PT 365 Supplementary Material

VISION IAS
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SUPPLEMENTARY CURRENT
AFFAIRS FOR PRELIMS 2019
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Dear Students,
Hope your preparation is going well. This document has been prepared keeping in mind the pattern of the
Current Affairs questions being asked by the UPSC Civil Services Prelims examination. In few questions, the
theme is no longer confined to the events of the last one year.
Here, we have tried to summarise important news from PT-365 2018 documents. Given that the examination
is quite near, this document intends to help you revise last year’s important news in a short time.
Hope this document helps you in boosting your preparation and building up your confidence further as you
wind up your preparations.
Best Wishes
Team Vision IAS
Table of Contents
1. POLITY AND CONSTITUTION __________ 3 2.12. African Development Bank (AFDB) __ 10
1.1. Departmentally Related Standing 2.13. Indian Technical and Economic
Committees __________________________ 3 Cooperation (ITEC) ____________________ 10
1.2. CEC Appointment Issues _____________ 3 2.14. South Asia Cooperative Environment
Program (SACEP)______________________ 11
1.3. Cess as a Revenue Raising Tool________ 3
2.15. Miscellaneous Titbits______________ 11
1.4. Arunachal’s 2-Tier Panchayati Raj _____ 4
3. ECONOMICS ______________________ 12
1.5. Social Audit _______________________ 4
3.1. Information Utility Under Insolvency and
1.6. Council for Advancement of People’s
Bankruptcy Code _____________________ 12
Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) ____ 4
3.2. Domestic-Systematically Important Banks12
1.7. Inquisitorial System_________________ 4
3.3. Priority Sector Lending _____________ 12
1.8. E-Samiksha _______________________ 4
3.4. Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2018 ___ 12
1.9. International Comparison Program ____ 4
3.5. Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) 13
1.10. Miscellanous Titbits _______________ 5
3.6. Commodity Options _______________ 13
2. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS __________ 6
3.7. Market Infrastructure Institutions ____ 13
2.1. India-Pakistan _____________________ 6
3.8. Financial System Stability Assessment
2.2. India-China _______________________ 6
(FSSA) ______________________________ 13
2.3. Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) ____ 6
3.9. Government Abandons Revenue Deficit
2.4. UNSC Reform ______________________ 6 Targeting ____________________________ 13
2.5. UN Partnership Fund ________________ 7 3.10. Financial Data Management Centre __ 13
2.6. UN-Habitat________________________ 7 3.11. Disinvestment ___________________ 14
2.7. Multilateral Export Control Regimes ___ 7 3.12. FATCA IGA ______________________ 14
2.8. Hague Code Of Conduct (HCOC) _______ 8 3.13. Global Foreign Exchange Committee _ 14
2.9. Nuclear Weapon Prohibition Treaty 3.14. Organic Food ____________________ 14
(NWPT) ______________________________ 9
3.15. Seed Industry ____________________ 15
2.10. India-Wiesbaden Conference 2018 ___ 9
3.16. Negotiable Warehousing Receipts ___ 15
2.11. International Maritime Organisation
3.17. Codex Alimentarius Commission ____ 15
(IMO)________________________________ 9
3.18. Start-Up Sangam Initiative _________ 16
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DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW 8468022022
3. 19. National Productivity Council ______ 16 5.2. National Council of Senior Citizens ____ 25
3.20. National Highway Investment Promotion 5.3. Maharashtra Social Boycott Act ______ 25
Cell ________________________________ 16
5.4. India Youth Development Index and
3.21. PPP Models _____________________ 16 Report 2017 _________________________ 25
3.22. Central Road Fund ________________ 17 5.5. Technical Education Quality Improvement
Programme (TEQIP) ___________________ 26
3.23. India Road Assessment Programme __ 17
5.6. Madhyamik and Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh 26
3.24. International Road Transports (TIR)
Convention __________________________ 17 5.7. National Academic Depository (NAD) _ 26
3.25. Rail Development Authority ________ 17 5.8. Healthy States, Progressive India Report26
3.26. New Metro Rail Policy 2016 ________ 17 5.9. Private Health Care ________________ 26
3.27. Coastal Economic Zone ____________ 18 5.10. National Nutrition Strategy_________ 27
3.28. UNNATI Project __________________ 18 5.11. ‘Zero Hunger' Programme __________ 27
4. ENVIRONMENT ___________________ 19 5.12. India State Level Disease Burden Report27
4.1. Minamata Convention _____________ 19 5.13. Joint Monitoring Programme 2017 ___ 27
4.2. Bonn Climate Meet ________________ 19 5.14. Echo Clinic ______________________ 28
4.3. Ecosystems Service Improvement Project19 6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY _________ 29
4.4. UN Ocean Conference ______________ 19 6.1. Stephen Hawking__________________ 29
4.5. Global Clean Seas Campaign _________ 19 6.2. Einstein Ring _____________________ 29
4.6. India State of Forest Report 2017 _____ 19 6.3. Mars Orbiter Mission ______________ 30
4.7. Invasive Alien Species ______________ 20 6.4. NAVIC or IRNSS (Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System) ____________ 30
4.8. Bamboo Is No Longer A Tree ________ 21
6.5. Copernicus Programme _____________ 30
4.9. Global Wildlife Program ____________ 21
6.6. Free Space Optical Communication ___ 31
4.10. National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) for
2017-2031 ___________________________ 21 6.7. Micro-LED: The Next-Gen Display
Technology __________________________ 31
4.11. Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas 22
6.8. Supercritical CO2-Brayton Cycle ______ 31
4.12. Biodiversity Heritage Sites _________ 22
6.9. Stem Cells Therapy ________________ 32
4.13. New Wetland Conservation Rules ___ 23
6.10. Assisted Reproductive Technology
4.14. Green Buildings LEED for Cities______ 23
(Regulation) Bill ______________________ 32
4.15. Zero Budget Natural Farming _______ 23
6.11. Biosimilar for Cancer ______________ 32
4.16. Seed Vault ______________________ 24
6.12. Project Dhoop ___________________ 32
4.17. One Planet One City Challenge of WWF24
6.13. FoSCoRIS System _________________ 33
4.18. Earth Overshoot Day ______________ 24
6.14. Interstitium _____________________ 33
4.19. Pacific Shadow Zone ______________ 24
6.15. Ban on Oxytocin _________________ 33
4.20. Artificial Reefs to Save Sinking Islands 24
6.16. E-Cigarettes _____________________ 33
5. SOCIAL ISSUES ____________________ 25
6.17. NTRO Under Intelligence Act _______ 34
5.1. The Rights of Persons with Disability Act,
7. ERRATA (PT-365 2019) _____________ 35
2016 _______________________________ 25
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8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW
1. POLITY AND CONSTITUTION
1.1. DEPARTMENTALLY RELATED • The constitution has not prescribed the
STANDING COMMITTEES qualifications (legal, educational,
administrative, or judicial) of the members of
• It is being suggested that the DRSCs should election commission.
be revamped to better perform their • The constitution has not debarred the retiring
scrutinising roles. Election commissioner from any further
• 17 DRSCs were first formed in 1993. appointment by the government.
• Currently there are 24 DRSCs and each of • There is also no clarity regarding the power
them have 21 members from Lok Sabha and division between the Chief Election
10 members from Rajya Sabha. Commissioner and other Election
• In contrast to ad-hoc committees, Standing Commissioners.
Committees are permanent in nature. • The CEC and the Election Commissioners
• They have following functions: enjoy the same decision-making powers
o Examine Bills referred to them which are suggestive of the fact that their
o Select Specific topics related to the powers are at par with each other.
ministries and examine implementation • Although the proviso to Article 324 (5) of the
by the Government Constitution safeguards the CEC from
o Examine the budgetary outlays of the arbitrary removal, the same provision is silent
department. about the procedure for removal of the two
o Bills are referred to them by the Speaker EC. It only provides that they cannot be
or Chairman of the House removed from office except on the
• Other Important facts- recommendation of the CEC.
o All Bills are not referred to committees,
as GST bill was passed without referring 1.3. CESS AS A REVENUE RAISING
to DRSC. TOOL
o Recommendations of the committee are
not binding. The Fifteenth Finance Commission commissioned
o They can reach out to outside experts, but a study on legality of use of surcharge and cess.
no internal expertise is present. Why has Cess become contentious?
o It does not consider matters of day to day
administration of the ministry. • The share of cess and surcharges as a
percentage of tax revenues has increased
1.2. CEC APPOINTMENT ISSUES over the years for the Centre.
• Both these levies go to the consolidated fund
Issues related to Chief Election Commissioner of India and do not form part of the divisible
• The appointment of CEC and other ECs pool.
according to the Article 324, shall be done as Constitutional Provisions
per the law made by the Parliament in this
regard. However, no such law has yet been • Article 271 - Surcharge on certain duties and
made which leaves a “gap”. Recently, taxes for purposes of the Union
Supreme Court had asked the centre why no Notwithstanding anything in Articles 269 and
enabling law has yet been framed. 270, Parliament may at any time increase any
• This leaves the appointment of such a crucial of the duties or taxes referred in those articles
post solely to the executives (President on by a surcharge for purposes of the Union and
the advice of PM and Council of Ministers). the whole proceeds of any such surcharge
Constitutional Provisions related to EC shall form part the Consolidated Fund of
As per the Article 324 of the constitution, “The Election India.
Commission shall consist of Chief Election Cess and surcharge
Commissioner and such numbers of other Election
Commissioners, if any, as the President may from time Cess Surcharge
to time fix and appointment of CEC and other ECs shall, It is earmarked for a specific It can be used for
subject to provisions of any law made in that behalf by purpose any purpose
the Parliament, be made by the President.” If the purpose gets fulfilled, the There are no such
cess is removed. restrictions.
3
Applicable on total payable tax Applicable on
(including surcharge). However, total service
1.7. INQUISITORIAL SYSTEM
there can be exceptions like Krishi value.
Kalyan Cess which is applicable on • The government is considering revisiting the
total service value. Malimath Committee report on reforms in
the criminal justice system (CJS).
1.4. ARUNACHAL’S 2-TIER • One of the important recommendations of
the committee is borrowing from inquisitorial
PANCHAYATI RAJ system in countries such as Germany and
• Arunachal Pradesh Assembly passed a bill to France.
do away with the Anchal Samiti (Intermediate • It is a legal system where the court or a part
level) and set up a two-tier system in the of the court is actively involved in
state. investigating the facts of the case.
• According to the 73rd Amendment of the • This is opposed to an adversarial system,
Constitution, states are required to usually followed in India, where the role of
constitute Panchayats at three tiers, i.e., the court is primarily that of an impartial
Village, Intermediate and District except the referee between the prosecution and the
States having a population of less than defence.
20 lakhs, which may not constitute
a Panchayat at Intermediate level. 1.8. E-SAMIKSHA
States/UTs with 2-Tier government
Goa, Manipur, Sikkim, D& N Haveli, daman & Diu and
• E-Samiksha is an online monitoring and
Lakshadweep do not have intermediate level. compliance mechanism developed by
Cabinet secretariat with technical help from
1.5. SOCIAL AUDIT National Informatics Centre.
• It is used for tracking the progress on
• Meghalaya became the first state in India to projects & policy initiatives and follow up
operationalise a social audit law- ‘The actions of various ministries by cabinet
Meghalaya Community Participation and secretary and Prime Minister on a real-time
Public Services Social Audit Act, 2017’ basis.
• Social audits refer to a legally mandated • Central government departments have been
process where potential and existing asked to work out specific targets to be
beneficiaries evaluate the implementation of achieved by 2022 which will be monitored by
a programme by comparing official records PM under e-Samiksha platform.
with ground realities.
Audit of local self-government institutions is a States 1.9. INTERNATIONAL
subject and the primary (external) audit of PRIs and COMPARISON PROGRAM
ULBs is with the State Local Funds Audit Department
(LFAD), or with the designated auditors as specified in • India is participating in the current phase of
the State laws.
International Comparison Programme (ICP)
with reference to 2017.
1.6. COUNCIL FOR • ICP is a global statistical initiative led by
ADVANCEMENT OF PEOPLE’S World Bank under the auspices of the United
ACTION AND RURAL Nations Statistical Commission.
• It supports inter-country comparisons of
TECHNOLOGY (CAPART)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its
• It chaired by the Union Minister for Rural components, in terms of PPP (Purchasing
Development, was launched for sustainable Power Parity).
development of rural areas. • The data collection of prices in rural and
• It is an autonomous body registered under urban areas will be taken up by Ministry of
the Societies Registration Act 1860. Statistics & Programme Implementation
• It works as a nodal agency for catalyzing and (MOSPI) all over the country.
coordinating the emerging partnership
between voluntary organizations and the
Government.
4
Training (COMMIT) for State Government
1.10. MISCELLANOUS TITBITS officials has been launched.
• Educational trusts and societies seeking o The COMMIT programme has been
minority status will now be required to developed by DoPT in collaboration with
register as non-governmental organisation United Nations Development Programme
with the NITI Aayog, whether they are (UNDP). It will supplement the existing
seeking government aid or not. ITP (Induction Training Program)
• The Government introduced a new app called launched in 2014-15 for newly recruited
UPaAI (unified planning and analysis state Government officials to develop in
interface) or ‘solution’ in English, which will them Generic & Domain specific
help the members of parliament to track the competencies.
development work in their states. It will be • Access to Justice Project for Marginalized
monitored by PMO. Persons is being implemented by
• A new training programme Comprehensive Department of Justice and United Nation
Online Modified Modules on Induction Development Programme (UNDP).
5
2. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
About Doklam
2.1. INDIA-PAKISTAN
• It is a strategically vital 269 square km patch
The International Court of Justice said that India of Bhutan’s territory that Beijing laid claim to
should have been granted consular access to in the 1980s.
Kulbhushan Jadhav as per the Vienna Convention. • It is an area with a plateau and a valley, lying
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 between Tibet's Chumbi Valley to the north,
Bhutan's Ha Valley to the east and
• It defines the guidelines for consular relations India's Sikkim state to the west.
between the independent countries. • This was the first time that India used troops
• A consul normally operates out of an to protect Bhutan’s territorial interests.
embassy in a different country and performs
two functions: (1) protecting the interests of Important passes along India-China border (from west
the country and the countrymen of the to east)
• J & K - Aghil Pass, Chang La
consul, and (2) furthering the commercial and
• Himachal Pradesh - Shipki La
economic relations between the two
• Uttarakhand – Thaga La, Niti Pass, Lipu Lekh
countries.
• Sikkim – Nathu La, Jelep La
• They are afforded most of the same • Arunachal Pradesh – Bum La, Diphu Pass
privileges, including a variation of diplomatic
immunity called consular immunity, but these 2.3. MEKONG GANGA
protections are not as extensive.
COOPERATION (MGC)
Related information - Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations, 1961 India has been calling for expanding the areas of
cooperation among the member countries of
• It is an international treaty of 1961 which gives
the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) bloc.
a framework for diplomatic relations
between independent countries. • MGC is an initiative by six countries – India and
• It specifies the privileges of a diplomatic five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao
mission that enable diplomats to perform PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam for
their functions without fear of coercion or cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as
harassment by the host country. It forms the well as transport and communications.
legal basis for diplomatic immunity. • It was launched in 2000.
India is a party to both the above conventions. 2.4. UNSC REFORM

2.2. INDIA-CHINA India has demanded transparency in the UN
Security Council reform process at the plenary
Putting behind the Doklam standoff, India and meeting of the UN General Assembly.
China agreed to move forward in their ties.
What is UNSC Reform agenda?
It entails discussions on following areas (has been on
continuous annual consideration since 1993):
• Categories of membership
• The question of the veto held by the five
permanent members
• Regional representation
• Size of an enlarged Council and its working
methods and
• The Security Council-General Assembly
relationship.
G-4 Nations
• It comprises of Brazil, Germany, India,
and Japan and they support each other’s bids
for permanent seats on the UNSC.
6
Uniting for Consensus (UfC) or Coffee Club • It is mandated by the United Nations General
• UfC is a movement to counter the bids for Assembly to promote socially and
permanent seats proposed by G-4. environmentally sustainable towns and cities
• It demands that a consensus must be reached with the goal of providing adequate shelter
first on the form and size of the Security for all.
Council before expanding it. • It is a member of the United Nations
• It is led by Italy and includes Pakistan, South Development Group.
Korea, Canada, Argentina and some other • The mandate of UN-Habitat derives from the
countries. Habitat Agenda, adopted by the United
Nations Conference on Human Settlements
2.5. UN PARTNERSHIP FUND (Habitat II) in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1996.
• Since the UN-Habitat came into being in 1978,
India has pledged an additional USD 100 million it is the third time that India has been elected
towards the UN partnership fund at the 2017 UN to lead this organisation after 2007 and 1988.
Pledging Conference for Development Activities.
• The first project from the fund is being 2.7. MULTILATERAL EXPORT
executed in partnership with seven Pacific
Island countries. The fund has also identified
CONTROL REGIMES
15 more projects.
India recently became member of Wassenaar
• India is also contributing USD 10.582 million to
Arrangement and Australia Group.
various other UN programmes.
There are four Multilateral Export Control
The India-UN Development Partnership Fund (UNDPF)
Regimes. India is a member of 3, except the
is a dedicated facility within the United Nations Fund
for South-South Cooperation established in 2017.
Nuclear Suppliers Group. While China is not a
member of any export control regimes except
It supports Southern-owned and led, demand-driven,
NSG.
and transformational sustainable development projects
across the developing world, with a focus on least 1. Wassenaar Arrangement
developed countries and small island developing states. • It is a multilateral export control regime
United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (MECR) to promote transparency and
(UNOSSC), hosted by UNDP since 1974, was established greater responsibility in transfers of
by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods
advocate for and coordinate South-South and and Technologies.
triangular cooperation (collaboration and partnerships • It was established in 1996 as a successor
between South-South-North countries) on a global and
to Cold War Era Coordinating Committee
UN system-wide basis.
for Multilateral Export Controls and is
headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
2.6. UN-HABITAT • It has 42 members with India being the
newest entrant. All the permanent
India has been unanimously elected as the
members of the U.N. Security Council
president of the UN-Habitat. On behalf of India,
barring China are signatories of the WA.
Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister
will preside over the deliberations of the 58- • It works according to Wassenaar Control
member Governing Council (GC) of the UN-Habitat List under which members agree to
for the next two years. exchange information on sensitive dual-
use goods and technologies and report on
About UN Habitat such transfers and denials of controlled
The United Nations Human Settlements items to non-participants.
Programme (UN–Habitat) is the United Nations • India had declared a Special Chemicals, Organisms,
agency for human settlements and Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET)
sustainable urban development. list.
• It was established in 1978 as an outcome of • Through SCOMET list India listed its dual use
the First UN Conference on Human technologies under its Foreign Trade Policy to make
India’s export controls in line with the Wassenaar
Settlements and Sustainable Urban
Arrangement.
Development (Habitat I) held in Vancouver,
2. Australia Group (AG)
Canada in 1976.
• It was formed in 1985 in response to use
• UN-Habitat maintains its headquarters at the
of chemical weapons by Iraq in Iran-Iraq
United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya.
war of 1984.
7
• It is a Multilateral Export Control Regime 2009 becoming third country (after South Korea
and an informal forum of 43 countries and Albania) in the world to do so.
(Including EU) which, through the • Egypt, North Korea, Palestine and Sudan are the
harmonisation of export controls, seeks only countries that have not signed to the
convention.
to ensure that exports do not contribute
• CWC prohibits:
to the development of chemical or
o Developing, producing, acquiring, stockpiling,
biological weapons. or retaining chemical weapons.
• Coordination of national export control o The direct or indirect transfer of chemical
measures also assists member countries weapons.
to fulfil their obligations under the o Chemical weapons use or military preparation
Chemical Weapons Convention and the for use.
Biological and Toxin Weapons o Assisting, encouraging, or inducing other
Convention. states to engage in CWC-prohibited activity.
o The use of riot control agents “as a method of
• It issues Australia group Common Control
warfare.”
Lists related to chemical weapon Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC or
precursors, Dual- Use chemical and BWC)
biological related technologies, Human • It is a legally binding treaty that outlaws biological
and Animal pathogens etc. arms.
3. Missile Technology Control Regime • It was adopted by UN in 1972 and came into force
• It is an informal and voluntary in 1975.
partnership among 35 countries to • It bans-
prevent the proliferation o The development, stockpiling, acquisition,
of missile and unmanned aerial retention, and production of
✓ Biological agents and toxins "of types and
vehicle technology capable of carrying
in quantities that have no justification for
above 500 kg payload for more than
prophylactic, protective or other peaceful
300 km. purposes;"
• It was established in April 1987 by ✓ Weapons, equipment, and delivery
the G7 countries- vehicles "designed to use such agents or
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, toxins for hostile purposes or in armed
the United Kingdom, and the United conflict."
States of America. o The transfer of or assistance with acquiring
4. Nuclear Suppliers Group the agents, toxins, weapons, equipment, and
delivery vehicles described above.
• It is a group of nuclear supplier countries
• India signed the convention in 1973 and ratified it in
that seeks to contribute to the non-
1974.
proliferation of nuclear weapons through
the implementation of two sets of 2.8. HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT
Guidelines for nuclear exports and
nuclear-related exports. (HCOC)
• The guidelines also contain the so-called
• HCOC or International Code of Conduct
“Non-Proliferation Principle,” adopted in
against Ballistic Missile Proliferation was
1994, whereby a supplier,
established in 2002.
notwithstanding other provisions in the
• HCoC is a voluntary, legally non-binding
NSG Guidelines, authorises a transfer
international confidence building and
only when satisfied that the transfer
transparency measure that seeks to prevent
would not contribute to the proliferation
the proliferation of ballistic missiles that are
of nuclear weapons.
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
capable of delivering weapons of mass
• It is a multilateral treaty that bans chemical destruction (WMD).
weapons and requires their destruction within a • Code is meant to supplement the Missile
specified period of time. Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
• It was adopted in 1992 by UN Conference on • Under the Code, States make politically
Disarmament and came into force in 1997 binding commitments to curb the
• It is implemented by the Organization for the proliferation of WMD-capable ballistic missiles
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and to exercise maximum restraint in
headquartered in Hague. developing, testing, and deploying such
• India is a signatory to CWC since 1993 and
missiles
destroyed its stockpile of Chemical weapons by
8
• Code is an agreement between States on how
2.10. INDIA-WIESBADEN
they should “conduct” their trade in missiles
and does not call for the destruction of any CONFERENCE 2018
missiles.
India hosted the India-Wiesbaden Conference,
• India joined the HCOC on 1 June 2016 and
2018 with the theme- Securing Global Supply
total number of signatories of HCOC is 138.
Chains through Government-Industry
• China, Pakistan, Israel and Iran are not its
Partnerships towards Effective Implementation
member
of UNSC Resolution 1540.
2.9. NUCLEAR WEAPON Details
PROHIBITION TREATY (NWPT) • The conference was held in cooperation with
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of
Over 120 countries in the United Nations voted to Germany and the United Nations Office for
adopt the first-ever global treaty to ban nuclear Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).
weapons.
• The Conference provides an opportunity to
Details
participants to share experiences on their
• The new treaty outlaws the entire range of export control systems and to identify legal &
activity relating to the production, technical assistance, action plans & challenges
stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons. in national implementation of UNSC 1540.
• The most central provision is Article 1(d) • Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce
which categorically prohibits the use of and Industry (FICCI) is the industry partner for
nuclear weapons or a threat to that effect, the event.
under all circumstances. UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) is an
• The treaty will be open for signature to all Office of the United Nations Secretariat established in
States at UN Headquarters in September and January 1998 as the Department for Disarmament
enter into force 90 days after it has been Affairs
ratified by at least 50 countries. • Its goal is to promote nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation and the strengthening of the
• India and other nuclear-armed nations: the
disarmament regimes in respect to other weapons
United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, of mass destruction, chemical and biological
Pakistan, North Korea and Israel had not weapons.
participated in the negotiations. • It also promotes disarmament efforts in the area
India’s Position of conventional weapons, especially landmines and
small arms, which are often the weapons of choice
• India also maintained that the Geneva-based
in contemporary conflicts.
Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the single
multilateral disarmament negotiation forum.
2.11. INTERNATIONAL MARITIME
Conference on Disarmament
ORGANISATION (IMO)
• It was formed in 1979 as the single multilateral
disarmament negotiation forum of the India has been re-elected to the Council of the
international community. International Maritime Organization (IMO) under
• It is the successor to the Ten-Nation Category “B” for two years (2018-19).
Committee on Disarmament (TNDC), Geneva,
International Maritime Organisation
1960; the Eighteen-Nation Committee on
Disarmament (ENDC), Geneva, 1962-68; and • IMO is a specialized United Nations agency
the Conference of the Committee on which is committed towards safe, secure and
Disarmament (CCD), Geneva, 1969-78. efficient shipping on clean ocean and plays an
• The CD and its predecessors have negotiated important role to create fair, effective and
multilateral arms control, nonproliferation, universally accepted regulatory framework.
and disarmament agreements such as the • It is headquartered in London, United
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Kingdom, the IMO has 172 Member States and
Weapons (NPT), Environmental Modification three Associate Members.
and Seabed treaties, the Biological and Toxic India and IMO
Weapons Convention (BTWC), etc. • India was one of the earliest members of IMO
• India is one of its 65 members and has ratified over 34 IMO conventions and
protocols and joined as a member state in
1959.
9
• India serves IMO with expert manpower • The meeting in Gandhinagar is the fourth time
whenever required. For example, Indian that the Annual Meetings of AfDB are being
auditors serve Voluntary IMO Member State held outside Africa.
Audit Scheme (VIMSAS). • The next meeting of AfDB is scheduled to be
Important Conventions held in Busan, South Korea in 2018.
• International Convention for the Control and • India joined the African Development Bank
Management of Ships' Ballast Water and (AfDB) in 1983. It is a non-regional member of
Sediments (BWM): It came into force in
the Bank.
September 2017 and aims to prevent spread of
harmful aquatic organisms from one region to
another by establishing standards for management
2.13. INDIAN TECHNICAL AND
of ships’ ballast water and sediments. ECONOMIC COOPERATION (ITEC)
• International Convention on Civil Liability for
Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (BUNKER): It aims to India has been involved in capacity-building and
provide adequate, prompt and effective offering technical assistance to developing
compensation to the people who are affected by countries in the Global South under
the damages caused due to oil spills from the ships the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation
carrying oil in their bunkers. (ITEC).
• International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS), 1974: It aims to specify minimum About ITEC
standards for construction, equipment and • It was instituted by a decision of the Indian
operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Cabinet on 15 September 1964 as a bilateral
India’s Maritime Initiatives programme of assistance of the Government
• Ratified SOLAS Convention for safety of merchant of India.
ships.
• DPA-II Division of Development Partnership
• Took active initiative in High Risk Area in Indian
Ocean along with IMO and Contact Group on Piracy Administration (DPA) in the Ministry of
on the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS). External Affairs is the nodal division for
• It has also deposited with the ILO, instrument of handling all capacity building programmes.
ratification of the Seafarers’ Identity Documents • The program has five components: Training in
Convention (revised), 2003 and Maritime Labour India of ITEC nominees; project and feasibility
Convention, 2006. studies and consultancy services for a
country’s particular needs or projects;
2.12. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT deputation of Indian experts in whatever
BANK (AFDB) needed capacity abroad; and aid for disaster
relief.
The 52nd Annual Meetings of the African • The ITEC programme, along with its sister
Development bank was held in Gandhinagar, programme SCAAP (Special Commonwealth
Gujarat. African Assistance Programme) and Technical
• This was the first time that the Annual Cooperation Scheme of Colombo Plan, is a
Meetings of AfDB were being held in India. visible symbol of India's role and contribution
to South-South cooperation.
About AfDB
Related info
• The African Development Bank Group
(AfDB) or BanqueAfricaine de Developpment Colombo Plan
(BAD) is a multilateral development finance • The Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic
institution. and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific
• It was founded in 1964 and comprises three was conceived at the Commonwealth
entities: The African Development Bank, the Conference held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in
African Development Fund and the Nigeria January 1950 and was launched on 1 July 1951.
Trust Fund. • It was established by Australia, Canada, India,
• Its mission is to fight poverty and improve Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the
living conditions on the continent through United Kingdom and currently has expanded
promoting the investment of public and to include 26-member countries including
private capital in projects and programs that non-Commonwealth countries and countries
are likely to contribute to the economic and belonging to regional groupings such as
social development of the region. ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian
Nations) and SAARC (South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation).
10
• It is a partnership concept of self-help and
2.15. MISCELLANEOUS TITBITS
mutual-help in development aimed at socio-
economic progress of its member countries. • Jordan has recently launched the Aqaba
process to promote deradicalisation in which
2.14. SOUTH ASIA COOPERATIVE India is an active participant.
ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM • Recently, a tripartite MoU was signed
(SACEP) between India, Russia and Bangladesh for
development of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant
An MoU has been approved by Cabinet between on Padma river in Bangladesh. It is the first
India and SACEP for cooperation on the response nuclear reactor in Bangladesh and will be built
to Oil and Chemical Pollution in the South Asian by Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation
Seas Region. Rosatom and the Nuclear Power Corporation
About SACEP of India Limited (NPCIL) will assist
• It is an inter-governmental organization, in construction, installation and infrastructural
established in 1982 by the governments of assignments. It is the first initiative under an
South Asia to promote and support Indo-Russian deal to undertake atomic energy
protection, management and enhancement of projects in third country.
the environment in the region. • Australia abolished the subclass 457 visa
• It also serves as the secretariat of South Asian category, popular among skilled overseas
Seas Programme (SASP). workers, especially Indians. It has been
• The Governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, replaced by Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS)
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and visa which would help enable hiring of
Sri Lanka are the members of SACEP. overseas employees.
South Asian Seas Programme • Recently, North Korea and South Korea
It is one of the 18 Regional Seas Programmes of UNEP. signed Panmunjom Declaration which
The South Asian Seas Action Plan was adopted in envisages denuclearisation of Korean
March 1995 and today enjoys the unqualified support of peninsula, a peace treaty, reunion programs
the region’s five countries (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, for families and creation of a demilitarised
Pakistan and Sri Lanka).
zone.
11
3. ECONOMICS
• Categories under priority sector: 1.
3.1. INFORMATION UTILITY
Agriculture, 2. Micro, Small and Medium
UNDER INSOLVENCY AND Enterprises; 3. Export Credit; 4. Education; 5.
BANKRUPTCY CODE Housing; 6. Social Infrastructure; 7.
Renewable Energy; and 8. Others
National e-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL) • From now on, all loans to micro small and
became India’s first information utility (IU) for medium enterprises (MSME) will henceforth
bankruptcy cases under the Insolvency and qualify as priority sector lending against the
Bankruptcy Code 2016. earlier criteria of loans up to 10 Cr.
What is Information Utility? • From FY 2018-19 the foreign banks with 20
• It is an information network which would branches and above will have to ensure that:
store financial data like borrowings, default o Minimum 8% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit
and security interests etc. of firms. (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent Amount of
• It is mandatory for financial creditors to Off-Balance Sheet Exposure (CEOBE),
provide financial information to the whichever is higher, is earmarked for
information utility. Hence, database and lending to the small and marginal farmers.
records maintained by them would help o Minimum 7.5 per cent of ANBC or CEOBE,
lenders in taking informed decisions about whichever is higher, is earmarked for
credit transactions. lending to micro-enterprises.
• Information available with the utility can be • The loan limits per borrower for Micro/ Small
used as evidence in bankruptcy cases before and Medium Enterprises (Services) has been
the National Company Law Tribunal removed for classification under priority
sector.
3.2. DOMESTIC-SYSTEMATICALLY • Moreover, RBI allows trading in Priority
IMPORTANT BANKS Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs) whereby
banks can buy and sell such credits to manage
• RBI listed HDFC as Domestic – Systematically their priority sector lending requirements.
Important Bank (DSIB).
• DSIBs are also referred to as “Too Big To Fail” 3.4. CHIT FUNDS (AMENDMENT)
(TBTF) because of their size, cross- BILL, 2018
jurisdictional activities, complexity and lack of
substitute and interconnection. • The Bill makes amendments to the Chit Funds
• Banks whose assets cross 2% of the GDP are Act, 1982, to facilitate orderly growth of the
considered DSIBs. If these banks fail, they can Chit Funds sector thereby enabling greater
have a disruptive effect on the economy. financial access of people.
• They are domestically identified by Central • A chit fund is a type of saving scheme where a
Banks of a country and globally by BASEL specified number of subscribers contribute
committee on banking supervision. payments in installment over a defined
period.
3.3. PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING • Regulation: being part of the Concurrent List
of the Indian Constitution; both the centre
• Recently, RBI has revamped PSL norms for and state can frame legislation regarding chit
MSMEs. funds.
Banks PSL Norms
• RBI does not regulate the chit fund business.
Domestic scheduled 40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank
However, RBI can provide guidance to state
commercial banks Credit or Credit Equivalent
and Foreign banks Amount of Off-Balance Sheet governments on regulatory aspects like
with 20 branches Exposure, whichever is higher. creating rules or exempting certain chit funds.
and above • SEBI regulates collective investment schemes.
Foreign banks with 40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank However, the SEBI Act specifically excludes
less than 20 Credit or Credit Equivalent chit funds.
branches Amount of Off-Balance Sheet
Exposure, whichever is higher;
to be achieved in a phased
manner by 2020.
12
financial development and serve as the
3.5. QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL infrastructure necessary for the securities
PLACEMENT (QIP) market. They include stock exchanges,
• The SBI raised Rs. 15000 cr. through Qualified depositories and clearing corporations.
Institutional Placement.
• A QIP is a capital raising tool wherein a listed
3.8. FINANCIAL SYSTEM
company can issue equity shares, fully and STABILITY ASSESSMENT (FSSA)
partly convertible debentures, or any security
(other than warrants) that is convertible to • As part of Financial Sector Assessment
equity shares. Programme (FSAP), the IMF and WB has
released the Financial System Stability
3.6. COMMODITY OPTIONS Assessment (FSSA) and Financial Sector
Assessment (FSA) for the Indian financial
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) system.
allowed commodity exchanges to introduce • Financial Sector Assessment Programme is a
options trading for commodities which joint program of the International Monetary
register high trade volumes. Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, which
• Gold options were launched for the first time undertakes a comprehensive and in-depth
in India on Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) analysis of a country’s financial sector.
becoming the first commodity that the SEBI • It was launched in 1999 in the wake of the
has approved for options trading in 14 years. Asian financial crisis.
• The National Commodity and Derivatives
Exchange Ltd. unveiled India’s first agri- 3.9. GOVERNMENT ABANDONS
commodity option in guar seed designed as a REVENUE DEFICIT TARGETING
hedge for farmers to safeguard their price
risk. • Budget 2018 proposed to stop setting targets
• Options: are derivative contracts (which derive its on revenue deficit reduction from next year
value from some other asset e.g. Stock Options or by bringing adequate amendments into the
Commodity Options) that give the buyer the right FRBM Act.
but not the obligation to buy or sell a specific • Revenue Deficit refers to the excess of
asset at a specified price in future.
revenue expenditure over revenue receipts
• Call Option: A Call is an options contract that gives
or the extent of borrowings used for revenue
the buyer the right to buy the underlying asset at
the strike price at any time up to the expiration expenditure. It signifies if the day to day
date expenditure of the government can be met
• Put Option: A put option is an option contract by its day to day income. FRBM Act 2003
giving the owner the right, but not the obligation, called for bringing this deficit to absolute
to sell a specified amount of an underlying zero by 2008-09
security at a specified price within a specified • NK Singh (FRBM Review) Committee
time. recommended that government should focus
Difference between Options and Futures on Public debt to GDP ratio as a medium-term
• Under both futures and options, an investor enters
anchor for fiscal policy in India.
into a contract to buy (or sell) an asset at a pre-
determined price within a certain time frame.
• By comparing what a country owes with
what it produces, the debt-to-GDP ratio
• However, under a future, an investor is obligated
to buy or sell (as the case maybe) within the time indicates its ability to pay back its debts
frame while under options, he has the option not
to. 3.10. FINANCIAL DATA
MANAGEMENT CENTRE
3.7. MARKET INFRASTRUCTURE
INSTITUTIONS • Government approved the creation of
Financial Data Management Centre (FDMC)
• SEBI constituted a committee under former that would subsequently collect raw data
RBI deputy governor R. Gandhi to review the directly from various financial regulators
norms for Market Infrastructure Institutions • Creation of FDMC under the aegis of FSDC
(MII). was first mooted by a committee headed by
• Market Infrastructure Institutions (MII) are Ajay Tyagi. The same was echoed by the
systemically important for the country’s Finance Minister in Budget 2017-18.
13
• Such a data repository would serve to assist
3.12. FATCA IGA
the Financial Stability and Development
Council (FSDC) in conducting research on • India and United States signed Inter
systemic risk and system-wide trends Governmental Agreement (IGA) to
implement the Foreign Account Tax
3.11. DISINVESTMENT Compliance Act (FATCA) to Promote
Transparency on Tax Matters.
• Recently, a high-powered Committee has
• FATCA aims to obtain information on
been set up to expedite strategic
accounts held by U.S. taxpayers in other
disinvestment of state-owned companies.
countries
• Disinvestment refers to the government
selling or liquidating its assets or stakes in
3.13. GLOBAL FOREIGN
PSE (public sector enterprise).
• Strategic Disinvestment is the sale of EXCHANGE COMMITTEE
substantial portion of the Government
• India will soon get a seat in the newly
shareholding of a central public sector
constituted Global Foreign Exchange
enterprise (CPSE) of up to 50%, or such higher
Committee (GFXC).
percentage along with transfer of
management control. • Global Foreign Exchange Committee is forum
of central bankers and experts working
• The Department for investment and public
towards promotion of a robust and
asset management (DIPAM) under Ministry
transparent forex market.
of finance is the nodal agency for
disinvestment • It has been established under the aegis of
BIS.
• Disinvestment proceeds can help the
government fund its fiscal deficit. • It comprises of public and private sector
representatives from the foreign exchange
National Investment Fund (NIF) committees of 16 international forex trading
• It was constituted in 2005, to channelize the centres.
Bank of International Settlements (BIS)
proceeds from disinvestment of Central
• Headquartered at Basel it is the bank to central
Public Sector Enterprises
banks and aims to support global financial and
• It is a ‘Public Account’ under the Government monetary stability.
Accounts and the funds would remain there • It is owned by 60-member central banks
until withdrawn/invested for the approved representing countries from around the world.
purposes. • Founded in 1930 it is world’s oldest financial
• The corpus of NIF was to be of a permanent organisation.
nature and NIF was to be professionally
managed to provide sustainable returns to 3.14. ORGANIC FOOD
the Government, without depleting the
• Recently, FSSAI issued regulation on organic
corpus.
food in country.
• NIF can be used for following purposes
• FSSAI has defined
o Subscribing to the shares being issued by
o Organic Agriculture: A system of farm
the CPSE on rights basis
design and management to create an eco-
o Preferential allotment of shares of the
system of agriculture production without
CPSE to promoters
the use of synthetic external inputs such
o Recapitalization of public sector banks
as chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides and
and public sector insurance companies
synthetic hormones or genetically
o Investment by Government in
modified organisms.
RRBs/IIFCL/NABARD/Exim Bank
o Equity infusion in various Metro projects • Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was
o Investment in Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut enacted to:
Nigam Limited and Uranium Corporation o Consolidate multiple laws in the country
of India Ltd. relating to food safety and establish a
o Investment in Indian Railways towards single point reference system.
capital expenditure. o Establish the FSSAI, which formulates
standards for food and regulates their
manufacture, storage, and distribution,
among others.
14
o Ministry of Health & Family Welfare o The Seeds Act, 1966: Regulate the quality
(MoHFW) is the administrative Ministry of certified seeds.
for the implementation of FSSAI. o The Seeds Control Order, 1983: regulates
o The FSSAI along with the State Food and licenses the sale of seeds;
Safety Authorities is responsible for o New Policy on Seed Development 1988:
monitoring and verifying the relevant emphasis on import of seeds, export
requirements under the Act and its earnings and increasing farm income.
enforcement Mandatory labeling of o The Protection of Plant Varieties and
Organic food Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 (PPVFR Act):
o The Act does not apply to any farmer, protects the intellectual property rights
fisherman, farming operations, crops, of plant breeders.
livestock, aquaculture, supplies o National Seed Policy 2002 based on
used/produced in farming, products of Varietal Development, Seed Production,
crops produced by a farmer/fisherman at Seed Distribution and Marketing by
initial production level. encouraging private sector as key actor,
• Approval authority: Organic food products Infrastructure facility, Establishment of
should carry a certification mark or a quality National Gene Fund.
assurance mark given by o National Seed Plan 2005: Calls for a
o National Programme for Organic synergetic approach between
Production (NPOP) agricultural educational institutions, Seed
o Participatory Guarantee System for India Companies and state government.
(PGS-India)
o Voluntary logo from the FSSAI that 3.16. NEGOTIABLE
marked its produce as ‘organic.’ WAREHOUSING RECEIPTS
3.15. SEED INDUSTRY • Ministry of Food Processing Industries has
launched negotiable warehousing receipts in
• Recent reports highlighted that the Indian electronic format that farmers can use to
seed market achieved a growth rate of avail of bank credit easily and without fear of
around 17% during 2009-2016. losing or misusing it.
Seed Industry in India • Warehouse Receipts are documents issued
by warehouses to depositors against the
• India is the fifth largest seed market across commodities deposited in the warehouses,
the globe. for which the warehouse is the bailee.
• The seed market is majorly contributed by • Warehouse Receipts may be either non-
non-vegetable seeds such as corn, cotton, negotiable or negotiable. NWRs can be
paddy, wheat, sorghum, sunflower and traded, sold, swapped and used as collateral
millets. to support borrowing.
• The production of seed passes through • It is defined in the Warehousing
generation system; Breeder Seed------ (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007.
Foundation Seed------Certified Seed. • NWR was launched first in 2011 and are
• Breeder Seeds are produced by Indian regulated by the Warehousing Development
Council of Agricultural Research and and Regulatory Authority (WDRA).
Foundation and Certified Seeds are produced
by National Seed Corporation (Miniratna). 3.17. CODEX ALIMENTARIUS
Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) COMMISSION
• It is a measure of how much of the total
• Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)
cropped area was sown with certified seeds
adopted three Codex standards for black,
in comparison to farm saved seeds.
white and green pepper, cumin and thyme in
• It represents the access of farmers to quality
Geneva.
seed and directly proportional to productivity
• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is
of farming.
an intergovernmental body with over 180
Policy Initiatives members, within the framework of the Joint
Food Standards Programme.
• Currently, the seed sector is governed by;
15
• It was established by the Food and • It carries out the programmes of the Tokyo
Agriculture Organization of the United based Asian Productivity Organization (APO),
Nations (FAO) and the World Health an inter-governmental body of which the
Organization (WHO) in 1963 with the Government of India is a founder member.
purpose of protecting the health of • It has been appointed as one of the National
consumers and ensuring fair practices in the Monitoring and Implementation Unit (NMIU)
food trade. for the implementation of Lean
• Codex food safety standards are also Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme
referred in the WTO’s Agreement on under National Manufacturing
Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS Competitiveness programme.
Agreement).
3.20. NATIONAL HIGHWAY
3.18. START-UP SANGAM INVESTMENT PROMOTION CELL
INITIATIVE
• National Highways Authority of India has
• Start-up Sangam initiative was launched by created the National Highways Investment
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Promotion Cell (NHIPC).
• It was launched for bringing in innovations • The cell will engage with global institution
and disruptions in the technology in heavy investors, constructions companies,
oil and gas industry. developers and fund managers in order to
• Under the initiative a corpus of 320 crore has build investor participation in road
been put together by contribution of various infrastructure projects.
PSUs like - India Oil Corporation, ONGC, and
Engineers India etc. 3.21. PPP MODELS
• It will be used to fund more than 30 start ups
for the next three years. • PPP Models Used Under Road Construction
• The selected start-ups will work in various in India
energy fields such as converting waste o BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer): The
plastics to petroleum fuels, solar stove, and private partner is responsible to design,
multi-purpose fuel from agricultural waste build, operate (during the contracted
biomass and leak detectors for liquefied period) and transfer back the facility to
natural gas (LNG) cylinders etc. the public sector. The government starts
• It is expected to reduce fuel import paying to the private party after the
dependence through innovations in commercial launch of the project. DBFOT
alternative fuels. (Design-Build-Finance- Operate-Transfer)
is one of its variants.
3. 19. NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY o BOT-Toll: Similar to BOT, the only
difference is that the private party is
COUNCIL allowed to recover its investment
through toll collection. In this case,
• It is an autonomous organization under the
government does not pay anything to
administrative control of the Department of
the private party.
Industrial Policy and Promotion to promote
o Engineering, Procurement and
productivity culture in India.
Construction (EPC) model: Procurement
• Established as a registered society in 1958 by
of raw material and construction costs
the Government of India, it is a tri-partite
are met by the government. The private
non-profit organization with equal
sector’s participation is limited to the
representation from the government,
provision of engineering expertise.
employers and workers’ organizations, apart
o Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM): It is a mix
from technical and professional institutions
of BOT and EPC models. The government
including members from local productivity
will contribute the 40% cost of the project
councils and chamber of commerce on its
in the first five years through annual
Governing Body.
payments. The remaining 60% is paid
• It provides training, consultancy and after the completion of the project as
undertakes research in the area of variable annuity depending upon value of
productivity. the assets created.
16
mechanism, thereby reducing trade
3.22. CENTRAL ROAD FUND transaction costs, and facilitating higher
• The Lok Sabha passed the Central Road Fund growth of intra-regional and inter-regional
(Amendment) Bill, 2017. trade.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Central Road
Fund Act, 2000 to allocate a share of cess 3.25. RAIL DEVELOPMENT
towards the development of inland AUTHORITY
waterways.
• The Central Road Fund (CRF) is a non- • Government has approved to setup a Rail
lapsable fund created under Central Road Development Authority (RDA) based in Delhi
Fund Act 2000. • It will act within the parameters of the
• It is credited with the cess collected on high Railway Act 1989 and make recommendations
speed diesel oil and petrol. to the Railway Ministry on passenger and
freight fares.
3.23. INDIA ROAD ASSESSMENT • It will be an independent body. The provisions
of a separate budget, and the appointment
PROGRAMME and removal process would help maintain its
• Recently International Road Assessment independence.
Programme has launched India Road • Regulatory functions: pricing of services
Assessment Programme (India-RAP) that will commensurate with costs, protection of
rate highways’ safety levels and seeks to consumer interests, ensuring competition,
eliminate the most unsafe roads creating a positive environment for
• International Road Assessment Program investment, and providing a framework for
(IRAP) is a charity which is dedicated towards non-discriminatory open access to the
preventing road accidents and making roads dedicated freight corridor.
safe. • Developmental functions: promote efficiency
• The IndiaRAP programme is being supported and economy and absorption of new
by FedEx Express and will be hosted by the technology, market development,
Asian Institute of Transport Development. benchmarking of services against
• It will provide road safety rating by using international norms, and human resources
IRAP’s evidence based Star Rating development.
methodology and investment planning tools • Composition of the authority
which will provide a simple and objective o It will have a chairman and three
measure of the level of safety. (1 being worst members with a fixed term of five years
and 5 being best rated roads). each.
• IndiaRAP will seek to eliminate one and two o The Central government will appoint the
star rated roads and promote construction chairman and members by choosing from
and design of safe and smart roads in the a panel of names recommended by the
country. search and selection committee chaired
by cabinet secretary.
3.24. INTERNATIONAL ROAD
3.26. NEW METRO RAIL POLICY
TRANSPORTS (TIR) CONVENTION
2016
• India ratified United Nations TIR convention in
• Union Cabinet approved the New Metro Rail
June, 2017 becoming its 71st signatory
Policy which focuses on compact urban
• TIR stands for Transports Internationaux
development, cost reduction and multi-
Routiers or International Road Transport
modal integration
• It is an international transit system under the
• It makes PPP (Public Private Partnership)
auspices of the United Nations Economic
component mandatory for availing central
Commission for Europe (UNECE)
assistance for new metro projects.
• It facilitates seamless movement of goods
• It mandates Transit Oriented Development
within and amongst the parties to the
(TOD) to promote compact and dense urban
Convention
development along metro corridors.
• The TIR system secures customs duties and
• New metro projects will be approved in line
taxes and provides a robust guarantee
with global best practices, on the basis of
17
• ‘Economic Internal Rate of Return of 14%’, a
3.28. UNNATI PROJECT
change from the existing ‘Financial Internal
Rate of Return of 8%. • Under Project UNNATI 86 out 116 initiatives
• The policy also makes it mandatory for state have been implemented for various major
governments to set up a statutory body ports.
called as Unified Metropolitan Transport • It was launched by Ministry of Shipping with
Authority. following objectives:
o Benchmark operational and financial
3.27. COASTAL ECONOMIC ZONE performance of the 12 major ports with
selected Indian private ports and best-
• Recently, government has given the approval
inclass international ports for identifying
for setting up India’s first mega coastal
improvement areas.
economic zone (CEZ) at Jawaharlal Nehru
o Undertake capability maturity
Port (JNPT) in Maharashtra.
assessment for key processes and
• The CEZ will stretch along north Konkan
functional capabilities and identify gap
region spread across Nashik, Thane, Mumbai,
and areas for further strengthening
Pune and Raigarh.
o Detailed deep-dive diagnosis and root
• This is the part of setting up of 14 mega CEZs cause analysis for the identified
under the National Perspective Plan of the opportunity areas in each of the 12 major
Sagarmala Programme. ports to understand underlying reasons
• Coastal Economic Zone is conceptualised as a for performance bottlenecks.
spatial-economic region which could extend o Develop practical and actionable
along 300-500 km of coastline and around solutions on the basis of root cause
200-300 km inland from the coastline. Each findings, and develop a comprehensive
CEZ will be an agglomeration of coastal improvement roadmap for each of the 12
districts within a State. major ports.
18
4. ENVIRONMENT
4.1. MINAMATA CONVENTION 4.3. ECOSYSTEMS SERVICE
Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
proposal for ratification of Minamata Convention • India signed Global Environment Facility
on Mercury enabling India to become a Party of (GEF) Grant agreement with the World Bank
the Convention. for “Ecosystems Service Improvement
• The approval entails ratification of the Project”.
Minamata Convention on Mercury along with • Aim: To protect, restore and enhance India’s
flexibility for continued use of mercury-based forest cover and help in maintaining
products and processes involving mercury ecological balance
compound up to 2025. • The Project will be implemented in the states
• The first Conference of the Parties (CoP) of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh for 5
under the Minamata Convention took place years by MOEFCC
in Geneva, Switzerland in 2017 which India
attended as observer. 4.4. UN OCEAN CONFERENCE
Details about the convention
• Recently, first United Nations Ocean
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury is first Conference was held in New York, co-
global legally binding treaty to protect sponsored by Fiji and Sweden under the
human health and the environment from the theme, "Our oceans, our future: partnering
adverse effects of mercury. for the implementation of Sustainable
• It was agreed in Geneva, Switzerland in Development Goal 14".
January 2013 and came into force in August, Global Ocean Commission
2017. It is an international initiative that was launched in 2013.
• The Minamata Convention requires party It raises awareness and promotes action to address the
nations to reduce and where feasible degradation of the ocean and help restore it to full
eliminate the use and release of mercury health and productivity. Its focus is on the high
seas, the vast ocean areas that lie beyond the Exclusive
from emissions, mining, general usage etc.
Economic Zones (EEZs) of individual states.
• The Convention also addresses interim
storage of mercury and its disposal once it
4.5. GLOBAL CLEAN SEAS
becomes waste, sites contaminated by
mercury as well as health issues. CAMPAIGN
Recently Indonesia declared a “Garbage
4.2. BONN CLIMATE MEET
emergency” as part of Global Clean Seas
• The 23rd meeting of the Conference of the campaign.
Parties (COP-23) of the United Nations About Clean Seas Campaign
Framework Convention on Climate Change • It is a global UN Environment initiative
(UNFCCC) concluded in Bonn, Germany. launched in 2017 to increase global awareness
• Other Initiative Started during the COP-23 of the need to reduce marine plastic litter.
o Powering Past Coal alliance: It is initiated • The campaign is inspired from Mumbai’s
by the UK and Canada. 15 countries have Versova beach clean-up programme of Afroz
joined an alliance to phase out coal-based Shah who also received Champions of the
power by 2030. Earth award for the same. Champions of the
o Below 50 initiative: It was launched by Earth award was launched in 2005 and is UN’s
World Business Council for Sustainable highest environmental honour.
Development (WBCSD). The goal is to
create the demand and market for those 4.6. INDIA STATE OF FOREST
sustainable fuels that produce at least 50% REPORT 2017
less CO2 emissions than conventional
fossil fuels. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) released the biennial India
State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017, prepared by
Forest Survey of India (FSI).
19
Forest Survey of India (severe fire years), the proportion of forest
• It is a national organization, under MoEFCC, fires in MDF and VDF were higher compared
responsible for assessment and monitoring of the to OF.
forest resources of the country regularly. • Mangrove: Total mangrove forests have
• It is also engaged in providing the services of increased by 181sq kms. 7 out of the 12
training, research & extension. mangrove states have shown an increase in
Key findings mangrove cover and none of them show any
negative change.
• Forest cover:
• Bamboo Cover: There has been an increase of
o India is ranked 10th in the world, with 1.73 million ha in bamboo areas.
24.4% of land area under forest (21.53%)
• Water bodies inside forests - The report
and tree cover. The target is to achieve
observes that water bodies inside forest cover
33% of area under forest cover.
have increased by 2,647 sqkms during the last
o There is an increase of 1% (8,021 sq km) in
decade. Almost all the states have shown a
the total forest and tree cover of the
positive change in water bodies.
country, compared to the previous
assessment in 2015.
4.7. INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES
o The maximum increase in forest cover
has been observed in Very Dense Forest Recently, National Conference on the Status of
(VDF) followed by increase in forest cover Invasive Species in India was organised by
in open forest (OF). Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical
o The agro-forestry and private forestry has Survey of India in which ZSI announced a list of
also shown expansion. There is also an alien invasive animal species.
increase in timber production in ‘Trees
outside Forests’ (TOF) category. Findings of Zoological Survey of India:
• Forest cover in states: • ZSI has made a list of 157 species of Invasive
o 15 states/UTs have above 33% of Alien Species (IAS) out of which 58 are found
geographical area under forest cover. on land and freshwater habitat and 99 are
o 7 States/UTs have more than 75% forest found in marine ecosystem.
cover: Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman • Common Alien Animal Species found in India
& Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, are –
Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur. o African Apple Snail – found in Andaman
o The three leading States with maximum and Nicobar Island, now spread across the
Forest cover (in terms of area): Madhya whole country
Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and o Papaya Mealy Bug – massively affected
Chhattisgarh. papaya crop in Assam, West Bengal and
• States with highest Forest cover in terms Tamil Nadu
of percentage geographical area: o Cotton Mealy Bug – threat to cotton
Lakshadweep (90.33%), Mizoram (86.27%) crops in Deccan
and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (81.73%) o Amazon sailfin catfish – responsible for
• Global trend: destroying fish population in wetlands
o India has shown an increasing trend in the o Orange Cup-Coral – originated in Indo-
forest and tree cover, in comparison to East Pacific, now also found in Andaman
the global trend of decreasing forest and Nicobar Island, Gulf of Kutch, Kerala
cover during the last decade. and Lakshadweep.
o As per the latest FAO report, India is o Primrose Willow -It is an aquatic plant
placed 8th in the list of top ten nations native to Central and South America. It
reporting the greatest annual net gain in flourishes in sandy and mineral rich soil of
forest area. wetlands. First seen in Karbi Anglong
• Carbon stock: There is an increase in the district of Assam and is now spreading in
carbon stock of India bringing it to total 7083 Tamil Nadu, Kerala, the Andaman &
million tonnes. Nicobar Islands and West Bengal.
• Forest fires: In most of the years, maximum Steps taken to control Invasive Alien Species (IAS)
number of forest fires occurs in open • Article 8(h) of CBD and Aichi Target 9 aim to
forest(OF) followed by Moderately Dense control or eradicate alien species which threaten
Forests (MDF). However, in 2012 and 2016 ecosystems, habitats and species.
• Global Invasive Species Program is supporting to
20
implement Article 8(h) of CBD with IUCN as (NWAP) for the period 2017-2031 and Secure
partner organization and also working to address Himalaya were released.
the global threat to IAS.
• IUCN’s Invasive Species Specialist Group has also Global Wildlife Program
been working to promote and facilitate the • “Global Partnership on Wildlife Conservation and
exchange of IAS information and knowledge Crime Prevention for sustainable development”
across the globe and ensure linkages between program also known as Global Wildlife Program
policy making and flow of knowledge. (GWP) was launched in response to increasing
• IUCN has also developed a number of global crime against animals in natural habitat.
databases which provide critical information on • It works towards wildlife conservation and
IAS such as Global Invasive Species Database and sustainable development by fighting against illicit
the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive trafficking in wildlife through a holistic
Species. comprehensive approach.
• India is a partner country of Global Wildlife
Program along with other Asian and African
4.8. BAMBOO IS NO LONGER A countries.
TREE Implementing Agencies: World Bank Group, United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United
Recently, President has cleared an ordinance Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) & Asian
amending the Indian Forest Act (IFA) 1972, to Development Bank (ADB).
exempt bamboo grown in non-forest areas from Other Collaborating Partners: International Consortium
the definition of trees. to Combat Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), Wildlife
• The amendment aims to exempt bamboo Conservation Society (WCS), The Convention on
grown in non-forest areas from definition of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
tree, thereby dispensing with the requirement Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, World Wildlife
of felling/transit permit for its economic use. Fund (WWF), International Union for the Conservation
• Bamboo, though, taxonomically a grass, was of Nature (IUCN), TRAFFIC, WildAid.
defined as a tree under the Indian Forest Act, Priorities of Global Wildlife Program
1927 which meant that the felling and transit • Promoting community-based resource
of bamboo grown on forest as well non-forest management, achieve biodiversity goals and
land for economic use required permit. This tourism development
• Increasing knowledge sharing and enhance
was a major impediment for bamboo
collaboration,
cultivation by farmers on non-forest land.
• Implement monitoring and evaluation framework
• However, bamboo grown in the forest areas • Promote donor cooperation and ensure proper
shall continue to be governed by the monitoring of international fund
provisions of Indian Forest Act, 1927. Secure Himalaya
• The amendment will greatly aid the National • The Ministry of Environment, forest and climate
Agro-Forestry & Bamboo Mission (NABM). change in collaboration with UNDP has launched a
National Agro-Forestry & Bamboo Mission (NABM) six-year project to ensure conservation of
• It envisages promoting holistic growth of bamboo biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high
sector by adopting area-based, regionally Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states in
differentiated strategy and to increase the area India.
under bamboo cultivation and marketing. • The project aims to: Sustain critical ecosystem
• It is being implemented by the Department of services, Conserve vulnerable snow leopards and
Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of other endangered species and Improve
Agriculture as a sub scheme under the Mission for knowledge, advocacy and information systems.
Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan 4.10. NATIONAL WILDLIFE
(INBAR)
• INBAR connects a global network of partners
ACTION PLAN (NWAP) FOR 2017-
from the government, private, and not-for-profit 2031
sectors in over 50 countries to define and
implement a global agenda for sustainable • Important Components of NWAP 2017-2031
development through bamboo and rattan. o strengthening and promoting the
• India is a Founding Member. integrated management of wildlife and
their habitats
4.9. GLOBAL WILDLIFE PROGRAM o adaptation to climate change and
promoting integrated sustainable
Recently, India hosted Global Wildlife Program management of aquatic biodiversity in
during which India’s National Wildlife Action Plan India
21
o promoting eco-tourism, nature education environmental not-for-profit, or NGO.
and participatory management • Publishes a quarterly magazine, World Birdwatch.
o strengthening wildlife research and • Manage Red List of Birds for IUCN.
monitoring of development of human
resources in wildlife conservation 4.12. BIODIVERSITY HERITAGE
o enabling policies and resources for SITES
conservation of wildlife in India.
• The plan has adopted the Landscape Recently, Ameenpur Lake became the first water
approach rather than the earlier strategies body in the country to be declared a Biodiversity
more concentrated on national parks and Heritage Site.
wildlife sanctuaries. • It is located on the western fringes of
• The Landscape approach is based on the Hyderabad in Telangana state.
importance of conservation of uncultivated • It is a man-made lake and was constructed
flora and undomesticated fauna that had during the reign of Ibrahim Qutab Shah, who
ecological value irrespective of their place of
ruled the kingdom of Golconda between 1550
occurrence.
and 1580.
• Plan also highlights role of private sector in
the wildlife protection by ensuring adequate Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS)
fund flow from the Corporate Social • They are well defined areas that are unique,
Responsibility (CSR) fund. ecologically fragile ecosystems - terrestrial,
• It also emphasizes upon preservation of coastal and inland waters and, marine having
genetic diversity and sustainable utilization of rich biodiversity comprising of any one or
species and ecosystem. more of the following components:
o Richness of wild as well as domesticated
4.11. IMPORTANT BIRD AND species or intra-specific categories.
BIODIVERSITY AREAS o High endemism,
o Presence of rare and threatened species,
Recently, BirdLife International has recognised keystone species, species of evolutionary
three new sites in Goa and nine in Kerala as significance,
“Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas”. o Wild ancestors of domestic/ cultivated
• Newly identified IBAs of Kerala: Achencoil species or their varieties, past pre-
Forest Division; Anamudi Shola National Park; eminence of biological components
Camel’s Hump Mountain, Wayanad; represented by fossil beds and
Kurinjimala Wildlife Sanctuary; Malayattoor o Having significant cultural, ethical or
Reserve Forest; Mankulam Forest Division; aesthetic values and are important for the
Mathikettan Shola National Park; Muthikulam- maintenance of cultural diversity, with or
Siruvani; Pampadum Shola National Park without a long history of human
• In Goa: Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Navelim association with them.
Wetlands and Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary. • Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA)
• Kerala IBAs are home to three critically the State Government in consultation with
endangered species (IUCN status) local bodies notifies Biodiversity Heritage
o White-rumped Vulture Sites (BHS).
o Indian Vulture • Further, the State Government in consultation
o Red-headed Vulture with the Central Government may frame rules
• Goa harbours a good population of the lesser for the management and conservation of
adjutant and the Nilgiri wood pigeon. BHS.
• The updated list has been published by the • The State Governments shall frame schemes
Bombay Natural History Society for compensating or rehabilitating any person
• Site under Important Bird and Biodiversity or section of people economically affected by
Area does not ensure that the site gets legal such notification.
protection or becomes inaccessible to people. Other Biodiversity heritage sites
Bird Life International
• UK based, environment conservation, Non-Profit Name Region Importance
Organisation Nallur Tamarind Bengaluru It is popularly believed to
• Identifies: Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas Grove be a relic of the Chola
• Each BirdLife Partner is an independent Dynasty.
22
Hogrekan Chikmagalur The area has unique • Constitute State Wetlands Authority in each
Shola vegetation and State and union territories that will be headed
grass land and has a link by the State’s environment minister.
with adjoining Bhadra • Setting Up National Wetlands Committee: it
Wildlife Sanctuary and
will replace Central Wetlands Regulatory
Yemmedode Tiger
Reserve and serving as Authority (CWRA), to monitor
"Wildlife Corridor" implementation of these rules and advise the
between Kudremukha Central Government on appropriate policies
and Bhadra Wildlife and action programmes for conservation and
Sanctuary. wise use of wetlands
University of Bengaluru The GKVK campus is • Banned activities: Certain activities are
Agricultural considered one of the banned in notified wetland like setting up of
Sciences, GKVK greenest areas in industries, dumping of solid, electronic,
Campus, Bengaluru. hazardous and construction wastes, poaching
Bengaluru of animals, conversion of wetland area into
Ambaraguda Shimoga It is located between non-wetland purposes, encroachment and
Sharavathi Wild Life even construction of any permanent structure
Sanctuary and
will also be banned at the notified wetlands.
Someshwara Wildlife
Sanctuary. It has Shola
vegetation which is 4.14. GREEN BUILDINGS LEED
primitive vegetation in FOR CITIES
the Western Ghat and
also has grasslands. The LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities
Glory of Allapalli Gadchiroli It is a reserved forest frameworks recently completed one year in
(Mahrashtra) being preserved as December, 2017.
natural forest having
biological, ethnical and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
historical values. Design)
Tonglu BHS Darjeeling It is a Medicinal Plant • It is an international certification run by U.S.
under the (West Conservation Areas Green Building Council (USGBC), which
Darjeeling Forest Bengal)) provides a framework to building owners
Division
and operators for identifying and
Dhotrey BHS Darjeeling It is a Medicinal Plant implementing practical green building
under the (West Conservation Areas
solutions.
Darjeeling Forest Bengal)
Division • It concentrates its efforts on improving
performance across five key areas of
Dialong Village Tamenglong ---
(Manipur environmental and human health: energy
efficiency, indoor environmental quality,
materials selection, sustainable site
4.13. NEW WETLAND development and water savings.
CONSERVATION RULES
4.15. ZERO BUDGET NATURAL
Recently, Central government notified Wetlands
(Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. FARMING
Provision under the new rules In a first of its kind move, Andhra Pradesh
government is supporting Zero Budget Natural
• Definition of wetlands: They are defined as
Farming (ZBNF) through self-help groups to
“an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water;
improve livelihood of farmers and fight climate
whether natural or artificial, permanent or
change in drought-prone regions.
temporary, with water that is static or
flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas Zero Budget Natural Farming
of marine water the depth of which at low
• It is a natural farming technique developed by
tide does not exceed six metres.
Subhash Palekar in which farming is done
• Decentralisation of Power: Under the new
without use of chemicals and without using
rules, the central government has
any credits or spending any money on
empowered the states and union territories to
purchased inputs.
identify and manage their wetlands.
23
• ZBNF reduces the cost of production down to
4.18. EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY
zero due to utilisation of all the natural
resources available in and around the crops. • In 2018, Earth Overshoot Day fell on August 1,
Farmers use earthworms, cow dung, urine, whereas it fell on August 2 for 2017.
plants, human excreta and other biological • It is the date when humanity annual demand
fertilizers for crop protection. on nature exceeds what Earth can
• Under this inter-cropping is practised. regenerate over the entire year.
• Contours and bunds to preserve rain water as • It is calculated by WWF and Global Footprint
it promotes maximum efficacy for different Network.
crops. • World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-
• ZBNF also includes replenishing water bodies Switzerland based International NGO, estd. in
such as farm ponds to ensure water 1961 and engages in conservation of wildlife
availability during dry spells. and natural habitat
• Global Footprint Network- It is an
4.16. SEED VAULT international nonprofit organization
founded in 2003 to enable a sustainable
• The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway
future where all people have the opportunity
completed 10 years of its official opening.
to thrive within the means of one planet.
• India’s seed vault is situated at Chang La,
Ladakh. Built jointly by the Defence Institute
4.19. PACIFIC SHADOW ZONE
of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) and the
National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources According to a recent research paper it was found
(NBPGR) in 2010 under the aegis of Defence that at around 2km below the surface of the
Research and Development Organisation Indian and Pacific Oceans there is a ‘shadow
(DRDO), this permafrost seed bank is the zone’.
second largest in the world.
• Presently, the only other facility in India for What is a Shadow Zone?
long-term storage of seeds is the one set up • It is an area of almost stagnant water which is
by Indian Council of Agricultural Research sitting between rising currents caused by
(ICAR) New Delhi. the rough topography and geothermal heat
source and shallower wind-driven
4.17. ONE PLANET ONE CITY current closer to the surface in the North
CHALLENGE OF WWF Pacific.
• Carbon-14 dating has proved that there is
Recently 3 Indian cities have been selected as oldest water in the North Pacific Ocean. The
national finalists in the 2017-18 edition of WWF’s trapped water also traps nutrients and carbon
One Planet City Challenge (OPCC). which have a direct impact on the capacity of
• World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) works the ocean to modify climate over centennial
in collaboration with ICLEI - Local time scales.
Governments for Sustainability (a global
network of more than 1,500 cities, towns and
4.20. ARTIFICIAL REEFS TO SAVE
regions committed to building a sustainable SINKING ISLANDS
future) to mobilize cities to participate in the
One Planet City Challenge. • Tamil Nadu govt in collaboration with IIT
• Earlier known as the Earth hour, it invites Madras have been restoring Vaan Island in
cities to report ambitious & innovative climate Gulf of Mannar by deploying artificial reefs
action and to demonstrate how they are near vulnerable islands.
delivering on the the 2015 Paris Agreement. • The project has been funded by NAFCC of the
• India became its part in 2012 and was the first Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate
developing country to join this initiative. Chang.
• Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is the first
The three cities are Panaji, Pune and Rajkot. marine biosphere reserve in Asia.
24
5. SOCIAL ISSUES
5.1. THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS 5.3. MAHARASHTRA SOCIAL
WITH DISABILITY ACT, 2016 BOYCOTT ACT
• The Rights of Persons with Disability Rules, The Maharashtra government’s Prohibition of
2017 were notified to supplement the Social Boycott Act got the assent of the President.
provisions of the Rights of Persons with
• Maharashtra is the first state in the country to
Disability Act, 2016.
formulate such a law which is against the
• It replaces the Persons with Disabilities
parallel justice system of the gaviks or jati
(Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights
panchayats. This Act can lead to other states
and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
following this step.
• The Act is in line with the principles of
• It provides for prohibition of social boycott of
the United Nations Convention on the Rights
a person or group of persons, by an individual
of Persons with Disabilities and aims at
or a group like caste panchayat.
encouraging establishments to have a What is Social Boycott?
disabled friendly workplace. India has ratified If any individual or group tries to prevent or obstruct
the convention. another member or group from observing any social or
• Persons with "benchmark disabilities" are religions custom or from taking part in a social or
defined as those certified to have at least 40 community function, the act amounts to social boycott.
per cent of the disabilities mentioned in the
Act. 5.4. INDIA YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
• Other provisions include, increased types of INDEX AND REPORT 2017
disabilities (from 7 to 21), right to children (6
to 18 years) to avail free education, Recently, government released the India Youth
reservation in government and certain Development Index and Report 2017.
obligations imposed on private
India Youth Development Index, 2017
establishment also.
• It creates institutions such as Central & State • The Index has been constructed by The Rajiv
Advisory Boards, National and State Fund, Gandhi National Institute of Youth
Special Courts and penalties for offences Development (RGNIYD) with an objective of
committed against persons. tracking the trends in Youth Development
across the States.
5.2. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF • According to the Report ‘Youth’ refers to a
SENIOR CITIZENS stage of life in transition between
adolescence and adulthood in the age bracket
• Recently, Ministry of Social Justice and of 15 to 29 years. (As accepted by
Empowerment has organised second Commonwealth and National Youth Policy
meeting of National Council of Senior 2014).
Citizens (NCSrC). Global Youth Index
• It was originally known as National Council
for Older Persons (NPOP) and was renamed • It is developed by the Commonwealth
in 2012. Secretariat using a comprehensive measure
• It is chaired by the Minister of Social Justice & across five domains - education, health,
Empowerment and have to meet at least employment, and civic and political
twice a year. participation.
• It is the highest body to advise the Central • It helps policy makers to make informed
and State Governments on issues related to decisions regarding young people’s needs and
the welfare of senior citizens and opportunities and help to achieve the
enhancement of their quality of life. Sustainable Development Goals.
25
extended to Indians residing abroad as well
5.5. TECHNICAL EDUCATION in a phased manner). It is designed and
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT developed by NIC.
PROGRAMME (TEQIP) • Parinam Manjusha is CBSE's digital
repository of academic records. Employers
• The government has decided to employ and Educational Institutions can use this
graduates from premier colleges like IITs, repository to verify academic records of
NITs etc to teach in engineering colleges in CBSE students online.
backward districts for a period of 3 years as a
part of TEQIP Phase 3. 5.8. HEALTHY STATES,
• The World Bank assisted scheme, launched PROGRESSIVE INDIA REPORT
by HRD Ministry in 2002, aimed to overhaul
the quality of technical education in the Low • It recently released by the NITI Aayog, which
Income States and Special Category States has been developed in consultation with
(SCS). Technical Assistance Agency of World Bank,
• It includes institution based and student Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
based measures. (MoHFW), States and Union Territories,
domestic and international sector experts
5.6. MADHYAMIK AND and other development partners.
UCHCHTAR SHIKSHA KOSH • It is an annual report which will rank States
and UTs on incremental changes in health
• The Union Cabinet has accorded its approval outcomes and overall performance with
for creation of a non-lapsable pool in the respect to others.
Public Account for secondary and higher • The Health Index is based on three main
education known as "Madhyamik and domains which focus on outcomes,
Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh" (MUSK). governance and information, and critical
• The fund would be operationalised as per the inputs.
present arrangements under Prarambhik
Shiksha Kosh (PSK). 5.9. PRIVATE HEALTH CARE
• The MUSK would be maintained as a Reserve
• Health being a state subject, the government
Fund in the non-interest bearing section of
has been persuading states for
the Public Accounts of India.
implementation of ‘The Clinical
5.7. NATIONAL ACADEMIC Establishments (Registration & Regulation)
Act, 2010’.
DEPOSITORY (NAD) • Objective: To provide for the registration
• The recently launched NAD has been and regulation of clinical establishments with
integrated with the e-SANAD portal. a view to prescribe minimum standards of
• NAD will be a 24x7 online store house of facilities and services.
academic awards digitally lodged by various • Applicability: All types of clinical
academic institutions/school boards/eligibility establishments, except those run by the
assessment bodies. Employers and other armed forces, fall within the ambit of this
person with prior approval of the concerned Act.
student can verify the authenticity of any • Implementation: Through a three-tier
academic award. structure — the Central Council, the State
• All the Central and State Universities, Council and the District Registering
deemed to be Universities, CBSE, State Authority.
School Education Boards will participate in • Penalty: Running a clinical establishment
the depository. without registration would be punishable
• The UGC will be authorised body to with a fine of Rs 50,000 for the first offence,
operationalise the NAD Rs 2 lakh for the second offence and Rs 5 lakh
• e-Sanad is a project aimed at online for the subsequent offence.
submission/ verification of documents with • Monitoring: The Act permits health
an ultimate object to extend contactless, authorities to conduct inspections and
cashless, faceless and paperless document penalize or cancel licenses of hospitals that
attestation service for apostille and normal are found to be fleecing patients, either by
attestation to applicants in India (to be
26
prescribing needless tests and procedures, or ambitious 'Zero Hunger' programme
overcharging. through interventions in farm sector on
October 16 (World Food Day).
5.10. NATIONAL NUTRITION • It will be initiated by the Indian Council of
STRATEGY Agricultural Research (ICAR) in association
with the Indian Council of Medical Research
• A high-level panel under Niti Aayog has (ICMR), the M S Swaminathan Research
drawn up a 10-point nutrition action plan that Foundation and the Biotechnology Industry
includes governance reforms in line with the Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). The
vision for “Kuposhan Mukta Bharat- Vision concerned state governments will also be
2020”. It’s provisions include- involved in the programme.
o Reducing all forms of malnutrition by
• It will focus on agriculture, health and
the end of 2030.
nutrition in a symbiotic manner to develop
o The nutrition strategy envisages a
an integrated approach to deal with hunger
framework wherein the four proximate
& malnutrition.
determinants of nutrition – uptake of
• It will consist of organising farming systems
health services, food, drinking water &
for nutrition, setting up genetic gardens for
sanitation and income & livelihoods –
biofortified plants crops and initiation of a
work together to accelerate decline of
`Zero Hunger' training.
under nutrition in India.
o Decentralised Approach- to strengthen 5.12. INDIA STATE LEVEL DISEASE
the ownership of PRIs and urban local
bodies over nutrition initiatives.
BURDEN REPORT
o Governance reforms envisaged in the • India State Level Disease Burden Report was
Strategy include: (i) convergence of state published as a part of Global Burden of
and district implementation plans for Disease Study 2016 to provide state level-
ICDS, NHM and Swachh Bharat, (ii) focus disease burden and risk factors trends from
on the most vulnerable communities in 1990 onwards.
districts with the highest levels of child • It has been prepared by Indian Council of
malnutrition, and (iii) service delivery Medical Research (ICMR) along with Public
models based on evidence of impact. Health Foundation of India and Institute for
o Nutrition Social Audits are to be Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
undertaken to track the children and • The findings of the study can be used to track
their health progress. subnational disease burden in India using
o National Nutrition Surveillance System- DALY.
Undernourished endemic zones of the Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)
country will be mapped for identifying • Years of healthy life lost to premature death and
‘high risk and vulnerable districts’ & the suffering.
cases of severe under nutrition in • It is composed two components: Years of Life Lost
children should be included in the routine (YLL) and Years of life lived with disability (YLD).
disease reporting system. • DALYs instead of causes of death alone provides a
o Institutional Arrangements- Institutional more accurate picture of the main drivers of poor
health.
arrangements like the National Nutrition
Mission Steering Group (NNMSG) and 5.13. JOINT MONITORING
the Empowered Programme Committee
(EPC) respectively under the PROGRAMME 2017
chairpersonship of Minister and • In July 2017, WHO and UNICEF under Joint
Secretary of Women and Children and Monitoring Programme (JMP) released the
the Secretary will be constituted. report titled 'Progress on drinking water,
o Launch of National Nutrition Mission. sanitation and hygiene 2017 update and
Sustainable Development Goal baselines'.
5.11. ‘ZERO HUNGER' Joint Monitoring Programme
PROGRAMME • The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for
Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP)
• Three districts --Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), • Maintains global database and estimates the
Koraput (Odisha) and Thane (Maharashtra)- progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene
have been chosen for the launch of India's (WASH) since 1990.
27
• Focuses on further enhancing global monitoring of
drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in the
5.14. ECHO CLINIC
context of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development
• ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare
• Each sector is dependent on the presence of the Outcomes) is a concept of weekly or
other. For example, without toilets, water sources fortnightly virtual clinics using
become contaminated; without clean water, basic teleconferencing by best specialists to reach
hygiene practices are not possible. out to underserved areas.
• ECHO clinics do not provide care directly to
UN-Water
• United Nations (UN) inter-agency coordination patients like in telemedicine. Instead, they
mechanism for freshwater related issues, including equip primary healthcare clinicians in remote
sanitation (no single organisation for water related areas with the knowledge and support to
aspect) manage complex cases.
• UN-Water launched its 2014-2020 Strategy in • India’s first ECHO clinic began in 2008 as a
support of the 2030 Agenda. collaboration between the National Aids
World water Development report (WWDR) Control Organization (NACO) and Maulana
• Published by UN-Water Members and Partners it Azad Medical College (MAMC) on managing
represents.
HIV AIDS patients. Since then, ECHO clinics
• The report production is coordinated by the World
and handling various diseases in the country.
Water Assessment Programme and the theme is
harmonized with the theme of World Water Day Project ECHO began in 2003 in New Mexico when a
(22 March). liver disease specialist in US realized that there were
UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of thousands of cases of Hepatitis C in New Mexico
Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) without access to any treatment.
• By the World Health Organization (WHO) onbehalf
of UN-Water.
• It is a substantive input into the activities of
Sanitation and Water for All (SWA).
28
6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
starting point) but has No Boundary (We can’t
6.1. STEPHEN HAWKING fall from the edge of Earth). So Universe is
Stephen Hawking passed away at the age of 76. finite but boundary-less (Like Earth surface
He suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or having finite area but no edge).
ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Breakthrough Initiative
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• ALS is a neurodegenerative condition, that attacks • It was launched by Russian tech investor Yuri
the motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, Milner and cosmologist Stephen Hawking, to
hampering their ability to communicate with explore the Universe, seek scientific evidence
muscles and control voluntary movements, leading of life beyond Earth. Various component of
to eventual paralysis. initiative are:
• ALS is very rare, occurring on average among two
• Singularities: Points where space time appeared to
new cases per 100,000 people every year, most
be infinitely curved.
typically among individuals aged between 55 and
• Albert Einstein's in his Theory Of General
65.
Relativity 1915, suggested the existence of black
• There is currently no cure or treatment that halts
holes — an object whose gravitational pull is so
or reverses ALS
intense that once something passes a region
Contribution of Stephen Hawking known as the event horizon, there's no escape.
• Quantum theory: It describes the behaviour of
Hawking-Penrose theorem / Big Bang Theory very small particles, those smaller than an atom,
• Sir Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking in like protons or electrons, or the even smaller ones
like quarks.
1970 proved in a theorem that Einstein's
General Relativity must break down at a • General relativity: It describes how gravity works
around massive objects like planets, stars and
certain point in Space-time under certain Black Holes.
generic physical conditions. This point is called
'Singularity' which inside a Black Hole indicate 6.2. EINSTEIN RING
towards the beginning of the Universe. Big
Bang is now the most widely accepted theory Recently, the Hubble Telescope discovered a light
of the origin of the universe. bending Einstein Ring in space.
Information Paradox, or Hawking Paradox, What is an Einstein Ring?
• By using Quantum Mechanics in the General • According to the General Relativity theory of
Relativistic realm, he showed that Black Holes Albert Einstein, light can get deflected when
can radiate and has temperature. Emission is passing through gravitational field of a
similar to something escaping from Black massive body. Therefore, a massive object
Holes. He also showed that because of the would warp space and time.
emission of this thermal radiation or Hawking • When light from a distant object/source (e.g.
Radiation, the black hole would lose energy a galaxy), pass by an extremely large
and eventually disappear or “evaporate”. mass/lens (e.g. another galaxy or galaxy
o If the paradox is true, it would require cluster), it gets diverted and distorted around
some radical revision of physics as it left the massive intervening cluster and is forced
two pillars of modern physics quantum to travel along many different light paths
mechanics and Einstein’s general theory toward Earth, making it seem as though the
of relativity irreconcilable. galaxy is in several places at once. This is
o This could also open a path towards the called Gravitational Lens effect.
final unified theory of Physics called • Einstein Ring is a kind of gravitational lens
'Quantum Gravity' or more popularly 'The which is formed when the galaxy cluster is so
Theory of Everything'. closely aligned that the otherwise divergent
light is focussed as a visible ring by them.
Hawking-Hurtle state • The rings and lenses magnify objects that
• Hawking with colleague James Hurtle otherwise would be too distant and dim to
developed a Quantum Mechanical model of see in today's telescopes.
the Universe that says the Universe is self- • When the amount of bending of light is
contained (like Earth surface which has no analyzed and the required bending mass is
29
greater than the visible mass of the cluster, it by China and Quasi-Zenith Satellite System
shows the presence of Dark matter. (QZSS) by Japan.
• IRNSS will provide basically two types of
6.3. MARS ORBITER MISSION services:
o Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for
• It was India's first interplanetary mission, civilian users
launched by using a Polar Satellite Launch o Restricted Service (RS), is an encrypted
Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. service provided only to specific users
• Proved the capability and efficiency of ISRO:
ISRO has become the fourth space agency to
reach Mars, after the Soviet space program,
NASA, and the European Space Agency
• MOM was aimed to explore and observe Mars
surface features, morphology, mineralogy and
the Martian atmosphere
• It carried 5 instruments for Atmospheric
studies (Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP),
Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)), Particle
environment studies (Mars Exospheric
Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)),
Surface imaging studies (Thermal Infrared
Imaging Spectrometer (TIS), Mars Colour
Camera (MCC).
• ISRO was presented with the Indira Gandhi
Prize for Peace, Disarmament and
Development for the year 2014 for the
successful Mars Orbiter Mission and for
strengthening international co-operation.
6.4. NAVIC OR IRNSS (INDIAN

REGIONAL NAVIGATION
SATELLITE SYSTEM)
Recently, IRNSS received setback due to failure of
the atomic clocks on board IRNSS-1A and
unsuccessful launch of navigational satellite IRNSS
1H.
An atomic clock is a clock device that uses an electronic 6.5. COPERNICUS PROGRAMME
transition frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum
of atoms as a frequency standard for its timekeeping India and the European Union signed an
element. agreement that will enable them to share earth
Atomic clocks are the most accurate time and observation data from each other's satellite.
frequency standards known and are used as primary About the Arrangement
standards for international time distribution services, to
control the wave frequency of television broadcasts, • Copernicus Programme is Earth observation
and in global navigation satellite systems such as GPS. programme headed by the European
A rubidium atomic clock is a frequency standard in Commission (EC) in partnership with the
which a specified hyperfine transition of electrons in European Space Agency (ESA).
rubidium-87 atoms is used to control the output • India will get free, full and open access to the
frequency. It is the most inexpensive, compact, and data from the Copernicus Sentinel family of
widely used type of atomic clock. six satellites.
NAVIC • Reciprocally India will provide free, full and
• It is an independent indigenous regional open access to the data from ISRO’s land,
system developed by India on par with the ocean and atmospheric series of civilian
US-based Global Positioning System (GPS), satellites (Oceansat-2, Megha-Tropiques,
Glonass of Russia, Galileo by Europe, BeiDou Scatsat-1, SARAL, INSAT-3D, INSAT-3DR) with
30
the exception of commercial high-resolution panel array using such tiny components is
satellites data. very difficult and currently not commercially
• The services address six thematic areas: land, viable over OLED.
marine, atmosphere, climate change,
emergency management, and security.
6.6. FREE SPACE OPTICAL

COMMUNICATION
X Development LLC, a subsidiary of Google’s
parent company Alphabet will supply and deploy
two thousand cutting-edge Free Space Optical
Communication (FSOC) links for Andhra
Pradesh (AP) fiber-grid.
X is a research and development facility founded by
Google in January 2010.
It has been working on several projects including driver-
less car, product delivery through flying vehicles,
Project Loon, Google glass among other technologies.
What is Free Space Optical Communication?
• It is an optical communication technology in
which data is transmitted by propagation of
light in free space allowing optical
connectivity.
• Working of FSO is similar to OFC (optical fiber
cable) networks but the only difference is that
OLEDs and MicroLEDs
the optical beams are sent through free air or
vaccum instead of glass fiber. • OLEDs are self-emissive, which means they
• It is a Line of Sight (LOS) technology. It requires no backlight; instead, it lights each
consists of an optical transceiver at both ends individual pixel as needed. Like OLED, Micro
to provide full duplex (bidirectional) LED too don't need backlight.
capability. • OLEDs are made of organic materials that age,
• Advantages: low initial investment, flexible resulting in a decrease in luminance over time,
network that delivers better speed than with the potential for uneven ageing.
broadband, security due to line of sight MicroLEDs being inorganic (gallium nitride)
operation etc. are not as susceptible to ageing.
• Challenges: misalignment errors, geometric • This switch from organic to inorganic also
losses, background noise, weather reduces the need for a polarizing and
attenuation losses and atmospheric encapsulation layer, making panels thinner.
turbulence. • The OLED manufacturing process also limits
the possible screen shapes and sizes. The
6.7. MICRO-LED: THE NEXT-GEN MicroLED technology are “modular” in nature
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY which are flexible to configure any size.
• MicroLEDs are more power-efficient than
Samsung recently demonstrated a prototype OLEDs.
MicroLED based TV of 146 inches display.
6.8. SUPERCRITICAL CO2-
About MicroLED
BRAYTON CYCLE
• It is an emerging flat panel display technology
in which displays consist of arrays of Indian scientists have developed a super critical
microscopic LEDs forming the individual pixel carbon dioxide Brayton test loop facility that
elements. would help generate clean energy from future
• These are simply traditional LEDs shrunk power plants.
down and placed into an array. The LED Brayton cycle - A thermodynamic cycle using constant
technology is not new but manufacturing a pressure, heat addition and rejection to spin the blades
of a turbine, which can be used to generate electricity.
31
Key facts to treatments used to assist people in achieving a
• This is India’s first test-bed for next pregnancy. Common methods of ART include-
generation, efficient, compact, waterless • In vitro fertilization (IVF) means fertilization
super critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle outside of the body. In IVF, the woman’s eggs
test loop for power generation. are collected, along with sperm from the male
• The term “supercritical” describes the state of partner or donor. The egg and sperm are left
carbon dioxide above its critical temperature in a culture dish in the laboratory to allow the
of 31°C and critical pressure of 73 atmospheres egg to be fertilised. If fertilisation occurs and
making it twice as dense as steam. an embryo develops, the embryo is then
• Today’s thermal power plants use steam to placed into the woman's uterus in a
carry heat away from the source and turn a procedure called an embryo transfer.
turbine to generate power. However, it could • Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) involves
generate more power if, instead of steam, transferring eggs and sperm into the woman’s
supercritical CO2 (SCO2) is used fallopian tube. So fertilization occurs in the
woman’s body.
6.9. STEM CELLS THERAPY • Surrogacy is a form of ART in which a woman
(the surrogate) carries a child for another
Recently, miniature eye-like organs have been
person or couple with the intention of
successfully grown using induced pluripotent
giving the child to that person or couple after
stem (iPS) cells.
birth.
Stem Cells: Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated
cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell • Artificial insemination involves insertion of a
types. Commonly, stem cells are of the following types: male partner’s semen through the female’s
• Embryonic stem cells - derived from the inner cell cervix and into the uterus at or just before the
mass of an embryo and these are capable of time of ovulation.
forming any cell types of the body.
• Adult stem cells – also known as somatic stem cell 6.11. BIOSIMILAR FOR CANCER
and it refers to non-reproductive cells in the body
(eggs or sperm). They generate cells to replace Recently, Biocon became the first Indian company
those that are lost through normal repair, disease, to get a US Food and Drug Administration
or injury. ASCs are found throughout ones lifetime (USFDA) nod for a biosimilar drug Ogivri.
in tissues such as the umbilical cord, placenta, What are biosimilars?
bone marrow, muscle, brain, fat tissue, skin, gut,
• A biosimilar medicine is a biological medicine
etc.
that is developed to be highly similar and
• Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: These cells
are produced by genetically manipulating somatic clinically equivalent to an existing biological
cells to produce embryonic-like stem cells medicine.
Importance • A biosimilar contains a version of an active
• Stem cells offer new potentials for treating substance of an already approved biological
diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. medicine, which is referred to as the
• To screen new drugs and to develop model ‘reference medicine’ or ‘originator medicine’.
systems to study normal growth and identify • They are different from generic medicines,
causes of birth defects. because they contain simpler chemical
• Study how an organism develops from a single cell
structures and are identical, in terms of
and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in
adult organisms.
molecular structure, to their reference drugs.
6.12. PROJECT DHOOP

6.10. ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE Recently the Project Dhoop has been launched by
TECHNOLOGY (REGULATION) Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI).
BILL About the Project Dhoop
It is a nationwide campaign launched by FSSAI
Recently, Draft Assisted Reproductive Technology along with NCERT, New Delhi Municipal Council
(ART) (Regulation) Bill, 2017 was released by and North MCD Schools to spread awareness
Department of Health Research under Ministry of about consumption of Vitamin D through natural
Health & Family Welfare. sun light and consuming fortified food among
Assisted reproductive treatment (ART), also school going children.
known as assisted reproductive technology, refers
32
Vitamin D and its importance for the body together to form a network supported by a
mesh of strong, flexible proteins.
• Vitamin D is essential for the development of
• They may act as “shock absorbers” that
human bones. It facilitates absorption of
protect body tissues from damage.
calcium and phosphorus by intestines and
• This newly discovered organ may help in
their retention in the body and deposition in
understanding of the spread of cancer in
bones and teeth.
human body.
• When skin is exposed to sun, the cholesterolin
• Interstitium is among one of the largest
in the skin converts the cholesterol to Vitamin
organs of human body.
D via additional conversions in the liver and
kidneys.
• The deficiency of Vitamin D can cause Rickets
6.15. BAN ON OXYTOCIN
in children and Osteomalacia in adults, • The Union government restricted the
whereas acute deficiency could lead to brain, manufacture of Oxytocin formulations for
cardiovascular and kidney damage. domestic use to public sector only. The
• Source of Vitamin D – Fish liver oil, egg yolk, government has also banned imports of the
milk, liver etc. oxytocin.
6.13. FOSCORIS SYSTEM About Oxytocin

• Oxytocin is a hormone produced in humans by
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
the hypothalamus (a part of brain) and
(FSSAI) has directed states to implement a
secreted by the pituitary gland. It is also
web-based real-time inspection platform for
produced in animals naturally.
food safety officers (FSOs).
• Usage of Oxytocin-
• Food Safety Compliance through Regular
o During Childbirth- The hormone
Inspections and Sampling’ (FoSCoRIS) system
stimulates the uterine muscles to
will bring together all key stakeholders- food
contract, so labor begins. It is also used to
businesses, food safety officers (FSOs),
control post-delivery bleeding
designated officers, state food safety
o Breastfeeding- It promotes lactation by
commissioners, on a nation-wide IT platform.
moving the milk into the breast during
• FoSCoRIS system uses time stamping, geo-
feeding.
tagging, real-time data collection and multiple
o Human bonding activities- released
levels of verifications.
naturally during sex, it is also known as
• FoSCoRIS will replace the current system of ‘love hormone’.
ad hoc and subjective inspection and
• It has been misused for increasing milk
sampling.
production in animals, increasing size of
• FoSCoRIS result can be used as an evidence vegetables, accelerate puberty among
under IPC, thus it has legal implications. trafficked girls etc.
‘One Nation One Food Law’ initiative
Despite a single nationwide Act, (Food Safety and
Standards Act) implementation across individual states
6.16. E-CIGARETTES
and UTs remains fragmented and inconsistent, which
The government recently quoted a WHO report to
has been an area of deep concern. To address the
concern, FSSAI has launched One Nation One Food state that there is sufficient evidence to warn
Law’ initiative. children, adolescents, pregnant women, and
women of reproductive age against use of e-
6.14. INTERSTITIUM cigarettes.
About E-Cigarettes
A new human organ called Interstitium has been • E-cigarettes are a type of Electronic Nicotine
identified by the scientists. Excluding Interstitium, Delivery Systems (ENDS) which claims to
79 organs have been identified within human emit nicotine without other harmful
body by now. chemicals that are present in normal
Details about Interstitium cigarettes.
• They aim to provide a similar sensation to
• They are fluid filled compartments found inhaling tobacco smoke, without the smoke
beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, and are sold as aids to reduce or quit
lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join smoking.
33
• They produce an aerosol by heating a fluid Various Intelligence Agencies in India
that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and 1. Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) –
other chemicals which is then inhaled by • It is India’s premier external intelligence
users of e-cigarettes. agency. It was founded in 1968 to counter
Chinese influence but over time its focus has
Smoking e-cigarettes is also called vaping.
shifted to Pakistan.
• It reports directly to the Prime Minister and
6.17. NTRO UNDER INTELLIGENCE not to the Department of Defence.
ACT 2. Intelligence Bureau
• It was founded by the Britishers as an
Recently, the Home Ministry issued a notification intelligence agency for both external and
listing National Technical Research Organization domestic intelligence gathering. After the
(NTRO) under the Intelligence Organizations 1962 war with China, the external intelligence
(Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985. function was taken away from it.
3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence
About NTRO • It is the apex anti-smuggling agency of India,
• The NTRO was created after the 1999 Kargil working under the Central Board of Excise
conflict as a dedicated technical intelligence Customs, Ministry of Finance.
agency. It was finally constituted in 2004. • It is tasked with detecting and curbing
• NTRO reports to the Prime Minister’s Office smuggling of contraband, including drug
trafficking and illicit international trade in
(PMO) and the National Security Advisor
wildlife and environmentally sensitive items.
(NSA).
• It also combats commercial frauds related to
• It functions under the National Security international trade and Custom duty evasion.
Adviser. 4. Narcotics Control Bureau – It was formed in 1986
• It also includes National Institute of as per a provision of The Narcotic Drugs and
Cryptology Research and Development. Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. It is an
intelligence agency and coordinates actions of
concerned authorities over trade of illicit narcotics
from the country.
34
7. ERRATA (PT-365 2019)
Polity
• Article 1.2 - The Commission shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson and five Members to be
nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability and integrity;
provided that five Members including the Chairperson shall be from amongst the minority communities
(not all necessarily from minority community).
• Article 6.1- The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill granting constitutional status to National
Commission for Backward classes did not require approval of half of the states.
• Article 6.4 - It has financial power to prepare budget for themselves unlike council in 6th schedule areas
(not 5th Schedule).
Environment
• Article 3.2.7. - Irrawady Dolphin - IUCN Status - Endangered (not Critically Endangered)
Culture
• Updated Material Article 7.1 - Hunter Committee (and not Hunter Commission) was set up to enquire
into the events in Punjab.
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6.12. PROJECT DHOOP

6.13. FOSCORIS SYSTEM About Oxytocin

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