{"id":136150,"date":"2021-09-22T21:00:10","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T15:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=136150"},"modified":"2021-09-23T18:26:21","modified_gmt":"2021-09-23T12:56:21","slug":"9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-september-22st-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-september-22st-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief \u2013 September 22nd, 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 style=\"font-family: var(--heading--font-family); font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: var(--heading--letter-spacing-h3); background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary);\">GS Paper 2<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#gs11\">What counts is seldom counted: About Census<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs12\">Creating citizen centric police<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs13\">India warns of reciprocal measures if UK doesnt recognise COVISHIELD<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 3<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#gs21\">Swooping down on algorithms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs22\">Focus on agri-exports<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs23\">Jack Ma\u2019s point on collateral-free lending holds relevance in India<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs24\">Changing the agri exports basket<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gs25\">More companies pledge \u2018net-zero\u2019 emissions to fight climate change, but what does that really mean?<\/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\">The doing-better syndrome and our prisoner\u2019s dilemma: On WB ending the EoDB report<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f2\">India plan for tighter e-commerce rules faces internal govt dissent: Report<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f3\">Dramatic changes needed in global food systems to address nutrition disparity, poverty: IFAD<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f4\">Submarine strategy: Undersea naval prowess is shaping strategic battles, India mustn\u2019t lag behind\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f5\">Extreme weather events in India made women, children more vulnerable to modern slavery, flags report\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f6\">CRPF report flags leadership issues in Chhattisgarh operations. They need to be addressed for security of jawans and civilians\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f7\">Explained: CIA officer on India trip reports Havana Syndrome; what is known about its symptoms and causes so far<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f8\">Maharashtra: Rain water mars painting in prominent cave at Ellora<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f9\">Two more Indian Beaches get coveted International Blue Flag Certification<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f10\">Population growth rates have shrunk more for minorities: Pew report<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f11\">New panel to devise school curriculum<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f12\">Industrial Safety in Petroleum and Explosives Sector gets a Big Boost<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f13\">Explained: Why Assam govt is burning 2,500 rhino horns in a special ceremony<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f14\">Govt to promote pearl farming in tribal areas<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f15\">Process to induct women into NDA by May 2022: govt.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#f16\">State Food Safety Index: FSSAI<\/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 style=\"font-family: var(--heading--font-family); font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: var(--heading--letter-spacing-h3); background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary);\">GS Paper 2<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><a id=\"gs11\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-counts-is-seldom-counted-about-census\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What counts is seldom counted: About Census<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on \u201c<strong>What counts is seldom counted<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Indian Express<\/strong> on <strong>22<sup>nd<\/sup>\u00a0August 2021.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS 2 &#8211; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>Understand the issue of census and caste census<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>The census in India has been postponed due to the pandemic. Such events are rare. This also opens up the opportunity to discuss utility and changes to the census.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>It is surprising that while India is debating the caste census, the regular census has not been conducted yet. In fact, it is the <strong>first time since the exercise started<\/strong> that a census has<strong> not been conducted<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Why census is essential?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The census provides a lot of useful information. It categorizes the data into the residence, age, gender etc. It also provides two units or levels of analysis &#8211; individual level and household level. So, the census has great utility as the data generated can be used for evidence-based policymaking.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the factors leading to the under or non-utilization of census data?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>To begin with we need to <strong>improve the design<\/strong> of the census and <strong>add more collection points<\/strong> than just name, age, gender etc. The census can be further <strong>digitized,<\/strong> which will help in ensuring better quality, coverage and quick results for the survey data.<\/p>\n<p>Its importance is diminished when various ministries carry out their own large-scale surveys. Moreover, all these suffer from the same fundamental flaw that <strong>data is not made available in the public<\/strong> domain <strong>in time<\/strong>. For example, data on internal migration which was collected in 2011 was only released in 2016-17.<\/p>\n<p>Even after all this, there <strong>is a lack of interest by the scientific community in exploring and using this data<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the challenge of enumerating caste in the census?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Adding caste to census data will cement caste as an identity in India. This can lead to politicians using the data to patronize the electorate and created\/deepen the social divides.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<h5><strong>Read more<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/caste-based-census-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Caste based census in India \u2013 Explained, pointwise<\/a><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><strong>What should be the way forward?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>We have to ensure that the<strong> data collected has wide acceptability<\/strong> in society, and the issues like having caste data in the census have to be well debated. Further, we should take steps to <strong>increase the utilization of census data<\/strong> for evidence-based policymaking.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"gs12\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/creating-citizen-centric-police\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creating citizen centric police<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>This post is based on \u201c<strong>Creating citizen-centric police<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Indian Express<\/strong> on <strong>22nd August 2021.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS 2 Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>Understand the issue of police reforms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>Despite Prakash Singh&#8217;s judgement on police reforms, the reforms largely remain on paper. Thus, this demands a closer and deeper analysis.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>On September 22, 2006, in the historic Judgement in the <strong>Prakash Singh case<\/strong>, the Supreme Court gave significant direction for police reforms. If implemented, these can have a transformative effect on the functioning of the police in India. It is for this reason that <strong>September 22 needs to be celebrated as &#8220;Police Reforms Day&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the challenges facing police reforms?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The biggest challenge is the <strong>public awareness <\/strong>of the issue. While there is huge public uproar for crimes like Rape, but soon the issue dies down and the root cause is never addressed. And if any attempts are made they are thwarted by the <strong>nexus of police bureaucrats politicians<\/strong>.\u00a0Considering all these, SC in the Prakash Singh case had issued directions for police reforms.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What were the recommendations given by the Supreme Court?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Policy formulation<\/strong>: Security commissions at center and states for policy-making at both levels. This would protect police from political pressures.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Workload:<\/strong> The \u2018<strong>Status of Police in India Report 2019\u2019 (SPIR) by Common Cause, Lokniti<\/strong> pointed that police are overworked with average working hours of 14 hours per day. To reduce this burden, the SC recommended the <strong>separation of police and investigation functions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Postings<\/strong>: <strong>Establishment Boards<\/strong> for unbiased postings, transfers, promotions and other matters regarding police officers. It involved UPSC for the selection of heads of state police forces.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Complaint authorities:<\/strong> \u201ccomplaint authorities\u201d has to be established at district and state levels for an impartial and independent inquiry into complaints of misconduct against police officers.<\/p>\n<p>Despite such reforms coming directly from the Supreme Court, their implementation has been slow.<\/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\/challenges-associated-with-the-functioning-of-police\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Challenges associated with the functioning of Police \u2013 Explained, pointwise<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><strong>What should be the way forward?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The politicians seek to maintain their hold on Police and also patronize the criminals. Thus, the best way forward would be to <strong>create public awareness<\/strong> to hold the elected representatives accountable for the implementation of police reforms.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"gs13\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-warns-of-reciprocal-measures-if-uk-doesnt-recognise-covishield\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">India warns of reciprocal measures if UK doesnt recognise COVISHIELD<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source:\u00a0<\/strong>This post is based on the following articles<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201c<strong>Small minded Great Britain: UK\u2019s refusal to recognise Covishield is inexplicable and a terrible signal<\/strong>&#8221; published in <strong>Times of India <\/strong>on\u00a0<strong>21st September 2021.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<strong>India warns of &#8216;reciprocal measures&#8217; if UK doesn&#8217;t recognise Covishield&#8221; <\/strong>published in <strong>Times of India <\/strong>on\u00a0<strong>22nd September 2021.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<strong>UK\u2019s restrictions on travellers inoculated with Covishield are ill-informed. India must use diplomacy to clear impasse&#8221; <\/strong>published in <strong>Indian Express<\/strong>on<strong>\u00a022nd September 2021.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS 2 &#8211; Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India\u2019s interests<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance: <\/strong>To understand the issue of vaccine discrimination<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>The UK seems to have adopted a discriminatory policy towards Indian manufactured Covishield. This has not gone down well within India.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Recently, UK released new post-Covid travel rules. According to the new rules, fully vaccinated (Covshield vaccinated) individuals will be considered \u2018unvaccinated\u2019 and will have to undergo mandatory self-isolation.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Why new UK rules are considered discriminatory?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Under the new rules, UK did not recognise the Indian Covishield vaccine even though it recognises the Oxford AstraZeneca shots manufactured under a different brand name, <strong>Vaxzevria.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We need to understand that the Indian manufactured Covishield vaccine is the same as the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. It is a variant of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab. The <strong>only difference<\/strong> between the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and Covishield is the <strong>place where the vaccine was manufactured and administered. <\/strong>In fact, India also supplied 5 million doses of Covishield to the UK at its request.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from this, Covishield has been recognised by <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/world-health-organization-who\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">World Health Organisation(WHO)<\/a> as safe. In fact, it meets the vaccine requirement of 18 EU countries.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the impact of the new UK policy?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>This move will impact India and other developing nations that have been administering the Covishield vaccine. This might even fuel vaccine-hesitancy, as people would wait for the vaccines that are globally approved.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What should be the way forward?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The best way forward is to<strong> push the UK diplomatically<\/strong> to reverse its ill-informed rule. Else, India might be forced to take retaliatory and reciprocal action.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>GS Paper 3<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><a id=\"gs21\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/swooping-down-on-algorithms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Swooping down on algorithms<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Swooping down on algorithms<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Hindu<\/strong> on <strong>22nd Sep 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS3 &#8211; Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Understanding the need to regulate Algorithmic decision-making<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: China\u2019s draft rules on regulating recommendation algorithms address pressing issues. Lessons for India.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>China has pursued aggressive measures in its tech sector in the past few months. A host of legislative instruments are in the process of being adopted, including the Personal Information Protection Law, the Cybersecurity Law, and the draft Internet Information Service Algorithm Recommendation Management Provisions.<\/p>\n<p>The Management Provisions, released by the Cyberspace Administration of China, are possibly the most interesting and groundbreaking interventions among the new set of legislative instruments.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are China&#8217;s management provisions?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The draft Internet Information Service Algorithm Recommendation Management Provisions lay down the processes and mandates for the regulation of <strong>recommendation algorithms.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Provisions attempt to address the concerns of individuals and society such as user autonomy, economic harms, discrimination, and the prevalence of false information.<\/p>\n<p>The draft says <strong>users should be allowed to audit and change the user tags<\/strong> employed by the algorithms to filter content to be presented to them.<\/p>\n<p>Through this, the draft aims to <strong>limit classifications that the user finds objectionable,<\/strong> thereby allowing the user to choose what to be presented with. This also has ripple effects in platformised gig work, where the gig worker can understand the basis of gigs presented to her.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are recommendation algorithms?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Recommendation algorithms<\/strong> are widely employed in e-commerce platforms, social media feeds and gig work platforms.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How do recommendation algorithms work?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Such an algorithm helps a user navigate information overload and presents content that it deems more relevant to the user.<\/p>\n<p>These algorithms <strong>learn from user demographics, behavioral patterns, location of the user, the interests of other users accessing similar content<\/strong>, etc., to deliver content.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are some negative implications of such algorithms?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Such recommendation algorithms <strong>limit user autonomy<\/strong>, as the user has little opportunity to choose what content to be presented with.<\/p>\n<p>Algorithms tend to have certain <strong>inherent biases<\/strong> which are learned from their modelling or the data they encounter. This often leads to <strong>discriminatory practices against users.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h5><strong>What lessons can India take from this?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Regulating algorithms is unavoidable and necessary. The world is lagging in such initiatives and China is hoping to emerge as a leader. The regulatory mechanism institutionalises algorithmic audits and supervision, a probable first in the world.<\/p>\n<p>It is high time for India to <strong>invest better and speed up legislative action<\/strong> on the regulation of data, and initiate a conversation around the regulation of algorithms. India should strive to achieve this without copying China.<\/p>\n<p>India must <strong>act fast to resolve the legal and social ills<\/strong> of algorithmic decision-making.<\/p>\n<p>Policymakers should ensure that freedoms, rights and social security, and not rhetoric, inform policy changes.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the way forward?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Algorithms are as fundamental to the modern economy as engines to the industrial economy. A one-size-fits-all algorithm regulation fails to take into account the dynamic nature of markets.<\/p>\n<p>An ideal regime should have <strong>goals-based legislation<\/strong> that can lay down the regulatory norms for algorithms. Such legislation must aim to lay down <strong>normative standards that algorithmic decision-making<\/strong> must adhere to.<\/p>\n<p>This should be complemented by sectoral regulation that accounts for the complexities of markets.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"gs22\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/focus-on-agri-exports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Focus on agri-exports<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Focus on agri-exports<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Business Standard<\/strong> on <strong>22nd September<\/strong> <strong>2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS3 \u2013 Issues related to Agriculture<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Agri exports and Doubling farmers income<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: Reforms that needs to be undertaken to achieve full potential of Agri exports in India<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The pandemic-driven supply shortage of farm goods and the resultant inc in price in the global market had given India an opportunity to strengthen its Agri-exports.<\/p>\n<p>Consequently, rice exports almost doubled to an all-time high of 9.5 million tonnes and those of wheat by over 2 million tonnes last year. But such bonanzas cannot be expected to endure for long.<\/p>\n<p>In this regard, to support exporters, the government is planning to reintroduce transport and marketing support for agricultural exports.<\/p>\n<p>It will help exporters to cope with high freight costs and other logistical constraints. But this step alone may not suffice to lift farm exports to the desired extent.<\/p>\n<p>Other measures, aimed specifically at upgrading the quality and enhancing cost competitiveness of farm products, are equally vital.<\/p>\n<h5><b>How Agri exports have fared in India?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p>India has traditionally enjoyed a positive trade balance in agriculture, but the present level of Agri-exports is just around half the potential.<\/p>\n<p>Farm exports in 2020 were around $42 billion, whereas the current potential, as assessed by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, is around $80 billion.<\/p>\n<p>The country\u2019s first dedicated <strong>Agricultural Exports Policy<\/strong>, announced in 2018, had set an even more ambitious export <strong>target of $100 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The annual growth of Agri-exports, is merely 2.5% in 2020. This rate needs to go up substantially to provide an outlet to surplus agricultural produce and increase farmers\u2019 income.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What needs to be done?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Need to diversify the range of products as well as export destinations<\/strong>: At present, only limited categories of agricultural products are shipped abroad. Example, rice (chiefly Basmati rice), meat (mainly buffalo meat), marine products (primarily shrimp), sugar, spices, certain types of cotton, and select vegetables and fruit. This range would need to be expanded to tap additional markets.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Public Investments in Agri infrastructure<\/strong>: A prerequisite for consolidating the country\u2019s foothold in the agri-export market is to increase the infrastructure for post-harvest management, storage, and the transportation of export-bound farm produce.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Structural reforms<\/strong>: According to a joint report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and YES Bank the following reforms are suggested.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Export-friendly policy environment<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; World standard quality assurance facilities,<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; A system to facilitate traceability,<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Greater private investment in the export-oriented Agri-processing industry.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Need to enhance the export-worthiness of small farmers\u2019 produce through value-addition.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Backward and forward linkages small farmers to \u00a0link them directly with processing units and exporters.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Building Indian brands and project India as a reliable supplier.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"gs23\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/jack-mas-point-on-collateral-free-lending-holds-relevance-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jack Ma\u2019s point on collateral-free lending holds relevance in India<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>Jack Ma\u2019s point on collateral-free lending holds relevance in India<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Livemint<\/strong> on <strong>22nd September<\/strong> <strong>2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: GS3 \u2013 Issues related to mobilisation of resources<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Linkage between credit and Growth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: The opportunities that cash-flow-based lending offer can have a profound influence on easing some of the constraints on smaller enterprises<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Some of the points made by Jack Ma on digital finance at the Bund Finance Summit are worth reading in the context of the progress made in Indian digital finance over the past few years.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What criticism did Jack Ma levy on traditional credit disbursal?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>He described the current system of credit disbursal by bank, based on collateral as \u201c<strong>pawnshop mentality<\/strong>\u201d. \u00a0He stated that though this was necessary for banks development but is now at odds with the possibilities of new forms of lending.<\/p>\n<p>According to Jack ma, collateralization with a pawnshop mentality is not going to support the financial needs of the world\u2019s development over the next 30 years.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What alternative did he suggest?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>He wants to replace this pawnshop mentality with a <strong>credit-based system<\/strong> <strong>rooted in big data<\/strong> using today\u2019s technological capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>This credit-based system is not built on traditional IT, not based on a personal relationship-driven society, but must be built on big data, in order to truly make credit equal wealth.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Why Jack Ma\u2019s vision holds significance for India?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>These remarks on the need to move from a lending system based on collateral to one based on big data are significant especially at a time when India has inaugurated an account-aggregator system.<\/p>\n<p>It will <strong>help small businesses<\/strong> with inadequate collateral or credit histories access credit at far lower rates than they do now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Account aggregators<\/strong> working through a secure public credit registry can do for the credit sector, what the United Payments Interface (UPI) has done for retail payments in India.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How the shift towards cash-flow-based lending can revolutionise Indian economy?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Access to cheap credit for small businesses<\/strong>: There is ample research to show that tiny enterprises pay interest rates that are far higher than what their default rates predict. By easing these credit constraints, the account-aggregator system can lend to small enterprises that have some digital and tax footprints. Lenders can access data on bank statements, GST returns, personal spending, etc., to price loans to enterprises they would earlier stay away from.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Will help to overcome \u2018the De Soto Effect\u2019:<\/strong> De Soto effect states that the global poor working in tiny informal enterprises are in effect shut out of the formal credit system. Hence, they are forced to live in poverty, because a lack of clear property rights makes it difficult for them to offer their land assets as collateral to banks.<\/p>\n<p>A slum dweller with no formal land title thus has to depend on informal sources of money that leave her with little to reinvest in the business.<\/p>\n<p>It is quite likely that a successful shift to lending based on borrower cash-flows will ease the credit constraints on informal enterprises.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can ease the formalisation process in India<\/strong>: Formalization of the Indian economy is under overdue. One suggestion to enable fromalisation process is, by closing the domestic productivity gap. \u00a0The informal enterprises should grow in scale that allows them to close their productivity gap with larger firms in the organized sector.<\/p>\n<p>However, credit constraints are part of the reason why small firms fail to scale up in India, which employ most Indians who have left farming behind. Cash-flow-based lending can help in this regard.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"gs24\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/changing-the-agri-exports-basket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Changing the agri exports basket<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> This post is based on the article <strong>\u201cChanging the agri exports basket<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>The Hindu<\/strong> on <strong>22nd September<\/strong> <strong>2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS3 &#8211;\u00a0 Food Processing and Related Industries in India<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Doubling agri-exports<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: India has the potential to become a global leader in the food processing sector, by making changes to Agri export basket.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The Indian government has been <strong>encouraging agricultural exports<\/strong> to meet an ambitious target of $60bn by 2022.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the current scenario of agriculture?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Growing exports<\/strong>: The Ministry of Food Processing Industries shows that the contribution of agricultural and processed food products in India\u2019s total exports is <strong>11%<\/strong>. But the majority share is of primary processed agricultural commodities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shift in India agricultural economy<\/strong>: It is shifting from primary to secondary agriculture, where the focus is more on developing various processed foods. The Indian food processing industry promises high economic growth and makes good profits.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How export from agricultural sector has evolved over the years?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Processed foods<\/strong>: India\u2019s agricultural export basket is changing from traditional commodities to non-traditional processed foods.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shift from traditional exports<\/strong>: for instance, Basmati rice is one of the top export commodities. However, now there is an unusual spike in the export of non-basmati rice. In 2020-21, India exported 13.09 million tonnes of non-basmati rice, up from an average 6.9 million tonnes in the previous five years.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020-21, the export of poultry, sheep and goat meat, cashew kernels, groundnuts, guar gum, and cocoa products went down in terms of value and total quantity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Indian buffalo meat<\/strong>: it is seeing a strong demand in international markets due to its lean character and near organic nature. The export potential of buffalo meat is tremendous.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Focus on high value exports<\/strong>: The main objective of the <strong>Agriculture Export Policy<\/strong> is to diversify and expand the export basket so that instead of primary products, the export of higher value items, including perishables and processed food, be increased.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the challenges still existing?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>The export of processed food products has not been growing fast<\/strong>: India lacks comparative advantage in many items. The domestic prices of processed food products are much higher compared to the world reference prices.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Trade restrictions<\/strong>: Non-tariff measures imposed by other countries on Indian exports. Such as, mandatory pre-shipment examination by the <strong>Export Inspection Agency<\/strong>, compulsory spice board certification for ready-to-eat products which contain spices in small quantities, prohibition of import of meat- and dairy based-products in most of the developed countries and withdrawal of the <strong>Generalised System of Preference<\/strong> by the U.S.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lack of strategic planning of exports by State governments<\/strong>: for example, lack of a predictable and consistent agricultural policy discouraging investments by the private sector.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the way forward?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><em><strong>Firstly,<\/strong><\/em> the Centre\u2019s policy should be in the direction of <strong>nurturing food processing companies<\/strong>, ensuring <strong>low cost of production<\/strong> and global food quality standards.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Secondly<\/strong><\/em>, creating a <strong>supportive environment<\/strong> to promote export of processed food.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Thirdly<\/strong><\/em>, Indian companies should focus on <strong>cost competitiveness<\/strong>, global food quality standards, technology, and tap the global processed food export market.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"gs25\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/more-companies-pledge-net-zero-emissions-to-fight-climate-change-but-what-does-that-really-mean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More companies pledge \u2018net-zero\u2019 emissions to fight climate change, but what does that really mean?<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>More companies pledge \u2018net-zero\u2019 emissions to fight climate change, but what does that really mean?<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Down To Earth<\/strong> on <strong>22nd September 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong>GS3 &#8211; Conservation, Environmental Pollution, and Degradation<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance<\/strong>: Net zero emission and carbon credits,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong> \u201cNet-zero emissions\u201d is in the news, and government leaders and CEOs are under pressure to discuss as to how they\u2019ll reduce their countries\u2019 or businesses\u2019 impact on climate change.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Amazon, just announced that more than 200 companies have now joined its Climate Pledge, committing to reach net-zero emissions by 2040.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What does net-zero emissions actually mean?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Net-zero emissions:<\/strong> It\u2019s like balancing a check book. The country or company cuts most of its emissions through efficiency and clean energy, then offsets the rest by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or eliminating emissions elsewhere.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How companies claim net-zero emissions?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Carbon credits<\/strong>: Taking advantage of carbon reductions elsewhere by buying carbon credits and supporting sustainable development projects, such as installing wind or solar power in poorer countries.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a U.S. company might pay to protect forests in South America and then subtract those trees\u2019 negative emissions from its own emissions to say that its operations are \u201cnet-zero.\u201d<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Then, why carbon credits draw criticism?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Emission reduction is not permanent<\/strong>: it allows those companies to keep generating greenhouse gases.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Administrative issues:<\/strong> credits might get double-counted by more than one entity. Some projects, like tree planting, can take years to pay off in emissions reductions while the companies buying forest offsets continue emitting greenhouse gases.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Not sufficient<\/strong>: Several countries, including the United States, have pledged to meet the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. But when the U.N. analyzed each country\u2019s commitments under the Paris Agreement, it found they still fall short by so much that even if every pledge is met, temperatures will rise about 2.7 C this century.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Why do net-zero emissions matter?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Global warming<\/strong>: Greenhouse gases trap heat near Earth\u2019s surface. When their concentrations get too high, they fuel global warming.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Paris deal:<\/strong> To keep warming under 1.5 C with the least disruption, the United Nations says the world needs to be on a path to reach net-zero emissions by about 2050.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Climate risks:<\/strong> Global warming today is just over 1 C (1.8 F) above preindustrial levels, and rising seas and extreme weather are already a problem.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>How companies can achieve net-zero emissions?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Ramp up energy efficiency<\/strong>: Improvements in insulation and equipment can reduce the amount of energy needed or wasted.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Switch from fossil fuels:<\/strong> shifting to renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, that doesn\u2019t produce greenhouse gas emissions. Once the company\u2019s electricity is renewable, using electric delivery vehicles further cuts emissions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finding negative emissions<\/strong>: It might be too expensive or not yet technologically possible to replace steam boiler with a carbon-neutral product. In that case <strong>companies purchase carbon credits<\/strong> that would remove the same amount of carbon from the atmosphere that would be generated by the boiler.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the way forward?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><em><strong>Firstly<\/strong><\/em>, keeping global warming to 1.5 C will require negative greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Secondly<\/strong><\/em>, focus on making home and buildings extremely energy-efficient and relying on heating and electricity from clean energy sources.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Thirdly<\/strong><\/em>, there needs to be a consistent trajectory of improvements and accountability mechanism, not just promises and carbon offsets.<\/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><a id=\"f1\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/the-doing-better-syndrome-and-our-prisoners-dilemma-on-wb-ending-the-eodb-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The doing-better syndrome and our prisoner\u2019s dilemma: On WB ending the EoDB report<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>The doing-better syndrome and our prisoner\u2019s dilemma<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Livemint<\/strong> on <strong>22nd Sep 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the news?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Doing Business\u2019 report, was recently junked by the World Bank.<\/p>\n<p>The author welcomes the move, stating that we celebrated improvements in such rankings without quite understanding the underlying methodology or the impact such rankings had on the lives of a larger group of stakeholders.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\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\/the-end-of-the-doing-business-rankings-explained-pointwise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The end of Doing Business report &#8211; Explained, pointwise<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><strong>What are some positive outcomes of Doing Business rankings for India?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Reforms initiated<\/strong>: Inspired by the \u2018Doing Business\u2019 rankings, the Indian government initiated improvements at the level of Indian states and Union territories (UTs) as well.<\/p>\n<p>In 2014, based on the 10 business topics tracked and monitored by the World Bank\u2019s report, the Centre came up with a <strong>Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP)<\/strong> for Indian states and UTs.<\/p>\n<p>The implementation of these rankings and the Ease of Doing reforms by those administrative units has been linked to <strong>additional borrowing permissions<\/strong> for states, apart from other benefits.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Why we should not focus excessively on rankings?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>An excessive focus on rankings can result in the following negative outcomes:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sub-optimal strategies<\/strong>: It can cause developing countries to choose sub-optimal strategies, with their adverse fiscal and welfare implications. These are strategies that devote little attention to improving social equity and addressing ecological concerns.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A one-size-fits-all approach<\/strong>: Ratings and rankings, in general, promote a certain uniform metric of success, one which may not be in line with the specific needs of individual countries or even institutions.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f2\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-plan-for-tighter-e-commerce-rules-faces-internal-govt-dissent-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">India plan for tighter e-commerce rules faces internal govt dissent: Report<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: This post is based on the article \u201c<strong>India plan for tighter e-commerce rules faces internal govt dissent: Report<\/strong>\u201d published in <strong>Business Standard<\/strong> on <strong>21st Sep 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the news?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>India&#8217;s plan to tighten rules on its fast-growing e-commerce market has run into internal government dissent, memos reviewed by Reuters show. The Ministry of Finance has described some proposals under the draft e-commerce rules as &#8220;excessive&#8221; and &#8220;without economic rationale&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>It should be noted that there&#8217;s not yet a formal implementation timeline for the new rules.<\/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\/government-extends-deadline-for-comments-on-draft-ecommerce-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>E-commerce companies call out lack of clarity in draft rules<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><strong>What are the concerns and opinions of various stakeholders on draft ecom rules?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Ministry of Finance<\/strong>: The finance ministry has raised a total of 12 objections. Among them, it said, a proposal that makes online shopping websites liable for its sellers&#8217; mistakes would be a &#8220;huge dampener&#8221; and could force companies &#8220;to revisit their basic business models&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>It also lodged a protest against the <strong>banning of flash sales,<\/strong> which see deep discounts on offer on websites like Amazon and are popular during festive seasons.<\/p>\n<p>As per Min of Finance, the proposed amendments are likely to have <strong>significant implications\/restrictions on a sunrise sector<\/strong> and &#8216;ease of doing business. Hence, care needs to be taken to ensure that the proposed measures remain &#8216;light-touch regulations&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>The proposals go far beyond their stated aim of protecting consumers and also lack regulatory clarity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NITI Aayog<\/strong>: The rules could hit small businesses. Moreover, they send the message of unpredictability and in-consistency in our policy-making.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bsmedia.business-standard.com\/_media\/bs\/img\/article\/2021-09\/21\/full\/1632243378-7075.jpg?resize=620%2C464&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"chart\" width=\"620\" height=\"464\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Source<\/strong>: Business Standard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>US Govt<\/strong>: New Delhi has in recent years changed e-commerce policies too often and taken a hard-line regulatory approach that especially hurts American players.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Corporate Affairs Ministry<\/strong>: It had objected to one proposed clause to be enshrined in new rules that says\u00a0e-commerce firms\u00a0should not abuse their dominant position in India. The ministry said the provision was &#8220;unnecessary and superfluous&#8221;, and that the subject was best handled by India&#8217;s antitrust watchdog i.e. Competition Commission of India (CCI).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brick and mortar retailers<\/strong>: They welcomed the proposals, stating repeatedly that big U.S. firms have bypassed Indian laws and their practices have hurt small retailers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Consumer Affairs Ministry<\/strong>: The consumer affairs ministry, which drafted the rules, said the new rules were aimed to &#8220;further strengthen the regulatory framework&#8221; and were issued after complaints of &#8220;widespread cheating and unfair trade practices being observed in the e-commerce ecosystem.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is the significance of this?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The concerns expressed would likely cause a rethink of the e-commerce policy.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f3\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/dramatic-changes-needed-in-global-food-systems-to-address-nutrition-disparity-poverty-ifad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dramatic changes needed in global food systems to address nutrition disparity, poverty: IFAD<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the news?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Recently,\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)<\/span><\/b> published report <span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201c<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Transforming Food Systems for Rural Prosperity<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As per the report,\u00a0our global\u00a0food system need revolution.\u00a0Transforming global food systems to become more inclusive, fair and sustainable is a challenging task. But, with concrete actions taken by the\u00a0policymakers, this is possible.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are the other findings of the report?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">First<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0we need\u00a0government investment in rural farms and local small- and medium-size enterprises. They\u00a0support\u00a0activities after the farm gate, such as storing, processing, marketing and food distribution.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Second<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0small-scale family farmers are\u00a0the foundation of\u00a0food supply across all low- and middle-income countries. They play a critical role in reducing rural poverty and ensuring national food and nutrition security.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Third<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, we need\u00a0productive, economically viable and environmentally sustainable small-scale family farming.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fourth<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0small-scale agriculture\u00a0is a vital source of national and global food.\u00a0\u00a0They are\u00a0also the source of the livelihood for majority of the people in rural areas.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fifth,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0we need to\u00a0make\u00a0food markets accessible to villagers.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sixth,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> food systems are responsible for 37% of greenhouse gas emissions and are also highly vulnerable to a changing climate.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are the recommendations of the report?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">First,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0reward farmers for ecosystem services such as maintaining healthy soil and regulating pests and incentives for nature-based practices and local, healthy diet.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Second,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> we need innovation in nature-based solutions, agro-ecology and affordable digital technologies to boost production of rural small-scale farmers. The measures will enable the cultivators to be climate-resilient employing low-carbon and sustainable techniques.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Third,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> developing and\u00a0focussing\u00a0on pricing systems that reflect the full and true cost of production.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fourth<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, shifting food systems towards <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/circular-economy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">circular resource use<\/a><\/strong><\/span> for sustainability and resilience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Source<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: This post is based on the article &#8220;<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dramatic changes needed in global food systems to address nutrition disparity, poverty: IFAD<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0&#8221; published in the\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Down to Earth\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">on\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">21st September 2021.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f4\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/submarine-strategy-undersea-naval-prowess-is-shaping-strategic-battles-india-mustnt-lag-behind\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Submarine strategy: Undersea naval prowess is shaping strategic battles, India mustn\u2019t lag behind<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the news?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Recently, Australia, US and UK held trilateral security pact named as <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/aukus-security-alliance\/\"><strong>AUKUS<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.\u00a0Under this pact, they are delivering\u00a0nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra. The aim of the security pact is to\u00a0counter\u00a0China\u2019s maritime\u00a0power\u00a0in the Indo-Pacific region.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>With China as the focus, the strategic-military power plays of the coming decades will be based on naval power, with submarines playing a vital role.<\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How submarines play a key role?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In coming decades, strategic military power will be based on naval power. Hence, <strong>t<\/strong><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">o become a naval power, submarines play a vital role.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Submarines can be great levelers in asymmetric military scenarios due to their long range, stealth, strike and force projection capabilities. With nuclear submarines these factors are multiplied further, enabling longer operational periods.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That is why,\u00a0Singapore,\u00a0Indonesia,\u00a0Japan and Taiwan which\u00a0are\u00a0facing the brunt of Beijing\u2019s military intimidation are\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">inducting submarines to counter Chinese aggression<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the present status of India\u2019s underwater fleet?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">First,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0India has natural geographic advantages. Hence, high seas are the only domain in which India can checkmate China.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\"> But, India\u2019s underwater fleet\u00a0lacks the required to counter China.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Second<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, today the Indian navy has 12 old diesel-electric submarines with only <strong>half of them operational<\/strong> at any given point of time.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Third,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0the force has inducted just three of the six projected French\u00a0Scorpene\u00a0submarines. It\u00a0has only\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">one nuclear-powered submarine with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, the INS Arihant.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In contrast, China already has the world\u2019s largest navy with 350 warships, including 50 conventional and 10 nuclear submarines. We need to\u00a0mitigate the gap to counter China and dominate Indian Ocean.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the target that we need to achieve?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">India should have at least 18 conventional submarines, six nuclear attack submarines and four nuclear submarines with nuclear missiles\u00a0to become a naval power. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We are nowhere near that target.\u00a0To achieve its ambitions in the Indo-Pacific,\u00a0the\u00a0defence\u00a0bureaucracy must quickly address this delay.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Source<\/strong>:\u00a0This post is based on the article &#8220;<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Submarine strategy: Undersea naval prowess is shaping strategic\u00a0battles,\u00a0India mustn\u2019t lag\u00a0behind &#8220;<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> published in <strong>The Times of India<\/strong><\/span><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">on\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">21st September 2021.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f5\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/extreme-weather-events-in-india-made-women-children-more-vulnerable-to-modern-slavery-flags-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Extreme weather events in India made women, children more vulnerable to modern slavery, flags report<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the news?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As per the report published by the\u00a0International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Anti-Slavery International,\u00a0Climate change-induced extreme weather events put women, children and minorities at risk of modern slavery and human trafficking.\u00a0Among other countries, this\u00a0phenomenon\u00a0is maximum\u00a0in India.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The report observed what happened in the Sundarban delta.<\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are report&#8217;s observations wrt Sundarban Delta?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">First<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0the delta region is\u00a0characterised\u00a0by intense, recurrent and sudden onset disasters, as well as slow onset ecological degradation making large areas uninhabitable.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Second,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0rising\u00a0sea levels, erratic rainfall, increased frequency of cyclones, tidal surges and floods, mean that millions of people across the Sundarbans are unable to work for most of the year.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Third,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0cyclone Aila and recent cyclone\u00a0Amphan,\u00a0led to\u00a0widespread displacement from homes and loss of livelihoods for more than two million people.\u00a0Such events\u00a0resulted in more\u00a0trafficking\u00a0and forced\u00a0labour.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fourth,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0severe cyclone and flooding in Sundarbans delta had reduced the land for agriculture, which is the major source of livelihood.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fifth,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0women and children are more vulnerable. Women were\u00a0also\u00a0trafficked and often forced into hard\u00a0labour\u00a0and prostitution, with some working in sweatshops along the border.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sixth,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0people displaced and migrating from rural to urban areas with no resources, skills or social networks at their destination. They\u00a0are targeted by agents and \/ or traffickers in Dhaka or Kolkata.\u00a0A case study\u00a0from\u00a0Ghana also revealed the same situation.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the scale of displacement?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As per estimates of the World Bank, over 216 million people could be internally displaced by 2050 across six regions due to climate change.\u00a0\u00a0It will further\u00a0expose them to the risk of modern slavery. Climate change as a risk multiplier that makes people who are already vulnerable due to conflict or inequality more likely to become victims of modern slavery.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are the recommendations of the report?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">First,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0policy-makers urgently need to\u00a0recognize<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">that millions of people displaced by climate change are being, and will be, exposed to slavery in the coming decades. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Second,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0they should\u00a0develop targeted actions, at national and international levels, to address the issue. The global and regional discourse on development and climate policy must consider trafficking and slavery risks due to climate shocks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Third<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, several ongoing initiatives\u00a0like\u00a0Warsaw International Mechanism Task Force on Displacement (WIM TFD), the Sendai Framework,\u00a0etc\u00a0\u2014 should be coordinated to\u00a0tackle the risk of\u00a0climate-induced migration \/ displacement and exposure to modern slavery.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Source:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This post is based on the article\u00a0&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Extreme\u00a0weather events in India made women, children more vulnerable to modern slavery, flags report<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0&#8221;\u00a0published in the\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Down to Earth<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0on\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">21st September 2021.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f6\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/crpf-report-flags-leadership-issues-in-chhattisgarh-operations-they-need-to-be-addressed-for-security-of-jawans-and-civilians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CRPF report flags leadership issues in Chhattisgarh operations. They need to be addressed for security of jawans and civilians<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the news?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Recently, a CRPF report revealed there is a lack of leadership in the Chhattisgarh resulting to operational and intelligence failure.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The review also found a significant dip in the quality of operations in the Maoist-violence affected state over the last two years.<\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the role played by\u00a0CRPF?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) performs a host of functions, from policing and security duties, to conducting counter-insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It conducts counter insurgency operations against adversaries that consist of Indian citizens, often deeply connected to local geography, ecology and with an intimate knowledge of the terrain. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In last two years, there is decrease in\u00a0the quality of operations in the Maoist-violence affected state.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are the reasons behind the dip in quality of operations in Chhattisgarh?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><em><b>Firstly<\/b><\/em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, decrease in involvement\u00a0of\u00a0senior officers at the level of commandant and second-in-command.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Secondly<\/b><\/em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0not setting up\u00a0tactical resting sites during operations leaving the\u00a0troops open to ambush and death. Recently, ambush in\u00a0Sukma-Bijapur\u00a0led to death of\u00a0many\u00a0security\u00a0personnel.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Thirdly<\/b><\/em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, decline in operational leadership: R<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ecently, the Justice V K Agarwal report concluded that the eight people, including four minors, killed by the CRPF\u2019s elite CoBRA unit in Edesmetta in 2013 were civilians, and not Maoists as the force had claimed. In 2019, a single-judge commission concluded that the CRPF had killed 17 people, firing unilaterally in Bijapur. In both cases, the incidents were apparent \u201cmistakes\u201d, stemming from a failure of jawans to tell civilians and extremists apart.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What is the way forward?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><strong><em>Firstly,<\/em><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> we need to involve leadership on the ground is a necessary first step.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Second<\/em><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong><em>,<\/em><\/strong> the CRPF needs a leadership that is more empathetic to its personnel and equal to the harsh circumstances they face. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><em><strong>Thirdly,<\/strong><\/em> paramilitary forces must also be sensitised to the plight of people in states like Chhattisgarh, who face the brunt of poverty, a security state and Maoist violence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>Source<\/strong>:\u00a0This post is based on the article &#8221;\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">CRPF report flags leadership issues in Chhattisgarh operations. They need to be addressed for security of jawans and civilians<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0&#8221; published in\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the\u00a0Indian Express<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0on<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> 22nd September 2021.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f7\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/explained-cia-officer-on-india-trip-reports-havana-syndrome-what-is-known-about-its-symptoms-and-causes-so-far\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Explained: CIA officer on India trip reports Havana Syndrome; what is known about its symptoms and causes so far<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A US intelligence officer on an Indian trip last month has reported symptoms of Havana Syndrome. This is the first instance of the phenomenon being reported in India, at least on record, and could have diplomatic implications.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is Havana Syndrome?<\/b><\/h5>\n<figure id=\"attachment_136094\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-136094\" style=\"width: 635px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-136094 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/86414902.jpg.jpg?resize=635%2C581&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Havana syndrome\" width=\"635\" height=\"581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/86414902.jpg.jpg?w=635&amp;ssl=1 635w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/86414902.jpg.jpg?resize=300%2C274&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-136094\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: TOI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\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);\">Havana Syndrome refers to a set of mental health symptoms that are said to be experienced by US intelligence and embassy officials in various countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It typically involves symptoms such as <strong>hearing certain sounds without any outside noise being present<\/strong>, nausea, vertigo and headaches, <strong>memory loss<\/strong> and issues with balance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the origin of Havana Syndrome?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Havana Syndrome traces its roots to Cuba. In 2016, about a year after the US opened its embassy in Havana, some intelligence officials and members of the staff at the embassy began experiencing sudden bursts of pressure in their brain followed by persistent headaches, feeling of disorientation and insomnia.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the cause of Havana Syndrome?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts have suggested that the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">victims may have been subjected to <strong>high-powered microwaves<\/strong> that either damaged or interfered with the nervous system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater exposure to high-powered microwaves is said not only to interfere with the body\u2019s sense of balance but also impact memory and cause permanent brain damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US experts believe that these microwaves are sent through a special gadget called a \u201c<strong>microwave weapon<\/strong>\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are Microwave weapons?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMicrowave weapons\u201d are supposed to be a <strong>type of direct energy weapons<\/strong>, which aim for highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A number of countries are thought to have developed these weapons to target both humans and electronic systems. <strong>China<\/strong> had first put on display its \u201cmicrowave weapon\u201d, called <strong>Poly WB-1<\/strong>, at an air show in 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <strong>United States<\/strong> has also developed a prototype microwave-style weapon, which it calls the \u201c<strong>Active Denial System<\/strong>\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: This post is based on the following article<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>\u201cExplained: CIA officer on India trip reports Havana Syndrome; what is known about its symptoms and causes so far\u2019\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> Indian Express <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on <\/span><b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"detail-heading\">&#8220;<strong>Directed energy weapons shoot painful but non-lethal beams \u2013 are similar weapons behind the Havana syndrome?<\/strong>&#8221;\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">\u00a0Down To Earth\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on <\/span><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"_1Y-96\"><strong>&#8220;US intel officer on trip to India suffers Havana syndrome&#8221; \u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">\u00a0TOI\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on <\/span><b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f8\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/maharashtra-rain-water-mars-painting-in-prominent-cave-at-ellora\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maharashtra: Rain water mars painting in prominent cave at Ellora<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rainfall has resulted in rainwater seeping into <strong>cave number 32<\/strong> at the world-renowned Ellora Caves, causing some damage to a painting.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><strong>About Cave number 32<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Cave no 32<\/strong> is also known as \u2018<strong>Indra Sabha\u2019 Cave<\/strong>. It is a two-storey architectural marvel excavated in the ninth century. It is considered as the largest and finest of the <strong>Jain caves<\/strong> at the Ellora site.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are Ellora Caves?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Ellora Caves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/strong> located in the <strong>Aurangabad district<\/strong> of <strong>Maharashtra<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cave consists of <strong>34 monasteries and temples<\/strong> devoted to <strong>Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism<\/strong>. This illustrates the spirit of tolerance that was characteristic of ancient India.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the 34 monasteries and temples, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17 belong to Hinduism, 12 to Buddhism and 5 to Jainism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Caves related to Hinduism: <\/strong>The prominent caves of the Brahmanical group are <strong>Cave 15<\/strong> (Dasavatara, or Cave of Ten Incarnations), <strong>Cave 16<\/strong> (Kailasa, the largest monolithic temple), <strong>Cave 21<\/strong> (Ramesvara), and <strong>Cave 29<\/strong> (Dumar Lena).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Caves related to Buddhism<\/strong>: Amongst the caves of the Buddhist group, <strong>Cave 10<\/strong> (Visvakarma or Sutar-ki-jhopdi, the Carpenter\u2019s cave) and<strong> Cave 12<\/strong> (Teen Tal, or three-storied monastery) are particularly important. These caves mark the development of the <strong>Vajrayana form of Buddhism<\/strong> and represent a host of Buddhist deities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Caves related to Jainism: <\/strong>\u200b\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Jaina group of caves (<strong>caves 30 \u2013 34<\/strong>) is exquisitely carved with fine, delicate sculptures, and includes fine paintings dedicated to the <strong>Digambara sect<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article <\/span><b>\u201c<\/b><b>Maharashtra: Rain water mars painting in prominent cave at Ellora<\/b><b>\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> published in<\/span><b> TOI on 22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f9\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/two-more-indian-beaches-get-coveted-international-blue-flag-certification\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Two more Indian Beaches get coveted International Blue Flag Certification<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two more Indian beaches namely <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Kovalam beach in Chennai<\/strong> and <strong>Eden beach in Puducherry<\/strong> have been awarded the <strong>Blue Flag certification<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is Blue Flag Certification?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>\u2018Blue Flag\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a certification that can be obtained by a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator, and serves as an eco-label.<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The certification<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is awarded by the <strong>Denmark-based<\/strong> non-profit <strong>Foundation for Environmental Education<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Criterion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The certification is accorded based on 33 stringent criteria under four major heads:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environmental education and information,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bathing water quality\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safety and services at the beaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environment management and conservation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Indian Sites under Blue Flag: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are now total of 10 sites under Blue Flag Certification. These are Shivrajpur &#8211; Gujarat, Ghoghla &#8211; Diu, Kaskarkod and Padubidri \u2013 Karnataka, Kappad \u2013 Kerala, Rushikonda \u2013 Andhra Pradesh, Golden \u2013 Odisha, Radhanagar &#8211; Andaman and Nicobar, Kovalam &#8211; TamilNadu and Eden beach in Puducherry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the Beach<\/b><b> Environment &amp; Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS) Initiative?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The BEAMS Initiative was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Objectives: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The objectives of the BEAMS Initiative is to a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bate pollution in coastal waters,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">promote sustainable development of beach facilities,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protect &amp; conserve coastal ecosystems &amp; natural resources.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other objectives include strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hygiene &amp; safety for beachgoers in accordance with coastal environment &amp; regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article <\/span><b>\u201c<\/b><b>Two more Indian Beaches get coveted International Blue Flag Certification<\/b><b>\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> published in<\/span><b> PIB <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f10\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/population-growth-rates-have-shrunk-more-for-minorities-pew-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Population growth rates have shrunk more for minorities: Pew report<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Pew Research<\/strong> has released its key findings about the religious composition of India.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are the Key Findings?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>India\u2019s overall population more than tripled between 1951 and 2011, though growth rates have slowed since the 1990s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The total number of Indians grew to 1.2 billion in the 2011 census from 361 million in the 1951 census. However, India\u2019s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> overall population growth has slowed considerably especially since the 1990s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Religious Composition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hindus make up 79.8% of India\u2019s population and Muslims account for 14.2%; Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains account for most of the remaining 6%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Fertility Rate:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The average fertility rate in India is <strong>2.2<\/strong> which is higher than the rates in economically advanced countries such as the U.S. (1.6), but much lower than what it was in 1992 (3.4) or 1951 (5.9).<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_136167\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-136167\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-136167 \" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pew-research-on-population.png?resize=474%2C371&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Pew research on population\" width=\"474\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pew-research-on-population.png?w=619&amp;ssl=1 619w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pew-research-on-population.png?resize=300%2C235&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-136167\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: The Hindu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b>Fertility rates of Hindus and Muslims converging: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From 1992 to 2015, the total fertility rates of Muslims declined from 4.4 to 2.6, while that of Hindus declined from 3.3 to 2.1. This indicates the gaps in childbearing between India\u2019s religious groups are much smaller than they used to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Growth of Muslim Population:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between 1951 and 1961, the Muslim population expanded by 32.7 per cent, 11% poi\u00adnts more than India\u2019s overall rate of 21.6%. But from 2001 to 2011, the difference in growth between Muslims (24.7 per cent) and Indians overall (17.7 per cent) was 7 percentage points.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Fertility Rate and Religion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <strong>Religion is <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>by no means the<\/strong> only or even the primary <strong>factor affecting fertility<\/strong> rates. The women in <strong>central India tended to have more children<\/strong>, with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh showing a total fertility rate (TFR) of 3.4 and 2.7 respectively, in contrast to a TFR of 1.7 and 1.6 in Tamil Nadu and Kerala respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: In India and elsewhere, <strong>education is a primary factor in how many children women tend to have<\/strong>. Other prosperity indicators \u2013 such as life expectancy and average levels of wealth \u2013 also frequently correlate with fertility measures: Women who have better access to schooling, jobs and health care tend to have fewer children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Migration has not greatly affected India\u2019s religious composition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: In 2019, the <strong>United Nations<\/strong> estimated that about 17.5 million people who were born in India reside elsewhere. These numbers are not large enough to have much impact on the religious composition of a country of India\u2019s size.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Non-Religious Groups:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In India, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about 8 million did not belong to any of the six major religious groups. Within this category, mostly were adivasi people. The largest grouping was of the Sarnas (nearly 5 million adherents), followed by the Gond (1 million) and the Sari Dharma (5,10,000).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Preference for Son over daughters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The preference for sons over daughters could play a role in overall fertility. The <strong>sex-selective abortions<\/strong> had caused an estimated deficit of <strong>20 million girls<\/strong>, compared with what would naturally be expected between 1970 and 2017. This practice is <strong>more common among Indian Hindus<\/strong> than among Muslims and Christians.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Religious Conversion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The r<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eligious switching or conversion also appears to have had a relatively<strong> small impact<\/strong> on India\u2019s overall composition, with 98% of Indian adults still identifying with the religion in which they were raised.\u00a0<\/span><\/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\/population-control-measures-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Population control measures in India \u2013 Explained, pointwise<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the following articles:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>\u201c<\/b><b>Fertility rates of Hindus and Muslims converging: study<\/b><b>\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in <\/span><b>The Hindu <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>\u201cPopulation growth rates have shrunk more for minorities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>Pew report<\/b><b>\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in <\/span><b>Business Standard <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"content-box-green\">\n<p><strong>Terms to know:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/total-fertility-rate-tfr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Total Fertility Rate (TFR)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f11\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/new-panel-to-devise-school-curriculum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New panel to devise school curriculum<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Union Education Ministry has set up a committee headed by space scientist<strong> K. Kasturirangan<\/strong> to devise the <strong>National Curriculum Frameworks<\/strong>(NCFs).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>About the Committee on National Curriculum Framework(NCF)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Curriculum Framework serves as a <strong>guiding document<\/strong> for the development of textbooks, syllabus and teaching practices in schools across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee will<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> develop <strong>four frameworks<\/strong>, one each to guide the curriculum of school education, teacher education, early childhood education and adult education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The subsequent revision of textbooks by the <strong>National Council of Educational Research and Training<\/strong> will be based on this new NCF.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee will have a\u00a0 <strong>tenure of three years<\/strong> to complete its task.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Note:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is currently following its <strong>fourth national curriculum framework<\/strong> that was <strong>published<\/strong> by the NCERT<strong> in 2005<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the following articles:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>\u201c<\/b><b>New panel to devise school curriculum\u201d<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> Livemint <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>\u201cKasturirangan to lead syllabus panel\u201d<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> The Hindu <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f12\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/industrial-safety-in-petroleum-and-explosives-sector-gets-a-big-boost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Industrial Safety in Petroleum and Explosives Sector gets a Big Boost<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade<\/strong> (DPIIT) under the <strong>Ministry of Commerce and Industry<\/strong> has implemented several reforms to ensure Industrial Safety in critical premises such as petroleum installations, explosive manufacturing facilities, cylinder filling and storage premises among others.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Which organization is responsible for <\/b><b>Industrial Safety in the Petroleum and Explosives Sector?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>\u200b\u200bPetroleum and Explosives Safety Organization(PESO)\u00a0<\/b>is the<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> nodal agency for regulating the safety of hazardous substances such as explosives, compressed gases and petroleum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PESO was <strong>formerly known as<\/strong> the<strong> Department of Explosives<\/strong>. It is an <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>autonomous body<\/strong> under DPIIT.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>PESO\u2019s major <\/b><b>work <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is to administer the responsibilities delegated under the <strong>Explosives Act 1884<\/strong> and <strong>Petroleum Act 1934<\/strong> and the Rules made thereunder related to manufacturing, import, export, transport, possession, sale and use of Explosives, Petroleum products and compressed gases.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Headquarters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PESO has its Headquarters at <strong>Nagpur<\/strong> in <strong>Maharashtra<\/strong>. It also serves through five Circle Offices at Agra, Chennai, Faridabad, Kolkata &amp; Mumbai.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are the reforms undertaken by the Government?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The five major areas<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where the recent reforms have been undertaken to ensure industrial safety are Static &amp; Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) [SMPV(U)], Calcium Carbide, Ammonium Nitrate, Gas Cylinders, Petroleum and Explosives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reforms in these areas will enhance <\/span><b>public safety<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as well as <\/span><b>reduce the cost of doing business<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and create an <\/span><b>enabling ecosystem<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for domestic as well as international investors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This post is based on the article<\/span><b> \u201c<\/b><b>Industrial Safety in the Petroleum and Explosives Sector gets a Big Boost<\/b><b>\u201d<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> PIB <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f13\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/explained-why-assam-govt-is-burning-2500-rhino-horns-in-a-special-ceremony\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Explained: Why Assam govt is burning 2,500 rhino horns in a special ceremony<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assam will mark <strong>World Rhino Day<\/strong> \u2014 September 22 \u2014 with a special ceremony by burning a stockpile of nearly 2,500 horns of the one-horned rhinoceros.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>About Greater One-Horned Rhino<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One-Horned Rhino (or \u201cIndian rhino\u201d) are identified by a single black horn about a grey-brown hide with skin folds, which gives it an armour-plated appearance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The species is solitary, except when adult males or rhinos nearing adulthood gather to graze.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Habitat of Greater One-Horned Rhino<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One-Horned Rhino is re<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai and northern West Bengal and Assam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is home to more than 75% of the greater one-horned rhino population of the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India, one-horned rhinos can be found in Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among these states, Assam has the largest population of greater-one horned rhinos, with more than 90% in Kaziranga National Park.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Conservation Status of Greater One-Horned Rhino<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>IUCN Red List: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vulnerable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Appendix I\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Wildlife Protection Act, 197<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>2<\/strong>: Schedule I<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Threats faced by Greater One-Horned Rhino<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Poaching of Horns: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine to cure a range of ailments, from cancer to hangovers, and it is also used as an aphrodisiac in Vietnam, possessing a rhino horn is considered a status symbol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Habitat loss<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The enormous reduction in the rang<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e of rhinos was mainly caused by the disappearance of alluvial plain grasslands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Population density<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High population density in some parks leads to lower breeding rates. Also, concerns exist about long term viability of sub-populations due to lack of genetic diversity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Conservation measures to protect Greater One-Horned Rhino<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/indian-rhino-vision-2020-last-2-rhinos-translocated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 programme<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/rhinos-to-be-re-introduced-in-uttarakhand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/rhinos-to-be-re-introduced-in-uttarakhand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>National Rhino Conservation Strategy for India<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article<\/span> <b>\u201cExplained: Why Assam govt is burning 2,500 rhino horns in a special ceremony\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> Indian Express <\/b>on <b>22nd September 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a id=\"f14\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/govt-to-promote-pearl-farming-in-tribal-areas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Govt to promote pearl farming in tribal areas<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) has signed an agreement with the Jharkhand-based Purty Agrotech for the promotion of pearl farming in tribal areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are Pearls?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pearls are the only gemstones in the world that come from a living creature. Mollusks such as oysters and mussels produce pearls that people have adored since ancient times.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>How is Pearl Framing done?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Pearl Farming, a round foreign body, sand or small stone, will be injected into the live <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mussel. In order to protect itself from the foreign body, the mussel secrets calcium\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">carbonate and cover it fully layer by layer. This later transforms into a pearl.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What are the advantages of Pearl Farming?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><b>Alternate Source of Income for Farmers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The income of farmers in India is usually dependent on external factors like climate and this dependence often leads to their losses but on the other hand, Pearl farming is totally independent of these factors and gives one a high amount of profit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Employment Generation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Pearl Farming also promises a tremendous employment generation for youngsters that play an important role in socio-economic development.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Eco-Friendly Technique<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Pearl farming is an eco-friendly technique. Filter feeder oysters also purify the water.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A single oyster clears over 15 gallons of water a day, retaining particles as small as 2 microns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article <\/span><b>\u201c<\/b><b>Govt to promote pearl farming in tribal areas<\/b><b>\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> Indian Express <\/b>on <b>20th September 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f15\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/process-to-induct-women-into-nda-by-may-2022-govt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Process to induct women into NDA by May 2022: govt.<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the News?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <strong>Ministry of Defence<\/strong> has informed the Supreme Court that it proposes to have the \u2018mechanism\u2019 to induct women cadets into the <strong>National Defence Academy (NDA)<\/strong> for entry into the armed forces to be ready in May 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What is the issue?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2020, the Supreme court had asked the government to abide by its own policy and <strong>grant Permanent Commission to women<\/strong> <strong>in Short Service Commission (SSC)<\/strong>. The court had also directed the government to give women command postings in all services other than combat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, in the recent judgement, the <\/span><b>SC allowed women to sit for National Defence Academy (NDA) exam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as the current policy is based on \u201cgender discrimination\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>What was the Government&#8217;s response to this?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government has informed the Supreme Court that the <strong>Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) would include women in its NDA exam notification,<\/strong> expected to be published in May 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is because <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">preparations are required for this such as what medical standards that candidates have to meet, aspects for training among others to ensure smooth induction and training of women candidates. There is also the need to upgrade infrastructure depending on the intake strength of the women candidates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post is based on the article<\/span> <b>\u201cProcess to induct women into NDA by May 2022: govt\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published in<\/span><b> The Hindu <\/b>on <b>22nd Se<\/b><b>ptember 2021.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a id=\"f16\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/state-food-safety-index-fssai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">State Food Safety Index: FSSAI<\/a><\/h3>\n<h5><b>What is the news?<\/b><\/h5>\n<p>Recently, <strong>Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare released <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-is-fssai-what-are-its-functions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)<\/strong><\/a><strong> -State Food Safety Index (SFSI<\/strong>). This index is used to measure the performance of States across various parameters of food safety.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What is State Food Safety Index?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>It is an index is developed by FSSAI. It helps to measure the performance of states on five significant parameters of Food Safety. These include Compliance, Human Resources and Institutional Data, Food Testing \u2013 Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training &amp; Capacity Building and Consumer Empowerment.<\/p>\n<p>The Index is a <strong>dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model<\/strong> that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States\/UTs.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the key findings of the State Food Safety Index?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The index identifies the presence of <strong>industrially produced trans fatty acid content<\/strong> in the selected foods. However, it was found that out of 6245 samples only 84 samples, i.e. 1.34%, have more than 3% industrially-produced trans fats. Thus, India is on the<strong> right track of becoming industrial trans fats-free<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>It also felicitated states based on the ranking for the year 2020-21 for their impressive performance:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Among the larger states<\/strong>: Gujarat was the top-ranking state, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Among the smaller states<\/strong>: Goa stood first, followed by Meghalaya and Manipur.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Among UTs, Jammu &amp; Kashmir<\/strong>:\u00a0 Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands and New Delhi secured top ranks.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>What are the initiatives undertaken to Promote Food Safety?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><strong>Launch of Mobile Food Testing Vans (Food Safety on Wheels): \u00a0<\/strong>These labs will help States\/UTs to enhance their outreach and conduct surveillance activities even in the far-flung areas. It will also be used for training and <strong>awareness generation<\/strong> activities among citizens. Their aim is to supplement the food safety ecosystem across the country.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Awards and Grants: <\/strong>\u00a0Launch of <strong>Eat Right Research Awards<\/strong> and issue of grants to encourage and recognize high-quality research in the area of food safety and nutrition in India<\/p>\n<p><strong>Segregation of veg and non-vegan foods: <\/strong>A <strong>logo\u00a0for Vegan Foods<\/strong> has been introduced to distinguish food from non-vegan. This will empower consumers to make informed food choices.<\/p>\n<p><strong>E-Books: <\/strong>Various e-books have been introduced. These will help to capture recipes on local seasonal food items, indigenous millets and plant-based sources of protein.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Private Participation:<\/strong> \u00a024 food businesses signed a pledge on becoming \u201c<strong>Plastic Waste Neutral<\/strong>\u201d by collecting, processing and recycling of 100% plastic waste from across the sources.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source:\u00a0<\/strong>This post is based on the following articles \u201c<strong>State Food Safety Index<\/strong>&#8221; published in <strong>PIB <\/strong>on\u00a0<strong>20th September 2021.<\/strong><\/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-22st-2021\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief \u2013 September 22nd, 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":[8032,1542,8033],"class_list":["post-136150","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","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\/136150","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=136150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136150\/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=136150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}