9 PM UPSC Current Affairs Brief 23 Jan, 2024

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Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 1

Challenges Of Female Labour Force Participation (LFP) in 2024

Challenges Of Female Labour Force Participation

Source: The post Challenges of Female Labour Force Participation (LFP) has been created, based on the article “Intersectionality of gender and caste in women’s participation in the labour force” published in “The Hindu” on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS paper1- society- Salient features of Indian Society.

Challenges Of Female Labour Force Participation , This article discusses how women’s participation in India’s labor market is affected by caste and gender biases.

What challenges of Female Labour Force Participation (LFP)?

Limited Opportunities in Key Sectors: Structural issues in manufacturing and service sectors have led to limited employment opportunities, especially in the informal sector which involves about 90% of the workforce.

Read More Female Labour Force Participation Rate- Explained

Conditional participation in economy: As per the analysis presented from seven states, women’s participation in informal rural work mainly increases due to two reasons:
First, when there are more households belonging to lower castes.
Second, when there are many households led by women.
However, in the second case, women work mainly when women-led households are financially weak. Whereas, women, even in the leading roles in families, are less likely to look for jobs when their households are financially stable.

Impact of Caste on Women’s Work: Higher caste women tend to participate less in the workforce due to better education and societal norms. Whereas lower caste women, driven by economic necessity, are more likely to work in informal sectors.

Education’s Role: Education level greatly influences women’s employment. Lower caste women often lack education, leading to jobs in the informal sector. While educated women, including those from lower castes, can access formal jobs due to affirmative action.

Societal Expectations: The prevalent belief that women should prioritize housework and caregiving roles over professional careers hinders their participation in the workforce.

Legal and Economic Barriers: Women encounter legal constraints in employment, such as restrictions on night shifts, alongside economic challenges in seeking jobs.

 

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Why is Women’s Workforce Participation Important?

Economic Independence: Women’s earnings increase their capacity to make decisions for their family, promoting independence.

Social and Domestic Benefits: Employed women tend to delay marriage and childbirth, enhancing family health and well-being.

Educational Impact on Children: A mother’s income is often associated with higher chances of her children’s schooling.

Resource Control: Women with control over resources face less domestic violence and enjoy more mobility.

Societal Improvement: Participation in the workforce leads to broader socio-economic benefits, contributing to a more educated and enlightened society.

Affirmative Action Benefits: Education and employment, especially for lower caste women, open opportunities in formal sectors, demonstrating the impact of affirmative action policies.

Way forward

To improve women’s employment in India, policies should focus on reducing gender and caste discrimination, enhancing access to education for all women, and creating more opportunities in formal sectors. Addressing societal norms that limit women’s workforce participation and implementing affirmative action policies effectively can lead to greater economic empowerment and social mobility for women across different castes.

Question for practice

Examine the factors that hinder women’s workforce participation in India, and their potential impact on society and the economy.

GS PAPER - 2

Amended Biological Diversity Law Raises Fear of Loss For Tribals

Amended Biological Diversity Law Raises Fear of Loss For Tribals

Source: This post has been created based on the article “Amended biological diversity law raises fear of loss for tribals” published in “Business Standard” on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Social Justice – Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections (Tribals).

Amended Biological Diversity Law Raises Fear of Loss For Tribals, The article discusses the issues with the recent Biological Diversity (Amend­ment) Act, 2023.

Background:

Recently, the Government notified the Biological Diversity (Amend­ment) Act, 2023.

It is aimed at simplifying access to the country’s rich biodiversity for R&D while ensuring environmental protection and fair benefits to local communities.

It also aims at encouraging cultivation of medicinal plants and easing the compliance burden on Indian companies.

Read about the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 here.

What is Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)?

ABS is a compensatory amount typically paid to tribal and other communities with a tradition of gathering, safeguarding, and utilising herbs and medicinal plants crucial for the Ayush industry (manufacturers who sell such medicines or treatments).

 

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What are The Issues with The Amend­ments?

1. ABS exemption to Ayush: It has curtailed the revenue of tribals, whose livelihood depends on herbs, by exempting Ayush practitioners from paying ABS (ranging from 0.1 to 0.5% of sales).

2. Ambiguity in Definitions: The term ‘Ayush practitioner’ is not clearly defined. If a person cultivates herbs without registering a company and then sells them to companies, there is no way to regulate that.

3.Decriminalisation of Biodiversity Offences: This was aimed at reducing the fear among the stakeholders for effective compliance. However, it may lead to environmental concerns.

Question for practice:

What are the issues with the recent Biological Diversity (Amend­ment) Act, 2023?

GS PAPER - 3

Fired up and plugged in – India balancing economic growth with climate action

Fired up and plugged in - India balancing economic growth with climate action

Source: The post India balancing economic growth with climate action has been created, based on the article “Fired up and plugged in” published in “The Hindu on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3- Indian economy- growth and development, infrastructure,

Fired up and plugged in – India balancing economic growth with climate action, The article discusses India’s efforts to reduce its reliance on coal and increase renewable energy use, while maintaining economic growth and energy security.

What is The Current Status of Energy in India?

The current energy status in India is as follows:

Growth in Renewables: India aims to nearly triple its renewable power capacity by 2030.

Decarbonisation Efforts: Significant reduction in fossil fuel subsidies (76% decrease from FY14 to FY22) and investment in renewable energy, despite coal’s ongoing importance.

Reliance on Coal: Over 100 GW of base power load support is provided by coal-based power plants daily.

 

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What Strategy Should be Implemented To Improve Energy Generation From a Coal-based Plant?

Improve Thermal Plant Outages Management: In 2023, around 38 GW of coal-based power plants in India experienced unplanned outages during the top 10% peak demand days. Enhancing the availability and utilization of these plants can mitigate the need for new thermal assets. This involves better demand forecasting and maintenance scheduling.

Enhance Flexibility of Existing Coal Fleet: The Central Electricity Authority of India proposes retrofitting approximately 92% of the current coal and lignite-based capacity for improved flexibility. This includes reducing minimum power loads and enhancing ramp rate capabilities. States like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have developed payment mechanisms to support one-time retrofitting costs and increased operation and maintenance expenses.

Incentivize Payment for Storage Services: Standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) add significant costs to electricity units. Entities deploying BESS should be compensated for their contribution to grid stability and renewable energy integration.

Indigenize Supply Chains for Storage and Renewable Technologies: Coal production in FY22 generated significant revenue for the government and the Indian Railways. Similarly, investments in domestic production of storage and renewable technologies, supported by schemes like PLI, can lead to substantial domestic value addition and job creation.

Way forward

India’s path forward should concentrate on balancing energy security with global decarbonization goals. This involves a thorough evaluation of the long-term costs associated with conventional power reliance, while taking advantage of decreasing prices in renewable energy and storage. Ensuring electricity affordability across all economic sectors will lay the groundwork for more robust decarbonization efforts in the coming years.

Question for practice:

Evaluate India’s approach to achieving a balance between economic growth and climate action.

Tax Contribution by States Needs to be Revisited – Issue of Tax Distribution Among State

 Tax Contribution by States Needs to be Revisited

Source: The post issue regarding Tax Contribution has been created, based on the article “Tax contribution by States needs to be revisited” published in “The Hindu” on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic:  GS Paper 3 – Indian Economy – mobilization of resources

Tax Contribution by States Needs to be Revisited,  The article discusses how the Finance Commission in India decides the share of tax revenue for each state.

How were Taxes Historically Distributed?

Until the 10th Finance Commission (up to 2000), state shares in Union tax revenue were limited to personal income tax and Union excise duties.

Population was a major factor, with 80% to 90% weight in the distribution formula for income tax in the first seven Finance Commissions.

For Union excise duties, due to a lack of consumption data, states’ tax contribution was not a determinant.

Post-2000, all central tax revenues were combined for distribution, with a unified formula for both income tax and Union excise duties, focusing more on equity.

In the 15th Finance Commission, the distribution formula included tax effort (2.5% weight) and demographic performance (12.5% weight), along with equity indicators like per capita income and population as per the 2011 Census.

Read more about Finance commission

What are The Issues Regarding Tax Contribution?

Primary Issue: The main issue is whether states with higher tax contributions should receive a larger share of Union tax revenue. States’ Viewpoint: States with substantial tax contributions argue for greater recognition in the distribution formula.

Historical Weightage: Historically, state tax contributions were given limited weight (10% to 20%) in the revenue distribution formula.

Complexity in Attribution: Accurately attributing income tax revenue to specific states is challenging, complicating the assessment of contributions. States’ Demand: States with significant income tax collections demand higher weighting for their tax contributions.

Balance Challenge: The debate involves finding a balance between rewarding states for economic efficiency and maintaining equitable distribution among all states.

What Should be Done?

  1. Include State GST contributions in the distribution formula as a measure of efficiency. This is because GST, being a consumption-based tax, accurately reflects a state’s tax base and is equally divided between the State and Central governments.
  2. Consider the relative share of petroleum consumption by States as another efficiency indicator. Since petroleum taxes are outside GST, this reflects the State’s contribution to Union excise duties and customs duties on petroleum products.
  3. Assign significant weightage (suggested at least 33%) to these efficiency indicators (GST revenue and petroleum consumption) in the distribution formula. This is supported by the fact that GST revenue and petroleum consumption are stable and fair measures of a state’s contribution to the national exchequer.
  4. Maintain a balance between efficiency and equity indicators in the distribution formula. Equity factors like population, area, and income levels must be considered alongside efficiency to ensure a fair and equitable allocation of Union tax revenues among States.

Question for practice:

Discuss the key issues and proposed solutions related to the distribution of Union tax revenue among Indian states.

Bull Semen Imports Are A Pragmatic Experiment – Increasing Milk Production in India

Bull Semen Imports Are A Pragmatic Experiment

Source: This post on Increasing Milk Production in India has been created based on the article “Bull semen imports are a pragmatic experiment” published in “” on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Agriculture – Economics of animal-rearing.

Bull Semen Imports Are A Pragmatic Experiment, The article discusses the status of milk production in India. It also highlights the recent initiative to increase milk production in India, and the associated challenges.

What is The Status of Milk Production in India?

India is the largest producer of milk in the world. In 2022-23, the country produced 230.6 million tonnes of milk.

However, since all of it gets consumed within India, India is not a major exporter. Thus, there is a need to scale up India’s dairy farming sector to meet rising domestic demand and serve overseas markets.

In this regard, the government is aiming for 330 million tonnes of annual milk output by 2033-34.

How can Milk Production be Increased?

1) Increasing the number of cattle.

2) Increasing milk producing capacity of Indian cattle.

According to the author, it is more efficient to increase the milk producing capacity of our existing livestock.

 

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What Steps Are Being Taken to Increase Milk Producing Capacity of Indian Cattle?

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is importing 40,000 doses of Gir bull semen from Brazil for domestic insemination to raise milk volumes.

The Gir breed is claimed to be capable of producing as much as 40 litres of milk every day per animal. Even its average of 20-22 litres daily would exceed Indian cattle’s usual average (estimated at 8 litres per day).

Thus, having these genes in the local bovine population could boost milk supply without the need of cattle farm expansion.

Note: The Gir cow is a breed of cattle that originated in the Kathiawar peninsula of western India. Gir cows were imported to Brazil between 1870 and 1962.

What are The Issues with This Initiative?

  1. Genetic Challenges: The genetic hybrids may not necessarily acquire all the traits sought to be passed along.
  2. Resistance to Imports: Imports often face resistance in India, especially in the field of livestock farming, due to opposition from cattle breeders.

Thus, according to the author, India’s dairy board is right in importing Gir bull genes from Brazil so that milk output gets a boost.

Question for practice:

India is the largest milk producer, but not a major exporter. In this context, what steps are being taken to increase milk producing capacity of Indian cattle? Critically analyse them.

On India’s Violation of WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA)

On India’s Violation of WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture

Source: This post on India’s Violation of WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) has been created based on the article “India’s fight for food security at WTO” published in “Business Standard” on 23rd January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Agriculture – Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices.

On India’s Violation of WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture, The article discusses the complaint against India breaching WTO’s AoA limits. It also highlights why AoA is discriminatory against developing countries and what India should do in this regard.

A detailed article on WTO reforms and India can be read here.

Background:

The 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be held in Abu Dhabi next month.

India’s main focus at this conference will be to defend its right to purchase food grains from its farmers at minimum support prices (MSPs) without violating the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) rules.

What is The Complaint Against India?

India breaching AoA limits: The AoA permits price support up to 10% of the market value of a product in developing countries (like India). In 2020-21, India’s price support for rice rose to about 15%.
However, the US and other countries claim that India’s support is much higher, around 94%. This high level of support has led to India becoming the top rice exporter, holding 40% of the global market share.

What is The Calculation Methodology for MPS Adopted Under WTO’s AoA?

Market Price Support or MPS is the gap between a fixed external reference price and the applied administered price multiplied by the production quantity eligible for the MSP.
For instance, the AoA uses a fixed external reference price of $262.51 per tonne to calculate price support for rice. This price is based on the export or import price of rice from 1986 to 1988 and remains unchanged.

Why does The Issue of Different Calculations of MPS Arise?

The flawed methodology of the AoA causes the significant difference in Indian and US calculations of MPS. This is due to:

  1. Definition of Eligible Production: The AoA defines “eligible production” as the amount of produce that is entitled to receive MSP, regardless of whether it was actually bought. However, India considers the quantity actually bought under MSP.
  2. Incorporating Currency Exchange Rates: The AoA does not specify that calculations must be in a specific currency. India calculates its subsidy figures in US dollars, benefiting from the weakening INR. However, the US argues otherwise.
  3. Unchanged Reference Point: Comparing the MSP with a 35-year-old reference price (1986-1988) results in a higher calculated subsidy share for developing countries (since the benchmark of support provided by developed countries was already high in 1986-88).
    As a result, the US and the EU today offer over 50% and 65% support and still comply with AoA rules. However, India is considered non-compliant for providing 15% price support.

This makes the AoA discriminatory against developing countries

 

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What Should be The Way Forward for India?

  1. MSP as Green Box: India should seek the classification of MSP programme as “Green Box” support. This would exempt it from obligations to reduce support levels.
  2. Higher Production Targets: India can consider setting higher production targets for some crops and limit its support to only 75% of the output. This strategy fits into the AoA’s Blue Box category.
  3. Expand Team of Experts: India currently has fewer specialists focusing on agricultural trade issues compared to other countries.

Question for practice:

What is the complaint against India regarding breaching of WTO’s AoA rules? How are the AoA rules discriminatory against developing countries?


Following articles have already been covered in the 7 PM Articles of the day:

Already Covered Articles 
The idea of one nation, one election is against federalism 
Why was FCRA registration for several NGOs cancelled? 
Indian Post Office Act 2023 
7 PM Article - Indian Post Office Act 2023- Explained Pointwise

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Antibiotic Properties of Phytocannabinoids in 2024

Antibiotic Properties of Phytocannabinoids

Source: This post has been created based on the article “Jammu CSIR lab finds cannabis compound that has antibiotic effects” published in “The Hindu” on 23rd January.

Why in The News?

Antibiotic Properties of Phytocannabinoids, CSIR-IIIM Jammu researchers have found a compound, THCBD which has a potent antibiotic effect against Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. It is responsible for the second most number of deaths due to anti-microbial resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus: It is a gram-positive bacterium that causes a wide variety of clinical diseases. Examples- pneumonia, meningitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis etc.

  1. aureus is found in the environment and is also found in normal human flora, located on the skin and mucous membranes (most often the nasal area) of most healthy individuals.

Its transmission is mostly from direct contact.

What is THCBD and How Can It be an Alternative Solution to Anti-Microbial Resistance?

THCBD stands for tetrahydrocannabidiol (THCBD). It is a semisynthetic phytocannabinoid. Phytocannabinoid are cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis plant.

The researchers tested THCBD against bacterial cultures in the lab.

It demonstrated strong effectiveness against efflux overexpression and MRSA strain.

It has also reduced the number of viable microbial cells of S. aureus skin infections in mice.

Thus, it can be a promising candidate to overcome anti-microbial resistance.

 

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Challenges in The Use of THCBD

There is challenge of solubility of drugs. The drug needs to be dissolved in an aqueous medium. A drug molecule should be neither too hydrophilic nor too lipophilic but in between. However, THCBD tilts toward lipophilicity so this needs to be changed.

THCBD comes from cannabis and Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 restricts the use of cannabis even for research purposes.

Some important terms: –

Hydrophilic molecule: -molecules which are water loving.

Lipophilic molecule: -molecule which are fat loving.

Indias’s AMR burden: -India reported 2.97 lakh death in 2019 due to AMR (anti-microbial resistance)

UPSC SYLLABUS: -Science and technology.

World’s Largest Iceberg in 2024

World's Largest Iceberg

Source : This post has been created based on the article “World’s biggest iceberg battered by waves as it heads north” published in “The Hindu” on 22nd January 2024.

Why in the news?

The World’s Largest Iceberg , named A23a, was seen in Antarctica on January 14.

What is an Iceberg?

An iceberg is large pieces of freshwater ice that broke off from glaciers or shelf ice and is floating in open water.

To be qualified as an iceberg, the height of the ice must be greater than 16 feet above sea level and the thickness must be 98-164 feet and the ice must cover an area of at least 5,382 square feet.

About A23a

IMAGE SOURCE:map data:OSM,NASA, SENTINEL-3

Origin: A23a first broke off the Antarctic coast in 1986. It is the world’s oldest and largest iceberg.

Aspect Description
Origin A23a first broke off the Antarctic coast in 1986. It is the world’s oldest and largest iceberg.
shape Tooth-shaped
Length Nearly 4,000 square kilometers (twice the size of greater London)
Thickness Up to 400 meters thick in places
Volume It contains an estimated one trillion tons of fresh water
Location Currently drifting between Elephant Island and the South Orkney Islands

 

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Some important points about icebergs

Icebergs are a natural process that is one or two big ones break off every year. After breaking free A23a followed the same path as massive icebergs A68 and A76.

The iceberg is moving into the Southern Ocean so warmer waters and bigger waves will start to break it up.

UPSC SYLLABUS: Geography and Environment

India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise Cyclone

India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise Cyclone

Source-This post is based on the article “Indian army special forces contingent reaches Egypt for Joint Exercise CYCLONE” published in “PIB” on 22nd January 2024.

Why in the News?

India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise Cyclone, A 25-member Indian Army contingent has arrived in Egypt for the 2nd edition of India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise, CYCLONE. It will be conducted at Anshas, Egypt from January 22 to February 1, 2024.

What is Exercise CYCLONE?

Aspect Details
About It is a Joint Special Forces exercise between India and Egypt.
Aim To enhance mutual understanding of operational protocols for desert/semi-desert Special Operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
First Edition 2023 (India)
Features of 2nd Edition 1. The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).
2. Egyptian contingent is being represented by Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.
3. The Exercise will involve planning and execution of special operations in sub conventional domain and will be conducted in three phases.
Significance 1. It will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond and share best practices.
2. It will serve as a platform to achieve common security goals and enhance ties between two friendly nations.

UPSC Syllabus- Defence Exercises

Alliance for Global Good-Gender Equity and Equality

Alliance for Global Good-Gender Equity and Equality

Source-This post is based on the article “India sets up alliance for Global Good-Gender Equity and Equality” published in “The Economic Times” on 19th January 2024.

Why in the News?

Alliance for Global Good-Gender Equity and Equality, India has recently launched the ‘Alliance for Global Good- Gender Equity and Equality’ at the 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

What is the Alliance for Global Good- Gender Equity and Equality?

Aspect Details
Aim The alliance strives to promote global development led by women.
Stakeholders 1. Supported by– The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
2. Housed and anchored by-The CII Centre for Women Leadership
3. Network Partner– The World Economic Forum
4. Institutional PartnerInvest India
Features 1. The alliance emphasizes adopting global best practices, sharing knowledge, and making investments in women’s health, education, and enterprises.
2. The concept for this alliance originated from the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, emphasizing India’s commitment to women-led development.
Significance It strengthens India’s dedication to global cooperation and aligns with the overarching WEF theme, ‘Rebuilding Trust‘.

Note- The launch was accompanied by the introduction of a women’s leadership lounge (We Lead Lounge) at WEF, which hosted discussions and showcased products from women entrepreneurs.

What is the World Economic Forum (WEF)?

1) It is a Swiss-based international organization that holds an annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

2) It was established by Klaus Schwab in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation. It was initially named as European Management Forum. Later, it changed its name to the World Economic Forum in 1987.

3) Aim: The forum aims to improve the state of the world by fostering dialogue and cooperation between different stakeholders.

4) Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

5) Important Reports:
a) Global Competitiveness Report
b) Global Gender Gap Report
c) Global Risks Report and
d) Global Travel and Tourism Report

UPSC Syllabus- International Relations

FAO’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI)

Source-This post is based on the article “India elected vice-chair of UN fisheries body amid countries calling out China’s illegal fishing” published in “The Print” on 19th January 2024.

Why in the News?

Recently, India has been appointed as the first vice-chair of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Fisheries (COFI) Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management, marking the first time in 59 years.

What is its Significance?

1) This appointment coincides with growing global apprehensions regarding China’s illicit fishing activities in international waters. China has received condemnation for engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, encroaching upon the exclusive economic zones of more than 80 countries.

2) The inclusion of India in this committee is seen as bringing balance and perspective to the global conversation on fisheries governance and management.

What is Committee on Fisheries (COFI)?

Aspect Details
About 1. It stands as the sole global inter-governmental platform dedicated to the examination of significant international fisheries and aquaculture problems and issues.
2. It is a subsidiary body of the FAO Council.
Established in  1965
Membership & Voting 1. COFI membership is open to FAO Members and non-Members are eligible to be an observer of the Organization.
2. Representatives from the UN, its bodies, specialized agencies, regional fishery bodies, and international non-governmental organizations participate in debates without voting rights.
Functions 1. COFI assesses the FAO work program related to fisheries, conducts regular reviews of global fishery issues, and puts forth potential solutions.
2. COFI has also been used as a forum in which global agreements and non-binding instruments regarding global fisheries have been negotiated.
3. It has two subsidiary bodies: the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture and the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade.
Significance COFI played a key role in negotiating the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Agreement on Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas.

What is Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)?

1) It is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

2) Objective– To lead global efforts to end hunger and guarantee food security for everyone.

2) Established on -16 October, 1945

3) Headquarter– Rome, Italy

UPSC Syllabus- International Relations

Havisure: India’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine

Source-This post is based on the article “India’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine launched in Hyderabad” published in “Deccan Herald” on 20th January 2024.

Why in the News?

Recently, Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), has launched India’s first domestically developed Hepatitis A vaccine, named ‘Havisure.’

What is Havisure?

Specifications Details
About It is India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for Hepatitis A.
Dosage 1. It is a two-dose vaccine.
2. The first dose given to those above 12 months of age and the second dose is administered at least six months later.
Who is eligible for the vaccine? 1. The vaccine is advised for routine immunization in children and individuals at risk due to exposure or travel to regions with high hepatitis A prevalence.
2. Additionally, individuals with occupational infection risks and those suffering from chronic liver diseases can also receive Hepatitis A vaccination.
Significance This vaccine is expected to play a significant role in preventing Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection transmitted through contaminated food or water.

What is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis
Source- DW

1) It is a viral infection that primarily causes inflammation of the liver.

2) It can be an acute (short-term) infection or a chronic (long-term) infection.

3) Transmission– It is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or water or through close contact with an infected person.

4) Symptoms– fever, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

5) Treatment– As per WHO there is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Recovery from symptoms following infection may be slow and can take several weeks or months.

UPSC Syllabus- Science & Technology

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