Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Healthcare in India has made great progress, but challenges remain
• The entry of foreign firms should herald more legal sector reforms
• Suspect moves: On changes to reservation policy in Karnataka

GS Paper 3

• Understanding the street dogs-human conflict
• A disturbing example of the normalisation of lawfare
• Understanding the street dogs-human conflict
• Blended finance can fill investment gaps to meet SDGs
• RIP Sasha: India’s dream of its own cheetah population rests on her companions
• GDPs Without Borders – That even Japan is open now to immigration shows what mistakes other aging, rich countries are making

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• India urges G20 to find ways to shrink widening trade finance gap
• NCPCR writes to States to introduce concessions for children with Type 1 diabetes in schools
• Panel to look at ways to boost multilateral banks
• India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, stability: Defence Minister
• What does Muslim personal law say on inheritance?
• China ramping up bailout loans to BRI countries: Report
• India to estimate TB burden using own system

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Healthcare in India has made great progress, but challenges remain

News- The article deals with challenges faced by the healthcare sector in India.

What are the achievements of India in healthcare?

In 2007, it was estimated that India would achieve a total fertility rate of 2.1 only by 2041. India has achieved this by 2020.

High maternal and infant mortality seemed very difficult to overcome in 2010. Ten years later, the latest NFHS-5 findings show that in BIMARU states, hospital deliveries have soared to 89 per cent.

What are the challenges faced by the healthcare sector in India?

Non-communicable diseases – Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes are increasing. They all share four behavioural risk factors — an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and use of tobacco and alcohol.

‘India: Health of the nation’s states’ report estimated that the proportion of deaths due to non-communicable diseases has increased from around 38% in 1990 to 62% in 2016.

Obesity has increased from 19% to 23% between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5. Among Delhi’s citizens, 38 per cent were found to be obese, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, and CVD.

Inequalities in the state of infrastructure– Since 2018, governments at the Centre as well as the state are establishing health and wellness centres. But a 2022 report by the Centre for Community Medicine in AIIMS found huge variations between states.

Some northeastern states like Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland were found to have better arrangements. The lowest proportions of primary health facilities were in Jharkhand, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

Inequalities– In urban areas, the challenge is to bridge the gap in hospital services between large urban agglomerations and tier II and tier III cities.

A recent Lancet publication found that core health services are not uniform across state-run district hospitals. Just 16% of the district hospitals in Tamil Nadu offered all key services. In some states, it was just 1%. People have to bank on the private sector.

Large hospital chains like Apollo, Fortis  account for just 4-5% of the beds in the private sector. Standalone hospitals and nursing homes provide 95% of private hospital beds. They are unable to provide multi-specialty, tertiary and quaternary care.

Insurance and high expenditure on health– The other problems centre around low health insurance penetration and the very high personal outgo on healthcare. From 2018, the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme for 10 crore poor families has been undertaken. Nearly 74% of Indians are either covered or eligible for health insurance coverage.

However, millions remain uninsured. Out-patient doctor consultation costs, diagnostics, and drugs account for around 50% of the total health expenditure.

It is, therefore, essential to provide insurance for the unorganised middle class and to include identified out-patient costs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence and digital technology– Use of AI for healthcare is welcome. But there are ethical and regulatory concerns related to it. A new dimension has made the regulation of healthcare even more compelling.

The entry of foreign firms should herald more legal sector reforms

News: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has allowed foreign lawyers and foreign law firms to practice and set up offices in India.

About the BCI decision to permit foreign lawyers

Read Here: Foreign lawyers, firms can operate in India: BCI

Foreign lawyers and firms will be allowed to practice on the principle of reciprocity. This means that the other country must also offer similar treatment to Indian lawyers and firms.

What are the advantages of allowing foreign firms in India?

The BCI Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2023, states that the standards and proficiency of Indian lawyers and firms are up to international standards.

Therefore, allowing foreign lawyers and firms will –a) help in the growth of the legal profession, b) generate employment and retainership opportunities, c) provide global exposure to Indian lawyers.

Read More: Global law, local practice – BCI’s move recognises India’s corporate globalisation

What other steps can be taken to bring legal reforms in the country?

Allow FDI in Indian law firms: As per the rules, persons not qualified to practice law in India are restricted from investing in a law firm. This makes Indian law firms to be dependent on the domestic capital from the lawyers.

Further, restricting FDI to the Indian legal firms will give the competitive advantage to foreign legal firms operating in India.

Hence, allowing FDI in legal sector will – a) allow Indian lawyers and law firms to raise foreign capital, b) benefit Indian legal sector through innovation and technology c) help local legal entrepreneurs create more startups.

Lift restrictions on solicitation and advertising: Indian legal professionals are barred from advertising their legal services because their services are considered to be in the public interest of securing justice. This makes commercialization of the legal profession undesirable.

However, in reality this profession is already commercialized. Lawyers and law firms are in the business of serving clients and charge fees for their services.

Therefore, lifting restriction on advertising the legal profession will – a) enable efficient price discovery in the legal market as lawyers or firms could reveal their fees and charges, b) price discovery would allow more individuals and firms to enter the legal market and lead to growth and lower service charge, c) encourage market players to conduct research and innovation that might offer superior services, as seen in advanced countries.

What is the way ahead?

India is set to reach a size of $5 trillion plus in a few years. This will increase the demand for quality legal services and better dispute resolution mechanisms are integral to a sound business environment and the ease of doing business.

Therefore, the BCI, law ministry, policymakers and other stakeholders must make policies that will lead to growth, development and innovation in the legal sector to better serve the interests of justice and the economy.

Suspect moves: On changes to reservation policy in Karnataka

News: The Karnataka government decided to scrap the 4% quota for Muslims within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and earmark an additional 2% each to the dominant Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities. This is reminiscent of the abrogation of the 5% quota for Muslims in Maharashtra in 2015.

Note: The Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission has not recommended for the withdrawal of reservations for Muslims.

What will be the impact of the decision?

a) The scrapping of reservations for Muslims, including their poorer members, will now have to compete with the general category for the 10% ‘Economically Weaker Sections’ quota, b) The move will be seen as discriminative and divisive against a minority group in the hope of garnering the support of the majority.

What are the constitutional provisions for reservation?

The Constitution does not allow reservation on the basis of religion alone. For example, there have been judicial verdicts striking down quotas for Muslims for not being backed by a proper study of the extent of backwardness in the community.

However, it is possible to extend reservation benefits to the backward sections among religious minorities identified on the basis of relevant criteria. For example, some States have been implementing reservations in educational institutions as well as public employment for Muslims by including them in the Backward Classes (BC) list.

In conclusion, major decisions, such as changing the reservation policy, in the run-up to elections may end up creating unwanted fires.

GS Paper 3

Understanding the street dogs-human conflict

News– There is growing Intolerance against dogs and conflicts between humans and animals are increasing.

What are the reasons behind growing intolerance towards street dogs?

Resident Welfare Associations– They are often the instigators of violence. They do not have real power. Power demands that an enemy be identified. So, dogs living there peacefully become the target.

Animal instincts– Dogs get aggressive when they perceive a threat. They want to protect themselves or their litter from attacks if they are unwell or hungry.

They become aggressive if they are forcibly relocated, or have witnessed abuse and neglect.

Implementation of rules– The Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules of 2001 have been recommended by the WHO and the World Organisation for Animal Health as the only way to bring about a sustained decline in the dog population.

However, necessary measures have not been implemented by local authorities to manage the street dog population.

The lack of budget and infrastructure, the prevalence of corrupt and inefficient practices, and the absence of transparency and monitoring are the challenges in implementation.

Fascination for foreign breeds– It is responsible for bad treatment of native breeds. Business of Pet shops thrive due to it.

What are steps taken by the government to regulate foreign breeds?

In 2016, the Central government prohibited the import of pedigree dogs into India. In 2017, it notified Rules for strictly regulating dog breeders.

In 2018, following a recommendation by the Law Commission, the Pet Shop Rules were notified to prevent the trade of pedigree dogs.

What is the importance of street dogs?

If there is a vacuum created by killings of dogs, it will be occupied by a more inconvenient species, such as rats, mice, mongoose and cockroaches.

The London Plague of 1665 was a result of the killing of 2,50,000 dogs and cats. The mice population grew, and 70% of the human population was wiped out. A similar incident happened in Surat in the near past, when a plague scare was spread as a result of removing dogs.

What is the way forward to reduce the conflicts between humans and dogs?

The effective strategy would be the implementation of the ABC(Animal Birth Control) Programme by municipal bodies in accordance with the new ABC Rules of 2023.

A proactive approach would be to encourage the adoption of Indian dogs. If one person out of every 100 people adopts a dog from the street, there would be no dogs on the roads.

The native breeds of dogs should be promoted. Native dogs have better immune systems and make great pets.

The importance of people who look after native dogs on the streets has been recognised by our courts. In the new ABC Rules, community dog caregivers have been granted protection from harassment.

Reports of dog attacks must be tested on the benchmark of proof. Recently, it was reported that two children had been killed by dogs in Vasant Kunj in New Delhi. Still, it has not been proven.

A disturbing example of the normalisation of lawfare

News– Recently, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha after two year imprisonment in defamation case.

What are issues with the court judgement in the defamation case of Rahul Gandhi?

Legal reasoning– The complainant claimed that by virtue of his surname, he and all other people having surname “Modi” had been defamed by Mr. Gandhi’s remark.

The law of defamation is clear that if references are made to an indefinite “class” of people, an individual cannot claim that they are a member of that class. Therefore, they have been defamed.

For example, if I say that “all lawyers are thieves”, a lawyer cannot come to court and say that they have been defamed.

The “class of all persons in the world bearing the surname Modi” is a indefinite and indeterminate group.

Quantum of the sentence– Criminal defamation has a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment. This ‘maximum penalty’ is very rarely awarded. Defamation is a pure speech offence.

People should not be imprisoned for lengthy periods purely on the basis of their statement. There are almost no recorded instances of courts awarding the maximum sentence of two

years in a criminal defamation case.

The quantum of sentence was exactly that which was needed to attract an MP’s disqualification from Parliament. Indeed, immediately after the judgement, Mr. Gandhi was disqualified. At that point, the judgement had not even been translated.

Why disqualification proceedings against Rahul Gandhi is not good for India parliamentary democracy?

The disqualification proceedings are another example of delegitimizing the opponent. The Representation of the People Act provides for disqualification.

Disqualifying an elected member of a legislature is an extremely serious action in a parliamentary democracy. It leaves them without representation until a by-election is announced and the seat is filled.

For this reason, the Representation of the People Act kept a parliamentarian’s disqualification in abeyance until at least one appellate body could scrutinise the initial order of conviction.

Why striking down provisions related to the three month period given to the legislature for appeal in the Lily Thomas case affects the political process?

The Supreme Court reasoned that the convicted politician could always move the appellate court for a stay upon their conviction. However, this interpretation concentrates more power in the hands of courts when it comes to the political process.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued the disqualification order before the convicted individual’s lawyers moved for a stay. So, the protection the Court thought was available is not sufficient.

The Lily Thomas judgement is just one of many examples where the Supreme Court has intervened in the political process. It has made the delegitimization of opponents easier.

It is concerning because one crucial component of the legitimacy of courts is their reputation for impartiality between contending political forces.

The need for sector-specific safeguards in ‘techade’

News– The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill 2022 was proposed recently. It provides a framework to safeguard citizens’ information from misuse and unauthorised access.

What is the approach followed by the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022?

The current draft of the Bill tries to tackle the issue of conflicting sectoral regulations. It states that the provisions of the Bill will complement and not create exemptions from existing regulations. But, in case of conflict, the Bill will take precedence.

The Bill raises concerns about sectoral regulations that may go beyond what the Bill provides.

What is the importance of sectoral expertise?

Data protection and privacy are highly dependent on context, including the type of data collected, how it is collected, the intended use and the associated risks. This makes sectoral expertise crucial to regulate effectively.

Sectoral expertise offers a deep understanding of a particular sector, including its market dynamics, technologies, risks and business models. It also enables regulators to engage with stakeholders and industry experts in a well informed and productive manner.

What are the major approaches adopted by the global community to regulate privacy and protect data?

They are comprehensive legislation and sector ­specific regulations.

Comprehensive approach– The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation is the comprehensive approach.

The GDPR, despite being a comprehensive framework, has specific provisions for certain industries such as health care.

GDPR also permits EU Member States to implement measures which go beyond the provisions given in the GDPR. For example, Germany has stricter provisions compared to the GDPR.

The European Data Protection Board is made up of representatives from each EU member state’s data protection authority. It provides guidance on the implementation and interpretation of the GDPR, including sector specific issues.

Sectoral approach– The sectoral approach is followed in the United States. It is seen through laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in health care, and the Gramm­Leach­Bliley Act  for the financial sector. It consists of regulations tailored to specific industries.

What are issues with the American sectoral approach to data protection?

There are issues related to inconsistent protection, problems in enforcement, overlapping and contradictory provisions, and a lack of federal regulation.

This creates confusion and coverage gaps for businesses. There is no centralised authority to enforce data protection laws. It leads to a lack of standardisation.

What is the way forward for regulation of data in India?

The GDPR model may not work for India as the The Data Protection Board is designed as a grievance agency, and not as a regulator.

The current draft of the Bill needs greater clarity and specificity regarding the interaction with sectoral regulations. There is a need to draw from our experience to find the right balance.

In India, we already have sectoral regulations regarding data protection such as the Reserve Bank of India’s directive on storage of payment data. These are the result of extensive industry consultations and expert input.

Neglecting these regulations and establishing a new framework would undermine the considerable effort invested in their creation. It will require the industry to readjust their

operations again at considerable cost.

The DPDP Bill  must serve as the minimum layer of protection, with sectoral regulators having the ability to build on these protections.

Data protection is a complex subject. There is a need to create room for sectoral experts to safeguard the interests of citizens more effectively.

Blended finance can fill investment gaps to meet SDGs

Context: Blended finance can help to meet SDGs by filling investment.

During covid-19, several producers of raw materials fell short of working capital required to for face masks, vaccines and supply chains.

To tackle this issue, a blended financing entity called Sustainable Access to Markets and Resources for Innovative Delivery of Healthcare (Samridh) was launched. The scheme was launched with the help of multiple stakeholders including Indian government, USAID, The Rockefeller Foundation and many more.

What was the significance of Samridh scheme?

The scheme assisted over 25 million people and deployed over $16 million in philanthropic funds to over 60 social enterprises.

It has mobilized a capital pool of $300 million to offer both grant and debt financing provisions to healthcare enterprises and innovators. It helped sustain their operations.

How blended finance mechanism are attractive to investors?

Blended finance lets investors choose different risk tolerances, while all participating in the same project. It means different investors can choose different risk and return mix in the same investment.

It incentivizes and mobilizes private capital into the business where investment is hard to come.

To mitigate risks, blended finance initiatives offer technical support, capacity-building aid, relevant data and tools for impact measurement, monitoring and evaluation.

Successive grants are outcome-based, which is based on achieving set milestones for further funding.

Why there is a need for blended finance mechanism to achieve SDGs?

According to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, there is currently an annual shortfall of $4 trillion in developing countries.

A policy brief by the G20’s Think 20 Engagement Group highlights that several nations of the Global South are likely to fall short of their 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) on account of a funding gap.

Low-income regions find it harder to attract funding, due to small ecnomy size, high regulatory complexity and country-specific risks. Moreover, relying solely on philanthropy and government funding cannot address transnational challenges.

Therefore, blended finance can be helpful, where investors hardly invest.

Innovative blending can support project preparation and solve information gaps, enabling investment in multiple projects. It can work at the institutional level by blending public subsidies in the market to encourage private investments.

Global crises like climate change and food insecurity can be handled using blended finance.

In the G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap also, India has emphasized the need to adopt innovative financing methods and can help the Global South develop blended finance instruments to meet SDGs.

Developing nations require an environment that lets private investments thrive, which calls for activating policies that allow private players and philanthropies to support their growth.

RIP Sasha: India’s dream of its own cheetah population rests on her companions

News: Sasha, one of the eight Namibian cheetahs translocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has died due to kidney infection. The infection is reportedly picked up while in captivity in Namibia.

About Sasha, Cheetah Reintroduction Project and Kuno National Park

About Cheetah range countries

Cheetahs’ smaller, lighter Asiatic cousins once ranged across the swathe of land from the Indian subcontinent to the Arabian peninsula. They are now declared critically endangered, found only in Iran now. That too only 12 — nine males and three females — remain.

This is because of a) a decline in prey, b) loss of habitat and c) the rise in trophy hunting.

In India, the last three recorded cheetahs are believed to have been felled by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Surguja in 1947.

What is the present state of India’s cheetah reintroduction project?

Captive cheetahs, like domestic cats, are known to be especially prone to kidney disease. On the other hand, kidney disease is rarely seen in their wild counterparts.  Among 8 cheetahs brought from Namibia, one male and one female have been released into the wild.

GDPs Without Borders – That even Japan is open now to immigration shows what mistakes other aging, rich countries are making

News: The Japanese agriculturalists are now recruiting farm labour from across the Indian countryside. This is because Indians are willing to climb up Japanese mountains to cut and carry down Koyamaki (umbrella pines).

This is a win-win for both, as India has an overabundance of young farmers and the declining Japanese economy is facing worker shortages. Further, migrants also send money back to India.

How global nations are tackling worker shortages?

Many countries, like Japan, are having ageing populations. These countries are fully aware that expanding the immigrant workforce will expand their tax base, innovation, productivity, GDP et al.

IMF and others have also found that aggregate gains from the immigrant workforce can materialise very quickly.

What are the alternative methods tried by global nations to tackle worker shortages?

Efforts for raising national birth rates: This method is a complete failure. For example, in Japan itself, the population has changed little since 1991.

Create barriers to immigration: Rich countries’ that keep the barriers to immigration not only hurts the poorer origin countries but also the rich countries also.

What needs to be done to facilitate a more immigrant workforce in future?

Countries like China and America’s futures will likely be scripted by their exceptional attractiveness to migrants. A full embrace of immigrant workers will cheer the global economy and create GDPs Without Borders.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

India urges G20 to find ways to shrink widening trade finance gap

Source: The post is based on the article “India urges G20 to find ways to shrink widening trade finance gap” published in The Hindu on 29th March 2023.

What is the News?

Under India’s Presidency, the first G20 Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) meeting has been conducted. In this, India highlighted the widening trade finance gap. As estimated by ADB, the Trade finance gap was $1.5 trillion in 2018 and has now increased to $2 trillion.

About the G20 TIWG meeting

Aim: To build a shared understanding of the challenges faced in global trade and investment, and utilise existing opportunities for the benefit of humanity and find common solutions.

Participants: Over 100 delegates from G20 member countries, invitee countries, regional groupings and international organisations.

What are the key solutions discussed in the G20 TIWG meeting on the Trade finance gap?

-The role banks, financial institutions, development finance institutions, and export credit agencies could play to identify the gaps and address the challenges in the trade finance arena amidst the uncertain global trade landscape.

-There is a need to accelerate digitalisation as well as the adoption of fintech solutions for improving access to trade finance.

–Digitalisation of international trade: International cooperation in harmonising definitions, standards and data sharing across borders digitally is required.

-All nations should endeavour to adopt enabling legislation in the next few years to achieve paperless international trade.

NCPCR writes to States to introduce concessions for children with Type 1 diabetes in schools

Source: The post is based on the article “NCPCR writes to States to introduce concessions for children with Type 1 diabetes in schools” published in The Hindu on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) has written to the Chairman/Secretary Education Boards of all States and Union Territories stating that it is the duty of schools to ensure that children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are provided with proper care and required facilities.

What is Type 1 Diabetes(T1D)?

Type 1 Diabetes(T1D) is diagnosed in childhood or adolescence as a condition where the pancreas produces little or no insulin. 

This requires the children to constantly monitor their sugar levels and diet, and regulate physical activity. Treatment involves taking multiple injections of insulin daily, lifelong.

According to data from the International Diabetes Federation Atlas 2021, India has the world’s highest number of children and adolescents living with Type I Diabetes Mellitus(TIDM) at over 2.4 lakh.

Click here to read more

What are the guidelines issued by NCPCR to states on Type 1 Diabetes(T1D)?

In 2017, CBSE issued a circular allowing children with T1D in Classes X and XII to carry certain eatables with them to the board examination hall, to prevent the occurrence of hypoglycaemia or low sugar episodes. 

The NCPCR has said that more such concessions should be granted to all children with T1D in schools.

As per NCPCR, a child with T1D who requires a mid-afternoon snack should be permitted by the class teacher to consume it. 

Those writing exams may be allowed to carry medicines, snacks and water with them, a glucometer and glucose testing strips to test blood sugar and continuous/flash glucose monitoring devices or insulin pumps. 

NCPCR has also appealed to States that in case a smartphone is required to monitor sugar levels, it should be allowed and can be held by the invigilator in the hall.

Panel to look at ways to boost multilateral banks

Source: The post is based on the article “Panel to look at ways to boost multilateral banks” published in TOI on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

A nine-member G20 expert panel has been set up to suggest ways to strengthen multilateral development banks (MDBs) like the World Bank.

About the G20 expert group on strengthening multilateral development banks(MDBs):

Chaired by: The group is co-chaired by Former US Secretary of Treasury Larry Summers and India’s NK Singh, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission.

Mandate of the group:

To draw up a roadmap for an updated MDB ecosystem for the 21st century so that these institutions are better equipped to finance a wide range of sustainable development goals and global challenges such as climate change and health.

To evaluate the funding required by and from multilateral development banks to address their and member countries’ increased financing needs. 

To draw up a mechanism for coordination among these MDBs to address and finance global development.

What are Multilateral Development Banks(MDBs)?

Multilateral Development Banks(MDBs) refer to international financial institutions that provide development and other assistance to nations. 

MDBs include World Bank, IMF, BRICS Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, New Development Bank, etc.

MDBs provide long-term loans for the capital-intensive infrastructure sector for developing countries, assist to deal with humanitarian crisis situations, help nations to build capacity for resource generation and exploration, etc.

India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, stability: Defence Minister

Source: The post is based on the article “India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, stability: Defence Minister” published in PIB on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

At the first edition of the India-Africa Army Chiefs’ Conclave, Defence Minister said that India will continue to work with African nations to promote regional security, foster stability and enhance defence capabilities.

This conclave was organized on the sidelines of the 2nd Africa-India Joint Exercise ‘AFINDEX’ in Pune, Maharashtra.

What are the key highlights from the Defence Minister’s address at the conclave?

African Struggle and Representation: Africa is the cradle of humanity and respective races and ethnicities. 

– India is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world with a youthful population and a fast-growing economy. 

– Civilizational ties including people-to-people contacts have laid the foundation for the free flow of ideas and practices since time immemorial. It gained significant momentum during our common struggle against imperialism. 

Human Resources of India and Africa: The people of India and Africa together represent one-third of humanity, a demographic dividend which must be used. India and Africa must seize this opportunity to turn this human resource into an engine of growth and development.

Digital Payment systems and innovations: India would like to share its growth experiences in these domains so that the African partners can benefit from Indian expertise. 

– One example is the financial inclusion of the entire country through digital technology through a unified payment interface, UPI.

India-Africa defence relation and Indian support: India has been at the forefront of providing training to the armed forces of the African nations and equating their military personnel with the necessary skills and competencies to face the security challenges of the 21st century.

– Indian training programs cover a wide range of areas including counter-insurgency, maritime security, and specialized training in new techniques such as fibre warfare and drone operations.

What does Muslim personal law say on inheritance?

Source: The post is based on the article “What does Muslim personal law say on inheritance?” published in The Hindu on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

A Muslim couple from Kerala has recently decided to get their marriage registered under the Special Marriage Act (SMA), almost 30 years after getting married according to Islamic principles. 

The couple has done this so that principles of the SMA Act could apply to matters of inheritance in his family, and enable his daughters to inherit the couple’s property under the Indian Succession Act, of 1925. The couple has three daughters and no sons.

This decision has put the spotlight on Islamic principles of inheritance. 

What does Islamic Law say?

The Quran clearly outlines the principles of inheritance for both direct and indirect heirs.

According to the rules on the division of property in Islam, a daughter gets half the share of the son. So if a son inherits a plot of 100 meters from the father, the daughter gets a plot of 50 metres or half the value of the 100-metre plot. 

If a couple has only a daughter or daughters, the daughters can inherit only two-thirds of the father’s property. Beyond that, the shares are for the mother and for paternal blood relatives.

What are the other options available under Islamic Law?

Within Islamic law, options are available to such a couple in case they want the property to remain within the family. 

The first option is to make a will or vasiyat under which a person can declare that upon his death, a particular heir shall inherit not more than one-third of the property. This is often done in case one of the children is not financially sound, or has special needs, or has served his or her parents more than other children. 

The second option is the concept of virasat. Under virasat or inheritance, there is the option of hiba which allows the unrestricted transfer of wealth or property to a person during the lifetime of the donor. This is like a gift deed. 

China ramping up bailout loans to BRI countries: Report

Source: The post is based on the article “China ramping up bailout loans to BRI countries: Report” published in TOI on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

For the past decade, China has lent massive amounts of loans to countries across Asia, Africa and Europe, growing its global influence through infrastructure mega projects and becoming one of the world’s biggest creditors.

Why is China providing bailout loans to these countries?

​​China has provided over $240 billion worth of bailout loans to 22 developing countries at risk of default over the past two decades, with the trend accelerating in recent years.

Almost all the funds went to Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Turkey. These are mostly low and middle-income nations that have received Chinese loans for infrastructure development.

China is aggressively providing more emergency loans to these countries for reasons of either geopolitical significance like a strategic location or lots of natural resources.

Why are Chinese loans being criticized?

It has been claimed that China lends money to other countries, which end up having to cede control of key assets if they can’t meet their debt repayments.

One example often cited by critics of China is Sri Lanka, which years ago embarked on a massive port project in Hambantota with Chinese investment. But the project struggled to prove viable leaving Sri Lanka with growing debts.

In 2017, Sri Lanka agreed to give state-owned China Merchants a controlling 70% stake in the port on a 99-year lease in return for further Chinese investment.

How does China’s lending compare with others?

China does not publish records of its foreign loans, and the majority of its contracts contain non-disclosure clauses which prevent borrowers from revealing their contents.

Are Chinese loans harder to repay?

China tends to lend at higher rates of interest than western governments.

At around 4-5 %, China’s loans are close to commercial market rates and about four times that of a typical loan from the World Bank or an individual country such as France or Germany.

The required repayment period for a Chinese loan is also generally shorter – less than 10 years, compared to around 28 years for other lenders’ concessional loans to developing countries.

India to estimate TB burden using own system

Source: The post is based on the article “India to estimate TB burden using own system” published in The Hindu on 29th March 2023

What is the News?

India has become the first country in the world to have developed a country-level mathematical model to estimate the prevalence of TB cases.

What is the model developed by India to estimate TB cases?

India’s own mathematical model to estimate TB cases is based on the natural history of the disease, individual status of infection, health care, missed or correct diagnosis, treatment coverage and outcomes including cure and death.

The model used data from several sources including the first TB prevalence survey, Nikshay portal, and the sub-national certification system where the TB-free status of various states is estimated and ranked.

Using this model, TB incidence and mortality estimate data for India will be available by March every year, months before the annual WHO estimates are released in October.

What is the data on TB according to India’s own mathematical model?

India’s TB incidence rate stands at 196 per 100,000 population instead of the 210 estimated by WHO.

The TB mortality rate — according to the Indian model — stands at 23 per 1,00,000 people against the 35 that WHO had estimated in 2022. 

The pandemic disruption has been estimated at about 4 lakh missed TB cases for each of the two years, 2020 and 2021.