India’s ranking goes up in childhood index - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India’s ranking goes up in childhood index.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Ranked at 116 last year, the improvement in India’s overall score by 14 points from 754 to 768 on a scale of 1000
• The study however, puts India in the category of countries characterised by poverty and discrimination against girls.
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• On the child marriage issue the Index shows that adolescents currently married or in union (girls aged 15-19) was 15.2%
India finds space at 113 in Save the Children’s "End of Childhood Index 2018” which ranked 175 countries this year against indicators to determine the quality of childhood children have access to. Ranked at 116 last year, the improvement in India’s overall score by 14 points from 754 to 768 on a scale of 1000, is being attributed to reduced rate of child marriage. The study however, puts India in the category of countries characterised by poverty and discrimination against girls.

However, the Index which is part of the report titled “The Many Faces of Exclusion” shows that under five mortality rate (deaths per 1000 live births) was 43 which is a cause of concern. Also child stunting (children aged 0-59 months) was 38.4% and rated as high.
On the child marriage issue the Index shows that adolescents currently married or in union (girls aged 15-19) was 15.2%. This was 21.1% in the 2017 index where India figured as 116 out of 172 countries ranked. It is significant to point that the child marriage data assessed does not include data on consensual unions.
The Index this year ranked 175 countries with regards to where childhood is threatened as a result of poor health, malnutrition, exclusion from education, child labour, child marriage, early pregnancy and extreme violence.
In terms of the global scenario the report states that more than half of all children globally – over 1.2 billion – are threatened by conflict, widespread poverty or discrimination against girls.
“More than one billion children live in countries plagued by poverty; 240 million in countries affected by conflict and fragility; and more than 575 million girls live in countries where gender bias is a serious issue. Almost 153 million children are living in 20 countries affected by all three threats — including South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Afghanistan,” it is stated in the report.
It is reported that malnutrition, disease and inadequate healthcare kill over 20 times as many children in war zones as conflict-related violence. The incidence of child labour in countries affected by armed conflict is 77 per cent higher than the global average. Conflict also makes girls more vulnerable to child marriage.
It report notes that despite their economic, military, and technological might, the United States (36th), Russia (37th) and China (40th) trail all western European countries in the index. Singapore and Slovenia are placed at the top sharing the first place in the index and Niger figures at the end of the list at 175. (Source: The Times of India)


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India’s ranking goes up in childhood index.

UIDAI extends deadline to deploy Virtual ID system to 1 July - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

UIDAI extends deadline to deploy Virtual ID system to 1 July.

Once the Virtual ID system feature is fully implemented by user agencies it will allow Aadhaar holders to quote their VID number without actually disclosing Aadhaar number for authentication or verification purposes.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has extended by one month to 1 July the deadline for service providers and agencies like banks and telecom companies to fully deploy Virtual ID system and accept these IDs in lieu of Aadhaar number.
The Virtual ID (VID) feature is aimed at giving users the option of not sharing their Aadhaar number at the time of authentication. UIDAI—which had earlier said it will be compulsory for all agencies that undertake authentication to accept VID from their users from 1 June 2018—has decided to give one more month after the user agencies said they needed more time to switch to the new system.
“We are ready but the agencies wanted some more time to switch to the VID system. We have, therefore, given one more month till 1 July,” UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey said. The extension was given considering the “difficulty and amount of internal work” involved for the agencies including telcos, banks, state governments, among others, he added.
In January this year, to address privacy concerns, UIDAI announced plans to introduce VID feature which an Aadhaar-card holder can generate from its website and produce for various authentication purposes, instead of sharing the actual 12-digit biometric ID.
In April, Aadhaar-issuing body UIDAI followed this up with the launch of beta version of VID feature allowing users to generate VID and use it to update address in Aadhaar online. It had then said soon the service providers will start accepting VID in place of Aadhaar number. An official familiar with the VID rollout process said even now when an individual downloads eAadhaar, the Virtual ID comes with it.
Once the new feature is fully implemented by user agencies it will allow Aadhaar holders to quote their VID number without actually disclosing Aadhaar number for authentication or verification purposes.
The VID, which is a random 16-digit number mapped to a person’s Aadhaar number, together with biometrics of the user would give any authorised agency like a mobile company, limited details such as name, address and photograph, which are enough for any verification.
A user can generate as many VIDs as he or she wants, and the older ID gets automatically cancelled once a fresh one is generated. The move is aimed at strengthening the privacy and security of Aadhaar data and comes amid heightened concerns around the collection and storage of personal and demographic data of individuals. It will also reduce the collection of Aadhaar numbers by various agencies.
As per a UIDAI circular issued earlier this year, agencies that undertake authentication would not be allowed to generate VID on behalf of Aadhaar holder. Agencies that do not migrate to the new system by the stipulated deadline could face financial disincentives. (Source: Livemint)


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UIDAI extends deadline to deploy Virtual ID system to 1 July.

8 out of 10 people concerned about Aadhaar data privacy: Study - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

8 out of 10 people concerned about Aadhaar data privacy: Study.

8 out of 10 people are concerned about their Aadhaar data security and feel that the government should intervene for online data protection, a Velocity MR survey showed.

Following the Facebook data scandal perpetrated by Cambridge Analytica, 80% Indians are concerned about their Aadhaar data privacy, a study by market research and analysis company Velocity MR.
The Velocity MR study, in which 5,800 respondents participated, shows 8 out of 10 people are concerned about their Aadhaar data security and feel that the government should intervene for online data protection.
“Every netizen is leaving a trail of digital footprints with everything that they click online. From personal information, to financial data, to biometric details, all this data is accessible in some form or the other on various foreign servers that one cannot fathom,” Velocity MR CEO Jasal Shah said.
“With the new European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regime coming into play, it is a wake-up call for internet companies to tighten their security policies with immediate effect,” he added.
Europe has introduced the GDPR regime that all tech companies have to adhere to. The Facebook data scandal has created awareness like never before on issues around data privacy, user rights and consent policies, nudging tech companies to review and strengthen their data protection rules.
According to Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) chairperson J. Satyanarayana, more than 121 crore Indians have been enrolled for Aadhaar and it has been used for over 19 billion authentications so far.
The Velocity MR study, which covered Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune, also noted that 4 in every 10 respondents said their opinion about Facebook has gone down in recent months.
One in three respondents said that they would share lesser on Facebook, even though they will continue to be on Facebook, the study said.
Moreover, even though people believe that social media sites are not completely safe for financial transactions, they have not completely stopped using it either. The higher age group of 46-60 years is more willing to continue using Facebook as before, the study noted. (Source: Livemint)

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8 out of 10 people concerned about Aadhaar data privacy: Study.

Centre planning to lay OFC in border areas: Nirmala Sitharaman - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Centre planning to lay OFC in border areas: Nirmala Sitharaman.

Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that the Centre is planning to lay optical fiber cable in all the border areas to mitigate connectivity problems being faced by both defence personnel and the civilian population.

The minister, who was speaking of the achievements of the four-year-old Narendra Modigovernment, responding to media questions said, "We will soon start work on extension of optical fibre cable in the border areas. The Union cabinet had discussed the issue and sanctioned the additional fund only ten days before."
"Soon all the border areas along the Indo-China border will be connected with OFCwhich will greatly improve the mobile and telephone connectivity besides improvement in radio frequency," she said.
Sitharaman, during her recent visit to Kibithoo, the last border village in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, was told that the people of the area cannot access All India Radio due to poor frequency but only Chinese radio frequency and had poor mobile network.
Replying to another question on empowerment of women in border areas by recruiting them in defence forces, the minister said that women in the country are working as fighter plane pilots and the government was trying to recruit them in other areas too.
"Those women who have not got permanent commission has approached the court for their rights and the matter is now sub-judice. However, I am considering how to give permanent commission to women in defence forces, she added.
When asked about the government stand on media reports about mining activities by China near Arunachal territory, Sitharaman said, "I have to get the details of it. I too saw the report in media but I cannot comment based on that at this point of time. (Source: The Times of India)


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Centre planning to lay OFC in border areas: Nirmala Sitharaman.

Highest UN peacekeeper deaths in last 70 years from India - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Highest UN peacekeeper deaths in last 70 years from India.

India has lost the highest number of its peacekeepers in various UN peacekeeping operations in the last 70 years, with 163 military, police and civilian personnel from the country laying down their lives in the line of duty.

According to the UN, of the 3,737 peacekeepers who have died since 1948, 163 have been from India, the highest total from any troop contributing country.
India is currently the third largest contributor of military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping, with 6,693 now deployed in Abyei, Cyprus, Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, the Middle East, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
However, the UN owes India USD 92 million for troops, formed police units and contingent-owned equipment as at April 30, 2018.
The UN commemorated the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers yesterday, paying tribute to the service and sacrifice of peacekeepers around the world.
Currently, more than 96,000 uniformed personnel from 124 troop and police-contributing countries serve under the blue flag, alongside more than 15,000 international and national civilian staff and nearly 1,600 United Nations Volunteers.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of United Nations peacekeeping, the flagship enterprise of the Organization described by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as "a proven investment in global peace, security and prosperity".
"We express our gratitude to the more than one million men and women who have served under the UN flag, saving countless lives. We honour the more than 3,700 Blue Helmets who have paid the ultimate price. And we pay tribute to the 14 peacekeeping missions working around the clock to protect people and advance the cause of peace," Guterres said in Mali to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
The north-west African country is the most dangerous place in the world to be a UN 'blue helmet' and last year 21 troops serving with the UN Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) lost their lives, together with seven civilians.
Upon his return from Mali, the Secretary-General will preside over the observance of the day on June 1.
He will lay a wreath to honour those who lost their lives while in the service of peace and will also officiate at a ceremony to posthumously present the Dag Hammarskjold Medal to 132 military, police and civilian personnel from 37 countries who lost their lives in peacekeeping operations during 2017.
No peacekeeper hailing from India was killed while serving in any UN peacekeeping mission in 2017.
In 2016, two Indian peacekeepers - Rifleman Brijesh Thapa who served with the UN Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Private Ravi Kumar who was deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) - died in the line of duty and posthumously received the Dag Hammarskjold Medal.
At a time of increasingly complex conflicts and rising peacekeeper fatalities, the Secretary-General said, "as we recognise a legacy of service and sacrifice around the world, I am also committed to taking Action for Peacekeeping -- action to make our operations more effective and safer in today's challenging environments".
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the service and sacrifice of UN peacekeepers inspired "us to work harder to support a sustainable peace in some of the world's most complex and challenging places".
Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare said the international community owed a "debt of gratitude" to the brave men and women who risk their lives every day in service to others.
"We grieve with the families and nations of our fallen colleagues. But beyond gratitude, we owe our peacekeepers all the support we can muster to ensure they are well equipped, well trained and well prepared to complete their missions successfully," Khare said.
The General Assembly established the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in 2002 to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
The Assembly designated May 29 as the Day because it was the date in 1948 when the first United Nations peacekeeping mission -- the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization -- began operations in the Middle East. (Source: The Times of India)


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Highest UN peacekeeper deaths in last 70 years from India.

National parties are public authorities under RTI Act, Election Commission clarifies - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

National parties are public authorities under RTI Act, Election Commission clarifies.

The order came a day after the poll panel had said that political parties are out of the ambit of the Act.

The Election Commission on Monday clarified that national political parties are public authorities under the Right To Information Act as declared by the Central Information Commission, PTI reported. This came a day after the poll panel had said that political parties are out of the RTI Act’s ambit.
In a statement, the poll authority clarified that it adheres by the Central Information Commission’s order of June 3, 2013, declaring national parties as public authorities for the purposes of RTI Act. The information about contributions received by these parties and their annual audited accounts are put in public domain.
An RTI query had sought details on the donations collected by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) through electoral bonds. The applicant, Vihar Dhurve, also wanted to know the donations collected by the Samajwadi Party, which is not a national party.
When the central public information officer refused to reveal the information, the applicant filed an appeal with KF Wilfred, the First Appellate Authority of the election panel.
“Requisite information is not available in the commission,” the order of the appellate authority said. “This is related to political parties and they are out of purview of the RTI. They may submit information of donation or amount collected through electoral bonds in their contribution report for the financial year 2017-’18 in the ECI, for which the due date is September 30, 2018.”
The Central Information Commission is the only institution that can declare a body a public authority accountable under the Right to Information Act.

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National parties are public authorities under RTI Act, Election Commission clarifies.

Nari Shakti Puraskar presented to INSV Tarini team - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Nari Shakti Puraskar presented to INSV Tarini team.

Members of the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini team were presented with the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017 by union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi. The six-member all-women team comprising of Lt Commander Vartika Joshi,Lt Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Commander Swathi Patarpalli ,Lt Aishwarya Bodapatti, Lt SH Vijaya Devi and Lt Payal Gupta received the award.

President Ram Nath Kovind had conferred the Nari Shakti Puraskars on International Women's Day in Rashtrapati Bhavan. As the INSV Tarini team was sailing then, the award could not be presented to the team.
The crew of the INSV 'Tarini' is a part of the Indian Navy's unique project 'Navika Sagar Parikrama', an all-women team circumnavigating the globe, promoting ocean sailing activities in the Navy and depicting government of India's commitment towards women empowerment. Each crew member has minimum of 20,000 nautical miles sailing experience. The project aims to demonstrate the thrust of Nari Shakti on the world platform .The voyage also showcased the Make in India initiative by sailing on-board the indigenously built INSV Tarini.
The six-member all-women team, led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi circumnavigated and managed the whole operation in this first ever global journey. The voyage which lasted for 254 days, with 199 days at sea covered 21,600 nautical miles, had 5 port calls in Fremantle, Australia; Lyttelton, New Zealand; Port Stanley, Falklands; Cape Town, South Africa and finally at Mauritius before returning home to Goa. All six members of the crew were trained for over three years under Captain DilipDonde, who is also the first Indian to successfully carry out solo-circumnavigation of the globe between 2009 and 2010. (Source: The Times of India)


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Nari Shakti Puraskar presented to INSV Tarini team.

Hidden mountain ranges discovered under Antarctica ice - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Hidden mountain ranges discovered under Antarctica ice.

The team, led by researchers from Northumbria University in the UK, has mapped for the first time three vast, subglacial valleys in West Antarctica.

Researchers have discovered mountain ranges and three huge, deep subglacial valleys hidden beneath the Antarctica ice.
The findings, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, are the first to emerge from extensive ice penetrating radar data collected in Antarctica as part of the European Space Agency PolarGAP project.
Although there are extensive satellite data that help image the surface of the Earth and its deep interior, there was a gap around the South Pole area, which is not covered by satellites due the inclination of their orbits.
The PolarGAP project was therefore designed to fill in the gap in the satellite data coverage of the South Pole and in particular acquire the missing gravity data. Airborne radar data were also collected to enable mapping of the bedrock topography hidden beneath the ice sheet. The data reveals the topography which controls how quickly ice flows between the East and West Antarctic ice sheets.
The team, led by researchers from Northumbria University in the UK, has mapped for the first time three vast, subglacial valleys in West Antarctica. These valleys could be important in future as they help to channel the flow of ice from the centre of the continent towards the coast. If climate change causes the ice sheet to thin, these troughs could increase the speed at which ice flows from the centre of Antarctica to the sea, raising global sea levels.
The largest valley, known as the Foundation Trough, is more than 350 kilometres long and 35 kilometres wide. Its length is equivalent to the distance from London to Manchester, while its width amounts to more than one and a half times the length of New York’s Manhattan Island.
The two other troughs are equally vast. The Patuxent Trough is more than 300 kilometres long and over 15 kilometres wide, while the Offset Rift Basin is 150 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide. “As there were gaps in satellite data around the South Pole, no one knew exactly what was there, so we are delighted to be able to release the very first findings to emerge from the PolarGAP project,” Kate Winter, a research fellow at Northumbria University.
“We now understand that the mountainous region is preventing ice from East Antarctica flowing through West Antarctica to the coast. In addition we have also discovered three subglacial valleys in West Antarctica which could be important in the future,” Winter said.
“If the ice sheet thins or retreats, these topographically-controlled corridors could facilitate enhanced flow of ice further inland, and could lead to the West Antarctic ice divide moving,” she said. “This would, in turn, increase the speed and rate at which ice flows out from the centre of Antarctica to its edges, leading to an increase in global sea levels,” she added.
“By mapping these deep troughs and mountain ranges we have therefore added a key piece of the puzzle to help understand how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet may have responded to past change and how it may do so in the future,” Fausto Ferraccioli, principal investigator of the European Space Agency PolarGAP project. “Our new aerogeophysical data will also enable new research into the geological processes that created the mountains and basins before the Antarctic ice sheet itself was born,” said Ferraccioli.


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Hidden mountain ranges discovered under Antarctica ice.

Isro: Trial of sat-based warning system at unmanned railway crossings satisfactory - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Isro: Trial of sat-based warning system at unmanned railway crossings satisfactory.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Under a pilot project, the railways had last year installed Isro-developed integrated circuit (IC) chips on some train engines.
The test has been going on since June 2017 to check if the system is reliable
“Trial of the satellite-based early warning system is over. Its performance has been satisfactory,” Isro said

The trial of a satellite-based early warning system about approaching trains at unmanned level crossings has been completed by the Indian Railways, a top official of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said.
Speaking to TOI, Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC) director Tapan Misra said, “The one-year phase-1 trial of the satellite-based early warning system is over. Its performance has been satisfactory.”
Under a pilot project, the railways had last year installed Isro-developed integrated circuit (IC) chips on some train engines. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (or NaVIC) was used to caution road users at unmanned crossings about approaching trains through hooters installed at these crossings. Explaining its functions, Misra said, “A hooter gets activated as soon as it gets signal from the IC chip installed on a train when its engine is at a distance of 500 metres to 4 km from the crossing. The hooter, linked to the navigation system, thus warns road users about the approaching train. It becomes louder as the train approaches the crossing and goes silent after the train has passed.”
On its efficiency, Misra said, “The satellite-based technology was tested under different terrains and tough climatic conditions, including heavy rains and harsh summer, throughout the year. Its smooth functioning shows it is an all-weather system.”
TOI first reported about the pilot project in November 2017 as how the railways had installed IC chips on five train engines on different routes. The test has been going on since June 2017 to check if the system is reliable. The SAC director said, “After developing the IC chip and the hooter technology, we transferred the technology to four companies for limited production of the hardware for the test. The companies and Isro worked in close coordination with the railways for the pilot project.”
Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), R&D wing of the railways, has submitted its report to the Railway Board after the trial concluded. RDSO, in its report, said though the Isro technology has worked satisfactorily, it wants certain modifications before the system is implemented. Moreover, the railways has to sort out various logistical and safety issues of vandalism and theft of the system at crossings before it goes for the rollout.
The push for using the space technology for the railway safety system came after PM Narendra Modi, during a national meet on September 7, 2015, asked all central ministries and state governments to make the most of the Isro technology to provide good governance.
Safety at unmanned level crossings is a cause for concern for the railways as these crossings witness maximum accidents. The national transporter had explored various options to address the safety issue before going for the Isro system. There are about 5,792 unmanned railway crossings till date, which account for around 40% of accidents involving the railways. There are about 18,000 manned level crossings.(Source: The Times of India)


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Isro: Trial of sat-based warning system at unmanned railway crossings satisfactory.

Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve Bags National Biodiversity Award - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve Bags National Biodiversity Award.

Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, a non-governmental organisation which partners with Forest Department since 2016 in protecting and conserving the 17sq km area Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve abutting Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh bags the first prize for its unique endeavor in conserving the rare wildlife resources found in the area.
The award sponsored by the National Bio-diversity Authority, an independent bio-diversity organisation, honored the society by awarding a citation, a memento and a cash prize of Rs one lakh at Hyderabad on Tuesday. Indi Glow and Sange Norbu Phiang, the leaders of the organization received the award on behalf of the organization.
Eaglenest Wild life Sanctuary is about 217 sq km big with a rich bio-diversity which is second only to Andes in South America and is also known for the existence of Bugun Liocichla, a bird species presently found only here. Rich in both flora and fauna with 545 species of birds and various species of plants and animals, the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary spreads from Ramaligam Camp along Chaku Tenga Road to the plaints with varying altitudes from Five Hundred mts from SL to more than Three Thousand mts.
Notified in October 1989 after bifurcating Doimara Reserve Forest, Eagleness Wildlife Sanctuary got further prominence with the discovery of Bugun Lipcichla, a rare bird not found anywhere else in the world, by Dr Ramana Athreya, the sanctuary currently attracts the attention of nature lovers from all around the world.
Considering the importance of involving the local community in the conservation process, the Forest Department under the initiative of DFO of Rupa Forest Division, Millo Tassar, the Bugun community was persuaded to partner in a unique conservation model under which their community forest covering 17sq km area and abutting Eagleness Wildlife Sanctuary is being managed jointly by both the Forest Department and the people.
Started in 2016, the project today is a hugely successful model following which the community organizes eco-tourism camps for visitors and researchers that numbers in thousands annually and gainfully employs the local community members. Most of all, the entire sanctuary is efficiently protected under the joint management committee.
When asked about the award, the DFO said, “I believe this prestigious award to the society would encourage them to work harder for conserving the environment.” He further said till today this award has not been given to any society in the state and so this is a great achievement both for the Bugun community as well as the state.


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Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve Bags National Biodiversity Award.

Kerala, the first state in southern India, to be visited by 15th Finance Commission from 28th to 31st May 2018 - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Kerala, the first state in southern India, to be visited by 15th Finance Commission from 28th to 31st May 2018.

Kerala has performed well in social sector; however, social sector spending on ageing population will be a matter of concern.

The Fifteenth Finance Commission of the Government of India is visiting the state of Kerala from 28th to 31st May 2018. The Commission led by the Chairman Shri N.K.Singh, Members – Shri Shaktikanta Das, Dr. Anoop Singh, Dr. Ashok Lahiri, Dr. Ramesh Chand and Secretary Shri Arvind Mehta along with other officials will assess the state of the finances of Kerala and the progress made in socio-economic field. Ahead of this visit, Commission understood various aspects of it from Accountant General of Kerala in New Delhi.
Kerala is the 10th largest economy in India and contributes around 4.2% of India’s GDP. Its GSDP growth rate was around 7.4% at constant price in 2016-17. State has one of the highest per capita GSDP and per capita income. In the absence of a substantive pick up in agriculture and manufacturing, the Kerala economy is largely supported by a booming service sector. The high wages (above national average) (both male and female field labour) has a bearing on cultivation and other economic activities.
NRI remittances have a major role to play in Kerala’s economy. Emigration and emigrant’s remittances continue to sustain much of the Kerala economy. Other activities in the State, particularly, in the fields of trade, real estate, and construction are also weakened by any decline in foreign remittances.’
Kerala has been one of the most developed and progressive states in terms of development indicators like poverty ratio, health parameters, education parameters as well as per capita income. Kerala scores better in almost all aspects vis-à-vis national averages.
Population in the working age group 15-59 years have been growing at lower rate. Hence, due to increased life expectancy and better healthcare, population above 60 years of age will be larger in near future. Therefore, social security spending of the State government will be a matter of concern.
Kerala’s literacy level is the highest amongst all the states at 94% of the population. However, learning outcome is not commensurate.
Kerala is somewhat different from the other South Indian states in that the mainstay of the public transport system in the state is the private stage carriages (PSC). Whereas PSC is a very small percentage of the total number of stage carriages in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, it accounts for about three fourths of the total number in Kerala.
The Finance Commission needs to make an in-depth Study of the recent developments and future possibilities of economic growth and development of Kerala. This will be based on the various interactions and meetings that the Commission is scheduled to have in Kerala during its visit. Kerala is the first state in the southern India that will be visited by the Fifteenth Finance Commission.
The Commission will have meetings with Chief Minister, Ministers and other officials of the state. Detailed presentations will be made on the finances of the State Government. The Commission will also meet leaders of various political parties, Representatives of Trade and Industry. There will also be an interactive session with Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions. (Source: PIB)

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Kerala, the first state in southern India, to be visited by 15th Finance Commission from 28th to 31st May 2018.

‘Clean Air India Initiative’ launched - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

‘Clean Air India Initiative’ launched.

Campaign plans to rope in Indian start-ups and Dutch companies to combat air pollution.

Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte, who is in India on a two-day visit, launched the ‘Clean Air India Initiative’ in the national capital on Thursday. The campaign aims to curb air pollution in Indian cities by promoting partnerships between Indian start-ups and Dutch companies and build a network of entrepreneurs working on business solutions for cleaner air.
The Clean Air India Initiative is a collaborative project between Get In The Ring, a platform for start-ups, the government of the Netherlands, Start-up India, and INDUS Forum, an online matchmaking platform of Indian and Dutch businesses.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Rutte said, “Governments need to be articulate about the problems they want to solve, bring together the right partners, and channelise entrepreneurs in the right direction to find solutions to global problems.” “Sustainable businesses present an opportunity to do social good, as they represent a for-profit orientation in the right framework. They advance the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] in a smartly profitable way,” said Ms. Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
A major business opportunity for Dutch firms that was highlighted included the potential for sale of equipment (such as sensors), data, and solutions concerning air quality monitoring (AQM), with experts estimating that 80% of India is not covered by AQM data collecting which is the first step toward monitoring and combating air pollution.
Also under focus was the severe air pollution in Delhi caused by the burning of paddy straw in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab. An ‘INDUS impact’ projects aims to halt the hazardous burning of paddy stubble by promoting business partnerships that “upcycle” it. This entails using paddy straw as feedstock to make materials that would find use in construction and packaging — a technology and expertise that Dutch companies are keen to market in India. (Source: The Hindu)


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‘Clean Air India Initiative’ launched.

Nepal first country in south-east Asia to eliminate trachoma: WHO - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Nepal first country in south-east Asia to eliminate trachoma: WHO.

Nepal has become the first country in south-east Asia to eliminate trachoma, world's leading cause of preventable blindness of infectious origin, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement today.

Nepal's achievement is commendable and results from a strong political commitment, intense community engagement and impressive leadership demonstrated by civil society," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region.
Trachoma was the second leading cause of preventable blindness in the Himalayan nation in the 1980s.
It is a big step towards the health of everyone and comes at a time when Nepal accelerates its fight against other neglected tropical diseases as well," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said.
A letter acknowledging the validation was presented to Nepal's Minister of State for Health and Population, Padma Kumari Aryal yesterday by Singh and Ghebreyesus at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, where the World Health Assembly is in session.
In 2002, the Government of Nepal had stepped up the efforts to eliminate trachoma with the establishment of a national trachoma programme. The prevalence of active (inflammatory) trachoma in the country fell by 40 per cent following the implementation of sustained control activities from 2002 to 2005, the WHO statement said.
The Nepal government, through the ministry of water supply and sanitation, provided incentives to local communities and districts to build and maintain latrines, measures that were crucial to improve sanitation and reduce the disease carrying flies.
The national trachoma programme in that country also collaborated with the ministry of education to include a module on trachoma in the school curriculum, the statement said.
In 1998, the World Health Assembly had resolved to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem.
Trachoma is a chlamydial infection which happens due to lack of hygiene, unclean water supply and can spread by contact with eye, nose, or throat secretions of a person suffering from the disease or indirectly via flies. The infection is particularly common among children.
The disease puts more than 190 million people in 41 countries at the risk of blindness. It is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of around 1.9 million people worldwide. (Source: The Business Standard)

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Nepal first country in south-east Asia to eliminate trachoma: WHO.

India's billionaire count to swell to 357 by 2027: Report - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India's billionaire count to swell to 357 by 2027: Report.

According to AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, India currently has 119 billionaires, and this number is expected to swell to 357 by 2027.

India has the third largest number of billionaires in the world, and in the next decade, as many as 238 additional ultra high net worth individuals will join this elite club, says a report.
According to AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, India currently has 119 billionaires, and this number is expected to swell to 357 by 2027.
Over the next 10 years, while India is expected to create 238 additional billionaires, its neighbour China is likely to add as 448 such individuals.
By 2027, the United States is likely to have the maximum number of billionaires at 884, followed by China (697), and India (357) in the second and third positions, respectively.
Billionaires refer to individuals with net assets of USD 1 billion or more.
Other countries that are expected to create significant number of billionaires over the next decade include Russian Federation (142), United Kingdom (113), Germany (90) and Hong Kong (78).
Globally, there are 2,252 billionaires at present, and this number is expected to increase to 3,444 by 2027.
In terms of "total wealth" -- the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country -- India is the sixth wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $8,230 billion.
The US is the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $62,584 billion, followed by China ($24,803 billion) and Japan ($19,522 billion).
Factors that will help in wealth creation in India include, large number of entrepreneurs, good educational system, robust outlook for IT, business process outsourcing, real estate, healthcare and media sectors which will result in a 200 per cent rise 10-year wealth growth forecast, according to the report.
Meanwhile, global wealth is expected to rise by 50 per cent over the next decade, reaching $321 trillion by 2027. (Source: The Business Standard)


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India's billionaire count to swell to 357 by 2027: Report.

India 145th among 195 countries in healthcare access, quality: Lancet - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India 145th among 195 countries in healthcare access, quality: Lancet.

India ranks 145th among 195 countries in terms of quality and accessibility of healthcare, behind its neighbours like China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, according to a Lancet study.

The Global Burden of Disease study, however, mentioned that India has seen improvements in healthcare access and quality since 1990.

In 2016, India's healthcare access and quality scored at 41.2 (up from 24.7 in 1990).
"Although India's improvements on the (healthcare access and quality) HAQ index hastened from 2000 to 2016, the gap between the country's highest and lowest scores widened (23·4-point difference in 1990, and 30·8-point difference in 2016)," the study stated.
It said that Goa and Kerala had the highest scores in 2016, each exceeding 60 points, whereas Assam and Uttar Pradesh had the lowest, each below 40.
India lags behind China (48), Sri Lanka (71), Bangladesh ( 133) and Bhutan (134) while its health index was better than those of Nepal (149), Pakistan (154) and Afghanistan (191).
The five countries with the highest levels of healthcare access and quality in 2016 were Iceland (97.1 points), Norway (96.6), the Netherlands (96.1), Luxembourg (96.0), and Finland and Australia (each with 95.9).
The countries with the lowest scores were the Central African Republic (18.6), Somalia (19.0), Guinea-Bissau (23.4), Chad (25.4), and Afghanistan (25.9).
According to the study, India performed poorly in tackling cases of tuberculosis, rheumatic heart diseases, Ischaemic heart diseases, stroke, testicular cancer, colon cancer and chronic kidney disease among others.
Subnational inequalities were particularly pronounced in China and India, although high-income countries, including England and the US, also saw considerable local gaps in performance, it said.
"The study stated large disparities in subnational levels of personal healthcare access and quality emerged for several countries, especially China and India.
"These results emphasise the urgent need to improve both access to and quality of health care across service areas and for all populations; otherwise, health systems could face widening gaps between the health services they provide and the disease burden experienced by local communities," it said.
The study used an index to measure the quality and accessibility of healthcare, based on 32 causes of death which should be preventable with effective medical care. Each of the 195 countries and territories assessed were given a score between 0-100.
For the first time, the study also analysed healthcare access and quality between regions within seven countries: Brazil, China, England, India, Japan, Mexico, and the US. (Source: The Times of India)


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India 145th among 195 countries in healthcare access, quality: Lancet.

Pakistan raises India’s ‘violation’ of Indus Waters Treaty with World Bank - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Pakistan raises India’s ‘violation’ of Indus Waters Treaty with World Bank.

Pakistan says the Kishanganga hydroelectric project in J&K, which was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi recently, will block waters of a river flowing into its territory.

Pakistan has raised with the World Bank the alleged violation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, which inaugurated the Kishanganga hydro project in Kashmir, as the multilateral lender sought opportunities within the treaty to find an amicable resolution of the issue.
The four-member Pakistani delegation, led by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met the World Bank officials in Washington on Monday, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir.
The inauguration of the hydroelectric project was held amid protests from Pakistan which claims that the dam on a river flowing into Pakistan will disrupt water supplies.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office had, on Friday, voiced concern over the inauguration of the hydroelectric project, saying inauguration without resolution of dispute between the two countries will tantamount to violation of the Indus Waters 1960 that regulates the use of waters in the shared rivers.
“The Indus Waters Treaty is a profoundly important international agreement that provides an essential cooperative framework for India and Pakistan to address current and future challenges of effective water management to meet human needs and achieve development goals,” a World Bank spokesperson told PTI.
“The meetings are discussing concerns raised by the Pakistan delegation and opportunities within the treaty to seek an amicable resolution,” the spokesperson said.
No other details about the nature of Pakistani grievances were made available by the World Bank officials. The discussions are scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
Pakistani daily Dawn said the talks would cover four key points: the height of the dam built on the Kishanganga River, its capacity to hold water, Pakistan’s demand for setting up a court of arbitration to settle the dispute and India’s counter-demand for an international expert.
Islamabad had been raising objections over the design of the hydel project, saying it is not in line with the criteria laid down under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) between the two countries.
But, India says the project design was well within parameters of the treaty. The project, located at Bandipore in North Kashmir, envisages diversion of water of Kishan Ganga river to underground power house through a 23.25-km-long head race tunnel to generate 1713 million units per annum.
The Kishanganga project was started in 2007 but on 17 May, 2010, Pakistan moved for international arbitration against India under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The Hague-based International Court of Arbitration allowed India in 2013 to go ahead with construction of the project in North Kashmir and upheld India’s right under the bilateral Indus Waters Treaty to divert waters from the Kishanganga for power generation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The international court, however, decided that India shall release a minimum flow of nine cubic metres per second into the Kishanganga river (known as Neelam in Pakistan) at all times to maintain environmental flows. (Source: The Hindu)


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Pakistan raises India’s ‘violation’ of Indus Waters Treaty with World Bank.

Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos tested successfully to validate new features - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos tested successfully to validate new features.

Currently, the Army is equipped with three regiments of Block 111 version of the missile.

Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos was successfully fired from a test range along the Odisha coast to validate some new features.
The missile, an Indo-Russian joint venture, was tested from a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore at 10.40 a.m., Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials said.
The trial was conducted to validate its “life extension” technologies developed for the first time by DRDO and team BrahMos, said an official of the ITR.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratualated DRDO scientists and team BrahMos for the successful launch of the missile with new technology. “Smt @nsitharaman congratulates Team Brahmos & @DRDO_India for successful flight test carried out at 1040 hrs on 21 May 2018 from ITR, Balasore to validate BRAHMOS missile life extension technologies developed for the first time in India,” her office said in a twitter post.
Two-stage missile
The successful test will result in huge savings of replacement cost of missiles held in the inventory of the armed forces, it said.
The two-stage missile — first being solid and the second one, a ramjet liquid propellant — has already been introduced in the Army and the Navy, while the Air Force version had witnessed asuccessful trial, the DRDO scientists said.
BrahMos variants can be launched from land, air, sea and under water. India successfully launched the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jet for the first time against a target in the Bay of Bengal in November, 2017, they said.
At least two Su-30 squadrons with 20 planes each are planned to be equipped with the missile, which will be 500 kg lighter than the land/naval variants. The range of the three-tonne missile has been extendeed from its earlier 290 km to 400 km and the variant was successfully tested in March 2017, they said.
Increased range
According to the scientists, increasing the missile’s range from 400 km to further 800 km is now possible after India’s induction into the Missile Technology Control Regime in June 2016. Prior to that, India was bound by restrictions that limited the range of the missile, to less than 300 km.
Currently, the Army is equipped with three regiments of Block 111 version of the missile. Induction of the first version in the Navy began with INS Rajput in 2005. It is now fully operational with two regiments of the Army, said the scientists.
After two successful tests of the missile from INS Kolkata in June 2014 and February 2015, the test-firing from INS Kochi on September 30, 2015, validated the newly commissioned ship’s systems. The air launch version and the submarine launch version of the missile system are in progress.
So far, the Army has placed orders for the missile which are to be deployed by three regiments. (Source: The Hindu)


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Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos tested successfully to validate new features.

PMO seeks change in UPSC allocation - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

PMO seeks change in UPSC allocation.

Asks if rank holders can be allotted services only after completion of course.

The Centre is considering a major change in the allocation of services to successful candidates of the civil services examination.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the department concerned to examine if the services can be allocated after the completion of the foundation course, according to an official communiqué.
The duration of the foundation course for officers of almost all the services is three months. At present, service allocation to the candidates selected on the basis of the civil services examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is made well before the commencement of the foundation course. The PMO has desired to examine if service allocation/cadre allocation to probationers selected can be made after the foundation course, as per the communication sent by the Personnel Ministry to different cadre-controlling authorities.
Seeks feedback
The departments have been asked to examine the feasibility of giving due weightage to the performance in the foundation course, and making service allocation as well as cadre allocation to all-India services officers based on the combined score obtained in the exam and the foundation course, it said.
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) are all-India services.
The departments have been asked to give their feedback on the proposal to allocate other Central services such as the Indian Revenue Service and Indian Telecommunications Services, a Ministry official said. (Source: The Hindu)


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PMO seeks change in UPSC allocation.

India sixth wealthiest nation with $8,230 bn, China three times richer - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India sixth wealthiest nation with $8,230 bn, China three times richer.

Globally, the total private wealth held worldwide amounts to around $215 trillion.

India is the sixth wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $8,230 billion, while the US is the richest nation globally, says a report.

According to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, the US is the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $62,584 billion, followed by China ($24,803 billion) at the second place and Japan ($19,522 billion) at the third place.
Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country. It includes all their assets (property, cash, equities, business interests) less any liabilities. We exclude government funds from our figures. Larger countries have an advantage due to higher populations.
Other countries in the top 10 wealthiest list includes the UK ($9,919 billion), Germany ($9,660 billion), India ($8,230 billion), Australia ($6,142 billion), Canada ($6,393 billion), France ($6,649 billion) and Italy ($4,276 billion).
Factors that will help in wealth creation in India include, large number of entrepreneurs, good educational system, robust outlook for IT, business process outsourcing, real estate, healthcare and media sectors which will result in a 200 per cent rise 10-year wealth growth forecast, according to the report.
In the coming decade, China is expected to witness a significant rise in total wealth to $69,449 billion by 2027, while wealth of the US would be around $75,101 billion.
Globally, the total private wealth held worldwide amounts to around $215 trillion and there are around 15.2 million HNWIs in the world, each with net assets of $1 million or more.
There are about 584,000 multi-millionaires in the world, each with net assets of $10 million or more and 2,252 billionaires in the world, each with net assets of $1 billion or more, the report added.
Over the next 10 years, Australia is expected to overtake Canada and gain significant ground on Germany and the UK. While, India will overtake Germany and the UK to become the 4th largest wealth market worldwide by 2027.
Global wealth is expected to rise by 50 per cent over the next decade, reaching $321 trillion by 2027. The fastest growing wealth markets are expected to be Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, China, Mauritius, the report said. (Source: The Business Standard)


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India sixth wealthiest nation with $8,230 bn, China three times richer.

Best Civil Services Coaching Center in Hyderabad, Best Civil Services Coaching center in Hyderabad, Best civil Services Coaching institute in Hyderabad, Best Civil Services Coaching institute in Bangalore - Pragnya IAS Academy.

UPSC prelims 2018: Last minute tips for cracking the exam

The Civil services preliminary exam (CSP) will be held on  June 3, 2018. The marathon efforts that you have put in for the exam will bear fruit very soon. Check the subject-wise preparation tips and what to avoid reading in the last few days of UPSC civil services examination 2018.

Focus more on strengthening your weak points as you have already have a good command over your strengths.The right kind of preparation in the last few days can yield excellent results, whereas unplanned and haphazard revision can cause you to score badly in the exam.

What to do in the last week before the exam

1.  The last minute itch of picking up things that you have not been able to master is a normal reaction. It is best to keep that itch away. It is what you have done till now that will get you through the exam.

2. Candidates should ideally solve at least 40-50 test papers. They can obtain these from any reputed coaching centre or can download them online. It important to revise the questions repeatedly from these papers as about five to 10 questions are guaranteed to come from them.

3. It is important that you read the answers given very carefully, even if you are able to answer them correctly on your own, as the desired format of answering may be different from your own answer.

4. Stop wondering about the pattern of the paper. The paper would only change marginally in real terms (if at all). A few changes here and there could be expected. But the core is unlikely to change. The qualifying marks is unlikely to shift significantly. Keep the 105 - 110 target range to qualify for the UPSC main exam.

5. Don’t change your strategy in exam hall

Stick to what has worked for you. Stick to what you have been doing till now. Do not experiment in the exam. It could backfire and break your deal. I have seen many students going through this agony.

The war is not won till you win the last battle. Do not underestimate the Paper-II (CSAT), make sure it is done and dusted, thoroughly. Just remind yourself how England lost the T-20 World Cup in the last over. Stay focused till the end of Paper II.

Subject wise preparation in the last week

Polity: Revise Laxmikanth or your own notes. Reading new material from NIOS, IGNOU, UGC NET, etc., is not advisable. In the CAPF exam, few questions were asked from Laxmikanth but you need not worry about them.

Economics: You can revise the textbooks you have been referring to, such as Sanjeev Verma, as well revise your own notes. If you have made notes of the economic survey or from newspapers then revise them. Do not read any new topic from unknown or untouched sources as they can only confuse you.

India year book: You should refer to it only if you have been following it from quite some time. If you have not read it before, there is no need to read it now. If you still want to cover the book, study only chapters 1, 2, 12, 20 and 28.

Environment and ecology: You can read NCERT text books and the last four chapters of the Class 12 biology text books from NCERT. If you have made notes of Shankar IAS then revise them.

Science and technology: No need to read static portion except NCERTs. Go through current affairs on SnT video on Unacademy.in and revise them at 2x video speed. Questions will usually come from the topics which are currently in news. Focus on biology and public health type topics first, then cover basics of chemistry and physics.

History: Focus on 20th Century till 1947 then read 1857 till end of 19th Century. After that, start with ancient India. Read Sufism, Bhakti, art, culture etc in the medieval portion. No need to read Bipin Chandra (CBA bad). Read Tamil Nadu Class XI syllabus only if done before.

Defense/International Relations: Touch upon these topics only when the others are done. When revising, focus on DRDO development, missiles, inventions, joint exercise, etc.

Sports: Since the last five years, ever since the CSAT-2 paper was introduced, the UPSC has stopped asking questions on Sports and PIN. Even if one question is asked, the Cost – Benefit Ratio will not be worth the effort.

Personality in news (PIN): These are questions involving prominent persons such as who is CEO of NITI Aayog, who won the recently concluded world cup T20, etc. UPSC has stopped asking such question in CSE but they are very much relevant for other exams such as SSC CGL and the like.

Note: Students should focus on covering current affairs related to Economics, Environment, Science, Defence and International relations. Special emphasis needs to be given to Environment and Ecology sections as the prelims exam has been combined for both the Civil Services as well Indian Forest Services since the last three years.

Last minute reminders:

Do not focus on your strengths. Focus on managing your weaknesses instead.
Do not focus too much about current affairs
Don’t entertain irrational fears
Refrain from reading comments on online forums as they will put fears and doubts in your mind.
Don’t study from 20 different sources. Stick to a few important ones and study them well.
Have faith in your preparation and hard work.

Zojila Pass: Asia's longest tunnel inaugurated by Modi - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Zojila Pass: Asia's longest tunnel inaugurated by Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Rs 6,809 crore Zojila tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Leh, kickstarting the work for Asia’a longest and strategic bi-directional tunnel, which will provide all-weather connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.

The project is expected to be finished within five years. "I'm confident that it will be completed during your (Modi's) tenure as prime minister," Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said at the closing ceremony for the birth centenary celebration of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche.
Addressing a large congregation gathered for the occasion, the prime minister said that the tunnel would help in connecting the region with the rest of the country, a dream of the Buddhist spiritual guru.
Unveiling a plaque for commencing the work for the tunnel, Modi said, "Zojila tunnel is not a mere tunnel but a modern day marvel."
The Zojila pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National highway and remains closed during winters due to heavy snowfall, cutting off Ladakh region from Kashmir. Thus, this project aims at the construction of 14.15 km long two-lane bi-directional single tube tunnel with a parallel 14.2 km long egress tunnel. The tunnel would cut down the 3.5 hours of drive through the mountainous Zojila to 15 minutes.
Modi said it would provide connectivity to the region besides employment to the local youths. He said the carbon dioxide would be removed from the tunnel through a tower, seven times higher than the Qutub Minar.
This pass is most strategic for the entire Kargil sector which has seen intrusion and war in the past and thus as Modi said would help the armed forces for round-the-clock supplies.
The project will further increase the employment potential for the local labourers for the project activities. On its completion, it will lead to an enormous boost in employment as local businesses get linked to national market and tourist traffic increases.
Meanwhile, Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was also present for the inauguration, in his address said that 90 percent of employment would be provided to local youths in the construction of the tunnel.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired Modi had in January, approved the construction of the tunnel. And while Gadkari had given a time of seven years for completion of the tunnel, the prime minister asked him to ensure that it be completed in next five years.
The civil construction cost of the project which is implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRT&H) through the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is Rs 4,899.42 crore. As per a report in The Indian Express, The total capital cost of the project is Rs 6,808.69 crore and this includes the cost towards land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities as well as maintenance and operation cost of the tunnel for four years.
"The Zojila tunnel has been planned as a smart tunnel. It will have latest safety features like fully transverse ventilation system, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), tunnel emergency lighting, CCTV monitoring, variable message signs (VMS), traffic logging equipment, over height vehicle detection, tunnel radio system, etc," NDTV quoted a spokesperson.


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Zojila Pass: Asia's longest tunnel inaugurated by Modi.

India moves to use Indus water against Pak terror - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India moves to use Indus water against Pak terror.

HIGHLIGHTS
• 1960 Indus Water Treaty allows India to construct storage capacities on the western rivers up to 3.6 million acre feet
• Decision to maximise water use was taken after four Pakistan-backed militants attacked the Indian Army base at Uri in Sep 2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated two hydroelectric projects in Jammu & Kashmir, indicating his government's political will to respond to Pakistan's use of terrorism against India with every option at its command, including using in full India's share of water from western tributaries of the Indus, as possible leverage points.

The inauguration of the 330-MW Kishanganga hydel station in Bandipore and laying of the foundation of the 1,000-MW Pakul Dul project in Kishtwar express the government's intent to follow through PM's decision to review water use within the ambit of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.
The decision to maximise water use was taken after four Pakistan-backed militants attacked the Indian Army base at Uri in Jammu, killing 18 soldiers on September 18, 2016. "Blood and water cannot flow together", Modi had told a meeting of government officials on the Indus treaty 11 days later. The message to Pakistan was clear: stop backing terror attacks on India or lose the liberal water flow in excess of the treaty's provisions at present.
Soon after that decision, three hydel projects on Chenab and its tributary - Sawalkote (1,856 MW), Pakal Dul (1,000 MW) and Bursar (800 MW) - were fast-tracked. Building infrastructure on Indus, Chenab, Jhelum and their tributaries is part of the Modi government's plan to utilise India's share of water from western tributaries of the Indus.
Speeding up pending hydel projects is a key component of what India can do to use as much of Indus water as it can under the water treaty, which allows New Delhi to construct storage capacities on the western rivers up to 3.6 million acre feet (MAF) for various purpose, including domestic use.
Pakistan's water supply is dwindling because of climate change, outdated farming techniques and an exploding population. A 2011 report by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said India could use these projects as a way to control Pakistan's supplies from the Indus, seen as its jugular vein. "The cumulative effect of these projects could give India the ability to store enough water to limit the supply to Pakistan at crucial moments in the growing season," the report said.
Most of the projects proposed on the Indus and its tributaries had been held up for at least a decade awaiting clearances. Sawalkote, which was cleared by a government-constituted environment committee in January 2017, was first given techno-economic approval in 1991. Pakal Dul was stuck in litigation, which has now been resolved. (Source: The Times of India)


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India moves to use Indus water against Pak terror.

Mysterious rise in banned ozone-destroying chemical shocks scientists - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Mysterious rise in banned ozone-destroying chemical shocks scientists.

CFCs have been outlawed for years but researchers have detected new production somewhere in east Asia.

A sharp and mysterious rise in emissions of a key ozone-destroying chemical has been detected by scientists, despite its production being banned around the world.

Unless the culprit is found and stopped, the recovery of the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth from damaging UV radiation, could be delayed by a decade. The source of the new emissions has been tracked to east Asia, but finding a more precise location requires further investigation.
CFC chemicals were used in making foams for furniture and buildings, in aerosols and as refrigerants. But they were banned under the global Montreal protocol after the discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica in the 1980s. Since 2007, there has been essentially zero reported production of CFC-11, the second most damaging of all CFCs.
The rise in CFC-11 was revealed by Stephen Montzka, at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Colorado, and colleagues who monitor chemicals in the atmosphere. “I have been doing this for 27 years and this is the most surprising thing I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I was just shocked by it.”
“We are acting as detectives of the atmosphere, trying to understand what is happening and why,” Montzka said. “When things go awry, we raise a flag.”
Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment, said: “If these emissions continue unabated, they have the potential to slow down the recovery of the ozone layer. It’s therefore critical that we identify the precise causes of these emissions and take the necessary action.”
CFCs used in buildings and appliances before the ban came into force still leak into the air today. The rate of leakage was declining steadily until 2013, when an abrupt slowing of the decline was detected at research stations from Greenland to the South Pole.
Scientists then embarked on an investigation, published in the journal Nature, to find out the cause. The detective work began by assessing whether there had been changes in how the atmosphere distributes and destroys CFC-11 that could explain the changed measurements. But this factor was mostly ruled out and in the most recent data – 2017 – it appears to have played no role at all.
Next, the researchers looked at whether the release of CFC from older materials could have doubled, as required to explain the data. “But we don’t know of any folks who are destroying buildings at a much more dramatic rate than they were before,” said Montzka.
Lastly, the team considered whether the new CFC-11 was being produced as a by-product of some other chemical manufacturing process. But they ruled this out too, as the quantities involved are too high, representing a 25% rise in global emissions.
“You are left with, boy, it really looks like somebody is making it new,” said Montzka, who noted that the less damaging replacement for CFC-11 is more expensive to make.
“If the increased emissions were to go away [soon], it’s influence on the recovery date for the ozone layer would be minor,” he said. “If it doesn’t go away, there could be a 10-year delay, and if it continued to increase, the delay would be even longer.” The last option is a possibility, as if the new CFC-11 is being used in foams, then only a small fraction will have made it to the atmosphere so far and more could leak out for many years into the future.
Michaela Hegglin, at the University of Reading, UK, and not part of the research team said researchers had taken rigorous steps to rule out alternative explanations for the rise in CFC-11 when reaching their conclusion that new production must be occurring.
She said: “The study highlights that environmental regulations cannot be taken for granted and must be safe-guarded, and that monitoring is required to ensure compliance.” Prof Piers Forster, at the University of Leeds, UK, said: “This new study is atmospheric detective work at its finest.”
Paul Young, at Lancaster University, UK, said: “The Montreal Protocol has been rightly hailed as our most successful international environmental treaty, so the suggestion that there are possibly continued, unreported emissions of CFCs is certainly troubling and needs further investigation.”
Montzka said the world’s nations are committed to its enforcement. “I have a feeling that we will find out fairly quickly what exactly is going on and that the situation will be remedied,” he said. Even just the publicity about the new CFC-11 production could lead to its shutdown, he said: “Somebody who was maybe doing it purposefully will realise – oh, someone is paying attention – and stop doing it.”


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Mysterious rise in banned ozone-destroying chemical shocks scientists.

WHO publishes its first Essential Diagnostics list - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

WHO publishes its first Essential Diagnostics list.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published its first 'essential diagnostics list', a catalogue of tests needed to diagnose the most common conditions as well as a number of global priority diseases.

The step was taken to address the problem of people's inability to access diagnostic services, thus failing to receive the correct treatment.
"An accurate diagnosis is the first step to getting effective treatment. No one should suffer or die because of lack of diagnostic services, or because the right tests were not available," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
An estimated 46 per cent of adults with Type 2 diabetes worldwide are undiagnosed, risking serious health complications and higher health costs, said a statement by the world health body.
Late diagnosis of infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis increases the risk of their spread and makes them more difficult to treat, it said. The essential diagnostics list concentrates on in vitro tests like tests of blood and urine.
Apart from this, 58 tests are listed for detection and diagnosis of a wide range of common conditions, thus providing an essential package that can form the basis for screening and management of patients. The remaining 55 tests are designed for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of 'priority' diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis B and C, human papillomavirus and syphilis, the statement said.
Some of the tests are particularly suitable for primary health care facilities, where laboratory services are often poorly resourced and sometimes non-existent. "Our aim is to provide a tool that can be useful to all countries, to test and treat better, but also to use health funds more efficiently by concentrating on the truly essential tests," said Maringela Simo, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals.
For each category of test, the Essential Diagnostics List specifies the type of test and intended use, format, and if appropriate for primary health care or for health facilities with laboratories.
The list also provides links to WHO guidelines or publications and to pre-qualified products. Similar to the WHO essential medicines list, which has been in use for four decades, the essential diagnostics list is intended to serve as a reference for countries to update or develop their own list of essential diagnostics.
The WHO will update the essential diagnostics list on a regular basis. It is also expected to issue a call for applications to add categories to the next edition.
The list will expand significantly over the next few years, as it incorporates other important areas, including antimicrobial resistance, emerging pathogens, neglected tropical diseases and additional noncommunicable diseases, the statement added.


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WHO publishes its first Essential Diagnostics list.