{"id":16718,"date":"2023-09-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/uncategorized\/07-09-2023\/daily-current-affairs-07-09-2023\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T18:00:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T12:30:52","slug":"daily-current-affairs-07-09-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/07-09-2023\/daily-current-affairs-07-09-2023","title":{"rendered":"Daily Current Affairs &#8211; 07-09-2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Trade Relations between India and US<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus :GS 2\/International Relations\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India has dropped the retaliatory customs tariffs it had imposed on imports of some American goods such as<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> almonds and lentils<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Overview of Trade Relations\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The US is the largest trading partner of India. In 2022-23, the bilateral goods trade increased to $128.8 billion as against $119.5 billion in 2021-22.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The US is a significant destination for India\u2019s software exports.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The US is the third largest source of foreign investment for India, with over $60 billion invested between 2000 and 2023<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India\u2019s key exports <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">to the US are: Textiles and apparel, cut and polished diamonds, pharmaceuticals , petroleum products, machinery , electronics , steel , automobiles , gold jewellery, shrimp, smartphones .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>On the import side<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, the US is India\u2019s third largest partner, exporting goods of value $51.3 billion to India in 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India\u2019s essential imports from the US are petroleum crude, petroleum products, LNG , rough diamonds , coking coal, etc., machinery, electronics , medical equipment, etc., aeroplanes , and gold.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Issues and Challenges\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2018, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>US imposed 25 per cent and 10 per cen<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">t import duties on certain steel and aluminium products respectively on grounds of national security.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0In retaliation, India in June 2019 imposed customs duties on 28 American products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The US had filed a complaint in the WTO about India&#8217;s support measures to its export sector under different schemes.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0In 2019, a WTO dispute panel ruled that India&#8217;s export measures are inconsistent with global trade norms.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The U.S. has\u00a0 flagged concerns over India&#8217;s decision to impose import restrictions on certain electronic devices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Developments\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In June 2023 ,India and the US have agreed to end six trade disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO) while New Delhi will also remove retaliatory customs duties on 28 American products such as almonds, walnuts, and apples.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These tariff cuts will restore and expand market opportunities for US agricultural producers and manufacturers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The move will strengthen trade relationships .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India, the US and 12 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">other countries are negotiating the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The negotiations centre around four subjects called pillars. These are trade, supply chain, clean economy and fair economy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India has not joined the trade pillar but agreed to be an observer.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to India to participate in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>G20 Summit<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Future Outlook\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Both countries can resolve the disputes on mutually agreed terms and later inform the Geneva-based WTO about the same.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Experts believe that the trend of increasing bilateral trade with the U.S. will continue in the coming years also as New Delhi and Washington are engaged in further strengthening the economic ties.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India-US partnership has been one of equals both at the people and trade levels.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Both should maximise the opportunity without sacrificing strategic<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50847\/OPS\/GQFBNG5JE.1+GD3BNH0E9.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Reviewing 50% Cap of Reservation<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Opposition asked the Union government to remove the 50% cap on reservation, by raising it by 15-16% to accommodate more communities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Caste based reservation in India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was originally conceived in 1882 by William Hunter and Jyotirao Phule, and after the independence of India, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>only Scheduled Caste (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> were included for reservation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Other Backward Classes (OBCs)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> were included only after the recommendations of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Mandal Commission in 1991<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Mandal Commission<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1980, the BP Mandal-led Second Backward Classes Committee, often called the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Mandal Commission<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, had recommended 27% reservation for OBCs and 22.5% for the Scheduled Castes\/Scheduled Tribes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1990, the Congress government had granted 27% reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1991, the government issued another notification providing <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>an additional reservation of 10%<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for other <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>economically backward<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> sections.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, the 10% quota based on economic criteria was quashed by the Supreme Court, and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>upheld the 27% quota (as per Mandal commission).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The court observed that <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>a backward class cannot be determined exclusively based on economic criteria<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and noted that backward classes could be identified based on castes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Indra Sawhney Judgement (1992)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indra Sawhney v Union of India case<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, in a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1992 nine-judge bench, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">held that the Supreme Court <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>accepted a 50% cap on reservations <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">while deciding on reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Supreme Court of India capped caste-based reservation, ruling that &#8220;no provision of reservation or preference can be so vigorously pursued as to destroy the very concept of equality&#8221;.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, the court held that this reservation <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>could be breached<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>extraordinary situations<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019 with \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>extreme caution<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The court also ruled that total reservation provided under different categories must not cross the 50%. The court had also asked the government to separate creamy layers suitably.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In May 2021, the Supreme Court had held the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> reservation for Marathas<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to be unconstitutional as it violated the apex court orders stating that reservation in any<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> State should not exceed 50%<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Constitutional Provisions<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>Article 15(1)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> generally prohibits any discrimination against any citizen on the grounds of religion, caste, sex or place of birth.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Articles 15(4) and 16(4)<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> state that the equality provisions do not prevent the government from making special provisions in matters of admission to educational institutions or jobs in favour of backward classes, particularly the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>Article 16(1)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>16(2)<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> assure citizens equality of opportunity in employment or appointment to any government office.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Article 16(4A)<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> allows reservations to SCs and STs in promotions, as long as the government believes that they are not adequately represented in government services.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Why is caste-based reservation important in India?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Equality of status and opportunity and tools against social oppression and injustice: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Historical injustice and discrimination faced by backward classes like Dalits and Scheduled Tribes on the basis of birth.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Social upliftment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">: Securing employment by reserving seats in public service, and to ensure adequate representation by securing seats in Lok Sabha, State Legislatures and Panchayats.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What are the associated issues?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Caste based reservations are impediments on building a casteless society.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Reservation in India causes a \u2018race to backwardness\u2019 within and across the communities by strengthening casteism and ever widening quotas. It loses the original purpose envisaged and by time becomes a redundant and inefficient system.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50727\/OPS\/GC4BNB7RH.1+GCKBNBDQV.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Measuring Unemployment\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Indian Economy and Issues related to Employment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Periodic Labour Force Survey(PLFS) of 2021-22<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> showed the unemployment rate in India being <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>4.1%<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About:\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As per Periodic Labour Force Survey <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>(PLFS) 2017<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>unemployment rate of India was 6.1%<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>the highest ever recorded in India.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The PLFS of 2021-22 showed unemployment reducing to 4.1%, much lower than before,<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> but higher than some developed economies.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The U.S unemployment rate fluctuated between 3.5% in July 2022 to 3.7% in July 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Defining Unemployment<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Unemployment <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">is not synonymous with joblessness. The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>International Labour Organization (ILO) defines unemployment <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">as being out of a job; being available to take a job; and actively engaged in searching for work.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Therefore, an individual who has lost work but does not look for another job is not unemployed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The labour force is defined as the sum of the employed and the unemployed. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Those neither employed nor unemployed \u2014 such as students and those engaged in unpaid domestic work \u2014 are considered out of the labour force.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The unemployment rate<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is measured as the ratio of the unemployed to the labour force. The unemployment rate could also fall if an economy is not generating enough jobs, or if people decide not to search for work.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Measuring unemployment in India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The NSSO adopts<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> two major measures for classifying the working status <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of individuals in India,<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (UPSS) and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Current Weekly Status (CWS).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (UPSS):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">An individual\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>principal status<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, whether employed, unemployed or out of the labour force, is based on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>the activity in which they spent relatively a long time in the previous year.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>A person who is not a worker, according to the principal status, would still be counted as employed, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">if they were engaged in some economic activity in a subsidiary role for a period \u201c\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>not less than 30 days\u201d.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Thus, an individual unemployed for five months and working for seven months in the previous year would be considered a worker.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: decimal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Current Weekly Status (CWS):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The CWS adopts a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>shorter reference period of a week.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> An individual is counted as being employed if they have worked for \u201c\u2026at least one hour on at least one day during the seven days preceding the date of survey.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>UPSS unemployment rates will always be lower than CWS rates <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">because there is a greater probability that an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>individual would find work over a year as compared to a week.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The low bar for classifying an individual as employed explains why unemployment rates are lower in rural areas than urban.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In agrarian economies, where individuals have access to family farms, there is greater probability of finding some kind of work when compared to urban areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These definitions may \u2018underestimate\u2019 unemployment, but they were largely designed to capture the extent of the informal economy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> classifies individuals based on their <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>activity in the day preceding the interview. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They, therefore, estimate a higher unemployment rate, but lower labour force participation rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is because in an<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> informal economy,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> there is a lower chance of an individual having work on any given day as compared to longer periods of a week or a year.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">One cannot say which of the above frameworks is \u201cright\u201d or \u201cwrong\u201d for this represents an unavoidable trade-off in a developing economy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Adopt too short a reference period, and one gets higher rates of the unemployed and lower of the employed, and vice versa. This dilemma does not arise in developed nations where work is largely regular over the year.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Impact of lockdown<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The lockdown announced in March 2020 was a profound disruption to the Indian economy. But <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>this wasn\u2019t reflected in the PLFS unemployment rates,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> which covers a period between July of one year to June of the next.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The lockdown would have been covered in the last quarter of the 2019-20 PLFS, its after-effects seen in the 2020-21 PLFS. However, unemployment rates measured both by the UPSS and CWS standards fell in 2019-20 and 2020-21.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Way Ahead:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India needs to constantly upgrade its approaches to measure unemployment in the country to get the true picture of the economy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Alongwith, India needs to gradually move towards formalization, which will ease the collection of accurate data regarding employment and unemployment in the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50847\/OPS\/GQFBNG5J7.1+GD3BNH0HN.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Zero Draft of Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Environment degradation &amp; Pollution, Conservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to develop an international <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>legally binding instrument<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> on plastic pollution, recently released a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> zero draft<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>More about the \u2018zero draft\u2019<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The text is divided into four parts:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Part I: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It covers the objectives of the instrument and leaves placeholders, as requested at the second session of the committee from May 29-June 2 for elements that Members may wish to include but were not discussed at the second session.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Part II: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Elements in this Part are broadly structured around the life cycle of plastics and plastic products with the aim of addressing plastic pollution.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It aims to collectively promote the sustainable production and consumption of plastics through product design and environmentally sound waste management, including through resource efficiency and circular economy approaches.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Part III &amp; IV: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The third and fourth parts outline different options of measures aimed at collectively addressing the implementation of the instrument.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>UNEA\u2019s objectives:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The draft reflects the objective and mandate of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Zero draft &amp; INC<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The text of the draft, prepared by the INC Chair, is guided by the views expressed at the INC\u2019s first and second sessions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>INC- 1 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">was held in<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Uruguay\u2019s Punta Del Este<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. It ended in December 2022. The session implicitly endorsed the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019s position that plastic pollution is rooted in the material\u2019s lifecycle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>INC- 2<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> was held in June 2023 in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Paris<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>INC- 3<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The third session is to be held in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nairobi <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">from November 13-19, 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Member States will be invited to start INC-3 negotiations in Nairobi on the basis of the zero draft text.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Plastic &amp; pollution\u00a0\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Plastic refers to a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that use polymers as a main ingredient with their defining quality being their plasticity \u2013 the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation in response to applied forces.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This makes them extremely adaptable, capable of being shaped as per requirement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, recently, variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives have also emerged.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Data on plastic pollution<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">According to UN data, more than<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Of that, less than <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>10 per cent is recycled<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. Consequently, an estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Around the world, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, while up to five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In total, half of all plastic produced is designed for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>single-use purposes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u2013 used just once and then thrown away.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Hazards of Plastic waste<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Environmental pollution &amp; Climate change: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Millions of tonnes of plastic waste are lost to the environment or sometimes shipped thousands of kilometres to destinations where it is mostly burned or dumped.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Plastic, which is a petroleum product, also contributes to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> global warming<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If incinerated, its toxic compounds are spewed into the atmosphere to be <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>accumulated in biotic forms throughout the surrounding ecosystems<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>If incinerated<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, it also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thereby<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> increasing carbon emissions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Soil, water &amp; ocean pollution: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When buried in a landfill, plastic lies untreated for years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the process, toxic chemicals from plastics drain and seep into groundwater, flowing downstream into lakes and rivers.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The seeping of plastic also causes soil pollution due to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> presence of microplastics <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in the soil.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Rivers and lakes also carry plastic waste from deep inland to the sea, making them major contributors to ocean pollution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Slow decomposition rate: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Plastics are hard to eradicate due to their slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Decomposition rate refers to the rate at which a material breaks down into its constituent parts through chemical processes \u2013 plastics are remarkably durable in this sense.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Effect on Human Health: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Microplastics contain a number of toxic chemicals which pose severe risks to human health. The biggest health risk associated is with the chemical BPA or Bisphenol A , which is used to harden the plastic.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">BPA contaminates food and drinks, causing alterations in liver function, insulin resistance, foetal development in pregnant women, the reproductive system and brain function.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Tourism: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Plastic waste damages the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, leading to decreased tourism-related incomes and major economic costs related to the cleaning and maintenance of the sites.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>India\u2019s Efforts In Tackling Plastic Waste<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> It clearly stipulates that urban local bodies (ULBs) should ban<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> less than 50 micron<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> thick plastic bags and not allow the usage of recycled plastics for packing food, beverage or any other eatables.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It introduced the concept of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>EPR<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Extended Producer Responsibility) to manage plastics in India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The guidelines on<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> EPR(Extended Producer Responsibility) coupled with the prohibition of identified single-use plastic items<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic less than <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>seventy-five microns<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Central Pollution Control Board<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, along with state pollution bodies, will monitor the ban, identify violations, and impose penalties already prescribed under the Environmental Protection Act.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Swachh Bharat Mission \u2013 Urban 2.0:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Segregation and sorting:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under this, every Urban Local Bodies (ULB) is required to adopt<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 100% source segregation of waste<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, and have access to a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Material Recovery Facility (MRF)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>sorting the dry waste<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (including plastic waste) into further fractions for recycling and\/ or processing into value-added products.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Reuse:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">States and ULBs have also been advised to enter into <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>MoUs with nearby cement plants or other industrial units<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as well to ensure that a part of the plastic waste generated is used either as an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>alternative fuel in cement plants or for road construction purposes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Plastic Parks: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India has set up Plastic Parks, which are specialized industrial zones for recycling and processing plastic waste.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Government ministries at the national and local levels must collaborate in the development, implementation and oversight of policies, which includes participation from industrial firms, non-governmental organisations and volunteer organisations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Need is to develop tools and technology to assist governments and organisations in measuring and monitoring plastic garbage in cities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/news\/world\/zero-draft-of-global-treaty-to-end-plastic-pollution-released-ahead-of-nairobi-meet-91556\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>DTE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Special Protection Group (SPG)\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Various Security Forces and Their Mandate<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Context:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Special Protection Group (SPG) Director Arun Kumar Sinha, a 1987-batch Kerala-cadre IPS officer, died.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He was appointed as 12th Director of SPG in 2016, and was designated to serve till May 31, 2024, in the rank and pay of Director-General of Police.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Special Protection Group (SPG):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was established through <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>an act of Parliament<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> i.e <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018Special Protection Group Act, 1988\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Constitution and Regulations:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The SPG Act provides for the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>constitution and regulation of an armed force of the Union<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> called the Special Protection Group for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>providing \u2018proximate security\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Prime Minister<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and the members of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>his immediate family<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">; and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>any former Prime Minister<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> or to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>members of<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>his immediate family<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, any former Prime Minister or any member of the immediate family of the Prime Minister or of a former Prime Minister <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>may decline proximate security.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Control and Direction:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Union Government<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> exercised the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>general superintendence, direction and control<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and the power to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>command and supervision<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are vested in an officer, as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Director of the Group,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> appointed by the Union Government<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Director<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, to discharge his duties under this Act, be<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> assisted by <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Inspectors General, Deputy Inspectors General, Assistant Inspectors General and other officers as may be appointed by the Central Government.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Liability for service in and outside India:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Every member of the SPG shall be liable to serve <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>in any part of India as well as outside India.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Resignation and withdrawal from the post:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>No member<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the Group can:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">resign his appointment during the terms of his engagement; or<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">withdraw himself from all or any of the duties of his appointment, except with the previous permission in writing of the prescribed authority.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Tenure of service:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Every member of the Group holds <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>office during the pleasure of the President<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Restrictions:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>No member<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the Group shall, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>without the previous sanction in writing<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the Central Government or of the prescribed authority:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any trade union, labour union, political association; or<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any society, institution, association or organisation that is not of a purely social, recreational or religious nature; or<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">communicate with the press or publish or cause to be published any book, letter or other document except where such communication or publication is in the bona fide discharge of his duties or is of a purely literary, artistic or scientific character or is of a prescribed nature.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Amendment in SPG Act:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018Special Protection Group Act, 1988\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>amended in 1999<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Special Protection Group (Amendment) Act, 1999, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in which the \u2018proximate security\u2019 is withdrawn from a former Prime Minister, and immediate family members of such former Prime Minister:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Provided that where the level of threat faced by any member of the immediate family of a former Prime Minister warrants proximate security or any other security, such security shall be provided to that member.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Proximate Security:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It means protection provided from close quarters, during journey by road, rail, aircraft, watercraft or on foot or any other means of transport.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It includes the places of functions, engagements, residence or halt and shall comprise ring round teams, isolation cordons, the sterile zone around, and the rostrum and access control to the person or members of his immediate family.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50847\/OPS\/GQFBNG5JA.1+GD3BNH0GJ.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Aditya \u2018Dicky\u2019 Singh<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Conservation Efforts; GS4\/ Case Study<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Context:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Adiya \u2018Dicky\u2019 Singh died of a heart attack.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He was a noted wildlife photographer and conservationist, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>known for developing a forest reserve on the outskirts of the Ranthambore National Park<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of Rajasthan.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>left the Indian Administrative Service<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in 1998 and shifted to Ranthambore <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>to pursue his passion<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for wildlife photography and work on documentaries and conservation projects.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mr. Singh leased a government property and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>created a forest reserve<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> on the boundary of Ranthambore National Park <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>to stop illegal stone mining and rampant woodcutting<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Today, the lush green piece of land stands in sharp contrast to its surroundings.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Award and honour:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mr. Singh worked as a field assistant for wildlife <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>documentaries produced<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for BBC, National Geographic, Japan\u2019s NHK Broadcasting Service and several other institutions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He was a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>recipient of several awards<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, including the prestigious Carl Zeiss Award for Conservation in 2012 and the Sanctuary Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2011.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Governance of Forests in India:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The governance over forests was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>originally placed in the State List <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Schedule VII of Constitution of India) but it was placed in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Concurrent list by the 76th Amendment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. Therefore, the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> forests in India are governed by both the Union and the States<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Forest Reserves:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Indian Forest Act, 1927 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">enables the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>State government<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to exercise the power to issue a notification through an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Official Gazette under Section 4 of the Act<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to declare any forest or a piece of land a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018reserved forest\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The State Government by notification may regulate or prohibit the clearing of land for agrarian activities and cultivation, or grazing of cattle, pasture for cattle or clearing of land for protection against storms, flood, winds or avalanches to save such a land from soil erosion.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These forests are under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>direct supervision of the government<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>no public entry<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is allowed for collection of timber or grazing of cattle.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ranthambore National Park:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is located at the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>junction of the Aravali and Vindhya hill <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ranges in the district of Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It comes under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>dry-deciduous forest system<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and home to varieties of flora and fauna.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The landscape is dominated by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>10th century fortress of Ranthambore<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> while the valleys have numerous cenotaphs, ruins and abandoned settlements overcome by nature.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tigers at Ranthambore National park have been known to even hunt in full view of human visitors.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>History:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Ranthambore National Park was established initially as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1973, it was declared as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>one of the Project Tiger reserves<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in India, and declared <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>a National Park<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in 1980.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/conservationist-aditya-dicky-singh-who-left-civil-services-to-build-forest-dies-at-57\/article67277643.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Facts In News<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Kunbis<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Government Policies and Interventions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News:\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Maharashtra Cabinet recently decided that Kunbi caste certificates will be issued to members of the Maratha community who hail from the Marathwada region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Kunbis, the community associated with agriculture<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are grouped under the Other Backward Class category in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Maharashtra<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Those belonging to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Maratha community in<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Marathwada region of Maharashtra <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">with references of being Kunbis in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nizam-era revenue and education documents <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">will get Kunbi certificates.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Marathwada region was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>part of the erstwhile Hyderabad kingdom <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">before it became a part of Maharashtra.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A five-member panel headed by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>(retired) judge Sandeep Shinde <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">will determine the Standard Operating Procedure for giving caste certificates to members of the community referred to as Kunbis in Nizam-era documents.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50847\/OPS\/GQFBNG5J1.1+GD3BNH0JB.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>CDSCO\u2019s Alert for Antacid Syrup Digene Gel<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus :GS 2\/Health\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has warned about the voluntary recall of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Abbott India\u2019s popular antacid syrup Digene Gel.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Drug manufacturer Abbott India\u00a0 had voluntarily recalled the antacid medicine manufactured at the Goa site due to isolated customer complaints on taste and odour.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Antacid syrup Digene Gel<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is usually pink with a sweetish taste.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is known to relieve acidity and its symptoms such as heartburn, stomach discomfort, abdominal pain and gas.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It can be prescribed for gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) and acid reflux (a condition where stomach acid flows back to the food pipe).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It uses basic compounds like magnesium hydroxide to neutralise the stomach acid.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It works under the Directorate General of Health Services,Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0Its headquarter is located in New Delhi and also has six zonal offices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Functions\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Drugs &amp; Cosmetics Act,1940<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> , CDSCO is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country and coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organizations .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">CDSCO along with state regulators, is jointly responsible for grant of licenses of certain specialized categories of critical Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source:<\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/health\/cdsco-alert-on-commonly-used-digene-gel-after-recall-by-company\/article67277325.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>New Payment Options by NPCI<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS-3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> has announced the launch of the products by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> at the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Global Fintech Festival<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Credit Line on UPI: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This product enables customers to access pre-sanctioned credit lines from banks\u00a0 through UPI, promoting financial inclusion and innovation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>UPI LITE X: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under this, users can now both send and receive money offline even in areas with poor connectivity. UPI LITE payments are faster and require less processing time.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>UPI Tap &amp; Pay facility:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Alongside traditional scan and pay, it lets customers to simply tap <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Near Field Communication(NFC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">-enabled QR codes at merchant locations for swift payments.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Hello! UPI-Conversational Payments on UPI: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will enable users to make voice-enabled UPI payments via apps, telecom calls, and IoT devices in Hindi and English, with more regional languages to come.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>BillPay Connect- Conversational Bill Payments:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Bharat Bill pay has introduced a nationalised number for Bill Payments. With this, Customers can fetch and pay their bills by sending a simple message or by giving a missed call, even\u00a0 without smartphones or mobile data access<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>. Voice Assisted Bill Payments<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> facility is also available.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 22px;\">\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; width: 602px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #fff2cc; vertical-align: top; width: 602px; border: 1px solid #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Global Fintech Festival (GFF) 2023<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This event is being organised through the collaborative efforts of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), the Payments Council of India (PCI) and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Its main objective is to provide a uniform platform for leaders in the fintech sector to come together and build a roadmap for the future of industry.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The theme for GFF 2023 is \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Global Collaboration for a Responsible Financial Ecosystem\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, established by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks\u2019 Association (IBA) in 2008<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It has been incorporated as a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201cNot for Profit\u201d Company<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> under the provisions of Section 25 of Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013), with an intention to provide <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>infrastructure to the entire Banking system in India <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">for physical as well as electronic payment and settlement systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livemint.com\/industry\/banking\/npci-launches-new-products-users-can-now-make-voice-enabled-upi-payments-and-three-other-features-details-here-11694019509992.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Live Mint<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Schizostachyum andamanicum<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Conservation of Environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The patent office of Government of India has granted a patent to Botanical Survey of India for<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> \u2018reusable straw and its manufacturing\u2019.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The reusable straw is developed from a species of endemic <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>bamboo plant(<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>Schizostachyum andamanicum<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> which is found in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Andamans and Nicobar Islands.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Schizostachyum andamanicum was discovered on the island about three decades ago and now its economic potential has received a boost with the granting of the patent for reusable straw and its manufacture.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This species of bamboo is characterized by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>a thin large hollow erect culm (stem) with long internodes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and has potential for developing into a straw.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The morpho-anatomical structure of culm internodes of the endemic bamboo were <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>identical to modern synthetic drinking straws<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> which led to the idea for this novel invention.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>novel way to replace plastic straws with an organic alternative. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is a future technology to enhance the economy of farmers and bamboo growers of the island, if they cultivate this endemic bamboo species at a commercial level.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/energy-and-environment\/bsi-gets-patent-for-bamboo-based-reusable-straw\/article67277408.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Pirola<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>rise of Covid-19 infections<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in multiple countries is driven by a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>new Coronavirus variant<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> called BA.2.86, which is informally being termed <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018Pirola\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Pirola has been witnessed in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>US, the UK,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and other countries, in unrelated cases.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">So far, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>no deaths <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">have been reported among cases, according to the WHO.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There is not enough evidence right now to conclude whether Pirola could lead to more severe disease, death, or hospitalisation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Mutation in Viruses<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> natural<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for all viruses to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> mutate over time <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and such changes are particularly common in viruses that have <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>RNA <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">as their genetic material, as in the case of coronaviruses and influenza viruses.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Once a virus enters the human body, its genetic material \u2014 RNA or DNA \u2014 enters the cells and starts making copies of itself which can infect the other cells. Whenever<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> an error occurs <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">during this copying process, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>it triggers a mutation.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Whenever a virus is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>widely circulating <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in a population, the more it spreads and replicates, its <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>chances of mutating increases.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/everyday-explainers\/new-covid-19-variant-pirola-explained-8922278\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Fujianvenator Prodigiosus<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Scientists said they have unearthed the fossil of a Jurassic Period dinosaur named <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Fujianvenator Prodigiosus<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in Fujian Province.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is considered as a creature that sheds light on a critical evolutionary stage in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>origin of birds.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Fujianvenator is a member of a grouping called <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>avialans<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that includes<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> all birds <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and their <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>closest non-avian dinosaur relatives.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Fujianvenator fossil is fairly complete but <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>lacks the animal\u2019s skull and parts of its feet, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">making it hard to interpret its diet and lifestyle.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Physical Features:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Fujianvenator\u2019s lower leg bone &#8211; the tibia &#8211; was twice as long as its thigh bone &#8211; the femur.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Such dimensions are unique among theropods; it also had a long bony tail.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The forelimb is generally built like a bird\u2019s wing, but with three claws on the fingers, which are<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> absent from modern birds<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. So one can call it wing.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It cannot be determined whether it <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>could fly or not<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. The fossil itself does not preserve feathers.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, its closest relatives and nearly all the known <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>avialan theropods have feathers.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Therefore, it would not be a surprise<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> if Fujianvenator had feathers.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: center;\"><u>Study on the Origin of Birds<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Despite their modest beginnings, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>birds survived the asteroid strike 66 million years ago<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that doomed their <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>non-avian<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> dinosaur comrades.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A remarkable event in dinosaur evolution came when small feathered two-legged dinosaurs from a lineage known as<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> theropods<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> gave rise to birds late in the Jurassic, with the oldest-known bird &#8211; <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Archaeopteryx<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> &#8211; dating to roughly 150 million years ago in Germany.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Scientists are seeking a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>better understanding of the origin of birds<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as well as non-avian dinosaurs with bird-like traits.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The earliest chapters in the history of birds remain murky due a fossils shortage.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50847\/OPS\/GQFBNG5JM.1+GRTBNGADP.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>DD Sports is DD Sports HD Now<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Science &amp; Technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">DD Sports is DD Sports <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>high-definition (HD) now<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and started the telecasting of Asia Cup cricket matches.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">DD Sports made its debut on March 18, 1998, initially airing sports programs for 6 hours daily, which was subsequently extended to 12 hours in 1999.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is resolution?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Resolution quality refers to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> number of pixels in an image<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.The more pixels, the more detailed that image can be, and the higher the resolution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A 1080p resolution means the image has 1920 pixels horizontally by 1080 vertically (1920&#215;1080).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is high-definition (HD)?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">HD is just another term for 1080p or 1920&#215;1080, and those are all ways of referring to the same resolution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">4K has a resolution of 3840&#215;2160. That\u2019s a lot more pixels in the overall image \u2014 totaling over 8 million pixels. As always, the higher the resolution, the sharper the picture will be.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1955078#:~:text=DD%20Sports%20is%20DD%20Sports%20HD%20now.,ongoing%20Asia%20Cup%20cricket%20matches.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Trans-Lagrangian1 Insertion Manoeuvre<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology, Space<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The second earth-bound manoeuvre of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/27-01-2023\/mission-aditya-l1\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Aditya L-1<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> mission was performed successfully by the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The manoeuvre was performed by ISTRAC <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>to attain a new orbit<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Three more manoeuvres<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are scheduled, and after the final manoeuvre, Aditya-L1 will undergo <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>a trans-Lagrangian1 insertion manoeuvre<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, marking the beginning of its 110-day trajectory to the destination around the <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/27-01-2023\/mission-aditya-l1\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>L1 Lagrange point<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Upon arrival at the L1 point, another manoeuvre will bind Aditya-L1 to an orbit around <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>L1<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>a balanced gravitational location between the earth and the sun.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The satellite spends its whole mission life orbiting around L1 in an irregularly shaped orbit in a plane roughly perpendicular to the line joining the earth and the sun.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #fce5cd; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>ISRO\u2019s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">ISTRAC is entrusted with the major responsibility <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>to provide tracking support for all the satellite and launch vehicle missions of ISRO.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It has <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>established a network of ground stations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> at Bengaluru, Lucknow, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Mauritius<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, Sriharikota, Port Blair, Thiruvananthapuram, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brunei<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Biak (Indonesia)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Deep Space Network Stations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to achieve the following <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>objectives:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Carrying out mission operations of all operational remote sensing and scientific satellites, providing <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) services<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> from launch vehicle lift-off till injection of satellite into orbit;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To estimate its preliminary orbit in space and hardware and software developmental activities that enhance the capabilities of ISTRAC <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>for providing flawless TTC and Mission Operations services.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/50727\/OPS\/GC4BNB7RQ.1+GDLBNC0AS.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Combat Vehicles Research &amp; Development Establishment (CVRDE)<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Defense<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Context:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Raksha Rajya Mantri visited DRDO\u2019s Combat Vehicles Research &amp; Development Establishment (CVRDE) of DRDO in Avadi, Chennai.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He got familiarised with the advanced features of this indigenously developed Main Battle Tank (Arjun Mk I A).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Combat Vehicles Research &amp; Development Establishment (CVRDE):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is committed to the development of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>manned and unmanned variants of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and combat aircraft line-replaceable units.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It has capabilities in system integration &amp; field evaluation of various AFVs and its systems.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Vision of CVRDE: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To be a Centre for Design &amp; Development of State-of-the-art Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) for the Army &amp; Spin-offs for other services (Air force, Navy &amp; CAPF).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India\u2019s Main Battle Tank (Arjun Mk IA):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>developed indigenously<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> with modern battle tank technologies, and has enhanced the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>country&#8217;s self-reliance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in Armoured Fighting Vehicles.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>state-of-the-art weapon platform<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> with superior firepower, excellent mobility, increased protection and crew comfort with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>14 major upgrades over Arjun MBT Mk I <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">already in service with the Indian Army.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">After extensive field trial evaluation by the Users, two regiments of Arjun MBT Mk IA have been ordered on <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (a Defence PSU)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1955159\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>PIB<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>BHARAT DRONE SHAKTI 2023<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Defence<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Bharat Drone Shakti, a two-day event is going to be held at the Indian Air Force airbase in Hindan (Ghaziabad), Uttar Pradesh.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>The two-day event<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> will showcase survey drones, agriculture drones, fire suppression drones, and tactical surveillance drones and witness participation from more than 75 drone start-ups and corporates.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Host:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Indian Air Force (IAF) and Drone Federation of India will co-host Bharat Drone Shakti &#8211; 2023, where the Indian drone industry shall give live aerial demonstrations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Benefit:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> Bharat Drone Shakti will give a fillip to India&#8217;s commitment to becoming a global drone hub by 2030, reaffirming its commitment to advancing in the field of drone technology.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>Government Initiatives in Drone Sector<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Drones Rules, 2021<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> provide the necessary regulatory framework for commercial use of drones. These rules cover various aspects like type certification, registration and operation of drones, airspace restrictions, research, development and testing of drones, training and licensing, offences and penalties etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Drone Airspace Map<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> published in 2021, has opened nearly 90% of Indian airspace as a green zone for drones flying up to 400 feet.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">to promote the growth of drone manufacturing by private companies. The scheme provides for an incentive of Rs 120 crores, spread over three financial years. The PLI rate is 20% of the value addition over three financial years.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Drone certification scheme 2022,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> making it easier to obtain type certificates by drone manufacturers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Drone import policy 2022<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">, banning import of foreign drones and freeing up import of drone components.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Drone (Amendment) Rules, 2022 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">abolished the requirement of a drone pilot license.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1955079\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Industrial Development Scheme for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Infrastructure<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Cabinet has approved an amount of Rs. 1164.53 cr. for Industrial Development Scheme (IDS), 2017 for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The government of India announced <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Industrial Development Scheme, 2017,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in 2018 for the state of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Expenditure involved: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The financial outlay of IDS, 2017 was only Rs.131.90 crore,which was released during 2021-2022. Further, to meet the committed liabilities through the additional requirement of funds under the scheme up to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2028-29,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> the cabinet has approved the additional financial outlay amounting to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Rs.1164.53 crore<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> under the scheme.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As per the approval of additional funds the following incentives would be benefitted under the scheme:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Central Capital Investment Incentive for Access to Credit (CCIIAC):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> All eligible new industrial units and existing industrial units on their substantial expansion in the manufacturing and service sector will be provided Central Capital Investment Incentive for access to credit @ 30% of the investment in Plant and Machinery with an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>upper limit of Rs.5.00 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">crore.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Central Comprehensive Insurance Incentive (CCII): <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">All eligible new and existing industrial units on their substantial expansion located anywhere in the states will be eligible for reimbursement of 100% insurance premium on insurance of building and Plant &amp; Machinery for a maximum period of 5 years from the date of commencement of commercial production \/ operation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1955110\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India has dropped the retaliatory customs tariffs it had imposed on imports of some American goods such as almonds and lentils.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[76],"class_list":["post-16718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16718"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54257,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16718\/revisions\/54257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}