{"id":130963,"date":"2021-09-02T21:00:03","date_gmt":"2021-09-02T15:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=130963"},"modified":"2021-09-03T09:12:24","modified_gmt":"2021-09-03T03:42:24","slug":"9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-september-2nd-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-september-2nd-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief \u2013 September 2nd, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"content-box-red\">Dear Friends,<br \/>\nWe have initiated some changes in the 9 PM Brief and other postings related to current affairs.\u00a0What we sought to do:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Ensure that all relevant facts, data, and arguments from today\u2019s newspaper are readily available to you.<\/li>\n<li>We have widened the sources to provide you with content that is more than enough and adds value not just for GS but also for essay writing. Hence, the 9 PM brief now covers the following newspapers:\n<ol>\n<li><strong>The Hindu\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Indian Express\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Livemint\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Business Standard\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Times of India\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>We have also introduced the relevance part to every article. This ensures that you know why a particular article is important.<\/li>\n<li>Since these changes are new, so initially the number of articles might increase, but they&#8217;ll go down over time.<\/li>\n<li>It is our endeavor to provide you with the best content and your feedback is essential for the same. We will be anticipating your feedback and ensure the blog serves as an optimal medium of learning for all the aspirants.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>For previous editions of 9 PM Brief<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-brief\/\">Click Here<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>For individual articles of 9 PM Brief<\/strong>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/daily-current-affairs-summaries-for-upsc-exam\/\">Click Here<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"p-3 mb-2 bg-info text-white text-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Mains Oriented Articles\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 1<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#gs1\">Enlarge the Panchsheel approach to tribal upliftment<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 2<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#gs11\">Where liberalism and nationalism are placed in Asia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs12\">Better policing, please: Court observations on investigations in Delhi riots should be required reading for all major police forces<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs13\">The Paralympic paradox<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs14\">Three doses not two: Israel sets new benchmark for full vaccination. It is on India\u2019s horizon as well<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs15\">What the global flow of guns tell us about how states fail<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 3<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#gs21\">India must commit to net zero emissions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs22\">How Israel\u2019s expertise in climate innovation can help India<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs23\">Let&#8217;s talk land sinks: Are they enough to beat global warming<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs24\">Integrity of insolvency processes: A tough ask<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs25\">Fleeting cheer (On impact of COVID on GDP and the future scenario)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs26\">Gauging household income key for microfinance clients<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs27\">Our banks are mispricing capital and this is simply unsustainable<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"p-3 mb-2 bg-info text-white text-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#f1\">Is Covid-19 now endemic in India?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f2\">Snow leopard, Black-necked crane declared state animal and birds in Ladakh<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f3\">India, Kazakhstan joint military exercise \u2018KAZIND-21\u2019<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f4\">India to Offer Indemnity to Flag Carrier Bidder Over Cairn Claim<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f5\">Effectiveness of vaccines<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f6\">Naval Aviation to get President\u2019s Colour<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f7\">Women and Child Development Minister inaugurates NUTRI GARDEN at All India Institute of Ayurveda<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f8\">IIT Ropar\u2019s startup company introduces World\u2019s first \u2018Plant based\u2019 smart air-purifier \u201cUbreathe Life\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f9\">Indian Army to participate in multinational military exercise \u2018ZAPAD 2021\u2019 in Russia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f10\">UN: Weather disasters soar in numbers, cost, but deaths fall<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f11\">Missing the woods: 18% of India\u2019s 2,603 tree species threatened with extinction<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"p-3 mb-2 bg-info text-red text-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Mains Oriented Articles<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 1<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs1\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/enlarge-the-panchsheel-approach-to-tribal-upliftment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enlarge the Panchsheel approach to tribal upliftment<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>\u00a0This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Enlarge the Panchsheel Approach for Tribal upliftment<\/strong>\u201d published in the <strong>Livemint<\/strong> on <strong>2<sup>nd<\/sup> \u00a0September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS 1 &#8211; Effects of globalization on Indian society<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>This article explains India&#8217;s Tribal development policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>Despite Indian independence, tribal development is lacking in India.<\/p>\n<h5>Introduction<\/h5>\n<p>This article highlights the problems\/ difficulties faced by tribals because of globalisation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Impact of Globalisation on Tribals<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Livelihood: <\/strong>It forced tribes to give up their traditional occupations. Now, most of them work as migrants, daily wageworker in unorganized sectors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Culture: <\/strong>It severely impacted their ancient culture. Globalisation unrestrained interactions between tribal populations. This has resulted in indigenous culture being suppressed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is Panchsheel? How it will address tribal Issues?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To address the issues of Tribals, Jawahar Lal Nehru advocated \u201c<strong>Panchsheel<\/strong>\u201d for Tribal development. The major components of the Panchsheel are:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Self-Governance: <\/strong>It advocates the non- imposition of outside rule\/culture from external agencies by encouraging self-governance. It affirms that the forest and land rights of tribals must be protected.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inclusivity: <\/strong>It encourages the inclusion of tribals in development and administration. It additionally mandates that schemes and administrative insurance policies meant for Tribal beneficiaries shouldn\u2019t be cumbersome.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Integration and Development: <\/strong>It requires that the standard of judging progress for Tribals be based mostly on life-quality indices, with an intention to strike a steadiness between isolationism and their assimilation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are provisions in the Indian Constitution for Tribal Upliftment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Part X of the Constitution: <\/strong>It entails provisions for the administration and management of Scheduled Areas and Schedule Tribes (STs).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Article 330 and 332: <\/strong>It reserves seats for ST in Schedule areas, thus granting them representation to safeguard their rights and interests.<\/p>\n<p><strong>89<sup>th<\/sup> Amendment: <\/strong>It introduced National Commission for ST, which further derives its power from Article 338 A.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tribal Advisory Council<\/strong>: It is mandatorily constituted to inculcate the value of self-governance, which is the cornerstone of democracy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PESA (Panchayat Extensions of Scheduled Areas) Act, 1995<\/strong>: In 1991, after the recommendation of <strong>Bhuria committee<\/strong>, the government enacted the PESA. It confers the powers of local self-governance, ownership and management of natural resources to the local Tribal communities.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/collapse-of-adivasi-self-governance-system-in-jharkhand-need-to-implement-pesa\/\">Panchayat Extensions of Scheduled Areas<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/collapse-of-adivasi-self-governance-system-in-jharkhand-need-to-implement-pesa\/\">(PESA) Act<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Recommendation of various Commissions and committees<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kaka Kalekar Commission, 1953: <\/strong>It suggested the recognition of ST as an exclusive group that belongs to no specific religion.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bandhopadhyay and Mungekar Committee: <\/strong>It was constituted to examine governance issues in Schedule areas affected by extremism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Xaxa Panel, 2014: <\/strong>It was constituted to look extensively into Tribal livelihood, employment, health, migration and legal matters. This committee observed that the PESA and the Forests Rights Act are slow to absorb the rapidly evolving circumstances of tribals.<\/p>\n<p>There are some more committees constituted for tribal reforms like <strong>Elwin panel 1959<\/strong>, <strong>UN Debar Commission 1960, Lokur Committee 1965, Shilu Ao Panel 1965<\/strong>. These all are largely focused on Tribal development, governance mechanism and welfare system.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are the Supreme Court rulings for Tribal rights?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The judiciary acts as a torchbearer of Tribal rights in its role as Panchsheel enforcer.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>Samatha vs state of Andhra Pradesh 1977:<\/strong> It held that granting of mining lease in Schedule areas by state amounts to transfer of land to \u201cnon-tribal\u201d is in violation of the Fifth schedule.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>Orissa Mining Corporation vs Ministry of Environment and Forests: <\/strong>The SC held that forest dwellers and STs have a right under FRA (<a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answered-the-scheduled-tribes-and-other-traditional-forest-dwellers-recognition-of-forest-rights-act-2006-is-crucial-to-the-rights-of-millions-of-tribals-and-other-forest-dwellers-in-dif\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forest Right Act<\/a>) to be consulted before their ancient homelands are converted into commercial lands.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are the government&#8217;s efforts?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Stand Up India\u2019 scheme 2021: <\/strong>It is launched by SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India). It seeks to provide loans to ST ranging from 10 lakh to 1 crore to set up enterprises.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Budget 2021-22: <\/strong>I reduced the margin money requirement for loans from 25% to 15%. It also allows credit for agricultural allied activities.<\/p>\n<p>A proposal has been made for building 750 <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/modernisation-of-eklavya-model-residential-schools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eklavya model Residential schools<\/a> in Tribal majority areas to inculcate heritage-based education. It will also focus on vocational skill training.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What more can be done?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Despite seven decades of independence, several constitutional and legal safeguards, the condition of tribal leaves much to be desired.<\/p>\n<p>India&#8217;s ratification of the <strong>International Labor Convention&#8217;s 1989 convention on Rights of Indigenous people<\/strong> which recognizes their rights on land and natural resources can be the pragmatic step that may use in the development of Tribal people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<p><strong>Terms to know<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/present-status-of-stand-up-india-scheme\/\"><strong>Stand Up India Scheme<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 2<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs11\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/where-liberalism-and-nationalism-are-placed-in-asia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Where liberalism and nationalism are placed in Asia<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Where liberalism and nationalism are placed in Asia<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Hindu <\/strong>on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS 2\u2013 Important aspects of governance<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: This article explains India\u2019s presence in the South China Sea.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/liberalism-and-nationalism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Liberalism and nationalism<\/a> mean different things to different people, and the two concepts are often considered mutually exclusive.<\/p>\n<h5>Introduction<\/h5>\n<p>Nationalism may take various forms but essentially, it is about collective identity, whereas liberalism implies the defence of individual freedom and self-determination.<\/p>\n<p>The liberal tradition contributes the ideas such as free trade, international law, multilateralism, environmental protection and human rights. But the problems arise when such ideas become a doctrine for nation-building.<\/p>\n<h5>What is the difference between nationalism and liberalism?<\/h5>\n<p><strong>Nationalism<\/strong> may take various forms but essentially, it is about collective identity, whereas <strong>liberalism<\/strong> implies the defence of<strong> individual freedom and self-determination<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Liberalism<\/strong> can underpin universal rights and Adam Smith\u2019s natural laws of economics. But its<strong> appeal is mainly to the professional<\/strong>, educated class and lacks nationalism\u2019s emotional appeal.<\/p>\n<h5>How was nationalism in India got shaped during independence?<\/h5>\n<p>Before Indian independence, nationalism was regarded with suspicion. For instance,\u00a0<strong>Rabindranath Tagore<\/strong> had considered it a malign ideology and <strong>supported the values of internationalism and universalism<\/strong>. On the other hand, <strong>VD Savarkar<\/strong> supported <strong>Hindutva nationalism with Buddha\u2019s universalism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, <strong>Jawaharlal Nehru<\/strong> saw merit in nationalism. For instance, in 1953, he mentioned, \u201c<strong>nationalism has been and is a very good thing<\/strong>. It has been a great liberating force in certain stages of a country\u2019s history\u201d. But he also feared that <strong>extreme nationalism<\/strong> could <strong>degenerate into fascism and expansionism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5>How the Asian Democracy is different from Western Democracy?<\/h5>\n<p><strong>Democracy in Asia<\/strong> is not shaped by the liberalism of the West. The <strong>centrality of civil and political rights is less<\/strong> and a <strong>degree of state intervention<\/strong> is considered acceptable when it comes to individual autonomy.<\/p>\n<h5>How will nationalism and liberalism be reflected in a future Asia?<\/h5>\n<p>Both India and China were at the<strong> receiving end of western imperialism<\/strong> and emerged as <strong>supporters of principles of international society<\/strong> reflected in the Panchsheel, namely sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference.<\/p>\n<p>The two leading Asian nations, <strong>India and China, used the present world system to their rise<\/strong> while <strong>protesting against the control of the United Nations<\/strong> and world financial institutions.<\/p>\n<p>But they both have not formulated any alternative based on Asian nationalism. Their current rivalry makes any such formulation an impossible one.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs12\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/better-policing-please-court-observations-on-investigations-in-delhi-riots-should-be-required-reading-for-all-major-police-forces\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Better policing, please: Court observations on investigations in Delhi riots should be required reading for all major police forces<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Better policing, please: Court observations on investigations in Delhi riots should be required reading for all major police forces<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Times of India\u00a0<\/strong>on <strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS 2<strong> \u2013 <\/strong>Police reforms<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>Understand lapses in the police investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>There are few major lapses in the police investigation. These can be corrected by paying heed to the advice of the Delhi court.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Recently, the police investigation in the February 2020 riots case has come under the scanner of Delhi Trial Courts. These critical observations have to be considered seriously during the police investigations in the country.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the judicial observations about the police investigations?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Inconsistency: <\/strong>The courts noted many inconsistencies in witness statements, which should have been noted by police during their investigation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Poor Evidence<\/strong>: In multiple bail orders, judges have cited poor evidence as to their reason for granting bail. For example, in the context of the Delhi High court\u2019s bail for three anti-CAA activists in June, despite they have been charged with the <strong>UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act)<\/strong>, the police were not able to produce strong convicting evidence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Policing methods: <\/strong>Courts are also finding basic lapses in policing methods. E.g. In one case involving acid burn injuries to police personnel, police did not collect chemical samples from the crime scene for forensic analysis.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The behaviour of investigating officers: <\/strong>Investigating officers are not briefing prosecutors properly or answering their queries.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Methods of framing charges: <\/strong>In some cases<strong>, <\/strong>investigation appeared \u201cinefficient\u201d and \u201cunproductive\u201d. Police are framing charges of vandalism without thinking how such evidence and the investigation will withstand a higher degree of scrutiny during trials. For example, in a riot victim\u2019s gunshot injury complaint, police had clubbed this case with incidents from other localities of some other day.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How can the investigation be improved?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>If Police all over India pay close attention to the Delhi court\u2019s observations, investigation processes can be made efficient, which will help in the quick delivery of Justice.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<p><strong>Terms to know<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/uapa-or-unlawful-activities-prevention-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs13\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/the-paralympic-paradox\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Paralympic paradox<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>The Paralympic paradox<\/strong>\u201d published in the <strong>Business Standard <\/strong>on<strong> 1st September 2021.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS-2 Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>Paralympics empowering disabled people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>Indians with disabilities need more attention.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Indian athletes have given their best performance in Paralympics 2021. It gives a platform for disabled people to perform and shine. But, at the same time, it shows the embarrassing truth about Indian society that neglect disabled people.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/making-the-paralympics-count\/\">Making the Paralympics count<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>India has been participating in the Paralympics since 1988, but their coverage has been rarely featured in India in any significant way. Rarely, people knew about their achievements. It is time that we understand the issues faced by disabled people and work on them.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the government&#8217;s efforts to improve Paralympic athletes performance?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Khelo India Scheme: <\/strong>The government\u00a0introduced this scheme in 2017. Three sports bodies were recognized under this, including a Paralympic Committee of India. Its aim is to provide differently-abled sportspeople access to more special facilities and coaching centres.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/khelo-india-programme\/\"><strong>Khelo India Scheme<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>TOP (Target Olympic Podium) Scheme: <\/strong>The scheme offers support for high potential para-athletes.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/target-olympic-podium-or-tops-scheme\/\"><strong>TOP Scheme<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><strong>What will be the impact of Private Sector Cooperation?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Greater interest from the private sector, which has been the driving factor behind the commercial success of sporting events.<\/p>\n<p>There is positive momentum in this direction, as automobile makers have now decided to design special vehicles for two of the medal winners.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from that, Toyota also signed a sponsorship with the Worldwide Paralympic Partner.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How should we start?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>A government report recently pointed that<strong> only half of the disabled people in India have a disability certificate<\/strong>, effectively depriving the other half of all the government benefits. A good first step would be ensuring the <strong>issuance of disability certificates to all<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<h5><strong>Terms to know<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/sc-makes-sure-that-public-infrastructure-is-friendly-for-the-differently-abled\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rights of Person with Disability Act<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs14\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/three-doses-not-two-israel-sets-new-benchmark-for-full-vaccination-it-is-on-indias-horizon-as-well\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Three doses not two: Israel sets new benchmark for full vaccination. It is on India\u2019s horizon as well<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Three doses not two: Israel sets new benchmark for full vaccination. It is on India\u2019s horizon as well<\/strong>\u201d published in the <strong>Times of India<\/strong> on <strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS 2 &#8211; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>To understand the immunization process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>With Israel adopting a 3 dose policy, what should be India\u2019s policy going forward?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Recently, Israel stated that every Israeli over 12 years is now entitled to a booster shot after the second dose. Other countries from the UK to Indonesia are also planning to offer booster doses to vulnerable groups.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why has Israel adopted this Policy?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is well known that antibody responses weaken over time, especially with new viruses rapidly mutating and producing new versions.<\/p>\n<p>An Oxford University study of 3,391,645 test results found that &#8211; 92% and 69% efficacy is seen two weeks after the second Pfizer and AstraZeneca doses. However, after 90 days efficacy slips to 78% and 61% respectively.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What should India do?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>With more than 65.26 crore vaccine doses administered, multiple studies will be helpful in getting an optimal handle on complex efficacy issues. For Covishield, India can take inputs on policymaking from international studies.\u00a0For Covaxin, we have our own data.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding the third dose, ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) must take the lead and conduct field-level studies.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What should be the priority of India?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>For India, the first priority is giving two doses to all adults. India must ramp up the vaccine supply and vaccinating all eligible Indians with two doses before formulating a policy for 3 doses. To achieve that, large hospitals also need to step up vaccination drives.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<p><strong>Terms to know<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/indian-council-of-medical-research-icmr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian Council of Medical research<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs15\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-the-global-flow-of-guns-tell-us-about-how-states-fail\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What the global flow of guns tell us about how states fail<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>What the global flow of guns tell us about how states fail<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Indian Express<\/strong> on <strong>2nd\u00a0 September 2021.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS 2- <\/strong>Effect of Policies &amp; Politics of Developed &amp; Developing Countries on India&#8217;s Interests<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Understand the role of arms in society.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: The supply of weapons matters. If not controlled, then the weapons guide the nation in a different direction. The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is the latest example.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The global flow of guns serves as a very useful indicator of the flow of power and money. This can be understood from numerous historical examples.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the historical examples of weapons flow and gun control?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Colonial countries:<\/strong> In Asia, colonial empires used guns for their own self-protection. But, the British <strong>controlled colonies by disarming citizens<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The British Empire in India not just dispossessed Indians of weapons, it also <strong>disarmed them of indigenous knowledge in weapon-making<\/strong> that had begun to emerge in the 17th century.<\/p>\n<p>For instance<strong>, the Arms Act 1878<\/strong>\u00a0tightly controlled arms ownership in India. It was an exercise of colonial and racial subordination that even Gandhi wanted to overturn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The example of America: <\/strong>It has ensured that places it intervenes, are flooded with weapons. The US has a historical tradition of gun ownership to assert racial privilege. It also has a history of an armed militia winning a war of independence and becoming a modern state.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do guns inflict violence in society?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Developed countries vs conflict zones: <\/strong>Afghanistan has a death rate of 59.8\/1,00,000 resulting from violence and weapons use. Even in Pakistan, it is 5.9 but in countries like the USA and Japan, it is less than 1. This reflects that gun culture breeds violence and tends to persist in society.<\/p>\n<p><strong>India<\/strong>: India has followed the British policy of arms control, fearing rebellion by people. In 1959, India enacted restrictive arms laws to control lower-class rebellion.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the Small Arms Treaty?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is the <strong>Treaty adopted by UN General Assembly in 2013.<\/strong> The Treaty aimed to establish the highest possible common standards for regulating conventional arms, and prevent their diversion and illicit trade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>US<\/strong>: has withdrawn from the Treaty because of an ideological commitment to exporting weapons.<\/p>\n<p><strong>India<\/strong>: India is not a member, as it thinks that the Treaty protects arms exporters more than importers.<\/p>\n<p>This shows that major powerful countries are not keen on controlling the flow of weapons as it gives them economic benefits along with the power to influence other countries. Overall, the Treaty is not strong enough on arms transfers to non-state actors, which is where a significant part of the problem lies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do we learn from the history of weapons flow?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is true that weapons are needed to control violence. But peaceful societies cannot be built by the indiscriminate proliferation of weapons.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 3<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs21\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-must-commit-to-net-zero-emissions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">India must commit to net zero emissions<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article <strong>&#8220;India must commit to net zero emissions&#8221;<\/strong> posted in <strong>The Hindu<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS3 &#8211; Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Need for India to commit to net zero emissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: While all the major economies and big corporates are shifting towards net zero emissions, India is yet to commit to the same. It offers India an opportunity to scale up its efforts for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>With over 50% of the global economy already committed to net zero emissions by 2050 \u2014 and China committing to be so before 2060, India is at the risk of being cast globally as an outlier on climate action. The pace and scale of climate action is only set to increase, with the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report calling for urgent and stronger responses.<\/p>\n<p>A transition towards net zero emissions offers various opportunities for India, as highlighted below.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the opportunities for India?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Large scale investment<\/strong>&#8211;\u00a0 Last year, investors injected over $500 billion into climate transition.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Being part of the global community<\/strong>&#8211; Over 100 countries have already committed to net zero emissions by 2050, with more expected at COP26.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f7f2f2;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Must Read<\/strong>: <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/net-zero-emissions-target-and-significance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Zero Emissions target for India &#8211; Explained<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><strong>Why India must commit to net zero emissions?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Vulnerability to climate change<\/strong>&#8211; India is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and, therefore, should be among the more active against the threats. It\u00a0faces harmful impacts related to sea level rise, heat stress, drought, water stress and flooding, biodiversity and natural disasters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Responsibility as rising power<\/strong>&#8211;\u00a0 As a rising power, India naturally seeks stronger influence globally. India is already the third-largest emitter in the world, which calls for more commitment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Affect India&#8217;s international diplomacy<\/strong>&#8211; India&#8217;s lack of commitment to net zero emissions will cast a negative shadow on its international diplomacy. This applies not just to key relationships like with the U.S., but also with much of the Group of 77 (G77) states.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Boosting economic growth<\/strong>&#8211; There is no longer a trade-off between reducing emissions and economic growth. The U.K. has reduced emissions over 40% and grown its economy over 70% since 1990.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Increasing agricultural productivity<\/strong>&#8211; Agricultural policy needs to consider adaptive approaches to maximize productivity in light of increased flooding and drought due to climate change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gaining advantage in the technologies<\/strong>&#8211; The transition of the global economy to net zero emissions is the biggest commercial opportunity in history. Investing heavily thus helps to gain an advantage in the technologies of the new economy, like renewable energy &amp; storage, electric and hydrogen transport, low emissions industry, green cities or sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n<p>However, India is doing exceptionally well to adapt to climate change, which is evident as below.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>India&#8217;s efforts to adapt to climate change<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Firstly,<\/strong> India is set to significantly exceed its Paris Agreement commitment of reducing the emission intensity of its GDP by 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Secondly,<\/strong> India is leading with the roll-out of renewable energy and an expanded target for 450GW by 2030.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thirdly,<\/strong> It is taking leadership on the International Solar Alliance and recent national hydrogen strategy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fourthly<\/strong>, Indian corporates are also stepping up, with the Tata Group winning awards on sustainability, Mahindra committing to net zero by 2040 and Reliance by 2035.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<p><strong>Terms to know<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-is-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-ipcc\/\">IPCC<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/international-solar-alliance\/\">International Solar Alliance<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs22\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/how-israels-expertise-in-climate-innovation-can-help-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How Israel\u2019s expertise in climate innovation can help India<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on article <strong>&#8220;<span lang=\"EN-US\">How Israel\u2019s expertise in climate innovation can help India<\/span>&#8220;<\/strong> posted in <strong>The Indian Express<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS3 &#8211; Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Lessons from Israel could be used to drive India&#8217;s climate actions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: In the backdrop of emerging threats from climate change such as floods, forest fires, torrential rains, giant hailstones etc. our efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change seems slow. However, Israel&#8217;s actions could help us move faster to achieve net zero emission.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The average global temperature rise in 2021 is projected to be about 1.2 degrees Celsius above that of the pre-industrial period. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2021 analysis shows that the window of opportunity to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst impacts of climate change is closing. The report is a warning for us.<\/p>\n<p>We need a lifestyle and economy that supports, not disrupts the planet\u2019s climate, nature and environment.<\/p>\n<h5><b>What are potential threats to India?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Melting of glaciers<\/strong>&#8211; The Himalayan glaciers, the source of major rivers and aquifers supplying water to hundreds of millions of Indians, are disappearing at an alarming rate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Risk to low lying areas<\/strong>&#8211; Climate change will increase the risks in low-lying coastal zones due to cyclones and coastal and inland flooding, storm surges and sea-level rise.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Impact on Indian agriculture and water resources<\/strong>&#8211; The increased frequency of extreme events such as floods and droughts will have a severe impact on India\u2019s agriculture and water resources, food security and the prosperity of rural communities.<\/p>\n<p>India has made enormous investments in renewable energy sources, to increase the use of solar, wind, biomass, waste, and hydropower energies. But there are still enormous challenges in meeting Indian demands for energy, food, and water sustainably. Israel offers lessons for us.<\/p>\n<h5><b>What can we learn from Israel?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><strong>In agriculture<\/strong>&#8211; Israel has learned to establish agriculture in the desert and arid areas.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In water use<\/strong>&#8211; \u00a0It recycles 90% of its wastewater, and use desalinate drinking water.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In energy<\/strong>&#8211; Israel has developed solutions for energy storage, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. It also promotes energy generation from sea waves, the use of advanced computing tools for energy management.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Animal protein substitutes<\/strong>&#8211; it has cultivated a groundbreaking industry of animal protein substitutes. Products such as poultry, milk, eggs and more are being produced in laboratories using methods that emit<strong> almost no greenhouse gases<\/strong>. This allows huge swathes of agricultural land currently being used for livestock purposes to be freed up for ecological restoration and reforestation.<\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\"><b>Way forward<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">We need to harness all of humanity\u2019s abilities in order to steer the planet towards a safe position. The only way to do this is by working together, sharing information and experience, and providing mutual support. <\/span><strong style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">Israel and India<\/strong><span style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\"> can lead the way to establish state-of-the-art solutions for the developing world in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs23\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/lets-talk-land-sinks-are-they-enough-to-beat-global-warming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Let&#8217;s talk land sinks: Are they enough to beat global warming<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on article <strong>&#8220;<span lang=\"EN-US\">Let&#8217;s talk land sinks: Are they enough to beat global warming<\/span>&#8220;<\/strong> published in <strong>Down to Earth<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS3 &#8211; Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Protecting land is important in the fight against global warming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: The world is not on track to reduce GHG emissions at the scale needed to avert a temperature rise of 1.5 \u00b0C over pre-industrial levels. The solution, then, is to find ways in which emissions can be removed from the atmosphere and growing trees becomes part of this package.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>About 56% of the carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2<\/sub>) emitted by humans is absorbed by the oceans and land out of which 30% is removed\u00a0 by land alone. Forests, grasslands and wetlands act as sinks and remove a part of the CO<sub>2<\/sub> emitted through human activities like burning fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, land is also a source of emissions \u2014burning of forests and other disturbances add CO<sub>2<\/sub> to the atmosphere.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How does land help in reducing GHG emissions?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>According to the <strong>Special Report on Climate Change and Land 2019<\/strong> (SRCCL) by the IPCC<strong>, l<\/strong>and use accounted for 13% of anthropogenic CO<sub>2<\/sub> emissions during 2007-2016. But it also provided a net sink of around 11.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to 29% of the total CO<sub>2<\/sub> emissions in the same period. This means 29-30% human-driven CO<sub>2<\/sub> emissions have been soaked up by the <strong>world\u2019s land sinks<\/strong> during the past three decades.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, adding to forests and restoring land can <strong>benefit local communities<\/strong> as environmental degradation impacts their livelihoods and impoverishes communities. It highlights the importance of land to mitigate the ill effects of GHG emission.<\/p>\n<h5><b>What are the challenges to the existing forest cover?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Increased heat levels: <\/strong>Increased heat adds to the moisture stress in forests and leading to widespread burning.<\/p>\n<p><b>Large scale cutting of forests: <\/b>Forests are being cut for different economic activities, reducing their role as sinks for the CO<sub>2<\/sub> released from fossil fuel burning.<\/p>\n<p>All these concerns and challenges calls for greater international collaboration which is evident from the following.<\/p>\n<h5><b>What are the global efforts to mitigate the challenges?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><strong>UNFCCC<\/strong>: The role of land (forests and agricultural land) as a mitigation pathway to reduce CO<sub>2<\/sub> emissions was recognized by the<strong> United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)<\/strong> in 1992.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Kyoto Protocol:<\/strong> In 1997, Kyoto protocol, called on government to enhance the land carbon sink capacities of their territories and to reduce emissions from fossil fuel consumption.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bonn Challenge<\/strong>: In 2011, the IUCN launched the Bonn Challenge to restore 150 million hectares of the world&#8217;s degraded and deforested lands by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: <\/strong>In March 2019, the UN General Assembly declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide.<\/p>\n<p><strong>One trillion tree initiative: <\/strong>In January 2020, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, launched\u00a0\u2018one trillion tree\u2019 initiativeto plant a trillion trees by 2030 and \u201caccelerate nature-based solutions in support of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030)\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEAF Coalition<\/strong>: In April 2021, the LEAF (Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance) Coalition was announced as a public-private effort led by the US, the UK and Norway. The initiative aims to mobilize at least $1 billion for financing countries committed to protecting their tropical forests. It is supported by corporations like Unilever plc, Amazon.com, Nestle and Airbnb.<\/p>\n<p>In May 2021, <strong>the G7 countries<\/strong> pledged to conserve or protect \u201cat least 30% of the global land and at least 30% of the global oceans by 2030 to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and address climate change.\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<p><strong>Terms to know<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/world-economic-forumwef\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><b>World Economic Forum<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/iucn\/\"> IUCN<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/portal\/g7\/\">G7<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs24\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/integrity-of-insolvency-processes-a-tough-ask\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Integrity of insolvency processes: A tough ask<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Integrity of insolvency processes: A tough ask<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Live Mint<\/strong> on <strong>2<sup>nd<\/sup> September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS3- Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: \u00a0<\/strong>Role of Insolvency bankruptcy code in maintaining the health of financial institutions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>Issues hampering the effective implementation of IBC and suggested reforms<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>There is wide apprehension that the IBC might become a failed attempt to comprehensively tackle corporate sickness or resolve the NPA\u2019s in banking sector<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are the issues hampering the effective implementation of IBC?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Huge delays in special courts<\/p>\n<p>Lack of court capacity<\/p>\n<p>Dubious decisions by resolution professionals<\/p>\n<p>Asymmetrical information on the state of assets shared with different parties<\/p>\n<p>Defaulters trying to control the system for favourable resolutions and steep haircuts<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What reforms are needed?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>PSBs need to improve their credit appraisal and asset valuation skills: <\/strong>The entire IBC process seems designed primarily to help banks, mainly state-owned, recover their dues. This is well intended design because loan recovery lets banks extend fresh credit that gives economic growth an impetus. Yet, designing a large part of the IBC process for this alone has created structural flaws. Because many public sector banks (PSBs) have carried over their <strong>flawed credit appraisal practices<\/strong> to the Committee of Creditors (CoCs) that take charge of insolvent firms for resolution, which tends to impair outcomes.<\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">The issue of frequent legislative amendments and rule changes needs to be addressed: <\/strong>The role of unstable government is another issue impacting resolution process. For instance, sectors such as power, road, telecom and mining projects took on debt on the basis of government policy. But when the state went back on a commitment or changed a policy overnight or failed to pay up on project completion, these sectors were rendered incompetent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Diversion of Funds needs to be regulated: <\/strong>Many Indian industrial houses have over-borrowed relative to project costs and diverted those proceeds to either finance their own equity contribution or fund something else. With economic slowdown, many of these projects were unable to generate adequate cash flows to service these irrational debts.<\/p>\n<h5><b>Way forward<\/b><\/h5>\n<p>While reducing concentrations of authority, as the IBBI proposes, could help in several ways, there\u2019s a lot more that ails our system. As a regulator, the IBBI may need to intensify its coordination with other regulators to strengthen its processes. are unlikely to solve some of these deep-seated problems.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs25\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/fleeting-cheer-on-impact-of-covid-on-gdp-and-the-future-scenario\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fleeting cheer (On impact of COVID on GDP and the future scenario)<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Fleeting cheer<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Hindu<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS3- Indian Economy and issues relating<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance:<\/strong> Impact of pandemic on growth<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: The latest GDP estimates show that <strong>national output rebounded in Quarter 1<\/strong>. However, the numbers show a different picture when compared with the pre-pandemic first quarter of fiscal 2019-20.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>National Statistical Office<\/strong> data shows GDP expanded 20.1% from a year earlier. All the eight industries spanning the broad agriculture, manufacturing and services categories posted positive growth. Also, the gross value added grew by 18.8%.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How second wave has impacted the economy?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>First<\/strong>, GDP at constant prices was estimated at \u20b932.38-lakh crore, a 16.9% contraction from January-March\u2019s \u20b938.96-lakh crore and more than 9% of the \u20b935.66-lakh crore in April-June 2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second<\/strong>, with the exceptions of electricity and other utility services and the non-contact intensive services grouping of financial, real estate and professional services, all other six industries posted double-digit quarter-on-quarter contractions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Third<\/strong>, private consumption spending showed year-on-year growth of 19.3% but still shrinking by 17.4% from the preceding three months.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fourth<\/strong>, government consumption expenditure which has helped shore up the economy in past, contracted 4.8% from a year earlier and 7.6% from the previous quarter.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What opportunities lie ahead for the economy?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Most States have gradually eased their localized second wave restrictions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Exports<\/strong> have been one of the bright spots as the U.S. and other western economies have posted economic recoveries.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Manufacturing<\/strong> has surged almost 50% year-on-year. As per Manufacturing Purchasing Managers\u2019 Index, the manufacturing sector experienced a second straight month of increase in production.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are some future challenges?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Rising raw material costs<\/strong>: as per PMI survey, <strong>rising raw material costs<\/strong> have been forcing manufacturers to either absorb the impact or raise prices. It is risking the prospect of an already weak demand.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Freeze on hiring<\/strong>: According to IHS Markit, <strong>uncertainty has led companies to freeze hiring<\/strong>. With monsoon rains in deficit, agricultural output and wider rural consumption also face a likely downturn.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs26\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/gauging-household-income-key-for-microfinance-clients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gauging household income key for microfinance clients<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Gauging household income key for microfinance clients<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Hindu<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS3<strong>&#8211;<\/strong>\u00a0Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Credit growth, Micro-Finance<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>An accurate assessment of household-level incomes would avoid instances of over-indebtedness and ensure long-term stability of the ecosystem.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Recently released, <strong>Consultative Document on Regulation of Microfinance<\/strong> in June 2021, shows that the microfinance movement in India is set to receive momentum.<\/p>\n<p>Following the Malegam Committee Report, the current <strong>Consultative Document on Regulation of Microfinance<\/strong> looks to reassess the priorities of the microfinance sector.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are some key recommendations?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>First,<\/strong> some of the key regulatory changes proposed in the document takes <strong>household income as a critical variable<\/strong> for loan assessment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second,<\/strong> the <strong>definition of microfinance itself is proposed to mean collateral-free<\/strong> loans to households with annual household incomes of up to \u20b91,25,000 and \u20b92,00,000 for rural and urban areas respectively.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Third,<\/strong> it suggested all Regulated Entities to have a <strong>board-approved policy<\/strong> for household income assessment. It caps loan repayment for all outstanding loans of the household at 50% of household income.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Why measuring household income is complex?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>First,<\/strong> with a <strong>high degree of informality<\/strong> in our economy, income tends to be <strong>unpredictable<\/strong> in time and volatile in volume.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second,<\/strong> Low-Income Households (LIHs), who form the customer base for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have <strong>seasonal and volatile income flows. <\/strong>For instance, households with migrant workers who migrate to the city for certain months of the year see an income peak during those months.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Third<\/strong>, the <strong>highs are also contrasted by lows during certain lean seasons<\/strong> when remunerative work is unavailable, such as drought and during growing season. There have been attempts to <strong>understand their inflows by measuring their expenditure<\/strong>. But, due to rotational debts, expenditure also does not truly reflect the household\u2019s income.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fourth<\/strong>, for most LIHs, their expenditure on income-related activity is not separate from their personal expenses. It is <strong>difficult to separate the household\u2019s personal expenses<\/strong> from their occupational pursuits.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How household income can be measured?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Structured survey-based approach<\/strong><\/span>: It could be used by Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to assess a household\u2019s expenses, debt position and income from various sources of occupation. However, attention must be paid while designing such a questionnaire so that it captures seasonality and volatility in cash flows.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Template-based approach<\/span>:<\/strong> It could be used wherein FSPs could create various templates for different categories of households (as per location, occupation type, family characteristics, etc.).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Household templates could be defined based on publicly available data<\/strong><\/span> sets that contain State\/district-level information about household cash flows and occupation types. These templates could then be used to gauge the household income of a client matching a particular template.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Centralised database<\/strong><\/span>: FSPs could collect and maintain household income data through a centralised database. This would allow for uniformity in data collection across all FSPs.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Technology Service providers<\/strong> <\/span>could play a crucial role in this exercise and create customised digital architecture for FSPs depending on their specific needs. Creating new technology to document and analyse cash flows of LIHs would facilitate innovation in the standard microcredit contracts through customised repayment schedule and risk-based pricing, depending on a household\u2019s cash flows.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs27\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/our-banks-are-mispricing-capital-and-this-is-simply-unsustainable\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Our banks are mispricing capital and this is simply unsustainable<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Source:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This post is based on the article \u201c<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Our banks are mispricing capital and this is simply unsustainable<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d published in\u00a0<strong>Live Mint<\/strong>\u00a0on\u00a0<strong>2<\/strong><\/span><strong>nd\u00a0September 2021.<\/strong><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Syllabus: <\/span><\/b>GS3-<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Issues related to Banking sector<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Relevance:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Monetary policy and Economic stability<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Synopsis:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Below-cost lending in India could have economic repercussions beyond the financial burden imposed on bank shareholders.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Background<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We have a situation in India today where the <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/monetary-policy-basics-simplified\/#Repo_RateRR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">policy repo rate<\/a><\/strong><\/span> has been kept low, which is reflected in the cost of deposits and consequently lending rates.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Also,\u00a0there is talk of loan melas, where credit must be given. The question that arises is whether we are pricing capital adequately.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/images.livemint.com\/img\/2021\/09\/01\/original\/oped1chart_1630525737588.png?resize=703%2C393&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"703\" height=\"393\" \/><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the cost borne by the banks?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For instance,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">for\u00a0every \u20b9100 of deposits that enter the banking system,\u00a0there\u00a0are\u00a0accompanying costs for the system.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">These are <strong>deposit costs, provisioning for NPAs, return on assets (ROA or minimum profit), <\/strong>and<strong> the regulatory cost of cash reserve <\/strong>and<strong> statutory liquidity ratio balances (CRR and SLR).<\/strong><\/span><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Adding these components, the basic cost works out to <strong>8.9%<\/strong>, which should be the rate at which incremental lending should take place. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hence, by offering loans at a much lower rate of 7.23%, the <strong>banking system is actually mispricing the capital.<\/strong><\/span><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Other issues:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0As NPAs increase, ideally banks should load this cost onto their borrowers. But that rarely happens in India. Instead, it is taken on banks\u2019 books and gets reflected in their balance sheets.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How does mispricing capital impact the economy?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Deposit costs have been driven down<\/strong> as savers don\u2019t have a choice.\u00a0Deposit-holders are subsidizing borrowers quite significantly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Loss to bank shareholders<\/strong>: Banks have been placing funds costing them 8.9% with the central bank through its reverse repo window, which gives them just 3.35%.\u00a0This\u00a0loss\u00a0is eventually borne by bank shareholders.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>More lending to small businesses<\/strong>: With rigid policies on corporate lending to avert possible NPAs, banks have preferred lending to the retail segment, which is less risky, and small businesses, backed by the Centre\u2019s credit guarantee.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p-3 mb-2 bg-info text-red text-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f1\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/is-covid-19-now-endemic-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Is Covid-19 now endemic in India?<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: This <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">post is based on the article <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<strong>Is Covid-19 now endemic in India?<\/strong>\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in the <strong>Indian Express<\/strong> on <strong>31st August 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/united-nations-organisations-in-news-prelims-capsules-2021\/#World_Health_Organization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>World Health Organization(WHO)<\/strong> <\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chief scientist has <strong>said<\/strong> that <strong>India<\/strong> seems to be <strong>entering some stage of Covid-19 endemicity<\/strong>, where there is low- to moderate-level transmission.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is endemicity?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Endemic<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">refers to the constant presence and\/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>For Example, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malaria and Chickenpox are endemic diseases, unlike <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">smallpox, which has been eradicated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Pandemic is an epidemic occurring worldwide or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Why is Covid-19 entering into endemicity?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disease pathogens that <strong>don\u2019t have animals<\/strong> (another species) <strong>as a reservoir <\/strong>alone <strong>can be eradicated<\/strong>. For example, s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mallpox and polio are human viruses, so they can be eradicated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means <strong>if there is a virus\/pathogen that is present in some animal reservoir<\/strong> like bats, camels or civet cats, then <strong>it can transmit again once the level of immunity wanes<\/strong> in the population against the disease caused by it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the case of <strong>coronavirus disease<\/strong>, it will continue to circulate as it is <strong>present in the animal reservoir<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Future Projections:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Covid-19<\/strong> will eventually stabilise to a level where it <strong>will be<\/strong> present among people but at a <strong>relatively low and predictable rate<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will cause disease to the extent that people have had no vaccination against or exposure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, <strong>if<\/strong> enough people are <strong>vaccinated or have been exposed<\/strong> to the infection, then the virus will <strong>cause symptomatic infection but not the disease<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f2\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/snow-leopard-black-necked-crane-declared-state-animal-and-birds-in-ladakh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Snow leopard, Black necked crane declared state animal and birds in Ladakh<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article \u201c<\/span><strong>Snow leopard, Black-necked crane declared state animal and birds in Ladakh<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d published in <strong>Times of India<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh has <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declared &#8216;<strong>snow leopard<\/strong>&#8216; as its state animal and <strong>black-necked crane<\/strong> as its State Bird.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <strong>Erstwhile<\/strong> Jammu and Kashmir state had the <strong>black-necked crane and Kashmir stag (Hangul) as its state bird and animal<\/strong> respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>About Snow Leopard:<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Snow leopards <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">re found in the mountainous regions of central and southern Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wwf-report-on-snow-leopards\/\">Snow leopards<\/a><\/p>\n<h5><b>About Black Necked Crane:<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/black-necked-crane-named-in-assam\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black Necked Crane<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. The largest populations of the bird are in China, with smaller numbers extending into Vietnam, Bhutan, and India.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In India, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eastern Ladakh is the only known breeding ground for Black-necked cranes outside China. <\/span><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">The estimated population of Black-necked Crane in the Ladakh region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is between 80-100 while the global population is estimated to be around 6,000.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Recently, for the first time, a Black-necked Crane has been fitted with satellite transmitters in the Ladakh region to know its migration routes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/black-necked-crane-named-in-assam\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black Necked Crane<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f3\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-kazakhstan-joint-military-exercise-kazind-21\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">India, Kazakhstan joint military exercise \u2018KAZIND-21\u2019<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>India, Kazakhstan joint military exercise KAZIND-21<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>PIB<\/strong> on <strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fifth edition of the Exercise \u201c<strong>KAZIND-21<\/strong>\u201d has started at Training Node Aisha Bibi, Kazakhstan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>About KAZIND-21:<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is an annual <strong>bilateral military exercise<\/strong> between India and Kazakhstan. This is the fifth edition of the exercise. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exercise<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">will focus on Counter Insurgency\/ Counter-Terrorism operations in the mountainous terrains as well as rural and urban settings under the UN mandate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This exercise will provide impetus to the ever-growing military and diplomatic ties between the two nations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>About India-Kazakhstan Relations:<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-130878 \" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?resize=726%2C502&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"726\" height=\"502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?resize=300%2C208&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?resize=1024%2C708&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?resize=768%2C531&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?resize=1536%2C1063&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kazakhstan-map-features-locator.jpg?resize=1568%2C1085&amp;ssl=1 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kazakhstan is a country in<strong> Central Asia<\/strong>. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations were established in February 1992.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC)<\/strong> was established in 1993. It is the apex bilateral institutional mechanism for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two countries in 2009 signed a <strong>Strategic Partnership treaty. <\/strong>In 2015, the two countries signed a <strong>Defence and Military Technical cooperation agreement<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)<\/strong> launched \u201c<strong>Al-Farabi-1<\/strong>\u201d, a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite built by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty along with 103 other satellites in 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f4\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-to-offer-indemnity-to-flag-carrier-bidder-over-cairn-claim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">India to Offer Indemnity to Flag Carrier Bidder Over Cairn Claim<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>India to Offer Indemnity to Flag Carrier Bidder Over Cairn Claim<\/strong>\u201c pu<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blished in <strong>Livemint<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian Government has planned to offer <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">indemnity to the financial bidders of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Air India Ltd<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ndemnity <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">means security against a loss or other financial stress.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Must Read<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-is-indemnity-and-why-vaccine-manufacturers-are-demanding-that\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is \u201cIndemnity\u201d and why vaccine manufacturers are demanding that?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><b>Why is India planning to provide indemnity to Air India bidders?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Britain\u2019s Cairn Energy Plc had won an arbitration award for $1.2 billion-plus interest over a controversial retrospective tax demand from the Indian government. Recently, Cairn has secured an order from a <strong>French court<\/strong> authorizing the<a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/cairn-says-it-has-got-court-nod-to-attach-20-indian-assets-in-paris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> freezing of 20 Indian government properties in Paris<\/a>. This <strong>includes the assets of Air India also<\/strong>. Cairn Energy has also registered the arbitration award in several countries.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/cairn-energy-dispute-and-indias-disputes-with-private-entities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cairn Energy dispute and Government disputes with private entities \u2013 Explained, pointwise<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><b>Similarly, <\/b><strong>Devas Multimedia <\/strong>has won a case against Antrix Corporation (a subsidiary of the Indian Space Research Organisation) for arbitrary cancellation of a contract.<b>\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Devas Multimedia Pvt<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<strong>is also <\/strong><\/span><strong>seeking to seize<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong> Air India\u2019s assets abroad<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Due to this,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the potential<strong> bidders of Air India are afraid<\/strong> of encountering any<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> surprises on further liabilities. <\/span><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">Hence, <\/b>t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">o give them assurance from any liability, the Government has <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">planned to offer <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">indemnity to the financial bidders of <\/span>Air India Ltd<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: India has recently passed the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, in Parliament. The bill <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">allows firms relief from the retrospective tax demands if they agree to drop litigation. The government is also in talks with Cairn to settle the dispute.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more<\/strong>:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/retrospective-taxation-and-the-taxation-laws-amendment-bill-explained-pointwise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Retrospective taxation and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill \u2013 Explained, pointwise<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f5\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/effectiveness-of-vaccines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Effectiveness of vaccines<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Effectiveness of vaccines<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Hindu<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a study, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">natural infection confers stronger immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus than even full vaccination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Background<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Natural Immunity<\/strong> following a virus infection <strong>lasts longer<\/strong> is already well known. <\/span><b>For Example,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0People infected with the 2002 <strong>Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)<\/strong> and the <strong>Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS)<\/strong> have been shown to have strong immunity for up to three years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, a study has now shown that <strong>natural infection confers stronger immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus<\/strong> also than even full vaccination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>About the Study<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study was undertaken in <strong>Israel<\/strong>, as it was the <strong>first country to vaccinate a large percentage of the population<\/strong> with the Pfizer vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The researchers compared over 16,000 people who were previously infected but not vaccinated with an equal number of people who had not been naturally infected but fully vaccinated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What were the findings?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The researchers have found that people previously infected with the Covid-19 virus had better immunity, reduced risk of reinfection, than uninfected people who were fully immunised with the Pfizer vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What are the flaws in the study?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study has not informed if the level and duration of immunity protection varies depending on the severity of the disease and whether asymptomatic infection confers the same protection as those with the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What are the other findings of the study?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One encouraging finding of the study is the <strong>absence of death among the vaccinated<\/strong>. This is a clear signal that the vaccine offers formidable protection against serious infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hence, <strong>natural immunity, even if found to be superior<\/strong> and long-lasting than vaccine-induced protection,<strong> is not what one should opt for<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vaccination will always remain a safe and sure way to remain protected against severe COVID-19 disease and death, even if it means the protection is not robust or long-lasting.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f6\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/naval-aviation-to-get-presidents-colour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Naval Aviation to get President\u2019s Colour<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article \u201c<\/span><strong>Naval Aviation to get President\u2019s Colour<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d published in <strong>PIB<\/strong> on <strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The President of India will award the <strong>President\u2019s Colour<\/strong> to Indian Naval Aviation at the ceremonial parade to be held at INS Hansa, Goa.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is President\u2019s Colour?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">President\u2019s Colour is the <strong>highest honour bestowed on a military unit<\/strong> in recognition of its exceptional service to the nation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <strong>Indian Navy was the first amongst the Indian Armed Forces to be awarded<\/strong> the President\u2019s Colour in 1951.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subsequent recipients of the President\u2019s Colour in the Navy include <strong>Southern Naval Command, Eastern Naval Command, Western Naval Command, Eastern Fleet, Western Fleet, Submarine Arm, INS Shivaji and the Indian Naval Academy<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>About Naval Aviation<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Indian Naval Aviation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0came into existence in 1951, with the acquisition of the first Sealand aircraft, and commissioning of INS Garuda, the first Naval Air Station in 1953.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Currently,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Indian Naval Aviation has nine air stations and three naval air enclaves along the Indian coastline and in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f7\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/women-and-child-development-minister-inaugurates-nutri-garden-at-all-india-institute-of-ayurveda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Women and Child Development Minister inaugurates NUTRI GARDEN at All India Institute of Ayurveda<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Women and Child Development Minister inaugurates NUTRI GARDEN at All India Institute of Ayurveda<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>\u201d<\/strong> published in <strong>PIB<\/strong> on <strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Union Minister for Women and Child Development has inaugurated NUTRI GARDEN to mark the beginning of <strong>Poshan Maah<\/strong> \u2013 2021 at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA).<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wcd-ministry-to-celebrate-poshan-maah-across-nation-throughout-next-month\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poshan Maah<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><b>About Nutri Gardens<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Nutri kitchen garden\/Nutri garden<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a method of planting and harvesting nutrient-rich crops in residential houses or in their vicinity to meet the requirements of the family all year round.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In urban areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Nutri kitchen gardening can be promoted in the form of rooftop gardening, terrace gardening, vertical gardening and container gardening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In rural areas, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutri kitchen gardens can be promoted in the backyard of the houses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are the benefits of Nutri Garden?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It increases the availability of food and nutrient sources.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can act as a source of supplementary income.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The crops harvested are Fresh and Safe (chemical-free).<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f8\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/iit-ropars-startup-company-introduces-worlds-first-plant-based-smart-air-purifier-ubreathe-life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IIT Ropar\u2019s startup company introduces World\u2019s first \u2018Plant based\u2019 smart air-purifier \u201cUbreathe Life\u201d<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>IIT Ropar\u2019s startup company introduces World\u2019s first \u2018Plant based\u2019 smart air-purifier \u201cUbreathe Life\u201d<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in <strong>PIB<\/strong> on <strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IIT Ropar\u2019s startup company has developed a living plant-based air purifier, \u201c<strong>Ubreathe Life<\/strong>&#8221; that amplifies the air purification process in indoor spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>About Ubreathe Life<\/b><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130958\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130958\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-130958 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Ubreathe-Life.png?resize=300%2C228&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Ubreathe Life\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Ubreathe-Life.png?resize=300%2C228&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Ubreathe-Life.png?w=669&amp;ssl=1 669w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130958\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Times of India<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b>Ubreathe Life <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">world\u2019s first, state-of-the-art \u2018<strong>Smart Bio-Filter<\/strong>\u2019 that can purify the air.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It amplifies the air purification process <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in indoor spaces. These indoor spaces can either be hospitals, schools, offices and your homes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Who developed Ubreathe Life?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has been developed at IIT Ropar, which is a designated iHub &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/ambitag-indias-first-indigenous-temperature-data-logger\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Department of Science and Technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How does Ubreathe Life work?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The technology works<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through the air-purifying natural leafy plant. The room air interacts with leaves and goes to the soil-root zone where maximum pollutants are purified.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The technology used in this product<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the \u2018<strong>Urban Munnar Effect<\/strong>\u2019 along with patent-pending \u201c<strong>Breathing Roots<\/strong>&#8221; to exponentially amplify the <strong>phytoremediation<\/strong> process of the plants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note: Phytoremediation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a process by which plants effectively remove pollutants from the air.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the significance of the device?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018Ubreathe Life\u2019 effectively <strong>improves indoor air quality<\/strong> by removing particulate, gaseous, and biological contaminants while increasing the oxygen levels in the indoor spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is done through specific plants, UV disinfection, and a stack of Pre-filter, Charcoal filter, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/roadside-air-purifiers-failed-to-curb-pollution-in-capital-says-union-environment-ministry-secretary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fitted in a specially designed wooden box.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f9\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/indian-army-to-participate-in-multinational-military-exercise-zapad-2021-in-russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian Army to participate in multinational military exercise \u2018ZAPAD 2021\u2019 in Russia<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source:\u00a0<\/b>This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>India to participate in\u00a0<\/strong><strong>exercise \u2018ZAPAD 2021\u2019 in Russia<\/strong>\u201d published in\u00a0<strong>PIB<\/strong>\u00a0on\u00a0<strong>1st September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p>Indian Army contingent will participate in a multi-nation military exercise named \u2018<strong>ZAPAD 2021<\/strong>\u2018 at\u00a0<strong>Nizhny<\/strong>\u00a0in Russia.<\/p>\n<h5><b>About Exercise ZAPAD:<\/b><\/h5>\n<p>Exercise ZAPAD 2021 is one of the\u00a0<strong>theatre level exercises of the Russian Armed Forces<\/strong>.\u00a0The exercise focuses primarily on\u00a0<strong>operations against terrorists<\/strong>\u00a0with the aim to enhance military and strategic ties amongst the participating nations.<\/p>\n<p>More than a dozen countries from the Eurasian and South Asian Regions will participate in the exercise.\u00a0From India, the NAGA Battalion group is participating in the exercise.<\/p>\n<h5><b>About Naga Regiment<\/b><\/h5>\n<p>Naga Regiment is one of the fiercest infantry regiments of the Indian Army. It is amongst the youngest regiments of the Indian Army \u2013 the first battalion raised in Ranikhet 1970.\u00a0The regiment recruits mainly from Nagaland, in northeast India.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f10\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/un-weather-disasters-soar-in-numbers-cost-but-deaths-fall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UN: Weather disasters soar in numbers, cost, but deaths fall<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article <strong>\u201cUN: Weather disasters soar in numbers, cost, but deaths fall&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0published in <strong>The Indian Express<\/strong> on <strong>1st Sep 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the news?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>As per World Meteorological Organization (WMO)&#8217;s report, weather disasters are striking the world four to five times more often and causing seven times more damage than in the 1970s.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>About the report<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The report looks at more than 11,000 weather disasters in the past half-century.<\/p>\n<p>The report comes during a disaster-filled summer globally, including <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/floods-in-europe-and-lessons-for-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>deadly floods in Germany<\/strong><\/a><\/span> and <strong>a heat wave in the Mediterranean<\/strong>, and with the United States simultaneously struck by powerful <strong>Hurricane Ida<\/strong> and an onslaught of drought-worsened wildfires.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the findings of the report?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Increasing frequency of disasters<\/strong>: In the 1970s, the world averaged about 711 weather disasters a year, but from 2000 to 2009 that was up to 3,536 a year or nearly 10 a day. What&#8217;s driving the destruction is that more people are moving into dangerous areas as climate change is making weather disasters stronger and more frequent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Increasing economic losses<\/strong>: In the 1970s, weather disasters cost about $175 billion globally, when adjusted to 2019 dollars, the U.N. found. That increased to $1.38 trillion for the period from 2010 to 2019. The economic losses have been growing very rapidly and this growth will continue.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Disasters are, however, killing far fewer people now<\/strong>. In the 1970s and 1980s, they killed an average of about 170 people a day worldwide. In the 2010s, that dropped to about 40 per day. As per experts, better weather warnings and preparedness are lessening the death toll.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More climatic extremes in the future<\/strong>: We are going to see more climatic extremes because of climate change, and these negative trends in climate will continue for the coming decades.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Most death and damage during 50 years<\/strong> of weather disasters came from storms, flooding and drought.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Developing nations suffer more<\/strong>: More than 90% of the more than 2 million deaths are in what the U.N. considers developing nations, while nearly 60% of the economic damage occurred in richer countries.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f11\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/missing-the-woods-18-of-indias-2603-tree-species-threatened-with-extinction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Missing the woods: 18% of India\u2019s 2,603 tree species threatened with extinction<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on article<strong> &#8220;<span lang=\"EN-US\">Missing the woods: 18% of India\u2019s 2,603 tree species threatened with extinction<\/span>&#8220;<\/strong> published in <strong>Down to Earth<\/strong> on <strong>2nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the news?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>According to <strong>the <em>State of the World\u2019s Trees<\/em><\/strong> report, released by London-based Botanic Gardens Conservation International, some 469 of India\u2019s 2,603 tree species (18%) are threatened with extinction.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Findings <\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Firstly<\/strong>, about a third of the tree species found in the<strong> Indo-Malaya (Tropical Asia) biogeographic realm<\/strong> of which India is a part, have not been evaluated and <strong>data<\/strong> about them is <strong>deficient.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Secondly<\/strong>, other than Indo-Malaya and <strong>Oceania<\/strong>, the<strong> Afrotropics<\/strong> (Africa south of the Sahara, including Madagascar) have the highest proportion of threatened tree species.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thirdly, the Palearctic and Nearctic<\/strong> (North America) realms mostly have tree species that are <strong>not threatened.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fourthly, the Neotropics<\/strong> (Central and South America) have the largest number of tree species with 23,631 tree species. Indo-Malaya is second and the Afrotropics have 9,237 species. The Nearctic and Oceania have the lowest number of tree species.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fifthly<\/strong>, the researchers found that<strong> 142 of the world\u2019s tree species have become extinct.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sixthly,<\/strong> among countries,<strong> Brazil, China, Colombia and Indonesia<\/strong> had many tree species as well as many threatened species. Madagascar is one of the countries with the highest number of threatened trees.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the threats to the trees?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Threats to tree species, as listed in the report, includes:<\/p>\n<p>Agriculture (29%), logging (27%), livestock farming (14%), residential and commercial development (13%), fire and fire suppression (13%), energy production and mining (9%), wood and pulp plantations (6%), invasive and other problematic species (5%) and climate change (4%).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear Friends, We have initiated some changes in the 9 PM Brief and other postings related to current affairs.\u00a0What we sought to do: Ensure that all relevant facts, data, and arguments from today\u2019s newspaper are readily available to you. We have widened the sources to provide you with content that is more than enough and&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-september-2nd-2021\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief \u2013 September 2nd, 2021<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":80068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"9pm-brief-template.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,9],"tags":[8032,1542,9388],"class_list":["post-130963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-brief","category-public","tag-current-affairs-for-upsc","tag-daily-current-affairs-for-upsc","tag-upsc-current-affairs-upsc","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-PM-Brief-1-e1615452440806.png?fit=600%2C335&ssl=1","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130963"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130963\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}