9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – October 18th, 2022

Posted on October 18th, 2022 Last modified on October 19th, 2022 Comments Views : 876

Dear Friends,

We have initiated some changes in the 9 PM Brief and other postings related to current affairs. What we sought to do:

Ensure that all relevant facts, data, and arguments from today’s newspaper are readily available to you.
We have widened the sources to provide you with content that is more than enough and adds value not just for GS but also for essay writing. Hence, the 9 PM brief now covers the following newspapers:
1. The Hindu
2. Indian Express
3. Livemint
4. Business Standard
5. Times of India
6. Down To Earth
7. PIB
We have also introduced the relevance part to every article. This ensures that you know why a particular article is important.
Since these changes are new, so initially the number of articles might increase, but they’ll go down over time.
It is our endeavor to provide you with the best content and your feedback is essential for the same. We will be anticipating your feedback and ensure the blog serves as an optimal medium of learning for all the aspirants.
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Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Why Andhra’s face recognition system for teacher attendance won’t reform education

Source– The post is based on the article “Why Andhra’s face recognition system for teacher attendance won’t reform education” published in The Indian Express on 18th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS2- Issue related to development and management of education

Relevance– Issues related to teachers

News- The article explains the issues related to the face recognition attendance system that has been put in place in schools in Andhra Pradesh.

What is the logic behind this move?

This policy change is aimed at raising the quality of education and improving the learning experiences of students.

The assumption is that the mere presence of teachers in a school is enough for the students to acquire these abilities.

What are the issues related to this system? Teacher absenteeism got recognised as a systemic issue almost four decades ago and became a policy goal soon after that. The policies framed to ensure this have an inspectorial character rather than a reformatory one. It focuses on surveillance mechanisms. It has not yielded results. The app based system is part of that solution.

A teacher who has to be offered incentives to download an app is expected to build intellectual abilities and make learning inquiry-driven. How marking a teacher’s face on an app will lead to the development of intellectual abilities in students remains a puzzle.

What is the way forward?

Issues related to teacher absenteeism require a humanist understanding of teachers as professionals, their predicaments and needs.

Surveillance mechanism fails to understand that teaching is fundamentally a social interaction. It is about students and teachers putting their minds together.

Judicial comity over arithmetic

Source: The post is based on an article “Judicial comity over arithmetic” published in The Hindu on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Governance

Relevance: Supreme Court judgement

News: A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has held that a judgment delivered by a larger Bench will prevail over the decision of a smaller Bench if the decision is given by the majority of the judges of the larger bench.

This means that out of 7 judges of the larger bench even if 4 judges give the ruling then it would overrule the judgment of the smaller bench. Even if all the judges of the smaller bench have given the judgment unanimously.

What is the present rule?

It is a well-established fact in law that the decision of a superior court will always be binding on a lower court and that the decision of a larger Bench will always prevail over a smaller Bench of the same court.

This has been done to ensure stability and consistency in the decisions of the court.

A vast majority of cases before the Supreme Court is heard and decided by a Bench of two judges (Division Bench) or three (full Bench).

The bench with equal number of judges cannot overrule or reconsider a decision of a coordinate Bench.

Further, the doubt and conflict between decisions of co-equal Benches is referred to the Chief Justice of India and this leads to the formation of larger benches.

What are the problems associated with the larger bench?

The decision of the majority of the judges is treated as the decision of entire judges of the bench.

This raises the issue whether number of judges supporting the judgment should be given priority over the larger bench.

SC cleared this doubt that if number judges is given importance and not the strength of the bench then every decision of a larger bench could be doubted and overruled.

This could make the decisions of the larger bench to fall and be instable. Therefore, the current decision of the SC highlights the Rule of Precedents.

What is the Doctrine of Precedents and what are the problems associated with it?

The Doctrine of Precedents states that “a decision that has already been taken by a higher court is binding to the lower court and at it also stands as an example to the lower court judgment which cannot be altered by a lower court.”

If this doctrine is followed blindly then it could have serious consequences as the correctness of a decision will be dependent on the decision of the higher court’s bench rather than based on reasons.

However, SC has also said that a decision merely considered by a greater number of judges does not mean that it is correct, especially in the case of decision that has been arrived by a slim majority (4:3).

Therefore, the Doctrine of Precedents holds importance in India but this does not mean that the larger bench/higher court is always correct and there is a way to review its judgment.

How the Doctrine of Precedents is followed in other countries?

The issue of the precedent is generally avoided in countries like the US and South Africa.

Whereas, the U.K. and Australia follow a system similar to that of India but the entire act of ‘reconsidering a precedent’ is viewed as a delicate and grave judicial responsibility in these countries.

What is the way forward?

A certain change is required in the composition of larger bench to avoid conflicts arising out of the number judges supporting a ruling.

For example, if a five-judge unanimous decision is referred to a larger Bench, it should be considered by a nine-judge Bench rather than seven, so that it would in any case be decided by a majority of at least five judges.

This will ensure a quorum with a greater majority coming up to the decision than the lower Bench.

Let’s step up strategic efforts to mobilize India’s labour potential

Source: The post is based on an article “Let’s step up strategic efforts to mobilize India’s labour potential” published in Live Mint on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Governance

Relevance: ways to utilize demographic dividend in India

News: India is at a stage where population growth is expected to slow down in the next two decades along with a significant increase in the share of the working-age population.

This will provide India with a demographic dividend opportunity window. Therefore, India needs policies for its majority working age population to ensure labour force mobilization.

What does the data say?

As per the National Sample Survey Office’s Periodic Labour Force Survey 2020-21, India’s labour force participation rate for all age groups is around 41.6% (57.5% for males, 25% for females).

It is also expected that India’s working age population will grow roughly by 9.7 million per year from 2021 to 2031 and 4.2 million annually in the 2031-41 period.

However, mobilizing the demographic dividend into the workforce is major issue. Therefore, the competitiveness framework can act as a base for India to understand the drivers of labour force mobilization.

What is competitiveness approach and how can it be beneficial?

The competitiveness approach defines national competitiveness in terms of the expected level of output per potential worker.

The ‘output per potential worker’ indicates a larger productivity. It includes the productivity of the employed as well as the ability of a country to mobilize its working-age population.

The term ‘potential’ indicates the economic growth by not only including the employed workforce but also including the total workforce that can be utilized in an economy.

Therefore, competitiveness is linked to both components of output per potential worker – a) output per employed person and b) the ability of a country to mobilize its workforce.

This competitiveness approach could be useful for understanding drivers of labour mobilization and it would also help in utilizing the country’s demographic dividend and formulate policies accordingly.

However, the potential to mobilize the labour force depends on multiple factors. One of the most important factors is the creation of jobs. Jobs should increase with the increasing working-age population.

What steps have been taken by India to ensure job creation?

As per Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme across 14 sectors has the potential to generate 6 million jobs over the next five years.

Around 55.6 million people have undergone skill training since 2015 under the Skill India Mission and through various skill development programmes.

However, out of these workforces the participation of women is not up to the mark.

What are the problems with the women in labour force market?

As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2020-21, the all-India female labour force participation rate (LFPR) has increased to 25.1%, as compared to 22.8% a year ago.

However, female workforce participation continues to remain at a low level in India due to a number of factors such as lack of jobs, the burden of unpaid care work, and cultural norms.

What is the way forward for India?

First, India needs efforts to promote greater labour force mobilization that facilitates multiple entry points for an individual into the labour force.

Second, skilling should not only be limited a working age (20 to 65) but it should be a lifelong task along with the regular upgradation of skills.

Third, India also needs to make efforts for greater labour mobilization in different states as the working-age population varies across Indian states.

According to the Economic Survey 2019-20, the size of the working-age population will start to decline in 11 out of 22 major states (Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal, etc.) during 2031-41.

Therefore, it is important to take account these variations and come up with a holistic and robust policy for mobilizing labour force participation.

Fact-Checking The HDI Tally

Source: The post is based on the article “Fact-Checking The HDI Tally” published in The Times of India on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.

Relevance: About the concerns associated with the Human Development Index, 2022.

News: The Human Development Index is the second most widely used indicator for measuring economic progress after national income statistics (GDP). India’s rank has not improved over the last two decades and declined by one place in 2022.

About Human Development Index-2022?

Read more: India ranks 132 in UNDP’s Human Development Index, amid a global fall

What are the challenges associated with the HDI-2022?

Calculating life expectancy at birth: The estimate used for India was cut by 3. 67 years (70. 9 years to 67. 2 years) from 2019 to 2021. The UN agency claims that this cut reflects Covid-related mortality but this has a few serious flaws. Such as,

a) It is a conceptual mistake to lower life expectancy at birth because of a virus that, according to evidence, only kills adults.

b) The UNDP did not explain its saying that Covid will be around in 20 years to impact today’s newborns with the same virulence as at its peak in 2020-21.

c) The UNDP adjusted India’s mortality rates for “excess deaths” from Covid as estimated by WHO. This is in addition to the adjustment routinely done on grounds that India’s data is underreported. But, India objected to WHO estimates in May 2022 by pointing out various flaws in their methodology – such as the use of media reports and the use of parameters like test positivity rate.

Read here: WHO estimates 4.7 million COVID-19-linked deaths in India

d) The UN’s reduction of 3. 67 years in India’s life expectancy is not justified even after including WHO’s flawed numbers. On the other hand, the cut in life expectancy for the US is 1. 94 years, UK 0. 98 years, Italy 0. 70 years, Brazil 2. 7 years – all substantially lower than for India.

This shows a series of “adjustments” by UNDP has ended up skewing the Indian data and rankings.

What needs to be done?

Government need to publish authentic data: Indian government departments need to publish data in time for important indices. This may be a problem as India’s financial year runs three months behind the calendar year, but an advance estimate can be published and revised later (same as for GDP).

Indian agencies should calculate relevant indicators: Indian agencies should not just provide raw data to external agencies but take the extra step of calculating the relevant indicator. This is not difficult as standard methodologies are available.

For instance, the Registrar General of India should publish an official estimate for life expectancy every year. This will reduce the scope for manipulation by external agencies and put the burden of proof on them.

Read more: The solution to India’s stunted improvement on the Human Development Index: Improving access to quality education

Overall, Indian government departments need to proactively engage with international indices and surveys – both to provide timely data and to challenge inaccurate estimates where appropriate.

Regulation of wellness vs wealth offers a contrasting picture

Source: The post is based on the article “Regulation of wellness vs wealth offers a contrasting picture” published in the Business Standard on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Relevance: About the state regulation in the health sector.

News: Regulation is a form of state intervention to correct market failures. Recent reports of exports of substandard paediatric drugs and the last two years of the pandemic experience have brought attention to the state “regulation” of the health and wellness sector.

Why State regulation is essential in finance?

State intervention is necessary when the free market yields inefficient and poor outcomes. Regulation usually involves the creation of arm’s length statutory authorities that are empowered and autonomous and accountable for outcomes.

The financial sector is much better regulated than it was when the government directly regulated the sector. For example,

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulates banking and payment systems and conducts monetary policy, autonomously.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) regulates the securities market.

How does state regulation in the financial sector evolve?

The implementation of recommendations of expert committees and parliamentary oversight led to changes to keep up with evolving domestic developments and global best practices.

The continuing problems of consumer protection and technological developments, like fintech, call for revisiting these issues periodically.

What is the present status of state regulation in the health sector?

Like in the financial sector of the early 1990s, it is the Ministry of Health that continues to be the primary regulator. For example, the law on drugs and the law on clinical establishments empower the Ministry of Health and not any arm’s length statutory agency.

There are nine national regulators for the “wellness” sector. This includes, recently a regulator has been created for allied healthcare professionals like physiotherapists, optometrists and over 50 other professionals who support diagnosis and treatment.

There are separate regulators for rehabilitation professionals like speech therapists, clinical psychologists, hearing aid and ear-mould technicians; special teachers for educating and training the handicapped and so on.

Read more: State control in the financial sector: Azadi of the financial sector

Why state regulation in the health sector is challenging?

Regulating health sector is an incredibly complex because

a) The Constitution of India allocates the subject of health to both the Union and the states. b) Focusing only on the Union, India has a statutory regulatory authority for setting and enforcing standards for food safety and one non-statutory authority for the safety of drugs and pharmaceuticals and one for regulating the prices of some of them.

c) The regulation of the wellness sector necessarily involves regulating health sector professionals. So, the regulation should have authority for regulating the medical, dental nursing and pharmacist professions.

How state regulation in the health sector is different from state regulation in the financial sector?

a) Financial sector regulators are empowered by law to write regulations to carry out the purposes of the law. On the other hand, eight of the nine regulators in the wellness sector need government approval for issuing regulations. The one exception is the National Medical Commission (NMC) created in 2019 to replace the Medical Council of India.

b) The governing boards of all the financial sector regulators have the power to determine the human resources required by them as well as their terms and conditions of employment. But, none of the wellness regulators have these powers and need government approval for such decisions.

Read more: The complex world of regulators

So, the regulation of wellness deserves much greater attention from scholars, policy-makers and the parliament.

GS Paper 3

Recovery analysis that points out what India got wrong

Source– The post is based on the article “Recovery analysis that points out what India got wrong” published in The Hindu on 18th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS3- Indian Economy

Relevance– Effectiveness of government interventions to deal with pandemic

News- The article explains the important insights provided by a recent World Bank report titled “Correcting Course”. It also measures the effectiveness of the fiscal package by the Indian government for post-pandemic recovery.

What are important observations of the report?

Poverty and inequality– It captures the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global poverty. The number of people living in extreme poverty rose by seven crore million in 2020. The global poverty rate rose from 8.4% in 2019 to 9.3% in 2020. This is the first time in two decades that the poverty rate has gone up.

Global inequalities have widened. Economic recovery has been uneven across countries.

Fiscal policy– The report focuses on fiscal policy as an instrument for dealing with crises such as the pandemic. Poorer countries were unable to use fiscal policy as effectively.

The report suggests three priorities for fiscal policy for post-pandemic recovery: (a) Targeted subsidies that benefit the poor (b) Public investment to build resilience in the long term (c) Revenue mobilisation that should rely on progressive direct taxation rather than indirect taxes.

How was the effectiveness of measures taken by the Indian government?

Impact on poverty-The World Bank report relies on the Consumer Pyramids Household Survey by the CMIE, in the absence of official poverty data since 2011. It estimates that 5.6 crore people are likely to have slipped into poverty as India’s GDP fell by 7.5% in 2020-21. The population below the poverty line in India stood at 10% in 2020.

Effectiveness of fiscal measures– The Fiscal stimulus package of 2 lakh crore was not aimed at consumption led growth. It was mostly focussed on supply side measures like credit lines and refinancing schemes to private enterprises.

Only important demand side measure was food aid through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana. PMGKY is currently estimated to cost about ₹3.90 lakh crore. However, India ranked 107th out of 121 countries in the 2022 Global Hunger Index. It demonstrates that food aid is not a long-term solution.

Through the pandemic and beyond, India persisted with the reduced corporate tax rate that had been announced in September 2019. According to the Parliamentary Committee on Estimates, the reduction of corporate tax from 30% to 22% cost the exchequer ₹1.84 lakh crore over the last two fiscal years. The CMIE report says that corporate profits have increased.

India has repeatedly increased GST rates on cooking and transport fuels. It has put a disproportionate burden on poor people.

A better global police to counter emergent challenges

Source– The post is based on the article “A better global police to counter energent challenges” published in The Indian Express on 18th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS3- Internal security

Relevance– Trans-national cooperation on policing

News- The article explains the trans-national nature of challenges for policing systems across different countries. It tells about the importance of Interpol and strategy to deal with the challenges in context of the general assembly meeting of Interpol.

What are trans-national challenges to policing?

There are sporadic instances of massacres, killings of young children due to the proliferation of gun culture. Exploitation and abuse of children and women is a big issue.

Human trafficking is prevalent. Financial crimes are high. Fugitives accused of terrorism and money laundering are provide safe heavens.

There is a proliferation of illicit trade based on counterfeiting and smuggling.

In a democratic polity, police forces have to act with restraint. They have to act within the boundaries of legal procedures. Lawbreakers enjoy the ease of mobility and access to the internet.

What is the importance of Interpol?

Interpol uses 19 databases and tools for issuing alerts, sharing information about criminals and their modus operandi. It has a huge repository of fingerprints, DNA profiles, facial recognition kits, cyber-enabled financial crimes, and property crimes.

It has undertaken various operations in different countries relating to the trafficking of women and children, cyber crimes, online piracy, spurious pharmaceuticals, narcotics smuggling, illegal gun trade, missing persons, stolen and lost travel documents.

Interpol issues colour-coded notices of various hues, red, yellow, blue, black, orange, green and purple. A large number of red corner notices have been issued at the request of Indian law enforcement. It has resulted in the detention of several accused and convicted fugitives.

What is the significance of the general assembly meeting of Interpol being held in Delhi?

India is the fifth-largest economy in the world, and on the path to becoming the third-largest in the near future.

It has created a positive impact by bringing down terrorist-related violence. Moreover, India is now an acknowledged technology powerhouse.

This demographic dividend of a large and young technology-oriented workforce in startups can be utilised for upgrading the security architecture.

Indian skill development resources through capacity building programmes run by the CBI training academy are used periodically by the international police fraternity, particularly law enforcement agencies in Asia and Africa.

What is the way forward?Interpol, however, is required now to articulate an expansion beyond its databases and tools. There is a need for real-time dissemination of information obtained through usage of data analytics.

Equitable significance should be accorded to the legitimate interests of growing economies pursuing democratic charters.

Interpol is neither an investigative agency nor a front-line police force. It is mandated to share information and provide back-end technical assistance to law enforcement agencies. There is a need for commensurate actions from member states.

Interpol and law enforcement agencies of member nations must focus upon public-spirited efficient policing.

Today’s weapon of choice, its expanding dimensions

Source– The post is based on the article “Today’s weapon of choice, its expanding dimensions” published in The Hindu on 18th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS3- Basics of cyber security

Relevance– New domains of cyber security

News- The article explains that cyber threats are not limited to the military domain. It is the civilian sphere where it is all-pervading today.

What are the new dimensions of cyber threats?

All prevalent nature– Cyber threats are not confined to one set of conflicts like the Ukraine war. Cyber threats are prevalent across many regions and operating on different planes. There is weaponization of everything.

Grey zone operations- These are emerging as a new form of battle ground. They fall outside traditional concepts of conflicts.

Several non-states actors are engaging in hybrid warfare and interfering in day-to-day practices. The Recent arrest of a Russian national for hacking the system involved in conducting the IIT entrance examination is a reflection of grey zone operations. This examination software is deemed to be among the most secure examination software across the world.

Emerging spheres of cyber battles– In the case of the Russia-Ukraine war, cyberspace has become an experiment for various players to support a weaker nation against a more powerful opponent. It is done through distortion of information and communication flows, which are considered essential to the success or failure of any war strategy. it has certainly added a new cyber dimension to the ongoing conflict.

What is the way forward?

Prevalent of cyberthreats across many domains calls for both versatility and imaginative thinking.

The emerging nature of cyber security threats pose legal, ethical and real dilemmas. There is a need for regulating cyberspace and laying down proper rules and practices to deal with these challenges.

The path to deterrence: Arihant SLBM launches a significant step towards strengthening India’s nuclear umbrella

Source: The post is based on an article “The path to deterrence: Arihant SLBM launch a significant step towards strengthening India’s nuclear umbrella” published in The Indian Express on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Science and Technology

Relevance: India’s underwater deterrent technology

News: India has joined the group of six nations after the successful launch of an SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile). The other six nations are Russia, the UK, France and China and North Korea.

This achievement is significant in the context of India’s strategic profile.

What is the use of underwater deterrent and what progress has been made by India?

A capable underwater deterrent helps a country to get undetectable by the opponent which helps in a retaliatory second strike. This enhances deterrence capabilities.

India successfully tested the 3,500-km range K4 SLBM in January 2020 and it is working to arm Arihant with a 3,500 km missile and this would be deemed to be an IRBM (intermediate-range ballistic missile).

What more is required?

The next stage for India would be to arm itself with SSBN. These are missile, whose range is in excess of 5,000 km which would be an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile).

An SSBN (a nuclear-propelled submarine armed with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile) should have zero error probability and it can be trusted of hitting the desired target.

This stage is important and a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability. However, acquiring the desired level of holistic SLBM proficiency is a long journey.

China holds a great example of its journey as it became nuclear weapon capable in 1964 and carried out its first SLBM test in 1982 but it was able to test a 9,000 km missile in 2018. Further, a fully armed Chinese SSBN would be deemed to be operational to undertake a credible deterrence patrol is scheduled for mid-2025.

India required nuclear deterrence capabilities, due to the strategic and security challenges it faces.

India is making progress but it is still way behind the required capabilities needed in maritime. For example, it has an indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier (INS Vikrant) but it is handicapped by not having the appropriate fighter aircraft and an SSBN with ICBM capability.

Therefore, India needs to increase its capabilities in the maritime power as the current geopolitical scenario shows that there is an increasing threat from China.

Strengthening dollar shrinks foreign reserves across nations

Source: The post is based on an article “Strengthening dollar shrinks foreign reserves across nations” published in The Hindu on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Economic Development

Relevance: declining forex reserves and concerns associated with it

News: The Ukraine crisis and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s tight monetary policy have led to the depreciation of the rupee and other currencies across the world, along with their foreign reserves.

What are the uses of forex reserves?

Forex Reserves including foreign currency assets, gold, Special Drawing Rights, and reserve tranche position are used to absorb shocks during times of crises.

They are a crucial indicator of a country’s economic health and its import capacity.

What has caused the decline in the forex reserves across the world?

The US Federal Bank has increased the rate of interest on dollar which has increased the dollar index by 15% this year while other currencies have declined.

Strong currencies like pound, euro, yen have weakened against the dollar along with the rupee. However, the fall of the rupee has been relatively more moderate. (Chart 1)

The weakening of the currencies has led the intervention of the central bank of the respective countries across the world.

This has led the decline in forex reserves of the countries. Singapore’s reserves saw the sharpest decline in percentage terms while China’s fell the most in absolute terms.

What is the situation of India in forex reserves?

India has the fifth-highest reserves in the world and the rate at which they are depleting is causing concern. Forex reserves in India fell by $97 billion in the last nine months.

This is significantly higher than the decline of reserves during the 2008 global financial crisis ($37.3 billion) and the period of the taper tantrum in 2013 ($16.6 billion).

India’s reserves are mainly formed due to the capital flows (funds through foreign investments, borrowings) and not much from the current account (net income earned through exports of goods and services and remittances).

Therefore, India’s foreign reserves dropped as foreign investment decreased.

The strengthening of the dollar has also declined the value of the euro, pound and yen (also part of India’s foreign reserves) which also led the reduction in India’s reserves. This is called a valuation loss.

The change in India’s forex reserves due to two factors – a) through balance of payments (sum of India’s capital flows and current account deficit) and b) through valuation loss/gain.

Bump, bump, bump: National highways are painfully potholed as only building them is a priority, maintenance is lax

Source: The post is based on the article “Bump, bump, bump: National highways are painfully potholed as only building them is a priority, maintenance is lax” published in The Times of India on 18^th October 2022.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Relevance: About the condition of National Highways in India

News: The bountiful southwest monsoon damaged India’s exhaustive road network. Further, numerous reports of national highways (NHs) underline something is broken in the overall approach to road building and maintenance.

About national highways

Roads are India’s dominant mode of transport, measuring 6.3 million kilometres by March 31, 2019. The national highways comprise a mere 2% of this sprawling system, but they’re the country’s arterial network.

Seven years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that road concessionaires cannot collect tolls from commuters if roads are in bad shape. But this is not followed in many NHs. For instance, The Gurgaon-Jaipur stretch of NH-8 for example saw a hiked toll come into effect on September 1, but it remains incomplete and painfully potholed.

What are the challenges associated with NHs in India?

Role of GOI: Private concessionaires undertake almost 50% of NH expansion through the hybrid annuity model. But the GoI is legally responsible for the development and maintenance of NHs.

Less allocation for maintenance: The overall budgetary allocation for maintenance is less than 4% of the overall budget. Annual budgetary outlay for maintenance and repairs is only about 40% of the estimated need as per the recent parliamentary standing committee information. This data pertains to NHs directly under GoI’s supervision.

India’s choice is not perfect: India’s preferred option is bituminous roads which are particularly prone to damage on account of water-logging. The alternative of concrete roads has a higher upfront cost but comes with fewer maintenance challenges.

NH expansion over the last few years has been impressive, the same cannot be said of drive quality and road quality.

What needs to be done?

India has unveiled an integrated logistics policy, its approach to road-building and maintenance needs an upgrade too. Such as,

Increase the allocation for maintenance: Niti Aayog wants the allocation for maintenance to be raised in the interim to at least 10% before aiming for the 40-50% share that developed countries have.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

PM inaugurated One Nation One Fertilizer Scheme

Source: The post is based on the article “PM inaugurated One Nation One Fertilizer Scheme” published in The Hindu on 18th October 2022.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister has inaugurated 600 Kisan Samridhi Kendras and launched One Nation One Fertilizer Scheme and Indian Edge magazine.

What is One Nation One Fertilizer Scheme?

One Nation, One Fertilizer scheme is also known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana.

Under this scheme, all type of fertilizers whether it is DAP, NPK or urea will be sold under the brand name of ‘Bharat’.

This will standardize fertilizer brands across the nation irrespective of the company that manufactures it.

This will also help the farmers to get rid of all kinds of confusion about the quality of fertilizers and their availability.

What is PM-Kisan Samridhi Kendras(PM-KSK)?

Launched by: Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.

Under the scheme, the retail fertilizer shops in the country will be converted into PMKSK in a phased manner.

PMKSK will cater to a wide variety of needs of the farmers and provide agri-inputs (fertilizers, seeds, implements), testing facilities for soil, seeds, and fertilizers; generate awareness among farmers; provide information regarding various government schemes and ensure regular capacity building of retailers at block/district level outlets.

More than 3.3 lakh retail fertilizer shops are planned to be converted into PMKSK.

Read more: Empowering farmers is essential for the broad prosperity of India

What is Indian Edge?

Indian Edge is an e-magazine on fertilizers. The magazine will provide information on domestic and international fertilizer scenarios, including recent developments, price trends analysis, availability and consumption, and success stories of farmers, among others.

Indian Bison: As wildlife diplomacy takes wing, government considers Sri Lankan proposal for translocating gaurs

Source: The post is based on the article “As wildlife diplomacy takes wing, government considers Sri Lankan proposal for translocating gaurs” published in The Hindu on 17th October 2022.

What is the News?

Sri Lanka has asked India to translocate 6 Indian Bisons (Gaurs) to reintroduce them in the island from where they became extinct by the end of 17th century.

If the project is cleared, it would be the first such agreement between India and Sri Lanka.

What is Indian Bison?

Indian Gaur or Bison is the largest species among the wild cattle and the Bovidae.

Population: There are about 13,000 to 30,000 gaurs in the world with approximately 85% of the population present in India. It is also found in Burma and Thailand.

– The first-ever population estimation exercise of the Indian gaur carried out in the Nilgiris Forest Division in 2020 estimated around 2,000 Indian gaurs to be inhabiting the division.

Habitat: Indian Bisons are mostly found in the hilly parts of the Western Ghats region such as Bandipur, Wayanad and Mudumalai.

State Animal: Gaur is the state animal of Goa and Bihar.

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Wildlife Protection Act,1972: Schedule I

Threats: a) Habitat Fragmentation b) Hunting for consumption and c) contract diseases transmitted by domestic cattle.

Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI): 41.5 crore Indians exited multidimensional poverty since 2005-06

Source: The post is based on the article “41.5 crore Indians exited multidimensional poverty since 2005-06” published in The Hindu on 18th October 2022.

What is the News?

The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI) 2022 has been released.

What is the Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI)?

Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI) is jointly produced by UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative(OPHI).

Purpose: It is a key international resource that measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing countries.

– It complements traditional monetary poverty measures by capturing the acute deprivations in health, education, and living standards that a person faces simultaneously.

Parameters: MPI constructs a deprivation profile of each household and person through 10 indicators spanning health, education and standard of living. All indicators are equally weighted within each dimension.

The global MPI identifies people as multidimensionally poor if their deprivation score is 1/3 or higher.

Calculation: The MPI is calculated by multiplying the incidence of poverty and the average intensity of poverty. The MPI ranges from 0 to 1, and higher values imply higher poverty.

– By identifying who is poor, the nature of their poverty (their deprivation profile) and how poor they are (deprivation score), the global MPI complements the international $1.90 a day poverty rate, which was revised by the World Bank last month to $2.15 per day.

What are the key findings of the MPI 2022?

Globally: Out of the total 610 crore people across 111 developing countries, 19.1% or 120 crores live in multidimensional poverty. Nearly half of them live in severe poverty.

India: The incidence of poverty fell from 55.1% in 2005/06 to 16.4% in 2019/21 in the country.

– As many as 41.5 crore people exited poverty in India during the 15-year period between 2005-06 and 2019-21, out of which two-thirds exited in the first 10 years and one-third in the next five years.

– Improvement in MPI for India has also significantly contributed to the decline in poverty in

South Asia and it is for the first time that it is not the region with the highest number of poor people at 38.5 crores compared with 57.9 crores in Sub-Saharan Africa.

– Bihar, the poorest State in 2015/2016 saw the fastest reduction in MPI value in absolute terms. The incidence of poverty there fell from 77.4% in 2005/2006 to 52.4% in 2015/2016 to 34.7% in 2019/2021.

– However, still India has by far the largest number of poor people worldwide at 22.8 crores, followed by Nigeria at 9.6 crores. Two-thirds of these people live in a household in which at least one person is deprived of nutrition.

Note: The report doesn’t fully assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on poverty in India as 71% of the data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-2021) relied upon for MPI were collected before the pandemic.

SECURE Himalaya project: Unique model to tie snow leopard tourism with habitat protection

Source: The post is based on the article “Unique model to tie snow leopard tourism with habitat protection” published in TOI on 18th October 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is implementing a unique model in Ladakh to conserve the habitats of Snow Leopards.

What is the unique model being implemented?

The unique model to conserve Snow Leopards is being implemented under the SECURE Himalaya project.

It involves local communities in Ladakh to not only protect the big cats but also provide alternative livelihood opportunities to the people in the region.

The model is linked to community-based tourism and promotion of traditional natural farming in scarce farmlands which can be replicated not only at other snow leopard habitats but also in tiger and elephant reserves with region-specific tweaks across the country to prevent incidents of human-wildlife conflicts.

This would eventually promote sustainable tourism and create new opportunities for local communities through protecting the overall ecology of the Himalayan region.

What is the SECURE Himalaya project?

The SECURE Himalaya project is a part of the “Global Partnership on Wildlife Conservation and Crime Prevention for Sustainable Development”(Global Wildlife Program) funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Implemented by: the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India along with UNDP.

Aim: The project supports the government’s efforts for the conservation of snow leopard and its habitat by developing and implementing a landscape-based approach for Himalayan ecosystems, and addresses key issues of habitat degradation, threatened livelihoods and illegal trade in wildlife.

Omicron’s Latest Variant BF.7: Experts Fear A New COVID Wave This Diwali; Here Are The Symptoms To Watch Out For

Source: The post is based on the article “Omicron’s Latest Variant BF.7: Experts Fear A New COVID Wave This Diwali; Here Are The Symptoms To Watch Out For” published in TOI on 17th October 2022.

What is the News?

The first case of BF.7 Omicron Covid variant has been detected by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre. This new Omicron variant is considered to be highly infectious and has greater transmissibility.

What is Omicron BF. 7?

Omicron BF. 7 also known as Omicron spawn is the latest subvariant of the Omicron Covid variant first detected in China.

This new variant is fast spreading and has also infected several other countries including the United States, the UK, Australia and Belgium.

The first case of BF.7 has been found in India as detected by Gujarat Biotechnology Research Center.

Symptoms: The common symptoms of Omicron BF.7 remain the same as those before. Sore throat, congestion, fatigue, cough and runny nose continue to be the most reported symptoms of COVID-19.

Why is the BF.7 variant concerning?

The new COVID variant Omicron BF.7 is said to surpass immunity and can dodge the antibodies from earlier infections or vaccinations better than the many other Omicron sub-variants, according to two studies.

Mars Orbiter craft non-recoverable, Mangalyaan mission over, confirms ISRO

Source: The post is based on the article “Mars Orbiter craft non-recoverable, Mangalyaan mission over, confirms ISRO” published in Indian Express on 2nd October 2022.

What is the News?

The Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) confirmed that the Mars Orbiter craft has lost communication and is non-recoverable and the Mangalyaan mission has attained end-of-life.

Note: Because of propellant (fuel) exhaustion the desired altitude pointing could not be achieved for sustained power generation and the Mars Orbiter craft lost communication from the ground station. Due to this, the Mangalyaan mission has ended.

What is Mangalyaan Mission?

Mars Orbiter Mission(MOM) or Mangalyaan is a space probe launched by the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) in 2013 and was successfully inserted into the Martian orbit in 2014.

Launcher used: It was launched using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket C25.

Objectives: 1) To explore Martian surface features, mineralogy, morphology and atmosphere using indigenous scientific instruments, 2) To develop technologies required in planning, designing, management and operations of an interplanetary mission.

Instruments: The instruments onboard the probe included a colour camera, a thermal infrared sensor, an ultraviolet spectrometer to study deuterium and hydrogen in the red planet’s upper atmosphere, a mass spectrometer to study neutral particles in its exosphere and a methane sensor.

Significance: Mangalyaan was India’s first interplanetary mission.

– The mission made India the first Asian country and the fourth in the world after Roscosmos, NASA, and the European Space Agency to get to the planet.

– China referred to India’s successful Mangalyaan as the “Pride of Asia”.

ExplainSpeaking: Reading Global Hunger Index and Indian govt’s response

Source: The post is based on the article “ExplainSpeaking: Reading Global Hunger Index and Indian govt’s response” published in Indian Express on 18th October 2022.

What is the News?

Recently, Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe has released the latest edition of the Global Hunger Index report. It ranked India 107th out of 121 countries.

The Indian government responded by summarily dismissing the report going so far as to claim that it was done to “taint India’s image”.

What is the Global Hunger Index?

Click Here to read

Why has the Indian government criticized GHI 2022?

The Government of India has rejected the report based on the following reasons:

First, it claims that a “consistent effort” is yet again visible “to taint India’s image as a Nation that does not fulfil the food security and nutritional requirements of its population”

Secondly, it has questioned the methodology of GHI, claiming that “misinformation seems to be the hallmark” of the annually released report. There are three sub-parts to the government’s contention. Such as,

– GHI uses “an erroneous measure of hunger”. In other words, it defines hunger in terms of other variables beyond the lack of food.

– 3 out of the 4 variables used are related to children and as such cannot be representative of the entire population.

– The government claims that the fourth indicator, the proportion of undernourished population is “based on an opinion poll conducted on a very small sample size of 3000”.

Thirdly, the government details how it has been providing additional free-of-cost foodgrains to 80 crore Indians since March 2020, over and above the entitlements under the National Food Security Act.

Malnourishment Problem in India

India has a severe malnourishment problem that needs to be tackled head-on. India can do better if its government rids itself of what increasingly resembles a persecution complex.

For instance, recently Unicef also brought out a report titled “Child Food Poverty: A Nutrition Crisis in Early Childhood”. The report provides a quick understanding of what child food poverty is and how it is being measured.

The report found that in 13 countries across the world, more than 2 in 5 children live in “severe food poverty”. India is one among those 13 giving company to countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Myanmar and Afghanistan.

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