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GS SCORE
An Institute for Civil Services
CURRENT AFFAIRS
ANALYST
W E E K LY
Week - 4
FEBRUARY, 2019
www.iasscore.inWEEK - 4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
Disclaimer
The current affairs articles are segregated from prelims and mains perspective, such
separation is maintained in terms of structure of articles. Mains articles have more
focus on analysis and prelims articles have more focus on facts.
However, this doesn’t mean that Mains articles don’t cover facts and PT articles can’t
have analysis. You are suggested to read all of them for all stages of examination.WEEK - 1 (1--46 (FEBRUARY,
WEEK NOVEMBER, 2018)
2019)
CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYST
WEEK-4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
CONTENTS
Section - A: Mains Current Affairs
Area of GS Topics in News Page No.
Economics Growing India-US trade conflict 06
Ethics Grievance Redressal: A key to Good Governance 08
Governance Elections and Political Funding 10
Polity Centre Vs State: Case of AAP Vs LG 12
Social Issues India and Neglected Disease Treatment 14
Section - B: Prelims Current Affairs
Area of GS Topics in News Page No.
Art & Culture Kochi-Muziris Biennale 18
Defence Defence Innovation Hubs 18
Disaster
International Dam Safety Conference 20
Management
Economy India withdrew Most Favoured Nation Status to Pakistan 21
Formalin 21
Environment Hindu Kush Himalayan Assessment Report 22
India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative 24
Central Waqf council 25
International Vision Zero Conference 26
Governance National Electronics Policy 2019 27
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) 28
SWAYATT and GeM Start-up Runway 30
Abolition of Institution of Income Tax and Indirect Tax
Indian Economy 30
Ombudsman
Hearing of Kulbhushan Jadhav Case in International Court of
International 32
Justice
Relations
Macedonia set to join NATO 33
Science &
Oxytocin 34
Technology
Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet Missile System 35
ENVIRONMENT IN NEWS 37
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SECTION: A
(MAINS)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
www.iasscore.in 5WEEK - 4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
GROWING INDIA-US TRADE CONFLICT
CONTEXT
Recently, USA and Indian officials met in New Delhi to discuss the trade relationship between their countries.
India has a $22-billion trade surplus with the US and this aspect is particularly annoying to the Trump
administration.
ABOUT Energy prices and other global factors have
caused India’s currency to depreciate against
Under Trump’s “America first” doctrine, the US the U.S. dollar, raising concerns about
administration is actively taking steps to reduce inflation.
trade deficits with its major trade partners.
Still, the economy is projected to grow by 7.3%
With China, America has $566 billion trade deficit. in 2018, up from 6.7% in 2017 (International
USA has raised objections over India’s growing Monetary Fund data), as shocks abate from
protectionism. Indian tariffs on solar panels domestic economic measures.
(ironically, meant to control Chinese imports)
prompted a U.S. complaint at the World Trade Bone of contention:
Organization. Now, India has chosen to wage battle against
Then, an Indian attempt to fix the price of stents U.S. companies on a completely new front:
caused the U.S. medical equipment industry to rise data localization.
up in protest.
Reserve Bank of India told all payments
companies to “store the entire data related to
BACKGROUND payments systems” solely in India.
The government followed up with draft
US-India trade relations: policies, one of which ordered e-commerce
companies to store user data in India and one
The United States and India view each other as which tells all internet companies to store
important strategic partners to advance common personal data of Indians in India.
interests regionally and globally.
E-commerce has also been a major flashpoint.
Bilateral trade in goods and services is about 2% of
The government is going after foreign-owned
U.S. world trade, but tripled in value between 2005
and 2017, reaching $126 billion. e-commerce web sites such as Amazon, telling
them that they can’t hold any inventory or
The trade relationship is more consequential allow their platform to be used by companies
for India, for whom the United States was its they’d invested in.
second largest export market (16% share) after
the European Union (EU, 17%), and third largest In other words, Amazon needs to find a
source of imports (6%) after China (17%) and the middleman to sell Kindles or Echos on its
EU (10%) in 2017. Indian website.
U.S.-India foreign direct investment (FDI) is small Local companies face no such restrictions.
but growing defence sales are significant in
bilateral trade as well. Intellectual Property (IP):
Civilian nuclear commerce, stalled for years over The two sides differ on how to balance IP
differences on liability protections, has produced protection to incentivize innovation and
major potential U.S. supply contracts support other policy goals, such as access to
medicines.
ANALYSIS India’s IP regime remains a top concern for
the United States, which designated India
Why USA keeps a constant tab on Indian again on its “Special 301” Priority Watch
List for 2017, based on such concerns as its
economy:
treatment of patents, infringement rates, and
India has one of the world’s fastest growing protection of trade secret.
economies and the third largest on a
purchasing power parity basis. Agriculture:
It is the second most populous country, with Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) barriers
a large and growing middle class. in India limit U.S. agricultural exports - The
Rising world energy prices place pressure on United States questions the scientific and
India which imports about 80% of its oil needs. risk-based justifications of such barriers.
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An ongoing issue is India’s purported Exports were $49.4 billion; imports were
compliance with a WTO decision against its $76.7 billion.
ban on U.S. poultry imports and live swine due
to avian influenza concerns; the WTO held that The U.S. goods and services trade deficit with
India’s measures violated WTO SPS rules. India was $27.3 billion in 2017.
Each side also sees the other’s agricultural Goods exports totalled $25.7 billion; goods
support programs as market-distorting; imports totalled $48.6 billion. The U.S. goods
India’s view of its programs from a food trade deficit with India was $22.9 billion in 2017
security lens complicates matters.
Trade in services with India (exports and
Localization Trade Barriers: imports) totalled an estimated $51.9 billion
in 2017.
The United States continues to press India on
its “forced” localization practices. Services exports were $23.7 billion; services
Initiatives to grow India’s manufacturing base imports were $28.1 billion. The U.S. services
and support jobs include requirements for trade deficit with India was $4.4 billion in 2017
in-country data storage and local content for Exports of Goods and Services to India
government procurement in some sectors.
supported an estimated 197 thousand jobs
Services: in 2015 (latest data available) (82 thousand
supported by goods exports and 116
The United States and India are competitive
in certain services industries. thousand supported by services exports).
Barriers to U.S. firms’ market access include Lobby groups have already started working
India’s limits on foreign ownership and local in the US to influence policies against certain
presence requirements. Indian products such as steel.
For India, a key issue is U.S. temporary visa
For India
policies, which affect Indian nationals working
in the United States. India is currently USA’s 9th largest goods
India is challenging U.S. fees for worker trading partner with $74.3 billion in total (two
visas in the WTO, and monitoring potential way) goods trade during 2017.
U.S. action to revise the H-1B (professional Indian exports to the US, including steel,
worker) visa program.
textiles, gems and jewellery, automobile and
India also continues to seek a “totalization components, food and leather, could all be
agreement” to coordinate social security potential targets for restrictions if the country
protection for workers who split their careers decides to go on a drive to bridge the current
between the two countries.
deficit by reducing imports.
The U.S. can be faulted for not seeing the
bigger picture. Way Forward:
It’s China that’s distorting the global playing
India should recognize two basic facts:
field, and U.S. trade policy should be focused
on finding and building alliances with countries If the country starts closing off its market,
such as India to combat that larger problem. which right now remains of a speculation
India has the potential to be a giant market, than reality, it will find doors closing to its
which U.S. companies might need if they’re exports as well.
slowly squeezed out of China.
This in turn would reduce its attractiveness as
a manufacturing base.
U.S.-India Bilateral Trade and Investment:
India enjoys tremendous economic growth; each
For USA country is trying to increase its role on the world
U.S. goods and services trade with India stage. It’s the start of the realignment of the
totalled an estimated $126.2 billion in 2017. balance of power in Asia.
Practice Question
The U.S. goods trade deϐicit with India was $22.9 billion in 2017, a 6.1% decrease ($1.5 billion) over
2016. Discuss measures, as heard in the news recently, which the Trump administration is mulling to
mitigate the bridge and also analyse how this will impact India.
www.iasscore.in 7WEEK - 4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL: A KEY TO GOOD
GOVERNANCE
CONTEXT
A key aspect of the clarion call of “maximum governance and minimum government” of the Government of
India is effective Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM). The vision of New India by 2022 hinges on responsive
and effective government of which GRM is a significant requirement.
What is grievance redressal? Centralized Public Grievance Redress and
Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) is an online web-
Grievance redressal concerns with the receipt, enabled system developed by NIC, in association
processing, and effective resolution of complaints with Directorate of Public Grievances (DPG) and
from citizens and consumers. It is a management, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
and governance related process which results in Grievances (DARPG). CPGRAMS is the platform
removal of discontent by resolution of complaints based on web technology which primarily aims to
and issues. The grievances are generally in concern enable submission of grievances by the aggrieved
with lack of service availability and its delivery, citizens 24x7 from anywhere, to Ministries/
delays in service delivery, lack of transparency Departments/Organisations who scrutinize,
& accountability, injustice concerns like gender track with unique registration number, and
and caste-based discriminations, misbehaviours, provide action taken report (ATR) on the received
malpractices such as corruption, etc. grievances. The states’ public grievance redressal
systems which function parallelly with CPGRAMS
Ethics of effective GRM: will also be linked with CPGRAMS, in future, for
Every human relation is based on the value of ‘trust’. more unified approach to grievance redressal.
Grievances are resulted due to non-fulfilment of The various offices of Prime Minister’s Office
the commitments and causes distrust among (PMO), President’s Secretariat, Pension Portal,
people, thus, affect the relationship among public etc. are linked with CPGRAMS. Prime Minister,
and government. In governmental sector, they through Pro-Active Governance and Timely
result from problems in service delivery mainly. Implementation or PRAGATI platform, monitors
Designated portals to register one’s complaints important programmes to address common
and the ability to get them resolved improves the citizen’s grievances.
public trust in an institution, improves its services
Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism
delivery and most importantly, removes the areas
(INGRAM) is to further enhance the unified and
of contention and reduces disaffection & apathy
smooth experience to citizen/consumers across
among public by providing a safety-valve.
public and private sectors.
Further, timely resolution of the grievances provides
e-governance through mechanisms such as the
strength to the democracy by providing stability
web-app, MyGov.in, Unified Mobile Application
to the government as it increases public trust in
for New-age Governance (UMANG) app for
government. It results in belongingness among
m-governance or mobile-governance, etc. which
people and gives them a sense of ownership in
increases access of a government for a common
government and its functioning.
citizen and provide suggestions for improvement
Grievances also provide feedback on the various of affairs.
policies of the government and provide as measure
Quality Council of India (QCI) goes into the analysis
to monitor and improve public policies by taking
of root cause of the discontent and grievances on
timely corrective measures.
CPGRAMS helping in figuring out the patterns
Mechanisms employed by the government in grievances for their effective and sustained
resolution.
offices:
Various other services like Jansunwai or e-samvad,
Generally, a Public Relations Officer (PRO) is Lokvani in Uttar Pradesh, aponline.com in Andhra
designated with the role of receiving complaints Pradesh, e-Pariharan of Kerala, Door-step delivery
and initiating corrective action. But due to lack model of Government of NCT of Delhi, etc. are few
of adequate authority vested in the PRO over other examp les of grievance redressal mechanism
officers of various capacities, the system becomes across states.
ineffective.
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Best practices: Future outlook of grievance redressal in
India:
Due to increased awareness with increasing
internet penetration and education levels among With increased focus on e-governance, the services
are set to go paperless, cashless, and faceless with
population, grievance registration on the CPGRAMS
limited or no human interface. This would reduce
portal has increased in India in past few years (by the discretion and biases from the system.
over 100% from 2015 to 2017). Interestingly, the
Also, with increasing education levels and rising
disposal rate of the grievances has also increased awareness regarding one’s rights and obligation
(from around 70% in 2015 to over 93% in 2017). for government, the demands for better GRM will
The recurrent grievances have been found by further increase.
QCI through root cause analysis, in areas such Unified system (CPGRAMS and states’ public
as railway ticket cancellation, and have resulted grievance redressal systems) will result in faster
resolutions of grievances. This would result in
in over 80 successful reforms in those areas. This more participatory and responsive governance
would help in long-term or permanent resolution and help realize the vision of ‘Sushasan’ or good
of the grievances. governance in New India 2022.
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www.iasscore.in 9WEEK - 4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL FUNDING
CONTEXT
The lack of transparency in political funding is a cause for concern and electoral bonds have made it worse.
ABOUT Electoral Bonds shall be valid for fifteen days
from the date of issue and no payment shall
Corporate funding of political parties be made to any payee Political Party if the
Electoral Bond is deposited after expiry of the
What used to happen? validity period. The Electoral Bond deposited
by an eligible Political Party in its account
The conventional system of political funding
shall be credited on the same day.
relied on donations. These donations, big
or small, came from a range of sources from Every political party in its returns will have
political workers, sympathizers, small business to disclose the amount of donations it has
people and even large industrialists. received through electoral bonds to the
The conventional practice of funding the Election Commission.
political system was to take donations in cash
and undertake these expenditures in cash.
ANALYSIS
The sources were anonymous or
pseudonymous. The quantum of money was
never disclosed. Operational experience of the scheme:
This system ensured flow of unclean money The concerns ranging from transparency, voluntary
coming from unidentifiable sources. disclosure and chances of victimization still prevails.
The scheme has not been able to set aside the
The “electoral bond” scheme: “fear” of being misused by the party in power.
Government of India notified the Electoral
Exact and clear description of “who gave what to
Bond Scheme 2018 vide Gazette Notification
whom” cannot be revealed under the act. Hence, it
No. 20 dated 02nd January 2018. As per
provisions of the Scheme, Electoral Bonds goes against the spirit of Right to Information act.
may be purchased by a person, who is a
citizen of India or incorporated or established How to make funding transparent:
in India. Only those political parties should be eligible to
A person being an individual can buy receive funding which are engaged in political
Electoral Bonds, either singly or jointly activity all through the year, whether there is an
with other individuals. Only the Political election or not.
Parties registered under Section 29A of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 The electoral bonds scheme needs replacement
of 1951) and which secured not less than with a more transparent means of funding political
one per cent of the votes polled in the last parties, where both the donor and political
General Election to the House of the People recipient are identified clearly.
or the Legislative Assembly of the State, shall In the “direct state funding to candidates”
be eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds. mechanism, the candidate will be reimbursed
The bonds will be issued in multiples of Rs according to their final share of the votes cast.
1000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 Lakh, Rs 10 Lakh and Rs
1 Crore and can be bought by the donor with How state funding at candidate level will
a KYC compliant account. bring positive externalities:
They cannot be purchased by paying cash.
It will become possible for new and cleaner
The maximum amount that a political party
can receive as donation in cash is capped at candidates from outside the mainstream parties
Rs 2000. Electoral bonds thus permit them to to join politics.
raise higher sums. It will ease the pressure on parties themselves to
The Electoral Bonds shall be encashed by an give tickets to criminals and other rogues primarily
eligible Political Party only through a Bank because they can manage their own funding (thus,
account with the Authorized Bank. a step towards decriminalizing politics).
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Parties themselves will become more internally order to establish a fair playing field for parties
democratic, as candidates will not be over- with less money. The Committee recommended
dependent on party bosses for cash (boost to two limitations to state funding. Firstly, that state
inner party democracy) funds should be given only to national and state
State funding will have qualitative effect: better parties allotted a symbol and not to independent
candidates and cleaner party funding. candidates. Secondly, that in the short-term state
funding should only be given in kind, in the form of
A generic and “do-able”: certain facilities to the recognized political parties
and their candidates.
If the assumption is based on the fact that each Lok
Sabha constituency needs Rs 5 crore of candidate Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral
funding, with the top three candidates sharing Laws (1999): Total state funding of elections
this amount in the ratio of their vote shares, 543 is “desirable” so long as political parties are
constituencies will cost Rs 2,715 crore. This is an prohibited from taking funds from other sources.
entirely acceptable level of spending for clean politics Only partial state funding is possible given the
once in five years. economic conditions of the country. Additionally,
it strongly recommended that the appropriate
Can the above approach be used without regulatory framework be put in place with regard
altering state exchequer’s cash flow? to political parties (provisions ensuring internal
democracy, internal structures and maintenance
There is an availability of Rs 5 crore to each Lok
of accounts, their auditing and submission to
Sabha and Rajya Sabha candidate from Members
Election Commission) before state funding of
of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme
elections is attempted.
(MPLADS). The total cost of MPLADS funding for
all MPs is nearly Rs 4,000 crore every year, and Ethics in Governance, a report of the Second
scrapping the scheme even for one year (preferable Administrative Reforms Commission (2008):
in the election year)in an MP’s five-year term will Recommended partial state funding of elections
be enough to bankroll state funding of Lok Sabha for the purpose of reducing “illegitimate and
candidates. unnecessary funding” of elections expenses.
National Commission to Review the Working
State funding of elections -
of the Constitution, 2001: Did not endorse state
Past recommendations: funding of elections but concurred with the 1999
Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding Law Commission report that the appropriate
of Elections (1998): Endorsed state funding of framework for regulation of political parties would
elections, seeing “full justification constitutional, need to be implemented before state funding is
legal as well as on ground of public interest” in considered.
Practice Question
In a democracy, political power is supposed to ϐlow from popular approval, as measured by results in
elections. In practice, this system is often distorted by a number of factors, ϐinancial power being the
most prominent of them. Political parties often shape policy not as per the desires of their voters but
their funders. Critically analyze role, mandate and effectiveness of the Electoral bond scheme in this
context.
www.iasscore.in 11WEEK - 4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
CENTRE VS STATE: CASE OF AAP Vs LG
CONTEXT
Recently, the split verdict by the Supreme Court Bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan is a setback
to the Delhi government.
ABOUT Areas that needs clarity:
Since AAP came into power in Delhi, the Delhi Justice Sikri has ruled that power of transfers
and postings of officers from the rank of
government had taken a range of issues, and has
Joint Secretary upward lies with the L-G; files
repeatedly invoked the “rights” of the elected
regarding the rest of the officers are to be
government of the state to act in the interests of routed through the Delhi government.
the people of Delhi.
Justice Bhushan, has, however, ruled that
The political party (AAP) demanded to know- how “Services” as a whole are outside the purview
the state government was expected to perform its of the Delhi government.
duties when it did not even have the powers to
Hence, the two Justices have differed on the aspect
choose its officials for the jobs. of “services”, and that matter will now be referred
to a larger Bench of the court.
BACKGROUND Past judgments on similar grounds:
The major issues on Delhi government went to the In July 2018, a constitutional bench of the
Supreme Court: Supreme Court delivered a major verdict on
The power to appoint and transfer the officers the status of the National Capital Territory of
Delhi.
of State Public Services
The legal puzzle was posed by Article 239AA
The power over the Anti-Corruption Bureau
of the Constitution, which entered the
(ACB) Constitution in 1991.
Right to implement the Electricity Reforms The provision gave Delhi an elected legislative
Act in Delhi. assembly and the legislative authority that
other states enjoy, with three exceptions
(public order, police and land).
ANALYSIS -
What it missed was: the new constitutional
arrangement didn’t fully reveal the role of the
Decisions taken by the apex court: L-G, who was hitherto the person in-charge
On the challenge to the Lieutenant Governor’s of administering Delhi.
directive to the ACB not to take cognizance In 2018, Supreme Court verdict was a firm
of allegations against officers of the central endorsement of the position taken by the
government, the Bench has upheld the AAP.
powers of the Centre. Given India’s parliamentary setup, the court
On the challenge to a notification issued by rightly held that the L-G was bound to act
on the aid and advice of the Council of
the Delhi government’s Vigilance Directorate
Ministers.
under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952
without first seeking the views/concurrence This was the natural consequence of having
of the L-G, too, the Bench has upheld the a democratically elected government. Power
point of view of the Centre. and accountability must lie with those who
are elected.
The central government is the “appropriate
Although this resolved some matters, the
authority” under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 2018 verdict did not address specific conflicts
as Delhi is not a “full state”. between the Delhi government and the L-G.
All issues pertaining to the Electricity Reforms Act, These were to be resolved subsequently
the revision of minimum rates of agricultural land, by a smaller bench, which was to apply
and the power to appoint a special public prosecutor the overarching principle laid down by the
are, however, with the Delhi government. constitutional bench.
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This was the mandate that led to the Supreme However, if the Parliament makes law in respect
Court verdict this week. of certain subjects falling in the State List or the
Concurrent List, the executive action of the State
Govt. of Delhi vs. Lt. Governor, some must conform to the law made by the Parliament.
important pointers (as mentioned by the The meaning of ‘aid and advise’ employed in
Supreme Court’s Constitutional bench in Article 239AA (4) has to be construed to mean that
July 2018): the Lieutenant Governor of NCT of Delhi is bound
by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers
The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court and this position holds true so long as the
held that the Lieutenant-General of the Delhi had Lieutenant Governor does not exercise his power
to act as per the aid and advice of the Council of under the proviso to clause (4) of Article 239AA.
Ministers of Delhi Government except in matters
of land, police and public order. The Lieutenant Governor has not been entrusted
with any independent decision-making power. He
It held that the LG cannot interfere in each has to either act on the ‘aid and advice’ of
and every decision of the Delhi Government. Council of Ministers or he is bound to implement
Although decisions of the Government have to the decision taken by the President on a reference
be communicated to the LG, there is no need to being made by him.
obtain the concurrence of LG in all matters.
The Lieutenant Governor should not act in a
The Court also held that Delhi was not a ‘State’, and mechanical manner without due application of
occupied a special status under the Constitution. mind so as to refer every decision of the Council of
Constitution has to be interpreted in such a manner Ministers to the President.
to enhance its democratic spirit. The difference of opinion between the Lieutenant
The paradigm of representative participation by Governor and the Council of Ministers should
engagement of citizenry should not be annihilated have a sound rationale and there should not be
by interpretation. exposition of the phenomenon of an obstructionist
but reflection of the philosophy of affirmative
The interpretative dissection of Article 239AA(3) (a)
constructionism and profound sagacity and
reveals that the Parliament has the power to make
judiciousness.
laws for the National Capital Territory of Delhi with
respect to any matters enumerated in the State
Conclusion-
List and the Concurrent List.
At the same time, the Legislative Assembly of Delhi The Supreme Court’s decision seems entangled
also has the power to make laws over all those in the reading of specific phrases within texts and
subjects which figure in the Concurrent List and rules, but it seems surprisingly distant from the
all, but three excluded subjects, in the State fact that Delhi has a representative government.
List. The anomalies in the legal materials are a product
A conjoint reading of clauses (3)(a) and (4) of of the presence of Union Territories and the fact
Article 239AA divulges that the executive power of that they are not states.
the Government of NCTD is co¬extensive with the Indeed, the verdict seems burdened by the fact
legislative power of the Delhi Legislative Assembly that Delhi is not a state, and that single fact seems
and, to cast a shadow over the court’s entire effort at
Accordingly, the executive power of the Council reasoning and resolution.
of Ministers of Delhi spans over all subjects in One cannot but help ask why, under these legal
the Concurrent List and all, but three excluded circumstances, one should bother with having a
subjects, in the State List. representative assembly in Delhi
Practice Question
In a democratic republic, collective is the supreme and the elected representatives reϐlects the will of
the collective. Considering this statement, how far do you concur with the recently delivered apex
court’s judgment on Delhi government’s legislative and executive mandate?
www.iasscore.in 13WEEK - 4 (FEBRUARY, 2019)
INDIA AND NEGLECTED DISEASE TREATMENT
CONTEXT
According to the fourth WHO report on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), India has achieved the target for
the elimination of visceral leishmaniasis (kala azar) in 82% sub-districts.
The government has set a target of eliminating visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis in endemic pockets
by 2017.
India eliminated yaws, a chronic skin disease that mostly affects poor children, in 2015. WHO recognised India
as the first member state to “achieve this important milestone”.
ABOUT: .01% of their gross domestic product (GDP)
to research the health needs of developing
countries.
What is NTD?
In 2017, despite increases, not a single
Neglected diseases are a group of parasitic and country met this target.
other infectious diseases that have usually been
on low priority for the pharmaceutical sector and Only the US and the UK came somewhat
primarily affect the poorest of the poor section of close, underscoring that there is still a long
community. way to go.
The neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis,
chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, NEGLECTED DISEASES: FACTS AT A GLANCE
malaria, tuberculosis and autoimmune deficiency 60 million people are at risk of contracting sleeping
syndrome wreak havoc on the populations of the sickness, but treatment options are few.
developing world. But significantly less attention
has been paid on research and development of Kala-azar kills 60,000 people each year, but the
new drugs for these neglected diseases. most common treatment was developed in the
1930s.
Current status: Nearly 1,400 children die every day of AIDS-
related complications, but existing methods to
Global: diagnose HIV in infants are ill-adapted for poor
Though the global spending on health countries, and only a few paediatric formulations
research has increased dramatically from $30 of antiretrovirals exist.
billion in 1986 to $106 billion today, yet 90%
TB is responsible for nearly 2 million deaths each
of this allocation is being spent on the health
problems of less than 10% of the world’s year but treatment depends on increasingly
population. ineffective drugs dating back the 1950-1960s. The
most common test developed in 1882 detects the
This gap has led to the lack of drug disease only in 45-60% of cases.
development and innovative treatments for
the diseases afflicting the poor. 340 million sexually transmitted infections occur
every year but many cannot be treated due to lack
The economic burden of infectious diseases
of simple and reliable tests.
per person measured in disability- adjusted
life years (DALYs) is twice as compared to that
in the established market economies or the
developed countries. India:
Over 40% of the healthy years lost in the With 58 percent of leprosy cases, 40 percent
developing countries are attributable to of lymphatic filariasis and 34 percent of all
communicable, maternal, and perinatal dengue cases, India shoulders a high burden
diseases, many of which never existed or have of several NTDs.
been all but eradicated in the established India has also progressed well in treating
market economies. lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), and has
Of the total number of new drugs developed stopped mass drug administration in 72
during 1975 to 2004 only 1.3% (20 new drugs) endemic districts after passing evaluations.
were for tropical disease and tuberculosis, While some of these diseases may be
which accounts for approximately 12% of unfamiliar, leprosy, kala-azar and filariasis are
diseases burden. better known in India and are being targeted
WHO recommends that countries donate for elimination in the near future.
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India is home to a fourth of the 220.6 million The disease mainly affects the skin, the
children worldwide who need preventive doses peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper
of the de-worming medicines Albendazole or respiratory tract and also the eyes.
Mebendazole to stop worm infection. Leprosy is curable and treatment provided in
India has successfully eliminated certain the early stages averts disability.
infectious diseases—such as guinea worm, Multidrug therapy (MDT) treatment has been
trachoma, and yaws—in recent years. made available by WHO free of charge to all
Neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis, patients worldwide since 1995, and provides
filariasis, leprosy, snakebite, and soil transmitted a simple yet highly effective cure for all types
helminthic infections still pose a challenge. of leprosy.
Leprosy Facts
Some major Neglected Tropical Diseases:
Official figures show that 214 783 new cases of
Lymphatic Filariasis leprosy were reported during 2016. Globally,
the number of new cases detected annually
Lymphatic filariasis (LF), commonly known as has remained stable, at around 220,000, in
elephantiasis is a mosquito-borne parasitic recent years.
disease caused by thread-like worms of the
genus Wuchereria and Brugia. M. leprae multiplies very slowly and the
incubation period of the disease is about five
Long-term infection progressively results in years. Symptoms can take as long as 20 years
profound disfigurement and pain in the limbs to appear.
and genitals as the parasites lodge in the
Leprosy is not highly infectious. It is
lymphatic system causing severe swelling,
transmitted via droplets, from the nose and
secondary bacterial infections, and fever.
mouth, during close and frequent contacts
Though the disease is usually irreversible, with untreated cases.
there is now evidence that treatment can Untreated, leprosy can cause progressive and
alleviate symptoms of patients suffering from permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs
the disease. and eyes.
The primary goal is to stop the spread of
infection by reducing worm larvae in the LEISHMANIASIS or KALA-AZAR
blood of infected persons so that mosquitoes
Leishmaniasis is endemic in 88 countries with an
cannot transmit the worms from one human estimated 350 million people at risk.
to another.
Around 2 million people become ill with
Mectizan and albendazole is part of the strategy leishmaniasis every year. Only 30% of this number
as the combination kills off the microfilariae. is officially reported.
WHO recommends a single, annual dose The most severe form, visceral leishmaniasis or
over five years of Mectizan and albendazole kala-azar, is a fatal disease.90 % cases occur in five
in onchocerciasis-endemic countries in developing countries: India, Bangladesh, Brazil,
Africa and in Yemen, or Mectizan and Nepal and Sudan.
diethylcarbamazine in all other LF-endemic
Kala-azar also occurs in Europe. In Southern
countries to interrupt transmission.
Europe, over 1,600 people have been diagnosed
Trachoma as infected with both kala-azar and HIV up to early
1999.
Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious
cause of blindness. AIDS
It is caused by infection from the bacterium AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency
chlamydia trachomatis which spreads through virus (HIV).
contact with eye discharge from an infected
person – via hands, towels, sheets and, in AIDS can be treated with antiretroviral drugs that
some cases, eye-seeking flies, and thrives stop the virus from replicating, but do not kill
it. This treatment is still not widely available in
where there is poor sanitation and limited
developing countries.
access to water for personal hygiene.
Approximately 200 million people worldwide
living in trachoma-endemic districts and ANALYSIS
3.2 million people need surgery to avoid
blindness because of trachoma.
India’s success in fighting NTDs:
Leprosy According to the G-Finder Report (most
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused comprehensive analysis of ND released by Policy
by Mycobacterium leprae. Cures Research) India scaled its contribution by
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38% to $76 million in 2017, upholding its position who need them most, but it does not specifically
as the fourth-largest public funder globally. tackle neglected diseases
A large part of this increase came from ICMR (Indian The Draft National Pharmaceutical Policy (2017)
Council of Medical Research), which substantially states that one of its objectives is to create an
increased its investments in malaria, TB and other enabling environment to develop and produce
neglected tropical diseases. innovator drugs, but the policy does not mention
For the first time ever, ICMR has been placed in drugs for neglected tropical diseases.
the top four largest funders of TB research and The National Biotechnology Development Plan
development (R&D). (2015-2020) seeks to encourage the preclinical and
It is also the only organization from low- and clinical development of vaccines against rotavirus,
middle-income countries to feature in the top 12 cholera, typhoid, rabies (human (DNA) based),
funders. malaria, dengue, tuberculosis, and Japanese
encephalitis.
The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance
Council has developed an ecosystem of The National Intellectual Property Rights Policy
programmes and schemes that provide holistic (2016) states that it will encourage publicly funded
support to startups and small and medium R&D institutes and industry to develop affordable
enterprises. drugs for neglected diseases but does not spell
out how it will do so. There has been no activity
The new triple drug therapy for eliminating reported in this area.
lymphatic filariasis (LF) was launched in December
2018. The Open Source Drug Discovery programme was
set up by the Council of Scientific and Industrial
Unlike traditional LF treatments, a single dose of Research for new inventions for the prevention,
the new triple-drug therapy is enough to kill the diagnosis, and treatment of common diseases in
adult worm, making it significantly faster, easier India. This programme is no longer being funded.
and cheaper to cure people. It could have served as a platform to discover new
India, which bears 40% of the global disease drug targets and drugs for infectious and non-
burden, is the first country in South-East Asia to communicable diseases.
introduce the new treatment regimen. The Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
Two Indian vaccines for typhoid and rotavirus have (2013) does not mention research on neglected
received WHO prequalification. diseases.
India has also made strides developing affordable
Way forward
and accurate diagnostic tools, including a point-of-
care molecular detection platform that can detect It is time for India to establish a comprehensive
a variety of infectious agents. policy on neglected diseases that paves the way
for greater funding and mechanisms to support
Recent policies in health sector and their research and innovation.
drawbacks: Creating an enabling environment for research and
The National Policy on Treatment of Rare Diseases innovation will be crucial if India is to achieve the
(2018) includes infectious tropical diseases and target set in sustainable development goal 3.3 to end
identifies a need to support research on treatments epidemics of neglected tropical diseases by 2030.
for rare diseases. It has not yet prioritised diseases
WHO in June 2017 adopted snakebite
and areas for research funding or how innovation
envenoming as a ‘category A’ neglected tropical
would be supported.
disease (NTD).
The National Health Policy (2017) sets an ambition
A disease is considered ‘eliminated’ when the
to stimulate innovation to meet health needs and
prevalence rate is less than 1 case per 10,000
ensure that new drugs are affordable for those
population size.
Practice Question
A comprehensive policy for neglected diseases research in India is needed to foster innovation in
drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines, critical for evolving needs of elimination programmes. Discuss
What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)? How they affect India illustrate with examples. Also
suggest what measures should India take to eliminate NTDs?
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SECTION: B
(PRELIMS)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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KOCHI-MUZIRIS BIENNALE
CONTEXT Fourth edition of Asia’s biggest contemporary art festival, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale
– a 108-day event is going on in Kochi since December 2018.
ABOUT More on news
The exhibition is being held at nine venues, eight of which are centred around West
Kochi and Mattancherry at the confluence of Arabian Sea with Lake Vembanad, the
longest lake in India.
The theme for the ongoing biennale is “Possibilities for a Non-Alienated Life,” with Anita
Dube, a contemporary artist, as its curator.
About 100 artists from over 36 countries are participating in the art show known for its
photo exhibitions, film screenings, paintings, installations, art education programs, and
workshops.
Kochi-Muziris Biennale
Inspired by renowned art festivals like the Venice Biennale, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale
is the first biennale of India, providing a platform to showcase new artistic practices of
the subcontinent and the world.
The Kochi Biennale Foundation has hosted the festival since 2012 with the support of
the state government and a few businesses.
What is the objective of the Biennale?
To create a new language of cosmopolitanism and modernity that is rooted in the lived
and living experience of Kochi.
To establish itself as a centre for artistic engagement in India by drawing from the rich
tradition of public action and public engagement in Kerala.
To reflect the new confidence of Indian people who are slowly, but surely, building a
new society that aims to be liberal, inclusive, egalitarian and democratic.
To explore the hidden energies latent in India’s past and present artistic traditions and
invent a new language of coexistence and cosmopolitanism that celebrates the multiple
identities people live with.
Kochi Biennale Foundation
It is a non-profit charitable trust founded in 2010 by artists Bose Krishnamachari
and Riyas Komu.
It is engaged in promoting art & culture and educational activities in India; primary
amongst them the hosting of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
The Kochi Biennale Foundation is also engaged in the conservation of heritage
properties and monuments and the upliftment of traditional forms of art and
culture.
The Foundation works throughout the year to strengthen contemporary art
infrastructure and to broaden public access to art across India through a diverse
range of programmes.
DEFENCE INNOVATION HUBS
CONTEXT The Defence Innovation Organisation set up under iDEX has announced setting up of two
Defence Innovation Hubs (DIHs) in Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore) and Maharashtra (Nashik).
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ABOUT More on news
The Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework of the Government envisages
setting up and managing independent DIHs.
These DIHs will serve as platforms where innovators can get information about needs
and feedback from the Services directly and create solutions for India’s major defence
platforms.
This structure is also geared towards attracting more innovators to work for the defence
sector in India.
What are the criteria for establishing Defence Innovation Hubs?
The Framework to Fund Defence Innovation Hubs under iDEX prescribes the following
minimum criterion for setting up Defence Innovation Hubs:
Any Central Government recognized Incubator including but not limited to: Department
of Science and Technology (DST) recognized Incubators.
Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog created Atal Incubation Centers (AICs) and
Established Incubation Centers (EICs).
Ministry of MSME recognized incubators.
Any other incubator recognized or funded through any Central government scheme.
The incubator located in districts mentioned in the list of SME clusters hosted by the
Ministry of MSME in collaboration with UNIDO.
Incubator / Hub promoted by local industry associations.
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX):
It was launched by the Government in April 2018, primarily aims at creation of
an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and
Aerospace
It aims at engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D
institutes & academia for defence technology to be made and fostered in India.
It will provide them grants/funding and other support to carry out R&D which has
good potential for future adoption for Indian defence and aerospace needs.
iDEX is funded and managed by a ‘Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)’ which has
been formed as a ‘not for profit’ company as per Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013
for this purpose
DIO has been created by the two founder members i.e. Defence Public Sector
Undertakings (DPSUs) - HAL & BEL.
iDEX functions as the executive arm of DIO, carrying out all the required activities while
DIO will provide high level policy guidance to iDEX.
Key Functions of iDex:
Co-Innovation/co-creation
Piloting of candidate technologies in important platforms
Indigenization of various defence and aerospace related platforms being manufactured
in the country based on ToT.
Defence India Start Up Challenge:
Taking the iDEX initiative further, Defence India Startup Challenge “has been launched
by Ministry in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission.
It aims at supporting Startups/MSMEs/Innovators to create prototypes and/or
commercialize products/solutions in the area of National Defence and Security.
The vision of the Challenge is two-fold:
Help create functional prototypes of products/technologies relevant for national
security (prototyping), and spur fast-moving innovation in the India defence sector
Help new tech products/technologies find a market and early customer
(commercialization) in the form of the Indian Defence Establishment.
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INTERNATIONAL DAM SAFETY CONFERENCE
CONTEXT Central Water Commission in collaboration with Odisha Water Resources Department
and World Bank has organized the International Dam Safety Conference in Bhubaneswar,
Odisha.
ABOUT More on news
International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) and National Committees on Large
Dams were among the organizing partners for this conference.
Dam Safety Conferences are being organized as an annual event in different Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP) States in collaboration with the
Implementing Agencies and leading academic institutes to provide a common platform
for all stakeholders including non-DRIP States.
Conference aims on deliberate all aspects related to dam safety and the solutions that
worked best in addressing dam safety concerns.
Why is Dam rehabilitation and dam safety necessary?
India ranks third globally with 5264 large dams in operation and about 437 are under
construction. In addition, there are several thousand smaller dams.
According to National Register of Large Dams (NRLD) maintained by Central Water
Commission (CWC) 209 dams are 100 years or more old in India.
Dams are vital for ensuring the water security of the country therefore constitute a
major responsibility in terms of asset management and safety.
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP)
In 2012, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation
embarked upon the six year DRIP with World Bank assistance.
The objective was to improve safety and operational performance of selected dams,
along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach.
The project originally envisaged the rehabilitation and improvement of 223 dam projects
in four states namely, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
Later Karnataka, Uttarakhand (UJVNL) and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) joined
the DRIP and presently 198 dam projects are being rehabilitated.
DRIP has been successful in bringing together dam owners, engineers, scientists,
academicians, industries, World Bank as well as renowned dam safety professionals.
In addition to rehabilitation of dams, other important activities include activities such as
development of Dam Health And Rehabilitation Monitoring Application (DHARMA) etc.
It also developed Seismic Hazard Mapping along with development of Seismic Hazard
Assessment Information System (SHAISYS).
Under DRIP, capacity building in dam safety area of eleven academic institutions is
being done.
Also, capacity building of two Central Agencies i.e. Central Soil and Material Research
Station (CSMRS) as well as Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), is also
one of the activities.
Collaboration with few renowned international agencies for capacity building includes
Deltares Netherlands, Bureau of Reclamation USA, and Japan Water Agency Japan, Entura.
The overall supervision and coordination has been entrusted to Central Water
Commission, and is being assisted by Egis Eau, Engineering and Management
Consultant.
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INDIA WITHDREW MOST FAVOURED NATION STATUS TO
PAKISTAN
CONTEXT • As a retaliatory measure to a dastardly suicide bombing attack in Pulwama, the
Indian government has withdrawn “Most Favoured Nation” or MFN status accorded
to Pakistan.
The decision is intended to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and squeeze the country’s
industry. It can led to stoppage of input materials such as chemicals and cotton from
India, will push up costs of production for the relevant Pakistani industries.
ABOUT What is MFN status?
Article 1 of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 1994, requires every WTO
member country to accord MFN status (or preferential trade terms with respect to tariffs
and trade barriers) to all other member countries.
Accordingly, India accorded MFN status to all WTO member countries, including
Pakistan, from the date of entry into force of the so called Marrakesh Agreement.
Most Favoured Nation status is given to an international trade partner to ensure non-
discriminatory trade between all partner countries of the WTO.
A country which provides MFN status to another country has to provide concessions,
privileges, and immunity in trade agreements. It is the first clause in the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
Since India and Pakistan are part of the WTO, both are required to grant MFN status to
each other and other partner countries.
India granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996, just a year after the formation of the WTO.
On the other hand, Pakistan is yet to award MFN status to India.
The reason behind Pakistan’s move to not grant MFN status to India is decades of
conflict, mistrust and war.
Does MFN status offer preferential treatment?
MFN only ensures non-discriminatory trade. It makes sure that any country receiving
MFN status avoids any disadvantageous situation in comparison to the granter’s other
trade partners.
An MFN status helps reduce trade barriers and results in a reduction in tariffs. Thereby,
promoting freer trade between two or more countries.
World Trade Organization (WTO)
It is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between
nations.
The goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.
It acts as a forum for negotiating trade agreements and settles trade disputes between
its members and it supports the needs of developing countries.
All major decisions are made by the WTO’s member governments: either by ministers
(who usually meet at least every two years) or by their ambassadors or delegates (who
meet regularly in Geneva).
WTO has over 160 members representing 98 per cent of world trade. Over 20 countries
are seeking to join the WTO.
FORMALIN
CONTEXT • Odisha’s dried-fish industry is using formalin, a chemical which is considered
carcinogenic and has other ill effects on humans.
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The state government has come up with new plans to take measures against the
practice which will include punishing those who use formalin, awareness campaigns
and introduction of new hygienic methods.
Identification of Formalin is not new in India as similar adulterated samples were
also detected in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Northeast
markets last year.
ABOUT What is Formalin and what are its uses?
It is a colourless flammable chemical used in pressed wood products, fabrics, insulation
materials. It is a dangerous and anti-decomposition agent.
It is also used as fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant. In mortuaries, it is used as a
preservative for bodies and organs.
What are the effects on health?
Short term damages for formaldehyde are watery eyes, coughing, wheezing, nausea
and skin irritation.
Formaldehyde increases risk of leukemia, blood cancer and other lymphomas.
International agency for research on cancer and US FDA both classify formaldehyde as
a human carcinogen.
Exposure to it causes irritation to mucous membrane like throat, respiratory tract causing
sore throats, bronchitis and pneumonia.
It can also cause allergic reaction.
Formalin causes kidney and liver problems.
Why is fish laced with formalin?
Fish is a highly perishable commodity. If it isn’t maintained at the proper temperature
of 5 degree Celsius, it gets spoilt. To avoid that and increase its shelf life, the sellers now
use chemicals such as formalin and ammonia.
If the point of sale is far from the place of catch, formalin is used as a preservative.
Meanwhile, ammonia is mixed with the water that is frozen to keep fish fresh.
How to identify fish laced with formalin?
When formalin is used in a fish, the fish retains the red coloured gills. Red gills could
be a false symbol of freshness. So, gauging the appearance of the fish as a whole is
required.
Fresh fish do not smell fishy. The fishy smell that is associated with seafood exists only in
fish that have started to decay. Instead, fresh fish have the salty smell that is associated
with clean seas.
Interestingly, fish shop with flies should be preferred, because the flies can tell whether
the fish have been contaminated.
HINDU KUSH HIMALAYAN ASSESSMENT REPORT
CONTEXT • International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a regional
intergovernmental body has released the first-ever assessment of climate change
impacts on the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region.
The ICIMOD is pursuing 8 countries, including India, to set up an inter-governmental
body to protect the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, known as the water tower of Asia.
ABOUT Hind Kush Himalayas
Part of the great Himalayan range, and spread over 3,500 square kilometres, the HKH
region is shared by eight countries, including India and China.
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