Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 22-04-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 22-04-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Indian Politics - Covid Update - On 22-April, 2021, India recorded the world's biggest single-day jump with as many as 3,14,835 coronavirus cases confirmed in 24 hours. This marked the world's biggest one-day jump ever and took the total number of cases to 1,59,30,965. Meanwhile, 2,104 deaths were recorded in 24 hours, marking the biggest one-day jump and taking the death toll to 1,84,657. International and local media reports indicated that the real numbers may be high, in both infections and deaths. Registration of pilgrims for upcoming Amarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended due to Covid-19 situation. The Gorakhpur BJP MLA compares Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla with a 'dacoit' and asked government to 'acquire' the company under the Epidemic Diseases Act after the vaccine maker had announced its pricing of Covishield vaccines. The PM Narendra Modi announced he was cancelling his West Bengal rally on 23-April, and said he would be busy holding Covid-19 related meetings, given the acute shortage of oxygen and medicines in hospitals. Indian social media is flooded with desperate pleas for help, from regular citizens and celebrities alike, with some indeed receiving help in time.
2. Indian Economy - Corporates to vaccinate own staff - With India moving to the third phase of its COVID-19 vaccination drive amidst rising cases, a survey showed that majority of companies in India re planning to facilitate vaccination for their employees and dependents. A survey by firm Willis Towers Watson showed that all the surveyed companies (97 percent) in India plan to cover or subsidise the vaccination cost for their employees. Further, 80 percent companies are considering having the vaccination administered at third-party clinics or hospitals, 21 percent at their offices and 10 percent at the residence of their employees. The Willis Towers Watson COVID-19 Vaccination Trends India Survey was conducted in April 2021 and surveyed more than 150 employers in India. In terms of cost heads, 73 percent indicated that they would cover the cost of vaccination, 22 percent would cover administration costs (Hospital/ Clinic/ Paramedic fee) and only 10 percent the cost of logistics such as travel expenses. The survey found that 91 percent have or plan to communicate the benefits of vaccination to their employee and 82 percent plan to develop formal policies and procedures to make it easier for employees to be vaccinated. Importantly, 60 percent plan to establish a long-term policy where proof of vaccination will be required as a condition for returning to in-person work.
3. Polity and Constitution - Ad-hoc judges in High Courts - The Supreme Court cleared the way for appointment of retired judges as ad-hoc judges in High Courts under Article 224A of the Constitution to deal with mounting backlog of cases. Terming pendency of around 57 lakh cases in High Courts as “docket explosion”, the Supreme Court activated a “dormant” constitutional provision to pave way for appointment of retired High Court judges as ad-hoc ones for a period of two to three years to clear backlog. Article 224A , used rarely, of the Constitution deals with appointment of ad-hoc judges in High Courts. It says “the Chief Justice of a High Court for any State may at any time, with the previous consent of the President, request any person who has held the office of a Judge of that Court or of any other High Court to sit and act as a Judge of the High Court for that State”. A bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices S.K. Kaul and Surya Kant issued a slew of guidelines pertaining to issues such as tenure, salary, perks, etc, and their role in adjudicating cases.
4. Science and Technology - Fusion Peptide vaccine against Covid-19 - Using a new platform, scientists have developed a Covid-19 vaccine that they say could offer protection against not only existing and future strains of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, but also other coronaviruses. The new vaccine-production platform was invented by Dr Steven L Zeichner of the University of Virginia Health System (UVA). It involves synthesising DNA that directs the production of a piece of the virus. This can instruct the immune system how to mount an immune response against the virus. The vaccine targets a part of the virus’s spike protein called the fusion peptide, something universal among coronaviruses, and has not been observed to differ at all in the many genetic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 obtained from around the world. Most vaccines in development target either the entire spike protein, or just the receptor binding domain (RBD). While antibodies against the RBD can provide good neutralising activity, there can be mutations in the RBD that decrease somewhat the effectiveness of the antibodies. So scientists are thinking that "Making a vaccine that recapitulates almost exactly the antigens made by the virus may be mistaken, as the virus has evolved to be able to continue to live even in the presence of an immune response, making manking ‘falling for’ the ‘tricks’ that the virus has laid out for us." This new DNA vaccine platform is quite different from mRNA bases vaccines, as in the new platform, once DNA encoding for the fusion peptide has been synthesised, it is inserted into another small circle of DNA, called a plasmid, which can reproduce within bacteria. The DNA plasmid is introduced into bacteria; this technique uses the bacteria E coli.
5. Governance and Institutions - All Indian adults can register for COVID-19 vaccine on CoWIN - RS Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Authority (NHA), said that all the people above the age of 18 can register on the CoWIN platform for COVID-19 vaccine from April 24. As part of the "liberalised and accelerated Phase-3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination", people above 18 are now eligible to get vaccinated against coronavirus from May 1. In the first three phases, when healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those above the age of 45 were vaccinated, the Centre procured the entire quantity of vaccines from the manufacturers, Serum Institute of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin), and distributed it to states. The states distributed the stock to government vaccination centres, which administered the vaccine free of cost, and to private hospitals that charged recipients Rs 250 per dose. From May 1, 2021, the supply will be divided into two baskets: 50 per cent for the Centre, and 50 per cent for the open market. Through the second — non-Government of India — channel, state governments, private hospitals, and industries that have facilities to administer the vaccine, will be able to procure doses directly from manufacturers. As for distribution, first, the 50 per cent basket of vaccine doses earmarked for states and private hospitals in the open market will be used to vaccinate those above the age of 18 years. Second, free vaccination would be available at all vaccination centres that receive doses from the Government of India — with those doses, healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those above 45 will be vaccinated.
6. Pollution - Air pollution costs Indian businesses ₹7 lakh cr every year: Study - Air pollution costs Indian businesses about $95 billion (₹7 lakh crore) every year or around 3.3% of the country's total GDP, according to a study. This cost is equivalent to 50% of all tax collected annually. The IT sector alone loses $1.3 billion due to air pollution, the study by industry group CII, Clean Air Fund and Dalberg Advisors said. The interlinking of environmental degradation and corporate performance has been a subject of interest for quite some time now.
7. World Economy - First Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) debut in Canada - The world's first-ever Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada on 20-04-2021. The three ETFs received approval from the Ontario Securities Commission recently. The world's first Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) had begun trading in Canada earlier in 2021, and crossed $1 billion in assets under management just a month after its launch. In April third week, A bitcoin ETF mimics the price of the digital currency, allowing investors to buy into the ETF without trading bitcoin itself. Investing in a bitcoin ETF cuts out any issues of complex storage and security procedures required of cryptocurrency investors. The Securities and Exchange Commission hasn't approved any digital currency ETFs. An ETF is an investment vehicle that tracks the performance of a particular asset or group of assets. ETFs allow investors to diversify their investments without actually owning the assets themselves.
8. Constitution and Law - High Courts interevene to save citizen lives - The Delhi High Court held an urgent hearing on 21-04-2021 on a petition by Max Hospital Patparganj claiming shortage of medical oxygen for treatment of COVID-19 patients. Laying down the bottom line that no life should be lost due to lack of oxygen, the Court asked the Centre why oxygen supply has not been diverted from steel and petroleum industries to hospitals to tide over the emergent COVID-19 situation. A Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli made the remark during an urgent hearing on the petition, and ordered the Centre to take over the supply of oxygen at steel and petroleum industries. It later withheld the order till 3 p.m. on Thursday (22-04-2021) after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, assured the court that allocated oxygen, which was increased from 350 to 480 metric tonnes, would be facilitated to Delhi. The Bench has asked the Centre to protect the right to life of citizens and to supply oxygen by any means necessary. “This is an emergency of grave nature. Human lives are not important for the State, it seems,” it said. “We are shocked and dismayed that the government does not seem mindful and sensitive to the extreme and emergent need of medical oxygen by hospitals treating serious patients,” the court said. Then on 22-04, the Supreme Court suddenly intervened, and the about-to-retire CJI Bobde spoke about confusion being created due to High Courts intervening in multiple states, and the need to directly handle all such petitions at the SC!
9. World Economy - Microsoft, UK govt to build 'most powerful' weather supercomputer - The UK's Met Office has signed a multimillion-pound agreement with Microsoft to build the "world's most powerful" weather and climate forecasting supercomputer. The supercomputer will be powered by 100% renewable energy and is expected to save 7,415-tonne of CO2 in first year of operation. Data generated from the supercomputer will be used to provide more accurate warnings of severe weather.
10. Religion - Indians banned from entering Kailasa kingdom - 'Kailasa' is the 'nation' that self-styled godman Nithyananda claims to have founded in 2019. Now Nithyananda has announced that devotees from India would not be allowed to enter his island. In a 'Presidential Mandate', he said that it was not just Indians but also travellers from Brazil, European Union and Malaysia who were banned from entering the island. The decision was made in view of the rising COVID-19 cases across the world. Nithyananda has been hiding on the island located off the coast of Ecuador since 2019. He absconded after being accused of sexual assault. Since then, Nithyananda has appealed to the United Nations to declare Kailasa island as a separate country. In the latest statement, he wrote, "All Kailasians, Ekailasians, volunteers associated with these de facto embassies of Kailasa are to quarantine themselves and adhere to the precautionary measures advised by the local laws."

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

Global Minimum Tax suggestion by USA

• The story: In April 2021, the Treasury Secretary of US Ms. Janet Yellen suggested a minimum global corporate income tax, and appealed to nations to accept the same.

• The details: The global minimum tax rate would apply to companies' overseas profits, and if countries agree on a global minimum, governments could still set whatever local corporate tax rate they want.

1. If companies pay lower rates in a particular country, their home governments could "top-up" their taxes to the agreed minimum rate, eliminating the advantage of shifting profits to a tax haven.
2. The Biden administration says it wanted to deny exemptions for taxes paid, to countries that did not agree to a minimum rate.

• Logic: Major economies are aiming to discourage multinational companies from shifting profits and tax revenues to low-tax countries regardless of where their sales are made. that is called BEPS - Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.

1. Increasingly, income from intangible sources such as drug patents, software and royalties on intellectual property has migrated to these jurisdictions. That is allowing these firms to avoid paying higher taxes in their traditional home countries.
2. With a broadly agreed global minimum tax, the Biden administration hopes to reduce such tax base erosion. This could be done without putting American firms at a financial disadvantage, allowing them to compete on innovation, infrastructure and other attributes.
3. The Trump administration attempted at capturing revenues lost to tax havens with a U.S. corporate offshore minimum tax in 2017. The "Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income," or GILTI, tax rate was only 10.5% - half the domestic corporate tax rate.

• International tax talks: The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has been coordinating tax negotiations among 140 countries for years on two major efforts. These are setting rules for taxing cross-border digital services and curbing tax base erosion, with a global corporate minimum tax part of the latter.

1. The OECD and G20 countries aim to reach consensus on both fronts by mid-2021. If deals on both efforts are enacted, companies will end up paying an extra corporate tax.
2. The minimum tax is expected to make up the bulk of this $50 billion-$80 billion extra corporate tax. The OECD recently said that governments broadly agreed already on the basic design of the minimum tax.
3. But the rate remains to be agreed, which is a challenging task. Other items still to be negotiated include whether industries like investment funds and real estate investment trusts should be covered, and when to apply the new rate and ensuring it is compatible with the 2017 U.S. tax reforms aimed at deterring tax-base erosion

• Challenge with finalising the minimum rate: The Biden administration wants to raise the U.S. corporate tax rate to 28%, and has proposed a global minimum of 21% which is double the rate on the current GILTI tax (global intangible low-taxed income). It also wants the minimum to apply to U.S. companies no matter where the taxable income is earned. That proposal is far above the 12.5% minimum tax that had previously been discussed in OECD talks. This level happens to match Ireland's corporate tax rate.

1. The Irish economy has boomed in recent years from the influx of billions of dollars in investment from foreign multinationals. So, Ireland which has resisted European Union attempts to harmonize its tax rules for more than a decade, is unlikely to accept a higher minimum rate without a fight.
2. The battle for Ireland and other low-tax countries is less likely to be about trying to ruin the overall talks. Rather, it is more about building support for a minimum rate as close as possible to its 12.5%.

• Indian scenario: For India, committing to such a global standard needs to be assessed carefully. The proposal will apply to companies with global revenues above Euro 750 million. India has witnessed a consistent rise in the effective tax rate which is now close to 26%. The call for a minimum tax may be seen as US correcting for the slippages in its own tax laws and as a means to finance the $2 trillion spending programme.

• Summary: For the rise in US tax rates to pay off, it requires other countries to reform their tax systems accordingly. Most importantly, it requires other countries to allow for the taxation of incomes that are perceived to be undertaxed. India has, over the past few years, adopted legal measures to tax incomes of companies that avoid residence in India. So, it is perhaps time to reflect if the two pillars of international tax reform are meant to support the super structure of developed countries.

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

Low-Carbon Future - World leaders get serious

• The story: In April 2021, US President organised the Leaders’ Climate Summit, and the debate on India's net-zero emissions targets started again.

• The broader picture: U.S. President Joe Biden's convening 40 world leaders — including 17 of the biggest carbon emitting countries — in the virtual summit aimed at aligning global ambitions on greenhouse gas reduction and relaunching the United States as a leader in the fight against climate change. Biden was expected to commit the US to a 50 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. The target would almost double one set by President Barack Obama under the 2015 Paris climate accord, although how Biden plans to get there is not yet known.

1. The cuts are in line with those recommended by U.N. experts in order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and prevent the catastrophic effects associated with any further increase.
2. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world was “on the verge of the abyss,” with 2020 going down in history as one of the three hottest years ever recorded.
3. The White House announcement follows a similar one made by the European Union, the third largest carbon emitter. The bloc has adopted new targets to reduce carbon emissions by 55 percent on 1990 levels, with the legal muscle to enforce the goals expected to come in June.

• China's approach: While the second and third highest emitters are making their ambitious goals, the White House hopes the dramatic cuts convince China, the number one carbon emitter, to follow suit. China has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2060, but plans to hit peak emissions by 2030—risking further environmental damage between now and then. That Xi Jinping agreed to attend the virtual summit was a good sign, if only to “at least allow some leeway for Chinese officials to reach out to their U.S. counterparts.”

• India’s approach: The IPCC 1.5°C report called for global carbon emissions to reach net-zero by 2050. India being a climate-vulnerable country, it must contribute to limit the global temperature rise ideally below 1.5°C. While doing so, it should not lose sight of the history of global climate negotiations and its own developmental needs. By announcing net-zero commitment, India risks taking a heavier burden of decarbonisation than many wealthier countries. Hence focused near-term sectoral transformations through aggressive adoption of technologies can be adopted.

• De-carbonise power sector: The electricity sector is the single largest source (about 40%) of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, and de-carbonising it would require transformational changes in urbanisation and industrial development. Electricity should be used for transport and integrating electric systems into urban planning, and so far, electricity sector was focussed on expanding renewable electricity capacity-175GW of renewable capacity by 2022. It now needs a comprehensive shift going beyond expanding the renewable energy targets. This can be done by limiting the expansion of coal-based electricity capacity.

• How to do: India can pledge that it will not grow its coal-fired power capacity beyond what is already announced and reach peak coal electricity capacity by 2030. Then, it should strive to make existing coal-based generation cleaner and more efficient.

1. The multi-stakeholder "Just Transition Commission" can be created to represent all levels of government and affected communities to ensure decent livelihood opportunities to people in the India’s coal belt.
2. This is necessary because the transition costs of a brighter low-carbon future should not fall on the backs of India’s poor.
3. Existing problems of the sector such as the poor finances and management of distribution companies needs to be addressed.
4. India will need to work hard to become a leader in technologies of the future such as electricity storage, smart grids and technologies that enable the electrification of other sectors such as transportation.

• Energy services: Growing urbanisation and uptake of electricity services offer a good opportunity to shape energy consumption within buildings through proactive measures. Air conditioners, fans and refrigerators together consume about 60% of the electricity in households. India could set aggressive targets- 80% of air conditioner sales and 50% of fan and refrigerator sales in 2030- should be most efficient. This will reduce green house gas emissions and benefit the consumer by lowering their electricity bills. India can leverage this transition too as an opportunity to become a global leader in production of clean appliances. Such a sector-by-sector approach can be developed for other sectors which can set a path towards net zero emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement targets. India can also come out with timelines for achieving climate targets.

• Timelines: India can also consider committing to submit plausible pathways and timelines to achieving net-zero emissions as part of its future pledges. It can undertake detailed assessments of its development needs and low-carbon opportunities, the possible pace of technological developments, and can also assess the potential geo-political and geo-economic risks of over-dependence on certain countries for technologies or materials. It can use interim period to develop a strategic road map to enhance its own technology and manufacturing competence as part of the global clean energy supply chain.

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

Religious freedom, Japan-India relations, Global attention to India's Covid

• India a country of particular concern for religious freedoms: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent bipartisan commission, has recommended for the second year in a row that the State Department put India on a list of ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ for the worst violations of religious freedoms in 2020.  It recommended that the administration impose targeted sanctions on Indian individuals and entities for ‘severe violations of religious freedom’. A second recommendation was for the administration to promote interfaith dialogue and the rights of all communities at bilateral and multilateral forums “such as the ministerial of the Quadrilateral [the Quad]”. Another recommendation, this one to the US Congress, was to raise issues in the US-India bilateral space, such as by hosting hearings, writing letters and constituting Congressional delegations. Last year India had denied visas to members of USCIRF who wanted to visit India for their assessment.

1. The key concerns of the 2021 report include the Citizenship (Amendment) Act which went into effect in early 2020 and which fast-tracks citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from South Asian countries. The report says, “Mobs sympathetic to Hindu nationalism operated with impunity,” and used “brutal force” on Muslims in Delhi’s riots in February 2020. On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the report says, “The consequences of exclusion – as exemplified by a large detention camp being built in Assam – are potentially devastating…”
2. Efforts to prohibit interfaith marriage – such as those in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh ― are also highlighted as a concern. “These efforts targeting and delegitimizing interfaith relationships have led to attacks and arrests of non-Hindus and to innuendo, suspicion, and violence toward any interfaith interaction,” the report notes. In an apparent reference to the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in March 2020, the USCIRF says, “At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, disinformation and hateful rhetoric ― including from government officials ― often targeted religious minorities, continuing familiar patterns.”

• FDI from Japan - India-Japan Ties: The Japanese PM Suga Yoshihide is set to visit India for a physical summit with PM Modi, to strengthen ties. India must leverage its special partnership with Japan to secure more investments, modern tech, and expand market access. The focus will be on strategic aspects, but on the economic side, higher investment, digital economy collaboration, and promoting Indian exports to third countries are anticipated.

1. Japan provides about $4 billion as annual ODA (Official Development Assistance), and it supports projects for critical infrastructure and green economy. This includes the ongoing high speed railway project, and India remains interested in leveraging its special strategic partnership with Japan. This helps secure FDI, modern technology, and expand access into markets which it may have lost by keeping away from RCEP and TPP.
2. The recently resurrected Quad security grouping has played an important role in increased Japanese strategic interest in India. For Japan, the level of ODA and FDI are the strategic indicators. Japan seems determined to use these to enhance the partnership with India. "Strategic Resilient Value Chains" are assuming importance, too. These either support China+1 endeavour or enhance existing FDI to give the +1 impact without relocation. China +1, also known simply as Plus One, is the business strategy to avoid investing only in China and diversify business into other countries. The Quad vaccine initiative, where India will be the manufacturing hub, the US will provide the technological support and Japan the finance, is the kind of model India pursues. During Suga’s visit, the India-Japan-Australia Supply Chains Resilience Initiative (SCRI) may be firmed up.
3. ASEAN’s - Japan is keen to bring in ASEAN as a partner to the SCRI. Of the 1440 Japanese companies which are exporting from India, 26% do so to the ASEAN, utilising the India-ASEAN FTA. They would like to leverage these existing regional value chains for the SCRI. India’s stance - India is not keen on this plan for now, because the inclusion of ASEAN could divert FDI from coming to India. India wants to use the SCRI to bolster its own economic initiatives and keep leverage when negotiating the revision of the India-ASEAN FTA.

• Global reaction to India's Covid collapse: ‘The system has collapsed: India’s descent into Covid hell’. That’s the headline in the Guardian, on a day nearly 3.15 lakh tested positive and more than 2,100 died of Covid-19. This is the largest number ever on a single day in any country, since the pandemic began. The New York Times says ‘India’s Health System Cracks Under the Strain as Coronavirus Cases Surge’. Reuters noted that “many Indians are pillorying Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his response to a scary surge in coronavirus cases, sickened by him addressing tens of thousands of people at state election rallies and letting Hindu devotees congregate for a festival.Tags like #ResignModi and #SuperSpreaderModi have trended on Twitter in the past two days, as bodies piled up in mortuaries and crematoriums, and desperate cries for hospital beds, medical oxygen and coronavirus tests flooded social media.”

1. A day after it published a viral report on India exporting nearly 9,300 metric tonnes of oxygen in the first three quarters of 2020-21, Moneycontrol pulled down its story. It said the report “was causing unnecessary panic” and portrayed a “misleading picture”. Amidst reports of oxygen provincialism, especially by BJP ruled states, the Union home ministry afternoon declared that “no restrictions shall be imposed” on oxygen manufacturers to restrict supplies to the state they are located in and that there shall be free inter-state movement of oxygen.
2. France will impose a 10-day quarantine for travellers from India to prevent the spread of a worrying Covid-19 variant. London’s Heathrow Airport has refused to allow extra flights from India before the country is added to the UK travel red list on Friday. Canada is also considering curbs on India flights.
3. India’s Covid-19 situation has been a trending topic in China. Tian Guangqiang of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences reflects the broad sentiment, in the context of recent relations with China ― essentially, it’s a warning: “India is currently at a critical juncture. If the country wants to get out of the predicament, it needs to actively promote cooperation with other emerging economies, including China, in fighting against the virus and boosting economic recovery, rather than continuously playing geopolitical games.”

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

India's new Covid vaccination policy - May 2021

• The story: Spurred by a horrific degeneration in the pandemic situation in India, the union govt. decided it will dramatically expand its vaccination coverage from May 1, 2021, including everyone aged 18 and older. This "fourth phase" of the mass inoculation programme incorporates several changes in vaccine policy. India will now be the first nation in the world to allow such an open-market sale of vaccines, as no one else has.

• First impression: It seems certain that many recipients will pay more than in the first three phases of vaccination, but key questions about availability, distribution, prioritisation remain unanswered.

• Details: India was self-assured ever since the daily no. of new cases started to drop, from October 2020. That led to a certain approach in vaccine policy, announced first in January 2021.

1. In the first three phases, when healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those above the age of 45 were vaccinated, the Centre procured the entire quantity of vaccines from the manufacturers, Serum Institute of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin), and distributed it to states. The states distributed the stock to government vaccination centres, which administered the vaccine free of cost, and to private hospitals that charged recipients Rs 250 per dose.
2. Now, from May 1, the supply will be divided into two baskets: (i) 50 per cent for the Centre, and (ii) 50 per cent for the open market. Through the second — non-Government of India — channel, state governments, private hospitals, and industries that have facilities to administer the vaccine, will be able to procure doses directly from manufacturers.
3. Distribution changes now. First, the 50 per cent basket of vaccine doses earmarked for states and private hospitals in the open market will be used to vaccinate those above the age of 18 years. Second, free vaccination would be available at all vaccination centres that receive doses from the Government of India — with those doses, healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those above 45 will be vaccinated.

• Private vaccination centres: They won't give it anymore at Rs.250, since no doses will be made available to the private sector, and private hospitals will have their own rates.

1. In the first three phases, out of the Rs 250 charged for vaccination, private hospitals received Rs 100 for administering the jab. Since they will now be procuring the vaccine at a higher price, the cost of a jab will be much higher. (so there's a risk many poor may opt out of vaccinating their families)
2. Union govt. has said the prices charged by private hospitals would be monitored. A mechanism will be put in place, and vaccine stocks and prices will be captured on the Co-win platform. (the efficiency of such monitoring in the middle of a raging pandemic is hugely suspect)
3. States will receive doses from the Centre and also make additional procurement from the open market — so they will plan their own vaccination sessions.

• Planning vaccination sessions: The Centre said it will be able to allot vaccines for 15 days — which means that states will know in advance that for the next 15 days, they will receive a specific number of doses. They will, therefore, have both a big as well as a granular picture of availability on date and for the coming fortnight.

1. The Centre will allocate its 50 per cent share to states based on the extent of infection (active cases) and performance (speed of administration). Currently, states receive vaccine doses according to demand (number of registrations and walk-in vaccinations). Now, low wastage will be incentivised.
2. The Centre will allow the imported, fully ready-to-use vaccines to be entirely utilised in the other-than-Government of India channel. Thus, if and when a foreign pharma giant brings its vaccine to India, it will be free to directly sell the entire stock in the open market at a competitive price.
3. Those who have received the first dose — and whose second dose is due — will be prioritised. The Centre said that the second dose of all existing priority groups, "wherever it has become due, would be given priority".

• Who will sell to whom, at what rates: The Centre has only said that private vaccination providers shall transparently declare self-set vaccination prices. States have not been given the liberty to negotiate prices.

1. The Serum Institute of India (SII) announced the prices for its vaccine — Rs 400 per dose to states, and Rs 600 per dose to hospitals. Bharat Biotech and Dr Reddy’s (which will distribute the Russian Sputnik V shot) have not made an announcement yet.
2. SII's CEO Adar Poonawalla was vocal about supplying to hospitals, rather than to states, as he believes hospitals are better placed to carry out the vaccination exercise; besides, states are expected to get some free supplies from the Centre anyway. Buying is an “option” for states and not mandatory.
3. There is little clarity on the mechanism that manufacturers will employ to decide among states that place orders. And in the absence of a formula or guidelines, passing control over to private vaccine producers will mean that there will be no social basis for allotting vaccines to states. Poor are bound to be simply left out of the mad race (at least in initial weeks).

• First-come, first-served: It may depend on how many states enter into deals with manufactures, and on the availability of doses. Richer states, which have the ability to procure large amounts, and states with large networks of private hospitals, are expected to receive a higher proportion of doses from the open market.

1. No country has allowed this kind of a market approach so far. The reason is that the vaccines that are being used around the world have received only Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) — none of them have presented enough evidence yet on their safety and effectiveness to receive full regulatory authorisation.
2. It might take 8-10 years to develop, test, and receive approval for a vaccine. But in this pandemic scenario, the development, clinical trials, and approvals have been fast-tracked to ensure that people have a chance at escaping severe disease or death.
3. Given the public health priority of vaccinating a large segment of their populations, several countries, including the US, UK, Japan, France, and China, are providing vaccines for free to citizens.

• Sixty crore Indians from May 1, 2021: Some 130 million (13 crore) shots have been administered in India so far, and over 111 million people (11.1 cr) are yet to receive their second dose. Depending on how many people in the priority groups are still left to receive their second shot by the time May 1 comes around, India will need over 1.2 billion doses (120 crore) of vaccines. Supply will certainly fall short of demand.

1. SII will prioritise doses of Covishield for India “at least” for the next two months, which means a potential supply of around 120 million to 140 million doses for India between May and June.
2. Sputnik V is expected to begin arriving by the end of May 2021. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has an agreement to distribute 250 million doses of the Russian vaccine, but it is unclear how many of these doses may become available.
3. It is unclear whether Bharat Biotech will be able to supply for the open market from May 1. If it does, the company could potentially supply an estimated 29 million doses across states over the whole month. The company has announced an expanded capacity of around 700 million doses per annum (around 58 million doses a month) but that's for later.
4. It is also unclear how many doses J&J, which is planning to conduct bridging studies in the country, can supply to India.
5. Pfizer said that it plans to only supply to the government, but nothing is known.

• Summary: India is now entering a decisive phase, and if the "vaccination for all adults" plan is pulled off properly, the pandemic will be tamed soon.

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

MPLAD Scheme

• The story: The Government of India had suspended the "Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme" or MPLADS funds for two years (2020 and 2021) and had directed these funds to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund of India. The Government garnered around Rs 7,900 crores by suspending the MPLADS for two years.

• Why do this: The government was of view that the transfer of these sums to the Consolidated Fund of India would help judicious deployment of fund, but opposition criticized this move, as the decision undermined the decentralized manner of funding local area development. Apart from a political tussle, the decision has revived the debate regarding the relevance of MPLAD scheme.

• The MPLAD Scheme: It was formulated in 1993 to enable Members of Parliament (MPs) to recommend development works in their constituencies with emphasis on the creation of durable community assets based on the locally felt need. Durable assets of national priorities and community needs viz. drinking water, primary education, public health, sanitation and roads, etc. Initially, the Scheme was under the control of the Ministry of Rural Development and Planning. In October, 1994, the scheme was transferred to the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation. Under this scheme, every MP is entitled to spend Rs 5 crore annually.

1. Similar to MPLADS, several states have enacted schemes called Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development Scheme (MLALADS) where funds are given to MLAs.
2. According to the ‘Guidelines on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)’ published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in June 2016, the MPLAD funds can also be used for implementation of the schemes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), conservation of water through rain water harvesting and Sansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana, etc.

• Issues: From time to time, concerns have een raised.

1. Federal structure - The Union Government can incur expenditure only with respect to matters over which it has subject domain as per seventh schedule. The MPLADS encroaches upon the domain of local self governing institutions and thereby violates Part IX and IX-A of the Constitution.
2. Conflict with Doctrine of Separation of Powers - The Scheme disturbs the scheme of separation of powers under the Constitution, as MPs are getting involved in executive functions.
3. Lapses in execution: The scheme gives scope for MPs to utilise the funds as a source of patronage that they can dispense at will. The CAG has flagged instances of financial mismanagement and artificial inflation of amounts spent. The scheme is alleged to be marred by the nexus of MP and private firms.
4. No statutory backing - The Scheme is not governed by any statutory law and is subject to the whims and fancies of the government of the day.

• Commission recommendations: In 2002, the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommended immediate discontinuation of the MPLAD scheme on the ground that it was inconsistent with the spirit of federalism and distribution of powers between the centre and the state. A similar thing has also been taken by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission’s report 2007.

• Constitutionality: Based on above arguments the MPLADS was challenged in the Supreme Court (SC) in 2010. A five-judge bench of the SC held that:

1. Indian Constitution does not recognise strict separation of powers
2. Even though MPs have been given a seemingly executive function, their role is limited to ‘recommending’ works and actual implementation is done by the local authorities. So the scheme does not violate separation of powers
3. India has a quasi-federal nature of the Constitution. Article 282 says that both the Union and the State have the power to make grants for a purpose irrespective of whether the subject matter of the purpose falls in the Seventh Schedule provided that the purpose is "public purpose" within the meaning of the Constitution. the Scheme falls within the meaning of "public purpose" aiming for the fulfillment of the development and welfare of the State as reflected in the Directive Principles of State Policy. There are robust accountability mechanisms for the scheme as it comes under the RTI Act.

• Summary: While the question of constitutionality of the MPLAD scheme may have been put to rest by the Supreme Court ruling, other issues related to implementation remain. These can be rectified by better transparency and monitoring of funds spent and sanctioned works. Given the decentralized nature of the MPLAD scheme, with adequate monitoring and sufficient political will, it can work as an indispensable tool of development at the grassroot.

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

Merging species together - cutting-edge of biotechnology

• The story: Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the US in a research called "Chimera Research" have, for the first time, grown human cells in monkey embryos. That marks a start in the field of genetic design.

• Points to note: By integrating human cells into the embryos of macaque monkeys, a chimeric tool has been created. "Chimeras" are organisms that are made up of the cells of two distinct species, in this case humans and monkeys. So if this hybrid embryo was placed in the womb of a monkey, it could possibly grow into a new kind of an animal.

1. Understanding Human Development & Drug Evaluation - Ability to grow cells of two different species together offers scientists a powerful tool for research and medicine, advancing current understanding about early human development, disease onset and progression and ageing. It could also help in drug evaluation and address the critical need for organ transplantation.
2. Provides New Platform to Study Diseases - Chimeric tools provide a new platform to study how certain diseases arise. For instance, a particular gene that is associated with a certain type of cancer could be engineered in a human cell. It can help in studying the course of disease progression using the engineered cells in a chimeric model, which may be able to tell them more about the disease than results obtained from an animal model.
3. Reason for Choosing Macaque - In a 2017 study, researchers integrated human cells into pig tissues as they thought that pigs, whose organ size, physiology and anatomy are similar to that of humans, could help them in creating organs that could ultimately be transplanted to humans. As the experiment failed due to evolutionary distance between pigs and humans (about 90 million years) the researchers decided to pick a species that was more closely related to humans, hence macaque monkeys were chosen.

• Concerns: Some rare hybrid animals exist naturally and were probably the result of unintentional cross breeding between animals of different species. In 2014, a rare hybrid animal called Geep (Goat+Sheep) was born in an Irish farm. Geep was a hybrid between a goat and a sheep, a result of the two mating. Generally, different species don’t cross-breed and if they do, their offspring don’t survive for long and are prone to infertility.

1. Infertility - Mules are another example of a hybrid animal that are the result of mating between a female horse and a male donkey. As per the American Mule Museum, these hybrid animals are the result of intentional breeding by humans, which they first undertook in the ancient times. While mules can live a long healthy life, they are infertile which means that they cannot have offspring of their own.
2. Injustice Against Animals for Human Benefit - Although researchers have made it clear that the chimeras created with macaques will not be used for human organs still there is skepticism since others feel that one of the goals of chimera research is to create organs that can be transplanted to humans. Chimera research has the potential to worsen injustice against animals and also point out the fairness in using part-human animals to meet human needs.

• The Chinese shocker: In 2018 a scientist in China claimed to have produced genetically modified babies using the gene editing technique CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). He was sentenced to prison for three years, with a fine of 3 million yuan (approx. Rs 3 crore), for illegal medical practice.

• Indian laws on hybrid animals: In India production of hybrid animals has been banned since 1985. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and the products are regulated under the “Rules for the manufacture, use, import, export & storage of hazardous microorganisms, genetically engineered organisms or cells, 1989” (referred to as Rules, 1989) notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These Rules are implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Biotechnology and State Governments though six competent authorities. The Rules, 1989 are supported by a series of guidelines on contained research, biologics, confined field trials, food safety assessment, environmental risk assessment etc.

• Summary: Genetic modification like chimera studies continues to be a subject of major debate. In developing countries like India, genetically modified crops are also a contentious topic. Tampering with the genetic code in human beings is more controversial, as any such change can be passed down to future generations.

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

China stresses family values as women put off marriage

• The story: Under Xi Jinping, the Communist Party has brought back talk of “family values" and women’s importance as caretakers, messages that many women say are out of step with their thinking on when—or even whether—to marry. The Party has long prided itself on promoting gender equality, but also demands that households follow its priorities of the moment. The emphasis on women’s role in educating children and caring for the elderly comes as birth and marriage rates drop, trends that may have dire economic consequences.

• Why this change: The new emphasis on women’s role as caretakers comes as the country faces dire demographic trends; on social media, women’s-rights accounts are deleted.

1. In the early years of Communist rule, Mao Zedong urged women to join the workforce to help build the nation and to hold off on marrying and having children. Later came edicts that couples could have only one child to avoid runaway population growth.
2. During Mr. Xi’s time in power, new party slogans emphasizing “family, family education and family virtues" or “pass on the red gene" have been coupled with efforts to censor voices on women’s rights.
3. In recent days, more than a dozen accounts used by women’s-rights groups were deleted from the Weibo social-media platform as well as cultural-discussion site Douban.com.
4. The deletions came as China awaits the results of a once-a-decade census, which had been expected by early April but have yet to be released. Demographers expect the data to show a sharp drop in births in 2020, the fourth straight decline following a brief rise in 2016, the first year after the one-child policy was lifted.

• New thinking: Many women, especially in cities, say they are in no hurry to get married and have a family. Most of the women who are resisting marriage and children wouldn’t call themselves feminists. The biggest challenge for the government is ordinary women just pushing back against pressure to get married and have children. In 1990, almost all Chinese women married before the age of 30, but by 2015, in cities like Shanghai, around one-fifth of women were still unmarried by their 30th birthday.

1. Mr. Xi has built Confucian values, including conservative views of women’s role in the family, into his “China Dream" of nationalist revival
2. If you’ve got these highly educated women who don’t want to get married, that then becomes part of the demographic worries and concerns that play into this larger discourse on family values
3. The state-sponsored All-China Women’s Federation is the main organ through which the Communist Party spreads its messaging for women
4. Xi has called families the “cells of society" that underpin the prosperity of the nation. While saying there should be equality between women and men, Xi stresses that society must “give full play to the unique role of women in promoting the family virtues of the Chinese nation"

• No impact at all: Despite such rhetoric from Xi himself, fewer Chinese marry every year. In 2019, China’s marriage registrations were 6.6 per 1,000 people, compared with 9.6 in 2014. Part of the problem is that the decades of the one-child policy mean there are now simply fewer people of marriage age.

1. Alarmed by a rise in divorces in parallel, Chinese authorities this year instituted a 30-day cooling-off period for couples who seek to split up. The wait, during which either party can opt out, can be especially disadvantageous for women trying to get out of abusive marriages
2. Of divorce cases that go to court, more than 70% are initiated by women, China’s highest-ranking judge has said. Lawyers and activists say judges routinely turn down divorce filings the first time around, ordering couples to try to work things out. Only 38% of cases adjudicated in court were granted a divorce in 2018, according to the Civil Affairs Ministry, the lowest ever.

• Social change: Pockets of society and media are increasingly accepting of divorce or staying single. Some say that if the government wants to defend marriage and raise fertility, “It should have policies supporting motherhood and not put all these burdens on women." Declines in state-funded child care are among reasons Chinese women are choosing to leave work. The challenge for many countries [seeking to raise fertility rates], including China, is the balance women face between employment, careers and caring for children and family.

• Summary: As the Chinese state grows more and more ambitious, and spreads its geopolitical tentacles far and wide, it may be hollowing out from within, facing a real demographic time bomb.

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

US House passes "No Ban Act"

1. The story: The US House of Representatives recently passed a bill that will limit the ability of the President to impose religion-based travel ban. It is informally called “No Ban Act”.
2. Why this: The "No Ban Act" was passed in response to the controversial “Muslim ban” passed by the former US President Donald Trump. The Muslim ban barred the travel from Muslim-majority countries to the US.
3. What it is: The NO BAN Act is the "National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Non-Immigrants Act."  Before imposing a restriction, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department should report to Congress about the restriction. The President should present his evidence of credible threat that initiated travel ban to the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary of the State. He shall impose the ban only after getting approval from DHS and the Secretary.
4. History: In 2017, the former President Trump imposed travel ban shortly after becoming the President of United States. It was struck down twice by the US courts. However, in 2018, the US Supreme Court upheld the act. The travel ban was initially applied only to countries such as Yemen, Syria, Iran, Libya and Somalia. However, it was later expanded to Eritrea, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan, Nigeria and Tanzania.
5. Muslims in the US: There are more than 3.45 million Muslims living in the US. This is 1.1% of the total US population (33 crore approx). Around 25,000 US citizens convert to Islam annually, and 50% of the Muslims are foreign born and 50% are native born. The origin of Muslims in the US soil dates back to the slave era. Muslims were brought as slaves to the American soil from Africa.

Beal seed viability experiment

1. What it is: The Beal Seed Viability Experiment was begun by William James Beam. He was an American Botanist who worked at the Michigan State University.
2. Beal Seed Viability Experiment: In 1879, Beal began one of the longest running experiments in botany. The experiment aims to study how long a weed can stay dormant in agricultural fields. Beal filled twenty bottles with a mixture of seed and sand. Each bottle consisted of fifty seeds from twenty-one different species. These bottles were buried with their necks pointing down to exclude water. The main objective of the experiment was to unearth the bottles every five years. And then plant these seeds to observe how many of the seeds sprouted. Later, the botanists who continued the experiment extended it to opening the bottle once in ten years. And now it has been extended to once in twenty years. This experiment is still running in the soil of Michigan State University. The study is due to end in 2100. So far, the experiment has run for 142 years.
3. Findings: In 2002, the Beal Seed Viability Experiment founded that some weed seeds are capable of surviving even hundred years if placed in an uncorked bottle with sand buried into soil.
4. Doomsday Vault: It is a seed bank, that houses samples of more than one million crop varieties from five thousand different species. Around two-fifth of the world seed varieties are stored in the vault. It is located in the Arctic region in the Island of Spitsbergen.

Triple Mutant Variant

• Trible shock: As India struggled to battle COVID-19 crisis, a triple mutant variant strain of COVID-19 has emerged as a fresh threat. It is also called the “Bengal Variant”. The triple mutant variant has been identified in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi and Chhattisgarh.

• What is it: The Triple Mutant Variant has evolved from the existing double mutation. In the triple mutant variant, three different COVID-19 strains have combined to form a new variant.

1. The double mutant variety has spread in India rapidly, carrying the mutations named E484Q and L452R
2. The E484Q was reported to be found in UK and South Africa. The L452R mutation was found in California. These mutations were associated with antibody escape and greater binding capacities.
3. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) announced that COVAXIN works against these mutations. The National Institute of Virology has been successfully isolating the mutations and testing them against the vaccines. Also, the INSACOG laboratories are processing the genome sequencing of these mutant variants. INSACOG is Indian SARS CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG).

• The worry: The new triple mutant variant carries the above double mutants along with another mutation in amino acids. In the triple mutant, two amino acids such as H146del and Y145del have been deleted. It may be quite worrisome as the transmissibility of the virus increases as it gets mutated. That is, a mutant virus spread rapidly. A mutant virus increases the severity of the disease. The ability of the virus to evade from getting detected by viral diagnostic tests increases. The mutants are also capable of evading the protection against immunization. The susceptibility to the therapeutic agents such as monoclonal antibodies decreases.

Govt. stuck with huge wheat stocks

1. What to do: Indian government has found itself in an embarrassing quandary over massive accumulation of wheat stocks and is running out of ideas for quick liquidation of the cereal in public warehouses. As of April 1, 2021, the government was holding 27 million tonnes (mt) of wheat stocks, over three times the minimum stock norm. The ongoing harvest and procurement (possibly 35 mt) is sure to add to the burden. The risk of a collapse in wheat prices cannot be ruled out.
2. Options: Consultations with the user industry have not yielded any effective solutions. Various strategies, including export, food-aid, open-market sale and so on, were being debated. Export is not feasible without subsidy; but any monetary support to export will soon attract WTO complaint by competitors. Even with subsidy, export volumes may be limited to less than one million tonnes, which is minuscule in relation to the inventory size.
3. Glut or what: In the short term, nothing substantial is expected to materialise, while the only certainty is that the stored material will continue to incur huge carrying costs (warehouse rent, interest) and be subject to deterioration of quality, damage and pilferage. Awash with wheat, the world market is not ready for the Indian cereal. The London-based International Grains Council has projected global wheat production for 2021-22 at a record 790 million tonnes (last year 773 mt). With consumption (778 mt) set to trail production for the second year in a row (756 mt), world wheat stocks are expected to hit a new record of 304 mt.
4. New variety may lift wheat output further: Indian wheat is currently outpriced in the export market. If domestic rates fall well below the procurement price of ₹1,975 a quintal towards ₹1,800 a quintal or if the rupee were to steeply depreciate, say, towards 77 to a dollar, there might be some export parity. But quality issues may continue to haunt Indian wheat. Actually, in 2021, policymakers failed to read advance signals.
5. Third successive year: This is the third successive year of large wheat harvest, far beyond what the country needs in terms of actual consumption plus buffer stocks. With a few hundred million people living below the poverty line (360 million according to the United Nations) and suffering acute malnutrition, it is unthinkable that massive mountains of food grains continue to be accumulated with no takers in sight. India seems averse to distribution of free ration like it did from April to November 2020 during the national lockdown but may be left with little choice eventually. India claims to have reached food self-sufficiency without meeting the genuine food needs of people!

9.1 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

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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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