NITI Aayog releases First Delta Ranking of Aspirational Districts - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

NITI Aayog releases First Delta Ranking of Aspirational Districts.

Aspirational Districts were ranked on improved performance over the months of April and May 2018, on the basis of self-reported data.

The NITI Aayog today launched the first Delta ranking (incremental progress) for the Aspirational Districts, based on self-reported data of districts between March 31, 2018 to May 31, 2018, across five developmental areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure.
Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, highlighted the keen interest displayed by the districts to provide real-time data points by filling up the Champions of Change Dashboard.
“The purpose of this ranking is to spur a sense of competition among the dynamic teams in the districts. Since these districts face many challenges including legacy, unexploited or weak resource base, deficit of manpower at different levels due to difficult living conditions etc, the ranking is also a tool to identify sectors and indicator specific challenges so that Team India, which is driving this programme, can take immediate corrective measures”, said Shri Amitabh Kant, releasing the first delta ranking of the Aspirational Districts.
The Districts started entering data from 1st April, 2018 in the Champions of Change Dashboard and 108 districts out of total 112, participated in this ranking. Data entry by remaining four districts is also in progress, though they are not part of this ranking.
The delta ranking is computed in a transparent manner for combined improvements made during April and May 2018.
Some of the data points have been sourced from Central Ministries viz. Financial Inclusion, Skill Development and 3 indicators of Basic Infrastructure - Household Electricity Connections, Household Toilets and Rural Drinking Water. Most of the data points, however, have been self-reported by the various districts themselves.
Asifabad district of Telangana, which was ranked 100 in Baseline ranking released in March this year, has made significant improvements in past two months and stood at 15 in Delta ranking. Dahod district of Gujarat improved 19.8 points to rank first in the Delta ranking (was Ranked 17 in Baseline ranking).
West Sikkim district in Sikkim stood second with 18.9 points, a huge improvement from being in the 30th position in Baseline ranking. Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh also made significant strides by improving 14.7 points and ranked 6th position in Delta ranking from 45th position in Baseline ranking
This Delta ranking takes a step further and looks into specific aspects of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analyses how districts have performed in last two months across important sectors. This grouping and positioning would aid the District Magistrates/Collectors to focus more on these sectors and improve their ranking in future.
The knowledge partners of NITI Aayog – Tata Trusts, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (ID Insights) - are expected to provide data on 13 survey indicators and have validated values for 29 data-points. The next ranking will take into account these inputs and will be released soon thereafter.
About ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme
Launched by the Hon’ble PM in January this year, the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme aims to quickly and effectively transform some of the most underdeveloped districts of the country.
The broad contours of the programme are Convergence (of Central & State Schemes), Collaboration (of Central, State level ‘Prabhari’ Officers & District Collectors), and Competition among districts driven by a Mass Movement or a Jan Andolan. With States as the main drivers, this program will focus on the strength of each district, identify low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement, measure progress, and rank districts.
The Government is committed to raising the living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all – SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas.
To enable optimum utilization of their potential, this program focuses closely on improving people’s ability to participate fully in the burgeoning economy. Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure are this programme’s core areas of focus.
After several rounds of consultations with various stakeholders, 49 key performance indicators have been chosen to measure progress of the districts. Districts are prodded and encouraged to first catch-up with the best district within their state, and subsequently aspire to become one of the best in the country, by competing with, and learning from others in the spirit of competitive & cooperative federalism. (Source: PIB)


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NITI Aayog releases First Delta Ranking of Aspirational Districts.

Rising temperature to cut living standards of 600 million Indians - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Rising temperature to cut living standards of 600 million Indians.

A third of Indians will be affected by 2050, says World Bank; 7 of 10 most vulnerable spots in Maharashtra.

Six hundred million Indians could see a dip in living standards by 2050 if temperatures continue to rise at their current pace, according to an analysis by the World Bank.

Seven of the 10 severest or most vulnerable ‘hotspots’ in India would be located in Maharashtra; the rest would be in Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. In the absence of major climate mitigation, nearly 148 million Indians will be living in these severe hotspots in 2050, according to the report.
States in the central, northern and northwestern parts of India emerge as the most vulnerable. Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which are predicted to experience a decline in living standards of more than 9%, are the top two ‘hotspot’ States in India, followed by Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
India’s average annual temperatures are expected to rise by 1°C to 2°C by 2050, even if preventive measures are taken along the lines of those recommended by the Paris climate change agreement of 2015. If no measures are taken, average temperatures in India are predicted to increase by 1.5°C to 3°C.
Economists at the World Bank correlated these climate projections with household consumption data (a proxy for living standards) in Nepal, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and extrapolated it to 2050.
Using publicly available climate models that project how rising temperatures will affect rainfall and seasons, the researchers conclude that if emissions continued at the current pace, India could see a 1.5% decline in its GDP by 2030. However, were some corrective actions to be taken — like India concertedly implementing its National Action Plan on Climate Change and States are implementing their domestic climate change mitigation plans — this could be halted to 1.3%. (Source: The Hindu)


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Rising temperature to cut living standards of 600 million Indians.

North Korea named worst human trafficking nation for 16th year - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

North Korea named worst human trafficking nation for 16th year.

The United States on Thursday designated North Korea as one of the worst human trafficking nations for the 16th consecutive year, citing its use of forced labor.

The State Department's annual "2018 Trafficking in Persons Report" put North Korea in the lowest Tier 3 of its classification of countries, together with China, Russia and Iran.
"The Government of (North Korea) does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so," the report said.
The North Korean government continued to use forced labor in prison camps and labor training centers, facilitated forced labor of students and exported forced labor to foreign companies, it said.
"It used proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor to fund government functions as well as other illicit activity," the report added. "It did not screen for or protect potential trafficking victims when they were forcibly repatriated from China or other countries."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised the issue as he introduced the report.
"We see the tragic examples of forced labor in North Korea as well," he said at a launch ceremony. "Untold number of North Korean citizens are subjected to forced labor overseas by their own government, in many cases with the tacit approval of host governments."
The report comes as Washington and Pyongyang are negotiating the dismantlement of the regime's nuclear weapons program following a historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un earlier this month.
It noted that in the latest reporting period the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution banning other countries from issuing new work permits to North Korean workers and requiring the expulsion of current laborers before the end of 2019.
Still, it said as many as 100,000 North Koreans currently earn money for their government in countries such as Russia, China and parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, South Korea was placed among Tier 1 countries for the 16th straight year, along with other advanced nations like the U.S., Britain, France and Canada.


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North Korea named worst human trafficking nation for 16th year.

Government approves draft Act for setting up of Higher Education Commission of India by repealing UGC Act - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Government approves draft Act for setting up of Higher Education Commission of India by repealing UGC Act

In a landmark decision, a Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Bill 2018 which seeks to repeal UGC Act and provides for setting up of Higher Education Commission of India has been prepared by the Ministry of HRD and placed in public domain for comments and suggestions.

The focus of Higher Education Commission of India will be on improving academic standards and the quality of Higher Education. The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar has appealed to all educationists, stakeholders and general public to furnish comments and suggestions by 7th July 2018 till 5 p.m. on the draft Bill. The comments may be mailed to reformofugc@gmail.com. The Central Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has embarked on a process of reform of the regulatory agencies for better administration of the higher education sector. In fulfilment of the above, several reform measures have already been launched viz, reform of NAAC, Regulation for grant of Graded Autonomy to Universities, granting of Autonomous status to colleges, the Regulation for Open Distance Learning, Regulation for Online degrees etc. The draft Act is in accordance with the commitment of Government for reforming the regulatory systems that provide for more autonomy and facilitate holistic growth of the education system which provides greater opportunities to the Indian students at more affordable cost. The transformation of the regulatory set up is guided by the following principles:
1. Less Government and more Governance:
Downsizing the scope of the Regulator. No more interference in the management issues of the educational institutions.
2. Separation of grant functions:
The grant functions would be carried out by the HRD Ministry, and the HECI would focus only on academic matters.
3. End of Inspection Raj:
Regulation is done through transparent public disclosures, merit-based decision making on matters regarding standards and quality in higher education.
4. Focus on academic quality:
HECI is tasked with the mandate of improving academic standards with specific focus on learning outcomes, evaluation of academic performance by institutions, mentoring of institutions, training of teachers, promote use of educational technology etc. It will develop norms for setting standards for opening and closure of institutions, provide for greater flexibility and autonomy to institutions, lay standards for appointments to critical leadership positions at the institutional level irrespective of University started under any Law (including State Law).
5. Powers to enforce :
The Regulator will have powers to enforce compliance to the academic quality standards and will have the power to order closure of sub-standard and bogus institutions. Non-compliance could result in fines or jail sentence.
Highlights of the Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Bill 2018
1. The focus of the Commission will be on improving academic standards and quality of higher education, specifying norms for learning outcomes, lay down standards of teaching/research etc.
2. It will provide a roadmap for mentoring of institutions found failing in maintaining the required academic standards.
3. It shall have the power to enforce its decisions through legal provisions in the Act
4. The Commission shall have the power to grant authorization for starting of academic operations on the basis of their compliance with norms of academic quality.
5. It will also have the powers to revoke authorization granting to a higher education institution where there is a case of wilful or continuous default in compliance with the norms / regulations.
6. It will also have the power to recommend closure of institutions which fail to adhere to minimum standards without affecting students' interest.
7. The Commission will encourage higher education institutions to formulate a Code of Good Practices covering promotion of research, teaching and learning.
8. The constitution of the Commission is strengthened by the cooption of Chairpersons of regulatory bodies in higher education, namely the AICTE and the NCTE. Moreover the Chairpersons/Vice-Chairpersons and members will be scholars of eminence and standing in the field of academics and research, possessing leadership qualities, proven capacities for institution building and deep understanding of issues of higher education policy and practice.
9. The Bill also provides for the penal provisions, which albeit graded in nature, will cover withdrawal of power to grant degrees/ diplomas or direction to cease academic operations and in cases of wilful non-compliance, may result in prosecution sanction as per the Criminal Procedure Code with a punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend up to 3 years.
10. There will be an Advisory Council to render advice to the Commission on matters concerning coordination and determination of standards in the country. This will be represented by the Chairpersons / Vice-Chairpersons of State Councils for Higher Education and chaired by the Union Minister for HRD.
11. The Commission will also specify norms and processes for fixing of fee chargeable by higher education institutions and advice the Central Government or the State Governments, as the case may be, regarding steps to be taken for making education affordable to all.
12. The Commission will monitor, through a national data base, all matters covering the development of emerging fields of knowledge and balanced growth of higher education institutions in all spheres and specially in promotion of academic quality in higher education.


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Government approves draft Act for setting up of Higher Education Commission of India by repealing UGC Act.

Chandrayaan-2: India to hunt for priceless Helium-3 - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Chandrayaan-2: India to hunt for priceless Helium-3

India’s next moon mission Chandrayaan-2 will land on the lunar surface to search for deposits of helium-3 and its potential for mining.

India’s next moon mission Chandrayaan-2 will land on the lunar surface to search for deposits of helium-3 and its potential for mining. The isotope, abundant on the moon, could theoretically meet global energy demands for three to five centuries. Helium-3, the source of waste-free nuclear energy is expected to be worth trillions of dollars.
Chandrayaan-2 is expected to be launched in October this year. The mission includes an orbiter, lander and a rover. The rover will be operated for two weeks on the surface of the moon. The data will be transmitted from rover to lander and in turn to Isro for analysis.
“The countries which have the capacity to bring that source from the moon to Earth will dictate the process. We don’t want to be just a part of them, we want to lead them,” Isro chairman K.Sivan told foreign media in the course of meetings in Vienna.
Isro is also aiming to build a space station in orbit and put the Indian crew on the moon. But the government is yet to give approval for the programme. “We are ready and waiting. We have equipped ourselves to take on this programme,” he was quoted as saying.
Solar winds have bombarded the moon with immense quantities of helium-3 because it's not protected by a magnetic field like Earth is. There are an estimated 1 million metric tons of helium-3 embedded in the moon, though only about a quarter of that realistically could be brought to Earth.
Another expert estimated that helium-3's value at about five billion dollars a ton and with 2,50,000 tonnes it could be worth in trillions of dollars. “If the cost makes sense, it will become a game-changer,” another scientist said.
China is the only country to put a lander and rover on the moon this century with its Chang’e 3 mission in 2013. There are many obstacles to overcome before the material can be used - including the logistics of collection and delivery back to earth and build fusion power plants to convert the material into energy. If the mission succeeds, it will place India among the fleet of nations who explore the moon, Mars and beyond for scientific, commercial or military gains.(Source: The Deccan Chronicle)


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Chandrayaan-2: India to hunt for priceless Helium-3.

China, Pakistan show interest in joining solar alliance - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

China, Pakistan show interest in joining solar alliance.

India said that ISA membership will be thrown open to all countries that want to join, with no criteria such as duration of sunlight and geographical location

China and Pakistan have shown interest in becoming members of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), potentially adding heft to the first treaty-based international government organization based in India.
While 65 countries are signatories to the ISA framework agreement, 35 countries have ratified it. With India and France front-ending the attempts to set up ISA, it has become India’s calling card on climate change.
“China is a prospective member country as some parts of it is located within the tropics. As of today, given its location, Pakistan can be a partner country. And there is a proposal to amend the framework agreement. Once an amendment takes place, tropics will not be the borders for the ISA. Pakistan can be a member then,” said a person aware of China’s and Pakistan’s interest in ISA’s membership requesting anonymity.
Initially, ISA envisaged 121 sunshine countries situated between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as its members. But during the founding conference of the ISA in New Delhi in March this year, India said that membership of the body will be thrown open to all countries that want to join, with no criteria such as duration of sunlight and geographical location.
“The Chinese are interested in partnering with ISA. It is logical given that the move will benefit them due to large solar manufacturing capacities that they have developed. Many countries are interested in ISA,” said the person quoted above.
Solar modules or panels account for nearly 60% of a solar power project’s cost, with China’s solar panel manufacturing capacity estimated to be around 70 gigawatts (GW) per year.
“Pakistan’s view is that since it’s not within the tropics, it can’t be a member. However, once the amendment is done, they are interested in becoming a member. They will benefit from the opportunities that ISA can provide,” said the person.
ISA’s mission to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology, mobilise more than $1,000 billion of investments needed by 2030 for massive deployment of solar energy, and pave the way for future technologies.
Queries emailed to spokespersons of India’s ministries of external affairs and new and renewable energy on Sunday remained unanswered. Questions emailed to the Chinese embassy and Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi also remained unanswered.
The idea of a solar alliance of countries that receive sunshine for around 300 days a year was mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is increasingly being viewed as a foreign policy tool with the first general assembly of ISA to be held in India in October. The general assembly is expected to coincide with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the third annual general meeting of the board of governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Mumbai on Tuesday, Modi said, “We are also making collaborative efforts to mainstream solar energy in the form of an International Solar Alliance.”
Other prominent intergovernmental organizations in the energy sector include the Vienna-based Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA).
Interestingly, Jin Liqun, president, AIIB on Tuesday pitched China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ (Obor) initiative aimed at connecting around 60 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe at the opening ceremony. China has a 31.02% stake in AIIB, while India, with 8.72% stake, is the second-largest stakeholder.
India has been critical of China developing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part Obor infrastructure initiative cutting through Gilgit and Baltistan areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Obor, first unveiled by Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to put billions of dollars in infrastructure projects, including railways, ports and power grids across Asia, Africa and Europe.(Source: Livemint)


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China, Pakistan show interest in joining solar alliance.

India, Seychelles Jointly Sign Six MoU In Various Fields - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India, Seychelles Jointly Sign Six MoU In Various Fields

MoU were signed for establishing cooperation in the fields of education, information technology, culture, and technology.

For a better future, India and Seychelles signed six Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for establishing cooperation in the fields of education, information technology, culture, and technology. This marks an era of various changes.
In the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar and Minister for Habitat Infrastructure and land transport in Seychelles Pamela Charlette, a MoU was signed in order to provide Indian Grant Assistance to implement small development projects through local bodies.
To improve and establish friendship and cooperation, an agreement was signed between the Corporation of the City of Panaji (Municipal Corporation) and the City of Victoria of the Republic of Seychelles.
In the area of cyber-security, another MoU was signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Republic of India and, the Department of Information Communications Technology of the Republic of Seychelleson Cooperation in the presence of Minister MJ Akbar and Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Charles Bastienne.
For the years of 2018-2022, under the presence of Minister MJ Akbar, and Minister for Habitat Infrastructure and Land Transport Pamela Charlette, a MoU for Cultural Exchange Program was also endorsed between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles.
A technical agreement marking the sharing of White Shipping Information was signed between the Indian Navy and the National Information Sharing and Coordination Center of the Republic of Seychelles. Another MoU was signed between the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Seychelles.


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India, Seychelles Jointly Sign Six MoU In Various Fields.

Aadhaar Virtual ID to be accepted from July - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Aadhaar Virtual ID to be accepted from July.

Aadhaar Virtual ID, a 16-digit random number mapped with the Aadhaar number, can only be generated, replaced or revoked by the Aadhaar card holder.

With the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) mandating the implementation of Virtual ID from 1 July, the way financial institutions have been verifying information about customers is going to change. Virtual ID is a 16-digit random number mapped with the Aadhaar number. It can only be generated, replaced or revoked by the Aadhaar number holder. “It will not be possible to derive the Aadhaar number from the Virtual ID,” a circular issued by UIDAI in January said. There will only be one active and valid Virtual ID for an Aadhaar number at any given time.
How to generate Aadhaar Virtual ID?
Aadhaar number holders can generate Virtual ID from the UIDAI website, Aadhaar enrolment center or the mAadhaar app. All that the user needs to ensure is that their mobile phone number is linked with the Aadhaar database so that they can receive an OTP or one-time password to generate VID. The facility has been rolled out by UIDAI from 2 April.
Why has Aadhaar Virtual ID been introduced?
The move is part of UIDAI’s initiative to put in place multi-layered security to reinforce privacy protection for Aadhaar holders. Virtual IDs allow Aadhaar number holders to share VID instead of their Aadhaar number during authentication, thus reducing collection of Aadhaar numbers by various agencies, said a UIDAI circular.
How to use it?
The Virtual ID can be used for the purpose of authentication in the same way the Aadhaar number is used. As of now, when a customer has to authenticate himself/herself to avail financial services, he/she has to give the 12-digit Aadhaar number and an OTP that he/she receives on the mobile phone.
From 1 July, the customer will not be required to give the Aadhaar number, instead the 16-digit Virtual ID will be provided to the agency or company.
Where to use Aadhaar Virtual ID?
UIDAI has introduced two categories of an Authentication User Agency (AUA)—an entity engaged in providing Aadhaar-enabled services. Local AUA, which is the limited KYC category and a global AUA, which will have access to e-KYC using the Aadhaar number.
An AUA may be a government, public or a private legal agency registered in India which uses Aadhaar authentication services provided by UIDAI.
All banks-commercial banks, payment banks, regional banks, rural banks, cooperative banks, small finance banks; life insurance companies and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) have been categorized as global AUAs whereas prepaid payment instruments (PPIs), non-bank financial institutions (NBFCs), telecom operators and non-life insurance companies are amongst those classified as local AUAs.
This means that if you want to authenticate yourself to avail services of any of these local AUAs, you will have to use Aadhaar Virtual ID. However, the use of Virtual ID for availing services of global AUAs is optional for users.
However, the global AUAs too have been instructed to upgrade their systems to provide authentication services using Virtual ID, said UIDAI in a circular issued on 6 June.
According to an industry expert, who did not wish to be named,Aadhaar Virtual ID has been introduced as an alternate ID for protecting privacy of Aadhaar number, especially for online customers doing OTP based e-KYC and authentication.
“ However, the distinction between local and global AUAs needs more clarity especially when KYC regulation and specific use cases are driving the classification among entities getting Global and Local AUA licenses,” added the person.


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Aadhaar Virtual ID to be accepted from July.

Government plans mega event to mark first anniversary of GST on July 1 - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Government plans mega event to mark first anniversary of GST on July 1

The Government is planning a mega event to mark the first anniversary of GST roll out on July 1 with the participation of industry chambers, traders, and tax officials, besides, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal.

Sources said the government has decided to celebrate July 1 as the ‘GST-Day' and the mega-event is being planned at the newly constructed Ambedkar Bhawan in the national capital.
The biggest tax reform since independence, goods and services tax (GST) was launched in the midnight of June 30 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then President Pranab Mukherjee in the central hall of Parliament.
GST has subsumed over a dozen local taxes and transformed India to a ‘one nation one tax' country. After the initial glitches, the GST system has stabilised and tax collection has also started picking up the pace.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley too would be addressing the gathering through video conferencing.
Over 1.11 crore businesses are registered under GST.


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Government plans mega event to mark first anniversary of GST on July 1

40% of Indians will have no access to drinking water by 2030: NITI Aayog - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

40% of Indians will have no access to drinking water by 2030: NITI Aayog.

India holds about 4% of global freshwater and 16% of its population
India face the worst water crisis in its history, and 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020, a new report from the NITI Aayog–a government think tank– said, highlighting the need for “urgent and improved” management of water resources.
With nearly 600 million Indians facing high-to-extreme water stress–where more than 40% of the annually available surface water is used every year–and about 200,000 people dying every year due to inadequate access to safe water, the situation is likely to worsen as the demand for water will exceed the supply by 2050, said the ‘Composite Water Management Index’ (CWMI) report , released on June 14, 2018.
While Indian cities are grappling for water supply, the Aayog has called for “immediate action” as growing scarcity will also hit India’s food security.
States need to start managing their groundwater and their agriculture water, said the (CWMI) report–India’s first comprehensive collection of nationwide water data.
CWMI is a step in the right direction, but NITI Aayog could have taken it a step ahead by comparing state water management practices against leading countries, according to experts. Attention could have been paid to the states’ performance in implementing existing laws against groundwater exploitation.
As we said, 21 Indian cities–including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad–will run out of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people; 40% of India’s population will have no access to drinking water by 2030, the report said.
Currently, many Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, face water shortages, exacerbated by changing rainfall patterns, IndiaSpend reported on June 6, 2018.
The Economic Survey 2017-18 acknowledged India’s water crisis and explained the triggers, including rapid groundwater depletion, decline in average rainfall and increasing dry monsoon days, The Times Of India reported on June 21, 2018.
Groundwater in India depleted at 10-25 mm per year between 2002 and 2016. Average rainfall declined, from 1,050 mm in the kharif — summer cropping–season of 1970 to less than 1,000 mm in kharif 2015. Similarly, in the winter cropping, or rabi season, average rainfall declined, from Rs 150 mm in 1970 to about 100 mm in 2015. Dry days — days without rainfall — during the monsoons have increased, from ~40% to 45% in 2015.
If mitigation measures are not implemented, India faces a 6% loss in its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050, the the NITI Aayog report said. With nearly 70% of water contaminated, India ranks 120th of 122 countries in a global water quality index, the report noted.
India holds about 4% of global freshwater and 16% of its population. Water intensive agricultural practices and growing water demand for industrial, energy production and domestic purposes are significantly stressing India’s limited water resource, said Samrat Basak, an expert on water-related issues from World Resource Institute (WRI), an advocacy.
Conceived as an annual exercise by the NITI Aayog, the index evaluates states on nine broad sectors and 28 indicators, including groundwater, irrigation, farm practices and drinking water.
Since water is a state subject, the decision-making related to the resource lies with states. “This index is an attempt to budge states and UTs towards efficient and optimal utilisation of water and recycling thereof with a sense of urgency,” Amitabh Kant, chief executive officer of NITI Aayog wrote in the report’s foreword.
14 of 24 states score below 50% on water management, food security imperiled
In 2015-16, 14 of the 24 states analysed scored below 50% on water management and have been classified as “low performers”. These states are concentrated across the populous agricultural belts of north and east India and the northeastern and Himalayan states.
Gujarat performed best with a score of 76%, followed by Madhya Pradesh (69%) and Andhra Pradesh (68%).
Seven states scored between 50-65%–including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Tripura–and have been classified as “medium performers”.
“Water Index scores vary widely across states, but most states have achieved a score below 50% and could significantly improve their water resource management practices,” the report said.
India’s food security faces significant risks as low performers–such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Haryana– on the water index account for 20-30% of India’s agriculture output and are home to over 600 million people.
“Given the combination of rapidly declining groundwater levels and limited policy action (as indicated by the low Index score), this is also likely to be a significant food security risk for the country going forward,” said the report.
Low-performing states show improvement
Many water-scarce states have performed better in the Index, the report said. States with high and medium performances–Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana–have suffered from severe droughts in recent years.
In addition, 15 of the 24 states have improved their scores in 2016-17 compared to the previous year, data show.
On average, scores improved 1.8 percentage points between 2015-16 and 2016-17. Eight states gained 5 percentage points or more–despite the slow-moving nature of several indicators (such as irrigation potential utilised and area under rain-fed agriculture), said the report.
“Most gains have been led by improvements in restoration of surface water bodies, watershed development activities, and rural water supply provision,” the report said. Meghalaya, Sikkim and Tripura are among the top five states which showed most improvement, gaining more than 7.5 percentage points each—a sign of increasing water policy actions taken by these states, according to the report.
Similarly, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Haryana–non-Himalayan states achieving best improvements–were also among the low performers in the overall performance index.
Groundwater management, sustainable water use key
Most states did well on the infrastructure-heavy themes of ‘major and medium irrigation’ and ‘watershed development’, and have also enacted policies in line with the recommendations on the ‘policy and governance’ theme.
However, they were lagging on the critical themes of ‘source augmentation’ (groundwater), ‘sustainable on-farm water use practices’ and ‘rural drinking water’.
On groundwater augmentation, 10 of the 24 states scored below 50%, highlighting the worsening situation–54% of India’s groundwater wells are declining–said the report.
Performance around groundwater augmentation can significantly improve with strengthening of groundwater regulations and strict implementation on the ground. Steps like improvement of monitoring network and continuous monitoring of groundwater level and groundwater quality, strict implementation of rain water harvesting and continuous operation and maintenance of the same will also help states manage their groundwater better, Basak said.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)–a central authority to monitor and manage water groundwater resources of the country–has a network of 22,339 groundwater observation wells in India, which means one monitoring point in approximately 147 square kilometre — approximate area of Mysore, a city in Karnataka.
Further, 17 of the 24 states scored below 50% on managing ‘on-farm water’ effectively. This underperformance–given that agriculture accounts for 80% of all water use–poses significant water and food security risks for the country.
An expedited adoption of micro-irrigation techniques can significantly improve on-farm water use, experts believe.
India has the potential to bring nearly half of its net cultivated area – 140 million hectares–under micro irrigation. But so far, only 7.73 million hectares–drip Irrigation covers 3.37 mha and sprinkler irrigation covers 4.36 mha— as against the estimated potential of 69.5 mha has been covered under micro-irrigation, said Basak.
Research shows that sprinkler irrigation can use 30-40% less water, while drip can use about 40-60% less water compared to flood irrigation methods, he added.
Contrary views on composite water management index
Experts believe that CWMI is a step in the right direction but it could have gone a step further.
A comparative risk analysis and rating between participants (states) of very similar calibre and nature does not add much value for water risk mitigation and water security, said Basak. The need is to look at how the states are performing against some of the other better performing developing countries like China, he added.
CWMI is based on an administrative-boundary approach but water does not follow administrative boundary: instead it follows watershed/ catchment/ river basin boundary, Basak said.
“Therefore, it is critical to evaluate water risk and water management aspects at a watershed/ catchment/ river basin level. For example, look at how the water management indices of downstream states are getting impacted by the water management practices of upstream states and transboundary movement of water,” said Basak.
(Source: The Business Standard)


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40% of Indians will have no access to drinking water by 2030: NITI Aayog.

Why power ministry wants you to keep your air conditioner temperature at 24 degree Celsius? - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Why power ministry wants you to keep your air conditioner temperature at 24 degree Celsius?

The power ministry is considering making the default temperature setting for air conditioners 24 degree Celsius. Power Minister R K Singh, during a meeting on Friday, said the mandate will benefit consumers, both from a health and financial point of view.

The ministry also wants AC manufacturers to add a label on the product indicating the optimum temperature setting for consumers. If the move is approved, it is likely to come into effect in a few months.
The ministry’s suggestion comes based on recommendations in a study conducted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Its report suggests temperature settings to be in the range of 24 to 26 degree Celsius.
So, what is the reason behind this decision?
According to the ministry, the higher the temperature of the air conditioner, the lesser electricity consumed. This translates to saving at least six per cent of electricity consumed with an increase of just one degree in temperature. Singh explained, “Every one-degree increase in the air-conditioner temperature setting results in saving of 6 per cent of electricity consumed.”
Further, the minister said it is both uncomfortable and unhealthy to be in colder temperatures. “The normal human body temperature is approximately 36-37 degrees Celsius, but a large number of commercial establishments maintain a temperature around 18-21 degrees Celsius. This is not only uncomfortable but is actually unhealthy,” Singh said. He pointed out that wearing warm clothing or using blankets in a colder temperature is a waste of energy.
Singh’s campaign, which promotes energy efficiency, is likely to result in substantial energy savings and reduce greenhouse gas emission.
How will this help India’s power consumption?
According to BEE, only six per cent of households in the country use air conditioners. If all consumers adopt a default temperature setting, India could save 20 billion units of electricity annually.
The report states that the current estimate total installed air conditioner capacity is 80 million TR (tonne of refrigerator), which is likely to increase to nearly 250 million TR by 2030. Taking into account the huge demand, India can save around 40 million units of electricity usage per day.
If approved, how will this decision be implemented?
The move towards making the default setting on air conditioners 24 degree Celsius will begin by issuing an advisory to all establishments and manufacturers, particularly airports, hotels, shopping malls, offices and government buildings. This will be followed by an awareness campaign, held over four to six months. The ministry will then gather feedback from the public before mandating a default setting.
This practice is followed in other countries, such as in Japan, where the government has regulated temperatures at 28 degree Celsius.(Source: The Indian Express)


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Why power ministry wants you to keep your air conditioner temperature at 24 degree Celsius?.

India to train scientists of countries lacking satellite-building capability - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India to train scientists of countries lacking satellite-building capability.

India has decided to train space scientists of countries that lack satellite-building capability.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Few months ago, India had a pact with Israel on development of atomic clocks, electric propulsion for small satellites and GEO-LEO optical links
Isro chief said, “India will also launch the satellite built by Isro-trained scientists of a country if the spacecraft is well-built and clears all tests."
India has decided to train space scientists of countries that lack satellite-building capability. The country announced this initiative during the UNISPACE+50 meeting in Vienna recently.
Talking to TOI, Isro chairman K Sivan, who led the Indian delegation at the four-day summit from June 18, said, “India has taken the initiative to train scientists of countries like UAE and African nations that lack the technical knowhow and capability to build a satellite. India won’t charge for this capacity-building programme but will play a role in shortlisting scientists for the training programme.”
Sivan said, “India will also launch the satellite built by Isro-trained scientists of a country if the spacecraft is well-built and clears all tests. The Indian move was welcomed by member countries of UNISPACE+50.
“The Indian delegation also had bilateral talks with space scientists of 12 countries, including France, Israel and Japan, on the sidelines of the meeting. The talks focused on enhancing space collaboration.”
Some months ago, India had a pact with Israel on development of atomic clocks, electric propulsion for small satellites and GEO-LEO optical links. With France, the country had in March signed an agreement for close collaboration on inter-planetary missions. The discussion on the fringes of the Vienna summit was meant to boost cooperation in these fields.
India’s initiative came at a time when the forum commemorated the 50th anniversary of the ground-breaking 1968 UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE). The symposium also gave an opportunity to the international community to consider the future course of global space cooperation for the benefit of the humankind.
The conference took place around a regular session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS), the committee that works on problems from sustainability on Earth through space activities to the sustainable use of space environment.(Source: The Times of India)


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India to train scientists of countries lacking satellite-building capability.

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

Mains Answer Writing TIPS by Kirthi Chekuri - AIR 14

My UPSC Journey

I’m Kirthi Chekuri. I am fortunate enough to have cleared UPSC with 14^th rank in my third attempt (CSE-2015). My ranks in previous attempts were 440 in CSE-2013 and 512 in CSE-2014. I was preparing for the exam this time while undergoing the training in academy.

I would try to tell what worked and what didn’t work for me. I hope at least someone would benefit from lessons of mistakes that I’ve committed and how I rectified them. These inputs I’m putting across were the ones I gathered over the course of 4 years from many friends and seniors in services. Thanks to all of them 🙂

Essay

I am a consistently low performer in Essay. I got 100 marks in CSE-2013 and 86 marks in CSE-2014. I lost in my second attempt due to essay. The mistakes I committed in these attempts were not to practice essays, over looking the importance of essay, thinking content in essay would automatically give marks and ignorance of what to be and what not be included in essay.

This year I got 125 which is again not a great score but it didn’t pull my rank and my chances down drastically as it happened last year. I brainstormed on many essay topics(introductions/conclusions and flow of ideas)and discussed it with my friends and asked for criticisms.

• We should clearly mention our stand in the essay initially after the introduction
• The essay should cover as many dimensions as possible and should have one dominant idea per paragraph
• The thought in the essay should be as simple as possible. Kids must be able to understand your essay. I used to make essays complicated which never gave good marks
• Choose the essay topic you’re most comfortable with. Don’t select the essay based on the perception of most written or least written topic. All that matters is how well are you able to do justice to the topic you’ve chosen
• Your essay should have justifications supporting your stand, also include some criticisms against your stand and end in a positive/hopeful way on how things can be bettered etc.

Prelims

All of us tend to overestimate our potential and tend to neglect prelims thinking Prelims marks wouldn’t count for the exam. Neglecting prelims can prove to be a very costly mistake. Many toppers in the list cleared prelims with a margin of 1-3 marks. One can understand that 1-2 questions in Prelims can make or break your dreams.

I cleared the Prelims in CSE-2013 by 4 marks. It was a close margin. I got very lucky. In CSE-2014 I cleared prelims with a comfortable margin. My reason for low performance in Prelims 2013 was minimal practice in Quant and playing safe in Paper-1. I knew 45 questions comfortably in paper-1 and I just guessed 10 more there by attempting just 55 questions. Luckily I cleared Prelims that year but after speaking to many successful people in Prelims, I realized it was a very dangerous strategy. In prelims, one should mark the questions in which one is 100% percent sure in the first round. In the second round, one should also try to attempt those questions in which one can eliminate two options. With this strategy, I comfortably cleared prelims in CSE 2014, but in this CSE 2015, I cleared prelims only by 3 marks (110)

Mains

In my first two attempts, my mains marks were marginally above the cut-off(10 marks) I cleared both the attempts only because of my interview. However this attempt, there is a drastic improvement in my mains marks. Here are the few changes I made in my Mains answer writing approach and I think they helped me enormously.

• Diagrams: I drew a lot of diagrams. India and World Maps for geography or International Relations. Also I prepared diagrams for Geo from NCERT books which I thought I would replicate in case Geo questions come in Paper-1.
• Side headings: In my first two attempts, my answer was just a flow of paragraphs/points or a mix of both. I realized the importance of side headings for an answer in this attempt. I included side headings in almost all the answers for paper-1,2 and 3 of GS. In paper-2 and paper-3, I used Way Forward as the last side heading for some of the answers.
• Flow Charts: I drew flow charts in Paper-3. I got 113 marks in Paper-3 and I think flow charts have a role to play along with side headings. People who got good marks in paper-1 drew flowcharts for society questions
• Breadth instead of Depth: Cover as many dimensions as possible in an answer rather than covering the issue in depth with quality analysis. UPSC prefers the no. of dimensions in an answer and I guess it penalizes an in-depth scholarly answer
• Introduction: Take the key words of the question and explain them. That becomes the introduction. Eg: An introduction for a question on Cooperative Federalism would mean explaining it

Though I gathered some of these points here and there in my previous attempts, I didn’t internalize them in my preparation. I didn’t integrate them while preparing for a particular topic. This time whenever I read a topic or whenever I read a question from InsightsonIndia (I have been following answer writing challenges regularly), I give more importance to the above mentioned points- what are the side-headings I can give, how can I draw flow chart for this question, maximizing the dimensions etc. This way, I internalized this way of answer writing during my preparation for GS or Current Affairs, so I didn’t have to think afresh on the day of exam. Due to training myself well before hand, I didn’t take much time on the day of exam to draw diagrams, flow charts, side-headings etc.

One should try to attempt as many questions as you can in the GS. Unless you are absolutely clueless and can’t make an intelligent guess about what’s asked, you should not leave questions.

Please go through the question paper in first 2-3 minutes and select the questions you are good at(around 10) and attempt them first. Only then go for the other questions on which you’ll have little idea where you have to guess. In the last attempt, I started attempting questions from the beginning without going through the whole question paper and I realized I was left with all the well-known International Relations Questions in the last minute to which I couldn’t do enough justice. Do some test exams and if you’re not able to finish paper in time, you’ll have to improve speed through giving more and more tests and practicing with time limits. Ethics paper was very lengthy and many were not able to finish the paper. (Source: Xaam.in)

World’s first International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics launched in Gujarat - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

World’s first International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics launched in Gujarat.

The world’s first International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics was launched at Gandhinagar in Gujarat today. It is a joint venture of the Regional delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in India, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives and also Gujarat Forensic Science University.
Inaugurating the Centre, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) in the Gujarat government, MS Dagur said, the state has always taken a lead in implementing innovative ideas. He said, the establishment of the Centre is again another move in this direction.
The launch of the Centre was followed by an International Symposium on Humanitarian Forensics. Over the next two days, international experts will participate in the symposium and discuss issues in the area of humanitarian forensics. Speakers from India, Ireland, Germany and Sri Lanka will speak at the symposium.


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World’s first International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics launched in Gujarat.

Shillong is 100th Smart City - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Shillong is 100th Smart City.

As the Smart Cities Mission enters its fourth year, the Centre has finally announced the 100th and last city which will be part of the project: Shillong.

This announcement also sets the final end date for the Mission as June 2023, as every city gets five years to complete its projects, according to a senior Mission official. The first 20 cities were selected in January 2016, and they should now be at the halfway point of their mission.
The total proposed investment in the 100 cities will be ₹2.05 lakh crore, according to a statement by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs issued on Wednesday. Until May 2018, about 2.5% of that amount -- Rs. 5,225 crore -- has been spent on 316 completed projects, according to senior officials. Another 632 projects are under implementation, at a cost of about ₹25,000 crore, they said.
“The entire lifecycle of a project must be taken into account,” said joint secretary Kunal Kumar, when asked about the seemingly slow pace of a Mission that was launched with great fanfare in June 2015. “Yes, three years have gone by, but the first one-and-a-half years were used to put the foundational elements in place. Simply creating infrastructure without an SOP [statement of purpose] and guidelines is of no use.”
Each selected city is required to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle which will actually carry out the Mission, a process that takes at least six months, according to Mr. Kumar. “The original smart city proposals were aspirational. An SPV’s first job is to prepare a detailed project report which could then take another 6-18 months,” he said.
While the initial proposals are available online, there is a need for transparent monitoring of the actual projects, says Partha Mukhopadhyay, a senior fellow researching urbanisation and infrastructure at the Centre for Policy Research. “One of the big stories of the Smart City Mission was supposed to be public participation,” he said. “So the public should be able to track the progress of the projects, similar to the earlier Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.”
“We are trying to build a project-wise progress tracking mechanism. What we have right now is very crude,” said Mr. Kumar, estimating that the tracking mechanism would be online within a month.
In keeping with the competitive tone of the Mission, the Ministry has announced awards for cities and projects that have distinguished themselves so far. While Surat won the best city award, innovative idea awards are being given to projects in Bhopal and Ahmedabad. (Source: The Hindu)


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Shillong is 100th Smart City.

Govt plans ‘Pariwartan’ scheme for power sector revival - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Govt plans ‘Pariwartan’ scheme for power sector revival.

The ‘Pariwartan’ scheme is being considered to protect value of stressed power projects and prevent their distress sale under the insolvency and bankruptcy code

The government plans to warehouse stressed power projects totalling 25,000 megawatts (MW) under an asset management firm to protect the value of the assets and prevent their distress sale under the insolvency and bankruptcy code till demand for power picks up.
State-run Rural Electrification Corp. Ltd (REC) has identified projects with a total debt of around Rs 1.8 trillion as part of the scheme, which is under government consideration and has been tentatively named Power Asset Revival through Warehousing and Rehabilitation, or ‘Pariwartan’, said a government official aware of the plan, requesting anonymity.
The ‘Pariwartan’ scheme is inspired by the Troubled Asset Relief Programme, or TARP, which was introduced in the US during the 2008 financial crisis.
The proposed plan also aims to stem the rise in bad loans in the power sector.
These stressed power projects will be housed under an asset management and rehabilitation company (AMRC) that will be owned by financial institutions. The plan is being driven by concerns that stressed projects have drawn bids for around Rs 1-2 crore per MW under the insolvency and bankruptcy code, a fraction of the Rs 5 crore per MW needed to build them.
While the promoter’s equity will be reduced to facilitate a transfer of management control to the financial institutions, the lenders will convert their debt into equity. The AMRC will manage the projects and may ask utilities such as NTPC Ltd to operate and maintain them. The AMRC will charge a fee and help complete projects that are stranded for lack of funds.
“These projects will be transferred to the AMRC at net book value, wherein it will own a 51% stake in the projects and the balance 49% will be held by the lenders,” said the government official cited above.
Issues faced by the stressed projects include paucity of funds, lack of power purchase agreements and fuel shortages.
Queries mailed to spokespersons for the power ministry and REC on Tuesday evening remained unanswered.
Power minister Raj Kumar Singh had mentioned the plan proposed by REC on 5 June at a press conference in Delhi.
With promoters losing interest, the value of these assets is deteriorating due to lack of operations and maintenance, added the government official. “With no fresh investments in thermal power, once demand kicks in, driven by a strong economic growth and schemes such as Saubhagya, these assets will be back in play.” (Source: Livemint)


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Govt plans ‘Pariwartan’ scheme for power sector revival.

MoUs signed and 6 at an advanced stage under 'Adopt a Heritage' Scheme: Culture Ministry - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

MoUs signed and 6 at an advanced stage under 'Adopt a Heritage' Scheme: Culture Ministry.

The Ministry of Culture has said that 'Adopt a Heritage' Scheme of the Government of India is making good progress.

The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India. Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Raghvendra Singh today said that under 'Adopt a Heritage' Scheme, three MoUs have already been signed and six are at an advanced stage and 31 more Adarsh Monuments are enlisted for coverage under the scheme. The Project aims to develop synergy among all partners to effectively promote responsible tourism, he added.
The schemes aims to involve public sector companies, private sector companies and corporate citizens/individuals to take up the responsibility for making our heritage and tourism more sustainable through development, operation and maintenance of world-class tourist infrastructure and amenities at ASI/ State heritage sites and other important tourist sites in India.
The Government has carried out Critical Gap Analysis in respect of the heritage monuments of importance and identified public conveniences and civic amenities which can be provided in these monuments with the involvement of corporate sector, PSUs etc. under the CSR activities to enhance visitor experience.
The project primarily focuses on providing basic amenities that includes cleanliness, public conveniences, drinking water, ease of access for differently abled and senior citizens, standardized signage, illumination and advanced amenities such as surveillance system, night viewing facilities, tourism facilitation center and an enhanced tourism experience that will result in more tourist footfalls, both domestic and foreign.
The response to the project has been very encouraging as the agencies who have come forward for adoption includes not only public and private industry/individuals but also schools and law firms. (Source: The Business Standard)


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MoUs signed and 6 at an advanced stage under 'Adopt a Heritage' Scheme: Culture Ministry.

New WATER HARVESTER delivers fresh water from DESERT AIR in major scientific breakthrough - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

New WATER HARVESTER delivers fresh water from DESERT AIR in major scientific breakthrough.

CALIFORNIA scientists have discovered a unique way to extract clean, pure water out of air in an astonishing discovery which could save millions of people living in water-starved regions across the world.

Researchers from the University of California, Berkley managed to successfully extract clean, drinkable water at very low humidity and at a low cost using their newly built next-generation water harvester.
Omar Yaghi, the James and Neeltje Tretter chair in chemistry at UC Berkeley and inventor of the technology said: "There is nothing like this.
"It operates at ambient temperature with ambient sunlight, and with no additional energy input you can collect water in the desert.
"This laboratory-to-desert journey allowed us to really turn water harvesting from an interesting phenomenon into a science."
In October 2017, scientists created a prototype water harvester, which they propped into the backyard of a tract home as the device sucked water out of the air using just sunlight as energy.
Their initial discovery led them to create an even larger water extractor machine, brining them closer to their goal of providing life-long clean and drinkable water to people living in water-scarce areas.
Mr Yaghi, a faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and his team are set to report the results of the water-collecting harvester's first field test in the June 8 edition of the scientific journal, Science Advances.
The trial was conducted in Scottsdale, where the relative humidity drops as low as 8 percent a day.
Despite low humidity levels, the harvester demonstrated its ability to extract water from even the most scarce places, after scientists added more of the machine's water absorber - a highly porous material comprising of a metal-organic framework, or MOF.
Researchers estimate that the harvester's current MOF (MOF-801), made out of the expensive metal zirconium, will be able to extract about 200 millilitres of water per kilogram of MOF.
Mr Yaghi also created a new MOF made out of aluminium, called MOF-303, that is almost 150 times cheaper and captures twice as much water compared to MOF-801.
This will enable scientists to produce a new generation of harvesters capable of producing more than 3 cups of water per day from one kilogram of MOF.
Mr Yaghi said: "There has been tremendous interest in commercialising this, and there are several startups already engaged in developing a commercial water-harvesting device.
"The aluminium MOF is making this practical for water production, because it is cheap."
He added: "The key development here is that it operates at low humidity, because that is what it is in arid regions of the world.
"In these conditions, the harvester collects water even at sub-zero dew points."
Mr Yaghi is awaiting his next field test, where he is set to test the alumnium-based MOF (MOF-303) in the Death Valley in late summer, where temperatures reach up to 43 degree Celsius in the day, with humidity levels as low as 25 percent.


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New WATER HARVESTER delivers fresh water from DESERT AIR in major scientific breakthrough.

Civilians own 85% of world's 1bn firearms, survey reveals - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Civilians own 85% of world's 1bn firearms, survey reveals.

Nearly 40% of all guns are in hands of US citizens, according to report that says rich countries hold more weapons than poorer nations.

Latest statistics show the proliferation of privately owned guns is on the rise, with wealthy countries outstripping developing and war-torn countries.
In a detailed report, weapons watchdog the Small Arms Survey has researched the numbers of guns across 230 countries.
Examining the ownership of revolvers and self-loading pistols, rifles, carbines, assault rifles and sub- and light machine guns, held by civilian, military and law-enforcement groups, their latest report shows there are now estimated to be more than 1bn firearms in the world – an increase of 17% over the past 10 years.
The majority of the arms, 85% (857m), are estimated to be held by civilians (including individuals, private security firms, non-state armed groups and gangs); while law enforcement agencies own 2% (23m) and military stockpiles account for 13% (133m).
In comparison, the Small Arms Survey 2007 report found there were 875m combined civilian, law enforcement and military firearms in the world, of which 650m were in civilian hands, a rise of 32% since 2007.
The United States has just 4% of the world population, but the survey estimates that civilians in the US possess almost 40% of the world’s firearms – 393m weapons – equivalent to 121 firearms for every 100 residents. Americans topped the polls in 2007, owning 270m weapons, which translated into 90 weapons for every 100 residents.
Examining the issues surrounding US gun control, the Pew Research Center found that one-third of Americans over 50 said they owned a gun, while this figure fell to 28% among 18- to 29-year-olds.
In 2016, 64% of murders in the US involved the use of firearms. There have been 90 mass shootings (three or more people killed) since 1982, according to investigative magazine Mother Jones. As of 2016, 42.3% of US hunters/shooters reported owning at least one AR-15 platform (M16-style) rifle, according to surveys commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
“The indications are that US civilians will continue to acquire firearms with acquisition averaging around 14m guns annually during the last five years … the US contributes disproportionately to the increase of the global firearms stockpile,” said Aaron Karp, Small Arms Survey’s senior consultant.
The Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report, published by the the US Justice Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives states that US companies have manufactured more than 150m firearms since 1986, the majority of which were sold domestically.
England and Wales are estimated to have 2.7m firearms in civilian ownership (an estimated 860,000 unregistered), which equates to 4.6 weapons per 100 residents. Scotland has approximately 305,000 weapons averaging 5.6 per 100 residents, while Northern Ireland averages 11 per 100 residents, with 206,000 weapons.
In second place behind the US for the total number of civilian weapons is India, with 71m firearms and in third, China with 50m. However, when analysed by number of weapons per 100 residents, second to the US is Yemen with 52.8 guns and in third place Montenegro and Serbia with 39.1 per 100 residents. In contrast are Indonesia, Japan and Malawi, which hold less than one firearm for every 100 residents.
In terms of weapons held by law enforcement agencies, Russia is estimated to have the greatest sum at 2.4m, followed by China with 1.9m, then India at 1.7m. For military stocks of small arms, Russia is again top with 30.3m. China has 27.5m and North Korea 8.4m. The US military is estimated to have 1m small arms in its possession.
The latest findings suggest that developing countries often associated with violence show the greatest reduction in weapons held per capita: an indication that gun ownership may continue to correlate with rising levels of wealth.
“Accessing accurate data for small arms is always a difficult task. In the arms trade, small arms are considered the cancer of any society, as they facilitate human rights abuses, criminality, insurrection as well as murder, particularly in developing countries or countries subject to war,” said Martin Drew, British arms trade expert and government consultant.
“These governments need to have the capacity to control the registration and movement of such weapons, as well as implementing legislation with a capacity to enforce it. The also have to contend with the issue of longevity. Revolvers can survive up to 100 years, AK-47 assault rifles 50 years and ammunition 40 years. The figures for the US might appear significantly high, however this may be due to accurate record keeping.” (Source:theguardian.com)


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Civilians own 85% of world's 1bn firearms, survey reveals.