi and repeated it verbatim.
Background of Hindi imposition row

 In the Constituent Assembly, Hindi was voted as the official language by a single vote. However,
it added that English would continue to be used as an associate official language for 15 years.
 The Official Languages Act came into effect on the expiry of this 15-year period in 1965. This was
the background in which the anti-Hindi agitation took place.
 However, as early as in 1959, Jawaharlal Nehru had given an assurance in Parliament that English
would continue to be in use as long as non-Hindi speaking people wanted it.
 Southern states especially Tamil Nadu, have been traditionally opposed to any attempt to introduce
Hindi as a compulsory language of learning or administration.
What is Tamil Nadu’s stand on this?

 Southern states and Tamil Nadu in particular do not oppose the voluntary learning of Hindi. For
example, the unhindered work of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, established in Chennai
by Mahatma Gandhi in 1918 should be given due consideration.
 There is no bar on private schools, most of them affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary
Education, offering Hindi.
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 The State has been following the two-language formula for many decades, under which only
English and one regional language are compulsory in schools.
 An important aspect of the opposition to Hindi imposition is that many in Tamil Nadu see it as a
fight to retain English.
 English is seen as a bulwark against Hindi as well as the language of empowerment and knowledge.
There is an entrenched belief that the continued attempts to impose Hindi are essentially driven by those
who want to eliminate English as the country’s link language.
Concerns
● Policy suggests a need to bring unrepresented groups into school and focus on educationally lagging
special education zones, however, it misses to provide solutions to close the gap of access to quality
education between India’s rich and poor children.
● Anganwadis are currently quite deficient in supplies and infrastructure for education and thus
they have remained relatively light on the educational aspects of ECCE [or Early Childhood Care and
Education].
● Policy proposes to remove the expectations that all schools meet common minimum infrastructure and
facility standards. Not specifying a common minimum standard below which schools cannot fall,
creates conditions where quality of facilities in some schools will only sink lower, widening this
gap.
● It proposes a roll back of existing mechanisms of enforcement of private schools making parents “de-
facto regulators" of private schools. Parents, and particularly poor and neo-literate parents, cannot
hold the onus of ensuring that much more powerful and resourced schools comply with quality, safety
and equity norms.
● Draft policy is silent on the Institutions of Eminence and agencies like the Higher Education
Funding Agency.
● The policy specifically promotes private schools, yet there is scarce evidence worldwide to suggest
that private schools by definition deliver better quality, let alone, equitable education.
● Doubling of public funding to 6% of the GDP and increasing overall public expenditure on education
to 20% from the current 10% is desirable but does not appear to be feasible in the near future given
that most of the additional funding has to come from the States.
● Idea of setting up the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog under the Prime Minister and having it serviced by
the MHRD is crucial in order to integrate the approaches and programmes of multiple departments.
However, it is fraught with many administrative problems and possible turf battles.
● Bringing medical or agricultural or legal education under one umbrella is likely to be met with
stiff opposition.
● Idea of regulation being brought under the National Higher Education Regulatory Authority, standard
setting under the General Education Council and funding under the Higher Education Grants Council
may require a revisit so that there is synchronisation with the current Bill for the Higher
Education Commission of India.
● Integrating preschool with government school system may pose infrastructure and logistics
challenge.
● Fee Control suggestion in private schools may face legal challenges.
Suggestions
● Need for extension of the public school network to address the hitherto unreached populations in
remote areas and urban slums where low fees private schools flourish.
 The World Bank’s 2018 World Development report highlights that private schools often appear
to do better because they enroll children from relatively advantaged backgrounds who can
afford to pay and not because they deliver better quality of education.
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● While establishing new institutions for Pali, Prakrit and Persian appears to be a novel idea, government
must strengthen and upgrade the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru with an
extended mandate to take care of these languages.
● Expanding coverage under the RTE Act be introduced gradually, keeping in mind the quality of
infrastructure and teacher vacancies.
● Push digital technology to address the issue of quality. The policy should explicitly suggest the use
of technology in institutions of higher learning.
● Steps need to be taken to ensure that there is genuine autonomy in HEIs. This can be ensured by
providing regular rather than sporadic financial support, based on accountability, and estimates of the
requirements of institutions.
● Differentiate between deregulation and liberalisation. The incentive for the private sector to invest,
grow and stand on quality parameters needs to be clearly articulated.
It is time for all conscientious persons to study the report and suggest the best path forward. If the political
leadership backs it, implementation of the policy will transform our nation.
13
POLITY & GOVERNANCE
One Nation, One Election
Prime Minister invited heads of all parties in Parliament to a meeting on June 19 to discuss ‘one nation, one
election’. The meeting, presided by the Prime Minister, decided to set up a committee under Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh to evolve a consensus on the issue and present a report about the feasibility of its
implementation.
Simultaneous elections entails elections to all the three tiers of the Constitutional institutions taking place
in a synchronised manner. What this effectively means is that a voter casts his or her vote for electing
members to all the tiers of the Government on the same day.
Why it is required in India:

● Impact on Governance due to imposition of Model Code of Conduct: The imposition of MCC puts
on hold the entire development programme and activities of the Union and State Governments in a poll
bound State. It even affects the normal governance.
● Impact on delivery of essential services: Holding of political rallies disrupts road traffic and also
leads to noise pollution. If simultaneous elections are held, this period of disruption would be limited
to a certain predetermined period of time.
● Financial Implications - Segregated elections take away opportunities to optimise costs and lead to
yearly outflow of public money, significantly.
● Engagement of security forces for prolonged periods: Conducting elections is a mammoth, complex
and time consuming activity. The Election Commission of India takes the help of a significant number
of polling officials as well as armed forces to ensure smooth, peaceful and impartial polls.
● Mainstreaming Regional Parties - Heterogeneous needs of the nation will get reflected as national
parties will be contesting elections focussing on regional issues and regional parties focussing on
national issues, thereby bringing the regional parties into mainstream politics and promoting their
growth.
● Electoral compulsions change the focus of policy making - Short-sighted populist and “politically
safe” measures are accorded higher priority over “difficult” structural reforms which may be more
beneficial to the public from a longer term perspective.
● Frequent elections perpetuate caste, religion and communal issues across the country: Elections
are polarising events which have accentuated casteism, communalism, corruption and crony capitalism.
Practical feasibility:
● Experience from the Past: From 1951-1967, general elections to the House of the People and the State
Legislative Assemblies were held simultaneously. However, this practice got disrupted after 1967, due
to premature dissolution of some of the Legislative Assemblies.
● Holding simultaneous elections will bring with it certain requirements as given below;
 Curtailment and extension of terms of the House of the People/State Legislative Assemblies;
 Amendment to the relevant provisions of the Constitution
 Amendment to the Representation of People Act, 1951
 The ratification by the States to these Constitutional amendments.
● Law Commission of India, had suggested that elections of legislative assemblies whose term ends six
months after the general elections to Lok Sabha can be clubbed together. However, the results of such
elections can be declared at the end of the assembly’s tenure.
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● Standing Committee recommended that elections could be held in two phases. It stated that elections
to some Legislative Assemblies could be held during the midterm of Lok Sabha. Elections to the
remaining legislative assemblies could be held with the end of Lok Sabha‟s term.
● Bye-elections to all seats that become vacant during a year may be conducted together during a
predetermined time period.
● Constitution does provide an option to achieve the object of synchronisation of the elections,
voluntarily by virtue of the phrase”unless sooner dissolved‟ and not by operation of law; but as far as
the enhancement of the term is concerned, that will be possible only with an amendment to the
Constitution.
● Empowering Parliament - For the purpose of synchronisation of elections, the Union Parliament may
be empowered to extend or curtail the term(s) of some of the State Legislative Assemblies, as needed,
for appropriate period(s). This could be achieved by making necessary amendment(s) to Article 172 of
the Constitution or by inserting a new clause to that Article, enabling the Union Parliament to bring
about the desired extension / curtailment of the State Legislative Assemblies for synchronising
elections.
● If simultaneous elections cannot be conducted, then all elections falling due in a calendar year
should be conducted together. This option will also require amendments to the Constitution and the
Representation of the People Act, 1951.
● Replacing the ‘no-confidence motion’ with a ‘constructive vote of no-confidence’, through
appropriate amendments. In a constructive vote of no confidence, the government may only be
removed if there is confidence in an alternate government.
● Appropriate amendments be made to provide that any new Lok Sabha/Assembly formed after
midterm elections, be constituted only for the remainder of the previous term, and not the entire five
years.
● Simultaneous elections, in one form or the other, do exist in various parts of the world. Countries like
the Philippines, Brazil, Bolivia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua et al,
follow a system of simultaneous elections.
Challenges in its implementation:

● Operational feasibility / Do-ability: Law Commission has noted that simultaneous elections cannot
be held within the existing framework of the Constitution. Simultaneous elections may be conducted
through appropriate amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act 1951, and
the Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. The Commission also suggested that at
least 50% of the states should ratify the constitutional amendments.
● Impact to voter behavior: Simultaneous elections could lead to – a) National issues impacting
electorate’s behavior for voting in State Assembly elections; or b) State issues impacting electorate’s
behavior for voting in Lok Sabha elections. As a result, voter behavior gets influenced and he/she may
vote for the same political party, which in most cases may be larger national parties.
● Weaken the federal democratic structure - Simultaneous elections would benefit larger national
parties at the cost of state/regional parties in case of a “national wave in favor of large national parties”.
● Reduced Accountability - Having to face electorate more than once every 5 year enhances the
accountability of politicians and keeps them on their toes.
● No-Confidence Motion: Constitutionality of this provision under Article 83(2) of the Constitution will
be challenging in implementation of simultaneous elections as it gives power to opposition for ensuring
the accountability of executives towards Parliament.
● Anti-Federalism: “One nation, one election” runs against the grain of our Westminster-style federal
political union. It would make sense if India were a unitary state. But we are a union of states, which is
philosophically and politically an essentially different conception of the Indian nation-state.
15
● Synchronization of Local Bodies: The third tier institutions are a state subject and their number in the
country is significantly large, therefore it is impractical to synchronize and align election schedules to
the third tier with that of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
● Premature Dissolution: Many times a government is dissolved prematurely, so in long run having a
mismatch in elections in inevitable. E.g. In 1998, the Lok Sabha got dissolve in just 13 days.
● Lack of Resources: The issue of logistics and dearth of security personnel, election and administrative
officials to conduct simultaneous elections throughout the country in one go will be a major challenge.
Conclusion:
Risk of “premature dissolution” of the Lok Sabha or assembly can disturb the conduct of simultaneous
elections”. Proposal of simultaneous elections is incomplete without addressing how to make it sustainable
over the longer term. However, in order to start synchronisation of the elections, the option of holding the
election in phases, as a one-time measure may be viable.
MPLAD/MLALAD SCHEME
Upper House, Deputy Chairman red-flagged the problems “plaguing” the MPLADS Scheme with Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) at the end of the last Lok Sabha.
About
 MPLAD was introduced in 1993 to enable MPs to recommend works of developmental nature based
on locally felt needs.
 It is a centrally sponsored scheme under which funds are released as grants-in-aid directly to the
District Authorities by the Government of India.
 The MPs may recommend projects in certain sectors such as infrastructure development, public
health, sanitation, water, etc.
 Elected members of Lok Sabha can suggest developmental works in their constituency, while elected
members of Rajya Sabha can recommend works in one or more districts of their State. Nominated
members of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha can recommend works in one or more districts anywhere in
the country.
 The MPs identify works, which are allowed under the guidelines, and recommend them to the District
Authority, which in turn is responsible for the overall implementation of the works.
 It is the responsibility of the District Authority to scrutinise and sanction the recommended works
and to identify an implementing agency to execute the work.
 Local self-governments such as the Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies, government
departments or reputed NGOs can be selected for implementing works.
 The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation formulates the guidelines, releases
funds, and monitors implementation. At the State level, a nodal department is responsible for
coordinating, monitoring and supervising the implementation along with other relevant departments
and the District Authorities.
 It is the duty of the District Authority and the Implementing Agency to deposit the funds in a
nationalised bank and a separate account is opened for each MP for this purpose. MPLADS funds are
non-lapsable.
ISSUES
Against Constitutional Scheme -Besides the many implementation lapses (as pointed out by the
Standing Committee on Finance in 1998-1199, the CAG and the Planning Commission), the
constitutionality of the scheme has been questioned by various scholars and experts.
16
 In 2002, the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommended
immediate discontinuation of the MPLAD scheme on the ground that it was inconsistent with the
spirit of federalism and distribution of powers between the centre and the state.
 The debate continued with the 2ndAdministrative Reforms Commission’s report on “Ethics in
Governance” taking a firm stand against the scheme arguing that it seriously erodes the notion of
separation of powers, as the legislator directly becomes the executive.
 Committee on MPLADS in its 13th Report and its 15th Report stated that there was nothing wrong with
the scheme per se except some procedural infirmities and recommended among other things a change
of nomenclature to the Scheme for Local Area Development.
Other Issues
 Issue of corruption - According to Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 2005,
"Guidelines on MPLADS" there have been cases of widespread corruption and mis-appropriation of
funds. In a lot of cases, private contractors (which are not permitted) are engaged to implement the
works.
 Choice of Districts - There are quite a few districts where several Rajya Sabha MPs have recommended
works, in addition to the Lok Sabha MP. A disproportionately large amount of money is flowing into
these districts out of MPLADS fund alone.
 Unfounded Expenditures - According to MPLADS, Annual Report 2009-10, there have been
instances where expenditure has been incurred on works which are prohibited under the scheme.
 Under-utilisation of Funds - There are large amounts of unspent balances rising over the years, low
utilisation of funds and an expenditure bias towards a particular sector.
 Weaknesses in the process of sanction - The District Authorities tend to execute works without
receiving any recommendations from MPs concerned or on the recommendation of the representatives
of the MPs rather than the MPs themselves.
 Lapses on the monitoring and supervision front with the District Authorities failing to inspect the
required number of sanctioned works as well as in sending regular monitoring reports.
 Against the spirit of the 73rd and the 74th Amendment, with MPs enjoying the privilege of an
uninterrupted yearly flow of funds to do the work which local bodies are better placed to deliver.
 Lack of adequate information available to MPs, which sometimes leads to a disproportionately large
amount of money flowing into one district.
 Absence of a proper mechanism to ensure constituent participation in order to determine locally

felt needs, leaving open the possibility of a small group, having easy access to the MPs, impressing
upon him to recommend works according to their needs.
WAY-FORWARD
 The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has suggested that a single parliamentary
committee be formed comprising of members of both Houses of Parliament to monitor MPLAD
schemes.
 There needs to be a greater focus on regular monitoring by the District Authorities.
 Implementing agencies could involve the local community in the voluntary supervision of works.
Since maintenance of public assets is where the system breaks down, arrangements can be made for the
maintenance of assets or maintenance can be outsourced.
 As Rajya Sabha MPs have a wider choice in the selection of district, information made available to
MPs will help in proper selection of district. There is a need to lay emphasis on the completion of the
selected projects.
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 In order to better assess the needs of the constituents, surveys can be conducted across the
constituency. For this purpose, NGOs and local community can be involved. Once the needs of the
constituency are determined, implementation can be linked to what’s needed.
 For the scheme to be more effective, an impact assessment study should be undertaken at the
constituency level, on a yearly basis, to assess the benefits of the works implemented to the community
at large.
 To tackle the issue of large unspent balances which have accumulated and are rising over the years,
fund can be made lapsable. This way funds lying unused can be put to other uses.
 As mentioned in the Annual Reports of the Ministry, thrust areas could be also modified so as to
reflect the needs of the constituency, rather than taking a generic view.
A planned approach towards development based on detailed primary survey, data analysis and empirical
research that also take into account central and state welfare schemes would yield better results. It is time
to locate MPLADS in the broader context of district-level planned development, which requires a more
systematic approach.
The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of
Electronics and Information Technology, in June 2019. It replaces an Ordinance promulgated on March 2,
2019.
Heads Original Provisions Changes Sought
Offline Under the Aadhaar Act, an The Bill additionally allows ‘offline
verification individual’s identity may be verified verification’ of an individual’s identity, without
of Aadhaar by Aadhaar authentication, through modes specified by the
number ‘authentication’. Authentication Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
holder involves submitting the Aadhaar by regulations.
number, and their biometric or
demographic information to the
Central Identities Data Repository
for verification.
Voluntary The Act provides for the use of The Bill replaces this provision to state that an
use Aadhaar number as proof of identity individual may voluntarily use his Aadhaar
of a person, subject to number to establish his identity, by
authentication. authentication or offline verification.
Entities Under the Act, usage of Aadhaar The Bill removes this provision. An entity may
using number for establishing the identity be allowed to perform authentication through
Aadhaar of an individual, by the State or a Aadhaar, if the UIDAI is satisfied that it is: (i)
body corporate under any law, is compliant with certain standards of privacy and
permitted. security, or (ii) permitted by law, or (iii) seeking
authentication for a purpose specified by the
central government in the interest of the State.
Disclosure Under the Act, restrictions on The Bill amends this to allow such disclosure
of security and confidentiality of only for orders by High Courts (or above).
information Aadhaar related information do not
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in certain apply in case the disclosure is The Bill amends this to allow such disclosure on
cases pursuant to an order of a District directions of officers not below the rank of a
Court (or above). Further, under the Secretary.
Act, an officer not below the rank of
a Joint Secretary may issue
directions for disclosing information
in the interest of national security.
UIDAI Under the Act, all fees and revenue The Bill removes this provision, and creates the
Fund collected by the UIDAI will be Unique Identification Authority of India
credited to the Consolidated Fund of Fund. All fees, grants, and charges received by
India. the UIDAI shall be credited to this fund.
Complaints Under the Act, courts can take The Bill amends this to allow the individual to
cognizance of an offence only if the register complaints in certain cases, including
UIDAI registers a complaint. impersonation or disclosure of their identity.
Impact
● The decision would enable UIDAI to have a more robust mechanism to serve the public interest and
restrain the misuse of Aadhar.
● Subsequent to this amendment, no individual shall be compelled to provide proof of possession of
Aadhaar number or undergo authentication for the purpose of establishing his identity unless it is so
provided by a law made by Parliament.
● For the convenience of general public in opening of bank accounts, the proposed amendments would
allow the use of Aadhaar number for authentication on voluntary basis as acceptable KYC
document under the Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Amongst other things it envisages strengthening of the Aadhaar Act as per the directions of the Supreme
Court and recommendations of Justice B.N.Srikrishna(Retd) Committee.
Leader of Opposition
In the 16th Lok Sabha, the largest party in the Opposition, the Congress, had 44 seats. After careful
consideration, it was decided not to recognise the party’s leader as LoP. Now, the matter needs to be
revisited in the context of the 17th Lok Sabha.
 In the recently concluded election to the Lok Sabha, the largest party in Opposition, the Congress, has
improved its position from 44 in 2014 to 52 now, but it is short of 55 which again makes the role of
speaker crucial.
 However, Right from the first Lok Sabha, the practice has been to recognise the leader of the largest
party in Opposition as the LoP provided that party has a strength that is enough to constitute the
quorum for a sitting of the House, or one-tenth of the total membership of the House — at present
that comes to 55 members.
 From the 9th to the 15th Lok Sabhas, since the requirement of having a minimum strength of 55
members was fulfilled, the Lok Sabha had duly recognised Opposition parties and LoPs.
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Significance of LoP
Opposition signifies an organized group which:
 Offers constructive criticism of government policies while subscribing to democratic values and
 practices
 Is in a position to provide alternative policies to those of the party in power
 Has the necessary influence and organizational strength both at the State and National levels to make
its presence felt in the political life of the country
 Has competent and clean leadership which not only presents a superior image but has the capacity to
assume the reins of power when called upon by the electorate to do so.
 The Leader of Opposition is part of important appointments. For example, CVC, CIC NHRC etc.
History of Leader of Opposition
 In 1969, when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, the Congress split to form the Indian National
Congress (Requisitionists) and the Indian National Congress (Organisation). The Leader of INC(O),
Ram Subhag Singh, became the first person to be formally recognized as LoP in the Lok Sabha.
 The first officially designated Opposition party in Parliament emerged from the break-up of
the all-dominant Congress party in power.
 Until 1977, there were no emoluments and perks attached to the position of LoP. There is no provision
in the Constitution or even in the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure in regard to the recognition of the
LoP.
 Opposition party and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) of the Lok Sabha is formally recognized under
the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977. It defines LoP as;
“Leader in that House of the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength
and recognized as such by the Chairman of the Council of States or the Speaker of the House of the People,
as the case may be.”
 The Act extends to LoPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha the same official status, allowances,
and perks that are admissible to Cabinet Ministers.
 In the case of the Lok Sabha, however, this is subject to recognition of the leader by the Speaker.
The Speaker’s discretion

 Since there is no constitutional provision, the 1977 law does not provide for the requirement of 55
members as an essential pre-requisite. It all depends on the Speaker’s discretion.
 The Speaker’s decisions in this regard have so far been determined by Direction 121(c) which laid
down one of the conditions for recognition of party or group as having “at least a strength equal to
the quorum fixed to constitute a sitting of the House, that is one-tenth of the total number of members
of the House”.
 The Leaders and Chief Whips of Recognised Parties and Groups in Parliament (Facilities) Act,
1998, also refers to a recognized party in the Lok Sabha as a party that has not less than 55 members.
Suggestion
 ‘Pre-poll alliance’ for ‘party’ or say ‘party or pre-poll alliance’ should be recognized. Pre-poll alliances
are a fact of our political life and are already being extended credibility and legitimacy.
 Recognition of the LoP, and in treating pre-poll alliances at par with parties, may hold tremendous
potential for the growth of a sound two-or three-party (or alliance) system.
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 It could end the present system, a preposterous one, of more than 2,000 parties being registered with
the Election Commission.
Global Practice
 In the British parliament, the leader of the opposition is referred to as the ‘shadow prime minister’,
so called because he or she is always in a state of readiness to take over the government if the
incumbent government falls.
 Thus, the role of this parliamentary functionary under the Westminster tradition is not only to oppose
and criticize the government, but also to take the responsibility of forming an alternate
government should it become possible to do so in the event of the fall of the existing one.
 In the United Kingdom, 20 days in a session are reserved for discussion on subjects chosen by the
Opposition. This type of agenda-setting by the Opposition on fixed days may yield to greater
productivity in Parliament.
The nation needs a stable government and a strong leader capable of taking firm decisions to ensure security,
development and good governance within the rule of law. However, for the success and survival of
democracy, an effective Opposition is also a categorical imperative.
It is said that if no Opposition exists, one may have to be created. Also, if there is no Opposition outside,
there is every danger that it may grow within.
President’s Address to the Parliament

President addressed the joint sitting of both the houses of Parliament and presented the roadmap for the
Government of India in the coming years while also highlighting the tasks which have already been done
Constitutional provision
 According to Article 87 of the Constitution, the President is required to address a joint session of
Parliament at the beginning of the session after each Lok Sabha election.
“At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the
commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses of Parliament
assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.”
 In the case of the first session after each general election to Lok Sabha, the President
addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together after the Members have made
and subscribed the oath or affirmation and the Speaker has been elected.
 No other business is transacted till the President has addressed both Houses of Parliament
assembled together and informed Parliament of the causes of its summons.
 The government outlines its programs and policies through the President’s address. It also highlights
the steps taken by the government from the previous year and spells out priorities for the upcoming
year.
 Following the President’s address, the ruling party moves a motion of thanks in the two houses of
Parliament. Members debate support or move amendments to the motion in the houses. The Prime
Minister replies to the issues raised during the debate on the motion of thanks and then it is put to vote.
 Voting on the motion of thanks becomes of critical significance for a minority government.
If a government loses the vote on the motion of thanks, it falls.
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President speech in Parliament – Key Takeaways
Simultaneous election:
 President said that due to frequent polls in some part of the country or the other, the pace and continuity
of development programs have been impacted. He proposed One Nation, One Election.
Internal Security:
 Asserting that the government was moving ahead to create a “strong, secure and inclusive” India, the
president said national security was paramount for the government and touched upon surgical strikes
and air strikes on Pakistan-based terror camps.
 On Jammu and Kashmir, he said the central government is making all efforts to ensure a safe and
peaceful environment for the people of the state.
 Asserting that the world supports India’s position on terrorism, he said UN’s declaration of JeM chief
Masood Azhar as “global terrorist” is a proof of this.
Economy:
 Economic measures are being put into place to make India a 5 trillion-dollar economy.
 The credit guarantee coverage for micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has been
increased to Rs 1 lakh crore.
Farmers
 President highlights the expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, an income support
scheme, to all landowning farm families
 Earlier, the scheme was only open to small and marginal farm families owning less than two
hectares of land.
 Other initiatives include the
 Contributory pension scheme for farmers above the age of 60,
 A ₹13,000-crore scheme to fund treatment of common diseases in cattle,
 The Grameen Bhandaran Yojana to provide village-level storage facilities for farm produce
and the plan to create 10,000 new farmer producer organizations.
 A new department for fisheries development to bring in a new blue revolution.
 President said an investment of Rs 25 lakh crore will be made in the coming years in order to enhance
agriculture productivity.
Education
 President said the government was striving to increase the number of seats in the country’s Higher
Education System by one-and-a-half times by 2024
 President hails government decision to increase the funds sanctioned for the education of children of
soldiers. Government has decided to include the children of state police personnel in the program.
Women empowerment:
 President underlined the government’s resolve to remove “social evils” of triple talaq and ‘nikah
halala’ to ensure equal rights for women
 President said penalties for crimes against women have been made “harsher” and the new penal
provisions are being strictly enforced.
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CJI writes to PM for removal of Allahabad High Court judge
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has written to Prime Minister to initiate a motion for removal of
Allahabad High Court’s Justice SN Shukla.
Background
 Two complaints, including one from the advocate general of the state, was received by the CJI on
September 1, 2017, and the then CJI had constituted an in-house committee.
 Justice Shukla, who was heading a division bench in the high court, had allegedly defied the
categorical restraint orders passed by a CJI-led bench of the apex court last year to permit private
colleges to admit students for the 2017-18 academic session.
Inquiry Committee Report

 Three-judge in-house committee had in January 2018 concluded there was sufficient substance in the
allegations contained in the complaint against Justice Shukla and that the aberrations were serious
enough to call for initiation of proceedings for his removal.
 According to the inquiry committee report, Justice Shukla had “disgraced the values of judicial life,
acted in a manner unbecoming of a judge”, lowered the “majesty, dignity and credibility of his
office” and acted in breach of his oath of office.
Following the committee’s report, the then CJI Dipak Misra, in accordance with the relevant in-house
procedure, advised Justice Shukla to either resign or seek voluntary retirement forthwith. After he refused
to do so, the then CJI had asked the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to withdraw judicial work
from him with immediate effect, after which he reportedly went on a long leave.
On March 23, Justice Shukla wrote a letter to Gogoi which was forwarded by the Chief Justice of the
Allahabad High Court, requesting that he be allowed to discharge judicial work in the high court. In
response, Justice Gogoi has written to PM to initiate removal proceedings.
Brief History
 No judge has been impeached in India till date. However, this is not the first time such a proceeding
has been initiated.
 Justice V. Ramaswami has the dubious distinction of being the first judge against whom
impeachment proceedings were initiated. In 1993, the motion was brought up in Lok Sabha, but it
failed to secure the required two-thirds majority.
 Justice P.D. Dinakaran, Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, against whom the Rajya Sabha
Chairman had set up a judicial panel to look into allegations of corruption, resigned in July 2011,
before impeachment proceedings could be initiated against him.
 Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court in 2011 avoided the ignominy of becoming the
first judge to be impeached by Parliament by tendering his resignation.
 In 2015, a group of 58 Rajya Sabha MPs moved an impeachment notice against Justice J.B.
Pardiwala of the Gujarat High Court for his “objectionable remarks on the issue of reservation.
Procedure to the removal of Judge
 A judge may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of ‘proven
misbehavior or incapacity’.
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 While the Constitution does not use the word ‘impeachment’, it is colloquially used to refer to the
proceedings under Article 124 (for the removal of a Supreme Court judge) and Article 218 (for the
removal of a High Court judge).
 The Constitution provides that a judge can be removed only by an order of the President, based on a
motion passed by both Houses of Parliament.
 The procedure for removal of judges is elaborated in the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968.
 To initiate proceedings
 At least 100 members of Lok Sabha may give a signed notice to the Speaker, or
 At least 50 members of Rajya Sabha may give a signed notice to the Chairman.
 The Speaker or Chairman may consult individuals and examine relevant material related to the notice.
Based on this, he or she may decide to either admit the motion or refuse to admit it.
 If the motion is admitted, the Speaker or Chairman (who receives it) constitutes a three-member
committee to investigate the complaint. It comprises of:
 Supreme Court judge
 Chief Justice of a High Court
 A distinguished jurist
 The committee frames charges based on which the investigation is conducted. A copy of the charges is
forwarded to the judge who can present a written defense.
 After concluding its investigation, the Committee submits its report to the Speaker or Chairman, who
then lays the report before the relevant House of Parliament.
 If the report records a finding of misbehavior or incapacity, the motion for removal is taken up
for consideration and debated.
 The motion for removal is required to be adopted by each House of Parliament by: A majority of the
total membership of that House; and A majority of at least two-thirds of the members of that House
present and voting.
 If the motion is adopted by this majority, the motion is sent to the other House for adoption.
National People’s Party Recognized as a National Party

NPP is the eighth party to get that recognition after Congress, BJP, BSP, NCP, CPI, CPI(M) and Trinamool
Congress and the first from the Northeast.
 The Election Commission lists political parties as “national party”, “state party” or “registered
(unrecognized) party”.
 The conditions for being listed as a national or a state party are specified under the Election Symbols
(Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
 Previously, the poll body used to assess the eligibility based on the performance in one election, but in
2016, it altered the rules to expand the assessing period to two elections (this could be one general
election and one state one; or two general elections; or two state ones) after the one in which it was
granted a national party or regional party status.
For any political party to be eligible for recognition as a national Party, it has to satisfy any of these
conditions;
 6% vote share in the last Assembly polls in each of any four states, as well as four seats in the last
Lok Sabha polls.
 2% of all Lok Sabha seats in the last such election, with MPs elected from at least three states.
 Recognition as a state party in at least four states.
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Note – The NPP has satisfied the last of these conditions. It is recognized as a state party in four states —
Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, besides Meghalaya. It has earned that recognition by fulfilling
different conditions in different states.
For recognition as a state party, any one of five conditions needs to be satisfied. These are specified under
paragraph 6A of the Order:
 Two seats plus a 6% vote share in the last Assembly election in that state
 One seat plus a 6% vote share in the last Lok Sabha election from that state
 3% of the total Assembly seats or 3 seats, whichever is more
 One of every 25 Lok Sabha seats (or an equivalent fraction) from a state
 An 8% state-wide vote share in either the last Lok Sabha or the last Assembly polls.
Once recognised as a national or a state party, a political party retains that status irrespective of its
performance in the next elections. It loses the given status only if it fails to fulfil any of the conditions for
two successive Assembly and two successive Lok Sabha elections.
Bombay HC upholds reservation for Marathas

The Bombay High Court has upheld the Maharashtra government’s decision to provide reservation to the
Maratha community under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018.
Background
 On November 30, 2018, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill granting 16 per cent reservation in
education and government jobs for the Marathas, declared a socially and educationally backward class
by the state government.
 The reservation was in addition to the existing 52 per cent overall reservation in the state. With the 16
per cent reservation for Marathas, the reservation quantum in the state was expected to rise to 68 per
cent.
 In Maharashtra, following the 2001 State Reservation Act, the total reservation is 52 per cent. This
includes quotas for SC (13%), ST (7%), OBC (19%), Special Backward Class (2%), Vimukti Jati
(3%), Nomadic Tribe B (2.5%), Nomadic Tribe C-Dhangar (3.5%) and Nomadic Tribe D-Vanjari
(2%).
 The quotas for Nomadic Tribes and Special Backward Classes have been carved out of the total
OBC quota.
 Several petitions were filed in the court challenging the reservation, while a few others were filed in its
support.
 The petitions challenging the quota decision had argued that it was violative of Supreme Court’s
orders which say that reservation in any state should not exceed more than 50 per cent.
 The government, while defending its decision, had said that it was meant to alleviate the Maratha
community, which it said was socially and economically backward.
HC Judgment
 The judgment has upheld the classification of the Maratha class as Socially and Educationally
Backward Class.
 Court however ruled that the 16 per cent quota granted by the state is not “justifiable” and has reduced
it to 12 per cent in education and 13 per cent in government jobs, as recommended by the Maharashtra
State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC).
 The bench has also ruled that the state government had the “legislative competence” to enact the SEBC
Act.
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 The bench said that it upheld the report of the MSBCC that the 50% limit of reservation, as set out
by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case of 1992 can be crossed subject to availability of
quantifiable and contemporaneous data reflecting backwardness, inadequacy of representation and
without affecting the efficiency in administration.
 The addition of 12-13 per cent Maratha quota will take the total reservation in the state to 64-
65 per cent.
 The court said that MSBCC had for the first time carried out a “systematic scientific analysis”
based on ground surveys, collecting data from households.
Home Ministry warns NGOs

The Home Ministry has warned of taking penal action against NGOs which change office bearers without
taking its approval.
 In a notification, the home ministry said incidents have come to light that some NGOs, having registered
under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), have changed their office bearers without
its approval and without updating this data on a real-time basis through the online application
meant for a change of these details.
 All NGOs and associations registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA),
2010, which makes them eligible to receive foreign funds and donations, have to submit an
online application for addition, deletion and change of details about office-bearers and
key functionaries within one month.
 The ministry told the NGOs to submit applications for addition/ deletion/change of details about office
bearers’/ key functionaries by July 7, failing which penal action will be initiated against them.
 Since 2014, the central government has started scrutiny of the activities of NGOs leading to the
cancellation of their FCRA registration, which allows them to get foreign funding.
 There was a total of 23,176 FCRA registered NGOs in 2016-17, which has now come down to
around 12,000.
Regulation of NGO under FCRA
 The Home Ministry monitors foreign funds donated to NGOs and organisations through the FCRA.
 The FCRA was brought into force to regulate the flow of foreign funds to voluntary
organisations with the objective of preventing any possible diversion of such funds to anti-
national activities.
 However, there are many NGOs which are registered under FEMA and continue to disburse foreign
funds to various associations. NGOs under FEMA is regulated by the Finance Ministry, there are
many occasions when the Home Ministry failed to monitor the flow of funds effectively.
 International donors such as the Ford Foundation, the U.K.’s Department for International
Development and Canada’s International Development Research Centre are registered under
FEMA but not the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010.
 Funds flowing to NGOs can be used for an anti-national activity such as economic security. Hence
regulation of NGO receiving fund is necessary.
 NGO is used by vested interest to halt the developmental project in India as reported by the
Intelligence Bureau. This was witnessed in kudankulam protest.
 Earlier, the Home Ministry wants the Finance Ministry to surrender its powers to monitor non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for
effective and better monitoring.
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MoSPI to Use Big Data Analytical Tools
The statistics ministry is bringing in reforms for more accuracy and efficiency.
What are the new norms to be set up?
 Efforts are on to evolve a legislative framework under which the National Statistical Commission
(NSC) may function with independence and give holistic guidance for improving the national
statistical system.
 The Ministry is also proposing to establish a National Data Warehouse on Official Statistics, where
technology will be leveraged for using big data analytical tools for further improving the quality of
macro-economic aggregates.
Need for new norms
 Over a period of time, there have been increasing demands on the statistical system for the production
of relevant and quality statistics.
 The advent of technology necessitates reforms in statistical processes and products with an aim to
synergize the existing resources so that the system remains responsive.
 MoSPI has been criticized in some sections for the quality of macro-economic data.
 To improve this, it would require concomitant changes in the sectoral data flows and associated
regulatory framework in the data source agencies to facilitate the use of more macro modeling
techniques.
 The reforms being undertaken in MoSPI will lead to better data sets and better estimates in future.
System reforms are an ongoing process and are necessary for ensuring responsiveness to the changing
needs of society.
Geo Tagging and Digitalisation of Waqf Properties

● Centre has decided to start a programme on war footing to utilise Waqf properties across the country
for educational empowerment and employment oriented skill development.
● A programme has been launched for 100 per cent Geo tagging and digitalisation of Waqf properties
to;
 Ensure these properties can be utilised for welfare of the society.
 Ensure transparency and safety of Waqf records.
● For the first time since Independence, Government has also decided to provide 100 per cent funding to
develop schools, colleges, ITIs, polytechnics, hospitals, multi-purpose community hall “Sadbhav
Mandap” on Waqf land under Pradhanmantri Jan Vikas Karykram (PMJVK).
● Government has expanded development programmes for Minorities in 308 districts of the country.
● A five-member committee, constituted to review Waqf properties lease rule, headed by Justice (Retd)
Zakiullah Khan, has recommended to ensure that Waqf rules are made easy and effective for better
utilisation of Waqf properties and to free these properties, several of which are entangled in disputes
for several decades.
● Central Waqf Council is a statutory body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Minority
Affairs.
● It was set up in 1964 as per the provision given in the Waqf Act, 1954.
● It acts as an advisory body to the central government on matters concerning the working of the Waqf
Boards and the due administration of Auqaf.
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Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)
It seeks to provide better socio economic infrastructure facilities to the minority communities
particularly in the field of education, health & skill development which would further lead to
lessening of the gap between the national average and the minority communities with regard to
backwardness parameters.
Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP)
MsDP is a special area development scheme designed to address the 'development deficits' seen in
Minority Concentration Districts.
● The Council consists of Chairperson, who is the Union Minister In charge of Waqf and such other
members, not exceeding 20 in number, as may be appointed by the Government of India.
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
India - Sri Lanka Relations
In a reaffirmation of India’s 'Neighbourhood First' policy, Prime Minister’s first visit abroad took place to
the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is more than 2,500 years old. Both countries have a legacy
of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction.
In recent years, significant progress in implementation of developmental assistance projects for Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) and disadvantaged sections of the population in Sri Lanka has helped further
cement the bonds of friendship between the two countries.
Significance of Srilanka for India

● Economic - India has enjoyed the status of being Sri Lanka’s main economic partner for most of its
independent history.
● Geo-strategic importance - Srilanka is placed at a crucial juncture of important shipping lanes. India
can leverage its geo-strategic significance for enhanced transshipment facilities and regional security.
● Regional Significance - Being a member of SAARC, BIMSTEC, and IORA both srilanka and India
can complement each other by finding greater convergence and syncing their respective foreign policies
including SAGAR doctrine.
Political Relations
● Political relations between the two countries have been marked by high-level exchanges of visits at
regular intervals.
Commercial Relations
● Sri Lanka is one of India’s largest trading partners in SAARC. India in turn is Sri Lanka’s largest trade
partner globally.
● Trade between the two countries grew particularly rapidly after the entry into force of the India-Sri
Lanka Free Trade Agreement in 2000.
● Exports from India to Sri Lanka in 2016 were US$ 3.83 billion, while exports from Sri Lanka to India
were US$ 551 million.
Developmental Cooperation
The conclusion of the armed conflict saw government of India put in place a robust programme of assistance
to help the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) return to normal life as quickly as possible.
This included,
● Sri Lanka is one of the major recipients of development credit given by the Government of India,
with a total commitment of around US$2.63 billion, including US$ 458 million as grants.
● The Housing Project, is the flagship project of Government of India’s assistance to Sri Lanka.
● Tsunami-damaged Colombo-Matara rail link has been repaired and upgraded.
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● In 2014, the Pallai-Jaffna reconstructed railway track and signal system was inaugurated thereby
reconnecting Jaffna to Colombo by rail.
● Emergency Ambulance Service was launched in Sri Lanka in 2016 under Indian Grant Assistance of
US $ 7.55 million.
● Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) under National Export Insurance Account (BC-NEIA),
signed an agreement for financing three water supply projects in srilanka.
● Setting up Centres for English Language Training and providing technical assistance for the National
Action Plan for a Trilingual Sri Lanka.
● Establishment of an Agricultural Research Institute in the Northern Province.
● During the devastation of floods in 2017, India had responded immediately by sending three ships
with relief materials including food supplies, water, inflatable boats, diving team and medical teams for
flood relief efforts.
● India and Sri Lanka in 2017 had agreed to jointly operate the world war-era oil storage facility in
Trincomalee. At present Indian Oil Corporation subsidiary Lanka IOC, runs 15 out of the 99 storage
tanks in the lower oil tank farm in Trincomalee. The proposed joint venture pertains to the remaining
84 tanks in the upper farm.
● Srilanka has handed over in 2018 the loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA)
in Hambantota to India to pay back dues to China’s EXIM Bank, which had provided loans to build
the airport. AAI will acquire a 70 per cent controlling stake in the airport and operate it for 30 years.
● India and Japan have signed an agreement in 2019 with sri lanka to jointly build the East Container
Terminal at the Port of Colombo. The development potentially extends India’s outreach in the Indian
Ocean, where China is pursuing an expansionist policy.
Cultural Relations
● The Cultural Cooperation Agreement, 1977 forms the basis for periodic Cultural Exchange
Programmes between the two countries.
● The Indian Cultural Centre in Colombo actively promotes awareness of Indian culture by offering
classes in Indian music, dance, Hindi and Yoga.
● India and Sri Lanka commemorated the 2600th year of the attainment of enlightenment by Lord Buddha
(Sambuddhatva Jayanthi) through joint activities.
● The two Governments jointly celebrated the 150th Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala in 2014.
● The India-Sri Lanka Foundation, set up in 1998 as an intergovernmental initiative, also aims towards
enhancement of scientific, technical, educational and cultural cooperation.
● Under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Scheme and the Colombo Plan, India offers
370 slots annually to Sri Lankan nationals.
● Tourism also forms an important link between India and Sri Lanka. Government of India formally
launched the e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme for Sri Lankan tourists in 2015.
● In 2016, 14% of the total number of tourist arrival to Sri Lanka were Indians. Sri Lankan tourists too
are among the top ten sources for the Indian tourism market.
Indian Community
● The People of Indian Origin (PIOs) comprise Sindhis, Borahs, Gujaratis, Memons, Parsis, Malayalis
and Telugu speaking persons who have settled down in Sri Lanka (most of them after partition).
● Though their numbers (10,000 approximately) are much lesser as compared to Indian Origin Tamils
(IOTs), they are economically prosperous and are well placed.
● The IOTs are mostly employed in either tea or rubber plantations in Central, Uva and Sabragamuwa
Provinces. According to Government census figures (2011), the population of IOTs
is about 1.6 million.
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Concerns
 China Factor - China through its BRI policy is making inroads in India's strategic backyard. Sri Lanka
leased Hambantota port located near the world’s busiest east-west shipping route to a Chinese firm in
2017 for 99 years in a bid to recover from the heavy burden of repaying a loan the country received to
build the facility.
 Article 9 - Article 9 of Sri Lanka's constitution states that Buddhism shall be accorded "foremost place"
in the country and it is the duty of government to protect it. It has remained a bone of contention between
the minority tamils and majority sinhalese community.
 Emerging Terrorism - Recent easter attacks have brought forth National Thowheeth Jama'ath, a local
militant Islamist group with suspected foreign ties, previously known for attacks against Buddhists and
Sufis.
 Fishermen issue - Given the proximity of the territorial waters of both countries, especially in the Palk
Straits and the Gulf of Mannar, incidents of straying of fishermen are common.
 Both countries have agreed on certain practical arrangements to deal with the issue of bona fide
fishermen of either side crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. India and Sri Lanka have
set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries.
Recent developments and progress made by both the countries in strategic space give India a reason for a
renewed push to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. Along with Japan, India holds potential to work in
collaboration with island nation to secure its interests in the Indian Ocean Region and contain the
expansionist policy of China.
India-Maldives Relations
As close and friendly neighbours, India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and
commercial links steeped in antiquity and enjoy cordial and multi-dimensional relations.
Recent Developments
Indian PM undertook a two-day visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka, which is the first bilateral engagement
after being sworn-in as the Prime Minister for a second term on May 30.
● It was the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the Maldives in eight years.
● Indian PM was conferred with the Maldives’ highest honour — the Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen — by
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Key Outcomes:
● Several agreements were signed between the two countries covering health, hydrography, cargo and
passenger transportation by sea, customs services and other sectors.
● An MoU was also signed on Training and Capacity Building Programme for Maldivian civil servants.
● India and the Maldives agreed to set up a joint working group on counterterrorism, countering
violent extremism and deradicalization.
● The two countries also agreed to strengthen coordination in enhancing maritime security in the
Indian Ocean region through coordinated patrolling and aerial surveillance, exchange of information,
and capacity building.
● A technical agreement on sharing ‘White Shipping Information’ between the Indian Navy and the
Maldives National Defence Force was also signed, enabling exchange of prior information on the
movement of commercial, non-military vessels.
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● India will build a cricket stadium, which is likely to come up at Hulhumale, an island south of North
Male atoll, through a line of credit.
● India and the Maldives have agreed to launch a passenger-cum-cargo ferry service between Kerala's
Kochi and the Maldivian capital Male via Kulhudhuffushi atoll to strengthen connectivity between the
two countries and boost tourism.
After years of witnessing souring relations during President Abdulla Yameen’s term from 2013-2018, New
Delhi and Male have eventually reset ties. Maldives has reaffirmed its “India-first policy” and has pledged
full support toward deepening “the multifaceted, mutually beneficial partnership”.
Why Maldives is Important for India?
● Strategic location - In the Indian Ocean, Maldives archipelago comprising 1,200 coral islands lies next
to key shipping lanes which ensure uninterrupted energy supplies to countries like China, Japan and
India.
● At the Heart of International Geopolitics - Since China started to send naval ships to Indian Ocean
roughly 10 years ago and right up to Gulf of Aden in the name of antipiracy operations Maldives'
significance has steadily grown.
● Regional Security - As the pre-eminent South Asian power and a 'net security provider' in the Indian
Ocean region, India needs to cooperate with Maldives in security and defence sectors.
● Member of SAARC - It is important for India to have Maldives on board to maintain its leadership in
the region. Maldives was the only Saarc country which seemed reluctant to follow India's call for
boycott of Saarc summit in Pakistan after the Uri attack.
● Blue economy: Maldives has an intrinsic role in advancing blue economy through sustainable
management and utilisation of marine resources.
● UNSC Support - Maldives has extended its support for India's candidature for permanent membership
of an expanded and reformed UN Security Council. Maldives also has reiterated support for India's
candidature for non-permanent seat for the year 2020-21.
● Diaspora - There are 25,000 Indian nationals living in Maldives (second largest expatriate community).
Indian tourists also account for close to 6% of tourists Maldives receives every year.
India’s interests in the Maldives range from political stability in the neighbourhood, and protection of
its investments and trade to the prevention of state and non-state forces inimical to Indian interests
gaining a firm foothold in the Maldives.
Political Relations
● India was among the first to recognise Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish
diplomatic relations with the country.
● Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, almost all Prime Ministers of India visited the
Maldives.
● India and Maldives have consistently supported each other in multilateral fora such as the UN, the
Commonwealth, the NAM and the SAARC.
Bilateral Assistance
● India is a leading development partner of Maldives and has established many of the leading
institutions of Maldives including the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), Faculty of
Engineering Technology (FET) and Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism Studies(IMFFHTS).
● India has offered assistance to Maldives wherever required.
 Operation Cactus - when India saved Gayoom’s regime from a coup in 1984
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 After the tsunami that struck Maldives on December 26, 2004, India was the first country to
rush relief and aid to Maldives.
 India provided a budget support aid of Rs.10 crores to help stabilise the Maldivian fiscal
position.
 In January 2014, India released $25 million to meet Maldives’ import expenditure. This was
done in the context of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development of 2011.
 Operation Neer was initiated by Indian government in response to the Maldives government's
request for help after major fire broke out at the Male Water and Sewerage Company.
 With Maldives reeling under mounting Chinese debt, India in 2018 announced a $1.4 billion
financial assistance to the island nation.
● Currently, India has provided US $ 100 million Stand-by Credit facility (SCF) to Maldives, including
long-term loans and revolving credit for trade.
● $800 million Line of Credit Agreement was signed in March 2019, for assisting the Maldives to
achieve sustainable social and economic development.
● Capacity building and skills development is one of the key components of India’s assistance to
Maldives. India offers several scholarships to Maldivian students under the following schemes:
 ICCR scholarships
 SAARC Chair Fellowship
 ITEC training & scholarships
 Technical Cooperation Scheme of Colombo Plan
 Medical scholarships
● Several Maldivian diplomats have received training in India under the Indian Foreign Service
Institute’s Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD) program.
Economic and Commercial Relations

● India and Maldives signed a trade agreement in 1981, which provides for export of essential
commodities.
● Under the bilateral agreement, India provides essential food items like rice, wheat flour, sugar, dal,
onion, potato and eggs and construction material such as sand and stone aggregates to Maldives on
favourable terms.
● State Bank of India has been playing a vital role in the economic development of the Maldives since,
1974 by providing loan assistance for promotion of island resorts, export of marine products and
business enterprises.
People-to-People contacts
● The proximity of location and improvements in air connectivity in recent years has led to a very
substantial increase in the number of Indians visiting Maldives for tourism (around 33,000) and
business.
● India is a preferred destination for Maldivian for education, medical treatment, recreation and
business.
Cultural Relations
● Both the countries share long cultural links. Exchange of cultural troupes takes place regularly
between the countries.
● Three historical mosques (Friday Mosque and DharumavanthaRasgefaanu Mosque - Male’, Fenfushi
Mosque - South Ari Atoll) were successfully restored by Indian experts from NRLCCP, Lucknow.
● Hindi commercial films, TV serials and music are immensely popular in Maldives.
● The India Cultural Center (ICC), established in Male in July 2011, conducts regular courses in yoga,
classical music and dance.
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Major Concerns
● China’s footprint: The Maldives has undoubtedly emerged as an important “pearl” in China’s “String
of Pearls” in South Asia.
 China has been vying for a maritime base in the atoll. The main motive is to ensure the security
of its sea lanes, especially the unhindered flow of critically-needed energy supplies from Africa
and West Asia through the Indian Ocean.
 Amendments to the Maldivian constitution in 2015 allow foreigners to own land, including
investments of over $1 billion for projects where 70 percent of the land has been reclaimed.
Looking at these parameters, China will be the obvious beneficiary.
● Climate Change - Maldives is facing an existential threat. The sea level rise of up to 1 metre predicted
in this century due to climate change can obliterate the country.
● Political Instability - India-Maldives ties had deteriorated significantly under its President Yameen
who was perceived to be close to China.
● Low Bilateral Trade - India-Maldives bilateral trade stands meagre at about Rs.700 crores.
● Islamic radicalisation: Maldives is a 100 percent Sunni-majority state. In the past decade or so, the
number of Maldivians drawn towards the Islamic State and Pakistan-based madrassas and jihadist
groups has been increasing. Maldives accounted for one of the highest numbers of foreign fighters in
Syria in terms of per capita.
Way-Forward
● Strengthen democratic institutions - It is important to gradually get democratic institutions of
Maldives to function constitutionally, with proper checks and balances. The constitution must also be
strengthened to eliminate room to drift back towards authoritarianism. India, and not China, is in a
better position to help the Maldives in this regard.
● Exercise economic leverage prudently - A widening trade deficit with India is one of the major
economic concerns the Maldives has, India could diversify bilateral trade, especially by enhancing its
export basket from the atoll state.
● Enhancing trade sphere - India should consider without delay the proposal from its neighbour
regarding the import of diesel, petrol and aviation fuel from India. The India-Maldives Trade
Agreement signed in 1981 could be revisited in the light of current realities.
● Encourage Indian private sector - To deepen its engagement in the Maldivian economy it will need
to become more welcoming to investments made by India.
● Increasing connectivity - through the establishment of enabling infrastructure.
● Encourage people to-people interactions - In this regard, visas to Maldivian nationals could be further
liberalised, depending on the purpose of the visit for smooth diplomatic relations.
● Security front - India has been the net security provider to the Maldives by frequently extending its
help in securing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the atoll state.
● Cooperation on Climate Change - India can help Maldives in adapting to climate change. The policy
option for India is to promote a comprehensive and deepen engagement with Maldives at all levels
including on climate change.
● Geographical Proximity - It is effectively an opportunity for New Delhi and Malé to strengthen
security ties, as also to work towards greater understanding in their bilateral relationship.
It is important for India not to allow the Maldives to slip from its sphere of influence. India should reach
out to all governmental and nongovernmental actors of the atoll in economic, socio-cultural and political
arenas. Governmental dialogue mechanisms are not sufficient in themselves, which should in the first place
be regularised. India is indeed a neutral actor in the atoll’s politics, but such a perception needs to be
efficiently conveyed.
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SCO Summit 2019: Bishkek Declaration
The 2019 Shanghai Cooperation Summit, held in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on June 13-14, marked the
second year in which India participated as a full member. SCO adopted the Bishkek Declaration, calling
for greater cooperation among member countries.
Bishkek Declaration
1. On Afghanistan, the ‘Roadmap for Further Action of the SCO Afghanistan Contact Group’ was
signed by the leaders and the declaration argued for an ‘inclusive peace process conducted and led
by Afghans themselves’ with UN playing the main role even as multilateral forums continue to interact
on the issue.
2. On Iran, the declaration called for ‘consistent implementation’ of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action and asked all participants ‘for comprehensive and effective implementation of the document,’
a year after US pulled out of it.
3. On Syria, the declaration noted the Astana format and the process of political settlement through
the dialogue process. It also extended support to ‘post-conflict restoration’ by different states in Syria.
4. On terror, the declaration largely followed language from the Qingdao Summit declaration,
reiterating SCO’s condemnation of terrorism ‘in all its forms and manifestations.’ Member states
pressed for consensus regarding the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International
Terrorism.
5. On trade, there was support for WTO and the multilateral trading system. Members noted the need for
increased cooperation between SCO member states in trade and services.
6. On ICT, a document regarding cooperation among members on Digitalization and Information and
Communications Technology was signed at the end of heads of state meeting.
7. The member states pledged to give more attention to increase the share of national currencies in
mutual financial transaction and settlements.
8. It also reaffirmed the member states' commitment to enhancing the central coordinating role of the
UN and its Security Council as a body vested with the main responsibility for maintaining
international peace and security under the UN Charter.
9. The declaration stressed the importance of further improving the architecture of global economic
governance, and deepening cooperation to build a transparent, predictable and stable environment
for the development of trade and investment cooperation.
10. SCO Member States call for unfailingly honouring the Convention on the Prohibition of the
Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and
on their Destruction.
 A separate MoU was signed for establishment of Astana International Financial Centre.
 The AIFC has been set up with the objective of creating an attractive environment for
investment, development of Kazakhstan’s securities market, its integration with other
internationally recognized financial institutions.
 AIFC is positioning itself as a financial hub for Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Eurasian
Economic Union, West Asia, western China, Mongolia and Europe.
India at SCO
 India to the SCO leaders presented its vision for the organization in the form of HEALTH (healthcare
cooperation, economic cooperation, alternate energy, literature and culture, terrorism-free society and
humanitarian cooperation).
 India stressed using the potential of RATS to counter terrorism and called upon member states to
ensure that nations which support, promote or finance terror must be held accountable.
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 With regard to economic cooperation, India criticized protectionist tendencies in trade amidst the US
ending GSP status for Indian products.
 India refused to join the clause in the declaration in support of the Belt and Road Initiative. It
noted the principles of respect for sovereignty, regional integrity, good governance, transparency to be
essential for connectivity, obliquely referring to its reservations on CPEC in particular and BRI in
general.
 India noted the examples of International North South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port, Ashgabat
Agreement and the air freight corridor between Kabul, Kandahar and New Delhi as proof of its focus
on connectivity.
India - Kyrgyzstan
 After the SCO summit engagement, Indian PM embarked on a bilateral visit to Kyrgyzstan. The
two countries upgraded their ties to the level of a strategic partnership.
 India announced it would extend $200 million line of credit to Bishkek.
 A five year roadmap has also been developed to promote trade and economic cooperation, a
sector where there is quite a scope for improvement as the bilateral trade in 2016-17 stood at just $
24.98 million.
 Addressing the first India-Kyrgyzstan Business Forum, the Indian PM emphasized on better
connectivity as being crucial for better trade ties.
 The two countries signed the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement as talks continue on the
preferential trade agreement with the EAEU.
 MoUs in areas of defense, ICT and health were also exchanged.
Prospects for India
 SCO is an effective and constructive mechanism for multilateral cooperation that plays an
important role in maintaining regional peace and stability and in facilitating the prosperity and
development of the Member States.
 Stronger presence in Eurasia - The opening of Chabahar port and entry into Ashgabat agreement can
be utilized for a stronger presence in Eurasia besides a clear focus on operationalising INSTC.
 India can capitalise on Russian concerns about China exercising disproportionate influence in
Central Asia.
 Engage with Pakistan - Indian Prime Minister and his Pakistan counterpart exchanged greetings
during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit (talks did not take place).
 SCO is a potential platform to advance India’s Connect Central Asia policy.
Main challenges for India
 Growing closeness of Russia and China, even as India has promoted better relations with the US.
One of the major factors for Russia pushing India’s inclusion into the SCO was to balance China’s
power but the post-2014 realities have altered some of those geopolitical equations.
 Low trade volumes - For instance, India’s bilateral trade with Central Asia stands at about $2 billion
and with Russia about $10 billion in 2017. In contrast, China’s trade with Russia has crossed $100
billion in 2018 while the bilateral figures for Central Asia stands at over $50 billion.
 Lack of connectivity – It has also hampered development of energy ties between the hydrocarbon-rich
region and India.
 Support for BRI - While India has made its opposition to BRI clear, all other SCO members have
embraced the Chinese project.
If India is not able to exploit the economic potential of the region, its inclusion into an organization that
covers 42 per cent of the world population and 20 per cent of the GDP will be a missed opportunity.
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Whether the SCO grows into a successful regional forum depends on its ability to overcome bilateral
differences between its members and their respective geopolitical calculations. The proliferation of other
regional undertakings —EAEU, BRI, Greater Eurasian Partnership, CSTO, CICA will also pose a challenge
for SCO. In this situation, India will have to clearly identify and promote its interests to enhance its presence
in the Eurasian region.
UNSC Non-Permanent Seat

India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat for a two-year term in 2021-22 in the Security Council has
been endorsed unanimously by the Asia Pacific group, which comprises 55 countries, including Pakistan.
 The endorsement means that India has a “clean slate” candidature – that is there is no other contestant
from the group – for the elections that will be held for five non-permanent members next year, for the
2021-22 term.
 Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia,
Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, UAE, and
Vietnam were among the countries which supported India.
 India announced its candidacy for the 2021-22 seat at the end of 2013
 Afghanistan, a potential contender, had withdrawn its nomination to accommodate India’s
candidacy based on the “long-standing, close and friendly relations.
 Before this, India has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC for seven terms.
 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92 and most recently in 2011–2012 under
the leadership of former Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri.
The mechanism to elect countries
 Each year the 193-member General Assembly elects five non-permanent members, out of a total of
10, for a two-year term at the UN high-table.
 These 10 seats are distributed among the regions thus:
 Five for African and Asian countries;
 Of the five seats for Africa and Asia, three are for Africa and two for Asia
 One for Eastern European countries;
 Two for Latin American and Caribbean countries;
 Two for Western European and other countries.
Note- There is an informal understanding between the two groups to reserve one for an Arab country. The
Africa and Asia Pacific group takes turns every two years to put up an Arab candidate.
 Elections for terms beginning in even-numbered years select two African members, and one each within
Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
 Terms beginning in odd-numbered years consist of two Western European and Other members, and
one each from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
 Estonia, Niger, Tunisia, Vietnam and St. Vincent, and the Grenadines were elected earlier
this month.
 Unlike Africa, which has formalised a system of rotation of its three seats according to the region,
the Asia-Pacific grouping often has seen contests. Last year, there was a contest between Maldives
and Indonesia.
 Irrespective of whether a country is a “clean slate” candidate and has been endorsed by its group, it
needs to secure the votes of two-thirds of the members present and voting at the General
Assembly session (a minimum of 129 votes if all 193 member states participate). Formal balloting
takes place at elections to all the main UN bodies.
 When contested, the elections for non-permanent seats can be fraught and can go on for several rounds
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 In 1975, there was a contest between India and Pakistan, which went to eight rounds. Pakistan
won the seat that year.
 In 1996, India lost a contest to Japan.
Significance
 India has a unique role to play at the UNSC, given the near-complete polarisation among the
permanent members (P-5 nations), with the U.S., the U.K. and France on one side, and Russia and
China on the other. India’s ability to work with both sides is well known.
 The year 2022 also has a sentimental value attached to it, as it marks the 75th year of India’s
Independence, and a place at the UNSC would no doubt add to the planned celebrations that year.
 In the past, India has earned a reputation for ‘fence-sitting’ by abstaining on votes when it was
required to take a considered stand on principle, and the seat will be a chance to undo that image.
 Nudging all five permanent members on the one issue they have unitedly resisted: towards the reform
and expansion of the UNSC, which would include India’s claim to a permanent seat.
Way forward
 It is significant that despite the poor state of bilateral relations with Pakistan, and the many challenges
India has faced from China at the UN, both the countries graciously agreed to the nomination. From
this point on, it is necessary for the government to think beyond the campaign for the UNSC, and work
out a comprehensive strategy for what it plans to do with the seat.
 Given the twin challenges of a rising China, and the U.S. receding from its UN responsibilities,
India must consider how it will strengthen the multilateral world order amid frequent unilateral moves
by both the world powers.
Retaliatory Tariffs Against US

India has imposed retaliatory tariffs on 29 American goods, in retaliation to America’s withdrawal of
preferential access for Indian products from 5 June.
US has terminated India's designation as a beneficiary developing nation under the key GSP trade
programme with effect from 5th June 2019, after determining that India has not assured the US that it
will provide "equitable and reasonable access" to its markets.
About GSP
 The Generalized System of Preference (GSP) is the largest and oldest US trade preference
programme and is designed to promote economic development by allowing duty-free entry for
thousands of products from designated beneficiary countries.
 It was established by the Trade Act of 1974.
 GSP helps spur sustainable development in beneficiary countries by helping them increase and
diversify their trade with the U.S.
 The U.S. also believes that moving GSP imports from the docks to U.S. consumers, farmers, and
manufacturers supports tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S.
 The other benefit is that GSP boosts American competitiveness by reducing the costs of imported
inputs used by U.S. companies to manufacture goods in the United States. GSP is thus important to
U.S. small businesses, many of which rely on the programmes’ duty savings to stay competitive.
Issue
 The U.S. conducts periodic reviews of the programme. The review for India, taken up last year,
focussed on whether it is meeting the eligibility criterion that requires a GSP beneficiary country to
assure the U.S. that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its market.
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 The Trade Representative accepted that India did not meet the criteria:
 India wants dairy products, which could form part of religious worship, certified that they were
was only derived from animals that have not been fed food containing internal organs. Other
exporters such as EU nations and New Zealand certify their products, but the U.S. has so far not done
so.
 India has recently placed a cap on the prices of medical devices, like stents, that impacts U.S.
exports of such devices
Consequences
 India was the largest beneficiary of the programme in 2017 with $5.7 billion in imports to the US
given duty-free status.
 The Indian export industry however may not feel the pinch of the GSP removal for India by the U.S
as the loss for the industry amounts to only about $190 million on exports of $5.6 billion falling
under the GSP category.
 But specific sectors, such as gem and jewellery, leather and processed foods will lose the benefits of
the programme. A producer may be able to bear 2-3% of the loss from the change, but not more. The
loss, in export of some kinds of rice for example, may even exceed 10%.
 India has imposed retaliatory duties on certain specified goods originating in or exported from USA
while preserving the existing most favoured nation (MFN) rate for all these goods for all countries
other than USA.
 (India first announced plans to impose new tariffs a year ago in retaliation for increased US import
duties on Indian steel and aluminum. But it repeatedly delayed them while the two sides held a series
of trade talks)
 The duties are in retaliation to the US decision of significantly hiking customs duties on certain steel
and aluminium products.
 Among the targeted imports, duty on walnut has been raised from 30% to 120%, while duty on
chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and masur dal has been raised from 30% to 70%. This would result in
a higher rate for goods imported from USA vis-a-vis other countries.
 India had repeatedly postponed the imposition of tariffs of more than $200 million on import of US
goods worth $1.4 billion since they were first announced on 20 June 2018.
 According to the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), the impact of the retaliatory tariffs imposed
by India on the U.S. would amount to about $290 million about the same amount imposed by
Washington on India in 2018.
Concerns
 The strain in trade ties between the two economies comes at a time when global economic growth rate
is projected to slow down as trade tensions among major economies such as between the US and China
weigh on business confidence and investments.
 The International Monetary Fund’s world economic outlook had in April downgraded global growth to
3.3% for 2019, down from the 3.5% it had forecast in January.
 According to the Reserve Bank of India weak global demand because of escalation in trade wars may
further impact India’s exports and investment activity. The Central Statistics Office had in February
lowered India’s growth estimate for FY19 to 7% from the 7.2% estimated earlier.
 Higher Indian tariffs on U.S. goods could also impact growing political and security ties between the
two nations.
Disruption caused because of trade wars among major economies offers India a chance to improve its
share in the world market. India’s potential to make further gains from the gaps emerging in the supply
chain in global markets should be tapped.
Note - For detailed analysis on India – US Trade Issues, please refer our Magazine’s May Edition.
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Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2019
The Intersessional meeting of Kimberley Process (KP) was hosted by India from 17 th to 21st June, 2019 in
Mumbai.
● The Kimberley Process is a joint initiative involving Government, international diamond industry and
civil society to stem the flow of Conflict Diamonds.
● Conflict Diamonds means rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance
conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments. It is also described in United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) Resolutions.
● In 1998, certain rebel movements in Africa (Sierra Leone, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Liberia) were selling, among other things, illegally obtained diamonds known as Conflict Diamonds to
fund their wars against legitimate governments.
● With a view to find ways to stop trade in Conflict Diamonds, world’s diamond industry, United Nations,
Governments and leading NGOs came together and in 2002 at Interlaken, Switzerland, where the final
draft of the Kimberley Process measures were ratified by more than fifty countries.
● The KPCS came into effect from 1st January, 2003 and evolved into an effective mechanism for
stopping the trade in Conflict Diamonds.
Rough diamond trading under the KPCS

● As per the Scheme, each shipment of rough diamonds being exported and imported by crossing an
international border be transported in a tamper proof container and accompanied by a validated
Kimberley Process Certificate.
● The shipment can only be exported to a co-participant country in the KPCS. No uncertified shipments
of rough diamonds are permitted to enter a participant country.
India and the KPCS

● India is one of the founder members of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and is the Chair of
Kimberley Process for the year 2019 with Russian Federation as Vice Chair.
● India had earlier chaired KPCS in the year 2008.
● At present, KPCS has 55 members representing 82 countries including EU with 28 members.
● The Kimberley Process is chaired, on a rotating basis, by participating countries.
● Since 2003, India has been actively participating in the KPCS process and is a member of all Working
Groups of KP (except for Working Group on Artisanal and Alluvial Production, WGAAP).
● Department of Commerce is the nodal Department and Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion
Council (GJEPC) is designated as the KPCS Importing and Exporting Authority in India.
● GJEPC is responsible for issuing KP Certificates and is also the custodian of KP Certificates received
in the country.
India wins solar case against US at WTO

 India won a major trade dispute against the US at the World Trade Organization, with a dispute
settlement panel pronouncing that subsidies and mandatory local content requirements
instituted by eight American states breached global trade rules.
 The panel urged the US to bring the eight states in conformity with US obligations under Article III:4
of “national treatment”.
 Under the national treatment provision, foreign producers must be treated on a par with
domestic producers.
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 US states were offering incentives such as renewable energy credits through direct and indirect
payments and rebates, tax credits and tax refunds for the purchase of renewable energy systems
manufactured in the states, to produce renewable energy equipment and systems.
 India had challenged the “renewable energy cost recovery incentive payment programme”
implemented by the states of US.
 India had claimed that US states have violated several provisions of the Trade-Related Investment
Measures (TRIMs) Agreement and Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Agreement.
 The US can still challenge the panel’s ruling before the Appellate Body
 However, the Appellate Body itself is feared to have become dysfunctional after 11 December
because the US has been blocking appointments to it.
 In 2014, the US had launched a similar trade dispute against India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Energy
Mission, on the grounds that it included incentives for domestically produced solar cells and modules.
 WTO’s Appellate Body had upheld the US complaint against India in that case.
 The ruling could further inflame US-Indian tensions at a time when the two trade partners are engaged
in an escalating tit-for-tat tariff battle
India-China Boundary Talks

Indian and China have agreed to expedite the dialogue on the India-China boundary talks for securing a
“fair” solution.
 The leaders of both the nations met in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in the summit of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
 The two leaders have asked the Special Representatives to meet and carry forward the discussion and
have instructed them to expedite the discussion in this regard for achieving a fair, reasonable and
mutually acceptable solution.
 The border dispute dates back to the 1962 India-China war. Several rounds of talks have not
yielded results.
 So far, the two countries have held 21 rounds of talks to resolve differences over the 3488-km
long Line Actual Control (LAC).
 The last round of talks was held in November last when Ajit Doval of India and Wang Yi of
China met in Chengdu for the 21st round of talks between the Special Representatives.
 The attention on the border issue acquires significance as the Chinese President is expected to visit
India later this year for a summit with Mr Modi.
 China also highlighted the need for regional cooperation and connectivity and singled out the
Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor as an example for expanding the India-
China ties, which had entered a “new phase” after the Wuhan informal summit.
 The two sides agreed to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in a “fitting manner”
by holding 70 events – 35 each – in both countries.
Additional Information
 The leaders of both the nations have met more than 10 times in the last five years, including thrice after
their informal summit in Wuhan.
 The 2018 Wuhan summit between Modi and Xi was largely credited to have turned around the
bilateral ties soured by the 73-day Doklam standoff, triggered by Chinese troops attempts to
build a road close to the Indian border in an area also claimed by Bhutan in 2017.
 President Xi has confirmed his readiness to visit India this year for the next informal summit.
 By definition, informal summits lack the protocol and ceremony of formal ones, including
delegation-level talks and a pre-set agenda for discussions.
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India Votes in Favour of Israel at UN
India voted in support of Israel at the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to deny the Palestinian
non-governmental organisation ‘Shahed’ the consultative status after Israel said the organisation did not
disclose its ties with Hamas.
 The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has been described as a terrorist organisation by many European
countries.
 The proposal made by the Palestinian NGO Shahed’ to obtain observer status in the UN was rejected
by a 28-14 vote.
 The ECOSOC vote, which took place at the UN, saw countries such as the US, France, Germany, India,
Japan, the UK, South Korea and Canada polling in favour of Israel, while China, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Pakistan and others voted against it.
Additional Information
 This is the first time India has taken a step back from its decades-old position on the two-state theory
under which it sees both Israel and Palestine as separate and independent countries, seeking to bring
peace in West Asia.
 India was the first country to support Israel amongst the Asia group.
 However, India has also always played a proactive role in garnering support for the Palestinian
cause in multilateral fora.
 India’s position on the Middle East Peace Process has been consistent and clear.
 India supports a negotiated solution resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united
State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognised
borders, side by side at peace with Israel as endorsed in the Quartet Roadmap and relevant
UNSC Resolutions.
About ECOSOC
 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six main organs of the United Nations
established by the UN Charter in 1946,
 It is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on
economic, social and environmental issues, as well as for implementation of the internationally agreed
development goals.
 The Council consists of 54 Members States, which are elected yearly by the General Assembly for
overlapping three-year terms.
 The president of the Council is elected for a one-year term and chosen from the small- or mid-sized
powers represented on the Council at the beginning of each new session.
IOC lifts restrictions imposed on India

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has lifted the restrictions imposed on India with regards to
hosting international events, after the union government’s assurance that no eligible athlete would be denied
visa on political grounds.
Reasons for Placing Restrictions
 These restrictions had been in place since February after two Pakistani shooters were denied visas by
the Indian government for the ISSF World Cup (pistol and rifle) held in New Delhi.
 The decision to deny visas to two Pakistani rapid-fire pistol shooters was taken following the
Pulwama terror attack where 40 CRPF personnel were killed
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 As a result, the World wrestling body (UWW) moved the junior Asian wrestling championship out of
India. The country also lost the hosting rights of the junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup due to the same
issue
 In another incident in November last year, Kosovo boxer Donjeta Sadiku was not allowed to participate
in the Women’s World Boxing Championships in Delhi, as the country is not recognized by India.
 According to IOC, by denying visas to the shooters, India had violated the Olympic Charter, in
particular, the principles of non-discrimination, which the IOC and the Olympic Movement stands
for.
 As per the Olympic charter, it is mandatory that equal treatment is guaranteed to all
participating athletes and sporting delegations at international sports events, “without any form
of discrimination or political interference from the host country”.
Indian government gave a written assurance to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the IOC that all
eligible athletes will be allowed to compete without prejudice in international events held in the country. In
Response, IOC has withdrawn the restrictions. This is a relief for India, which has expressed interest in
hosting the Olympic Games in 2032 and the Asian Games in 2030.
Hong Kong Protests

An extradition bill Hong Kong authorities had proposed triggered one of the largest protests in the city’s
history, escalating tensions between its pro-Beijing ruling elite and a defiant civil society.
Facing mounting pressure and heated street protests, Hong Kong government has assured of halting work
on the extradition bill with no timeline for resurrecting it.
 The protesters marched against proposed changes in the law that would have allowed suspects accused
of crimes such as murder and rape to be extradited to mainland China to face trial.
 If the proposed bill was made into a law, Hong Kong will have to handover to China individuals accused
of crimes in Taiwan and Macau.
 Taiwan has a tense relationship with China;
 Macau, like Hong Kong, is a Chinese special administrative region with significant autonomy.
 If the bill becomes law, foreign residents and even visitors transiting through the regional hub could
also be detained and sent to the mainland.
Purpose of the Bill
 Proposed amendments would have plugged the loopholes that allow the city to be used by criminals.
 China had assured that courts in Hong Kong would make the final decision on extradition, that only
certain categories of suspects would be liable, and that individuals accused of political and religious
offences would not be extradited.
 When Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997 by Britain, both sides agreed that the city would
remain a semi-autonomous region under the Basic Law, its mini-Constitution, for 50 years.
 The Basic Law provides people in Hong Kong more political freedoms than their counterparts in
mainland China. There is a relatively free press, an unregulated Internet and a less-controlled
judiciary in Hong Kong. Also, mainland authorities are not allowed to operate directly in Hong Kong.
 But Beijing has increasingly tried to exert its influence on the city in recent years, raising concerns
of the city’s pro-democracy groups which are largely Beijing-sceptics.
Protesters’ concerns
 China may use the changed law to target political opponents in Hong Kong.
 Critics point to China’s flawed justice system and say extradited suspects would likely face torture.
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 Change in the law will deal another blow to Hong Kong’s already crumbling autonomy.
 Proposed bill can practically break the existing legal barriers between Hong Kong and mainland China
that are guaranteed under the “One Country Two Systems” model.
Protestors want the legislation to be formally withdrawn and they want to send a broader message that they
will resist the erosion of the civil liberties that set the city apart from the rest of China.
Global Response
 Human Rights Watch and the International Chamber of Commerce have warned against changing the
law.
 A body of the US Congress has said it would make Hong Kong vulnerable to Chinese “political
coercion”,
 UK and Canada have expressed concern over the potential impact on their citizens in Hong Kong.
 European Union has issued a formal diplomatic protest note.
Alarmed by the erosion of civil liberties in Hong Kong, the demonstrators directed their appeals at world
leaders in hopes that their concerns would be addressed at the annual G-20 Summit in Japan.
Japan to invest in Northeast

● The Government of Japan has decided to invest an amount of 205.784 billion Yen, equivalent to
approximately Rs.13, 000 crore, in several ongoing as well as new projects in different states of India's
North- Eastern region.
● This was disclosed after a meeting which the DoNER Minister had with the Japanese delegation.
● Some of the important projects in which Japan will collaborate include Guwahati Water Supply Project,
Northeast Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project, Northeast Network Connectivity
Improvement Project in Meghalaya, Bio-diversity Conservation and Forest Management Project in
Sikkim, Sustainable Forest Management Project in Tripura, Technical Cooperation Project for
Sustainable Agriculture & Irrigation in Mizoram, Forest Management Project in Nagaland, etc.
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ECONOMY
Libra: Facebook's Cryptocurrency
On June 18, Facebook announced the launch of a global digital currency by the first half of 2020. The
currency has been named Libra.
Libra can be created through computer algorithms and is based on open source block-chain technology.
Some past attempts to make coins usable for commerce, such as Bitcoin, haven’t widely caught on yet
because price volatility mainly attracted traders and speculators. Relatively stable coins, like Tether, have
been used by some traders to park funds in during times of high volatility, but have not been broadly adopted
for commerce.
The designers of Libra have tried to retain the strong points of the existing crypto-currencies while
addressing the shortcomings.
 A nonprofit association, Libra Association based in Geneva will oversee the blockchain-based Libra,
maintaining a real-world asset reserve to keep its value stable.
 The total number of Libra can change, and new digital coins can be issued whenever someone wants to
exchange their Libra for an existing fiat currency.
 Libra will run on the so-called blockchain, a database that can use millions of computers to verify
transactions, eliminating risks that come with information being held centrally by a single entity.
 Facebook has created a new subsidiary, called Calibra, to build the new wallet and to keep financial
data gathered from Libra users separate from Facebook user data. Calibra will exist inside Messenger
and its other standalone messaging service, WhatsApp.
 The main problem with Bitcoin and others was lack of intrinsic value. This is being addressed by
backing every Libra unit with reserves of real assets made of bank deposits and short-term
government securities.
Prospects
 Help in cross-border transaction, with minimum regulatory intervention and cost.
 The initiative has the potential to allow more than a billion “unbanked” people around the world
access to online commerce and financial services.
 Once Libra is up and running, the currency and the digital wallet would make it easier for people to
send money through the apps.
 As Libra units can be exchanged for fiat money, users would highly engage in its trading.
 With large payment, technology, communication and venture capital companies backing the
initiative, the usage of these units is likely to grow manifold in the coming years.
 Remitting money globally will be easier, without central bank intervention, if done with Libra.
 There could be derivatives and even exchange-traded funds based on Libras, if the usage increases.
 A currency, to be a success, needs to have acceptability amongst many people. Facebook, with its over
2 billion users, has high potential to make it a success.
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Concerns & Challenges
 Problem of integration of this currency with the existing financial system as at present global central
banks control the strings.
 With currency in circulation having a major bearing on inflation and monetary policies, central
banks are unlikely to allow digital currencies to disrupt the balance.
 There are concerns about letting launch of a currency that can disrupt the entire global payment
system. It can shift power from central banks to multinational corporations.
 Libra Association’s governance structure is still in flux,and most of the group’s crucial decisions,
including the creation of its charter, have not yet been decided.
 Facebook has been known to trade user information in the past and it is being investigated by the
Federal Trade Commission over the company’s privacy practices.
 Other concerns include privacy, money laundering and terrorism finance.
In India, people can buy or sell these units only if the RBI gives permission to banks to facilitate transactions
involving Libra. Bitcoin, though built on a sound technological base, has had to encounter challenges
relating to regulation across the world. Governments of the world, including India, have been wary of crypto
currency functioning outside the ambit of organized finance.
U.K. Sinha Committee on MSME’s Economic and Financial Sustainability

A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) committee has suggested a ₹5,000 crore stressed asset fund for domestic
micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in a relief to small businesses hurt by demonetization,
the goods and services tax and an ongoing liquidity crunch.
 The committee to study the problems faced by MSMEs was chaired by U.K. Sinha, former
chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
 The RBI had constituted the committee in January to review the current framework for
MSMEs and suggest long-term solutions for their economic and financial sustainability.
 Distressed asset fund structured to assist units in clusters where a change in the external
environment, e.g. a ban on plastics or ‘dumping’ has led to a large number of MSMEs becoming
non-performing assets (NPAs).
Other important recommendation
 The panel said that instead of making MSMEs register with various authorities, the permanent
account number (PAN) should be made sufficient for most of their activities.
 It recommended an amendment to the MSMED Act, 2006, requiring all MSMEs to mandatorily
upload all their invoices above an amount to be specified by the government, from time to
time. This mechanism will entail automatic display of names of defaulting buyers, and also act as moral
suasion on buyers to release payments to these suppliers
 The report pointed out that small industries faced problems of delayed payments and were
reluctant to enforce legal provisions available to them under the MSMED Act due to their low
bargaining power.
 The private sector should be incentivised by tax breaks or bonds to help MSMEs build skill sets in
areas like product development, technology adoption, and marketing strategy.
 The private sector’s contribution to the segment, the committee noted, was minuscule, but the
research and development facilities they possessed could be of enormous value.
 The committee suggested that the PSBLoansIn59Minutes Portal should also cater to new
entrepreneurs, who might not necessarily possess information, including GSTIN, income-tax returns
and bank statement.
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 On restructuring MSME accounts that have turned sour, the committee said an MSME account could
be considered for upgrade to “standard” after six months of satisfactory operation, instead of the
current norm of one year. The account must also have additional equity in the business or a new source
of cash flow.
 The RBI had announced a one-time restructuring scheme for MSME accounts in January,
but the scheme is basically for accounts that are still standard.
 The committee has also recommended banks that wish to specialise in MSME lending, their sub-
targets for farm loans under the priority sector lender could be waived off and instead can be given
a target for loans to the SME sector.
 The targets, the committee said, could be of 50% of the net bank credit for universal banks and
80% for small finance banks.
 At present, the overall priority sector lending target for a universal bank is 40% of their net
bank credit and 75% for small finance bank.
 Commercial banks have been suggested that they should develop customised products to assess the
financing requirements based on expected cash flows moving away from traditional forms of
assessment.
 The committee recommends expanding the role of SIDBI, the apex body responsible for the
development of the MSME sector.
 SIDBI should deepen credit markets for MSMEs in underserved districts and regions by
handholding private lenders such as non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and
microfinance institutions (MFIs).
 Further, they must develop additional instruments for debt and equity, which would help
crystallise new sources of funding for MSMEs and MSME lenders.
 The committee has recommended a government-sponsored ‘fund of funds’ of Rs 10,000 crore to
support the venture capital and private equity firms investing in the MSME sector on modified term
sheets developed by SIDBI.
Other suggestions of the committee include;
 Introduction of adjusted priority sector lending (PSL) guidelines for banks to specialise in
lending to a specific sector.
 Doubling the collateral-free loan limit to Rs 20 lakh.
 Revision in loan limit sanctioned under MUDRA by the Finance Ministry to ₹20 lakh from
₹10 lakh.
 Providing insurance coverage to MSME employees by the government.
SEBI Enhances Rating Standards

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) prescribed guidelines in a bid to strengthen the
disclosures made by credit rating agencies to enhance the rating standards.
 Rating agencies will have to adopt a standardized terminology to disclose liquidity indicators like
liquid investments, access to credit and cash flows among other factors while rating an instrument.
 SEBI introduced - Computation of cumulative default rates (CDR), standard operating procedure
(SOP) in respect of tracking and timely recognition of default.
 Probability of default (PD) benchmarks
 Credit Rating Agencies, in consultation with SEBI, shall prepare and disclose standardised and
uniform PD benchmarks for each rating category on their website, for one-year, two-year
and three-year cumulative default rates, both for short-run and long-run.
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 Further, such uniform and standardised PD benchmarks will have to be disclosed on the website
of each CRA on a consolidated basis for all financial instruments rated by a CRA by December
31.
 Rating symbol for instruments having explicit credit enhancement feature.
 Disclosure of rating sensitivities in a press release
 The disclosure of factors to which the rating is sensitive is critical for the end-users to
understand the factors that would have the potential to impact the creditworthiness of the
entity
 Accordingly, in order to improve transparency, the rating agency shall have a specific section
on ‘Rating Sensitivities’ in the press release which shall explain the broad level of operating
and/ or financial performance levels that could trigger a rating change, upward and
downward.
 Disclosure on liquidity indicators and tracking deviations in bond spreads.
 To bring uniformity in terms of disclosures, the capital market watchdog has mandated
standardised terminology, superior, strong, adequate, stretched and poor, to describe the
liquidity indicators.
 The regulator has also directed CRAs to devise a model to track sharp deviations in the bond
spreads of debt instruments when compared to their benchmarks as such deviations have to
be treated as a material event.
Credit rating agencies as a Sebi-registered intermediary are supposed to be an alert system of an instrument
before the actual default. After failing to detect early signs of the crisis, credibility of CRAs as an institution
and their utility under the regulatory system are being questioned. A case in point is the sudden downgrade
of bonds sold by IL&FS and related entities after they defaulted on payment obligations in September. All
these steps will ensure that investors are able to make a better judgement.
SEBI, MCA sign MoU for more Data Scrutiny

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) signed
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate seamless sharing of data and information
 The MoU comes in the wake of the increasing need for surveillance in the context of corporate
frauds affecting important sectors of the economy
 MoU will enable sharing of specific information such as details of suspended companies, delisted
companies, shareholding pattern from SEBI and financial statements filed with the registrar by
corporates, returns of allotment of shares, audit reports relating to corporates.
 This assumes significance as the MCA has the database of all registered firms while SEBI
only regulates listed entities that may have unlisted subsidiaries, with the MCA having
access to all the data of such unlisted entities.
 The MoU will ensure that both the MCA and the SEBI have seamless linkage for regulatory
purposes and in addition to regular exchange of data, the two will also exchange with each other, on
request, any available information for scrutiny, inspection, investigation and prosecution.
 A Data Exchange Steering Group has been constituted for the initiative, which will meet periodically
to review the data exchange status and take steps to further improve the effectiveness of the data
sharing mechanism.
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RBI’s Revised Circular on Stressed Asset Resolution
After the Supreme Court struck down the controversial February 12, 2018 circular of Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) on stressed asset resolution, RBI released a revised set of norms which are substantially less stringent
from the previous one.
Background
 On February 12, 2018, RBI brings a circular which introduced a new one-day default norm i.e. Banks
to classify large loans as stressed within a day of default.
 Banks were required to frame a resolution plan within 180 days for accounts over Rs 2,000 crore,
failing which insolvency proceedings would begin.
 Not adhering to the timelines laid down in the circular, or attempting to evergreen stressed accounts,
would attract stringent supervisory and enforcement actions.
 On April 2, the Supreme Court passed a judgment that declared an RBI circular void and ineffective
as it was exceeding the RBI’s authority.
Three major changes mark the new circular:

 The central bank has made it voluntary for lenders to take defaulters to the bankruptcy court.
 The framework now applies to a larger universe of lenders, which includes small banks and non-
banking finance companies (NBFCs).
 Penal provisions have been introduced for lenders.
Other Provisions
 Complete discretion to lenders with regard to design and implementation of resolution plans, in
supersession of earlier resolution schemes (S4A, SDR, 5/25 etc.), subject to the specified timeline and
independent credit evaluation.
 Borrowers who have committed frauds or wilful default will remain ineligible for restructuring.
 A system of disincentives in the form of additional provisioning for the delay in implementation of
resolution plan or initiation of insolvency proceedings.
 Resolution Plans involving restructuring or change in ownership in respect of accounts where the
aggregate exposure of lenders is Rs 100 crore and above, will require independent credit
evaluation (ICE). This ICE of the residual debt has to be done by credit rating agencies (CRAs)
specifically authorised by RBI.
 For the purpose of restructuring, the definition of ‘financial difficulty’ to be aligned with the
guidelines issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
 A lender will have to set aside 20% more provisions if the plan is not implemented within 210 days
from the date of default and 35% if not implemented within 365 days of default.
 The signing of the inter-creditor agreement (ICA) by all lenders to be mandatory, which will
provide for a majority decision-making criteria.
 The ICA shall provide that any decision agreed by lenders representing 75 per cent by value of total
outstanding credit facilities (fund based as well non-fund based) and 60 per cent of lenders by
number shall be binding upon all the lenders.
Note: For more information on the issue, please refer our Magazine’s May Edition.
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Centre reduces ESI contribution
The total contribution under Employees’ State Insurance Act (ESI) Act was reduced from 6.5% of an
employee’s wages to 4%, with the employer’s share cut to 3.25%, from 4.75%, and the employee’s
contribution lowered to 0.75% of wages, from 1.75%.
Rationale
 The move would benefit 85 lakh employers and over 3.6 crore employees.
 Reduction in the share of contribution of employers will reduce the financial liability of the
establishments leading to improved viability of these establishments
 The employee gets a higher take home salary.
 The government assured that the lower rate of contribution does not affect the benefits defined in
the scheme.
 The move is aimed at formalising India’s informal workforce and expanding social security
coverage.
 The reduced rate of contribution will bring about a substantial relief to workers and facilitate
further enrolment of workers under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESIC) scheme and bring
more and more workforce into the formal sector.
ESI Scheme
 The ESI Act, 1948, applies to organisations with 10 or more employees, drawing a salary of up to
₹21,000.
 The wage ceiling for availing benefits under the programme was increased from ₹15,000 per
month to ₹21,000 from 1 January 2017.
 The scheme, which is governed by the state-administered Employees’ State Insurance Corporation
(ESIC), provides for medical, cash, maternity, disability, and dependent benefits to the insured.
 The government, in its pursuit to expand social security coverage to more people, had carried out a
special programme to register employers and employees between December 2016 and June 2017.
 It had also decided to extend the coverage of the ESI scheme to all the districts across the country in a
phased manner.
 The efforts resulted in an increase in the number of registered employees and employers and led to a
substantial jump in the revenue income of the ESIC.
 The number of people insured under the scheme increased to 3.6 crore in 2018-2019, from 2.1
crore in 2015-2016
 The number of employers in the scheme increased from 7.83 lakh in 2015-2016 to 8.98 lakh in
2016-2017, then to 10.33 lakh in 2017-2018 and to 12.85 lakh in 2018-2019.
 As ESIC is a funded scheme, it will be successful and efficient only if it keeps improving on financial
and operational parameters.
Traffic Index 2018

A recent study has ranked Mumbai as the most traffic-congested city in the world for the second straight
year, and Delhi at fourth place.
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 The latest index ranks 403 cities across 56 countries, including 13 new cities. For this study, congestion
has been defined in terms of the additional time taken to reach a destination as opposed to when the
road would have been clear of traffic.
 Nearly 75% of the cities part of the 2018 index had increased or stable congestion levels between 2017
and 2018, with only 90 cities showing measurable decreases, states the report.
 Mumbai’s 2018 congestion level of 65%, therefore, means that the extra travel time is 65% more than
an average trip would take during uncongested conditions. For Delhi, by the same yardstick, the extra
travel time is 58% more.
 Globally, traffic congestion is rising. It is both good, and bad, news.
 Good because it indicates a strong global economy,
 Bad because there is wastage of time sitting in traffic along with subsequent large
environmental impact.
About Traffic Index
 Traffic Index 2018 is published by TomTom, an Amsterdam-based company that offers traffic
solutions, uses location technology to collect traffic information, and has been publishing city rankings
for eight years.
 Index factors for peak hours, accidents, inclement weather, construction work and all other
factors likely to cause disruptions.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) signed
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate seamless sharing of data and information
More in News
 The MoU comes in the wake of the increasing need for surveillance in the context of corporate
frauds affecting important sectors of the economy
 MoU will enable sharing of specific information such as details of suspended companies, delisted
companies, shareholding pattern from SEBI and financial statements filed with the registrar by
corporates, returns of allotment of shares, audit reports relating to corporates.
 This assumes significance as the MCA has the database of all registered firms while SEBI
only regulates listed entities that may have unlisted subsidiaries, with the MCA having
access to all the data of such unlisted entities.
 The MoU will ensure that both the MCA and the SEBI have seamless linkage for regulatory purposes
and in addition to regular exchange of data, the two will also exchange with each other, on request, any
available information for scrutiny, inspection, investigation and prosecution.
 A Data Exchange Steering Group has been constituted for the initiative, which will meet periodically
to review the data exchange status and take steps to further improve the effectiveness of the data
sharing mechanism
Most millennials, Gen Z’ers prefer freelance work to full-time jobs

According to the Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019, both millennials and Generation Z admit that
freelance work appeals to them more than full-time jobs.
 Eighty-four per cent of millennials and 81% of Gen Z’ers surveyed said they would consider joining
the gig economy.
 Gig Economy: A labour market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or
freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.
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 However, for India, this figure is higher as 94% millennials and Gen Z say they would consider
joining the gig economy. Overall, the gig economy appeals to four in five millennials and Gen Z’ers,
the report said.
 Only 6% of the millennials said they have chosen to be part of the gig economy instead of working full
time but 50% said they would consider it, and 61% would take gig assignments to supplement existing
employment.
 Globally, more women (60%) are part of the gig economy than India (30%-35% women)
 Those who said they would consider joining the gig economy enumerate several reasons for doing so
 A chance to earn more money (58%),
 Flexible work hours (41%),
 A better work-life balance (37%).
 However, those who said they won’t join the gig economy counted unpredictable income and hours
as the reasons (39% and 30%, respectively).
 The millennials included in the study (covering 42 countries including India) were born between
January 1983 and December 1994. The Gen Z respondents were born between January 1995 and
December 2002. In India, 300 millennials and 300 Gen Z respondents were surveyed.
 Millennials are sometimes referred to as “echo boomers” due to a major surge in birth rates in
the 1980s and 1990s, and because millennials are often the children of the baby boomers.
 Most of Generation Z have used the Internet since a young age and are comfortable with
technology and social media.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE & DEVELOPMENT
Violence against Doctors
The Indian Medical Association called for a nationwide strike in June, demanding better security at
hospitals in response to an attack at the NRS Medical College in Kolkata on Monday that left three junior
doctors seriously injured after a dispute with a family whose relative had died.
Violence against doctors or other medical fraternity hardly made any news, or hardly there was discussion
about this in India in medical journals about a decade back as they were probably infrequent.
● A study by Indian Medical Association (IMA) reports that 75 per cent of doctors in India have faced
violence at some point of time in their lives, and most of the time, it is verbal abuse.
● Emergency and ICU are the most violent venues and visiting hours is the most violent times.
● In the majority of the cases (60-70%), such violence took the form of either verbal abuse or aggressive
gesture.
● Nurses were at the receiving end of the violence in most of the cases.
Health Sector - A Critical Glimpse

● Health Sector spending in India is around 1 percent of the GDP (global average - 5.4%).
● India has doctor-population ratio of 1:1400 which is much less than 1:1000 population (World
Health Organisation standard).
● The average time that India's primary care consultants, spend with patients is a negligible two
minutes. It is a reflection of overcrowded healthcare hubs and an overcrowded healthcare hubs and
a shortage of primary care physicians.
● Health in India is a state subject. Therefore, implementation of a central law is very difficult.
Factors associated with violence to healthcare workers in India

If we look at the classification of patient violence, in our country, most of the time, the violence refers to
verbal abuse, vandalism and physical threat. However, the most important difference in violence as is seen
in western countries is how quickly the verbal abuse becomes physical assault and vandalism and how
rare it is that other patients and their relatives or third party make no effort to stop it.
● Lack of infrastructure and a poor physician-patient ratio
● Absence of post graduate training in emergency medicine in India
● Poor quality of emergency care in hospitals
● Poor grievance redressal mechanism - Majority of the hospitals in India do not have good grievance
redressal system in place. Legal procedure in India also takes inordinately long time.
● Poor pre-hospital emergency care network
● Poor communication skills of healthcare workers
● Lack of emergency resources i.e blood, laboratory services workforce, relevant drugs, etc.
● Emergency intake capacity overwhelmed - long waiting period, non-availability of crucial
investigations, and inordinate delay in referral, unhygienic and extremely crowded condition.
● Nursing homes run emergency services without proper training
● Mistaken public belief that hospital should give its services free/almost free
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● Lack of civic responsibility in the public - In India, patients by themselves are not violence makers,
but their relatives are. Sometimes unknown apparently sympathetic individuals, political leaders and
political parties take the law in their hand.
● Absence of legislation and reluctance of its application for a strong law against violence to healthcare
workers
● Negative image of doctors portrayed in the media - Electronic and print media do not have a real
understanding of the challenges faced by the doctors
● Perceived Injustice - Feeling of wrongdoing by the doctors for financial gain or for avoiding his/her
duties.
● Unrestricted public access to all areas in government hospitals with overcrowding
● Lack of security, surveillance and mob preventing drills in the hospital
● Impunity - In a majority of cases, the perpetrators of violence go unpunished.
● Deterioration of the morality ethics of intellectual class in India and the rise of pseudo intellectuals
The threats and violence have a bad impact on the physician's psychology leading to Post-Traumatic Stress
Syndrome (PTSD) in majority of the physicians. This has led to the doctors being irritable, helpless and has
resulted in having thoughts of abandoning their jobs.
Measures/Steps to be taken
● Doctor should have better training to tackle situations of emotional outburst through anxiety
alleviation techniques.
● Doctor should understand some of patient-related characteristics which may be associated with
violence.
● Doctors probably should try to optimize and reduce long waiting periods for the patients in the
waiting rooms and try to improve patient contact as much as possible.
● Use of digital technology - It has been seen that long queues in the hospital, lack of communication
from the doctors and opaque billing systems are important predictors of violence in India. Both digital
and mobile technology can substantially help in this area.
● Conduct stress management classes and meditation sessions for staff
● General reform for the hospital services in the form of:
 Improvement of services in a global fashion
 Employment of adequate number of doctors and other steps to ease the rush of patients and
long waiting hours
 Hospital security should be strengthened and it needs to be properly interlocked with nearby
police station. RML Hospital of New Delhi got ‘bouncers’ as a preventive measure in 2015.
 No arms/ammunition by patients or their relatives should be allowed inside the hospital
 There should be transparency on rates of different investigations, rents and other expenses in
the hospital
 There should be a proper complaint redressal system in the hospital
 Install CCTVs at high-risk places like casualty
● Disputes between patients and hospitals or doctors are not to be sorted through violence, but in a
civilized society, there are avenues of dispute redressal which should be used.
● There should be an understanding that vandalism and violence in a hospital or clinic is a criminal
offense and any civilized society should have low tolerance for such heinous acts.
● Social leaders must condemn such violence, and not try to justify the situation.
● It is the responsibility of both print and electronic media not to sensationalize the news.
● Management of patient must necessarily include uncertainties related to medicines, treatment and
diagnosis into account.
● The government needs to put the effort to see how the overcrowding in the hospitals can be prevented.
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● Concentrate on preventive medicine - Nutrition, immunization, health education, pollution control,
personal hygiene, access to clean water, unadulterated milk, unadulterated food, facilities for exercise,
playground, etc. are the basic requirements.
● Punish unlawful behaviour of anybody who harms the doctor and vandalizes the hospital.
● The Medical Protection Act (MPA), covering doctors affiliated to institutions as well as independent
practitioners, outlaws attacks against physicians and damage to their property. Offenders can get a jail
term of up to three years and a fine of Rs 50,000.
● Act, however, fails to really protect doctors because it features neither in the Indian Penal Code
(IPC) nor in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). This makes it difficult for victims to approach
the police for help or the latter to file a complaint against suspects.
● There is a need for a central law instead of a state-wise MPA for adequate security at hospital
premises.
CASE IN WEST
Over the last 40 years in western countries, the nature of such abuse has subtly changed. In most of the
European countries and in Canada, the healthcare cost is borne by the government, and often, the first
contact of the patient with medical service is with designated general practitioners who take house calls
day and night; hence, there is no financial anxiety for medical treatment in these countries.
In western countries, high-risk areas have been identified as patient's house during house visits
(particularly night) and waiting area in the clinic, paediatrics, physiology, emergency, Intensive Care
Unit (ICU) and major violence makers are patients or their close relatives.
There is a need for a detailed longitudinal study across the country to understand the prevalence, nature
and regional differences in violence perpetrated against doctors in this country. As there are certain
responsibilities of doctors and other healthcare workers, similarly, responsibilities also have to be borne by
patients and their relatives, political parties, hospital authorities, law maintaining machinery, media and
government to see that health care improves and violence against doctors is strongly dealt with.
Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Program

The Government of India, Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN) and the World Bank have signed a $287
Million Loan Agreement for the Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Program.
● Tamil Nadu ranks third among all Indian States in the NITI Aayog Health Index which is reflected
in vastly improved health outcomes.
● The State’s maternal mortality rate has declined from 90 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2005 to
62 deaths in 2015-16.
● Infant mortality has declined from 30 deaths per 1000 live births to 20 in the same period.
● A key contribution to these achievements has been the establishment of emergency Obstetric and
Neonatal Care Centers and the 108 ambulance service with previous support from the World Bank.
● These have ensured that no mother has to travel more than 30 minutes to access emergency obstetric
and neonatal care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Despite these impressive gains, certain challenges in health care remain, including quality of care and
variations in reproductive and child health among districts. Tamil Nadu is also dealing with a growing
burden of NCDs as they account for nearly 69 percent of deaths in the State.
The Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Program will support the State Government to:
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● Develop clinical protocols and guidelines
● Achieve national accreditation for primary, secondary, and tertiary-level health facilities in the
public sector
● Strengthen physicians, nurses and paramedics through continuous medical education
● Strengthen the feedback loop between citizens and the state by making quality and other data
accessible to the public
● The Program supports interventions to strengthen institutional and state capacity to achieve
results.
● Good practices and innovations from Tamil Nadu are being scaled-up while others from around the
world are being introduced through the program to improve management of the State's Public
Health Sector, increase transparency, and strengthen accountability.
● The Program will promote population-based screening, treatment and follow-up for NCDs, and
improve monitoring and evaluation.
● Patients will be equipped with knowledge and skills to self-manage their conditions.
● Lab services and health provider capacity will also be strengthened to address mental health.
● To tackle road injuries, the program will improve in-hospital care, strengthen protocols,
strengthen the 24x7 trauma care services and establish a trauma registry.
● Another key aim of this Program is to reduce the equity gaps in reproductive and child health.
● Special focus will be given to nine priority districts, which constitute the bottom quintile of the
RCH indicators in the State and have a relatively large proportion of tribal populations.
This Program focuses on results instead of inputs through a Program-for-Results (PforR) lending
instrument. This will provide a much greater focus on outputs and outcomes through better alignment of
expenditures and incentives with results. The use of the PforR instrument is a first for the health sector and
will offer lessons for other States.
Swachh Bharat has led to reduced ground water contamination:UNICEF

Two independent third-party studies conducted on the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), have released
their findings on the positive impact the Swachh Bharat Mission has had on the environment of rural India.
These studies, commissioned by UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates, were aimed at assessing the
environmental impact and communication footprint of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) respectively.
Summary of the study findings
Environmental Impact study by UNICEF
Under the "Environmental impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission on Water, Soil, and Food" by UNICEF,
groundwater samples were collected and studied from ODF and non-ODF villages of Odisha, Bihar and
West Bengal. The study found that, in terms of faecal contamination, non-ODF villages were, on average:
● 11.25 times more likely to have their groundwater sources contaminated

● 1.13 times more likely to have their soil contaminated
● 1.48 times more likely to have food contaminated and 2.68 times more likely to have household
drinking water contaminated
The study findings indicated that these substantial reductions may potentially be attributed to the
improvement in sanitation and hygiene practices, as well as supportive systems such as regular
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Monitoring and behaviour change messaging, which have all been critical aspects of the Swachh Bharat
Mission (Grameen).
IEC (Information, Education & Communication) footprint study by Gates Foundation
The “Assessment of the reach and value of IEC activities under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen)”
conducted by Dalberg, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, estimated the scale of IEC
activities within the Mission and assessed associated monetary and in-kind costs, and outputs such as
reach. The study found that:
● SBM mobilized a spend equivalent worth INR 22,000 to 26,000 crores in monetary and non-monetary
IEC activities.
● An average person living in rural India was exposed to between 2,500 – 3,300 SBM related messages
over the last five years.
In 2018, WHO in a study had estimated that the Swachh Bharat Mission will save over 3 lakh lives by
the time India is Open Defecation Free.
About
● The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) launched on 2nd October, 2014, by modifying the erstwhile
Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA), is a community-led and people-oriented programme aimed at
universalizing safe sanitation.
● Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is only sanitation programme implemented by Ministry of Drinking
Water and Sanitation.
● It seeks to improve the levels of cleanliness in rural areas through Solid and Liquid Waste Management
activities and making Gram Panchayats Open Defecation Free (ODF), clean and sanitised.
● The effectiveness of the Programme is predicated upon generating demand for toilets leading to their
construction and sustained use by all the household members.
● Rural sanitation coverage in the country had crossed the 99% mark with 30 States and Union Territories
having declared themselves free from open defecation.
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Open Defecation Free (ODF)
● Open Defecation Free (ODF) has been defined as:
 No visible faeces found in the environment/village
 Every household as well as public/community institutions using safe technology option for
disposal of faeces
● ODF - A city / ward can be notified/declared as ODF city/ ODF ward if, at any point of the day, not
a single person is found defecating in the open.
● ODF+ - A city / ward / work circle can be notified/declared as SBM ODF+ city/ SBM ODF+
ward/SBM ODF+ work circle if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating
and/or urinating in the open, AND all community and public toilets are functional and well
maintained.
● ODF++ - A city / ward / work circle can be notified/ declared as SBM ODF++ city/ SBM ODF++
ward/ SBM ODF++ work circle if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating
and/ or urinating in the open, all community and public toilets are functional and well maintained,
AND faecal sludge/septage and sewage is safely managed and treated, with no discharging and/or
dumping of untreated faecal sludge/septage and sewage in drains, water bodies or open areas.
UN Report Praises India on Sanitation

Joint Monitoring Programme report by UNICEF and WHO showed that India’s record has been better with
regard to sanitation.
 The South Asian region, including India, accounted for almost three-fourths of the population who
stopped defecating in the open between 2000 and 2017.
 Of the 2.1 billion people who gained access to basic sanitation services over this time period globally,
486 million live in India.
 According to the report, India is responsible for almost single-handedly dragging the world towards
achieving Sustainable Development Goal of ending open defecation.
 India has increased the percentage of its population with access to a protected drinking water source
less than 30 minutes away, from 79% in 2000 to 93% in 2017.
Concerns Raised
 According to the report, only 30% of the country’s wastewater is treated at plants in comparison to
an 80% global average.
 The millions of new toilets which mark the progress of the Swachh Bharat mission are, however,
producing large amounts of solid and liquid waste that India simply does not have the ability to
treat and dispose of safely.
 The report shows that there has been absolutely no growth in the population with access to piped
water facilities between 2000 and 2017, while large inequalities remain between rural and urban
areas.
 However, the percentage of households getting piped water has remained stagnant at 44% over the
17-year period.
 Report also highlights inequalities beyond toilet access, it says the human right to sanitation implies
that people not only have a right to a hygienic toilet but also have a right not to be negatively affected
by unmanaged faecal waste.
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By 2027, India population to cross China’s: UN
 The global population is projected to increase by another 2 billion people by 2050, from 7.7 billion in
2019 to 9.7 billion thirty years down the line, according to ‘The World Population Prospects
2019’ published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
 The report stated that in 2019, India has an estimated population of 1.37 billion and China 1.43 billion
and by 2027, India’s population is projected to surpass China’s.
 According to estimates in a new United Nations report released Monday, India is also expected to add
273 million people by 2050 and will remain the most populated until the end of the century.
 Following the India-China re-ordering in 2027, the ranking of the five largest countries is projected to
remain the same until the end of the century.
 India is expected to remain the world’s most populous country with nearly 1.5 billion inhabitants,
followed by China at 1.1 billion, Nigeria with 733 million, the United States with 434 million, and
Pakistan with an estimated population of 403 million.
Key Trends: Predicted
 Between now and 2050, 55 countries are estimated to see their populations shrink by at least one
percent.
 In China, the largest of these 55 countries, the population is projected to shrink by as much as 2.2
percent or 31.4 million by 2050. In the same period, India is expected to add 273 million people more
to its headcount.
 Since 2010, 27 countries have recorded a minimum one percent reduction in population.
 India leads the set of nine countries that will make up for more than half the projected growth of the
global population by 2050.
 2050, one in six people in the world will be in the age group of 65 and above as compared to one in 11
in 2019.
QS World University Ranking

For the second consecutive year, IIT Bombay has emerged the country’s best university, rising ten places
in the 2019 QS World University Ranking.
 Produced by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds, QS ranks the world’s top
1,000 universities, in which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was named the world’s
best for a record eighth consecutive year.
 Asia’s top universities are National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University
(both ranked 11th).
 Twenty-three Indian institutes featured in the sixteenth edition of the QS World University Ranking
in which IIT Bombay (152), IIT Delhi (182) and Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (184) are ranked
in the global top 200.
 IIT Bombay’s rise, according to the ranking, is attributed to improvements in its research
performance.
 IISc Bangalore, meanwhile, has achieved the world’s second-best score for research impact,
adjusted for faculty size. The institute has achieved a perfect score of 100/100 for QS’s Citations per
Faculty metric, and is the first Indian institution ever to see its research cited more than 100,000 times
in a five-year period.
 The key takeaway for India from the QS rankings is that its research performance is improving faster
than the global average. While university research increased its average five-year citations impact by
30%, the global average grew 10%.
 In the overall ranking, Indian universities in 2019 have seen an average decline of 12 ranks, attributable
to two main criteria: Faculty/Student Ratio and International Student Ratio.
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 Experts deem the current budget inadequate for a country with incredible potential and great
ambitions.
 QS World University Rankings shows that the Indian Higher Education system is making progress in
some key areas, the sector requires more substantial, sustained and strategic investments both in
research and education.
Sustainable Development Goals Gender Index

India ranked 95th out of 129 countries in a new index, Sustainable Development Goals Gender Index, that
measures global gender equality looking at aspects such as poverty, health, education, literacy, political
representation and equality at the workplace.
 No one country is the world’s best performer-or even among the world’s top ten performers-across
all goals or all issues.
 Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Slovenia, Germany, Canada, Ireland, and Australia
rank as the top 10 countries in the index
 The bottom 10 comprises Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Yemen, Congo, DR
Congo and Chad.
 The global average score of the 129 countries-which represents 95% of the world’s girls and women-
is 65.7 out of 100 (“poor” in the index scoring system).
 This means that almost 1.4 billion, or 40%, of the world’s girls and women, live in countries
failing on gender equality and another 1.4 billion live in countries that barely pass.
India’s Performance
 India’s score of 56.2 means that it is among 43 countries that fall in the ‘very poor’ category.
 India’s highest goal scores are on SDG 3 of health (79.9), SDG 2 of hunger and nutrition (76.2) and
SDG 7 of energy (71.8).
 India’s lowest goal scores are on SDG 17 of partnerships (18.3, in the bottom 10 countries worldwide
on the goal), SDG 9 of industry, infrastructure and innovation (38.1) and SDG 13 of climate (43.4).
 Some of the factors based on which the ranking of India has been decided include
 The proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (score of 23.6, 16th in the
region, women made up 11.8 per cent of parliament in 2018),
 The extent to which a national budget is broken down by factors such as gender, age,
income, or region (score of 0.0, tied for worst in the region) and
 Percentage of seats held by women on a country’s Supreme Court or highest court (score of
18.2, 4th worst in the region).
 India ranks toward the bottom of the Asia and the Pacific region, ranking 17th out of the 23 Asia and
the Pacific countries covered by the index.
 China ranked at 74 positions, Pakistan at 113 while Nepal and Bangladesh at 102 and 110
respectively
Sustainable Development Goals Gender Index
 It has been developed by UK-based Equal Measures 2030, a joint effort of regional and global
organizations including African Women’s Development and Communication Network, Asian-Pacific
Resource and Research Centre for Women, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and International
Women’s Health Coalition.
 The new index includes 51 indicators across 14 of the 17 official Sustainable Development Goals and
covers 129 countries across all regions of the world.
 The overall index scores are based on a scale of 0–100. A score of 100 indicates the achievement of
gender equality in relation to the underlying indicators. A score of 50 would indicate that a country is
about halfway to meet its goal. Scores of 59 or below have been rated “very poor”.
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Global Peace Index 2019
India’s rank has slipped five places to 141 among 163 countries on the Global Peace Index 2019. The 2019
report also includes new research on the possible effects of climate change on peace
 India’s rank has moved down to 141 in GPI 2019 (from its previous position at 136), among 163
countries, and it stands at fifth in the (South Asian) region.
 India scores in the bottom half of the GPI and has significant exposure to climate hazards, with 393
million people in high climate hazard areas. India has the seventh highest overall natural hazard score.
 India together with the Philippines, Japan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and
Pakistan are the nine countries with the highest risk of multiple climate hazards.
 India, US, China, Saudi Arabia, and Russia are the top five countries with the largest total military
expenditure.
Other Findings
 Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined
at the top of the index by New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, and Denmark.
 Afghanistan is now the least peaceful country in the world, replacing Syria, which is now the second
least peaceful. South Sudan, Yemen, and Iraq comprise the remaining five least peaceful countries.
 In South Asia, Bhutan topped the index with 15th rank, followed by Sri Lanka 72, Nepal 76 and
Bangladesh 101. The neighbouring country Pakistan has been ranked 153rd on the index.
 While global peacefulness improved for the first time in five years, as per the index findings, the world
remains less peaceful than a decade ago. Since 2008 global peacefulness has deteriorated by 3.78 per
cent. Eighty-six countries improved their score in the 2019 report, while 76 deteriorated.
Global Peace Index
 The GPI is a report produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) and developed in
consultation with an international panel of peace experts from peace institutes and think tanks with data
collected and collated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
 The IEP is an international and independent think tank dedicated to shifting the world’s focus to peace
as a positive, achievable and tangible measure of human well-being and progress.
 The report covers 99.7 per cent of the world’s population and uses 23 qualitative and quantitative
indicators from highly respected sources to compile the index. These indicators are grouped into three
key domains Ongoing conflict, Safety and security, and Militarisation
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

The World Health Organization’s latest report reveals that more than a million new cases of curable sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) are detected in people aged 15-49 years every day.
The World Health Organization (WHO) came out with this finding in a new report on four sexually
transmitted infections’ (STIs) burden (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and syphilis) in 2016.
Important findings
 There were 127 million new cases of chlamydia, 87 million cases of gonorrhoea, 6.3 million of syphilis
and 156 million of trichomoniasis. Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea are bacterial infections spread
through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite called
Trichomonasvaginalis.
 On average, one in every 25 people in the world has at least one of these infections and some have
more than one. And there is no subsequent decline in the condition since the last research in 2012.
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 Approximately 13.5 per cent (50.8 million) of these infections occurred in low-income countries, 31.4
per cent (118.1 million) in lower-middle-income countries, 47.1 per cent (177.3million) in upper-
middle-income countries and 8 per cent (30.1 million) in high-income nations, according to the report.
 The research also showed that the prevalence of chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomoniasis increased
more in women than men.
Sexually Transmitted Infection
 STIs spread through unprotected sexual contact and can also be transmitted during pregnancy and
child born or in case of syphilis, through contact with infected blood.
 These STIs have a profound impact on the health of adults and children worldwide. If untreated, they
can lead to serious and chronic health effects that include neurological and cardiovascular disease.
 If untreated, STIs can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirths, and increased risk of HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus).
 According to an estimation mentioned in the WHO report, syphilis caused two lakh stillbirth and
newborn deaths in 2016.
 They are also associated with significant levels of stigma and domestic violence.
 All bacterial STIs can be treated and cured with widely available medication. The World Health
Assembly in 2016 aims to take necessary steps to end STIs as public health concern by 2030.
Recommendations
 Timely and affordable testing and treatment are crucial for reducing the burden of STIs globally,
alongside efforts to encourage people who are sexually active to get screened for STIs.
 The WHO further recommends that pregnant women should be systematically screened for syphilis as
well as HIV.
NITI Aayog’s Health Index

The 2nd edition of Niti Aayog’s Health Index 2019 makes the important point that some States and Union
Territories are doing better on health and well-being even with a lower economic output, while others are
not improving upon high standards. Some are actually slipping in their performance.
 The report ‘Healthy States, Progressive India: Report on Rank of States and UTs’ has ranked in three
categories — larger States, smaller States, and Union Territories “to ensure comparison among similar
entities.”
 The first round of the Health Index was released in February 2018, which measured the annual and
incremental performances of states and UTs for period 2014-15 (base year) to 2015-16 (reference year).
 The report has been prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with
technical assistance from the World Bank.
Important Findings
 Kerala, which got an overall score of 74.01, was followed by Andhra Pradesh (65.13), Maharashtra
(63.99), Gujarat (63.52) and Punjab (63.01), Himachal Pradesh (62.41), Jammu and Kashmir 62.37,
Karnataka (61.14) and Tamil Nadu (60.41).
 Uttar Pradesh continued to be at the bottom of the list with its score falling to 28.61. The other
States at the bottom of the list were Bihar (32.11), Odisha (35.97) and Madhya Pradesh (38.39).
 Among the smaller states, Mizoram ranked first in overall performance, while Tripura and Manipur
were the top two states in terms of incremental performance.
 Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh had the biggest decrease in overall Health Index scores.
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 Among the UTs, Chandigarh jumped one spot to top the list with a score of (63.62), followed by Dadra
and Nagar Haveli (56.31), Lakshadweep (53.54), Puducherry (49.69), Delhi (49.42), Andaman and
Nicobar (45.36) and Daman and Diu (41.66).
 The report stated that only about half the States and UTs showed an improvement in the overall
score between 2015-16 (base year) and 2017-18 (reference year).
 The report added that among the eight Empowered Action Group States, only three States —
Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh — showed improvement in the overall performance.
 The decline in the overall Health Index score of five empowered action group states (Bihar, Uttar
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha) is attributed to the deterioration of performances of
several indicators.
 There was a general positive correlation between the Health Index scores and the economic
development levels of states and UTs as measured by per-capita net state domestic product (NSDP).
Public health must become part of mainstream politics. Centre has devoted greater attention to tertiary care
and reduction of out-of-pocket expenses through financial risk protection initiatives such as Ayushman
Bharat. State governments now have greater resources at their command under the new scheme of financial
devolution, and, in partnership with the Centre, they must use the funds to transform primary health care.
31.4% of Indian children will be stunted by 2022: UN

Almost one in three Indian children under five years will still be stunted by 2022 going by current trends,
according to a report prepared by the UN World Food Programme in collaboration with the Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
 The report was prepared to analyse the country’s progress in achieving the second Sustainable
Development Goal to end hunger
Important Findings
 Over the last decade, child stunting, which is a measure of chronic malnutrition, has reduced at a
rate of about 1% per year, the slowest decline among emerging economies.
 At this rate, 31.4% of children will still be stunted by the 2022 deadline.
 India must double its rate of progress to reach the target of 25% by that time, says the report.
 Food grain yields have risen 33% over the last two decades, but are still only half of 2030 target yields.
 Indian farmer is producing more food grains than ever before, making the country self-
sufficient in this regard.
 Unfortunately, the consumer’s access to rice, wheat and other cereals has not increased at the
same rate, due to population growth, inequality, food wastage and losses, and exports.
 As a result, the average per capita consumption of energy among the poorest 30% of the
population is 1811 kilo calories, much lower than the norm of 2155 kilo calories per day.
 The signs of unequal access are starkest among children. In States like Bihar (48%) and Uttar
Pradesh (46%), almost one in two children are stunted, while it is only one in five children in Kerala
and Goa (20% each).
 There are high rates of stunting among children in the poorest wealth quintile (51.4%), Scheduled
Tribes (43.6%) and Scheduled Castes (42.5%), and children born to mothers with no education (51%).
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‘UdChalo’ Portal
In a bid to make wounded soldiers, who are now confined to wheelchairs, self-reliant, an initiative
‘UdChalo’ has been launched at the Army’s Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC).
 ‘UdChalo’ is a travel portal, that caters for the personal travel of the military and paramilitary forces
personnel by aggregating defence fares and getting exclusive discounts.
 The PRC has joined hands with UdChalo with an aim to empower the disabled military veterans.
 PRC provides institutionalised care to soldiers, who are wounded in military or insurgency
operations and can’t adequately provide for themselves the constant medical care associated with
quadriplegia and paraplegia. Currently, PRC has 31 ex-servicemen from across the country.
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ENVIRONMENT & DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Heat Waves
Heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that
occurs during the pre-monsoon (April to June) summer season. Heat waves typically occur between March
to June, and in some rare cases even extend till July.
Definition Criteria
Heat wave is considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for Plains, 37°C
or more for coastal stations and at least 30°C or more for Hilly regions. Following criteria are used to
declare heat wave:
a) Based on Departure from Normal
 Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C
 Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.4°C
b) Based on Actual Maximum Temperature (for plains only)
 Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C
 Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C
To declare heat wave, the above criteria should be met at least in 2 stations in a Meteorological subdivision
for at least two consecutive days.
Formation
● Heat waves can form in many ways. They often form when high pressure aloft strengthens and
remains over a region for several days up to several weeks.
● This is common in summer (in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres) as the jet stream 'follows
the sun'. On the equator side of the jet stream, in the middle layers of the atmosphere, is the high
pressure area.
● Summertime weather patterns are generally slower to change than in winter. As a result, this mid-
level high pressure also moves slowly.
● Under high pressure, the air subsides (sinks) toward the surface. This sinking air acts as a dome
capping the atmosphere. This cap helps to trap heat instead of allowing it to lift.
● Without the lift there is little or no convection and therefore little or no convective clouds (cumulus
clouds) with minimal chance for rain. The lack of clouds means that an affected area is struck with
strong sunlight.
● The end result is a continual build-up of heat at the surface that we experience as a heat wave.
Prevalence & Vulnerability

Heat wave is also called a “silent disaster” as it develops slowly and kills and injures humans and animals
nationwide. Higher daily peak temperatures of longer duration and more intense heat waves are becoming
increasingly frequent globally due to climate change.
● Heat waves are relative to an area’s climate – temperatures that would constitute a heatwave in one
area might not in another location and the health effects on the individual are also relative to a range
of risk factors.
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● Affected states during the Heatwave season - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi.
● Heat waves are more frequent over the Indo-Gangetic plains of India.
● The combination of exceptional heat stress and a predominantly rural population makes India,
vulnerable to heat waves.
● A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that in the Indian
subcontinent, global warming impacts have come sooner and hit harder than predicted.
● According to a global report prepared by 27 leading academic institutions, the United Nations and inter-
governmental agencies, India saw an increase of 40 million in the number of people exposed to heat
waves from 2012 to 2016 (counting both years).
● Between 1901 and 2007, India's mean temperature increased by more than 0.5 degree Celsius.
Vulnerability to extremes of heat has steadily risen since 1990 in every region, with 157 million more
people exposed to heat waves in 2017 as compared to year 2000.
Possible Consequences
● Health hazards - According to the National Health Service based in the UK, heat stroke and heat
exhaustion are the two major risks posed by high-temperature conditions.
 Continuous and constant exposure to high temperatures could result in nausea and heat
cramps, resulting in rapid rise of the body temperature.
 Dehydration (absence of adequate water within the body) could also aid in heat exhaustion.
Headaches, dizziness and nausea are some of the symptoms.
● Adverse Effects On Mental Health - Research has revealed that exposure to high temperatures over
a sustained period of time can have a negative impact on the psychology of a person.
 It has also been observed that crime rates go up when the temperature rises.
 Also, higher temperatures lead to lesser income as people are unable to devote sufficient time
to work due to the heat-associated stress.
● Infrastructural Damage - As heat causes metal to expand, heat waves can lead to major infrastructural
defects.
 Power transformers can detonate causing fires.
 Water lines can burst to cause the loss of water and water shortage.
 Heat waves can also induce the kinking or buckling of railroads.
 Highways can melt or develop cracks in extreme heat. For example, two traffic lanes in
Oklahoma City, US, had to be closed during the 2006 North American heat wave after they
buckled under the heat.
● Trigger Devastating Wildfires - When a heat wave is accompanied by an episode of drought that dries
out the vegetation, it creates the ideal environment for the break-out of a wildfire or a bushfire.
● Power Outages - The sudden spike in electricity consumption challenges the available electricity
supplies of the area.
Interesting Concepts
Extreme heat alters the density of air, making it thinner. Thin air prevents generation of required ‘lift’,
and makes it more difficult for aircraft to take off. Thus, as it gets hotter, planes need progressively longer
runways and greater engine power to reach the speed needed to become airborne.
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Measures/Way-Forward
● Sensitising States to the need of preparing and implementing specific Heat Action Plans in line with
NDMA’s national guidelines on Heat Wave.
● Establish Early Warning System and Inter-Agency Coordination to alert residents on predicted
high and extreme temperatures.
● Capacity building / training programme for health care professionals at local level to recognize and
respond to heat-related illnesses, particularly during extreme heat events.
● Public Awareness and community outreach: Disseminating public awareness messages on how to
protect against the extreme heat-wave through print, electronic and social media and Information,
Education and Communication (IEC) materials.
● Collaboration with non government and civil society in building temporary shelters, wherever
necessary, improved water delivery systems in public areas and other innovative measures to tackle
Heat wave conditions.
● Knowledge of effective prevention and first-aid treatment, besides an awareness of potential side-
effects of prescription drugs during hot weather is crucial for physicians and pharmacists.
● Sharing experiences and best practices to help other stakeholders prepare and implement their Heat
Action Plans.
● Need for Data and Analysis - As Heat Wave is not a notified disaster at the National level, accurate
information and data related to heat wave deaths and illnesses are not available. In order to prepare,
and take necessary mitigative action there is need for data on the age group, sex and occupation of those
who die of heat wave.
● There is need for a roadmap for India’s Heat Wave Management planning in the broader global
context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Heat Action Plan

● A heat-wave action plan aims to provide a framework for planning, implementation, coordination and
evaluation of extreme heat response activities in cities/towns that reduces the negative impact of
extreme heat on the health of the population.
● The plan’s primary objective is to alert those at risk of heat-related illness in places where extreme
heat conditions either exist or are imminent.
● Ahmedabad was among the first city to prepare a Heat wave Action Plan in 2015. This plan provides a
framework for other Indian cities to emulate and help protect their citizens from the extreme heat.
Case Study – Nagpur
● Through the exemplary leadership of Maharashtra’s Public Health Department and the Nagpur
Municipal Corporation, the Nagpur Regional HAP has coordinated between Nagpur and four
neighbouring cities, creating the first regional approach to heat wave planning in India.
● Nagpur has also identified particularly vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly.
There has been tremendous publicity about the HAP in Nagpur.
● Citizens are actively involved with the HAP and have carried out awareness marches. These cities
are also using social media platforms such as WhatsApp to spread awareness and document the actions
taken.
● Recently, Nagpur has also been identified by the Department of Science and Technology under the
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) for the development
and testing of a robust and scientific Heat Action Plan.
● Under this initiative, a more scientific approach will be incorporated into the city’s existing HAP.
Climate data from the last 15-20 years will be correlated with the mortality and morbidity data of
Nagpur city to prepare a heat stress index and city-specific threshold.
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● Vulnerable areas and population will be identified by using GIS and satellite imagery for targeted
actions.
● A system will be developed for monitoring the implementation and measuring the impact of heat action
plan in mortality and morbidity.
The increased occurrences and severity of heat-wave is a wake-up call for all agencies to take necessary
action for prevention, preparedness and community outreach to save the lives of the general public,
livestock and wildlife.
As global warming and rising temperatures are affecting communities and regions, particularly in central
India, it has become imperative to support city administrations to prepare, activate and update their HAPs
with each season and develop capacity both in handling periods of extreme heat as well as making
communities both aware of and resilient to the impacts of the changing climate.
Combating Desertification
India on the occasion of World Day to combat desertification and drought said as in the past it will play a
leadership role and will lead by example in combating desertification.
India will be hosting the fourteenth session of Conference of Parties (COP - 14) from 29th August – 14th
September 2019.
As per the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, 2007, the percentage of country under
drylands is 69.6%. The total area undergoing the process of land degradation in India is 105.48 million
hectares, which constitutes 32.07 percentage of India’s total land area.
Background to World Day to Combat Desertification
● June 17 has been observed as the ‘World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD), as United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was adopted in Paris in 1994 and ratified in
1996.
● World Day to Combat Desertification has been observed since 1995 to promote public awareness
about international efforts to combat desertification and the effects of drought collectively.
● The main objective of the UNCCD is to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought
and desertification.
● Drawing inspiration from 1972 Stockholm Conference, the world came together in Rio in 1992 to
forge an alliance on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification.
● The Earth Summit resulted in successful adoption of three United Nations Conventions –
 Framework Convention on Climate Change
 Convention in Biological Diversity
 Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
● India became a signatory to UNCCD in 1994 and ratified it in 1996.
● Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the nodal Ministry for the Convention.
Desertification does not refer to the expansion of deserts, but rather the degradation of land in arid, semi-
arid and dry sub-humid areas, primarily as a result of human activities and climatic variations.
Desertification involves interplay of climatic, edaphic, and biotic factors. Climatic changes, human and
livestock population pressure, and socio-economic conditions modify the process.
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Climate has a major impact on dryland soil, vegetation, water resources, and land use. By virtue of low
organic matter contents, aggregate stability and low levels of biological productivity, drylands are
vulnerable to desertification. For example, sparser the plant covers, the greater the susceptibility of dryland
soils to accelerated soil erosion.
Causes of Desertification
● Unsustainable Agricultural Practices - The cultivation of water-intensive crops and adoption of non-
agro climatic based cropping patterns.
● Poor Water Management - Canal irrigation and tubewell irrigation which have high potential for
seepage, water loss and misuse have enhanced salinisation along with marked reduction in groundwater
availability.
● Faulty Land-Use Practices - Excessive use of fertilizers, monocropping, non-adherence to dryland
cropping practices,prolong land fallowing, removal of vegetal cover etc facilitates desertification.
● Overgrazing: If there are too many animals that are overgrazing in certain spots, it makes it difficult
for the plants to grow back, which hurts the biome and makes it lose its former green glory.
● Deforestation: It directly accelerates soil erosion through increase surface water runoff and wind
erosion.
● Urbanization - Development cause people to go through and kill the plant life. As areas become more
urbanized, there are less places for plants to grow, thus causing desertification.
● Climate Change: Climate change plays a huge role in desertification. As the days get warmer and
periods of drought become more frequent, desertification becomes more and more eminent.
● Stripping the land of resources. If an area of land has natural resources like natural gas, oil, or
minerals, people will come in and mine it. This usually strips the soil of nutrients, kills the plant life,
which in turn starts the process toward becoming a desert biome as time goes on.
● Natural Disasters: There are some cases where the land gets damaged because of natural disasters,
including drought. In those cases, there isn’t a lot that people can do except work to try and help
rehabilitate the land after it has already been damaged by nature.
Effects of Desertification
● Farming becomes next to impossible. If an area becomes a desert, then it’s almost impossible to grow
substantial crops there without special technologies.
● Hunger: Without farms, the food that those farms produce will become much scarcer, and the people
who live in those local areas will be a lot more likely to try and deal with hunger problems. Animals
will also go hungry, which will cause even more of a food shortage.
● Flooding: Without the plant life in an area, flooding is a lot more eminent. Not all deserts are dry; those
that are wet could experience a lot of flooding because there is nothing to stop the water from gathering
and going all over the place.
● Poor Water Quality: If an area becomes a desert, the water quality is going to become a lot worse
than it would have been otherwise. This is because the plant life plays a significant role in keeping the
water clean and clear.
● Migration: When areas start to become desert, animals and people will go to other areas where they
can actually thrive. This causes crowding and overpopulation, which will, in the long run, end up
continuing the cycle of desertification.
● Poverty: All of the issues that are mentioned above can lead to poverty if not kept in check. Without
food and water, it becomes harder for people to thrive.
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Measures
● Shelterbelts are generally established along the boundaries of cultivated land and are aligned
across the wind direction so as to prevent erosion and movement of sand by wind.
● Agro- based climatic cropping - To prevent fertile areas from getting encroached by deserts climate
needs to be proactively incorporated at grassroot levels for sustainable agriculture.
● Dryland Farming - Cultivation of less water intensive & drought resistant crops (like jatropha, mahua
etc) can not only help in containing desertification but also would enhance the economy of affected
regions.
● Livelihood Diversification - Through alternative income earning avenues like animal husbandry,
tourism, traditional craft works etc. is essential for the people directly dependent upon the land.
● Sustainable Land Management (SLM) with its focus on soil structure and land cover improvements,
the potential to enhance soil water retention capacity and improve water availability, as well as
replenish and elevate the groundwater table increases.
● Long-term monitoring is required to distinguish between the role of anthropogenic actions and climate
variability in vegetation productivity.
● Bridging the Science‐Policy Gap: Knowledge Transfers and Capacity Building to establish a globally
agreed and recognized, credible and transparent authority on scientific and technical knowledge on land
and soil, including land degradation and desertification.
● Traditional knowledge and practices related to sustainable agriculture, livestock, and agroforestry
management can make significant contributions to rebuilding ecological infrastructure and reversing
land degradation.
● Strengthen capacities of policy makers to access and use Earth observation and in‐situ data and
information in a timely manner to monitor the state of land degradation and desertification and to
predict and assess the extent of droughts in support of decision making processes at the national,
regional and international levels.
STEPS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT

● National Action Programme for combating desertification was prepared in 2001 to take
appropriate action in addressing the problems of desertification.
● Other Steps - Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), National Afforestation
Programme (NAP), National Mission for Green India (GIM), The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Soil Conservation in the Catchment of River Valley
Project and Flood Prone River, National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas
(NWDPRA), Fodder and Feed Development Scheme-component of Grassland Development
including Grass Reserves, Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM)
programme etc.
● Government has also launched a flagship project on enhancing capacity on forest landscape
restoration (FLR) and Bonn Challenge, through a pilot phase of 3.5 years implemented in the States
of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.
● The project will aim to develop and adapt best practices and monitoring protocols for the Indian
states and build capacity within the five pilot states on FLR and Bonn Challenge.
● The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and
degraded land into restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.
● At the UNFCC Conference of the Parties (COP) 2015 in Paris, India also joined the voluntary Bonn
Challenge pledge to bring into restoration 13 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by the
year 2020, and an additional 8 million hectares by 2030. India’s pledge is one of the largest in Asia.
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NDMA conducts Multi-State Earthquake Mock Exercise
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a Multi-State Mock Exercise on earthquake
in Delhi (all 11 districts) and the National Capital Region - Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
● The exercise was aimed to practise the preparedness and response mechanism of the State
Governments to mitigate the impact of a high intensity earthquake.
● It was conducted in collaboration with the respective State Disaster Management Authorities
(SDMAs).
● The exercise simulated an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter Scale with its epicentre in Sohna,
Haryana
● Rescue drills were conducted in coordination with various agencies, such as the Army, Air Force,
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) etc.
This Exercise was the first in a series of mock exercises on various disasters that will be conducted under
the Centre's 100-day Action Plan on disaster preparedness.
One Health Concept

The World Organization of Animal Health, commonly known as OIE (an abbreviation of its French title),
summarises the One Health concept as “human health and animal health are interdependent and bound to
the health of the ecosystems in which they exist”.
According to the World Organization of Animal Health

 60% of existing human infectious diseases are zoonotic i.e. they are transmitted from animals to
humans. Of the five new human diseases appearing every year, three originate in animals.
 75% of emerging infectious human diseases have an animal origin. 80% biological agents with potential
bio-terrorist use are zoonotic pathogens.
 It is estimated that zoonotic diseases account for nearly two billion cases per year resulting in more
than two million deaths — more than from HIV/AIDS and diarrhoea.
 One-fifth of premature deaths in poor countries are attributed to diseases transmitted from animals to
humans.
Reasons
 As human populations expand, it results in greater contact with domestic and wild animals,
providing more opportunities for diseases to pass from one to the other.
 Climate change, deforestation and intensive farming further disrupt environment characteristics,
while increased trade and travel result in closer and more frequent interaction, thus increasing the
possibility of transmission of diseases.
Animal health in India

 Developing countries like India have a much greater stake in strong one health systems on account of
agricultural systems resulting in uncomfortably close proximity of animals and humans.
 The size of India’s human and animal populations is almost the same; 121 crore people (2011 Census)
and 125.5 crore livestock and poultry.
 India had only 65,000 veterinary institutions tend to the health needs of 125.5 crore animals, and this
includes 28,000 mobile dispensaries and first aid centres with bare minimum facilities.
 Private sector presence in veterinary services is close to being non-existent.
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 Unlike a physician, a veterinarian is always on a house call on account of the logistic challenge of
transporting livestock to the hospital, unless they are domestic pets
Steps to be taken
 The most effective and economical approach is to control zoonotic pathogens at their animal source.
 Close collaboration at local, regional and global levels among veterinary, health and environmental
governance is imperative.
 Strengthen veterinary institutions and service
 Greater investment in animal health infrastructure
 Early detection at animal source can prevent disease transmission to humans and the introduction of
pathogens into the food chain. As a robust animal health system is the first and crucial step in human
health.
 Establishing a collaborative mechanism for joint surveillance and monitoring, strengthening disease
reporting and control programmes.
 Disease surveillance has to go beyond humans and encompass preventive health and hygiene in
livestock and poultry, improved standards of animal husbandry for greater food safety, and effective
communication protocols between animal and public health systems.
Cooperation and collaboration among nations to control and contain animal diseases is a sine qua non for
achieving the WHO objectives that had been recognized as early as in 1924 when OIE was established to
fight animal diseases at the global level.
Interestingly, the trigger for OIE was the unexpected occurrence of rinderpest cattle disease in Belgium.
The disease was attributed to Zebu cattle originating from India and destined for Brazil via Antwerp. So,
India has been at the forefront of both these apex bodies, though for different reasons.
Renewable 2019 Global Status Report (GSR)

REN21’s Renewable 2019 Global Status Report (GSR) released on June 18, 2019, highlighted that although
the share of Renewable energy’s in power consumption is increasing but it would be more if policymakers
had prioritized the sector.
Key Findings
 Erratic policy decisions kept the world from using the renewable sector to its potential in meeting
climate change targets. The report attributes this to factors like;
 Land and transmission constraints
 25 percent safeguard duty on imports from China and Malaysia
 Flaws in the tender scheme
 Tax uncertainties
 Renewables now supply around 26 percent of global electricity production but the transport, cooling
and heating sectors lag far behind in renewable adoption.
 REN21 reported that due to lack of ambitious and sustained policies to drive decarbonizing
in heating, cooling and transport sectors indicate that countries are not trying to maximize
the benefit of the energy transition to move to cleaner options.
 Only 44 countries have implemented carbon pricing policies and most countries have continued
supporting subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.
 Estimated total global subsidies for fossil fuel consumption were $300 billion in 2017, an 11
percent increase from 2016.
 Also, 73 countries provided subsidies of more than $100 million each in 2017.
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 The report confirmed that installed renewable power capacity was more than that of fossil fuel and
nuclear power combined for the fourth consecutive year.
 The new investment in renewable energy decreased by 16 percent in 2019 compared to 2017. India
ranked fourth globally for new investment in renewable energy in 2018.
 India’s new power generation capacity from solar photovoltaic panels decreased compared to 2017.
However, India placed fifth, overtaking Italy, with 33 gigawatts (GW) total installed capacity.
 Around 100 GW of solar PV were added in 2018 which is enough to meet more than 25 percent
of electricity demand in France.
Renewable energy sector & Employment: IRENA report

The widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies creates employment opportunities up and down
the supply chain, according to the latest report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
 Worldwide, the renewable sector employed 11 million people at the end of 2018, according to this sixth
edition of the Energy and Jobs series.
 From 7.28 million jobs in 2012, it grew up to 10.98 million, the highest, in 2018, despite slower growth
in key renewable energy markets including China, showed the report titled Renewable Energy and
Jobs – Annual Review 2019.
Important Findings
 The biggest employers were:
 Solar photovoltaics (PV) — 3.6 million
 Bioenergy — 2.1 million
 Hydro — 2.1 million
 Wind power industries — 2 million
 India accounted for 719,000 jobs in 2018.
 Asia hosted over 3 million PV jobs or nearly nine-tenths of the global total.
 32 per cent of the renewable energy workforce is represented by women. It is higher than the 22 per
cent average reported for the global oil and gas industry, the report showed.
 Renewable energy’s geographic footprint has changed significantly since 2012. Until now, China,
the United States and the European Union have largely remained the major markets for renewable
industries. However, it has now significant presence in east and Southeast Asian countries, who
have emerged key exporters of solar PV panels, along with China.
 Countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam were responsible for a greater share of
growth in renewables jobs last year, which allowed Asia to maintain a 60 per cent share of
renewable energy jobs worldwide.
Employment opportunities are a key consideration in planning for low-carbon economic growth. Many
governments have prioritised energy development, firstly to reduce emissions and meet international
climate goals, but also in pursuit of broader socio-economic benefits.
Hidden Cost of Hydroelectric

The report, the Hidden Cost of Hydroelectric, by non-profit Himdhara Environment Research and Action
Collective has studied risks associated with hydroelectric construction, especially in regions like the
northern hill states.
 Primary and secondary evidence in the report pointed towards the impacts triggered by
underground construction for run-of-river projects, highlighting potential environmental
hazards.
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 The report observes that there is a failure of policy, coupled with the absence of functional
regulation and governance institutions.
 There are uncertainties, hazards and risks in Himalayan states, including Jammu and Kashmir
and those in the North East, had environmental and financial implications. But no punitive or legal
action has been taken.
 The report called for a pause on the sector in the Himalayas to stop further devastation.
Key highlights of the report

 It blamed the Central Water Commission and the Central Electricity Authority for overlooking “hazard
vulnerability and safety aspects”.
 The report alleged that the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests
and Climate Change had rarely deliberate on environmental hazards and disaster-vulnerability of such
projects.
 Little heed is paid even when issues are repeatedly raised by environmental researchers, activists and
community representatives
 Report highlight that authorities even overlook Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) Audit
Report which highlights
 Procedural violations in following the norms for environmental impact assessment (EIA)
studies
 Due diligence in the process for holding public consultation was not followed
 Non-compliance was maximum in the case of the river valley and hydro-electric projects
 Many topographical and local issues in Himachal raised in public hearings were undocumented
in minutes
Solution
 It has been suggested to commission an independent scientific review on the immediate or long-term
implications of construction work for hydropower development in the Himalayas.
 Citizens’ engagement, a strong public consent mechanism and a grievance redressal mechanism
 Highlight the need for central law. A central law would make states responsible for the safety of dams
Himalayan glaciers are melting twice as fast since 2000

Researchers from Columbia University claimed that the Himalayan glaciers have lost more than a quarter
of their ice in the last four decades.
 Comparing data obtained by Cold War-era spy satellites with images from modern stereo satellites,
scientists have shown that melting occurring twice as fast after the turn of the century as average
temperatures rose.
 The study, published in Science Advances journal claims, the Himalayas lose an average of 4 billion
tonne ice from 1975-2000.
 After 2000, however, the glaciers started melting twice as fast, losing about 8 billion tonnes,
every year up to 2016. That much ice can fill 3.2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
 The study suggests that out of total ice mass present in 1975, about 87% remained in 2000 and
72% remained in 2016.
 Researchers have blamed mainly global warming caused by human activities for the drastic melting.
 The glaciers are shrinking at similar rates all along the mountain chain, indicating a
common cause.
 Temperatures in the region have risen by an average 1 degree Celsius between 1975-2000
and 2000-2016.
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Melting glaciers will affect great rivers that flow through China, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
This, in turn, will have a serious impact for billions depending on these rivers in recent future. To stop this
temperature, rise and to cool the planet, slowing down greenhouse gas emissions won’t be enough.
Current conditions will have to reverse, which will be the greatest challenge for the human race in the
coming years.
SIDS May Fail to Achieve SDGs: UN

Many small islands developing states (SIDS) may fail to achieve several Sustainable Development Goals
by 2030 because of increasing population and climate change risks, according to the United Nation’s report
on World Population Prospects 2019.
Key Findings
 Climate change affects the development of all nations, regardless of the location or size of the economy.
Yet, no other group of nations is as vulnerable to its devastating effects as the SIDS, according to the
United Nations Development Programme.
 One-third of the entire population of SIDS lives on lands that are less than five metres below the sea
level. This makes them highly vulnerable to sea-level rise, storm surge and coastal destruction.
 These countries contribute to only 1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and yet are
among the first to experience the worst impacts of climate change, the UNDP added.
 Agricultural production, fisheries, and related sectors are declining as the climate changes, threatening
livelihoods and economic growth.
 In addition, extreme weather spawned by climate change is destroying SIDS land, real estate and
infrastructure, with economically catastrophic effects.
 Tourists are also discouraged from travelling to SIDS in the fear of violent and life-threatening storms.
 SIDS are a group of small island countries that tend to share similar sustainable development
challenges, including
 Limited resources, remoteness
 Susceptibility to natural disasters
 Vulnerability to external shocks
 Excessive dependence on international trade and
 Fragile Environments.
 Small but growing populations
 The total population of these countries is only 71 million, but growing fast: said to increase to 78 million
by 2030 and 87 million by 2050.
 Several SIDS, including Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, the Solomon Islands and
Vanuatu, are experiencing a sharper population growth than they can handle.
Scientists create a global map of where groundwater meets oceans

Scientists have created high-resolution maps of points around the globe where groundwater meets the
oceans, the first such analysis of its kind that may help protect both drinking water and the seas.
In a study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, researchers from The Ohio State
University in the U.S. showed that;
 Nearly one-half of fresh submarine groundwater discharge flows into the ocean near the
tropics.
 Regions near active fault lines send greater volumes of groundwater into the ocean than regions
that are tectonically stable.
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 Dry, arid regions have very little groundwater discharge, opening the limited groundwater
supplies in those parts of the world to saltwater intrusion.
 In some parts of the world, groundwater could be polluting oceans and lakes with nutrients and
other chemicals. Groundwater, for example, can carry higher concentrations of nitrates, a key
contributor of the types of harmful algal blooms as well as high concentrations of mercury.
 Climate heavily influences groundwater flow, and that cities in dry areas are especially
vulnerable to salt water contamination of aquifers.
The team worked with researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of
Saskatchewan to combine topographical data from satellites and climate models to show the flow of
groundwater around the world’s coasts.
Significance
 The findings may help coastal communities better protect and manage their drinking water.
Freshwater-groundwater discharge is a natural line of defense against saltwater intrusion.
 First near-global and spatially distributed high-resolution map of fresh groundwater flow to the coast,
could give scientists better clues about where to monitor groundwater discharge.
 Help in understanding how and where groundwater gets to surface water could help policy-makers
create better plans to improve those bodies of water.
Project to Cut Virgin Plastic Use

Adidas will produce yarn out of discarded PET bottles.
 Polygenta Technology Limited, a Maharashtra-based firm, deploys a unique technology to break
down used PET (short for Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles and convert them into polyester
filament yarn.
 Firm’s technology allows for breaking down used PET bottles to the base product – an ester,
which is then used to manufacture yarn.
 The yarn produced by Polygenta, currently sent to Adidas’ manufacturing centres to be converted into
sportswear, may also be tapped to potentially upcycle clothes made from polyester yarn.
 PET bottles are the main contributors to plastic waste globally and in India.
 According to the United Nations, around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year
— roughly the weight of the entire human population. Of this, eight million tonnes of plastic
waste ends up in the oceans.
 PET material collection rate in India is nearly 80%, among the best in the world, but a good portion
of these bottles are downcycled, eliminating the possibility of further recycling.
 Downcycling is reuse of waste in a manner that the recycled product is of lower value than the
original material.
Significance
 High-quality polyester filament yarn is produced, which is on par with yarn made through the
conventional process.
 Conversion would help to reduce plastic pollution.
 In the process, there is huge energy saving which makes it more sustainable.
 The upcycling process consumes 86% less water and 75% less energy than conventional
manufacturing but costs approximately 10% more.
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Water clinic for elephants
India has opened its first specialised hydrotherapy treatment for elephants suffering from arthritis, joint
pain and foot ailments, near the Wildlife SOS’ Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC), Mathura.
● In captive elephants their bodies are weakened due to improper nutrition, their bodies and delicate feet
are riddled with wounds and painful abscesses. Osteoarthritis and foot issues are common ailments.
● Captive elephants are made to navigate environments that their bodies were not built for. Standing on
concrete for long periods becomes an invitation to the early onset of arthritis.
● Also, due to lack of proper foot care, the toenails and cuticles of the elephants overgrow and become
more prone to cracking
Hydrotherapy
● Hydrotherapy is an effective complementary treatment for the elephants’ painful joints and feet.
● It is, a form of physical therapy that uses the therapeutic benefits of water to perform physical
rehabilitation in animals.
● Exerting hydrostatic pressure that compresses muscle and joints, hydrotherapy helps in relieving
chronic muscle aches as well as rebuild muscle memory with its natural resistance.
 Hydrotherapy jumbo pool is 11-foot-deep and has 21 high pressure jet sprays that create water pressure
that massage the elephants’ feet and body and help in increasing blood circulation.
 Water resistance is useful for muscle strengthening and cardiovascular training while water pressure
can reduce oedema and swelling.
Asiatic golden cat

Indian scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an international conservation charity, and
University College London (UCL) have discovered six colour morphs of the golden cat in Dibang Valley
of Arunachal Pradesh.
 This may be the world’s greatest number of different-coloured wild cat species ever reported in one
area.
 Six different colour morphs recorded are tightly-rosetted, cinnamon, melanistic, grey, golden, and
ocelot (due to its ocelot-like markings).
 Within the six colour morphs recorded, tightly-rosette is an entirely new colour morph found
in one of the community-owned forests.
 Colour morphs are thought to arise from random genetic mutations and take hold in the population
through natural selection. According to evolutionary theory, if a colour morph is not beneficial for a
species survival over time, it should die out in the population.
 In this region, scientists suspect that the phenomenon is driven by competition with other big
cats such as tigers (Panthera tigris) and clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa).
Benefits
 It enables them to occupy different habitats at different elevations, from wet tropical lowland forests to
alpine scrubs.
 It provides camouflage while hunting different prey such as tropical pheasants or Himalayan pika (a
small mountain-dwelling rabbit-like mammal).
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Significance
 The finding may help scientists grasp how quickly species can adapt and evolve to changing
environments. This would advise scientists of the resilience of the species to climate change or habitat
degradation and destruction.
 As of now, Colour morphs are not classed as different subspecies as they may live in the same area and
even interbreed. However, if differences in their behaviour prevented them from interbreeding —
this could represent the beginning of the evolutionary process into separate subspecies.
Asiatic golden cat
 The Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) is listed as near threatened on the International Union
for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of threatened species.
 It is found across eastern Nepal through north-eastern India to Indonesia.
 Asian golden cats can climb trees when necessary. They hunt birds, hares, rodents, reptiles, and small
ungulates such as muntjacs and young sambar deer.
Paddy Frog - Aishani

A team of scientists from Delhi University and the Wildlife Institute of India, in collaboration with
researchers from Indonesia and the US, have discovered a new species of ‘paddy frog’ from Northeast
India, primarily Assam.
 The frog belongs to the microhylid genus Micryletta, a group of narrow-mouthed frogs that is primarily
and widely distributed in Southeast Asia, more commonly known as paddy frogs.
 The new species has been named ‘Aishani’, derived from the Sanskrit word ‘aishani’ or aisani meaning
Northeast.
 The new species is likely to be more widely distributed in Northeast India, particularly the Indo-
Burma biodiversity hotspot region that lies south of River Brahmaputra.
 Micryletta Ishani is currently endemic to Northeast India but it could very well be present in
neighbouring regions of Bangladesh and Myanmar
 Scientists said the new species strikingly differs from other narrow-mouthed paddy frogs by
characteristics such as
 The reddish-brown colouration on back,
 Prominent dark streaks and ash-grey mottling on the lateral sides,
 The shape of the snout, and
 Absence of web on its feet.
 DNA analyses suggested that other “undescribed species in this genus” could be in existence in regions
such as Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
 The first known species of this genus was originally described from Sumatra in Indonesia. As of now,
there are only four recognised species in this group, and Micryletta aishani becomes the fifth.
Impressive Tortoise
Wildlife experts have discovered the Impressive Tortoise also known as the Manouria impress – a new
species of tortoise that are elusive and have never been previously sighted in India – near Yazali of Lower
Subansari district in Arunachal Pradesh.
 A male and a female species of the Impressed Tortoise were discovered in June 2019. With this, the
future surveys can aim to focus near the area of occurrence and locations prioritized from interviews
with locals from the area.
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 The Asian Forest Tortoise, the largest in mainland Asia, is found only in the northeast, as
are 20 of the other 28 species of chelonians.
 The male Impressed Tortoise is smaller than the female which is 30 cm in length. This
Manouria species is one-third the size of the Asian Forest Tortoise
 Previously, the little-known tortoise was believed to be restricted to western Myanmar, along with
pockets of habitat in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and southern China, and south through
Peninsular Malaysia.
 The species were last found in Gwa in Myanmar, where Wildlife Conservation Society is carrying out
breeding aimed to conserve the endangered tortoise for reintroduction into the wild.
 Tortoises differ from turtles on account of being terrestrial animals. But it is common for
conservationists to club the former with the latter for practical purposes.
 The Impressed Tortoise measures one foot and has a “brilliant spine” – bent upwards and beautifully
serrated
 The latest sighting further raises the status of the country as well as the state in the list of strategic
turtle conservation priority areas.
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SECURITY
Strengthening Anti-Terrorism Law
Union cabinet has approved amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and to the NIA Act.
The amendments to UAPA and the NIA Act will be put up for approval in Parliament in the current session.
Proposed amendment to UAPA
The proposed amendment to UAPA will;
 Enable the government to declare top terrorists, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and
Jaish-e-Muhammed boss Masood Azhar, as “individual terrorists”.
 Help impose a travel ban and restrict such a person’s access to funds and other amenities.
 The standards of the Financial Action Task Force require member nations to be in line with the United
Nations’ law that provides for designating individuals as global terrorists.
 Publicizing most-wanted terrorists so as to get all financial and other institutions to add them to their
blacklists.
 Add heft to India’s request to other nations to designate them along similar lines.
Draft National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill

The draft National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill seeks to ;
 Widen the scope of cases the agency can investigate.
 Empower the agency to register a case and investigate terror acts on foreign soil if Indian nationals
or interests are harmed
 Add new offences to the schedule of NIA Act which include cyberterrorism cases registered under
Section 66F of the Information Technology Act, 2000 as well as IPC crimes under Sections 370 and
371 relating to human trafficking that often have inter-state and international linkages.
 Permit searches in a state without the top state police officer’s consent.
 While it is not mandatory for the NIA even now to intimate a director general of police before
a search, the agency does so where a law-and-order situation is anticipated.
 Allow a judge of an NIA court to be designated by position and not by name.
Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV)

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden test of
an indigenously developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) along with several
technologies.
 Under the HSTDV programme, a demonstrator flight vehicle has been conceptualised to demonstrate
the scramjet technology for a short duration of about 20 seconds.
 A successful test of a hypersonic technology transporter vehicle is likely to bolster the development
of a hypersonic cruise missile – the Brahmos II that is currently under development with Scramjet
technology.
 In scram-jet technology, combustion of fuel takes place in a chamber in the missile at
supersonic speeds.
 This is different from a ram jet system where the system collects the air it needs from the
atmosphere during the flight at subsonic speeds and the propellants burn in the combustion
chamber.
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What is HSTDV?
 It is developed by DRDO. According to a report, Israel and Russia have provided critical help in the
project.
 HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet demonstration vehicle that can cruise up to a speed of Mach 6 (or six
times the speed of sound) and rise up to an altitude of 32 km in 20 seconds
 It has a range of uses, including missiles of the future, and energy-efficient, low cost and reusable
satellite-launch vehicle
 The HSTDV cruise vehicle is mounted on a solid rocket motor, which will take it to a required altitude,
and once it attains certain Mach numbers for speed, the cruise vehicle will be ejected out of the launch
vehicle
Defence Space Research Agency (DSRA)

To enhance the capabilities of the armed forces to fight wars in space, the government has approved the
setting up of a new agency.
 The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister has cleared the setting up of the
agency called the Defence Space Research Agency (DSRA) which has been entrusted with the
task of creating space warfare weapon systems and technologies.
 The Defence Space Agency is being set up in Bengaluru under an Air Vice Marshal-rank officer
and will gradually take over the space-related capabilities of the three forces.
 The agency would be provided with a team of scientists which would be working in close
coordination with the tri-services integrated Defence staff officers.
 It would be providing the research and development support to the Defence Space
Agency (DSA) which comprises members of the three services.
 The DSA has been created to help the country fight wars in the space.
In March this year, the country had carried out the Anti-Satellite Test which demonstrated its capability to
shoot down satellites in space. With this missile test, India joined an elite club of four nations with such
capability. The test also helped the country develop deterrence capability against adversaries who may want
to attack Indian satellites to cripple systems in times of war.
Indian Navy Steps Up Anti-Piracy Patrol

The P8I surveillance planes of Indian Navy have been carrying out anti-piracy patrol sorties in Salalah in
the Gulf of Aden and other piracy prone areas.
 In an expansion of its Mission Based Deployments (MBD) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the
Navy deployed its P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft for anti-piracy sorties from Salalah
in Oman to patrol the Gulf of Aden.
 Under the MBD concept, the Navy now maintains a ship at every choke point in the IOR at any
point of time.
 As part of expanding engagement maritime engagement, India has stepped up cooperation with Indian
Ocean littoral states and maritime neighbours.
 Under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the Navy undertakes Joint Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) surveillance with Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius and Coordinated Patrols
(CORPAT) with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.
 Search and rescue and capability-enhancement activities have also emerged as major areas.
 Besides escorting Indian flagged vessels, ships of other countries have also been provided protection.
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Mission-Based Deployments (MBD)
 Mission-Based Deployments (MBD) philosophy was adopted by Navy in 2017.
 This ensures availability of warships in 7-8 critical areas of the Indian Ocean Region on a nearly
continuous basis to provide rapid response to any contingency.
 The reason behind the deployment of warships are:
 The continued prevalence of piracy
 Illegal fishing
 Arms smuggling and other such nefarious activities directly impinge on the maritime security
of India in particular and the region at large.
 Natural disasters also ravage the region frequently.
 Increase in the presence of `Extra-Regional Forces’.
P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft

 P-8I is a long-range, multimission maritime patrol aircraft manufactured by Boeing, for the Indian
Navy.
 It is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon operated by the US Navy.
 It is armed with deadly Harpoon Block-II missiles, MK-54 lightweight torpedoes, rockets and depth
charges
Foreigners Tribunals
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has laid out specific guidelines to detect, detain and deport foreigner
nationals staying illegally across the country.
 The MHA has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964, and has empowered district
magistrates in all States and Union Territories to set up tribunals to decide whether a person staying
illegally in India is a foreigner or not.
 Earlier, the powers to constitute tribunals were vested only with the Centre.
 The 1964 order on Constitution of Tribunals said: The Central Government may by order, refer the
question as to whether a person is not a foreigner within the meaning of the Foreigners Act, 1946 (31
of 1946) to a Tribunal to be constituted for the purpose, in its opinion.
 The tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies, unique to Assam, to determine if a person staying illegally
is a “foreigner” or not.
 In other parts, once a ‘foreigner’ has been apprehended by the police for staying illegally, he or she is
produced before a local court under the Passport Act, 1920, or the Foreigners Act, 1946, with the
punishment ranging three months to eight years in jail.
 Once the accused have served the sentence, the court orders their deportation, and they are
moved to detention centres till the country of origin accepts them.
 The amended Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 2019 also empowers individuals to approach the
Tribunals. Earlier only the State administration could move the Tribunal against a suspect, but with
the final NRC about to be published and to give adequate opportunity to those not included, this has
been done.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)
In the outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar, several hundreds of cases and deaths have
been attributed to hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar.
● Acute encephalitis syndrome or AES is a basket term used for referring to hospitals, children with
clinical neurological manifestation that includes mental confusion, disorientation, convulsion, delirium,
or coma.
● Meningitis caused by virus or bacteria, encephalitis (mostly Japanese encephalitis) caused by virus,
encephalopathy, cerebral malaria, and scrub typhus caused by bacteria are collectively called acute
encephalitis syndrome.
● While virus or bacteria cause all the other conditions, encephalopathy is biochemical in origin and
hence very different from the rest.
There are different types of encephalopathy. In the present case, the encephalopathy is associated with
hypoglycaemia and hence called hypoglycaemic encephalopathy. Hypoglycaemia is a commonly seen sign
among patients of AES, and the link has been the subject of research over the years.
Prevalence
● The first AES case was recorded in 1995 in Muzaffarpur. According to National Vector Borne Diseases
Control Programme (NVBDCP), 10,485 AES cases were diagnosed in 2018 with 632 deaths across 17
states.
● India records fatality rate at 6 per cent in AES, but the fatality rises to 25 per cent amongst children.
● Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Tripura
are worst affected.
Symptoms of AES or chamki fever
● Mild cases of AES may cause no symptoms. Some severe symptoms include confusion, agitation or
hallucinations, seizures, loss of sensation or paralysis, muscle weakness, speech and hearing
difficulties, loss of consciousness.
● It most commonly affects children and young adults and can lead to morbidity and mortality.
Causes of AES
● The syndrome can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi.

● In India, the most common cause is the virus that causes Japanese encephalitis (JE). Health Ministry
estimates attribute 5-35% of AES cases to the JE virus.
● There is no fixed pattern, but a year with high temperatures and scanty rain usually witnesses high
cases.
● Heat, humidity, unhygienic conditions and malnutrition, together contribute to the rise in AES.
● Malnutrition is high in both states (UP & Bihar), and malnourished children are prone to infection.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data show UP and Bihar together account for over 35% of
child deaths in the country.
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● National Family Health Survey-4 data show that in 2015-16, 48% children aged less than five in
Bihar were stunted — the highest in India.
● Every AES outbreak in the past 10 years has shown that PHCs the first point of healthcare for most
AES patients are ill-equipped to deal with the disease. Most of them do not have glucometers to
monitor blood sugar levels.
Difference between encephalitis & hypoglycaemic encephalopathy

● Blood sugar level is usually normal in children with encephalitis but is low in the children with
hypoglycaemic encephalopathy.
● Fever on the very first day is one of the symptoms of encephalitis before the brain dysfunction begins.
While fever is seen in children in the case of hypoglycaemic encephalopathy, is always after the onset
of brain dysfunction (actually due to brain dysfunction).
● Other Symptoms - In the case of encephalitis, one-two days of fever (due to virus infection) is followed
by the onset of symptoms caused by the brain getting affected. However, in hypoglycaemic
encephalopathy, children go to bed without any illness but manifest with symptoms such vomiting,
convulsion and semi-consciousness early next day morning.
● Presence of white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid - In encephalitis, there are more white blood
cells per unit volume of cerebrospinal fluid, which is a reflection of inflammation in the brain. In
contrast, no increase in white blood cells is seen in hypoglycaemic encephalopathy as there is no
inflammation in the brain.
How is hypoglycaemia linked to AES?
● The combination of AES with hypoglycaemia is unique to Muzaffarpur, Vietnam and Bangladesh.
● “Hypoglycaemia is not a symptom but a sign of AES.
● In Bihar, convulsions in children (which is AES) are found in combination with hypoglycaemia.
● This hypoglycaemia is caused by malnourishment and lack of proper diet. With 98% of AES
patients in Bihar also suffering hypoglycaemia, doctors have attributed deaths to the latter.
● A 2014 study in Muzaffarpur suggested that hypoglycaemia was the trigger that led to diagnosis of
encephalitis.
Litchi Factor
● Methylene cyclopropyl glycine (MCPG) which has been known to be a content of litchi fruit has
been shown to cause hypoglycaemia in experimental animals.
● It is common for children to feed on fallen litchis and sleep without food. The toxin in litchi lowers
blood sugar level during night, and these children are found unconscious in the morning.
● Hypoglycaemic AES may be caused by malnutrition, heat, lack of rain, and entero-virus.
Why is the toxin more dangerous to undernourished children?
● In well-nourished children, reserve glucose is stored as glycogen (glucose polysaccharide) in the
liver. Whenever glucose level goes down, the glycogen is broken down into glucose and circulated
in the blood for use.
● But undernourished children lack sufficient glycogen reserve that can be converted into glucose.
Therefore, the natural mechanism in undernourished children is unable to correct the glucose level
in blood, leading to hypoglycaemia.
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Prevention of AES or chamki fever
● To prevent encephalitis, precautions are needed to be taken to avoid contact with viruses that cause
it.
● Practicing good hygiene (washing hands frequently), getting vaccinations, protection against
mosquitoes can help prevent its infection and subsequent prevalence.
● Hypoglycaemic encephalopathy can be easily treated. Full and complete recovery can be achieved if
children with hypoglycaemic encephalopathy are infused with 10% dextrose within four hours after the
onset of symptoms.
How is the government tackling AES?
● The Bihar government introduced free vaccines at all primary health centres. The current coverage is
70%.
● The central and state governments have conducted awareness campaign since February asking people
not to expose their children to sun, ensure a proper diet and increase fluid intake.
Nipah Virus
 Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted
through contaminated food or directly between people.
 It is an emerging infectious disease that broke out in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999.
 It first appeared in domestic pigs and has been found among several species of domestic animals
including dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep. The infection is also known to affect human beings.
 Fruit bats of the family Pteropodidae – particularly species belonging to the Pteropus genus – are the
natural hosts for Nipah virus. There is no apparent disease in fruit bats.
 The organism which causes Nipah Virus encephalitis is an RNA or Ribonucleic acid virus of the family
Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus, and is closely related to Hendra virus.
 The virus has been listed in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health
Code and must be reported to the OIE (OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code).
Symptoms of the Nipah infection
 Typically, the human infection presents as an encephalitic syndrome marked by fever, headache,
drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, coma, and potentially death.
 The World Health Organization (WHO) says the infection has been found to be fatal in 40% to 75%
of the infected patients.
Prevention of the Nipah infection
 There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for the infection although WHO has identified the
virus as a priority disease for the WHO Research and Development
 With fruits bats being the primary cause of infection, the farm animals should be prevented from eating
fruit contaminated by bats.
 Consumption of contaminated date palm sap including toddy should also be avoided.
 Physical barriers can be put in place in order to prevent bats from accessing and contaminating palm
sap.
 Due to the highly contagious nature of the virus in swine populations, mass culling of seropositive
animals may be necessary.
 Intensive supportive care is recommended for treating severe respiratory and neurologic complications.
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How Kerala contained Nipah virus outbreak
 Once the disease was confirmed, all the cases and suspected cases were moved to the Government
Medical College at Kozhikode.
 Kerala acquired personal protection equipment (PPE) worth ₹30 lakh from VP Healthcare in the
UAE for health workers who were dealing with Nipah patients.
 People were mobilized to launch a massive search for all those who might have come in contact with
the patient.
 Toll-free numbers were set up for people to give information and get clarifications.
 Rather than sending the sample and testing it in Pune, government allowed the whole set up to be
shifted to Ernakulam.
 There was no red tape for the ground staff to get approvals.
 An isolation protocol, similar to that for Ebola, was instituted.
 Health personnel in all hospitals were given training and safety equipment.
 About 2,000 contacts of all the cases were traced and followed up on a daily basis.
 If and when any of them fell ill, they were transported to the isolation facility in an ambulance.
 The cases were treated symptomatically with life support measures, including ventilation.
 The anti-viral drug Ribavirin and a monoclonal antibody were imported and tried in some patients for
possible effect.
The way the potentially deadly virus hit Kerala without warning and the intensive efforts made by the state
health authorities to contain its spread, has lessons for other states.
Diphtheria
The season’s first death due to diphtheria has been reported in Delhi.
About
 Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheria, a bacterium.
 According to the National Health Portal, one type of diphtheria affects the throat and sometimes the
tonsils. Diphtheria is fatal in only 5-10% cases.
 Another type causes ulcers on the skin, this is more common in the tropics (places where all 12 months
have mean temperatures of at least 18 °C).
 Diphtheria particularly affects children aged 1 to 5 years this reflects low coverage of primary
diphtheria vaccination.
 In temperate climates diphtheria tends to occur during the colder months.
 Cases have been going up in the last few years. In 2015, as per World Health Organization data, India
reported 2,365 cases.
 Ten of the states (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Nagaland, Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, and West Bengal) accounted for 84% of the cases reported across the country.
About Vaccination
 The diphtheria vaccine is among the oldest vaccines in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme
 In 1978, India launched the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. The first three vaccines
in the programme were BCG (against TB). DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) and cholera.
 In 1985, the programme was converted to the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
DPT continues to be a part of UIP, which now includes 12 vaccines.
 It is now incorporated as a pentavalent vaccine, (containing vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis,
tetanus [DPT], Hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B).
 UIP aims at giving all children born in India all these 12 vaccines free.
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 As per data from the National Family Health Survey 4, the coverage of diphtheria vaccine is 78.4%
 The sudden outbreak led government to commission a study on vaccine hesitancy and ways to deal
with it.
 The study is being done by the Immunisation Technical Support Unit under the ministry of
health and family welfare will conduct the study in association with GAVI — an international
organisation supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation working on ensuring vaccine
access.
 Vaccine Hesitancy
 Vaccine hesitancy is the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines. It
threatens to reverse progress made in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases.
 Hesitancy results from public debates around the medical, ethical and legal issues related to vaccines.
 It is identified by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten global health threats of 2019.
DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019

Union Cabinet has cleared the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill once again, paving
the way for its reintroduction in Parliament.
 The Bill had been passed by Lok Sabha in January this year, but could not get the approval of Rajya
Sabha.
 It lapsed once the tenure of the previous Lok Sabha expired last month.
 The fresh clearance by the Cabinet is the third attempt by the government to enact a law to regulate the
use of DNA technology in the country.
 An earlier version of the Bill had been finalised in 2015 but could not be introduced in
Parliament.
 The proposed law has been in the making since at least 2003.
 Significance of the bill
 The Bill is expected to fast-track criminal cases in which DNA evidence could prove especially
conclusive.
 The use of DNA data is also likely to be useful in quickly identifying missing persons and
resolving criminal cases in which repeat offenders might be involved.
 The Bill seeks to create a regulatory framework for obtaining, storing and testing of DNA samples
of human beings, mainly with the objective of establishing the identity of a person.
 DNA testing is already being used for a variety of purposes, such as criminal investigations,
establishment of parentage, and search for missing people.
 The proposed law seeks to bring in a supervisory structure to oversee these practices, and frame
guidelines and rules so that the DNA technology is not misused.
Key components of this Bill

 Establishment of a DNA Regulatory Board
 Accreditation of DNA laboratories undertaking DNA testing, analysing, etc.
 Establishment of the National and Regional DNA Data Banks, as envisaged in the Bill, will assist in
forensic investigations.
 This will aid in scientific up-gradation and streamlining of the DNA testing activities in
the country with appropriate inputs from the DNA Regulatory Board which would be set up
for the purpose.
 Data banks are required to store the information under one of the five indices — a crime
scene index, a suspect or undertrial index, an offenders’ index, a missing persons’ index, and
an unknown deceased persons’ index.
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 Although information from DNA can yield a lot of information about the person, the data banks
are supposed to store only that information that is necessary to establish the identity of the
person.
Issues
The main debate over the proposed law has been around three issues;
 Whether the DNA technology is fool proof
 Whether the provisions adequately address the possibility of abuse of DNA information
 Whether the privacy of the individual is protected.
 Critics of the Bill have been claiming that collecting and storing DNA information could lead to abuse,
besides being violative of a person’s privacy.
Government response
 The government, on the other hand, has been arguing that since DNA tests are already happening, and
frequently used as the most reliable tool to establish identity, it would be better to have regulatory
safeguards so that it is carried out only in prescribed manner and by authorised personnel and
institutions.
 The government has also claimed that very limited information is proposed to be stored in the indices
— just 17 sets of numbers out of billions that DNA samples can reveal. These can tell nothing about
the individual except to act as a unique identifier.
NASA to Open Up International Space Station for Tourism

NASA will open up the International Space Station for tourism and other business ventures as of next year,
as it seeks to financially disengage from the orbiting research lab.
What’s the deal?
 NASA will allow two private astronaut missions of up to 30 days per year.
 A return ticket will cost around $58 million (€51.2 million).
 Astronauts will also have to pay board and lodgings at a rate of around $35,000 per night.
 It paves the way for private citizens to travel to the ISS aboard rocket-and-capsule launch systems being
developed by Boeing Co and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
 To qualify as a passenger, Private astronauts will have to meet the same medical standards and training
and certification procedures as regular crew members.
 SpaceX and Boeing will choose the clients and deliver them to the ISS via their own rocket-and-capsule
launch systems.
 The new space tourists to the ISS will not be the first: U.S. businessman Dennis Tito had that honour
in 2001. He paid Russia around $20 million for the trip.
Why is NASA doing this?
 NASA said it wasn’t looking to make a profit from the trips, but the money raised would help towards
achieving long-term goals. These include returning humans to the moon by 2024 and even sending
them to Mars after that.
 The shift reverses a long-standing prohibition against tourists and private interests at the orbiting
research lab and reflects a broader push to expand commercial activities at the ISS and in space more
generally.
International Space Station
 The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth
orbit.
 The space station orbits around 400 kilometres above the Earth.
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 It is run by five space agencies with 15 countries involved. The space station does not belong to NASA.
It was built along with Russia starting in 1998, and other countries participate in the mission and send
up astronauts.
 But the U.S. has paid for and controls most of the modules that make up the orbiter. Since 2000, it has
been staffed by a crew of between three and six astronauts.
Superconductivity
New results from IIT Mandi indicate that nanostructures made of gold embedded with silver show zero
resistance to the flow of electric current through them.
About a year ago, two scientists from Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bangalore reported an extraordinary
finding on a public online scientific forum they had observed superconductivity at room temperature, in a
new composite material made of gold and silver.
 Superconductivity is a phenomenon that, so far, has been possible only at extremely low temperatures,
in the range of 100°C below zero.
 Superconductivity is a state in which a material shows absolutely zero electrical resistance.
 Electricity is essentially the movement of free electrons in a conducting material like copper. While the
movement of electrons is in one particular direction, it is random and haphazard. They frequently
collide with one another, and with other particles in the material, thus offering resistance to the flow of
current.
 In a superconducting state, however, the material offers no resistance at all. All the electrons align
themselves in a particular direction, and move without any obstruction in a “coherent” manner. It is
akin to vehicles moving in an orderly fashion on a superhighway.
 Because of zero resistance, superconducting materials can save huge amounts of energy, and be used
to make highly efficient electrical appliances.
 The problem is that superconductivity, ever since it was first discovered in 1911, has only been
observed at very low temperatures, somewhere close to what is called absolute zero (0°K or -
273.15°C).
 Creating such extreme conditions of temperature and pressure is a difficult task. Therefore, the
applications of superconducting materials have remained limited as of now.
New Finding
 The IISc scientists have had reported that some of their samples of nanoparticles of gold-silver
composite material displayed superconductivity at 13°C, and under normal atmospheric pressure.
 They have provided evidence of these samples displaying two fundamental properties of a
superconductor — zero resistance to electrical current, and diamagnetism.
 Diamagnetism is a property opposite to normal magnetism that we are used to. A diamagnetic
substance repels an external magnetic field, in sharp contrast to normal magnetism, or
ferromagnetism, under which a substance is attracted by an external magnetic field.
If confirmed, this would probably be the biggest discovery to come out of an Indian laboratory “since the
Raman effect in the 1920s.
It would take more effort by the authors to convincingly show that the nanomaterial is indeed
superconducting. The paper posted earlier had very little data. Now, more data are available. Whether the
data are correct or not can be settled only though scientific discourse, peer-reviewing and other groups
reproducing it.
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India to have its own space station
India plans to have its own space station, and modalities for it will be worked out after the first manned
mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for August 2022.
● ISRO will launch a small module for microgravity experiments.

● Proposed space station is envisaged to weigh 20 tonnes and serve as a facility where astronauts can stay
for 15-20 days, and it would be placed in an orbit 400 km above earth.
● The time frame for launch is 5-7 years after Gaganyaan.
A detailed report would be submitted to the government after the Gaganyaan mission.
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DIVERSITY, ART & CULTURE
‘Go Tribal Campaign’ of Tribes India
Government has launched the “Go Tribal Campaign” of Tribes India along with ‘Tribes India’ globally
through Amazon Global Selling.
● Go Tribals Campaign - Under this a number of innovative activities have been planned to be
undertaken to promote use of tribal handicrafts, handicrafts and natural products.
● Tribes India - Under this Tribes India and Amazon Global Marketing launched TRIBES India products
globally through Amazon.com. With this collaboration, tribal products shall be available in the US and
will help establish export market of tribal products.
The campaigns have been launched to;

● Widely promote the use of tribal products.
● To economically strengthen the tribals of country as they are capable of producing many creative
products including handicrafts.
● To institutionalize collaborations and partnerships with different organizations to promote tribal
products.
TRIFED is an organization under Ministry of Tribal Affairs and is engaged in marketing development of
tribal products including tribal art and craft under the brand name “TRIBES INDIA”.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh

On June 27, a statue of Ranjit Singh, who ruled Punjab for almost four decades (1801-39), was inaugurated
in Lahore. June 27 was death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
About Maharaja Ranjit Singh
 Ranjit Singh was born on November 13, 1780 in Gujranwala, now in Pakistan.
 At that time, Punjab was ruled by powerful chieftains who had divided the territory into Misls.
 Ranjit Singh overthrew the warring Misls and established a unified Sikh empire after he
conquered Lahore in 1799.
 At the time of his death, he was the only sovereign leader left in India, all others having come under
the control of the East India Company in some way or the other.
 Ranjit Singh’s trans-regional empire was spread over several states.
 His empire included the former Mughal provinces of Lahore and Multan besides part of Kabul
and the entire Peshawar.
 The boundaries of his state went up to Ladakh — Zorawar Singh, a general from Jammu, had
conquered Ladakh in Ranjit Singh’s name — in the northeast, Khyber Pass in the northwest,
and up to Panjnad in the south where the five rivers of Punjab fell into the Indus.
 His general Hari Singh Nalwa built the Fort of Jamrud at the mouth of the Khyber
Pass, the route the foreign rulers took to invade India.
 During his regime, Punjab was a land of six rivers, the sixth being the Indus.
 He was given the title Lion of Punjab (Sher-e-Punjab) because he stemmed the tide of Afghan
invaders in Lahore, which remained his capital until his death.
 He combined the strong points of the traditional Khalsa army with western advances in warfare to
raise Asia’s most powerful indigenous army of that time.
 He employed a large number of European officers, especially French, to train his troops.
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 He appointed French General Jean Franquis Allard to modernise his army.
 In 2016, the town of St Tropez unveiled the maharaja’s bronze statue as a mark of
respect.
His Legacy
 The maharaja was known for his just and secular rule; both Hindus and Muslims were given powerful
positions in his darbar.
 The Sikhs take pride in him for he turned Harimandir Sahib at Amritsar into the Golden Temple by
covering it with gold.
 Right at the doorstep of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is a plaque that details how in
1830 AD, the maharaja did sewa over 10 years.
 He is also credited with funding Hazoor Sahib gurudwara at the final resting place of Guru Gobind
Singh in Nanded, Maharashtra.
Irula Tribe
 Irula are a Dravidian ethnic group inhabiting the area of the Nilgiri Mountains, in the states of Tamil
Nadu and Kerala, India.
 Irular live in two south Indian states – Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu they live in the Nilgiris,
Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal, Salem and Dharmapuri. In Kerala they live in the Palakkad
district and Attapady and Walayar panchayats.
 People of Irula ethnicity are called Irular, and speak Irula, which belongs to the Dravidian family
 Along with their knowledge in medicine, their skill at capturing snakes, especially venomous ones, is
almost legendary.
Jnanpith Award
Author Amitav Ghosh was felicitated with the 54th Jnanpith Award for his outstanding contribution to the
enrichment of Indian Literature in English
 Amitav Ghosh is the first English writer to get this prestigious award.
 Born in Kolkata, Ghosh who spent his formative years in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has studied
in Delhi, Oxford and Alexandria.
 He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990 for his book The Shadow Lines and the Padma
Shri in 2007 for his services to literature and education.
Jnanpith Award
 The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an
author for their “outstanding contribution towards literature”.
 Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian writers writing in Indian languages included
in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English
 The English language was added to the list of languages for consideration after the 49th Jnanpith
Award.
 The award is not conferred posthumously.
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YOJANA & KURUKSHETRA
KURUKSHERTA - DRINKING WATER FOR RURAL INDIA
The idea of population health or public health is said to have born in Rome with the development of bath
(for hygiene), sewers (drainage), and aqueducts (to supply safe water to cities). Romans brought pure water
to all their cities through aqueducts, drained marshes to combat malaria and built sewerage systems.
The basic physiological requirement for drinking water has been estimated at 2 liters per person per day.
For urban settings, the water availability of 150-200 liters per person is considered adequate to meet all
domestic purposes. In rural India, a norm of 40 liter per person per day is a set target.
 The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 2000-2015, had the target of reducing the proportion
of the worlds population without sustainable access to safe water (MDG 7).
 In 2010, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) explicitly recognized the human right to water and
sanitation.
 In 2015, WHO & UNICEF jointly developed WASH FIT (water and sanitation for health facility
improvement tool). It aims to guide small, primary health care facilities in low and middle income
countries through a continuous cycle of improvement.
 Clean water and sanitation is the 6th goal of SDGs. It is targeted to achieve the following global goals
by 2030:
 Universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
 Access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation,
paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
 Improving water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing the
release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater
and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
Global Facts: Related to Water
 According to the reports published by UN, 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water at
home and 80% of those who have to use unsafe and unprotected water sources, reside in rural areas.
 Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to transmission of diseases such as Cholera,
Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Typhoid and Polio.
 Diarrhoea is the most widely known disease linked to contaminated food and water. Globally, an
estimated 8,42,000 people die each year due to diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking water, sanitation
and hand hygiene.
 Nearly, 2/3rd of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity at least for 31 days per
year. The intense impact of water scarcity could displace 700 million people by 2030.
 In 8 out of 10 households, women and girls are responsible for water collection.
 Water consumption of the world is doubling every 20 years, which is more than twice the rate of
increase of our population.
 The majority of the reduction in the world’s water tables, large rivers that run dry and increasingly
saline groundwater is caused by Agriculture.
India Facts: Related to Water
 India is among the world’s most water stressed countries. In 1950, India had 3000-4000 cubic meters
of water per person. Today this has fallen to around 1000 cubic meters, largely due to population
growth.
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 According to NSSO, about 88.5% households in rural India had improved source of drinking water and
among these 85% had sufficient drinking water.
 In our country ground water is the major source of water and around 85% of the population is dependent
on it. Remaining 15% of the rural water supply comes from surface water sources.
Rural Drinking Water Infrastructure

Fully Covered 80.9%
Partially Covered 15.59%
Drinking Water Quality Affected 3.5%
Piped Water Supply Schemes 44.84%
Challenges
Water Quality Issues
The erstwhile Planning Commission had found that between 1995-2004, the proportion of unsafe districts
(semi-critical, critical, and over-exploited), the proportion of areas affected and population affected had
grown from 9 % to 31%, from 5% to 33% and from 7% to 35% respectively.
As many as 4 crore rural population are suffering from water contamination that varies from fluoride,
arsenic, iron, salinity, nitrate, heavy metals etc.
Factors leading to the deterioration of water quality in rural areas;
 Over-Extraction by agriculture and Industry sectors
 Uncontrolled construction activities
 Siltation of rural water bodies
 Erratic rainfall and droughts
 Incessant and increased use of pesticides, fertilizers and industrial effluents
Other Challenges
 Equity – Unequal spatial distribution. For example, Brahmaputra and barak basin with only 7.3% of
the geographical area have 31% of the annual water resources.
 Disparities – Sharp socio-cultural and economic inequalities persist, not only between rural and urban
areas but also in towns and cities.
 Access - According to the Britain based charity WaterAid, nearly 163 million of India’s population
lack access to clean water close to home.
 Demand Pressure– According to a report submitted by CWC, if current pattern of demand continues
about half of the demand for water will be unmet by 2030.
 Climate Change – Extreme rates of rainfall and evapotranspiration will intensify the impacts of floods
and droughts.
 Over-Exploitation – 60% of our districts face ground water over-exploitation and with 251 (cu km)
annual groundwater extraction rate, our country is the world’s biggest consumer of groundwater.
Prevalent Technologies for Water Purification & Treatment
 Capacitive Deionization (CDI) – In this, a separator channel (with a porous electrode on each
side) removes ions from water.
 Ozonation Technique – It is based on the ozone infusion into the water for chemical water
treatment
 Ultraviolates Technology – It is used to kill micro-organisms of water.
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 Reverse Osmosis – Majority of contaminants are removed through a semi-permeable membrane.
 TERAFIL – It is a burnt red clay porous media used for filtration & treatment of raw water into
clean drinking water. (Developed by CSIR)
 OS-Community scale arsenic filter – It is an organic arsenic filter which is developed by the
IIT Kharagpur.
 Solar Water Puriification Systems.
Government Initiatives: Water Governance in India

Article 47 – In India, the provision of clean drinking water has been given priority in the constitution with
article 47 conferring the duty of providing clean drinking water and improving public health standards to
the state.
Supply of potable and drinking water has been a top priority of central and state governments. Rural water
supply is a state subject in India.
 In 1946, Bhore Committee advocated for the provision of safe water to cover 90% of India’s
population within a timeframe of 40 years.
 The first ever formal schematic intervention was initiated with the implementation of the
Accelearted Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) during 1972-73, it was aimed at speeding
coverage of drinking water supply.
 ARWSP’s approach got modified by the introduction of the National Drinking Water Mission in 1986.
 The first ever National Water Policy was drafted in 1987 to give a concrete direction to the approach
adopted to create sustainable water infrastructure.
 In 1991, Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission replaced NDWM.
 Swajal Dhara Scheme was implemented to fulfill the MDGs commitment on sustainable access to
safe drinking water. It accorded priority to serving villages which did not have an adequate source of
water.
 In 1994, the 73rd constitutional amendment incorporated specific provisions of entrusting the
responsibility of drinking water supply to PRIs.
 The period 2005-12, witnessed Bharat Nirman Programme during which National Rural Drinking
Water Programme (NRDWP) was launched in 2009, to cover all rural habitations with safe drinking
water.
 A strategic plan for the rural drinking water sector has been prepared for 2011-2022. It aims to extend
the piped water supply to more households in the rural areas.
 From 2016, NRDWP was transformed into an outcome oriented schematic intervention to ensure
adequate potable water availability without undermining the importance of convenience, affordability
and equity in distributing drinking water in rural areas.
 The central government aims to cover 90% rural households with piped water supply and 80% rural
households with tap connections by 2022.
 In 2017, MDWS started a new sub-programme under NRDWP known as the National Water Quality
Sub-Mission (NWQSM) to address the urgent need for providing clean drinking water in already
identified 28,000 arsenic and fluoride affected habitations.
 A pilot project in the name of ‘Swajal’ as a demand driven and community centered programme was
launched in 2018 to provide sustainable access to drinking water to people in the rural areas.
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 Government has also come up with a 6,000 crore world bank aided Atal Bhujal Yojana with
community participation to ensure sustained groundwater management in overexploited and ground
water stressed areas in seven states.
 Integrated management information system – To monitor the coverage status of rural habitations
and population with potable drinking water.
 In a renewed focus, the thrust area is piped water supply, preferably through a balanced mix of
sustainable surface and groundwater based resources.
Institutions Dealing with Water Governance in India
Role of Community
The effective implementation of these schemes demands active engagement of community through PRIs,
SHGs and Co-operatives in rural areas.
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Social
Mobilization
Act as
Water
Programme
Security &
Implementin
Safety Plan
g Agencies
Convergence Technical
with line Support
departments Cells
Role of
Community
Monitor -
Availability, Social
Sources & Audits
Quality
Usage of Periodic
Grass root Sanitary
workers Surveys
Central Water  It regulates the use of water to irrigate surface waters, the industry
Commission (CWC) and potable water.
 It also mediates in disputes related to the inter-state water allocation.
Central Groundwater  It monitors ground water levels and rates of depletion and the
Board (CGWB) production of water resource inventories and maps.
National River  It oversees implementation of Action Plans to improve the quality of
Conservation the rivers in india.
Directorate (NCRD)
Central Pollution  It promotes basin wide pollution control strategies.
Control Board (CPCB)  It liaises with the state water pollution boards for laying down the
standards for the treatment of sewage and effluents.
 It is also responsible for action in the case of non-compliance by
agencies.
Ministry of Drinking  It is the nodal ministry for the overall policy, planning, funding and
Water and Sanitation co-ordination of the NRDWP.
(MDWS)
Ministry of Agriculture  It deals with planning, formulation, monitoring and reviewing of
(MoA) various watersheds based developmental project activities.
Central Bureau of  It performs collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of the
Health Intelligence information on health conditions in the country
(CBHI)
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Bureau of Indian  It is responsible for the drafting of standards pertaining to drinking
Standards (BIS) water quality.
Case Study
Gujarat Government in 2001 created WASMO (Water and Sanitation Management Organisation),
an autonomous entity to facilitate community managed drinking water facilities in rural areas of
Gujarat. It adopted a demand-driven community led cost sharing service approach with a thrust
on capacity building.
It focused on bulk transfer of water from water surplus south Gujarat to water deficient north Gujarat.
It also involved community in recharging both traditional and other existing water structures by
utilizing both local and modern technical knowledge.
It was bestowed the 2010 Commonwealth CAPAM International Award for relentless work to ensure
sustainable safe drinking water.
Government need to provide timely and adequate technical and financial support and an enabling
environment for PRIs and local communities like SHGs and cooperatives to manage and monitor rural
drinking water sources and systems at local level to achieve the objective of ‘Har Ghar Jal’.
Way-Forward
Traditional Water Harvesting (TWH) Structures

TWH structures catered to the local needs, utilized local resources and were based on the wisdom
and knowledge handed down from generation to generation. Some of the TWH structures in
Rajasthan are; Kundi, Kui/Beri, Baori, Jhalara, Nadi, Toba, Tanka etc.
Reasons for the dysfunctional state of TRH structures:
 Availability of other sources of water.
 Requirement of financial resources for their use and maintenance
 Requirement of time and labour
 Lack of ownership and participation
 Tendency to disregard age old and time tested lifestyle
Revival Strategies
 NGO, Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS) has been working on the revival of johads since 1986. It has
revived five river systems. It relied on community participation and involved religious leaders.
 NGO, Jal Bhagirathi Foundation (JBF) has been working in the area of water security for the
Marwar region. It promotes revival of TWH structures by using inexpensive, simple and
traditional technology.
 Under CSR, some corporates have also been involved in supporting the revival of TWH
structures. For example, in 2015, Vedanta Cairn was involved in cleaning and maintaining the
Bhap Nadi in Barmer. Lupin was involved in construction of check dams and anicuts in
Bharatpur.
 Educational and research institutions have also been involved in working for popularizing revival
of TRH structures.
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The success stories on the revival of Traditional Rainwater Harvesting Structures available from
different parts of the state indicate such efforts are a viable and cost effective option for mitigating
drought and for meeting water needs.
 Better Data – Develop better data on water quality and quantity, and a robust hydrological information
system for developing precise information about the resource availability and planning.
 Shift in approach is required to ‘area-specific development interventions’ from universalization of
schemes.
 Independent Mapping – To identify localities within the community itself with greater developmental
issues relating to supply of safe drinking water.
 Basin/Sub-basin level water management – Several basins are interstate, thus it would require
riparian states to come to a consensus, which is a complex & time taking process.
 Water Source Improvement – Ground water quantity and quality is degrading at an unprecedented
rate which needs an immediate response.
 Integrated Water & Waste Management – Waste water and waste are the major causes of water
contamination in rural areas with high negative health impacts.
 Supply and Access Augmentation – On supply side, wastewater reuse and recycling and rain water
harvesting should be encouraged. On the access front households and farms with poor access to water
should be targeted on priority.
 Decentralised Systems – Decentralised solutions for topographies which are difficult to be connected
to centralized systems needs to be promoted in a big way to complement the existing water
infrastructure.
 Demand Side Management – Increased adoption of water efficient practices and agro-ecology based
crop selection in the agriculture sector as the groundwater sources are finite.
 Capacity Building – Of institutions involved in water resources management to trigger more
interactions.
 Institutional and Legislative reforms – Water is segregated amongst so many insitutions that
accountability is difficult to be defined. There is no umbrella agency that controls the governance of
the water sector.
 Revival of Traditional Wisdom – It is essential to recognize, acknowledge and document traditional
practices and customs. Community needs to be made the guardian of water resources in their locality.
For example, Beris (Shallow wells) in Rajasthan.
 Preparedness for Disasters – Rural areas are vulnerable to both floods and droughts. Drinking water
is heavily affected during extreme events thus people must be made aware of actions to be taken for
restoring drinking water.
 Implementation - In order to arrest the problems of arsenic and fluoride contamination in drinking
water, NITI Aayog had recommended commissioning of community water purification plants and
advocated for last mile connectivity of piped water supply schemes.
 Empowerment of PRIs with more resources is a viable and sustainable option for scaling up the
decentralized service delivery model.
 Finding Nature based solutions - In 2001, Tamil Nadu government made it compulsory for each
household to have rainwater harvesting infrastructure and the results are now reflected in the
improvement of overall water quality within 5 years. A similar experiment has been tried out in the
cities of Bangalore and Pune, where housing societies are required to harvest rainwater.
YOGA
Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science which focuses on bringing
harmony between mind and body.
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The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word yoga/yuj is ‘Yoke’ which is joining of individual’s soul energy
with that of God’s (supreme soul).
Goals
 To overcome all kinds of sufferings that lead to a sense of freedom in every walk of life with holistic
health, happiness and harmony. To look inward to nurture spirit and stay healthy.
 Living life ethically based on certain rules of eating, sleeping and performing duties without fear and
attachments.
 Yoga is universal with no relation with caste, sex, religion, region, etc.
Brief History & Development of Yoga
 Adiyogi Lord Shiva is regarded as the father of yoga who transmitted knowledge about mechanism of
human system to the saptrishis and saints.
 Agastya, the saptrishi, travelled across the India sub-continent, crafted this culture around a core yogic
way of life.
 Maharishi Patanjali, father of modern yoga, systematized and codified the then existing yogic
practices, its meaning and its related knowledge through Patanjali Yoga Sutras.
 Yoga is widely considered as an ‘immortal culture outcome’ of the Indus Valley Civilization dating
back to 2700 BC and has proven itself to cater both material and spiritual uplift of humanity.
 A number of seals and fossil remains of Indus Valley Civilization with Yogic motifs and figures
performing yoga sadhana suggest the presence of yoga in ancient India.
 The presence of Yoga is also available in folk traditions, vedic and upanishadic heritage, Buddhists and
Jain traditions, Darshanas, epics of Mahabharata including Bhagwadgita and Ramanyana, theistic
traditions of Shaivas, Vaishnavas and Tantric Tradtions.
 Before the industrial revolution, fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day’s activities
without undue fatigue.
 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, Swami Vivekananda introduced Yoga to the USA.
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Overcome
temptations
and
Reduces addictions Strengthens
Health Immune
Expenditure System
Relaxes
Cleanses body-
accumulate emotion
d toxins mind
complex
Benefits
Enahnce
mental/emo Enhances
tional energy flow
balance
Control over Calm

autonomic Internal
respiratory Environmen
mechanism t
Enhances
Psychosoma
self
tic Harmony
confidence
Limited Success;
 Few educational institutions have promoted this as daily activity.
 People indulge in yoga only when they suffer some ailments.
 Limited set of people are doing it from childhood in schools or as part of family traditions.
 Actual benefits at the deeper levels in form of attaining peace and everlasting happiness remain largely
untouched.
The increasing use of alternative medicine not only in developing nations but also in industrialized and
presumable advanced western nations presents itself as something of an enigma. Yoga is proving to be the
most desirable complimentary and traditional system of health care in the present scenario.
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YOJANA – YOGA & ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS OF MEDICINE
The early medicine practices, around 3000 BC to 3500 BC, started independently in every culture, which
then started influencing each other starting 200 BC, with a major convergence around 800 AD onwards
with the evolution of Arab medicine.
The dawn of scientific or modern medicine started in the mid of the 15th century. It evolved on the
foundation created by the ancient systems of medicine over a period of 4500 years (2500 BC – 1500 AD).
Medicine in India originated around 3000 BC, when the practice of Ayurveda is considered to have started.
In addition, the siddha system of medicine is also Indian in origin. The period of 800 BC to 600 AD is
regarded as the golden period for Indian medicine, a period which coincides with widely accepted
authorities in ayurvedic medicine, such as Atreya, Charaka and Sushruta. Of them, Atrya is considered as
the first great Indian physician and teacher. Charaka wrote Charaka Samhita and was the most popular
physician of the time. Sushruta is referred to as father of Indian surgery. He wrote Sushruta Samhita, a
treatise on surgery.
Alternative Systems of Medicine in India
Ayurveda: It evolved nearly 5000years ago (3000BC). The word Ayurveda means ‘Science of life’ and
employs treatment modalities such as purification, palliation, prescription of various diets, exercises and
the avoidance of disease causing factors. The Ayurveda medicine though practiced for a wide range of
health needs, is more commonly used for preventive and health and immunity boosting activities.
Unani Medicine: Unani Medicine originated in the Arab world, though over a period of time it imbibed
some concepts from other contemporary systems of medicines in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Persia, India, China
and other Middle East Countries. Unani medicine treats a patient with diet, pharmacotherapy, exercise,
massages and surgery. Unani was introduced in India around 10 th century AD.
Homeopathy - The word ‘Homoeopathy’ is derived from two Greek words, Homois meaning similar and
pathos meaning suffering. Homoeopathy simply means treating diseases with remedies, prescribed in
minute doses, which are capable of producing symptoms similar to the disease when taken by healthy
people. It is based on the natural law of healing- "Similia Similibus Curantur” which means "likes are cured
by likes”.
Siddha – Siddha system is one of the oldest systems of medicine in India. The term Siddha is derived from
the root word ‘Siddhi’ which means object to be attained or perfection. Siddha literature is in Tamil and it
is practiced largely in Tamil speaking part of India and abroad. The Siddha System is largely therapeutic in
nature. It takes into account the patient, his/her surroundings, age, sex, race, habitat etc. to arrive at the
diagnosis.
Sowa-Rigpa – The word combination means the ‘science of healing’. It has been originated from Tibet and
popularly practice in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia and Russia. The majority of theory and practice of
Sowa-Rigpa is similar to “Ayurveda”. In India, this system is widely practice in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh,
Darjeeling (West Bengal), Dharamsala, Lahaul and Spiti(Himachal Pradesh) and Ladakh region of Jammu
& Kashmir.
Naturopathy – Naturopathy is a drugless non-invasive rational and evidence based system of medicine
imparting treatments with natural elements based on the Theory of vitality, theory of toxemia, theory of
self healing capacity of the body and the principles of healthy living. The applied aspects of Naturopathy
includes mainly fasting and diet supported by treatments with natural elements which includes
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Hydrotherapy, Chromotherapy, Mud Therapy, Manipulative therapy, Electrotherapy, Acupuncture,
Magnetotherapy, Physiotherapy, Exercise & Yoga Therapy.
Yoga - The concepts and practices of Yoga originated in India about several thousand years ago. The literal
meaning of the Sanskrit word Yoga is ’Yoke’. Yoga can therefore be defined as a means of uniting the
individual spirit with the universal spirit of God. According to Maharishi Patanjali, Yoga is the suppression
of modifications of the mind.
 Maharishi Patanjali, rightly called "The Father of Yoga" compiled and refined various aspects of
Yoga systematically in his "Yoga Sutras" (aphorisms).
 He advocated the eight folds path of Yoga, popularly known as "Ashtanga Yoga" for all-round
development of human beings. They are:- Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana,
Dhyana and Samadhi.
 These components advocate certain restraints and observances, physical discipline, breath regulations,
restraining the sense organs, contemplation, meditation and samadhi.
 Yoga is a discipline to improve or develop one’s inherent power in a balanced manner. It offers the
means to attain complete self-realization.
 Yoga is now being adapted to correct lifestyle by cultivating a rational, positive and spiritual attitude
towards all life situations.
 Yoga today, is no longer restricted to hermits, saints, and sages; it has entered into our everyday
lives and has aroused a worldwide awakening and acceptance in the last few decades.
 The science of Yoga and its techniques have now been reoriented to suit modern sociological needs
and lifestyles.
 Experts of various branches of medicine including modern medical sciences are realizing the role of
these techniques in the prevention and mitigation of diseases and promotion of health.
 Yoga is universal in character for practice and application irrespective of culture, nationality, race,
caste, creed, sex, age and physical condition.
Increasing Relevance of Yoga in Modern Times
 Panacea for Modern Diseases – It is an important tool in controlling diabetes, obesity, cancer,
hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.
 Yoga and Youth – Indian youth form more than 50% of the total population, they should practice yoga
for overall development and promoting ageless Indian culture and tradition.
 Physical Inactivity – It is now identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality.
According to WHO, there is no improvement in global levels of physical inactivity since 2001.
 Unhealthy Diet – It is the second biggest factor in India driving most deaths and disability combined
after malnutrition.
 Mental Health – Yoga has been used as a sole treatment for patients with mild to moderate depressions,
schizophrenia and psychotic disorders. It improves socialization, motivation to do activities and
cognitive abilities.
 Health Cost – Global Healthcare is dominated by modern medicine. Its cost is going beyond the reach
of poor and middle class people. Yoga offers necessary wisdom, experience and capabilities that are
crucial for transformational change.
 Help Reduce Attention Deficits – Yoga produces state of calmness and contentment which is lacking
in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
 Healthy Elderly Individuals – Yoga has been found to be effective in improving the domains of
quality of life and sleep quality along with memory which can alleviate concerns of the ageing world.
 Yoga holds promise as a complementary therapy in cases of tobacco, alcohol and opioid
dependence during both the acute withdrawal phase and long term relapse prevention.
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 Yoga is the science of a being’s evolution that activates inner energies blossoming human potential to
its fullness. It is a health insurance at zero budget.
 Yoga reflects love for ecological balance, tolerance towards other systems of thought and a
compassionate outlook towards all creations.
 India can emerge in yogic and spiritual planes and earn the encomium of yoga vishwa guru (world
yoga preceptor) among the comity of nations in the coming years.
How Yoga Works
 Cleanses the accumulated toxins through various shuddi kriyas and generates a sense of relaxed
lightness through jathis and vyayama type activities.
 Free flow in all bodily passages prevents the many infections that may occur when pathogens stagnate
therein.
 Creates positive antioxidant enhancement through adoption of a Yogic lifestyle with proper
nourishing diet, thus neutralizing free radicals while enabling a rejuvenative storehouse of nutrients
packed with life energy to work on anabolic, reparative and healing processes .
 Steadies the entire body through different physical postures held in a steady and comfortable manner
without strain.
 Physical balance and a sense of ease with oneself enhance mental / emotional balance and enable all
physiological processes to occur in a healthy manner.
 Improves control over autonomic respiratory mechanisms though breathing patterns. The mind
and emotions are related to our breathing pattern and rate and hence the slowing down of the breathing
process influences autonomic functioning, metabolic processes as well as emotional responses.
 Integrates body movements with the breath thus creating psychosomatic harmony. In Yoga the
physical body is related to our anatomical existence and the mind to our psychological existence. As
our physiological existence sustained by the energy of the breath lies in between them, the breath is the
key to psychosomatic harmony.
 Focuses the mind positively on activities being done, thus enhancing energy flow and resultant healthy
circulation to the different body parts and internal organs.
 Creates a calm internal environment through contemplative practices that in turn enable
normalization of homeostatic mechanisms. Yoga is all about balance or samatvam at all levels of being.
 Relaxes the body-emotion-mind complex through physical and mental techniques that enhance our
pain threshold and coping ability in responding to external and internal stressors.
 Enhances self-confidence and internal healing capacities through the cultivation of right attitudes
towards life and moral-ethical living through yama-niyama and various Yogic psychological principles.
 Yoga works towards restoration of normalcy in all systems of the human body with special
emphasis on the psycho-neuro-Immuno-endocrine axis.
The concept of positive health is one of Yoga’s unique contributions to modern healthcare as Yoga has
both a preventive as well as promotive role in the healthcare of our masses. It is also inexpensive and can
be used in tandem with other systems of medicine in an integrated manner to benefit patients.
Promotion of Yoga
 UNESCO inscribed Yoga in the representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in
2016.
 UNO declared June 21st as International Day of Yoga (IDY), celebration of this IDY has become
global phenomenon.
 Inclusion of Yoga in National Health Policy 2017: In order to leverage a proper healthcare legacy,
the national health policy 2017 recommended introduction of Yoga in school and at work places as part
of promotion of good health.
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 Yoga in School Curriculum: To promote yoga, yoga education was made compulsory by National
council for teacher education (NCTE), a statutory body through its 15 teacher education programme.
 Yoga Certification Board: Established by Ministry of AYUSH for certification of yoga professionals
and accreditation of Yoga institutions and personnel certification body.
 UGC has established Yoga Departments: In six central universities and framed standard yoga syllabi
for various courses by constituting an expert committee.
 National Eligibility Test in Yoga: Has been conducted for lectureship and research fellowship for the
first time.
 MEA deputes Yoga Teachers to Indian Missions: For imparting training to local students and
teachers.
 India-China College of Yoga: ICCR (Indian council for cultural relations) has signed an MoU with
Yunnan Minzu university of China for establishment of college.
 Yoga Olympiad: NCERT has taken the intiative of “Yoga Olympiad” for school children.
 Yoga training to CAPF: Ministry of AYUSH has introduced yoga training to CAPF.
 PM Awards on IDY: Four awards, two national and two international have been announced in the
field of yoga.
 National AYUSH Mission: It inter alia makes provision for the following:
 Upgradation of exclusive state government AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries including yoga.
 Setting up of upto 50 bedded integrated AYUSH hospital including yoga.
 Under the flexible components of the scheme of NAM, provision has been made for grant in
aid to the yoga wellness centers.
 Common Yoga Protocol – Union government with the advice from yoga gurus in the country has
developed a common yoga protocol which can be used worldwide by people.
About the International Day of Yoga Logo

 The logo is etched on a white background representing a pair hands stretched outwards from the
body and joined together.
 The joining of both the hands symbolizes the union of
individual consciousness with that of the universal
consciousness. This symbolizes a perfect harmony between
the body, mind and the soul which is the ultimate aim of
any yogi.
 Below the human art form, there are 2 pairs of brown and
green leaves, symbolizing the elements of earth and nature.
 The blue human figure symbolizes the element of water and
the orange halo above head, symbolizing the element of fire,
which is the source of all energy and hence commands the
topmost spot.
 Behind the human figure, a picture of the globe can be seen
which symbolises solidarity and oneness.
 Below the logo the words “Yoga for harmony and peace
“are inscribed which is believed to be the essence of Yoga.
There is a focus, both globally and in India, on strengthening primary healthcare (PHC) and advancing
UHC, which would require interventions at all levels of health systems. This is possible if the potential
contribution of alternative systems of medicines to improve health services and health outcomes is fully
used and by ensuring that users are able to make informed choices about self-healthcare.
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Topper’s Corner

Interview Transcript: Kajal Jawla (UPSC CSE 2018, Rank 28)

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General Studies (Mains) Paper 1

role of women, No specific source – from newspaper reading

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Topic How Did You Prepare? / Referred books

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