9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – December 22nd, 2021

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Why raising marriage age of women won’t achieve its stated goal
• How the Code on Wages ‘legalises’ bonded labour
• India is keeping an eye on Central Asia
• Ladakh: A deeply insecure Union Territory
• A delicate but necessary mission to Mynamar

GS Paper 3

• A fair playing field for ARCs to rival our new bad bank
• On Plastic pollution
• Our Harmed Forces?
• The data protection bills’ reduced emphasis on privacy

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Labour losses due to rising heat: India among the most affected, finds study
• Islamic states’ meeting agrees to set up trust fund for Afghanistan
• Efforts to boost manufacturing capacity in pharmaceutical sector
• Beej Gram Yojana
• How warehousing policy will reduce logistics expenses
• NITI Aayog signs a Statement of Intent with United Nations World Food Program (WFP)
• Agritech Challenge: AIM, NITI Aayog & UNCDF announce first AgriTech cohort under South-South Innovation platform
• Albino Indian Flapshell Turtle: A chance encounter with rare species
• Explained: NASA’s flagship telescope, and its successor
• Disinvestment’s tough climate call: The hurdle in govt’s fund-raising path
• Compassionate job not a vested right, says SC

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Why raising marriage age of women won’t achieve its stated goal

News: The move by Union Cabinet to raise the legal minimum age at marriage for women to 21, and introduction of an amendment to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, comes as a blow to women’s rights.

The move is neither feasible, nor grounded in evidence, nor respectful of women’s rights.

Why the move is not feasible or justified?

A lax record in enforcing earlier laws: The law prohibiting marriage below the age of 18 has been in effect in some form since the 1900s, yet child marriage persists. Moreover, even though more than one in five marriages took place below age 18, hardly any violations of the Act appear in our criminal records.

So when we have failed to even enforce a law against marriage before age 18, it is hardly feasible that we can succeed in enforcing a law that expands the age range

Not based on evidence: It is seen that those women who marry at the age of 21 and later are healthier, better nourished, better educated, and have better career opportunities than those experiencing child marriage. But the reason behind this is not their delayed marriages.

It is because they come from better-off households, don’t have to discontinue their education prematurely, have at least one better-educated parent, and do not come from socially excluded castes and tribes. Hence, raising of marriageable age is not justified by evidence too.

Denial of rights: Romantic relations are increasingly taking place in adolescence in India (as in the world over) and some young women will certainly make an informed decision to marry before they are 21. Thus, the present move denies women the right to make informed marriage decisions and their reproductive rights.

What is the way forward?

Enforce the existing law better: Growing evidence shows that the number of child marriages (under 18) may have increased in many states during the pandemic and lockdown periods. Hence, government should make efforts to ensure adherence to the present law, rather than raising the marriage age.

To empower disadvantaged women, and to ensure that delay in the timing of marriage happen on its own, without the need for legislation, the following steps can be taken:

– Investments in reversing the fundamental structural disadvantages that women who marry early face

– Addressing issues of equity – a) measures that will enable the disadvantaged women to complete their education, b) address safety issues of women in public places including public transportation, and d) change the perceptions of parents as they are the ultimate decision-makers on marriage related decisions for a majority of women.

How the Code on Wages ‘legalises’ bonded labour

News: The Code on Wages, 2019 gives legal sanction to Debt bondage, by allowing employers to extend limitless credit advances to their workers, and charge an unspecified interest rate on them.

What are the new changes brought in The Code on Wages, 2019?

Even, the weakest safeguards earlier in place under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 has been removed.

Comparison of earlier code vs new code

How the new changes in the Code on Wages institutionalises Debt bondage?

First, by removing the cap on the advances made, it allows employers to lend unlimited advances to their workers. This gives the employer more control over the employees.

Second, by adding the clause on interest. Moreover, with no details on what might be charged and increasing the deduction amount from 2 to 4 months will trap the employee in a vicious cycle of mounting debt and dwindling income.

The net impact is an open sanction for the bonded labour system to flourish.

Case studies related to Debt Bondage

Sahariya (a primitive tribal group) of Rajasthan: In 2011-12, a series of Sahariya families boldly came out one after the other and spoke of their experiences of violence and even rape at the hands of Sikh, caste Hindu, and Muslim landlords, for whom they had worked as ‘halis’ for generations.

Large-scale primary survey in a mining cluster of Nagaur district, Rajasthan: It revealed that, one in three workers interviewed had taken advances from their employers ranging from ₹1,000-₹1,50,000 at the time of joining work.

Why debt bondage still exists?

Despite our Constitution, the Labour Codes or various Supreme Court judgments, which have deterred the bonded labour system, it still exists because of the following reasons:

Firstly, Govt has done nothing to ensure the economic security of the labourers.

Secondly, the existence of bonded labour has simply been denied among elected representatives, or grossly understated.

Thirdly, dominant castes don’t want to give away their power. According to Anand Teltumbde, the dominant castes understand that if Dalits came to own the means of survival, they will abandon their low status and the social bondage.

Fourthly, the deepening economic inequality to the advantage of the privileged castes and classes.

What are the negative implications?

Firstly, it denies the employee, their families and future generations, of their most basic rights.

Secondly, the disproportionate effect of this huge regression in the Labour Code will fall on Dalits and the landless. Because, the vast proportion of landless agricultural labourers in India, to date, are Dalits.

Thirdly, according to Ambedkar, economic enslavement was an extreme form of coercion, and it makes political freedom meaningless.

What is the way forward?

BR Ambedkar had suggested for state intervention in the economic structure to prevent such practices. He proposed a complete recast of rural and agrarian land structures, and state ownership of land.

India is keeping an eye on Central Asia

News: India has invited five Central Asian countries – Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan – as guests for the Republic Day parade on January 26.

Why has Central Asia become important for the region now?

Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has made Central Asia a prominent player in the region. A firm footing in the region is needed to gain leverage over the Taliban. Central Asia also has vast untapped resources in oil, coal, etc. Geopolitical rivalry as Regional and extra-regional powers are increasing presence in the region in the new Great-game.

The USA also hopes to create a central-Asia axis to contain China and Russia. Economically, the centre is shifting from west to east, which is evident in the new silk route and inroads of BRI (China) in the region.

What should India do?

It should look beyond non-alignment and focus on the big-picture of Central Asia. Since India has no direct access to Central Asia, the support of Russia and China becomes essential. Due to this, India’s membership of SCO and BRICS are welcome steps.

India should also resume the India-China dialogue with the assistance of Russia. This is important for Russia and China also, as Afghanistan falls within the First Circle of their national security agenda.

India should also look to open TAPI and IPI gas pipeline projects. Russia can act as a guarantor, and China would also benefit from the normalization of India-Pakistan relations.

India could also undertake the completion of a 600-KM railway line from Ghurian (near Herat) across northern Afghanistan. This would also facilitate cargo movement from Chabahar to Central Asia and beyond.

The tools like Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) are losing steam and new initiatives like logistics, regional and international transport, free trade agreements need to be brought in the Central Asia century.

What do India’s recent moves signal?

There are challenges in meeting the “4Cs” concept, but the India-Central Asia dialogue and invite on 26th January shows that India has activated the regional diplomacy.

Ladakh: A deeply insecure Union Territory

News: After the passing of the Reorganization Act, Ladakh has little autonomy or participatory democracy.

How did the administration work before the Reorganisation Act of 2019?

Before the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019 was passed, Ladakh enjoyed a classical three-tier administrative system.

Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil : It had the powers over land in Ladakh

Bicameral legislative system: It gave Ladakh autonomy and participatory democracy. It also helped to secure the interests of the tribal majority population of Ladakh.

Public Service Commission: Gazetted officers were recruited through the State Public Service Commission (PSC). While the District Service Selection Board made recruitments at the district level.

What is the present situation?

Presently, there is no PSC in Ladakh and the Hill Councils’ power to make recruitments at the district level has also been affected by the Lieutenant Governor (LG)’s presence. The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs had recommended in 2019 that Ladakh be declared a tribal area but no action on it yet.

The reorganization Act has taken away participatory democracy from Ladakh. It took away 6 seats of the Members of Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council and wakening the functioning of the Hill Councils. The increase in presence of bureaucratic power is visible there.

What is the problem with the working of the LG office?

It has followed a corporate model of working with the majority of the officers are of the Hill Councils and the rest have been recruited through outsourcing agencies. The officers are overworked and fail to address the issues arising due to the transition from State to UT.

There is limited actual engagement with the people on the ground. So, the LG’s office has not been able to harmonize with the people of Ladakh.

People of Ladakh are of the opinion that the UT without a legislature is similar to disenfranchisement. This resulted in Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, two separate groups having differing agendas, now having a common demand of Statehood. They also seek other constitutional safeguards given to the Northeast.

A delicate but necessary mission to Mynamar

News: Indian foreign secretary is on a diplomatic mission to Myanmar.

What are the goals of the current visit?

Insurgent activity: Discussions on the reactivation of insurgent activity along the India-Myanmar border. The recent fatal attack on Colonel Viplav Tripathi and his family, together with four other men of the Assam Rifles is one of the incidents. Insurgent outfits – the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF), are known to be behind this attack.

An influx of refugees: Mizoram is under pressure to provide resources to the people escaping army oppression to seek shelter in Mizoram.

Review the slowdown in the implementation of the bilateral megaprojects: the Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan multimodal connectivity between India’s Northeast and Myanmar’s Sittwe port is not going as in required pace.

How are Myanmar’s relations with other countries?

ASEAN: Myanmar government’s failure to adhere to the ‘Five-Point Consensus’ crafted by ASEAN has created an unprecedented situation. Recently, the PM of Myanmar got barred from attending the annual summits of ASEAN and the China-ASEAN summit.

Recently, Cambodia is planning to meet Myanmar counterparts to end its isolation

USA: Despite its policy of sanctions, the US too is in touch with Myanmar with the visit of various officials, which resulted in the release of imprisoned US journalist Danny Fenster.

Russia: It stated that “joint efforts” can develop Russia-Myanmar cooperation in “economic, military-technical and educational spheres”.

What strategy should India adopt?

India should project dual-track diplomacy. India was deeply disturbed by the court’s unfair verdict delivered against Suu Kyi. India should adopt the balancing approach by cooperating with the military while extending clear support for democracy.

Humanitarian assistance: India has already supplied 2.7 million vaccine doses and wants to do more.

Myanmar on the other hand needs to make its democracy inclusive.

GS Paper 3

A fair playing field for ARCs to rival our new bad bank

News: ARCs should be treated equally with National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL).

In many countries, the national bad banks, set up to help clean the balance sheets of banks, make losses. This is because they buy non-performing assets (NPAs) from banks at inflated value, and sell them at market value after efforts to revive the underlying businesses. So, they require government support to thrive.

However, India can change this trend with the help of Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs).

A level playing field to ARCs will improve the asset recovery and allow ARC industry to participate in the process of price discovery in competition with the national bad bank. This can reduce the burden on taxpayers.

How the ARCs have performed till now?

The performance of ARCs has been poor till now. For example, during the period from 2003-04 to 2012-13, banks and other investors were only able to recover about 14.29% of the amount owed by borrowers.

What are the factors affecting the performance of ARCs?

Constraints imposed by the regulations: Adequate infusion of capital, a pre-condition for successful recovery, was limited by regulations that constrain an ARC’s ability to take control of a distressed company. For instance, the current proposal allows the NARCL to buy NPAs with a 15-85 split between cash and securities, with the value of these securities guaranteed by the government.

Whereas, Private ARCs will be allowed to place counter-bids, but ARCs must pay 100% cash. This does not create a fair playing field. This gives a distinct advantage to NARCL.

NARCL is backed by the government and 15-85 split between cash and securities criteria allows it to infuse more money, whereas ARCs are constrained by capital.

What are the steps taken to improve the functioning of ARCs?

The panel set up by the RBI had recommended that ARCs should be allowed to set up alternate investment funds for the purpose of bringing in capital and competencies for reconstruction.

What needs to be done?

First, it is essential to create a fair playing field between private ARCs and the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL). The pre-condition of cash requirement needs to be addressed.

– An economic model developed by Yogesh Mathur reveals that the maximum amount any ARC (NARCL included) would be willing to bid rises steeply, as the cash proportion of the deal falls.

Second, setting reserve prices conservatively and adopting a multi-round auction format will result in NPAs moving off the books of banks at fair price.

On Plastic pollution

News: India’s track record in managing plastic pollution compares poorly with that of many other countries.

The latest global Plastic Management Index, ranks India 20th among 25 major plastic-producing nations.

What are the reasons?

Lack of infrastructure: According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s estimates, India produces 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. The per-head plastic generation, has doubled in the past five years. But the infrastructure for proper handling and disposal of the used plastic stuff has not expanded.

Consequently, the plastic trash lands either at garbage dumping grounds or is scattered on roads, waterways, and other public places.

Negligence in enforcing the regulations by local authorities and pollution control bodies: For instance, “Extended Producer Responsibility” principle that binds the stakeholders to collect the same amount of plastic as they generate for proper recycling or disposal remains largely on paper.

What are the negative implications?

The problem concerns mostly the single-use plastic products that tend to last in the ecosystem almost forever because of their non-biodegradable nature.

Impact on Environment: The discarded plastic items, causes traffic hazards or blocking drains, inundating the surrounding areas.

Impact on Live stocks: Stray cattle die, in trying to ingest plastic bags.

Impact on Humans: Human beings also run the risk of plastic toxicity on consuming food items, especially cooked food, packed in non-food grade plastic containers.

What are the steps taken?

The government had announced phasing out single-use plastic carry bags with thickness of less than 50 microns, by September 2021 and other items by the end of 2022.

India had piloted, and got passed, a resolution at the 4^th United Nations Environment Assembly in 2019 to mitigate the menace of single-use plastic pollution at global level.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, the has been updated recently, contains several well-advised measures to control plastic pollution.

Few consumer goods companies using plastic materials have prepared plans to reduce their plastic footprint to turn plastic-neutral in a phased manner.

What is the way forward?

At present, the bulk of the plastic rubbish is handled by the unorganised sector, including rag-pickers and waste-dealers (kabadiwalas). They need to be made part of the overall plastic waste management system, as they are serving essentially as aggregators of junked plastic stuff.

The governments and pollution control boards at both Central and state levels has to ensure strict implementation of plastic waste-handling policies and norms.

Our Harmed Forces?

News: Recent tragic incidents have once again brought the public focus on the long-standing issue of the relationship between the defence services and domestic politics. The time has come to pay attention to the issue of the politicisation of defence services.

What events have attracted attention towards the relationship b/w services and politics?

Recent events

– The demand for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and

– the political gains sought to be derived by politicians from nationwide sympathy for the families of soldiers ‘killed’ in a tragic accident, most recently involving the CDS.

Misc event

– The election of a former chief of army staff on a party-political platform and his subsequent induction into the Union council of ministers shows politicisation of the services.

What are the issues that needs to be considered w.r.t the demand for the withdrawal of the AFSPA?

Firstly, it’s not just a demand for the withdrawal of AFSPA but in fact for the withdrawal of the armed forces from internal security.

Internal security, be it in Jammu & Kashmir or in Manipur or Nagaland or anywhere else for that matter, should be left to the police and paramilitary forces.

Secondly, even the army members feel that it should not be drawn into internal security, including counterinsurgency operations targeting disaffected citizens, often just civilians. For instance, after the recent tragic incident in Nagaland several ex-servicemen, including senior leaders of the defence services, have publicly articulated this view.

Long-term deployment of army as in the case of J&K and some North-eastern states has risked the reputational loss to army that is not in the national interest.

What are the other issues that needs consideration?

The issue of politicisation of defence services and their operations for party political benefit.

For instance, the ‘surgical strikes’ issue was politicised in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Further, undertaking a professional assessment of that operation has been hampered due to the fear of political leadership.

The same issues have repeated with regard to a professional assessment of the India-China stand-off along the LAC.

In a democracy, informed public discussion even on what are often regarded as purely ‘military’ decisions is a legitimate activity.

The country deserves an analysis of the handling of ‘surgical strikes and border clashes similar to the professional assessment made by Kargil Review Committee.

The data protection bills’ reduced emphasis on privacy

News: Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP)  on the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill, 2019 has submitted its report in the Parliament.

What are the key recommendations of the bill?

Children data: It recommended children’s personal data be processed in the manner best fitted for the interest of the children. The decision of what constitutes the child’s best interest to be left to parents and natural guardians.

Grievance Redressal: Under Section 62 data principals can approach to Data Protection Authority (DPA) if they are not satisfied with how their grievance was redressed by the data fiduciaries.

New definition: Under the new definition of “data fiduciary” and “data processor”, it specifically includes nongovernmental organizations also. Although the term” company and any juristic entity” had already been there in an existing one.

What are the concerns associated with the data protection bill?

Section 36:  Under the Section 36 clause, the drafts exempts the applicability of Chapter II through VII for law enforcement purposes. These restrictions existed earlier but were qualified like the 2018 draft called for the process to be fair and reasonable. The current draft does away with all such qualifications on the processing of personal data.

Section 12: Earlier, the scope of Section 12, permitted personal data to be processed without the consent for performing functions on the grounds – a) provision of services or benefits, b) issuance of certifications, licenses, or permits. Now the scope has been expanded through the insertion of the word “including” to suggest that these categories can be expanded in the future.

Appointment of data protection officers: New draft limits that only the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, or whole-time director of an overseas company can be appointed as data protection officer and not the low-level officials of any company. This might cause a resource-crunch.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Labour losses due to rising heat: India among the most affected, finds study

Source: This post is based on the article “Labour losses due to rising heat: India among the most affected, finds study” published in The Down to Earth on 21^st Dec 2021.

What is the news?

Rising heat and humidity due to global warming has prompted major loss in labour hours across the globe. India is one of the worst affected countries, according to a new study led by Duke University researchers.

This is the first study at the global scale assessing how effective it is to move heavy work to the cooler parts of the day as an adaptation to climate change.

What are the key findings of the report?

– As heat and humidity levels rise because of climate change, options for moving outdoor labour to cooler hours will dramatically shrink, leading to significant worldwide labour losses.

– The economic losses associated with this lost productivity could reach up to $1.6 trillion (Rs 1.6 lakh crores) annually if warming exceeds an additional 2^oC relative to the present.

– Labour losses from heat exposure are spatially variable, with several countries in southwest Asia, South Asia and Africa that already experience per-capita, 12-hour workday labour losses.

– India, China, Pakistan and Indonesia — where larger fractions of the population work outdoors — will experience the biggest losses overall.

– Critical jobs, such as agricultural work and construction work, will become almost impossible to perform safely during afternoon hours in the summer in many places.

– If we limit warming to within another degree of current levels, we can still avoid most worker productivity losses by moving heavy labour to the early morning hours.

Islamic states’ meeting agrees to set up trust fund for Afghanistan

Source:This post is based on the article ‘Islamic states’ meeting agrees to set up trust fund for Afghanistan’ published in Indian Express on 22^nd Dec 2021.

What is the news?

A meeting of foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has agreed to establish a Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan.

What is the Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan?

The fund will be set up under the Islamic Development Bank (The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development finance institution that is focused on Islamic finance) to channel aid to Afghanistan in coordination with other groups.

Aim: To address the growing economic crisis in Afghanistan, which has left millions facing hunger over the winter.

Significance: This fund is crucial, as allowing Afghanistan access to financial resources would be pivotal to preventing economic collapse.

What are the other decisions taken by OIC?

OIC has decided to appoint a special envoy of the body to Afghanistan, besides forging a partnership between the OIC and the United Nations agencies to deliver resources to Afghanistan.

However, the meeting did not provide official recognition to the Taliban government.

Efforts to boost manufacturing capacity in pharmaceutical sector

Source:This post is based on the article ‘Efforts to boost manufacturing capacity in pharmaceutical sector’ published in The Indian Express on 22^nd Dec 2021.

What is the news?

Government of India has launched several Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes to boost manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector. 

About PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs

Objective: To attain self-reliance and reduce import dependence in critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in India.

Under the Scheme, financial incentives shall be given based on threshold investment and domestic sales made by selected applicants for the eligible products.

Duration: FY 2020-21 to FY 2029-30

About PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals

Aim: To enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities by increasing investment and production in the sector and contributing to product diversification to high value goods in the pharmaceutical sector.

Under the scheme, manufacturers of pharmaceutical goods registered in India will be grouped based on their Global Manufacturing Revenue (GMR) to ensure wider applicability of the scheme across the pharmaceutical industry.

Duration of the Scheme: 2020-21 to 2028-29

Beej Gram Yojana

Source: This post is based on the article ‘Beej Gram Yojana’ published in Indian Express on 22^nd Dec 2021.

What is the news?

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has informed Lok Sabha about the Seed Village Programme (Beej Gram Yojana).

What is a Seed Village Programme?

It was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in 2014-15.

The programme is a key component of the Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Materials.

Aim: To upgrade the quality of farmer’s saved seeds. 

Under this programme, financial assistance for distribution of foundation/certified seeds at 50% of seed cost for cereal crops and 60% for pulses, oilseeds, fodder and green manure crops is available for up to one acre per farmer. 

What is Sub-Mission on Seeds & Planting Materials?

The mission aims to promote production and multiplication of quality seeds of agricultural crops so that the required quantities of seeds could be made available to farmers in the country.

Components: The various components under the mission include – a) Seed Village Programme, b) Establishment of Seed Processing- cum- Seed Storage Godowns at Gram Panchayat Level, c) National Seed Reserve, d) Boosting Seed Production in Private Sector and e) Strengthening of Quality Control Infrastructure Facilities.

How warehousing policy will reduce logistics expenses

Source: This post is based on the article ‘How warehousing policy will reduce logistics expenses’ published in Indian Express on 22^nd Dec 2021.

What is the news?

The Government of India has proposed a New Warehousing Policy.

What is Warehousing?

Warehousing can be defined as the systematic process of storing and preserving goods on a large scale in a warehouse and making them available when they are demanded, i.e. for sale, distribution and consumption.

Which sector has been driving the warehousing demand?

The e-commerce sector has been driving the demand for logistics and warehousing across global markets. It has emerged as the most prominent driver of Indian warehousing market volumes, along with the third party logistics sector.

What is the aim of the proposed new warehousing policy?

The Policy aims to reduce logistic cost and ease transportation by developing exclusive warehousing zones in public-private partnership(PPP) model.

Who will frame and implement the policy?

The policy will be framed and implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Where will the warehouses be located?

The warehouses will be located outside city centres, especially around the land available with NHAI along highways and expressways.

These warehouses will house cold-storage chains and will be able to store all kinds of cargo—wet and dry. 

Moreover, since warehouses are expected to come up outside city centres, large trucks carrying the cargo will not need to enter the city to unload their goods. This will also help boost bulk carrying capacity and save fuel. These large vehicles can also transport more goods compared to the smaller trucks.

What will be the impact of this policy on logistics cost?

Warehousing zones will help cut India’s logistics cost which is 14%-16% of gross domestic product (GDP) compared to 8%-10%  of  GDP in China and 12%-13% in the  US.

Moreover, the Government of India is also developing 35 Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) to improve the country’s freight logistics sector. This will help aid the proposed warehousing policy.

NITI Aayog signs a Statement of Intent with United Nations World Food Program (WFP)

Source: This post is based on the article ‘NITI Aayog signs a Statement of Intent with United Nations World Food Program (WFP)’ published in Indian Express on 22^nd Dec 2021.

What is the news?

NITI Aayog has signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

Why did NITI Aayog sign the SOI with WFP?

The Government of India (GoI) has observed 2018 as a year of millets to encourage and promote millet production. Leading this initiative further, GoI has supported the UN General Assembly resolution for declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets.

Moreover, numerous steps have been taken to promote millets including establishment of Center for Excellence, Integration of nutri-cereals in National Food Security Act and establishment of Millet Mission in multiple states. 

Despite this, various challenges in terms of production, distribution and adaptability among consumers remain.

Hence, this SOI aims to identify and address those challenges.

How will the partnership address the challenges?

The partnership focuses on:

– mainstreaming of millets and supporting India in taking lead globally in knowledge exchange using the opportunity of 2023 as an International Year of Millets. 

– Strategic and technical collaboration to strengthen the climate resilient agriculture for enhanced food and nutrition security in India.

What are the activities that will be undertaken under the partnership?

a) Joint development of a compendium of good practices around millets, b) Provide technical support to selected states for scaling up millets, c) Use India’s expertise to benefit other developing countries for millets mainstreaming and d) Build capacities for climate resilient and adaptive livelihood practices.

Agritech Challenge: AIM, NITI Aayog & UNCDF announce first AgriTech cohort under South-South Innovation platform

Source: This post is based on the article ‘AIM, NITI Aayog & UNCDF announce first AgriTech cohort under South-South Innovation platform’ published in Indian Express on 22nd Dec 2021.

What is the News?

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) have launched its first AgriTech Challenge under its ambitious innovative Agri-tech program.

Background

AIM, NITI Aayog in partnership with UNCDF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rabo Foundation had launched a South-South innovation platform in July 2021. The platform aims to enable a cross-border exchange of innovations, insights and investments.

Through this platform, cross-border collaborations are enabled among emerging markets across India, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.

​​The first initiative of the Platform is the Agritech Challenge (‘Programme’).

What is the purpose of the Agritech Challenge?

The Challenge aims to help smallholder farmers across Asia and Africa to address their challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The challenge will support selected agritech and agri-fintech startups to expand to the international markets. They will get access to industry, investor & market linkages, along with mentorship from sector experts to help them build and test their solution in their chosen international market.

What is the significance of the Agritech challenge for India?

In India, more than 50% of the population is dependent on agriculture, and it contributes to about 15-18% of the GDP. To improve the agricultural sectoral landscape, NITI Aayog is taking several steps.

This challenge will help in those steps by helping develop a more self-reliant and responsive agriculture ecosystem that can address the issue of food security and also benefits smallholder farmers.

Albino Indian Flapshell Turtle: A chance encounter with rare species

Source: This post is based on the article ‘A chance encounter with rare species’ published in The Hindu on 22nd Dec 2021.

What is the News?

Mountaineers in Telangana have encountered a rarely found species of Albino Indian Flapshell Turtles.

What is Albino Indian Flapshell Turtle?

Albino Indian Flapshell Turtles is an Indian flapshell turtle that has been discovered several times in various parts of South Asia.

The different colour of the turtle may be due to albinism – a genetic disorder that causes a complete lack of pigments in the body, or a congenital disorder that is characterized by a complete or partial absence of tyrosine pigment.

Note: Tyrosine is an amino acid that plays a vital role in the formation of melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to eyes, hair and skin. It’s also the same pigment that’s responsible for the color of turtles shells. So, a lack or absence thereof results in turtles having an unusual shell and skin colors.

About Indian Flapshell Turtle

Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) is a freshwater species of turtle found in South Asia. 

The “flap-shelled” name stems from the presence of femoral flaps located on the plastron. These flaps of skin cover the limbs when they retract into the shell.

Distribution: They are found in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh (Indus and Ganges drainages), and Myanmar (Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers).

They live in the shallow, quiet, often stagnant waters of rivers, streams, marshes, ponds, lakes and irrigation canals, and tanks.

These turtles prefer waters with sand or mud bottoms because of their tendency to burrow. They are also well adapted to drought conditions.

Diet: They are known to be omnivorous. Its diet consists of frogs, shrimp, snails, aquatic vegetation, plant leaves, flowers, fruits, grasses and seed

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Explained: NASA’s flagship telescope, and its successor

Source: This post is based on the article ‘Explained: NASA’s flagship telescope, and its successor’ published in Indian Express on 22nd Dec 2021.

What is the News?

NASA has announced the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope(JWST) on December 24. It will succeed the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA’s flagship telescope that has been in service for more than three decades now.

What are the differences between James Webb Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope?

– Wavelength: Hubble can observe mainly in the ultraviolet and visible parts of the spectrum. On the other hand, Webb will primarily study the universe in the infrared spectrum.

Note: Infrared observations are important because light at this wavelength can penetrate the dust that shrouds newly formed stars and planets and make them visible.

– Size: Webb telescope will cover more than ~15 times the field of view covered by the Hubble telescope.

– Orbit: Hubble orbits the Earth at an altitude of ~570 km. Webb will not orbit the Earth, instead it will sit at the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point, 1.5 million km away. This means that Webb will orbit the Sun along with the Earth, but will stay fixed at the same spot in relation to the Earth and the Sun.

Moreover, at the L2 point, Webb’s solar shield will block the light from the Sun, Earth, and Moon which will help it stay cool. This is significant for an infrared telescope.

– Distance: Hubble can see the equivalent of “toddler galaxies”, On the other hand, Webb will be able to see “baby galaxies”. This is because Webb is an infrared telescope, and can see distant objects which are very dim at visible wavelengths of light.

Disinvestment’s tough climate call: The hurdle in govt’s fund-raising path

Source: This post is based on the article ‘Disinvestment’s tough climate call: The hurdle in govt’s fund-raising path’ published in Indian Express on 22nd Dec 2021.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister had a meeting with private equity and venture capital fund managers to get a sense of how they read the government’s disinvestment plans.

What are the Government’s Disinvestment plans?

The Government of India has released  ‘Public Sector Enterprise Policy’ and its guidelines.

As part of guidelines, the Department of Public Enterprises will identify the CPSEs either for closure or privatisation in the non-strategic sectors.

And within the strategic sectors, which includes CPSEs in energy and minerals, only a bare minimum presence is to be maintained.

What are the issues in India’s Disinvestment plans?

Since 2004, there has been no such strategic sale of government assets in the market. 

Domestic capital has almost no experience of how to buy these government companies and gradually transform them into successful private sector entities. The sale price of these companies is also massive. 

This means that India’s private sector will need to borrow from banks and financial institutions to buy these companies. But India’s state-owned banks, except the State Bank of India, do not have the capacity to evaluate these purchases. The Private Banks also cannot give out that much larger amount.

Hence, the only way left is to take the help of foreign capital and technology. But the foreign companies are hesitant to invest in such sectors unless they offer verifiable long term climate plans. Except for NTPC, no other CPSE has taken measures in the climate sector.

What is the way forward then?

There is money to buy the CPSEs. But those buyers will need firm assurance that the disinvestment programme will keep the environmental issues front and centre of their corporate plans.

Compassionate job not a vested right, says SC

Source: This post is based on the article “Compassionate job not a vested right, says SC” published in The Hindu on 22nd December 2021.

What is the news?

Supreme Court on hearing the appeal filed by the Union government said that compassionate employment is not a vested right. Earlier, the Madras High Court held to provide compassionate employment to the widow of the sergeant in IAF.

What is a compassionate job?

Compassionate Appointment is a social security scheme launched by the Government of India to grant appointment to a dependent family member on a compassionate basis when a Government servant dies while in service or retires on medical grounds. The Objective of the scheme is to provide immediate financial assistance to the family who is left in poverty and without any means to sustain their livelihood.

What is the procedure for compassionate employment?

The Welfare Officer in every Office/Department/Ministry shall meet the family of the government servant immediately after his death and assist them in getting a compassionate appointment.

First stage, the Applicant is called in person and asked to complete the required formalities.

Second Stage: A committee of 3 officers, 1 Chairman and 2 members of the rank of Director in the Ministry/Deputy Secretary considers the application for appointment on compassionate grounds in the light of instructions issued by the Department of Personnel and Training. If need be, the applicant is granted a personal hearing by the committee to understand better the facts of the case.

Last stage: The recommendation of the committee is to be placed before the competent authority for a decision. If the authority disagrees with the committee’s recommendation, then the case is referred to the next higher authority for a decision.

Also, The applicant i.e. the person appointed on compassionate grounds under the scheme should furnish an undertaking stating that she/he will maintain the other family members who were dependent on the income of the member of Armed forces/Government servant. The appointment of the applicant will be terminated if there is a failure to comply with the above condition.

What was the Supreme Court observation?

SC said that a compassionate employment scheme is not a matter of right but to help out the bereaved family overcome the financial crisis caused by the untimely death of a breadwinner while in service. So, while evaluating the claim for compassionate employment, authorities have the discretion to evaluate the financial condition of the family and decide accordingly.