Context

• As northern India faces an intense heat wave, the most vulnerable are the workers, especially those engaged in hard physical labour.
• Delhi has reported temperatures surpassing 50 degrees Celsius, creating severe and life-threatening conditions for labourers.
• The death of a 40-year-old worker due to extreme heat has prompted the Lieutenant Governor's office to issue guidelines and this intervention highlights the urgency and severity of the situation for those who work under the scorching sun.

Existing Heat Action Plan and Gaps in these Policies

• Existing Heat Action Plans
  • Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are designed to help government departments prepare for and respond to heat waves.
  • These plans, as mandated by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), are intended to be comprehensive, covering city, district, and state levels.
  • While HAPs have been instrumental in reducing casualties, they often fail to address the specific needs of different vulnerable groups, particularly informal urban workers.
  • Many cities in India lack HAPs, and existing ones rarely include detailed provisions for workers, focusing instead on a broad “outdoor workers” category without specific interventions.
• Inadequate Coverage and Implementation
  • Although the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) mandates the drafting of HAPs at city, district, and state levels, many regions still lack comprehensive plans.
  • In many cities where HAPs do exist, their implementation is often inconsistent and lacks depth.
  • This inconsistency means that the benefits of HAPs are not uniformly experienced across different areas, leaving many vulnerable populations, particularly in urban environments, without adequate protection.
• Insufficient Focus on Informal Workers
  • Existing HAPs largely overlook the specific needs of informal workers, who constitute a significant portion of the urban workforce.
  • These workers include construction labourers, street vendors, domestic workers, and home-based workers, all of whom face unique challenges during heat waves.
  • When HAPs do mention workers, they often refer generically to outdoor workers without acknowledging the diverse and specific needs of different types of labour.
  • This lack of specificity results in insufficient and inappropriate interventions that fail to address the actual conditions faced by these workers.
• Short-Term, Reactive Approach
  • Many HAPs adopt a short-term, reactive approach focused on immediate relief measures rather than long-term solutions.
  • This approach is evident in the ad hoc nature of interventions such as temporary water provision and altering work hours during peak heat periods.
  • While these measures provide immediate relief, they do not address the underlying vulnerabilities that worsen the impact of heat waves on workers.
  • There is a need for HAPs to integrate with broader urban planning and climate action plans to ensure sustainable and resilient solutions.
• Rural Bias in Planning
  • HAPs are often designed with a rural bias, neglecting the unique challenges of urban environments.
  • Urban areas experience the "heat island effect," where dense infrastructure and reduced vegetation contribute to higher temperatures.
  • Informal settlements in cities, where many workers live, are particularly vulnerable due to poor housing conditions and limited access to basic services.
• Lack of Integration with Urban Planning
  • HAPs often operate in isolation from other urban planning and development initiatives and there is little coordination between HAPs and urban design, housing policies, or infrastructure development.
  • This lack of integration means that opportunities to create more heat-resilient urban environments are missed.
  • For example, urban greening, improved housing designs, and better urban mobility can significantly reduce heat exposure and improve the quality of life for informal workers, but these measures are rarely considered in HAPs.
• Absence of Worker Participation
  • Another critical gap is the lack of participation from worker communities in the development and implementation of HAPs.
  • Informal workers, who are most affected by heat waves, often have valuable insights and practical knowledge about their working conditions and the specific challenges they face.
  • Their exclusion from the planning process results in measures that may not be practical or effective.

Policy Recommendations to Mitigate the Impact of Heat Wave

• Reconceptualising Heat Waves
  • There is an urgent need to treat heat waves as prolonged disasters rather than conventional events, linking HAPs with long-term urban planning and climate action plans.
  • The NDMA should collaborate with urban stakeholders like the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE).
• Worker Participation
  • Worker communities must have a voice in the preparation of action plans.
  • The government should engage worker welfare boards and committees like the Town Vending Committees (TVC) for street vendors in drafting and implementing HAPs.
  • Engaging worker welfare boards and similar organisations in the drafting of HAPs can lead to more tailored and impactful interventions.
• Gender-Specific Needs
  • The impact of heat waves is not gender-neutral. Women workers, who make up a large portion of the informal workforce, face additional challenges that are often overlooked in HAPs.
  • These include increased care responsibilities, health risks related to reproductive health, and greater exposure to heat in domestic and care work settings.
  • HAPs need to incorporate gender-specific measures to address these challenges, ensuring that interventions are equitable and inclusive.
• Economic and Health Protection
  • The economic and health impacts of heat waves on informal workers are profound, yet HAPs rarely include measures to mitigate these effects comprehensively.
  • Informal workers often face income loss due to reduced working hours and increased expenses on health care and protective measures.
  • There is a need for HAPs to include provisions for income protection, such as compensation for lost wages, and access to affordable health care.
  • Additionally, social protection systems should be strengthened to provide a safety net for workers during extreme heat events.
• Rethinking Labor Laws
  • As labour laws and the Labour Codes are reformed, integrate considerations of climate change and its impact on work.
  • This integration ensures that labour laws are responsive to the new challenges posed by extreme heat and other climate-related events.
  • There is a need to extend legal protections to informal workers, ensuring they have the same rights and benefits as formal workers.
  • This includes provisions for safe working conditions, fair wages, and access to social security.
• Urban Reimagining
  • The government should consider redesigning urban spaces to make the needs of informal workers visible and prioritised.
  • This redesign includes ensuring access to water, shade, and rest spaces in public and work areas.
  • Also, there is a need for more investment in urban infrastructure that mitigates the impact of heat waves.
  • This includes increasing green spaces, improving housing conditions in informal settlements, and enhancing public transportation.

Conclusion

• The brutal heat wave in northern India has underscored the urgent need for comprehensive and inclusive measures to protect the most vulnerable workers.
• By integrating long-term planning, inclusive policies, and worker participation, India can better safeguard its informal workforce against the devastating impacts of extreme heat.
• Ensuring that cities are designed with workers' needs is crucial for developing a more resilient and equitable urban environment.

Why in News? After a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was hit by sudden and severe turbulence over Myanmar, a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Dublin encountered severe turbulence over Turkey. Though flights around the world experience varying degrees of turbulence on a daily basis, the recent incidents that result in serious injuries are rarer, pointing towards the impact of explosive growth in air traffic and climate change.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What is Flight-Turbulence, its Types and Causes?
• Impact of Climate Change on Flight-Turbulence

What is Flight-Turbulence, its Causes and Types?

• Meaning of flight-turbulence:
  • Turbulence is an irregular motion of the air resulting from eddies and vertical currents.
  • It may be as insignificant as minor bumps or severe enough to throw an airplane out of control or to cause structural damage.
  • Turbulence is associated with fronts, wind shear, thunderstorms, etc.
• Effects of flight-turbulence:
• 
• Types of flight-turbulence:
  • Light turbulence momentarily causes slight changes in altitude resulting in slight bumpiness.
  • During moderate turbulence, aircraft may experience more notable changes in altitude and attitude, but the plane remains well under control.
  • In severe turbulence, there are significant and sudden changes of altitude and attitude, and the aircraft could momentarily go out of control.
  • In extreme turbulence, the plane is violently tossed about and is practically impossible to control.
• Causes of flight-turbulence:
  • Mechanical turbulence: It is the result of friction between the air and the ground - irregular terrain and man-made obstacles - that leads to formation of eddies.
  • Convective or thermal turbulence: It is caused when hot air from certain ground surfaces rises rapidly while cooler air descends, resulting in convective air currents. Frontal turbulence: It is caused by the friction between two opposing air masses and the lifting of warm air by the sloping frontal surface and is most common close to thunderstorms.
  • Wind shear: It is the change in wind direction/ wind speed (in temperature inversion areas, around jet streams, etc) over a specific horizontal or vertical distance.
    • Clear air turbulence (CAT), which can be sudden and severe and is extremely difficult to forecast or see, may be considered as a type of wind shear turbulence.

Impact of Climate Change on Flight-Turbulence:

• Findings of the study: According to some studies, climate change could make turbulence more frequent and severe.
• How can this be claimed?
  • Climate change is strengthening the jet streams that cause turbulence.
  • A large increase in CAT between 1979 and 2020 in the mid and aircraft cruising altitudes.
  • Over the North Atlantic, severe/ greater CAT durations increased by more than 55% over this period.
• Future predictions:
  • The frequency of severe turbulence would increase more than that of light or moderate turbulence.
  • Not only CAT, but also mountain wave turbulence and near-cloud turbulence will intensify due to climate change.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background (Context of the Article)
• About Tobacco in India (Awareness, Legislative Provisions, Initiatives, Challenges, Way Ahead)

Background:

• Statistics
  • Tobacco is a major cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. It harms both users and those who grow it.
  • With around 26 crore users, India has the second highest number of tobacco users after China.
• Impact on health and environment
  • The health of over 60 lakh workers in the tobacco industry is also at risk due to skin absorption of tobacco.
  • Tobacco farming harms the environment by depleting soil nutrients and causing deforestation.
  • Processing tobacco requires a lot of wood, and its production generates a significant amount of waste.
    • Up to 5.4 kg of wood is required to process 1 kg of tobacco.
• Financial burden
  • In 2017-2018, the health impacts of tobacco cost India over ₹1.7 lakh crore, far exceeding the ₹48,000 crore health budget for that year.
  • Additionally, cleaning up tobacco waste costs around ₹6,367 crore annually, not including the costs of soil erosion and deforestation.

Awareness, Legislative Provisions and Initiatives Taken by the Government with respect to Tobacco:

• Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)
  • Launched in 2005, the FCTC aims to reduce tobacco usage worldwide by helping countries develop demand and supply reduction strategies.
  • India is one of the 168 signatories of the WHO’s FCTC programme.
• COTPA Act, 2003
  • COTPA stands for Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution).
  • It has 33 sections governing the production, advertisement, distribution, and consumption of tobacco.
• National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP)
  • India also launched the National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) in 2007.
  • NTCP is designed to improve the implementation of COTPA and FCTC, improve awareness about the harms of tobacco use, and help people quit it.
• Apart from these interventions, tobacco taxation — a globally accepted method to effectively control tobacco use — is also applied in India.

Challenges Associated with respect to Curbing Tobacco Consumption:

• Poor Implementation of Existing Measures
  • Smokeless tobacco products often don't follow the packaging rules set by COTPA, and smuggled tobacco products are poorly regulated.
  • Fines for breaking these rules are outdated, with companies only facing a maximum fine of ₹5,000 for their first violation.
  • COTPA bans direct tobacco ads but is unclear about indirect ads, leading to surrogate advertisements.
    • These ads use products like elaichi to promote tobacco brands indirectly.
    • For example, during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, there were surrogate ads for two tobacco brands, endorsed by famous cricketers. These ads indirectly encourage tobacco use.
• NTPC’s Lack of Effectiveness
• A 2018 study reported no significant difference in the reduction of bidi or cigarette consumption between NTCP and non-NTCP districts.
• Possible reasons for this included insufficient staffing, resource allocation, and utilisation, and lack of effective monitoring mechanisms.
• Tax Evasion
  • The Indian government's attempts to tax tobacco have been hindered by tax evasion, such as buying tobacco in areas with lower taxes and illegal activities like smuggling, illicit manufacturing, and counterfeiting.
  • Tobacco taxes in India are low and haven't kept up with rising incomes, making tobacco products more affordable over the years.
  • A 2021 study found that cigarettes, bidis, and smokeless tobacco products had become more affordable in the past decade, and the shift to the Goods and Services Tax system made these products even cheaper.
  • Tax burden of 51% for cigarettes, 22% for bidis, and 64% for SLTs, much lower than the FCTC’s recommendation of at least 75% tax.

Way Ahead:

• India has strong laws (COTPA, PECA, NTCP) to control tobacco use and production, but they need stricter enforcement.
• Additionally, tobacco taxes should be increased to match recommendations, inflation, and economic growth.
• The government can also help tobacco farmers switch to other crops, preventing job losses.
• Studies show that crops like jowar can be more profitable than tobacco.
• Up-to-date data on tobacco use is essential to counter industry tactics and effectively control tobacco. Without this data, efforts to manage tobacco use will fall short.

Why in news? AgniKul Cosmos, a start-up incubated at IIT Madras, has launched the world’s first single-piece 3D printed rocket engine, designed and built indigenously in the country. With assistance from ISRO, the startup successfully carried out a sub-orbital test-flight of its home-built rocket — Agnibaan —from Sriharikota.

What’s in today’s article?

• 3D printing
• Agnibaan

3D printing

• About
  • 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process of creating three-dimensional objects from digital models by adding material layer by layer.
  • It is an additive process, in which layers of a material like plastic, composites or bio-materials are built up to construct objects that range in shape, size, rigidity and colour.
  • This process allows for more efficient and customized production compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods.
• Some of the notable examples of 3D printing
  • 3D printing is being used in a host of different industries like healthcare, automobile and aerospace.
  • In May this year, aerospace manufacturing company Relativity Space launched a test rocket made entirely from 3D-printed parts, measuring 100 feet tall and 7.5 feet wide.
    • Shortly after it’s take off, however, it suffered a failure.
  • At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the healthcare industry used 3D printers to make much-needed medical equipment, like swabs, face shields, and masks, as well as the parts to fix their ventilator

Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator)

• About
  • Agnikul Cosmos has test-fired its rocket named Agnibaan SOrTeD (Suborbital Tech Demonstrator).
    • A sub-orbital launch is a spaceflight that reaches outer space but doesn't complete an orbit around the Earth.
    • The spacecraft's trajectory intersects the Earth's atmosphere or surface, so it doesn't become an artificial satellite or reach escape velocity.
  • This was the fifth attempt by Agnikul to launch the Agnibaan SOrTeD since March 22.
  • With this, AgniKul becomes the second private company to launch a rocket after India's first privately developed rocket, from the company Skyroot, flew in 2022.
• Features
  • Agnibaan is a customizable, two-stage launch vehicle that can carry a payload of up to 300 kg into orbit of about 700 km.
  • The rocket uses a semi-cryogenic engine, a technology that is yet to be demonstrated by the ISRO in any of its rockets.
    • A semi-cryogenic engine is a type of rocket engine that uses a combination of liquid and gaseous propellants.
    • It operates at temperatures higher than cryogenic engines but lower than traditional liquid rocket engines.
    • They use refined kerosene instead of liquid hydrogen, which is lighter and can be stored at normal temperatures.
    • Kerosene also takes up less space, allowing for more propellant to be carried in the engine's fuel compartment.
    • When combined with liquid oxygen, kerosene provides a higher thrust for the rocket.
  • The test flight aims to:
    • demonstrate the in-house and homegrown technologies, gather crucial flight data, and
    • ensure the optimal functioning of systems for AgniKul's orbital launch vehicle, the 'Agnibaan'.
  • It can access both low and high-inclination orbits and is completely mobile — designed for accessing more than 10 launch ports
• Agnibaan – a series of many firsts
  • Agnibaan has become the world’s first 3D printed engine.
  • It became the first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.
  • It also became India’s first rocket launch from a private launchpad.
  • Agnibaan is powered by the only rocket engine in the country that uses both gas and liquid fuel (liquid oxygen/kerosene).
• Significance
  • Typically, engine parts are manufactured separately and assembled later.
  • Using the 3D-printed manufacturing process is likely to lower the launch cost and cut down the vehicle assembly time.
  • It will help in offering affordable launch services to small satellites.

Why in news?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported a 17% increase in its FY24 income to ₹2,75,572.32 crore. Its balance sheet grew 11.08 per cent to Rs 70.47 lakh crore in the fiscal ended March 31, 2024.

What’s in today’s article?

• Sources of income of RBI
• Key highlights of the financial performance of RBI

How does the RBI make money?

• Interest on Loans and Advances:
  • To Commercial Banks
    • The RBI lends money to commercial banks and charges interest on these loans, typically through mechanisms like the repo rate.
  • To the Government
    • The RBI also provides temporary loans to the government through mechanisms like Ways and Means Advances (WMA).
      • WMA is a facility for both the Centre and states to borrow from the RBI.
      • These borrowings are meant purely to help them to tide over temporary mismatches in cash flows of their receipts and expenditures.
      • Section 17(5) of the RBI Act, 1934 authorizes the central bank to lend to the Centre and state governments subject to their being repayable “not later than three months from the date of the making of the advance”.
      • The interest rate on WMA is the RBI’s repo rate, which is basically the rate at which it lends short-term money to banks.
• Investments in Government Securities
  • The RBI invests in various government securities (bonds, treasury bills).
  • The interest earned on these investments constitutes a significant portion of its income.
• Foreign Exchange Operations
• The RBI holds and manages India’s foreign exchange reserves.
• It earns income from investing these reserves in foreign assets, such as US Treasury bonds and other high-quality foreign securities.
• The RBI also profits from the buying and selling of foreign currencies.
• Issue of Currency
  • The RBI has the exclusive right to issue currency in India.
  • It earns seigniorage, which is the difference between the value of money and the cost to produce it.
    • For instance, if it costs Rs. 1 to print a Rs. 200 note, the seigniorage profit is Rs. 199.
• Management of Government Accounts
  • The RBI acts as a banker to the government.
  • It manages the government’s accounts, collects taxes, and disburses payments. The RBI charges the government for these services.
• Fees and Commissions
• The RBI charges fees and commissions for various services provided to the government, financial institutions, and the general public, such as managing public debt and conducting auctions of government securities.
• Open Market Operations (OMO)
  • The RBI buys and sells government securities in the open market.
  • Profits are made from the difference between the purchase price and the selling price of these securities.
• Earnings from Discount and Rediscount Operations
  • The RBI provides liquidity to commercial banks by rediscounting their bills and charging interest on these transactions.
• Penalties and Fines
  • The RBI imposes penalties and fines on banks and other financial institutions for non-compliance with regulatory requirements. This also contributes to its income.
• Miscellaneous Income
  • The RBI earns miscellaneous income from various other activities, including income from its subsidiary organizations, sale of data and publications, and other financial services.

Key highlights of the financial performance of RBI in FY 24

• Increase in balance sheet
  • The size of the RBI’s balance sheet increased by 11.08 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 70.47 trillion as of March 31, 2024 (FY24).
    • The size of the balance sheet was Rs 63.44 trillion a year ago.
  • This increase is driven by its liquidity and foreign exchange (forex) operations.
  • The increase on the asset side was due to a rise in foreign investments (13.9 per cent), gold (18.26 per cent), and loans and advances (30.05 per cent).
  • On the liability side, the expansion was due to an increase in notes issued (3.88 per cent), deposits (27 per cent), and other liabilities (92.57 per cent).
• Balance sheet has now normalised to its pre-pandemic level
  • The bank’s balance sheet size grew to 24.1 per cent of gross domestic product at the end of March 2024 from 23.5 per cent at the end of March 2023.
  • The balance sheet has now normalised to its pre-pandemic level.
    • The balance sheet of the central bank reflects activities carried out in pursuit of various functions, including the issuance of currency, monetary policy, and reserve management objectives.
• Surge in net income of RBI
• The central bank’s net income surged by 141.22 per cent Y-o-Y for the financial year ended March 2024.
• This is primarily due to a sharp reduction in expenditures, particularly lower provisions.
• RBI’s expenditure declined
  • 
  • The RBI’s expenditure declined by 56.29 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 64,694.33 crore.
  • This included a provision of Rs 42,819.91 crore made and transferred to the contingency fund (CF).
    • The provision for CF is for unexpected and unforeseen contingencies.
    • It covers depreciation in the value of securities. It addresses risks from monetary or exchange rate policies.
    • It also handles systemic risks and other special responsibilities of the RBI.
    • The amount is kept within the RBI.
• Amount transferred to the central government
  • The surplus transferred to the central government amounted to Rs 2.1 trillion in FY24, up from Rs 874.16 billion crore in FY23.

Context

• The discourse surrounding the religious demography of India has often been clouded by sensationalism and misinterpretation, particularly by media and political figures.
• A recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), titled "Share of Religious Minorities: A Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015)," has become a focal point of such misinterpretations.
• Therefore, it is important to critically examine the findings and interpretations of the EAC-PM’s working paper, contextualizing them within broader socio-economic dynamics and demographic trends.

The Core Misinterpretation

• The crux of the misinterpretation lies in the portrayal of the Muslim population growth as a significant threat to the Hindu majority.
• The EAC-PM paper acknowledges its limitations, stating that the factors influencing religious demography are multifaceted and complex.
• Despite this, it makes a flawed assertion that an increase in the Muslim population signifies thriving minorities in India, a claim that lacks substantive evidence.
• Fertility rates alone are not indicative of a flourishing community; rather, they reflect underlying socio-economic conditions.

An Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors and Population Growth of Muslim Population

• The Role of Education
  • Education is a critical determinant of fertility rates and overall population growth.
  • Communities with higher levels of educational attainment, particularly among women, tend to have lower fertility rates.
  • Education empowers individuals with knowledge about family planning, reproductive health, and the economic implications of having more children.
  • In India, disparities in educational attainment between different religious communities can partly explain variations in population growth rates.
  • The Muslim community, which has historically faced barriers to accessing quality education, exhibits higher fertility rates compared to the Hindu community.
  • This suggests that the higher population growth rate among Muslims is not a reflection of religious doctrine but rather a consequence of limited educational opportunities.
• Economic Conditions
  • Economic conditions significantly influence family size and population growth. Families with better economic stability tend to have fewer children, as they can invest more resources in each child’s health, education, and overall well-being.
  • Conversely, in economically disadvantaged communities, higher fertility rates can be a coping mechanism for economic insecurity, with children often seen as contributors to the household income.
  • The higher growth rate of the Muslim population in India can be attributed to the community's lower average income levels and limited access to economic opportunities.
  • Addressing economic disparities is essential for moderating population growth and improving overall human development.
• Healthcare Access
  • Access to healthcare, particularly reproductive health services, plays a crucial role in determining fertility rates.
  • Communities with better access to healthcare services, including contraception and maternal health care, tend to have lower fertility rates.
  • The Muslim community in India has historically faced challenges in accessing healthcare services, which has contributed to higher fertility rates.
  • Improving healthcare access for all communities is vital for achieving balanced population growth and enhancing quality of life.
• Cultural Factors and Gender Norms
  • Cultural factors and gender norms also influence fertility rates. In some communities, traditional norms that value large families and early marriage can lead to higher fertility rates.
  • Efforts to promote gender equality and empower women to make informed reproductive choices are essential for moderating population growth.
  • Programs aimed at changing cultural attitudes towards family size and encouraging later marriages can have a significant impact on reducing fertility rates.
• Urbanisation and Migration
  • Urbanization and migration patterns also affect population growth.
  • Urban areas typically have lower fertility rates than rural areas due to better access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
  • Migration from rural to urban areas can lead to a decline in fertility rates as individuals adapt to the socio-economic conditions of urban life.
  • In India, rural areas, where the Muslim population is relatively more concentrated, tend to have higher fertility rates.
  • Promoting urbanization and facilitating the integration of rural communities into urban settings can contribute to balanced population growth.
• Human Development Indicators
  • Overall human development indicators, such as life expectancy, child mortality rates, and literacy rates, are closely linked to population growth.
  • Communities with higher human development indicators tend to have lower fertility rates.
  • The Muslim community's lag in human development indicators compared to the Hindu community highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for all.

The Broader Context of Religious Demography

• Historical Stability in Religious Composition
  • Historical data suggests that the religious composition of India has remained relatively stable over the decades.
  • According to the 2021 Pew Research Centre report, which analysed Census data from 1951 to 2011, the proportions of India's major religious groups have shown remarkable stability since Partition.
  • This stability is a significant counterpoint to claims of dramatic demographic shifts.
  • The Hindu population has consistently constituted a large majority, while the proportions of other religious groups, including Muslims, have grown at a predictable rate.
  • This historical perspective is crucial for understanding that changes in religious demography are gradual and not indicative of sudden or alarming shifts.
• Projections and Future Trends
  • Projections by leading demographers provide a more nuanced understanding of future demographic trends. P. N. Mari Bhat and Francis Zavier, in their 2005 study, projected that the proportion of Muslims in India’s total population would peak at around 18.8% by 2101.
  • This projection is based on historical trends and accounts for factors such as declining fertility rates and improvements in socio-economic conditions.
  • The recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data shows a significant decline in Muslim fertility rates, suggesting that the peak proportion might be even smaller if similar studies were conducted today.
  • These projections highlight that fears of Muslims overtaking Hindus in population numbers are unfounded and not supported by empirical evidence.
• Socio-Economic Development and Demographic Trends
  • Socio-economic development plays a critical role in shaping demographic trends.
  • Improved education, healthcare, and economic opportunities lead to lower fertility rates across all communities.
  • The decline in Muslim fertility rates, as observed in the NFHS data, is a direct result of better access to education and healthcare.
  • This trend is expected to continue as development efforts reach more communities.
  • Therefore, socio-economic development is a key factor in achieving balanced population growth and should be the focus of policy interventions.

Conclusion

• The sensationalism and misinterpretation of the EAC-PM working paper's findings are detrimental to an informed public discourse.
• Accurate understanding of population dynamics requires a nuanced analysis of socio-economic conditions and demographic data.
• As India awaits updated Census data, it is crucial to foster a more informed and balanced discussion on religious demography, free from divisive political narratives.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background (Context of the Article)
• About Suez Canal (History, Route, etc.)
• About UNCTAD (Objective, HQ, Members, etc.)
• How Trade Disruptions Affect Global Temperatures

Background:

• As Houthi militants are attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, there is a crisis-like situation as these ships have to take longer routes.
• Since the attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebel forces began in the Suez Canal last year in October, hundreds of ships have been diverted around the Cape of Good Hope.
• This takes about 10 to 15 days of voyage time resulting in higher emission.
  • For example, a large container ship’s journey from China to Germany, for example, emits 38 per cent more carbon dioxide, or 4.32 million kilograms, if it goes around Africa instead of through the Suez Canal
• The United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has said that global trade disruptions are causing ships to spend more days at sea causing a surge in the emission of greenhouse gases.

About Suez Canal:

• It is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt. It was built in 1869
• It connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez.
• It provides shortest sea link between Asia and Europe by avoiding the South Atlantic and southern Indian oceans and reducing distance from the Arabian Sea to London by 8,900 kilometers.
• The canal was nationalized by Egypt in 1956 after brief war against the UK, France and Israel.

About United nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD):

• UNCTAD is a permanent inter-governmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.
• It is responsible for dealing with development issues, particularly international trade.
• Framing policies in various domains such as trade, technology, finance, aid, and transport are the most important priorities of UNCTAD.
• The Conference ordinarily meets once in four years.
• The second UNCTAD Conference took place in New Delhi, India in 1968.
• Members: 195 countries; Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

How Trade Disruptions Contribute to Rising Temperatures?

• Each metal container aboard a commercial ship can also be tracked individually as they travel to their destinations.
• The container tracking allows the companies that are buying or selling the goods to then calculate the carbon footprint of their supply chain and distribution – a key step for reducing their emissions.
• Reuters, a media organisation, analyzed tracking data for more than 6,000 rerouted containers shipped between Dec. 15, 2023 and March 31, 2024.
• On average, each container traveling on its original route is associated with around 1.07 tons of CO2 released.
• However, data from the rerouted shipments shows they actually emitted on average 1.35 tons of carbon dioxide per container. That’s 0.28 tons more for each container.
• By the first half of February 2024, 586 container vessels had been rerouted, while container tonnage crossing the canal fell by 82 per cent as per the UNCTAD.
• The UNCTAD said that for the first time, the world faces simultaneous disruptions in two major global maritime trade waterways, with far-reaching implications for inflation and food and energy security.
• Since October 2023, there have been more attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
• These attacks are adding to problems already happening in the Black Sea because of the war between Ukraine &Russia, and in the Panama Canal because of droughts caused by climate change.

Why in news? Around 36% of India’s population is living in cities and by 2047 it will be more than 50%. The World Bank estimates that around $840 billion is required to fund the bare minimum urban infrastructure over the next 15 years.  Against this backdrop, the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme was launched in June 2015, with its 2.0 version launched on October 1, 2021.

What’s in today’s article?

• AMRUT
• AMRUT 2.0
• Analysis of AMRUT Scheme

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)

• About
  • AMRUT was launched to provide basic civic amenities as to improve the quality of life for all especially the poor and the disadvantaged.
  • The focus of the Mission is on infrastructure creation that has a direct link to provision of better services to the citizens.
  • 
  • The Mission covers 500 cities that includes all cities and towns with a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities.

AMRUT 2.0

• About
  • The target in the second phase of AMRUT is to
    • improve sewage and septic management,
    • make our cities water safe cities and
    • ensure that no sewage drains anywhere in our rivers’
  • In other words, AMRUT 2.0 focused on enhancing sewerage and septic management and to make all Indian cities water secure.
• Aim
  • providing 100% coverage of water supply to all households in around 4,700 urban local bodies by providing about 2.68 crore tap connections
  • 100% coverage of sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities by providing around 2.64 crore sewer or septage connections
• Principles and Mechanism
  • AMRUT 2.0 will adopt the principles of circular economy and promote conservation and rejuvenation of surface and groundwater bodies.
  • The Mission will promote data led governance in water management and Technology Sub-Mission to leverage latest global technologies and skills.
  • ‘Pey Jal Survekshan’ will be conducted to promote progressive competition among cities.
• Coverage
  • Extends coverage from 500 cities under the first phase to 4,700 cities and towns.
  • It will benefit more than 10.5 crore people in urban areas.

Analysis of AMRUT scheme

• Performance of scheme
  • The AMRUT dashboard shows that as of May 2024, a sum of ₹83,357 crore has been dispersed so far.
  • This amount has been utilised to provide a total of 58,66,237 tap connections, and 37,49,467 sewerage connections.
  • A total of 2,411 parks have been developed, and 62,78,571 LED lights have been replaced.
• Criticism
  • It is estimated that about 2,00,000 people die every year due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene.
    • In 2016, the disease burden due to unsafe water and sanitation per person was 40 times higher in India than in China. This has not improved much.
    • Huge amounts of waste water and little treatment enhances the vulnerability and incidence of diseases.
  • Around 21 major cities are going to run out of ground water. In a NITI Aayog report it was stated that 40% of India’s population will have no access to drinking water by 2030.
  • Nearly 31% of urban Indian households do not have piped water; 67.3% are not connected to a piped sewerage discharge system.
  • Average water supply per person in urban India is 69.25 litres/day, whereas the required amount is 135 litres.
  • Additionally, air quality in AMRUT cities and in other large urban settlements continue to worsen.
    • A National Clean Air Programme was launched by the central government in 2019, as AMRUT 2.0 focused only on water and sewerage.
• Challenges
• The AMRUT scheme was fundamentally flawed, adopting a project-oriented rather than holistic approach.
• It lacked city participation and was driven by bureaucrats, parastatals, and private companies, with minimal involvement from elected city governments.
• Governance was dominated by non-elected officials, violating the 74th constitutional amendment.
  • The apex committee was headed by the MOHUA secretary, and state committees were led by chief secretaries.
  • It excluded people's representatives and favored a private nexus of consultants and professionals.
• Water management in cities must consider climate, rainfall patterns, and existing infrastructure.
• Sewage treatment plants are inefficiently designed, with faecal matter traveling longer distances than the average worker's commute.
• Urban planning, driven by private players and real estate developers, often leads to the disappearance of water bodies, disrupted storm water flows, and a lack of proper storm water drainage systems.
• Way forward
  • The scheme needs nature-based solutions and a comprehensive methodology with a people centric approach and empowering local bodies.

Why in news? The Mungeshpur weather station in Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 52.9 degree Celsius, an all-time record for any location in India. However, later, in an update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) clarified that the record-breaking temperature was an error in sensor or local factor. The IMD is currently examining the data and sensors to verify the accuracy of the recorded temperature.

What’s in today’s article?

• Temperature Anomaly in Delhi
• Why do temperatures vary from place to place within the same city?
• Temperature records across the world

Temperature Anomaly in Delhi

• Anomaly
  • The maximum temperature across Delhi NCR varied from 45.2 degrees Celsius to 49.1 degrees Celsius in different parts of the city.
    • The IMD runs 20 weather stations in Delhi, 15 of which are automatic weather stations, or AWS, including Mungeshpur.
    • AWS record and transmit weather parameters without human intervention.
  • Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees Celsius as an outlier compared to other stations.
  • The IMD stated that this discrepancy could be due to an error in the sensor or specific local factors.
• Factors leading to high temperature in Delhi
  • The rain deficit contributed to the heat build-up.
  • Clear skies and westerly winds from Rajasthan where temperatures have hit 50 degrees have contributed to the heat in Delhi-NCR.
  • Climatology-wise, this is also the time of intense heating across northwest India, including Delhi-NCR.
• Heatwave conditions to reduce in next 2-3 days
  • As per IMD, heatwave conditions will reduce during the next 2 - 3 days due to:
    • gradual fall in temperature in association with approaching western disturbance,
    • rainfall/thunderstorm and
    • south-westerly wind blowing from the Arabian Sea to northwest India.

Why do temperatures vary from place to place within the same city?

• Temperatures experienced by a particular region are largely governed by weather. However, several anthropogenic factors also play a role, especially in a large urban centre such as Delhi.
• These factors include the concentration of pavements, buildings, roads, and parking lots.
  • In general, hard and dry surfaces provide less shade and moisture, thereby leading to higher temperatures.
• The material used to build infrastructure also has an impact.
  • For instance, places where most of pavements and buildings are made of concrete, witness warmer temperatures.
  • That’s because concrete can hold nearly 2,000 times as much heat as an equivalent volume of air.
• The geometry and spacing of buildings are a factor as well.
  • If a location is densely populated by buildings, surfaces and structures there become large thermal masses as they fail to release heat readily.
  • Very narrow streets and tall buildings obstruct natural wind flows that generally bring temperatures down.
• The heavy use of air conditioners in shopping malls and residential areas result in localised higher temperatures — ACs release an enormous amount of heat outdoors.
• These factors can collectively lead to the creation of ‘urban heat islands’ at a location.
  • These islands experience higher temperatures relative to outlying areas.
  • The likelihood of a place becoming an urban heat island is higher when it does not have trees, vegetation, and water bodies.
  • Natural landscapes bring down temperatures because they provide shade, and the processes of transpiration from plants and evaporation from water bodies produce cooling.

How temperature records are tumbling across the world?

• Statistics from around the world
  • United Kingdom crossed 40 degree Celsius for the first time ever in July 2022.
  • A small town in China’s northwest recorded 52 degree Celsius last year, the highest ever for that country.
  • In 2021, Sicily in Italy recorded 48.8 degree Celsius, the highest for Europe ever.
    • The highest ever temperature recorded anywhere on Earth, 56.7 degree Celsius in a place called Death Valley in the desert of California, United States, was recorded more than 100 years ago, in 1913.
• Study report by Carbon Brief (UK-based publication focused on climate change)
• The study showed that nearly 40% of the Earth had recorded its highest-ever daily temperature between 2013 to 2023.
• This includes places in Antarctica as well.
• Global Warming
  • The year 2024 was predicted to be extremely warm. Last year had emerged as the warmest year on record, globally, and the effect was expected to continue this year as well.
• Warming in India
  • The warming over India is not as pronounced as the world taken as a whole.
  • Annual mean temperatures over India have risen by about 0.7 degree Celsius compared to 1900 levels.
  • This is significantly lower than the 1.59 degree Celsius rise for average land temperatures across the world.
    • If oceans too are included, global temperatures right now are at least 1.1 degree Celsius higher than pre-industrial averages.
  • However, heatwaves over India are noticeably more severe.
  • In 2023, heatwave conditions prevailed even in February, technically a winter month for which heatwave thresholds are not even defined because they are not expected.

Why in News? A meeting was held to plan strategies for negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) at a time when the Commerce and Industry Ministry is engaged in discussions on several trade agreements.

In the meeting, the commerce secretary led the discussion on how to prevent resource overuse and efficiently manage workload.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Status of India’s FTAs
• What are the Stumbling Blocks for India’s FTA Negotiations?
• Discussions at the FTA Strategy Meet
• Suggestions for India at the FTA Strategy Meet

Status of India’s FTAs:

• Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA):
  • India signed a TEPA with a 4-nation non-EU European Bloc of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
  • The agreement included investment promotion, with European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries promising $100bn investment in 15 years, as long as high GDPs and other economic factors remain.
• With UAE, Mauritius and Australia: During the last couple of years, the Commerce Ministry completed negotiations with UAE, Mauritius and a mini trade deal with Australia.
• The India-UK FTA: It has made some progress, but it is unclear if it can be signed now, because of elections in both countries.
• India-EU Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA):
  • Negotiations for a BTIA began in 2007, but reached a deadlock in 2013 over a number of unresolved issues.
  • Prospects for a BTIA dimmed further in 2017, when India terminated bilateral investment treaties (BIT) with dozens of countries, including most of the EU Member States.
• Reviewing a trade deal with ASEAN countries: With an eye on narrowing the trade gap, the Commerce Ministry is reviewing a trade deal with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP): In 2019, India also walked out of the RCEP - 15 nation Asian and Australian FTA.
• Talks with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU): Following the general elections, the government has made indications that it intends to reopen talks with the EEU, which is led by Russia.

What are the Stumbling Blocks for India’s FTA Negotiations?

• The launch of India's "Make in India" or "Atmanirbhar Bharat" policy is in opposition to discussions on free trade.
• The agriculture sector has always been protected by India, and the majority of FTAs completely ignore it.
• India argues for strict Rules of Origin provisions because it is worried that Chinese goods may flood the markets through FTAs with other countries.
• India is being compelled to accept more foreign patents as a result of the growing concern over intellectual property rights as nations turn to R&D as their main source of economic growth.
• Issues like human rights concerns and democratic freedoms are all permeating talks for the EU, EFTA, and now Canada.
• FTAs defeat the purpose of the WTO, and bypass global mechanisms for free trade.

Discussions at the FTA Strategy Meet:

• The discussions highlighted that relevant stakeholder consultations are essential for inclusive and supportive outcomes.
• It highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary support noting that successful negotiations require expertise in law, economics, data analytics and industry specific knowledge to enhance the negotiation process.
• Participants explored ways to utilise the resources of India’s embassies or missions abroad, which would help understand the regulatory regimes of partner countries.
• The global trend towards partial de-globalisation and the use of industrial policy as a cover for protectionism and geopolitics, plays an important role in shaping trade policies.

Suggestions for India at the FTA Strategy Meet:

• India should use FTAs to
  • Build resilient supply chains,
  • Focus on capacity building and interdisciplinary expertise, and
  • Adapt to the current trend of partial de-globalisation and geopolitical influences.
• India should negotiate a dedicated chapter on Critical Minerals with such mineral-rich countries to protect India from abrupt disruption in the supply chain.
• Evolution and drafting of SOP and documentational or institutional memory must be in place before beginning future negotiations.

Context

• As the 2024 general election in India draws to a close, the absence of sign language interpreters during the ECI’s announcement in March is a stark reminder of the pervasive exclusion faced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) citizens.
• This incident underscores the broader societal neglect and ableism that continue to marginalise the DHH community in everyday life.
• It is important to assess everyday challenges for DHH individuals, limited opportunities and what needs to be done.

The Push for Equity and the Reality of Exclusion

• India's aspirations for equity in education, healthcare, and rights are fundamentally undermined by the failure to dismantle ableist barriers that exclude DHH individuals.
• The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness is a case in point.
• While it addresses the prevention and treatment of hearing impairment, it falls short of enhancing the quality of life for DHH individuals.
• The program focuses on theoretical aspects of screening and hearing aids but neglects the Indian Sign Language (ISL), a crucial element of deaf communication.
• Despite the establishment of the ISL Research and Training Centre by the Social Justice Ministry in 2015 and recommendations for ISL standardisation in schools as per the National Education Policy 2020, ISL remains unrecognised as an official language and is sparsely used in educational systems, even in schools for the deaf.

The Oralism Debate and Educational Exclusion

• Historical Context and Pedagogical Approaches
  • The debate between oralism and the use of sign language in educating deaf individuals has deep historical roots, reflecting broader societal attitudes towards disability and communication.
  • Oralism, which emphasises teaching deaf individuals to use their voices and read lips rather than relying on sign language, emerged in the late 19th century.
  • Proponents of oralism believed that integrating deaf individuals into the hearing world was best achieved by encouraging them to mimic spoken language as closely as possible.
  • This approach assumed that speech and lip-reading would enable deaf individuals to function more effectively in a predominantly hearing society.
• Criticisms of Oralism
  • Despite its intentions, oralism has been widely criticised for its limitations and negative impacts on deaf individuals.
  • One of the primary criticisms is that oralism often leads to linguistic deprivation, especially in children.
  • Learning to speak and read lips can be extremely challenging and time-consuming for many deaf individuals, leading to delays in language acquisition and cognitive development.
  • Without early and consistent exposure to a natural language, such as sign language, deaf children are at risk of not developing the foundational language skills necessary for effective communication and learning.
  • Additionally, the focus on oralism can create significant social isolation for deaf individuals.
  • The pressure to conform to oral communication can also undermine the development of a strong, positive deaf identity and a sense of belonging within the deaf community.
• The Case for Sign Language
  • In contrast, using sign language as the primary mode of instruction for deaf students has been shown to have numerous benefits.
  • Sign language is a natural and fully developed language that enables deaf individuals to communicate effectively from an early age.
  • Research has demonstrated that early exposure to sign language supports cognitive development and academic achievement, allowing deaf children to develop language skills on par with their hearing peers.
  • Furthermore, sign language fosters a sense of community and cultural identity among deaf individuals.
  • Being part of a linguistic and cultural minority can provide a strong sense of belonging and self-worth.
• The Indian Context
  • In India, the education system has largely adhered to the oralist approach, which has significant implications for deaf students.
  • Most educators in schools for the deaf are not trained in Indian Sign Language (ISL), perpetuating a cycle of exclusion and limited accessibility.
  • The current educational framework focuses on "rehabilitation," expecting deaf individuals to adapt to their surroundings rather than addressing the societal barriers that impede their inclusion.
  • This approach fails to recognise the value of sign language and the importance of providing deaf students with a language-rich environment that supports their linguistic and cognitive development.

The Invisible Deaf Population, Everyday Challenges and Opportunities

• The Invisible Population
  • According to the 2011 Census, India has five million hearing-impaired people, but the National Association of the Deaf estimates 18 million, while the World Health Organization estimates nearly 63 million Indians have significant hearing impairment.
  • Despite these numbers, DHH individuals are often invisible in society and only 5% of deaf children attend school, and those who do often face prolonged educational timelines due to an oralist curriculum.
  • Employment opportunities for the deaf are limited, with government recruitment practices sometimes favouring those with lesser impairments, leading to protests.
  • Despite petitions for ISL recognition, the government has been resistant, citing the adequacy of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA) 2016, yet this act falls short in practical implementation.
• Lack of Accessibility in Public Transport
  • DHH individuals face numerous everyday challenges due to a lack of accessibility in public transport, media, public structures, and emergency services.
  • Basic activities, such as following public announcements or accessing customer service, are insurmountable tasks.
  • While some progress has been made with accessible options in films and sports, much remains to be done.
  • Employment opportunities for the deaf are often restricted to low-skill jobs, and the government sector lags in accessibility and inclusion initiatives.
  • Protests by the deaf community demanding better education and employment opportunities have often been met with force or empty promises.
• Healthcare and Mental Health Accessibility
  • Access to healthcare poses additional challenges for the deaf community, as most hospitals lack interpreters, complicating communication.
  • This is especially problematic in mental healthcare, where a lack of ISL-trained professionals further marginalises DHH individuals.
  • Although the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 promises universal mental health care, its implementation is ineffective, with only 250 certified sign language interpreters available and no clear data on ISL-trained mental health professionals.

Way Forward: Moving Towards Accessibility and Inclusion

• To address these issues, it is imperative to recognise ISL as an official language and integrate it into schools and colleges for both hearing and DHH students.
  • This approach would also create employment opportunities for DHH individuals as educators.
• Moreover, healthcare systems need to be updated to ensure easy and accessible communication for DHH patients, including employing language-concordant physicians.
  • Regulatory commissions in medical fields must reduce barriers for DHH individuals aspiring to healthcare professions, fostering a more inclusive workforce.
• Media channels should consistently offer deaf programming, and government event announcements should include live ISL interpreters, as seen in many other countries.
• Timely interventions in these areas could lead to significant improvements, potentially ensuring real-time ISL interpretations in future elections.

Conclusion

• The challenges faced by the DHH community in India are multifaceted and deeply entrenched in societal ableism.
• While some progress has been made, much needs to be done and therefore it is crucial for authorities to actively engage with the DHH community and address their specific needs.
• By recognising and implementing necessary changes, India can move towards a more inclusive society where the rights and needs of DHH individuals are fully acknowledged and met.

Why in news?

Six people were killed in West Bengal in incidents triggered by cyclone Remal that struck the coastline recently. In Northeast, heavy rain caused by the cyclone triggered landslides in several places in Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, and Nagaland, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people so far.

Almost the entire region, including Sikkim and northern West Bengal, is landslide prone. Cyclone-triggered landslides have hit Northeastern states on earlier occasions as well. Cyclone Aila had caused landslide events in this region in May 2009.

What’s in today’s article?

• Landslides and factors responsible
• Classification and mapping of landslides
• Landslide vulnerability of India
• Steps taken by India to deal with landslides
• Way forward

Landslide and factors responsible

• A landslide is defined as the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope.
• Landslides are a type of "mass wasting," which denotes any down-slope movement of soil and rock under the direct influence of gravity.
• Landslides occur mainly in mountainous terrains where there are conducive conditions of soil, rock, geology and slope.
• Natural Causes that trigger includeS heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snow melting and undercutting of slopes due to flooding.
• Landslides can also be caused by Anthropogenic Activities such as excavation, cutting of hills and trees, excessive infrastructure development, and overgrazing by cattle.
• In India, rainfall-induced landslide events are more common.

Classification and mapping oflandslides

• Landslides are broadly classified based on the –
• 

Landslide vulnerability of India

• According to the Geological Survey of India (GSI), about 42 million square km of India’s landmass, or about 13% of its area, spread over 15 states and 4 UTs is prone.
• This covers almost all the hilly regions in the country. About 0.18 million square km, or 42% of this vulnerable area is in the Northeastern region, where the terrain is mostly hilly.
• 

Steps taken by India to deal with landslides

• NDMA is working with GSI
  • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been working with GSI and other agencies to mitigate and manage the risks from landslides.
• National Landslide Risk Management Strategy finalized
  • A National Landslide Risk Management Strategy was finalised in 2019.
  • This strategy talked about vulnerability mapping, identifying the most vulnerable locations, development of an early warning system, and preparation of mountain zone regulations.
• Early warning
  • Some early warning systems have been developed and deployed on a trial basis at a few locations. These warning systems are linked to rainfall forecasts from IMD.
    • The rainfall prediction is combined with soil and terrain information to calculate whether it is likely to result in displacement of land.
  • Since earthquakes themselves cannot be predicted, building landslide early warning based on earthquakes can be difficult.
  • But rainfall-based early warning systems for landslides seem to work well.

Way forward

• Need to factor in the carrying capacity of mountains
  • The risk from landslides has been exacerbated by the failure to remain mindful of the terrain’s ability to withstand the load.
  • Many hilly areas do not have building regulations. Often, regulations are not implemented effectively.
  • New constructions, infrastructure development, and even agricultural practices can increase the risk of landslides.
• Need for building resilience to multi-hazard disasters
  • One event can trigger another, and can lead to multiple disasters simultaneously.
  • Over the last few years, India has witnessed events in which heavy rainfall has resulted in a breach of glacial lakes, causing flash floods that have resulted in landslides and flooding.

Why in news? Amritpal Singh, the jailed head of the pro-Khalistan outfit Waris Punjab De, announced his intention to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Punjab's Khadoor Sahib seat on June 1.

Despite facing criminal charges, he can run for office unless convicted. However, like other accused persons in Indian prisons, he will be barred from voting in the upcoming elections.

What’s in today’s article?

• Legal status of the right to vote and the right to be elected
• Disqualification on conviction for certain offences and associated challenges
• Bar against the right to vote for confined persons

What is the legal status of the right to vote and the right to be elected?

• The right to vote and the right to be elected are ‘statutory rights’
  • In 1975, the Supreme Court in Indira Gandhi v Raj Narain recognized free and fair elections as part of the Constitution's basic structure, allowing laws violating this principle to be struck down.
  • However, the Apex Court has held that the rights to elect and be elected do not enjoy the same status.
  • In 2006, a five-judge Bench in Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India ruled that voting is a statutory right, not a fundamental right, and can be regulated by laws enacted by Parliament.
    • The same was held for the right to be elected by the Bench.

Disqualification on conviction for certain offences and associated challenges

• Bar against contesting elections only after conviction
  • Section 8 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 (RP Act) is titled “Disqualification on conviction for certain offences”.
  • It mandates that individuals convicted of specified offences are disqualified from contesting elections to Parliament or state legislatures from the date of conviction.
  • Additionally, they face a six-year disqualification period from contesting elections, starting from the date of their release.
  • This disqualification only kicks in once a person has been convicted and does not apply if they have only been charged with criminal offences.
• Challenges
  • Section 8 of the RP Act challenged in SC
    • In 2011, a petition filed by the Public Interest Foundation argued that persons who have criminal charges framed against them or file false affidavits regarding their criminal history should also be disqualified.
    • However, a five-judge bench unanimously held that only the legislature could alter the RP Act.
    • In 2016, a petition was filed in SC for the permanent disqualification of convicted persons. The case is still ongoing.
  • Delays in criminal cases against MPs and MLAs
    • In November 2023, the Supreme Court noted delays in criminal cases against MPs and MLAs.
    • It ordered Chief Justices of all High Courts to register a suo motu case titled “In Re: Designated Courts for MPs/MLAs.”
    • The High Courts were instructed to ensure the “expeditious and effective” disposal of these cases.
    • However, a report in April 2024 showed 4,472 such cases are still pending.
• Exceptions to disqualification
  • ECI's Power to Modify Disqualification Period
    • In 2019, the Election Commission of India (ECI) used its power under Section 11 of the RP Act to reduce the disqualification period for Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
      • As per Sec 11, EC may, for reasons to be recorded, remove any disqualification under this Chapter (except under section 8A) or reduce the period of any such disqualification.
    • He had been released after a one-year prison sentence for misappropriating funds and subsequently won a bye-election.
  • Apex court staying the conviction
    • Disqualified MPs or MLAs can contest if their conviction is stayed on appeal.
    • In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that staying a conviction removes the associated disqualification.

Bar against the right to vote for confined persons

• Voting Restrictions Under Section 62 of the RP Act
  • Section 62 of the RP Act restricts voting rights, stating that no person shall vote if they are confined in prison or in police custody, except for those in preventive detention.
• SC on such restrictions
  • Section 62 of RP Act bars individuals with criminal charges from voting unless released on bail or acquitted.
  • In 1997, the Supreme Court upheld this rule in Anukul Chandra Pradhan v. Union of India.
  • It rejected the argument that it violated the right to equality by discriminating against undertrials and those unable to pay bail.
• Grounds on which SC rejected the argument that it violated the right to equality
  • The court re-affirmed that the right to vote was a statutory right and could be subject to statutory limitations.
  • The court held that there is a resource crunch as infrastructure would have to be provided and police would have to be deployed.
  • A person in prison because of their conduct cannot claim equal freedom of movement, speech and expression.
  • Last, restrictions on prisoners’ right to vote are reasonable as it is connected to keeping persons with criminal background away from the election scene.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background (Context of the Article)
• Fire Safety Regulations (Standards, National Building Code, Rules, Challenges, etc.)

Background:

• The recent fire tragedies at a gaming zone in Gujarat’s Rajkot and a children’s hospital in Delhi have claimed the lives of at least 40 people in a span of 24 hours.
• This has shifted the spotlight on fire safety regulations and the need for stringent enforcement of safety measures, particularly in buildings vulnerable to man-made disasters.
• According to the latest Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) Report, released by the National Crimes Records Bureau (NCRB), as many as 7,435 people were killed in over 7,500 fire accidents in 2022.

Fire Safety Regulations in India:

• Published in 1970, the National Building Code (NBC) is India's central standard for fire safety. It was last updated in 2016.
• It provides detailed guidelines for general construction, maintenance, and fire safety of buildings.
• State governments are required to incorporate NBC recommendations into local building bylaws, as fire services are a state subject.
• The 'Model Building Bye Laws 2016' guide states and urban areas in drafting building bylaws.
• Apart from that, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also provides guidelines on fire safety in homes, schools, and hospitals.

About the National Building Code:

• The National Building Code outlines measures to ensure fire safety, focusing on measures that can be reasonably achieved.
• It defines fire zones, such as residential areas and educational institutions, to prevent industrial and hazardous structures from coexisting with residential, institutional, and business buildings.
• The Code also categorizes buildings into nine groups based on occupancy, such as hotels, hospitals, and assembly buildings.
• It emphasizes the use of non-combustible materials and minimum 120-minute rating for internal walls in staircase enclosures.
• The Code also outlines maximum height, floor area ratio, open spaces, and fire-resistant openings.
• The Code emphasizes the importance of flame-retardant electrical installation, with medium and low voltage wiring in separate shafts and false ceilings.
• All metallic items should be bonded to the earthing system.
• An emergency power-supplying distribution system is recommended for critical requirements, including exit signage, lighting, fire alarm systems, and public address systems.
• The Code also recommends technologies for fire protection, such as automatic fire detection systems, down-comer pipelines, sprinklers, fireman's lifts, fire barriers, and escape routes.

Challenges Associated with Fire Safety in India:

• Fire safety rules in all states, including the National Building Code (NBC), are often ignored due to the absence of uniform safety legislation and the NBC being a "recommendatory document."
• Even mandatory certifications are not complied with. Fire safety audits are underutilized due to the failure of local bodies to conduct regular checks and enforce compliance.
• Shortage of staff exacerbates the issue, leading to tragic loss of lives in fires like the Rajkot game zone and Delhi hospital fires.
• The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) highlights the need for community resilience and compliance with safety norms.

Why in News?

According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), with 46% of scammed money being lost to cybercrimes originating in southeast Asian nations, Jamtara and Mewat have been overshadowed as centres of financial cyber fraud in India.

Organised cybercrime gangs in Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao PDR are hiring Indian job-seekers and then compelling them to defraud fellow citizens in India (through investment, digital arrest, trading and dating scams).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)?
• Findings of the I4C
• Types of Cybercrimes Originating from these Southeast Asian Countries

What is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)?

• I4C has been established under the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) to act as a nodal point at National level in the fight against cybercrime.
• The scheme to set up the I4C was approved by the MHA in October 2018, however, it was inaugurated in New Delhi in January 2020.
• It aims to provide a platform to deal with cybercrimes by improving coordination between various Law Enforcement Agencies and stakeholders.
• One of the important objectives of I4C is to create an ecosystem that brings together academia, industry, public and government in prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes.
• I4C has envisaged the Cyber Crime Volunteers Program to bring together citizens with passion to serve the nation on a single platform and contribute in the fight against cybercrime in the country.

Findings of the I4C:

• A large number of Indians are falling prey to financial fraud carried out over the Internet, allegedly by criminals based in three contiguous southeast Asian countries: Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
• The I4C found that 46% of such frauds reported between January - April this year originated in these three countries, in which the victims cumulatively lost an estimated Rs 1,776 crores.
• The Indian government had set up an inter-ministerial committee comprising various law enforcement and intelligence agencies to tackle the recent ‘spurt’ in transnational organised cybercrimes.

Types of Cybercrimes Originating from these Southeast Asian Countries:

• Trading scams:
  • The alleged fraudsters issued ads on social media offering free trading tips, often using pictures of well-known stock market experts and fake news articles.
  • The victims would be asked to install some specific trading applications and start investing on the apps.
  • The victims deposited money in particular bank accounts to buy shares, and were shown some fake profits in their digital wallets. But when they tried to withdraw this money, they were unable to do so.
  • Between January and April this year, Indians lost Rs 222 crore to 20,043 trading scams.
• Digital arrest:
  • A caller would inform potential victims that they had either sent or were the intended recipients of a package containing contraband, illegal products, drugs, forged passports, etc.
  • Once they had the target, the criminals would contact them over Skype or another video calling platform.
  • They would pose as law enforcement officials and demand money for a compromise and closure of the case.
  • The victims were digitally arrested, which meant they were forced to stay visible to the criminals until their demands had been met.
  • Between January and April this year, Indians lost Rs 120 crore to 4,600 digital arrest scams.
• Investment/ task-based scams:
  • Scammers target victims through WhatsApp, promising money for boosting social media ratings of some entities.
  • They are then asked for bank details, receive a small sum, and are lured into larger investments with promised returns.
  • Profits never materialise, leaving victims trapped in a fraudulent scheme, highlighting the exploitation of trust for financial gain.
  • Between January and April this year, Indians lost Rs 1,420 crore to 62,587 investment scams.
• Dating scams:
  • The male victims were seduced by individuals they mistook for foreign women.
  • These "women" would make preparations to meet in person after making marriage or relationship proposals.
  • The victim would receive a call from the "woman" explaining that she had been held at the airport and needed money to be released.
  • Between January and April this year, Indians lost Rs 13 crore to 1,725 romance/dating scams.

Context

• The recent renewal of the contract between India and Iran, allowing New Delhi to invest in and operate the Shahid-Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port for another decade, highlights the strategic and economic importance of this project.
• This agreement comes at a tumultuous time in West Asia, marked by ongoing conflict in Gaza, heightened Israel-Iran tensions, and a destabilizing helicopter crash that killed Iran’s President and Foreign Minister.
• Despite these challenges, the Chabahar project remains a pivotal element anchoring the economic relations between India and Iran.

Strategic Significance of Chabahar for India

• Economic Connectivity and Trade Facilitation
  • The Chabahar Port serves as a pivotal point in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multi-modal network aiming to connect India with Central Asia, Russia, and beyond.
  • By offering a direct sea-land route that bypasses Pakistan, Chabahar significantly reduces the transportation time and costs for Indian goods destined for these regions.
  • This enhanced connectivity facilitates increased trade, economic integration, and access to new markets, boosting India's export potential and economic growth.
• Geopolitical Leverage and Strategic Autonomy
  • For India, Chabahar is a strategic tool to assert its influence in the region and reduce its dependency on Pakistani routes, which are fraught with geopolitical tensions.
  • By investing in Chabahar, India secures a strategic foothold in Iran, a country with significant influence in West Asia and Central Asia.
  • This port allows India to project power and maintain a strategic presence in a region where China, through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and Pakistan are also vying for influence.
  • This strategic autonomy is crucial for India’s foreign policy, allowing it to navigate complex regional dynamics independently.
• Regional Security and Stability
  • Chabahar Port also plays a critical role in India's approach to regional security and stability, particularly concerning Afghanistan.
  • With the Taliban's endorsement and financial commitment to Chabahar, the port emerges as a key transit point for humanitarian aid and economic goods to Afghanistan, thereby stabilising a region plagued by conflict.
  • By fostering economic development and providing alternatives to Pakistani ports, Chabahar helps mitigate the risk of economic isolation for Afghanistan, contributing to regional stability.
• Counterbalancing Chinese Influence
  • Chabahar is strategically positioned to counterbalance Chinese influence in the region, particularly with respect to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Gwadar Port.
  • While China’s Gwadar is geographically close to Chabahar, the Indian port offers an alternative route that is crucial for diversifying regional supply chains.
  • By strengthening Chabahar, India not only mitigates the strategic risks posed by Chinese dominance in regional infrastructure but also provides a viable alternative for international trade routes that seek to avoid Chinese-controlled pathways.
• Diplomatic Engagement and Multilateralism
  • Chabahar Port exemplifies India's commitment to diplomatic engagement and multilateralism.
  • Through this project, India demonstrates its ability to collaborate with diverse international partners, including Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asian countries, developing a cooperative regional environment.
  • The port also aligns with broader international efforts to enhance connectivity and economic integration across Eurasia, positioning India as a central player in regional development initiatives.
• Energy Security
  • Given Iran's vast energy resources, Chabahar Port also holds potential for enhancing India's energy security.
  • By providing a strategic entry point for Iranian oil and gas, the port can facilitate energy imports, diversify India's energy sources, and reduce dependency on any single country or route.
  • This diversification is crucial for ensuring a stable and resilient energy supply, critical for India's growing economy.

Challenges Surrounding Chabahar Port and India-Iran Relations

• Sanctions and International Pressure
  • The imposition of international sanctions on Iran, particularly by the United States, has significantly impacted India-Iran economic relations.
  • Projects like the Farzad-B gas field and the Irano Hind Shipping Company suffered directly due to sanctions.
  • Even the Chabahar Port project has had to navigate the complexities of U.S. sanctions, requiring India to obtain periodic exemptions to continue its development.
• Geopolitical Alignments
  • India’s geopolitical alignments, especially its strategic partnership with the United States, sometimes clash with its engagements with Iran.
  • For instance, during the Obama administration, India reduced its oil imports from Iran to align with U.S. policies on Tehran’s nuclear program.
  • This decision affected bilateral trade relations and reduced Iran's position as one of India's top oil suppliers.
• Competing Regional Interests
  • Both countries have regional interests that sometimes diverge.
  • While Iran seeks to maintain its influence in West Asia and strengthen its ties with countries like China and Russia, India’s regional focus includes countering China’s Belt and Road Initiative and securing its interests in Afghanistan.
  • These differing priorities can lead to friction and limit the scope of bilateral cooperation. 

Recommendations for Future Engagement

• Diversifying Economic Cooperation
  • While the Chabahar Port is a critical element of India-Iran relations, it should not be the sole focus.
  • Both countries should identify and invest in other sectors such as energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and technology.
  • Reviving stalled projects like the Farzad-B gas field or initiating new joint ventures can help diversify economic ties.
  • Establishing a more robust trade framework can enhance bilateral commerce.
  • This could involve reducing tariffs, simplifying customs procedures, and creating incentives for businesses to invest in each other's countries.
• Enhancing Diplomatic Engagement
  • Regular high-level visits and dialogues can help address misunderstandings, align strategic interests, and foster a deeper mutual understanding.
  • Such engagements should be institutionalised, ensuring continuous and structured communication.
  • Both countries should leverage their participation in multilateral forums like the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and regional organizations to coordinate their positions on global issues.
  • Joint initiatives in these forums can enhance their diplomatic leverage and foster closer ties.
• Balancing Geopolitical Alignments
  • India must adeptly balance its strategic partnership with the United States while engaging with Iran.
  • This requires clear communication with the U.S. regarding the strategic importance of Chabahar and other bilateral projects with Iran.
  • Diplomatic efforts should focus on securing exemptions from sanctions that hinder critical projects.
  • Strengthening ties with other regional players can also bolster India-Iran relations.
  • This includes deepening cooperation with Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, and Russia.
  • Collaborative projects that include these countries can create a network of interdependencies, enhancing regional stability and economic integration.

Conclusion

• The Chabahar port project encapsulates the multifaceted nature of India-Iran relations, blending economic interests with strategic imperatives.
• As both nations navigate their geopolitical landscapes, Chabahar stands out as a testament to their enduring yet evolving partnership.
• Balancing this legacy project with broader economic cooperation and nuanced diplomacy will be crucial in sustaining and enhancing India-Iran ties in the future.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background
• About Menstrual Hygiene (Meaning, Status in Indian Prisons, Initiatives by Govt, Way Ahead)

Background:

• India has made significant progress in menstrual hygiene management.
• The National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2019-2020) shows that around 80% of young women aged 15-24 now use safe menstrual products.
• However, while urban areas and certain groups have seen improvements, women in Indian prisons remain neglected.
• In a society that often denies prisoners basic rights, female prisoners suffer more due to societal biases that refuse to accept women can commit crimes.
• This has led to their basic needs, like menstrual hygiene, being overlooked.

What is the Meaning of Menstrual Hygiene?

• Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) is essential to the well-being and empowerment of women and adolescent girls.
• On any given day, more than 300 million women worldwide are menstruating.
• In total, an estimated 500 million lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
• To effectively manage their menstruation, girls and women require:
  • Access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities,
  • Affordable and appropriate menstrual hygiene materials,
  • Information on good practices, and
  • Supportive environment where they can manage menstruation without embarrassment or stigma.

Status of Menstrual Hygiene in Indian Prisons:

• There are 23,772 women in Indian prisons, with 77% in the reproductive age group and likely to menstruate regularly.
• However, the availability and quality of sanitary napkins in prisons are inconsistent and often inadequate.
• Despite the 2016 Model Prison Manual's recommendations, many states haven't provided sufficient water and washroom facilities for female prisoners.
• Overcrowding and poor conditions make it difficult for women to access essentials like water, sanitary napkins, detergent, and soap during menstruation.
• A 2023 study conducted in a Maharashtra prison revealed that water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities are inadequate, forcing women to store water and share limited toilets.
  • This situation led to higher instances of urinary infections and difficulties in maintaining menstrual hygiene.
• Prisons rely on NGOs for sanitary napkin donations, often resulting in substandard products.
• In one case, only one pair of reusable napkins was provided per woman, which was impractical due to limited access to water and detergent.

Measures Taken by the Government:

• India has been working to improve menstrual hygiene access, particularly for young women, through initiatives like the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme, which distributes free or subsidized sanitary napkins.
• Additionally, affordable Suraksha Suvidha Napkins are available at Jan Aushadhi Kendras for ₹1 each.
• In 2023, India introduced the 'National Menstrual Hygiene Policy' to recognize menstruation as a natural process needing more attention, emphasizing equity in safe and dignified menstrual hygiene management for all, regardless of socioeconomic status or location.
  • The policy acknowledges prisoners as a group with limited access to menstrual hygiene.
  • However, it lacks a specific action plan to address this issue and does not involve the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is crucial for prison-related matters.

Way Ahead:

• The Indian government must ensure basic menstrual hygiene standards for women in prisons.
• The inconsistent implementation of the Model Prison Manual 2016 across states needs immediate action, with every state required to follow its recommendations.
• Addressing menstrual hygiene in prisons should be seen through a public health perspective as part of combating 'period poverty.'
• Public health authorities and prison administrators should collaborate to develop a comprehensive strategy for providing adequate menstrual hygiene products and facilities, prioritizing the health and dignity of incarcerated women.
• Additionally, there is a need for research to understand the current state of menstrual hygiene in prisons.

Why in News?

Pulses posted an annual retail inflation of 16.84% in April 2024, making it more painful for the consumers, given the fact that pulses are hardly sold through the public distribution system (PDS).

Food inflation pressures during an El Niño and election year have undone the nation's progress toward near pulse self-sufficiency.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Pulses Production in India
• The Current Prices of Pulses as per the Department of Consumer Affairs
• Cause and Effect of the Inflation in Pulses
• Sign of Relief and Challenges Ahead

Pulses Production in India:

• Pulses are the major sources of protein in the diet and these are grown in all three seasons (Kharif: Arhar, Urad, Moong; Rabi: Gram, Lentil, Pea; Summer: Greengram, Blackgram and Cowpea) in India.
• India, with over 35 Mha pulses cultivation area, is the largest pulses producing country in the world.
• It ranks first in area and production with 37% and 29% respectively. During 2021-22 our productivity at 932 kg/ha, has also increased significantly over the last 5 years.
• The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing the National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses.
  • It aims to increase production through area expansion and productivity enhancement in all the districts of 28 States and 2 UTs (J&K and Ladakh) of the country.
• In order to increase the productivity potential of pulses crops in the country, the ICAR is undertaking basic and strategic research on these crops.
• Further to ensure remunerative prices to farmers, the Government implements an umbrella scheme PM Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA).
  • It comprises Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Private Procurement Stockist Scheme (PPSS).
  • It ensures Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers for their produce of notified oilseeds, pulses and copra.

The Current Prices of Pulses as per the Department of Consumer Affairs:

• Chana (chickpea): It is the cheapest available pulse at an average all-India modal (most-quoted) price of was Rs 85 per kg on May 23, as against Rs 70 a year ago.
• Arhar/tur (pigeon pea): The corresponding price rise of this has been even more from Rs 120 (a year ago) to Rs 160 per kg now.
• Urad (black gram) and Moong (green gram): The prices have increased from Rs 110 to Rs 120 per kg for both.
• Masoor (red lentil): It is the only pulse whose modal retail price has actually eased from Rs 95 to Rs 90 per kg.

Cause and Effect of the Inflation in Pulses:

• Cause - Decline in domestic pulses production: From 27.30 million tonnes (mt) in 2021-22 and 26.06 mt in 2022-23 to 23.44 mt in 2023-24, as a result of irregular/deficient monsoon caused by El Niño and winter rain.
  • Farmers (especially in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) planted less area due to irregular/deficient rainfall.
  • The two pulses (chana and arhar) to register the highest inflation have both seen sharp output falls.
• Effect - Surge in imports:
  • Renewed food inflation pressures have forced the Central government to phase out tariffs and quantitative restrictions (QR) on imports of most pulses.
  • As a result, India’s pulses imports - valued at $3.75 billion in 2023-24 (April-March), were the highest since the record $3.90 billion and $4.24 billion of 2015-16 and 2016-17.
  • In quantity terms, import of major pulses totaled 4.54 mt in 2023-24, up from 2.37 mt and 2.52 mt in the preceding two fiscals.
  • 
• Effect - Reversal of the relative self-sufficiency achieved by the country:
  • Domestic pulses production rose from 16.32 mt to 27.30 mt between 2015-16 and 2021-22, as a result of government incentivising farmers to grow pulses.
  • These policy measures of incentivising farmers included MSP-based procurement and levying of duties on imports.
  • Domestic production further rose with the development of short-duration (50-75 day) chana and moong varieties, which can be grown with little to no irrigation by utilising the remaining soil moisture from prior crops.
  • The allowed planting of as many as four crops a year: kharif (post-monsoon), rabi (winter), spring and summer.

Sign of Relief and Challenges Ahead:

• La Niña: According to global climate projections, El Niño is expected to shift into a neutral phase next month, and there's even a chance of La Niña, which is linked to abundant rainfall in the subcontinent.
• Unstable domestic supply:
  • From this year's crop, the government agencies have procured very little chana, as opposed to 2.13 mt in 2023 and 2.11 mt in 2022.
  • Till March 31, 2025, the government has already approved duty-free imports of urad, masoor, desi chana, and arhar/tur.
• Import of cheaper substitutes:
  • A less expensive alternative to chana are yellow/ white peas, which can be imported for between Rs 40 and Rs 41 per kg.
  • Similarly, masoor dal is replacing arhar or tur in many eateries to make sambar.
  • Imports of these pulses from Russia, Australia and Canada, are anticipated to increase more than urad and arhar/tur from East Africa and Myanmar.

Why in news?

Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched one of the two climate satellites, which would study heat emissions at Earth’s poles. The second satellite will be launched in the following days.

The mission to study the poles has been named PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment).

What’s in today’s article?

• Significance of measuring heat emissions at Earth’s poles
• CubeSats
• PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) Mission

Significance of measuring heat emissions at Earth’s poles

• To analyse Earth’s energy budget
  • The Earth’s energy budget is the balance between the amount of heat incoming to Earth from the Sun and the amount of heat outgoing from Earth into space.
  • The difference between the two determines the planet’s temperature and climate.
• Currently no way to measure heat radiated from the Arctic and Antarctica
  • A large amount of the heat radiated from the Arctic and Antarctica is emitted as far-infrared radiation.
    • Far-infrared radiations are wavelengths of 3-1,000 μm within the infrared range of electromagnetic radiation.
  • However, there is currently no way to measure this type of energy. As a result, there is a gap in knowledge about the planet’s energy budget.

CubeSats

• Overview
  • CubeSats are miniature satellites with a basic design consisting of a 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm cube, known as "one unit" or "1U."
  • Each unit weighs no more than 1.33 kg.
  • As per NASA, depending on their mission, CubeSats can be configured in various sizes, including 1.5, 2, 3, 6, and 12U.
• Origins and Development
  • CubeSats were first developed in 1999 by California Polytechnic State University and Stanford University as educational tools.
  • Their low cost and reduced mass compared to traditional satellites made them attractive for technology demonstrations, scientific research, and commercial purposes.
• PREFIRE Mission CubeSats
  • Each PREFIRE satellite is a 6U CubeSat, measuring approximately 90 cm in height and nearly 120 cm in width when the solar panels are deployed.
    • These panels provide the necessary power for the satellite's operations.
• Difference from SmallSats
  • Small spacecraft (SmallSats) focus on spacecraft with a mass less than 180 kilograms and about the size of a large kitchen fridge.
  • Even with small spacecraft, there is a large variety of size and mass that can be differentiated.
    • Minisatellite, 100-180 kilograms
    • Microsatellite, 10-100 kilograms
    • Nanosatellite, 1-10 kilograms
    • Picosatellite, 0.01-1 kilograms
    • Femtosatellite, 0.001-0.01 kilograms

PREFIRE mission

• Mission Objectives
  • The two PREFIRE satellites will be placed in a near-polar orbit at an altitude of about 525 kilometers.
  • Their mission is to measure the amount of heat radiated into space by the Arctic and Antarctica, helping scientists understand how this radiation influences the planet’s climate.
• Mission overview
  • Basically, this mission aims to study far-infrared radiation from Earth's poles using two CubeSats.
  • The CubeSats will also measure the amount of far-infrared radiation trapped by atmospheric water vapour and clouds at the poles and how this influences the greenhouse effect in the region.
• Equipment and Technology
  • Each PREFIRE CubeSat is equipped with a Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (TIRS).
  • This instrument measures the amount of infrared and far-infrared radiation emitted from the Arctic and Antarctica.
  • The spectrometer features specially shaped mirrors and detectors designed to split and measure infrared light, providing detailed data for analysis.
• Importance of the Mission
  • Their observations will help us understand the fundamentals of Earth’s heat balance, allowing us to better predict how our ice, seas, and weather.

Why in news?

According to a study by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, India’s megacities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad are experiencing worsening heat stress. This is due to a trend of rising relative humidity over the past two decades. The study also pointed out that these cities are also experiencing warmer nights due to urban heat island effect.

What’s in today’s article?

• Heat Stress
• Urban heat island effect
• Key highlights of the study

Heat Stress

• About
  • Heat stress occurs when the body cannot get rid of excess heat. When this happens, the body's core temperature rises and the heart rate increases.
  • Basically, it refers to the physiological stress experienced by the body when exposed to excessive heat, particularly in high-temperature environments.
• Causes
  • High ambient temperatures
  • High humidity levels, which reduce the body's ability to cool through sweating
  • Physical exertion, especially in hot conditions
  • Inadequate hydration
  • Poor ventilation in workspaces or living environments
• Symptoms
  • As the body continues to store heat, the person begins to lose concentration and has difficulty focusing on a task, may become irritable or sick, and often loses the desire to drink.
  • The next stage is most often fainting and even death if the person is not cooled down.

Urban heat island (UHI) effect

• About
  • UHI effect refers to the phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than their rural surroundings.
  • This temperature difference is primarily due to human activities and the specific characteristics of urban environments.
• Causes
  • Surface Characteristics: Urban areas have more asphalt, concrete, and buildings that absorb and retain heat, unlike rural areas with vegetation that provide cooling through
  • Heat Generated by Human Activities: Industrial processes, vehicles, air conditioning units, and other machinery generate heat.
  • Reduced Vegetation: Less green space and fewer trees mean less shading and cooling from plants.
  • Building Density: Tall buildings and narrow streets can trap heat and reduce airflow, limiting cooling.
  • Waste Heat: Energy consumption for lighting, heating, and cooling buildings releases additional heat.
• Mitigation Strategies
  • Increased Vegetation: Planting trees and creating green spaces
  • Cool Roofs and Pavements: Using materials that reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat.
  • Green Roofs: Installing vegetation on rooftops can provide insulation and reduce heat absorption.
  • Urban Planning: Designing cities to include more parks, green belts, and open spaces can improve airflow and reduce temperatures.
  • Improving Energy Efficiency of buildings.

Key highlights of the study

• Megacities are experiencing worsening heat stress
  • This is due to a trend of rising relative humidity over the past two decades.
    • With the exception of Bengaluru, all the other metros have seen a 5-10 per cent rise in average relative humidity during summer.
• Impact of high heat and humidity on human body
• The combination of high heat and humidity can compromise the human body’s main cooling mechanism: sweating.
• The evaporation of sweat from skin cools our bodies, but higher humidity levels limit this natural cooling.
• Urban heat island effect impacting the night temperature
  • These cities are also experiencing warmer nights as land surface temperatures are not falling at the same rate as a decade ago.
  • Hot nights are as dangerous as mid-day peak temperatures. People get little chance to recover from day-time heat if temperatures remain high overnight.
• Factors leading to increase in the heat index and heat stress
  • The combination of rising air and land surface temperatures and high relative humidity is increasing the heat index and heat stress in these cities.
    • Heat index is a measure of discomfort felt due to high heat and humidity.
• Monsoon period has become hotter
  • The monsoon period has become hotter in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, while in Chennai, the marginal cooling during monsoon has disappeared.
  • In Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the monsoon was still a bit cooler than pre-monsoon.

Importance of this study

• To develop a comprehensive heat management plan for urban centres, an assessment of heat trends is necessary.
• To protect public health: This will help in implementing emergency measures during heatwaves.
• To develop longer term strategies to mitigate heat by increasing green areas and waterbodies, improving thermal comfort in buildings, and reducing waste heat from vehicles, air conditioners and industries.

Context

• India is home to numerous tribal groups, with 75 identified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) across States. 
• Recognising their backwardness, the Government of India announced the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission in 2023-24 to improve the socio-economic conditions of PVTGs.
• However, the PVTGs and frontline officials face numerous challenges in using a mobile application to register for the Housing scheme.

Key Objectives and Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya MahaAbhiyan (PM JANMAN)

• The PM JANMAN initiative seeks to provide essential services such as safe housing, clean drinking water, and sanitation to PVTGs through 11 critical interventions.
• One of the flagship programs under this initiative is the Housing scheme, designed as a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme aimed at reaching 4.90 lakh PVTG households by 2026.
• Each household is entitled to ₹2.39 lakh in three instalments to ensure secure and habitable housing.
• This measure is intended to protect these vulnerable populations from environmental challenges and provide them with a sense of security.

Challenges in the Implementation of PM-JANMAN Housing Scheme

• Data Mismatch and Ineligibility Issues
  • One of the primary challenges in the registration process is the widespread deletion of job cards, which are mandatory for registering for the PM JANMAN Housing scheme.
  • Over the past two years, more than eight crore MGNREGA workers' job cards have been deleted, some of whom belong to PVTGs.
  • This massive data purge has resulted in many eligible households being unable to register for the housing scheme, thereby excluding them from receiving the benefits.
  • Moreover, cases of incorrect registrations further complicate the situation and Instances have been reported where someone else has registered using the job cards of actual beneficiaries.
  • This not only deprives the rightful owners of their entitlements but also creates additional administrative burdens in rectifying these errors.
• Discrepancies in Data Collection Systems
  • The registration app, 'Awaas+', provided to block/panchayat-level officials, plays a crucial role in the data collection process.
  • However, there are significant discrepancies between the data in this app and other official records.
  • For example, in Vanjari Panchayat, Alluri Sitharama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh, the app lists only 22 villages, whereas the MGNREGA Management Information System (MIS) lists 31 villages.
  • Such discrepancies create confusion among beneficiaries and officials, leading to potential exclusion of eligible households.
• App Usability and Confusion
  • The 'Awaas+' app's user interface and functionality also present notable challenges.
  • The app gathers beneficiaries' data in three primary areas: geographical location, household profiles, and bank account details.
  • However, the app’s design and operational issues make the process cumbersome.
  • The app includes pre-populated lists of villages, which often do not match official records.
  • This mismatch can lead to incorrect registrations or inability to register certain households.
• Geo-tagging and Network Issues
  • The app’s geo-tagging feature, intended to accurately record the location of households and planned construction sites, has also encountered problems.
  • Network issues in remote and inaccessible areas make geo-tagging difficult, resulting in incomplete or incorrect data entries.
  • This not only hampers the registration process but also affects the planning and delivery of services.
• Financial Inclusion Barriers
  • The app’s functionality related to bank selection is another significant hurdle where beneficiaries must choose from three categories of banks (Cooperative Bank, Commercial Bank, or Regional Rural Bank), each presenting a long list of options.
  • For example, selecting 'Commercial Bank' can display over 300 options, and choosing 'State Bank of India' can show over 500 branch options.
  • This complexity is overwhelming for both beneficiaries and officials, particularly those with limited digital literacy.
  • Furthermore, despite the Government of India’s emphasis on the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to improve financial inclusion in remote areas, the app does not include IPPB in its list of banks.
  • This omission restricts access to convenient banking services for many PVTG households, who might rely on IPPB for financial transactions.
• Inclusivity and Accessibility Issues
  • The app also fails to capture explicit information about PVTGs, defaulting to a general 'ST' (Scheduled Tribe) category.
  • This oversight results in non-PVTG registrations, further complicating the process.
  • Local officials sometimes require PVTG members to obtain certification from village leaders, which can be problematic in areas where PVTGs and non-PVTGs coexist.
  • Additionally, network issues have made the geo-tagging feature cumbersome, adding to the difficulties faced by both officials and beneficiaries.

Recommendations for Policymakers to Improve the PM JANMAN Scheme

• User-Friendly Application Interface
  • The ‘Awaas+’ mobile app should be redesigned to simplify navigation, with intuitive menus and clear instructions.
  • This will help both beneficiaries and frontline officials who may not be tech-savvy.
  • Also, there should be detailed instructions on how to enter names and other details, especially in cases where Aadhaar information is not available or differs from official records.
• Accurate and Comprehensive Data Lists
  • The government must ensure the app’s pre-populated lists of villages and other data fields are regularly updated and synchronized with other government databases, such as the MGNREGA Management Information System (MIS), to eliminate discrepancies.
  • Also, there should be inclusion of explicit fields for PVTGs within the app to prevent non-PVTG households from being incorrectly registered.
• Include IPPB in Banking Options
  • The government should consider adding the IPPB to the list of available banks in the registration app.
  • Given IPPB’s extensive reach in rural and remote areas, this inclusion would significantly enhance financial access for PVTG households.
  • Moreover, the government should strive to reduce the complexity of the bank selection dropdown by implementing a search function or categorising banks more effectively to facilitate easier selection by users.
• Improve Technical Infrastructure
  • The government should invest in improving network connectivity in remote areas to support the use of geo-tagging and other app functionalities.
  • Partnering with telecom companies to extend coverage to underserved regions and developing offline capabilities for the registration app to allow data collection without immediate internet access, with subsequent synchronisation when connectivity is available can be useful.
  • Other than that, the government should provide comprehensive training programs for frontline officials and community volunteers on using the app and managing the registration process efficiently.
  • Also, it will be beneficial to establish dedicated technical helplines or support centres to assist with real-time troubleshooting and guidance for users facing difficulties.

Conclusion

• Despite numerous initiatives aimed at addressing their vulnerabilities, PVTGs continue to face significant challenges in accessing government benefits and the PM JANMAN initiative offers an opportunity to improve the lives of these marginalized communities.
• However, overcoming the current obstacles in the registration process and ensuring inclusivity and accessibility are crucial.
• The PM JANMAN scheme represents a chance to change this narrative, but only if the implementation challenges are adequately addressed and the promises made are fulfilled.

Why in news? Last month, Hong Kong and Singapore recalled certain spice mix products from MDH and Everest Group due to higher than prescribed levels of the sterilizing agent Ethylene Oxide (ETO).

In response, Indian authorities have initiated several measures to ensure that Indian spices comply with the food safety standards of importing countries.

What’s in today’s article?

• Size of Indian exports
• Recent incidents of contamination
• Steps taken by India

Size of Indian exports

• About
  • A quick export estimate data available with the Spices Board India shows that India enjoys a significant share in the global market for spices and spice products.
• Statistics
  • In 2023-2024, India exported spices worth $4.4 billion (nearly 14 lakh tonnes), which is 12.3% higher than the financial year 2022-2023.
• Products exported
  • Chilli, spice oils and oleoresins, curry powder and paste, cumin, mint products, cardamom and pepper are some of the largest exported spices and spice products in the financial year 2022-2023.
  • In terms of production, garlic, ginger and chilli were the top three spices produced in FY23.
• Major export destination
  • India exported spices and spice products to 180 destinations worldwide.
  • China, Bangladesh, west Asian countries and the U.S. are important markets for Indian spices.

Recent incidents of contamination

• About
  • In May 2024, some spice mixes from the Indian brands Everest and MDH were found to contain ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing chemical, and banned in Singapore and Hong Kong.
  • The products were recalled and banned in these markets.
• Source of contamination
  • India does not use Ethylene Oxide (ETO) as a pesticide but as a sterilizing agent to reduce microbial load in finished spice products.
  • Spices and other agricultural products are often contaminated in mandies (auction yards) due to contact with humans, birds, reptiles, and insects.
  • Large factories receiving materials from these mandies are left with high microbial levels, necessitating the use of ETO sterilization.
  • However, contamination can be reduced early through value addition processes.
  • Consumers are encouraged to focus on the quality of products, not just their prices, to ensure safer and healthier food choices.

Impact of recall

• Recall, Not a Ban
  • An official from the Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders clarified that Singapore and Hong Kong recalled, but did not ban, Indian spice products.
  • Exports to these countries have resumed, so a significant impact is not expected in the coming months.
• India’s share in spice production
  • India contributes about 70% of global spice production.
  • Hence, such incidents of contamination will affect India’s image as a spice producer.
• Varied Standards
  • Countries have different standards for Ethylene Oxide (ETO) and maximum residue levels (MRL).
    • While ETO is permitted by the U.S., the EU seeks steaming as the method for sterilisation.
    • But while the cost of using ETO as a sterilising agent is Rs 5 per kg, for steaming it is Rs 20-25 a kg.
  • The Indian spice industry is urging the government to negotiate with the EU to relax these stringent norms to enhance Indian spice exports to European markets.
  • Also, the Indian government should lay down achievable guidelines and tell the buying countries about it.

Steps taken by the India

• Issuance of Protocols
  • Following the recalls by Hong Kong and Singapore, the Spices Board of India issued a detailed protocol to all manufacturing exporters to prevent ETO contamination.
• Mandatory Testing
  • The Board initiated mandatory testing of spice consignments destined for Singapore and Hong Kong specifically for ETO levels.
• International Standards
  • The Spices Board has engaged with the international food standards body to address the need for uniform ETO usage limits, as these standards vary across different countries.
• Consumer Awareness
  • There is an ongoing effort to educate consumers about the importance of quality over price.
  • By encouraging consumers to focus on the quality of products, there is a push towards higher standards in the spice industry.
• Industry-Government Collaboration
  • The spice industry and government are working together to ensure that Indian spices comply with the varying standards of different countries, addressing issues specific to each market to prevent future recalls.

Why in news? Recently, the Council of Europe (COE) adopted the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law, known as the 'AI convention'

What’s in today’s article?

• The Council of Europe (COE)
• Framework Convention
• AI Convention

The Council of Europe (COE)

• About
  • The Council of Europe (CoE) is an international political organization that was founded in 1949 to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
  • It is the oldest intergovernmental organization in post-World War II Europe and has the most member states, which cooperate voluntarily.
• Headquarter
  • The CoE is based in Strasbourg, France and has close ties with the European Union.
• Member
  • It has 46 members including the Holy See, Japan, and the U.S., plus countries of the EU bloc and others.
• CoE's areas of concern
  • It addresses issues of common concern to its members, including human rights, crime prevention, drug abuse, environmental protection, bioethical issues, and migration.

Framework convention

• About
  • A framework convention is a legally binding treaty that outlines broad commitments and objectives, establishing mechanisms to achieve them.
  • Specific targets are left to be determined by subsequent agreements.
• Protocols
  • Agreements negotiated under a framework convention are called protocols.
  • E.g., the Convention on Biological Diversity is a framework convention, while the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety addresses living modified organisms under it.
  • Similarly, a future 'Protocol on AI Risk' could be established under Europe's AI convention.
• Significance of the Framework Convention Approach
  • This approach provides flexibility while encoding core principles and processes to achieve objectives.
  • Parties to the convention can decide how to meet these objectives based on their capacities and priorities.

AI Convention

• About
  • This agreement is a comprehensive convention covering AI governance and links to human rights, democracy, and the responsible use of AI.
  • It will be opened for signature in Vilnius, in Lithuania, on September 5.
• Aims and Definition
  • The AI convention ensures that activities involving artificial intelligence systems comply with human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
  • It describes an AI system as a machine-based system that uses input to generate outputs like predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence both physical and virtual environments.
  • Hence, the definition of AI in the convention aligns with the EU AI Act and the OECD's definition.
• Scope of the AI Convention
  • Coverage: The convention applies to all activities within the lifecycle of AI systems that could impact human rights, democracy, and rule of law.
• Public and Private Sector Responsibilities
• Public Authorities: The convention is applicable to AI activities conducted by public authorities or private entities acting on their behalf.
• Private Actors: Risks and impacts from AI activities by private entities not covered by public authorities must be addressed in alignment with the convention's objectives and purpose.
• Exemptions for National Interests
  • Articles 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 of the convention provide broad exemptions for national security interests, research, development and testing, and national defense.
  • Consequently, military applications of AI are excluded from the convention.
• Inclusion of Private Sector
  • The inclusion of the private sector in the convention's scope was contentious, leading to a compromise.
  • Article 3(b) provides flexibility for parties to address private sector activities without completely exempting them.
• Protection of Core Values
  • Human Rights (Article 4): The convention mandates the protection of human rights.
  • Democratic Processes and Rule of Law (Article 5): It emphasizes maintaining the integrity of democratic processes and respect for the rule of law.
    • Although disinformation and deep fakes are not specifically mentioned, parties are expected to take measures against them under Article 5.
• Flexibility for Enhanced Commitments
  • Article 22 allows parties to exceed the commitments and obligations specified in the convention, encouraging further proactive measures.

AI convention - Significance

• No New AI-Specific Rights
  • The AI convention does not introduce new human rights specific to AI.
  • Instead, it emphasizes that existing human and fundamental rights, protected by international and national laws, must remain safeguarded during the application of AI systems.
• Government Obligations
  • The convention primarily directs its obligations towards governments, which are expected to implement effective remedies (Article 14) and procedural safeguards (Article 15).
• Protection of Core Values
  • The convention adopts a comprehensive approach to mitigate risks from AI applications regarding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
  • This approach recognizes the dynamic nature of AI technology and the challenges it presents.
• Balance Between Innovation and Risk
  • Despite potential challenges and debates, particularly around the European notion of the rule of law, the convention is considered timely.
  • It strikes a crucial balance between fostering innovation in AI and addressing risks to human rights.
• Challenges
  • Implementing the convention poses challenges, especially as AI regulation frameworks are still evolving and technology advances rapidly, often outpacing existing laws and policies.

AI Convention – Impact

• Regional Influence
  • The AI convention could inspire similar conventions at the regional level in other parts of the world, promoting global standards in AI governance.
• Indirect Effect on the U.S.
  • As the U.S. is a member of the Council of Europe (COE), the AI convention might indirectly influence AI governance in the U.S., which is significant given its status as a hub for AI innovation.
• European Values and Norms
  • A potential downside is that the AI convention might be seen as heavily influenced by European values and norms in technology governance.
  • This could lead to perceptions of bias.

Why in News?

According to the latest data of the Ministry of Commerce & India, India has recorded a trade deficit (difference between imports and exports) with 9 of its top 10 trading partners in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Foreign Trade
• Latest Trends of India’s Foreign Trade
• India’s Trade Deficit with its Major Trading Partners

India’s Foreign Trade:

• Overview:
  • Foreign trade in India includes all (merchandise + services) imports and exports to and from India and it accounted for 48.8% of India's GDP in 2018.
  • At the level of the Central Government, trade is administered by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • In 2022, India was the number 15 in total exports, the number 8 in total imports.
  • According to the Commerce Ministry data, China was India's top trading partner from 2013-14 till 2017-18 and also in 2020-21.
  • Before China, the UAE was the country's largest trading partner. The US was the largest partner in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
• Exports (merchandise):
  • The top exports of India are Refined Petroleum ($86.2B), Diamonds ($25.9B), Packaged Medicaments ($19.5B), Jewellery ($12.6B), and Rice ($11.1B).
  • It exports mostly to the United States ($82.9B), United Arab Emirates ($31.6B), Netherlands ($17.6B), China ($15.3B), and Bangladesh ($13.8B).
  • In 2022, India was the world's biggest exporter of Diamonds ($25.9B), Rice ($11.1B), etc.
• Imports (merchandise):
  • The top imports of India are Crude Petroleum ($170B), Coal Briquettes ($58.7B), Gold ($35.8B), Petroleum Gas ($32B), and Diamonds ($26.1B).
  • It imports mostly from China ($110B), UAE ($51B) and the US ($48.5B), Saudi Arabia ($46.2B), and Russia ($40.4B).
  • In 2022, India was the world's biggest importer of Coal Briquettes ($58.7B), Diamonds ($26.1B), Palm Oil ($11.1B), Mixed Mineral or Chemical Fertilizers ($7.88B), and Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($7.37B).

Latest Trends of India’s Foreign Trade:

• As per the data from the economic think tank GTRI, China has overtaken the US as India's largest trading partner, with a total two-way commerce of $118.4 billion, in the FY 2023-24.
  • India's exports to China rose by 8.7% to $16.67 billion, while imports increased by 3.24% to $101.7 billion.
• On the other hand, exports to the US dipped slightly to $77.5 billion, and imports decreased by about 20% to $40.8 billion (the two-way commerce stood at $118.3 billion).
• The UAE with USD 83.6 billion, was the third largest trading partner of India. It was followed by Russia ($65.7 billion), Saudi Arabia ($43.4 billion), and Singapore ($35.6 billion).

India’s Trade Deficit with its Major Trading Partners:

• Latest trends:
  • India’s trade deficit with China rose to $85 billion, Russia to $57.2 billion, Korea to $14.71 billion and Hong Kong to $12.2 billion in 2023-24 against $83.2 billion, $43 billion, $14.57 billion and $8.38 billion in 2022-23.
  • India has a trade surplus of $36.74 billion with the U.S. in 2023-24 and America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus along with the U.K., Belgium, Italy, France and Bangladesh.
  • India's total trade deficit in the last fiscal narrowed to $238.3 billion as against $264.9 billion in the previous fiscal.
• What can be drawn from these latest trends?
  • Imports are not always bad if a country is importing raw materials or intermediary products to boost manufacturing and exports.
  • However, it can cause the country's currency to depreciate because more foreign currency is needed for imports.
  • This depreciation makes imports more expensive, worsening the deficit and increasing external debt.
  • This can deplete foreign exchange reserves and signal economic instability to investors, leading to reduced foreign investment.
• What needs to be done to cut the trade deficit? Boosting exports, reducing unnecessary imports, developing domestic industries, and managing currency and debt levels effectively.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background
• About Patent (Meaning, Indian Patent Act, Key Features of Draft Patent Rules, 2023)
• India’s Patent Delays & Withdrawals (Numbers, Causes, etc.)
• Recent Rise in Patent Filing

Background:

• In 2018, the Indian Patent Office had rejected the request of the Proctor and Gamble (P&G) for its patent application.
  • The Indian Patent Office is an agency under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade which administers the Indian law of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks.
• The P&G challenged the Patent Office’s ruling in the Delhi High Court. The High Court reprimanded the Patent Office saying that the manner of dealing with the application filed by the American multinational company was “extremely arbitrary and whimsical”.

What is a Patent?

• A patent is the granting of a property right by a sovereign authority to an inventor.
• This grant provides the inventor exclusive rights to the patented process, design, or invention for a designated period in exchange for a comprehensive disclosure of the invention.
• Government agencies typically handle and approve applications for patents.
• The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), also known as India Patent Office, grants patent so that any invention can be freely commercialised or utilised without any fear of infringement.
  • The head patent office is located in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• The Indian Patent Office grants patents which are governed by the Indian Patents Act, 1970.

Indian Patents Act, 1970:

• The Patents Act 1970, along with the Patents Rules, 1972, came into force in April 1972, replacing the Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911.
• The Patents Act was largely based on the recommendations of the Ayyangar Committee Report headed by Justice N. Rajagopala Ayyangar.
• Later, India became signatory to many international arrangements with an objective of strengthening its patent law and coming in league with the modern world.
• One of the significant steps towards achieving this objective was becoming the member of the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) system.
• Significantly, India also became signatory of the Paris Convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty in 1998 and thereafter signed the Budapest Treaty in 2001.
  • Being a signatory to TRIPS, India was under a contractual obligation to amend its Patents Act to comply with its provisions.
• Subsequent amendments were made to the Indian Patents Act, 1970 by the introduction of the Patents (Amendment) Act, 1999, the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2002, the Patent (Amendment) Act, 2005, and Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006 and the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2021.

Draft Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2023:

• In August 2023, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry proposed and published Draft Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2023 (the “draft rules”) invited objections and suggestions from all stakeholders within a timeline of 30 days from the date of the publication of the draft Rules.
• Key Highlights of the Draft Rules:
  • Pre-Grant Opposition
    • Controller can decide a maintainability of the representation and dismiss a pre-grant opposition if found to be frivolous.
    • At present, Controller cannot dismiss the representation without offering a chance of hearing to Opponent.
    • Time period for applicant to reply to notice has been reduced from 3 months to 2 months.
    • Also, Controller has to issue a decision ordinarily within 3 months from the completion of the proceedings.
    • Currently, there is no such in which the Controller has to issue a decision.
  • Reduced timeline for filing Request for Examination
    • As per the draft Rules, the timeline for filing the RFE is now proposed to be reduced to 31 months, which currently is 48 months from the priority date or filing date, whichever is earlier.
  • Statement and undertaking regarding foreign applications
    • Applicant shall keep the Controller informed of the details in respect of applications filed in any country within two months from the date of issuance of first statement of objections.
    • Earlier the duration was six months.
  • Annual Working Report
    • The draft Rules propose that the Annual Working Report is to be filed in respect of every period of three financial years (currently this is to be filed for every financial year).

India’s Patent Delays & Withdrawals:

• In 2018, the anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked SP Subramaniyan, Deputy Controller and branch head in the office of Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks for demanding a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for releasing a patent.
  • The patent applicant in this case had first applied for the patent in 2010 and was allegedly made to wait for five years to get a patent.
• In March 2023, the Delhi High Court pulled up the patent office for passing “mechanical, cut-paste order” while rejecting Blackberry Ltd.’s invention application.
  • The Court said that the patent office “must bear in mind that the question of grant and rejection of a patent is a serious matter”.

Impact of Delays & Withdrawals:

• Arbitrary refusals and procedural inconsistencies have marred the track record of India’s patent office.
• It has pushed the share of patent applications withdrawn in India to one of the highest in the world.
• This is at a time when countries such as the US, Japan, South Korea and China are using their patent processing systems to foster scientific research and technological innovation.
• Government officials contend that they have begun addressing these issues and started conducting open house sessions to address grievances, which have improved the process of granting patents over the last 12 months.

Rise in Patent Filing in Recent Times:

• India reported a sharp 44.6% growth in international patent filing in 2023 compared to 2022, as per the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
• WIPO ranked India third in terms of trademark registrations in force in 2022 at nearly 2.9 million, after China (42.7 million) and the US (3.1 million).
• The Patent Office has granted about 1 lakh patents for the year 2023-24. Everyday about 250 patents are issued and the patent office receives patent applications every six minutes online.