CURRENT AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER (23RD-28TH),2019

23^rd September, 2019

TOPIC- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes

1. Multisectoral approach is one of the key steps to tackle malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies to help control infections, morbidity, disability and mortality. Discuss.

Ans:

Introduction

India’s greatest national treasure is our people but one-fourth of our children are born with low birth weight, 35.7% of children under five are underweight, 38.4% are stunted and 21% are wasted. Severe acute malnutrition (SAM), estimated, as severe wasting is 7.5%. Although India has shown progress in improving child nutrition, malnutrition remains high.

Importance of multisectoral approach in tackling malnutrition

• United Nations Children’s Fund’s (Unicef, 1990) conceptual framework on the determinants of child malnutrition illustrates the multidimensional nature of the problem and requires a multisectoral approach to address it.
• Multisectoral approach is one of the key steps to tackle malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies to help control infections, morbidity, disability and mortality.
• One of the major advantages of a multisectorial approach is resource optimisation. Also, it aims to ensure a strong focus on management through institutional and programmatic convergence, by integrating it in the planning, implementation and supervision processes.
• This approach will lead to better policies, institutions and programmes to improve nutrition outcomes.

Conclusion

Poshan Abhiyan recognises that chronic malnutrition is a major nutrition problem in the country. This approach considers the factors that limit the capacity of government institutions to implement it. The Poshan Abhiyaan already ensures convergence with various line departments aimed at initiating convergent action plans at every level of care, to achieve synergy and the desired results. Taking a sector-wide approach by engaging multiple stakeholders can leverage knowledge, expertise, reach, and resources, benefiting from their combined and varied strengths to produce better health outcomes.

Reference: Hindustan Times

 

TOPIC- Energy

2. Examine the opportunities which International Solar Alliance (ISA) presents for India and the challenges it faces today.

Ans:

Introduction

International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty based inter-governmental international organisation with the vision of making solar energy affordable thus achieving energy security and sustainable development. The key idea of the ISA is to “harmonize and aggregate demand for solar finance, solar technologies, innovation, research and development, and capacity building”.

Opportunities ISA presents for India

• The ISA is not only expected to spur innovation in the RE space but also help make India a technological hub with independent manufacturing capabilities of RE equipment like solar panels, rather than being dependent on imports, through initiatives like ‘Make in India’.
• The ISA aims to mobilise $1 trillion low-cost financing for massive deployment of solar energy by 2030 and bring together 121 countries that lie between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn that receive plenty of sunshine. India which is hydrocarbon-deficit with high energy demand and is grappling with issues ranging from lack of infrastructure, lack of manufacturing capacity and high energy tariffs will get access to renewable energy at affordable prices.
• The Indian leadership also sees its active role within the ISA as a reiteration of India’s commitment to fulfilling its global commitment on addressing climate change in a time-bound manner and help boost global confidence in India’s capacities.

Challenges being faced by ISA

• Struggle for economic and social consensus among nations to focus on solar technology
• Poor financial condition of majority of members to adopt the “initially-expensive but cheap later” Solar energy.
• Unsustainably low Solar Tariff and further plunge disincentivising investment from private sectors. Thus slower growth in innovation in battery / converter technology.
• Lobbying and indirect efforts of Oil-Coal Lobby to stem the growth of green tech and efforts to check climate change. (ex- USA pulls out of paris accord)
• Paucity of raw materials like Lithium for battery tech and monopolistic attitude of the resource-owners (China holds major stake in Lithium market).
• ISA as an endeavor holds huge potential. Positive Cooperation is sine qua non to achieving its novel aim.

Way forward

There is great optimism that the solar alliance would help in pushing ‘power for all’ into a more realistic realm. Furthermore, the ISA could be greatly beneficial in boosting technology transfer and emphasising the need for greater storage technologies. ISA member countries could also cooperate in developing an integrated electronic mobility ecosystem that is fueled by solar energy. India too would benefit immensely from the Alliance.

Reference: The Hindu

 

24^th September, 2019

TOPIC- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications,

1. Critically analyse the (Unlawful Activities Prevention) Act, 2019.

Ans:

Introduction

Recently, the Parliament amended Unlawful Activities Prevention Act of 1967. Before the amendments, only organizations could be listed as banned groups. The absence of such a provision allegedly put India in an awkward position when it asked other countries including the United Nations to list individuals as terrorists. The amendment is a welcome move, but it is not without its share of drawbacks.

Drawbacks of the Amendment Act

• The new UAPA, listing an individual as terrorist doesn’t require scrutiny of the court or even conviction by a court.
• The National Investigative Agency and therefore the government can list anyone as terrorist if its “believes” someone is involved in a terror case – courts, evaluation or scrutiny of evidence has no role. Simply put, listing an individual is on the presumption of guilt whereas our criminal jurisprudence says “innocent till proven guilty.”
• Importantly, naming an individual as terrorist will mean that the right to liberty – a fundamental right – is prejudiced and violated.
• By allowing individuals to be named as a terrorist even before a court of law has come to a decision threatens basic tenet of our Constitution.
• There are thousands of cases where innocent people, mostly youth, who are charged with a terror-related offence, locked up for years only to released by the courts for lack of evidence later.
• It is indicative of the abuse that is a rampant or shoddy investigation.
• Surprisingly, if ever, have errant officers or institutions penalized in cases where even courts have concluded that the individual was framed.

Conclusion

Listing an individual as a “terrorist” could follow a conviction under the UAPA would perhaps be a better way out. Independent scrutiny by the courts would not only irrefutable but also be much assurance to all, especially people- at -large.

Reference: Hindustan Times

 

TOPIC- Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

2. What is DNA Fingerprinting? Describe the process of DNA Fingerprinting. What is its use?

Ans:

DNA Fingerprinting

DNA Fingerprinting is a technique, for identification of an individual by examining their DNA. It is also known as DNA Profiling. It identifies the individual on the basis of a unique part of the DNA which repeats throughout the genome known as Micro Satellite. This term was first used by Alec Jeffry. Blood, bones, hair with root, saliva, semen, teeth, and tissue can also be used to study the DNA.

DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic acid, is the basic building block of life. This component in cells contains all the information about an organism and it also helps transfer the characteristics to the next generation. The DNA of each individual is composed of Bases [Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G), and Cytosine (C)], Sugar and a Phosphate. Two bases link to each other using hydrogen bonds to form base pairs.

How is it done?

There are certain steps involved in DNA Fingerprinting. These are:

• Purification and isolation of the DNA: The DNA is isolated from the available sample. Each type of sample has a specific protocol for isolation.
• Digestion: Restriction endonucleases are bacterial enzymes that cleave duplex DNA at specific target sequences with the production of defined fragments. These enzymes can be purchased from the many manufacturers of biotechnology products. It results in the formation of mutisized fragments.
• Poly Acrylamide Gel Electrophoresis: One small DNA fragment can become a thousand to million copies. This amplified DNA sample then undergoes a technique called gel electrophoresis, which splits it into different visible bands.
• Blotting: The desired DNA is transferred on a piece of nylon or some other medium and are split into single strands.
• Auto Radiography: The fragments undergo autoradiography in which they are exposed to DNA probes—pieces of synthetic DNA that are made radioactive and that bound to the mini satellites. A piece of X-ray film is then exposed to the fragments, and a dark mark is produced at any point where a radioactive probe is attached. The resultant pattern of marks could then be analyzed.

Use of DNA Fingerprinting

• For criminal identification
• To resolve disputes of maternity /paternity
• To identify mutilated remains
• In cases of exchange of babies in hospital wards,
• In forensic wildlife (The arrangement of the nucleotides is unique to any living form (except identical twins) be animals, plants, or microbes.)
• In identification of missing individuals.

 

25^th September, 2019

TOPIC- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

1. Although India is the third largest producer, by volume, of generic medicines, there are problems with their accessibility. In this context, discuss the steps the government could take immediately to improve and accelerate access to medicines to reduce non-communicable disease mortality.

Ans:

Introduction

Although India is the third largest producer, by volume, of generic medicines, there are problems with their accessibility. Newer medicines that could make a real difference to Indian patients are frequently only available in India years after their first global launch, or not at all.

Steps that could be taken to accelerate access to medicines

• There are several low-cost steps the government could take immediately to improve and accelerate access to medicines to reduce non-communicable disease mortality. These involve cutting red tape, taxes, and barriers to trade.
• Most obviously, there is GST of 5% on most medicines—an extra 5% from the pockets of sick people. There is also a 12% GST on a wide range of other important medical supplies, including bandages and sterile gauze, diabetic monitoring equipment, photographic plates used in x-rays, and so on. These tariffs must be abolished.
• In addition to tariffs, there are major obstacles to trade in medicines, particularly at, and behind borders. These so-called Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) include inefficient customs procedures, red-tape, and hidden taxes.
• For medicines, they also include burdensome labelling and packaging requirements, the need for importers to have multiple permits and licences, and the requirement that imported medicines pass through specific ports.
• The time, and effort involved in navigating these procedures add to the costs of trade in medicines, which are ultimately passed on to patients in the form of higher medicine prices.
• Then, there is the process of bringing a new medicine to India, which brings further delays and costs. A patent has to be examined, and granted before the process of registering, and launching a drug can begin. Due to delays and backlogs at the Indian Patent Office, it takes between five and seven years for a patent to be examined.
• The government, therefore, should look to eliminate as many of these superfluous regulations as possible.

Conclusion

Some countries have taken steps to reduce drug registration backlogs by entering into cooperation agreements with other mature drug regulatory authorities, for example, Mexico and a number of Gulf States. These reforms are cheap, easy to implement, and practical. They will supplement the government’s wider reforms of the healthcare system to bring access to all.

Reference: Financial Express

 

TOPIC- Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology

2. What do you understand by darknet or dark web? How do criminals use it for their own purpose?

Ans:

What is darknet?

The darknet refers to networks that are not indexed by search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. These are networks that are only available to a select group of people and not to the general internet public, and only accessible via authorization, specific software and configurations.

The term was originally coined in the 1970s to refer to computer networks that were isolated from the ARPANET for obvious security reasons. These darknets were able to receive communication from the ARPANET but were inaccessible and invisible in network lists and would disregard pings and other regular inquiries.

Users of this darknet are truly anonymous, and it is this anonymity that attracted the criminal element to it. Here they are free to conduct their business and express themselves without fear of repercussion. It has become a haven for criminals selling drugs and guns, human trafficking and scamming.

How do criminals use darknet?

• Unregistered weapons, drugs, forged and stolen documents or credit cards: In the Darknet there is everything that should not be available under the current law.
• Increasingly, IT experts with criminal ambitions are also offering their services in the Darknet.
• From overload attacks (DDoS attacks) designed to paralyze websites and Internet services to virus construction kits and spam campaigns – Darknet is a shopping paradise for cyber criminals.
• Payment is usually made in one of the numerous electronic crypto currencies, which are also designed for anonymity.

Reference: The Hindu

26^th September, 2019

TOPIC- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

1. What is India pitching for an entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)? Also highlight the obstacles facing India entering into NSG.

Ans:

Introduction

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a multilateral export control regime and a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.

Why is India pitching for entry into NSG?

• NSG controls major commercial activities under nuclear materials and nuclear technology transfer in world.
• Major powers of the world have monopoly over nuclear technology and materials in the world in NSG.
• India is energy deficient country; it needs nuclear technology to supply to its energy demands that is going to increase in near future.
• India also has vast thorium reserves which it can supply as nuclear fuel if it gets entry into the group

Obstacles facing India for entering into NSG

• India is not a signatory of NPT and CTBT.
• China opposing India bid to NSG.
• It will open windows for other countries like Israel and Pakistan.

Conclusion

India’s nuclear doctrine is non-proliferation-oriented and is both sensible and responsible. Having accepted IAEA safeguards and Additional Protocol and having effectively subscribed to and practised the principles of non-proliferation, it is immaterial if India has formally signed the NPT, CTBT or any other such treaty. India has already acquired high-level expertise in the peaceful use of nuclear energy in industry, power, agriculture and health care. India’s membership of the NSG shall not only benefit it but also encourage civil nuclear trade globally without compromising on world peace and harmony.

Reference: The Hindu

 

TOPIC- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment

2. The North Eastern Council (NEC) can play the role of an institutional anchor for constituent states, and help draw a blueprint of comprehensive development. Comment.

Ans:

Introduction

NEC, established under an Act of Parliament, came into existence in 1972. The Shillong-based advisory body has a different standing vis-à-vis the five zonal councils, constituted under the States Reorganization Act,1956. It was handed the remit of regional planning and ideation upon specific matters of shared interest — interstate transport, flood control and planning. However, for most part of its existence, NEC has fallen short of political expectations.

Can NEC help draw a blueprint of comprehensive development for constituent states?

Weak governance capacities of the northeastern states shackle their ability for effective planning and execution.

Delhi is far too remote to plan for a region with such complexity and diversity. The NEC is ideally suited to take up this mantle, and serve as a bridge with the central government.

The NEC can play the role of an institutional anchor for constituent states, and help draw a blueprint of comprehensive development.

Way forward

• NEC must reinvent itself as a regional think tank.
• The body needs to sharpen its attention on four verticals, where the northeast offers a comparative advantage — hydropower, horticulture, ecotourism and trade.
• With an estimated hydropower potential of nearly 60,000 MW, the region could become the powerhouse of India.
• The fertile land of northeast is producing exotic high value crops — tea, medicinal and aromatic plants, quinoa, kale, kiwi, orchids, dragon fruit, passion fruit, palm oil and large cardamom . The production, however, is thinly dispersed. Weak market linkages, limited warehousing infrastructure and cold chains constrain transportation of produce to the mainland and beyond.
• Bhutan, in spite of its small size, has emerged as a leading ecotourism destination in south Asia. Tourism in the north east has failed to take off in absence of a well-developed vision for tourism circuits.
• Trade over the land route with Myanmar has seen limited traction, even though it has shown encouraging results with Bangladesh.
• An empowered NEC, must provide mentorship for planning and oversight in these priority sectors.

Conclusion

This is an opportune occasion to take a fresh look at NEC’s mandate and dwell upon a course of reform. The transition of NITI Aayog could serve as a template for a suitable reincarnation of the North Eastern Council.

Reference: Hindustan Times

27^th September, 2019

TOPIC- India and its bilateral relations

1. India needs to balance its Iran-focussed short-term energy needs of keeping the US as a long-term partner to prosperity. Explain.

Ans:

Introduction

India and Iran relations are under huge stress as Iran faces renewed sanctions amid tensions with the United States. India, once one of the biggest customers of Iranian oil, has cut down significantly in the face of American sanctions. In this context, experts have argued that India needs to balance its Iran-focussed short-term energy needs of keeping the US as a long-term partner to prosperity.

How should India balance between US and Iran?

• Countries like India that have decided to weigh in favour of a globally-ratified sanctions rather than the US-driven ones, cannot take sides. For India, hungry to grow and therefore consume fuels, its energy needs surpass any other reason – Iran is India’s second-largest supplier of oil. Necessary as it may be, this is not a sufficient condition for support. The US remains India’s second-largest trading partner, after China, and one with which India has a favourable balance of trade.
• India needs to balance its Iran-focused short-term energy needs of keeping the US as a long-term partner to prosperity. What India is in a good position to do is be the negotiator between the US and Iran. Disruptive and surprising as the idea may sound, this position comes more through a process of elimination than positive choice – Russia is a political untouchable, China an emerging challenger against which trade wars could begin any time now, the EU is on the back foot through Trump’s threatened withdrawal from the NATO. This leaves India in a somewhat neutral, a somewhat friendly, and a definitely interested party to the crisis. India has the soft goodwill with both nations; what it lacks is the hard power to back any deal.
• In the face of a collapsing and increasingly discredited UN-led old global order, it is opportunities like these that could help bring the much-needed balance to international affairs and through it carve out new paths to a more equal, a more respectful, and a more harmonious future.

Reference: The Hindu

 

TOPIC- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

2. What are the challenges facing SAARC that have turned it into futile and dysfunctional organisation? Does BIMSTEC offer a better platform to India to engage with its South and South-east Asian neighbours?

Ans:

Introduction

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC is a regional intergovernmental Union of South Asian nations established in 1985 .Three decades have passed, but the objective of regional development has not been realised and contentious issues between member countries have turned SAARC dysfunctional.

Challenges in the working of SAARC

• Pakistan opposes any degree of regional integration under the SAARC framework.
• It has opposed connectivity initiatives in the SAARC summit and pulled out of the SAARC satellite project. Pakistani intransigence over SAARC issues has frustrated other member states time and again.
• In addition to that, Pakistan is openly hostile to two of the SAARC member states, i.e. India and Afghanistan. Pakistani inflexibility and opposition to India limits the ability of SAARC to achieve anything worthwhile in the region.

Does BIMSTEC offer a better platform?

• India’s efforts to renew its engagement with BIMSTEC offer a chance to pursue a regional cooperation agenda without facing the hostility of Pakistan.
• India would also be able to connect with other Southeast Asian states like Vietnam and Laos using the land and maritime connectivity via BIMSTEC members.
• India’s foreign policy has been paying attention to the region for the last 25 years under the rubric of its Look East policy.
• Now greater engagement with BIMSTEC will allow India to further engage Southeast Asian states.

Conclusion

Unless Pakistan seriously rethinks its strategy in SAARC, it will be hard to keep India and other states interested in the grouping. Pakistan may also not be interested in SAARC as it looks to receive massive Chinese investments. Without India and Pakistan’s active participation, SAARC can neither function nor foster more regional cooperation in South Asia.

Reference: Economic Times

The Diplomat

28^th September, 2019

TOPIC- India and its neighbourhood relations

1. Critically analyse the relevance of Panchsheel principles in India-China relations.

Ans:

Introduction

Sixty years ago, in 1954, India and China laid down the foundation of their bilateral relations on the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” which are popularly known as Panchsheel in India. These principles cover mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other’s internal matters, equality and mutual benefits and peaceful coexistence under its gamut.

Relevance of Panchsheel principles in Indo-China relations

• The violation of the principles of Panchsheel has been a common phenomenon.
• Panchsheel has been practised more in breach than in observance and that China never took the doctrine of peaceful coexistence seriously.
• The military stand-off at Longju in 1959 and the subsequent 1962 India China War were the first two major setbacks in the relations and put Panchsheel on the backburner. Later, China’s supply of arms to India’s archrival, Pakistan and its alleged support to Naga rebels in 1960s further violated these principles.
• Though Panchsheel may be seen as another step towards resolving differences, it is important to note that it has to some extent, lost its essence.

Conclusion

While India agreed to the principles, China showed an inconsistent and contradictory attitude by agreeing with many reservations. So five decades of no war is seen as mainly due the evaluation of the high price of war and not due to love for peace.

Reference: The Hindu

 

TOPIC- Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism

2. What is the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism?

Ans:

Introduction

The Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism is a proposed treaty which intends to criminalize all forms of international terrorism and deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to funds, arms, and safe havens. It is a draft proposed by India in 1996 that is yet to be adopted by the UNGA.

Major objectives

• To have a universal definition of terrorism that all 193-members of the UNGA will adopt into their own criminal law
• To ban all terror groups and shut down terror camps
• To prosecute all terrorists under special laws
• To make cross-border terrorism an extraditable offence worldwide.
• It also addresses, among other things, the issue of Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism in south Asia.

Concerns expressed by various countries

• US + allies: concerns over definition of terrorism, including acts by US soldiers in international interventions without UN mandate.
• Latin American countries: concerns over international humanitarian laws being ignored.
• There are also concerns that convention will be used to target Pakistan and restrict rights of self-determination groups in Palestine, Kashmir etc.

Reference: The Hindu