Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 17-04-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 17-04-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Healthcare and Medicine - Covid spreads through air - A new assessment in the medical journal Lancet claimed "consistent, strong evidence" that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is predominantly transmitted through the air. The assessment identified 10 lines of evidence to support the predominance of the airborne route. It said that virus transmission is much higher indoors than outdoors and is reduced by indoor ventilation. The World Health Organization (WHO) had in July 2020 admitted the possibility of airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus in closed, poorly ventilated, crowded places such as in restaurants or in fitness classes. The team highlighted research estimating that silent (asymptomatic or presymptomatic) transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from people who are not coughing or sneezing accounts for at least 40% of all transmission. This silent transmission is a key way covid-19 has spread globally, "supporting a predominantly airborne mode of transmission." By contrast, the team found little to no evidence that the virus spreads easily via large droplets, which fall quickly through the air and contaminate surfaces. The team warned that there should be no further delay in implementing measures around the world to protect against such transmission.
2. Environment Ecology and Climate Change - Artificial islands - A report by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) showed that the Maldives government is developing at least three artificial islands to tide over the rising sea-levels due to climate change. Maldives is one of the world’s most low-lying terrains. About 80% of the archipelago’s coral islands are at less than 1 metre above sea level. Hulhumale is an artificial island located to the northeast of Male. The government had started constructing Hulhumale in 1997 on a lagoon off Male to accommodate the capital’s population swell. It was created by pumping out sand from the seafloor onto a submerged coral platform and is now Maldives’s fourth-largest island. Since the 1990s, the government has expanded at least two other coral atolls - Thilafushi and Gulhifalhuea - through land reclamation. They are currently being used as industrial areas or landfills. The coral atolls have natural properties to resist sea-level rise. Most of the reefs have remained stable or even grown larger in recent decades.
3. Governance and Institutions - E-Visa facility reinstated by MHA - The Union Home Ministry has restored the electronic visa (e-visa) facility for foreigners from 156 countries who intend to visit India for business, conferences and medical reasons, including for medical attendants. E-visa for tourists is yet to be restored. An e-visa is provided in five categories — tourist, business, conference, medical, and medical attendant. Under the arrangement, a foreigner can apply online four days prior to travel. After the details are verified, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) is generated, which has to be presented at the immigration checkpost on arrival. Entry through e-visas is allowed only at 28 designated international airports and five major seaports in India. Though available to people of 171 countries before restrictions were announced in 2020, the facility has been restored only for 156. China, the U.K., Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are notable exclusions. The relaxation comes in the wake of a deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Constitution and Law - ₹14,000 cr PNB scam accused Nirav Modi arriving home - The UK Home Secretary Priti Patel cleared fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi's extradition to India, as per CBI officials. Earlier, a UK court ordered the extradition of the diamantaire who is wanted in the ₹14,000-crore PNB scam. The judge ruled that Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail is fit for him and said there's no risk of suicide for him if he's sent to India. Nirav Modi was born in Palanpur, Gujarat, in 1971, and grew up in Antwerp, Belgium. His family had been in the diamond business for several generations. In February 2018, the Indian government's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had launched an investigation of Modi, acting on a complaint from the Punjab National Bank alleging Modi and his partners defrauded the bank of ₹28000 Crore (~ USD 4 billion) by conspiring with bank officials to fraudulently obtain Letters of Undertaking for making payments to overseas suppliers. He received mentoring from his uncle Mehul Choksi, also a fugitive and a wanted criminal now.
5. Governance and Institutions - Poshan Gyan - NITI Aayog, in partnership with the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change, Ashoka University, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, launched Poshan Gyan. It is a national digital repository on health and nutrition, conceptualized as a source, enabling the search of communication materials on 14 thematic areas of health and nutrition across diverse media types, languages, target audiences, and sources. It introduces a unique crowd sourcing feature that allows anyone to submit communication material for inclusion on the website, followed by a review by a designated committee. It will help to make nutrition a ‘Jan Andolan’ (People’s Movement).
6. World Economy - China's economy grows at record 18.3% - China's gross domestic product (GDP) jumped 18.3% in the first quarter of 2021, according to its National Bureau of Statistics. The increase is the fastest since records began three decades ago. Chinese economy shrank by 6.8% in the first quarter of 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country and returned to growth in the second quarter. The latest data puts China on course to grow well above its annual target of more than 6 per cent, supporting the view that China and the US, where economists predict 6.2 per cent growth, will both outperform other major nations this year. China’s recovery hasn’t yet plateaued after it became the first major economy to contain the spread of coronavirus and return to growth, with GDP rising 0.6 per cent in the first three months of 2021 from the previous quarter.
7. Energy - India misses renewable energy target 5th year in a row - New capacity addition in the renewable energy sector fell far short of its target in Covid-battered fiscal year 2021 (FY21) with the sector adding just a little over half of what was originally intended. With the lower addition in FY21, the sector has missed its capacity addition target for the 5th year in a row. As against the capacity addition target of 14380 MW for FY21, the renewable energy sector added only about 7356 MW, which is just 51 per cent of the target for the fiscal. In FY20, the sector added 8711 MW of new capacity to the grid. The lower capacity addition can be attributed to the lockdown and supply-side disruptions (which slowed movement of inputs and has led to an increase in prices), labour shortages as well as constrained finances and liquidity pressures faced by the developers. The Government has been taking various measures to accelerate capacity-addition in the renewable sector. They include recent Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and additional capital infusion to Solar Energy Corporation of India and IREDA, among others.
8. World Economy - Bitcoin faces Turkey ban - Bitcoin fell in value on 16-04-2021, after Turkey’s central bank decided to ban the use of cryptocurrencies for payments from May 2021. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) cited a number of reasons for the ban, including a lack of “supervision mechanisms” and “central authority regulation” for crypto assets. It said that market values can be “excessively volatile,” adding that digital wallets can be stolen or used unlawfully and that transactions were irrevocable. The benchmark cryptocurrency BTCUSD, +0.73% slipped 4% to $60,902, after reaching all-time highs above $64,000 earlier this week ahead of crypto exchange platform Coinbase’s COIN, +5.96% initial public offering. Recentlt, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said Americans could now buy a Tesla with bitcoin and that people outside the U.S. would be able to do the same later. Turkey isn’t the only country looking to take tough measures on digital assets. India is reportedly set to propose a law banning cryptocurrencies and making trading or even holding assets punishable with a fine.
9. Science and Technology - NASA awards contract to SpaceX - NASA has awarded billionaire Elon Musk-led SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to build a spacecraft that will take astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972. "NASA Rules!!" Musk tweeted after the announcement. SpaceX beat two other bidders, billionaire Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and a Leidos Holdings unit. NASA expects to accomplish the landing as early as 2024. NASA said SpaceX's Starship includes a spacious cabin and two airlocks for astronaut moon walks and that its architecture is intended to evolve to a fully reusable launch and landing system designed for travel to the Moon, Mars and other destinations in space. Unlike the Apollo landings from 1969 to 1972 - the only human visits to the moon's surface - NASA is gearing up for a longer-term lunar presence that it envisions as a stepping stone to an even more ambitious plan to send astronauts to Mars. NASA is leaning heavily on private companies built around shared visions for space exploration. Musk has become a one-person technology conglomerate, launching or controlling companies pursuing space flight, electric cars, neural implants and subterranean tunnel boring.
10. Infrastructure - Telecom market badly damaged in India, says Mittal - Bharti Airtel's Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said, "The telecom market in India has come down to three private sector operators where one player is increasingly becoming a question mark." He added, "So for a country of our size...1.3 billion people, we are nearly down to 2.5 operators." He also said that Airtel has emerged stronger from three-four big crises. India presents a great opportunity for businesses, given its vast base of consumers using more and more products, services and data, and its young population is adding momentum to the GDP and consumption story, he noted.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

China's economy grows at a record 18.3% rate in Q1

1. The story: China’s economy strengthened in the first quarter of the year as consumer spending rose more than expected. That put it at par with the U.S. economy, as potential twin engines for a global recovery in 2021.
2. Details: The GDP climbed 18.3 per cent in the first quarter 2021, from a year earlier, in line with the 18.5 per cent predicted earlier. The record-breaking figure was due to comparisons with a year ago when much of the economy was shut due to coronavirus, and had contracted.
3. Retail rocking: The retail sales beat expectations while industrial output growth moderated. The latest data puts China on course to grow well above its annual target of more than 6 per cent, supporting the view that China and the US (predicted growth 6.2 per cent), will both outperform other major nations in 2021. China’s recovery hasn’t yet plateaued after it became the first major economy to contain the spread of coronavirus and return to growth, with GDP rising 0.6 per cent in the first three months of 2021 from the previous quarter.
4. Investment is the trick: The recovery in 2020 was led by strong investment in real estate and infrastructure spurring demand for industrial goods, while overseas orders for medical goods and electronic devices fuelled exports. Consumer spending had lagged, but the latest figures showed a turnaround.
5. Indian case: The case for India now stands in stark contrast with that of China, with the economy struggling with a huge second coronavirus wave. This is now threatening the GDP recovery scenario, which was earlier predicted to be around 10% for 2021-22. Indian economy shrunk by approximately 8% in 2020-21, making it imperative for it to have a steady growth path ahead. Crushing the second Covid-19 wave is the first job at hand now.

The RBI pulling the bond market strings all the way

• The story: The RBI has not had a smooth relation with the bond market players for some months now. It warned the players to "stop demanding high yields" in bond auctions, but the market isn't truly budging. The RBI is upset, and that can be seen in the action unfolding now.
• Cause and effect: The bond market wants bond prices to trade lower across maturities, given the large supply scheduled to flood the market. Note that prices and yields move in opposite directions, so if prices are low, yields would be higher.

1. The yield on 10-year bonds, which had moved lower to 6.01 per cent after the central bank unveiled the G-SAP 1.0 programme, spiked above 6.12 per cent after the first G-SAP auction on Thursday 15-04-2021. The market was not happy with the quantum of purchase in the 10-year bucket.
2. The bond market was on the edge through 16-04-2021, with 10-year yields trading at around 6.16 per cent, ahead of the weekly auction amounting to ₹26,000 crore in which 10-year securities accounted for ₹14,000 crore.
3. The auction results reveal that the RBI has not purchased any 10-year paper, though bids worth ₹28,000 crore were received for these securities. Ten-year bond yields plunged sharply after 3 pm, when auction results were announced, and later traded at 6.08 per cent again.
4. The RBI intended to offer bonds worth ₹25,000 crore in the first G-SAP auction. The response to the auction was robust, with offers worth ₹1,01,671 crore received.
5. The RBI accepted the entire ₹25,000 crore that it originally offered to purchase. The problem in the G-SAP auction was that the ₹25,000 crore notified by the RBI was spread across maturities. The amount intended for the 10-year bonds was only ₹7,500 crore. The bond market wanted higher purchases in this maturity because the government tends to borrow mainly in this bracket.
6. In the weekly auction scheduled for April 16, 2021, more than 50 per cent was earmarked for 10-year securities.

• Other reasons: The other reason why 10-year yields moved higher is because the cut-off yield for 6-year bonds bought in the G-SAP auction was 6.13 per cent. While the RBI is trying to cool the yield in the 10-year bonds, the yields on 6, 7, 8 and 9 year bonds are higher than the 10-year, implying that the market does want the bond prices to trade lower across maturities, given the large supply scheduled to flood the market. The WPI inflation number released in April 2021 was yet another dampener for bonds, as WPI rose sharply.
• Inflation worries: The expected trajectory of the WPI inflation, and its partial transmission into the CPI inflation, going ahead, supports the view that there is negligible space for rate cuts to support growth. That is in spite of the growing uncertainty related to the surge in Covid-19 cases, localised restrictions and emerging concerns regarding migrants returning to the hinterland. This is likely to keep a floor under the G-Sec yields.
• What market wants: It’s clear that market forces dictate that 10-year yields have to move higher from here. It has to be seen how long the RBI can keep yields in check with these strong arm tactics and threats of ‘tandav’. RBI has openly said its goal is to help government borrow at lower rates, for the massive new borrowing programme in 2021-22.

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• 2. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

India's Renewable Energy sector misses target again

• The story: New capacity addition in India's renewable energy (RE) sector fell far short of its target in Covid-battered fiscal year 2021 (FY21) with just a little over half of target achieved. With this, the RE sector has now missed its capacity addition target for the fifth year in a row!

• Numbers: As against the capacity addition target of 14380 MW (14.38 GW) for FY21, the RE sector added 7356 MW, just 51 per cent of the target. In FY20, it added 8711 MW of new capacity to the grid.

• Why: The lower capacity addition is attributed to the lockdowns and supply-side disruptions (slowed movement of inputs and an increase in prices), labour shortages as well as constrained finances and liquidity pressures faced by the developers. The restriction on the imports of inputs for solar power  aggravated the constraints faced by developers. Project timelines have been extended as a result, further aggravating the financial stress of developers.

• Solar segment shines: With the addition of 7356 MW in FY21, the cumulative RE capacity went to 94.4 GW as of March 31, 2021.

1. The Solar segment has now overtaken Wind and tops the capacity addition table with a total capacity of 40.09 GW, as compared to the wind segment’s capacity of 39.24 GW. Bio-power and small hydro had capacities of 10.31 GW and 4.79 GW respectively.
2. In the last three years, new capacity additions slipped below 10,000 MW, while in FY18 and FY17, the clean energy sector added 11,754 MW and 11,320 MW respectively. Projects worth 49.7 GW are at various stages of implementation and projects of 25.91 GW capacity are under various stages of bidding, as per data from the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.

• The goal: The Government has set a target of achieving 175 GW installed renewable energy capacity (excluding large hydro) by December 2022. Even if all the projects, which are under implementation or bidding, get completed and come on-stream before the end of next year, the target will be missed. But the Government has been taking various measures to accelerate capacity-addition in the renewable sector. They include recent Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and additional capital infusion to Solar Energy Corporation of India and IREDA, among others.

Dolphin population in Odisha

• The story: In April, the state of Odisha released the final data on the dolphin census, indicating a spectacular growth in numbers.
• Points to note: The population of dolphins in Chilika, India’s largest brackish water lake, and along the Odisha coast has doubled this year (2021) compared with 2020. Three species were recorded during the census, with 544 Irrawaddy, bottle-nose and humpback dolphins sighted this year, compared with 233 last year. The rise in the Irrawaddy dolphin population in Chilika can be attributed to the eviction of illegal fish enclosures.
• Irrawaddy Dolphins: These are found in coastal areas in South and Southeast Asia, and in three rivers: the Ayeyarwady (Myanmar), the Mahakam (Indonesian Borneo) and the Mekong. The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphins inhabit a 118-mile stretch of the river between Cambodia and Lao PDR. (a) Conservation Status - (i) IUCN Red List: Endangered / (ii) CITES: Appendix I / (iii) CMS (Convention on Migratory Species): Appendix I / (iv) Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Indo- Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins: Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins generally occur in shallow coastal waters of the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and Australia. (a) Conservation Status - (i) IUCN Red List: Near Threatened / (ii) CITES: Appendix II
• Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins: The Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin occurs within the Indian Ocean from South Africa to India. (a) Conservation Status - (i) IUCN Red List: Endangered / (ii) CITES: Appendix I / (iii) Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Chilika Lake: It is Asia's largest and world's second largest lagoon, and lies on the east coast of India in the state of Odisha, separated from the mighty Bay of Bengal by a small strip of sand. It is spread over Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 square kilometers. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent and is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals. In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Major attraction at Chilika is Irrawaddy dolphins which are often spotted off Satapada Island. The large Nalabana Island (Forest of Reeds) covering about 16 sq km in the lagoon area was declared a bird sanctuary in 1987.

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• 3. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

US's final exit from Afghanistan

• The story: It is said in world history books that 'Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires'. While the two references used are what happened there with the British in 1860s, and the Soviet in the 1980s, future editions will refer also to the Americans in the 2000s and 2010s.

• The announcement: US President Joe Biden announced that the US will withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. This sent tremors through the region’s political circles.

1. The Trump Administration made its troop withdrawal by May 1, 2021 conditional on the Taliban taking steps to prevent al-Qaeda or any other group from sheltering in Afghanistan, and the Taliban agreeing to a dialogue on power sharing with the Afghan government
2. The Biden plan has no strings attached i.e. no conditions like above, so it's a carte blanche for the murderous Talibanis
3. There are about 2,500-3,500 US troops in Afghanistan at present, plus a NATO force of under 8,000. A co-ordinated withdrawal is expected to begin soon.

• Likely impact: Biden’s announcement has removed all incentives for the Taliban to agree for a dialogue with the Afghan government. The Blinken Proposal is dead too - US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in March 2021 proposed a 90-day ceasefire, talks under the auspices of the UN for a consensus plan for Afghanistan among the US, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and India, a meeting in Turkey between the Taliban and Afghan government towards an “inclusive” interim government, and an agreement on the foundational principles of the future political order and for a permanent ceasefire.
• Taliban's approach: The possibility of the Taliban being able to strike a peace deal with the Afghan government is low, as the Taliban believe that they can triumph militarily. The IS and other terrorist groups have gained a foothold in Afghanistan. Therefore, the consequences of a hasty and irresponsible withdrawal from Afghanistan could be dangerous not only for Afghanistan but also for the region and the world. There is apprehension of a return to the 1990s, although there is also a view that the Taliban too have changed over 25 years, and would not want to alienate the international community as they did when they ruled Afghanistan during 1996-01. By announcing an unconditional pullout, the US has accepted Taliban’s main demand.
• Pakistan's role: The Taliban are a definite creation of the Pakistani security establishment. After the US invasion of Afghanistan, they removed themselves to safe havens in Pakistan territory, and the Taliban High Council operated from Quetta in Balochistan. For Pakistan, the Taliban capture of Afghanistan would finally bring a friendly force in power in Kabul after 20 years and India (which had friendly relations with Afghani govt.) would be cut to size. But a US withdrawal also means Pakistan will need to shoulder the entire burden of the chaos that experts predict.  Civil war is not ruled out and with it, the flow of refugees into Pakistan once again, even as the country struggles with refugees from the first Afghan war. The Taliban are not a monolith, and have recently shown streaks of independence from Pakistan. It has to guard against instability in Afghanistan from spilling over the border
• Indian situation: India was on the outer edges of the Trump drive to exit Afghanistan that culminated in the Doha Accord, and was a reluctant supporter of the “intra-Afghan talks” between the Taliban and Afghan government. When the Biden Administration came in, India was hopeful of a US reset. The Blinken proposal gave India a role, by recognising it as a regional stakeholder, but this proposal seems to have no future. A concern would be India-focused militants such as Laskhar- e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohamed, which the Indian security establishment already believes to have relocated in large numbers to Afghanistan
• China's situation: China would have much to lose from instability in Afghanistan as this could have an impact on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. A Taliban regime in Afghanistan might end up stirring unrest in the Xinjiang Autonomous region, home to the Uighur minority. Conversely, as an ally of Pakistan, it could see a bigger role for itself in Afghanistan.
• Russia's situation: The US exit is for Russia a full circle after its own defeat at the hands of US-backed Mujahideen and exit from Afghanistan three decades ago. In recent years, Russia has taken on the role of peacemaker in Afghanistan, and growing links with Pakistan could translate into a post-US role for Moscow in Afghanistan.
• Iran's situation: As a country sharing borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, Iran perceives active security threats from both. And a Taliban regime in Kabul would only increase this threat perception. But Iran, with links to the Hazaras in Afghanistan, has of late played all sides. Despite the mutual hostility and the theological divide between the two, Iran opened channels to the Taliban a few years ago, and recently, even hosted a Taliban delegation at Tehran.
• Summary: Finally, times are changing for Afghanistan, and the game can play itself out in any of the many possible ways. India ought to keep itself relevant in whatever happens finally.

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• 4. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

Covid-19 testing kept artifially low in election-bound states

• The story: Covid-19 testing usually speeds up when local reports indicate a rising positivity rate. But Kerala and Assam dragged on till polls were over, while in West Bengal testing was still disastrously low in April 2021.
• The 2021 polls: Assembly elections were in full swing in 2021 particularly in West Bengal, where the polls have been scheduled over a protracted period of one month (eight rounds, something protested by many, but adhered to by the Election Commission). As the campaign rages in WB, Covid-19 spread with a speed never imagined before in multiple states.
• The facts: Data shows that three of the four major states delayed testing despite worsening indicators. Only Tamil Nadu quickened the pace after the first signs of deterioration.

1. Kerala, a state that was one of the best performers in terms of tests carried out daily, saw worsening TPR. The Test positivity rate (TPR) is the number of tests returning a Covid-19 positive result per 100 tests. The TPR for Kerala began worsening in the middle of March, as the poll campaign gathered steam. A general rule is that if TPR rises gradually, more testing is needed to ascertain the extent of the spread. But Kerala did not raise testing despite a continually rising TPR. In fact, data shows that testing was ramped up only after polls ended on April 6. Low death rate could be one reason for limiting testing.
2. Assam's case is starker. Testing was very low at about 4 tests per 10,000 people till the elections (three phases) were going on. Once the elections ended, testing was ramped up strongly. Testing dips during polls in Assam, rises only after election ends despite having a rising death rate. While Assam’s TPR is quite low, its death rate is high. Death rate is measured as the delayed case fatality rate, which is the number of deaths today, as a share of cases 18 days ago. Assam’s case is curious in that the death rate was higher than positivity rate. The national level 18-day CFR has hovered over and below 1 per cent, and has currently worsened to 1.8 per cent (as the second wave approaches its peak). For Assam, the 18-day CFR has been in the range of 2-4 per cent for a long time.
3. West Bengal fared very poorly on testing. If the completion of poll phases prompted states to pay attention to testing, WB seems to be neglecting it. West Bengal ignores rising positivity rate, but testing still very poor despite having woken up. It conducted less than 4 tests per 10,000 people. The Pune Municipal Corporation (a city of 3.5 million people in Maharashtra) conducted more daily tests than the entire state of West Bengal, which houses a 100 million people. In West Bengal, TPR started rising from the lows in February itself. It was not until the Test Positivity Rate crossed 3 per cent that testing was slightly pushed up. It is rising, but still, the level is very low. If WB goes on a path similar to what Kerala and Assam did, it may not put thrust on testing till the polls are over.
4. Tamil Nadu was the only poll-bound state that raised testing while the campaign was on. It raised its testing level—and kept raising it gradually—at the first sign of a rise in test positivity.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

• The story: Various alumni meets were organized across the country under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) to commemorate 75 years of Indian independence.
• Points to note: The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced it on Antyodaya Diwas in 2014, and it is a demand-driven placement linked skill training initiative working under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). It uses skill training and placement in wage employment as a tool to diversify income and enable sustained upward movement out of poverty. The DDU-GKY is uniquely focused on rural youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families.
• Objectives: To add diversity to the incomes of rural poor families, and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. (a) Alumni meet is an important component of the scheme. They provide healthy ground for experience sharing by the former trainees with their present counterparts on topics like placements, career goals, challenges they faced in finding employment before undertaking the training and the benefits they reaped after. (b) Some of the former trainees are also felicitated at the events for their exemplary performances at their workplaces.
• Coverage: The program is currently being implemented in 27 States and 3 Union Territories and has over 2198 Training Centres in 1822 projects, in partnership with 839 Project Implementing Agencies conducting training across 56 sectors, and over 600 job-roles. Since inception of the scheme, a total 10.81 lakh candidates have been trained in 56 sectors and 600 Trades and 6.92 lakh placed.
• Importance: The DDU-GKY and integrated farming initiatives for rural development across the country are important for greater success in skilling and placing the rural youth. DDU-GKY has played a significant role in the context of Atmanirbhar Bharat through skilling. As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the social and economic programs. Some Other Initiatives Related to Skill Development:
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0: It was launched in 2021 in a bid to empower India’s youth with employable skills by making over 300 skill courses available to them, and was launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• Atmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM): Launched in 2020 (by MSDE), it is a portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• Antyodaya Diwas: 25th September is observed as Antyodaya Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, one of the great thinkers and philosophers of the nationalist movement of the country. Antyodaya means "uplifting the poorest of the poor" and the day aims to reach the person in the last mile.

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• 5. POLITY AND CONSTITUTION (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

New rules for higher FDI in insurance

• The story: The finance ministry has proposed insurance companies with foreign ownership of more than 49 per cent will have to maintain a solvency margin of 180 per cent if they declare dividend payments in a financial year. If insurance companies repatriate profit in the form of dividend to their shareholders but cannot meet the 180 per cent margin, they will have to set aside 50 per cent of their net profit in a general reserve, according to draft rules proposed by the Department of Financial Services (DFS).

• Present rules: Currently there is no such condition on insurance companies. However, foreign insurance joint ventures typically maintain a solvency margin of 180-200 per cent, and would not face any difficulty in maintaining this cap. The condition has been included to safeguard the interests of policyholders, but at the same time “lay out the red carpet for foreign investors”.

1. The current guidelines on foreign direct investment (up to 49 per cent) have only one requirement -- the company has to be Indian-owned and -controlled. There is no solvency requirement and whatever is the minimum requirement prescribed by the regulator, it is applicable to all insurance companies.
2. The draft rules point out for an Indian insurance company having foreign investment exceeding 49 per cent, not fewer than 50 per cent of its directors will be independent directors unless the chairperson of its board is herself or himself one. In that case at least one-third of its board should have independent directors. The rules also propose that an Indian insurance company having foreign investment must have a majority of its directors and key management persons as resident Indians. They also state at least one among the three -- the chairperson of the board, managing director (MD), and chief executive officer (CEO) -- must be a resident Indian.

• Two thrust areas: The rules reflected two things announced in the Union Budget - of having a majority of board members of insurance companies as Indians and retaining a certain amount of profit as a general reserve. Experts call the new guidelines on dividend payment “judicious”, as the move would balance stability as well as investors’ returns. The restrictions on dividend payment below a certain threshold through profit retention would help in ensuring that capital buffers are not depleted through dividend payment.

• The route: The rules come a month after Parliament approved the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021, to hike the FDI limit in insurance to 74 per cent. Insurance companies will have to comply with these requirements within a year of the date of notifying the final rules. As of March 2020, foreign investment in life insurance companies -- 23 in total -- is 37.41 per cent. Only in nine private life insurers has foreign investment touched 49 per cent. In the general insurance industry, with 21 private insurers, FDI is 28.18 per cent.

• Summary: A reason why not many companies have seen FDI going up to 49 per cent is that in the current scenario Indian promoters are very strong and they do not want to extract value from their investment at this nascent stage. They may sell it in the future. This move by the government to increase FDI limit from 49 per cent to 74 per cent will most likely benefit the small players, where currently the Indian partner is not able to bring in more capital to boost growth.

What is "An Act of Colourable Legislation"

• The story: A P.I.L. challenging the provisions of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 was filed in the Supreme Court, in April 2021.

• The PIL: It says that the act of 1991 is against the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution since it bars the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. It nullifies the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India as explained in Article 32. Article 32 states that enforcement of fundamental rights cannot be suspended except as otherwise stated in the Constitution.

• Article 32: Earlier, Dr B.R. Ambedkar said that Article 32 is the very soul of the Constitution and the most important Article in the Constitution. It is under this article Supreme Court issues writs for appropriate enforcement of all the fundamental rights conferred by Part III of the Constitution.

1. On various instances, the apex court ruled that the power of judicial review is an integral part of the basic structure of the Constitution. It also said that no act of Parliament can exclude or curtail the powers of the Constitutional Courts with regard to the enforcement of fundamental rights.
2. Therefore the Act of 1991 is appropriately called an Act of colourable legislation and court held that “you cannot do indirectly which you are prohibited from doing directly”.

• What are the other provisions the act weakens: The Preamble in the Constitution gives prominent importance to liberty of belief, faith and worship to all citizens and the act has weakened, effectively nullified and severely damaged it. The concepts of faith, belief and worship are the foundations of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India. Therefore, prohibiting citizens from approaching appropriate courts to handover the land of any temple of certain essential significance is arbitrary and unreasonable. It goes against the fundamental rights to pray and perform religious practice as guaranteed by Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India.
• Experts warn: However, contrary to what the PIL claims, experts warn that once old matters of religious and sectarian conflict are opened up one by one, it will be an unending slide for the modern Republic of India. It is a road best avoided.

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• 6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

Protein folding

• Life's building blocks: One ha to first understand proteins, to understand life. These molecular chains, each assembled from a menu of 20 types of chemical links called amino acids, do biology’s heavy lifting. As enzymes they catalyse the chemistry that keeps bodies running. Examples: (a) Actin and myosin, the proteins of muscles, permit those bodies to move around. (b) Keratin provides their skin and hair. (c) Haemoglobin carries their oxygen. (d) Insulin regulates their metabolism. (e) A protein called spike allows coronaviruses to invade human cells, thereby shutting down entire economies!

• Understanding them: To list a protein’s amino acids is easy, but to know what a protein does, and how it does it, depends also on how it folds up after its creation, into its final, intricate shape.

1. Molecular biologists can probe proteins’ shapes experimentally, using techniques like X-ray crystallography. But this is time-consuming.
2. Things are changing now, and in November 2020, researchers from DeepMind, an artificial-intelligence (AI) laboratory owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, presented results suggesting that they have made enormous progress on using a computer to predict a protein’s shape from just a list of its amino-acid components.

• Huge leap: Replacing months of experiments with a few hours of computing time could shed new light on the inner workings of cells. It can speed up drug development, and can suggest treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s, in which misshapen proteins are thought to play a role. Until now, the machine-learning techniques which DeepMind’s team used to attack the protein-folding problem have been best known for powering things like face-recognition cameras and voice assistants, and for defeating human beings at tricky games like Go.

• Using computers: The idea of using computers to predict proteins’ shapes is half a century old. Progress has been real, but slow. These days a humbler field, protein-shape prediction now measures its progress by how well algorithms perform in something called Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction (CASP). This is a biennial experiment-cum-competition which started in 1994 and is dubbed the “Olympics of protein-folding”. In it, algorithms are subjected to blind tests of their ability to predict the shapes of several proteins of known structure.

1. DeepMind’s first entry to CASP, two years ago, was dubbed AlphaFold. It made waves by performing much better than any other then-existing program. The current version, AlphaFold 2, has stretched that lead still further.
2. One measure of success within CASP is the global-distance test. This assigns algorithms a score between zero and 100 by comparing the predicted locations of atoms in a molecule’s structure with their location in reality. AlphaFold 2 had an average score of 92.4—an accuracy that CASP’s founder, John Moult, who is a biologist at the University of Maryland, says is roughly comparable with what can be obtained by techniques like X-ray crystallography.

• The real crux: It is impractical to attack this problem with computational brute force. One estimate is that a reasonably complex protein could, in principle, take any of as many as 10300 different shapes. The shape which it does eventually settle into is a result of a balance of various atom-scale forces that act within its amino-acid building blocks, between those building blocks, and between the building blocks and other, surrounding, molecules, particularly those of water.

• Summary: Around 180 million amino-acid sequences are known to science. But only some 1,70,000 of them have had their structures determined. Some think that boosting this number could help screen drug candidates to see which are likely to bind well to a particular protein. It could be used to reanalyse existing drugs to see what else they might do. And it could boost synthetic biology, by speeding up the creation of human-designed proteins intended to catalyse chemical reactions. AlphaFold 2 was able to predict the structures of several of the proteins used by the new coronavirus, including spike.

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• 7. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

Online Grievance Management Portal: NCSC

• The story: The Government launched the “Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)” on the occasion of 130th birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar. The portal would make it easier for the SC population to register their complaints.
• Points to note: The portal is designed in collaboration with the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), a Centre of Excellence under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It will facilitate an end-to-end e-filing of complaints and grievances and their tracking. It is for submission of complaints about atrocities against citizens who belong to the Scheduled Castes, and is “intended to make the hearing processor" similar to India’s e-Courts project and allow grievance redressal for the country’s scheduled caste population in a “time bound manner".
• NCSC: The NCSC is a constitutional body that works to safeguard the interests of the Scheduled Castes (SC) in India. The Article 338 of the Constitution of India deals with this commission. It provided for a National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with duties to investigate and monitor all matters relating to safeguards provided for them, to inquire into specific complaints and to participate and advise on the planning process of their socio-economic development etc. By the amendment in 2003, the erstwhile National Commission for SC and ST was replaced by two separate Commissions from the year 2004 which are: National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)-under Article 338-A.
• Functions of the NCSC: Monitoring and investigating all issues concerning the safeguards provided for the SCs under the Constitution. Enquiring into complaints relating to the deprivation of the rights and safeguards of the SCs. Taking part in and advising the central or state governments with respect to the planning of socio-economic development of the SCs. Regular reporting to the President of the country on the implementation of these safeguards. Any other function with respect to the welfare, protection, development and advancement of the SC community. The Commission is also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the Anglo-Indian Community as it does with respect to the SCs. Till 2018, the commission was also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). It was relieved from this responsibility by the 102nd Amendment Act of 2018.

• Provisions for upliftment of SCs:

1. The SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) amendment Act, 2018
2. Article 15(4) refers to the special provisions for their advancement.
3. Article 16(4A) speaks of “reservation in matters of promotion to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of SCs/STs, which are not adequately represented in the services under the State’.
4. Article 17 abolishes Untouchability.
5. Article 46 requires the State ‘to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and to protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
6. Article 335 provides that the claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State.
7. Article 330 and Article 332 of the Constitution respectively provide for reservation of seats in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the legislative assemblies of the States.
8.  Under Part IX relating to the Panchayats and Part IXA of the Constitution relating to the Municipalities, reservation for SC and ST in local bodies has been envisaged and provided.

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• 8. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

Regulations Review Authority 2.0

• The story: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has established the Regulations Review Authority (RRA) 2.0. The authority is to function for a period of one year.
• Role: The RRA will review the regulatory prescriptions internally, and will review the regulatory prescriptions by seeking suggestions from regulated entities and stakeholders. It will work towards easing the implementations of the regulatory prescriptions. The Deputy Governor Rajeshwar Rao has been appointed as the head of RRA. It will work in reducing the compliance burden on regulated entities. This is to be done by streamlining the reporting mechanism, removing paper-based submission of returns wherever possible and revoking obsolete instructions.ions and circulars.
• RRA in 1999: Earlier, RRA was set up in 1999-2000. The authority then reviewed the regulations of the apex bank, simplified regulatory prescriptions, reduced reporting burden.
• Deputy Governors of RBI: As per the RBI Act, the institution is governed by a governor, four deputy governors, two finance ministry representatives and four directors representing the local board headquarters in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi. The concept of RBI was based on the strategies formulated by Dr Ambedkar in his book “The Problem of the Rupee”, submitted to the Hilton Young Commission in 1920s. In February 2021, RBI set an expert committee under NS Vishwanath. The committee was established to review the Urban Cooperative Banks. It will assess the impact of the Urban Cooperative Banks over the last five years.

Rural Health Statistics Report

• The story: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in April 2021 released the Rural Health Statistics Report. According to the report, there is an overall shortage of specialist doctors at the Community Health Centres.
• Key findings: There is an overall shortfall of 76.1% specialist doctors at the Community Health Centres in rural areas, and there are 5,183 Community Health Centres currently functioning in India. There is also a shortfall of 78.9% of surgeons, 78.2% of physicians, 69.7% of gynecologists and 78.2% of pediatricians, and around 63.3% of sanctioned posts of specialists at the Community Health Centres are vacant. Out of the sanctioned posts, the percentage of vacancy in individual posts is as follows: 68.4% of Surgeons / 56.1% of gynecologists / 66.88% of physicians / 63.1% of pediatricians.
• Details: The requirement of physicians in the CHCs is 5,183. However, there is a shortfall of 4,087. This has grown from 3,881 shortfall in 2019. The shortfall has increased by 27.7% in one year. Under the category of Surgeons, the five states with maximum shortfall of physicians in CHC are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. Under the category of Gynecologists, the five states with maximum shortfall of physicians in CHC are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The number of doctors required in Primary Health Centres in rural area is 24,918. And around 8,638 positions are vacant. The shortfall of doctors in PHCs were the highest in Odisha, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. The shortfall in the posts of health workers was 2%.
• Rural health system in India: First come the CHCs, or the Community Health Centres. These are the backbone of rural health care system, and have at least thirty beds. They should cover at least four primary health centres with specialized services. Every Community Health Centre should be manned by four medical specialists such as physician, surgeon, gynecologist and a pediatrician. Then come the PHCs, or the Primary Health Centres. They should consist of four to six beds, 14 subordinate paramedical staff. Then come the Sub Centres, which are the most peripheral contact point between primary health care system and the community. It should consist of on HW (Female) or ANM and one HW (male). HW is Health Worker and ANM is Auxiliary Nurse Midwife.
• Budget 2021-22: During the Union Budget 2021-22, the Finance Minister announced that a new centrally sponsored scheme will be launched under Pradhan Mantri Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana. Around 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres are to be created to transform the existing sub centres and PHCs. The National Health Policy, 2017 aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage. The National Rural Health Mission was launched to provide affordable, accessible and quality health care to the rural population.

World Haemophilia Day: April 17

• The story: Every year, the World Haemophilia Day is celebrated on April 17 by the World Federation of Haemophilia. This year, the World Haemophilia Day is celebrated under the following theme. The theme: Adapting to Change
• What is Haemophilia: It is a rare disorder where the human blood does not clot normally, because the blood lacks sufficient blood clotting proteins. It is an inherited genetic disorder, and women rarely suffer from the disease. It is also called the "Royal disease" as the British royal family suffered from it.
• World Haemophilia Day: The day is celebrated since 1989 by the World Federation of Haemophilia. Every year several iconic structures in the world are lighted in red to raise awareness and help those affected by the disorder. Why April 17? The day is celebrated on April 17 to commemorate the birthday of Frank Schnabel. Frank founded the World Federation of Haemophilia.
• World Federation of Haemophilia: It was founded in 1963. The headquarters of the World Federation of Haemophilia is located in Montreal, Canada. Nearly 75% of the people affected from bleeding disorder do not know it. Several others do not receive proper care. Therefore, it is essential to celebrate the day and increase awareness about the disease.
• India: The National Blood Transfusion Council has instructed to the states and union territories that patients suffering from haemophila, sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia should be provided with blood free of cost. The National Blood Transfusion Council operates under National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram was launched by the National Health Mission. It provides early detection and treatment of children suffering from genetic disorders such as Haemophilia.

ROPAX Jetty Project on River Dhamra

• The story: The Government of India approved Rs 50 crores to develop an all-weather ROPAX in Odisha. The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 110 crores. The project aims to launch Roll-on or Roll-off Passenger Jetty connecting Kaninali in Bhadrak district and Talachua in Kendrapara district.
• Details: The project will reduce passenger travel time from six hours to one hour. The connecting points of the jetty are located in the northern and southern banks of river Dhamra. The launch of the jetty service will increase business activities and commercial activities and also will uplift the economic status of the region.
• Dhamra River: It is a joint stream formed by the confluence of Baitarani and Brahmani rivers, and empties into the Bay of Bengal. It lies in the Bhadrak district of Odisha and the Dhamra port is located to the north of its mouth. The Gahirmatha sanctuary is located near the mouth of Dhamra river. The Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary lie on the Dhamra estuary. The Wheeler island is also located at the mouth of Dhamra. The Wheeler Island is a DRDO launch centre.
• Gahirmatha sanctuary: It is the most important nesting site of Olive Ridley sea turtles. The Gahirmatha beach separates Bhitarkanika Mangroves and the nesting site of the turtles. The Olive Ridley sea turtles have been put under the Vulnerable category in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Also, they have been put under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Bhitarkanika: It is a mangrove wetland in Odisha. It is famous for estuarine crocodiles.

9.1 Today's best editorials to read

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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