Why WHO will not declare SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic now - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Why WHO will not declare SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic now.

Globally, there are 82,549 cases and 2,810 deaths as on February 27.

On February 26, for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak began in China on December 8, the number of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) cases reported in a single day was more outside mainland China than within the country. According to the World Health Organisation, there were 412 newly confirmed cases reported from mainland China while there were 459 cases reported from elsewhere. For the last few days, the number of confirmed cases reported from mainland China has come down even as the spread of the virus has seen a sudden increase outside China. For instance, the total number of confirmed cases in China increased from 74,576 (deaths at 2,118) on February 20 to 78,497 (deaths 2,744) on February 27.

Globally, there are 82,549 cases and 2,810 deaths as on February 27.
As on February 27, 3,346 confirmed cases have been reported from 49 countries.
On February 27, Brazil in South America and Algeria in Africa reported their first infections. Except Antarctica, novel coronavirus cases have been reported from all continents. In the past week, 20 countries have confirmed their first coronavirus cases.
At 16, Europe has the most number of countries that have reported at least one case. In just one day, seven European countries — Estonia, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Georgia, N Macedonia, and Romania — reported their first cases on February 27. As on Thursday, 621 cases and 16 deaths were reported from Europe. While there was a gradual increase in the number of cases in Europe between January 24 (three cases) and February 22 (63 cases), the cases spiked since then — from 63 on February 22 to 621 on Thursday. The numbers nearly doubled from 270 on February 24 to 509 the next day.
Twelve countries/regions — mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines — belonging to the WHO West Pacific region have reported at least one case.
There are nine countries — Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE — in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region that have reported novel coronavirus infections. Only five countries — Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal Taiwan — in the WHO South-East Asia region have reported SARS-CoV-2 infections. In the Americas, cases have been reported from only Canada, the U.S. and Brazil.
Which countries outside mainland China have large number of cases?
South Korea has the most number of confirmed novel coronavirus infections — 1,766 (and 13 deaths) outside mainland China. Italy (528), Iran (245) and Japan (189) are the other countries with most number of cases.
About a week ago Hong Kong and Singapore had the most number of cases but that has since changed. But these two countries appear to have largely contained the spread, with Singapore reporting 93 and Hong Kong with 92 cases as on February 27.
Since the virus has spread globally, will WHO declare COVID-19 as pandemic?
In a press briefing on February 26, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made it abundantly clear that WHO will not declare COVID-19 a pandemic at this moment. He said: “We should not be too eager to declare a pandemic without a careful and clear-minded analysis of the facts. Using the word pandemic carelessly has no tangible benefit, but it does have significant risk in terms of amplifying unnecessary and unjustified fear and stigma, and paralyzing systems.”
He then added: “It may also signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true. We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things. Of course, we will not hesitate to use the word pandemic if it is an accurate description of the situation.”
By not calling it a pandemic right away, he did clarify that it does not mean WHO considering the spread to be less serious. He said: “I am not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, or the potential for this to become a pandemic, because it has that potential. Every scenario is still on the table. On the contrary, we are saying that this virus has pandemic potential and WHO is providing the tools for every country to prepare accordingly.”
When was the last time a pandemic was declared?
A pandemic is defined as the worldwide spread of a new disease. The last pandemic reported was the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, which killed hundreds of thousands globally. Unless it is influenza, WHO generally avoids declaring diseases as pandemics. This change came about after the lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 experience.
According to 2017 pandemic influenza risk management guidelines, the WHO uses pandemic influenza phases — interpandemic, alert, pandemic and transition — to “reflect its risk assessment of the global situation regarding each influenza virus with pandemic potential infecting humans”.
Also read | A preprint provides ammunition to conspiracy theories about SARS-CoV-2 origin | Human-to-human transmission in Wuhan started in mid-December | How bats harbour several viruses yet not get sick
Have some countries contained the spread?
All countries that have reported even one case should primarily focus on containing the spread of the virus, the WHO chief said. Fourteen countries have managed to contain the spread of the virus and no new case has been reported for more than a week. And nine countries, including India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, have not reported any additional cases in the last two weeks, he said. This highlights that the virus can be stopped in its track if countries take appropriate and timely actions.
What steps should countries take to stop the virus from spreading?
The priority should be to detect cases early and isolate people who test positive for the virus. Once a case is detected, the focus should be to trace the contacts and treat them if already infected. Since the molecular test is not highly sensitive and can return false negatives, people who have returned to India or have come in contact with people who have tested positive should be made aware to seek immediate medical care once symptoms show up. Though the average incubation period is five-seven days, a few have shown up symptoms at the end of 24 days. Efforts should also be focussed on preventing outbreaks in hospitals and spread in the community. One way to stop the spread in the community is to avoid mass gathering in enclosed spaces.
The Ministry of Health has advised people to avoid all non-essential travel to countries where community spread of the virus is reported, particularly Singapore, South Korea, Iran and Italy. According to February 13 release, the Health Ministry has been following up passengers travelling from China, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Japan for a period of 28 days.(Source: The Hindu)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Why WHO will not declare SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic now.

PMFBY 2.0: A revamped crop insurance scheme - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

PMFBY 2.0: A revamped crop insurance scheme.

The recent tweaks to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, including making it 100% voluntary and capping premiums at 30%, are going to be a game-changer.

The Centre has recently revamped the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) that will have far-reaching impact on the implementation of this flagship crop insurance scheme. Launched in the 2016 kharif season, PMFBY makes the insurance companies liable for full risk coverage. Farmers pay a nominal 2% premium rate on the sum insured (the maximum amount that insurance would give in the event of damage) for all kharif crops, with these at 1.5% for rabi and 5% for annual and horticultural crops. The balance premium, vis-à-vis the actuarial rate based on statistical risk assessment, is paid as subsidy to the companies and shared between the Centre and the states on a 50:50 basis.
The revised guidelines, approved by the Union Cabinet last week, provide for allocation of business to insurance companies for a period of three years. This should incentivise them to implement the scheme in an earnest manner, including by setting up local offices. The absence of certainty of business — due to selection through open tenders now called annually for every cluster of 6-7 districts — has resulted in insurance firms having little functional presence at block or even district level. This has been a general complaint voiced by public representatives and district authorities as well. An additional provision, which grants extra points for outstanding performance by any company and awards tenders even beyond three years, could further incentivise quality service delivery to farmers.
Another significant modification made to the current PMFBY guidelines is that a state government will henceforth not be allowed to operate the scheme for a new kharif season (beginning May-June), if its share of premium subsidy is not released before March 31, with the cut-off date similarly at September 30 for rabi (starting October-November). This should help enforce implementation discipline and timely disposal of claims. The Cabinet has also endorsed use of “smart sampling techniques” and optimisation of the number of crop cutting experiments to be conducted in order to generate relevant yield data for submission to insurance companies. However, only the actual implementation of such technological solutions from the ensuing 2020 kharif season will tell us about the efficacy of this step!

PMFBY has until now been a voluntary scheme only for non-loanee farmers, while mandatory for those availing crop loans from banks. In the case of loanee farmers, banks have been deducting their share of premium (2-5%) against loan accounts on a compulsory basis and remitting the same to the insurance companies. Farmers haven’t taken kindly to this, not the least as the said companies are neither in direct contact with them and nor do they issue any policy certificates, unlike in car or health insurance. Having no policy documents makes them in no position to even take the firms to court in cases of default or delays in claim settlement. The scheme, it would seem, has served to insure the loans of banks more than the crops of farmers. In some cases, farmers have been found to take loans against Kisan Credit Cards for a particular crop that has higher value and is different from the one actually grown by them. This is, in turn, a consequence of credit limits being linked to the “scale of finance” per acre, which is crop-specific, and farmers wanting to have the maximum possible loans sanctioned. In the event, the bank would manage to have its loan insured, but the farmer cannot get his claim from the insurance company against yield losses for a different crop in his field.
By deciding to make enrolment 100% voluntary for all farmers from 2020 kharif, the Centre has made PMFBY a true insurance scheme. From now on, insurance companies will have to make efforts to create real awareness among farmers about the benefits of crop risk coverage. Crop insurance would, thus, become an informed choice for loanee farmers, just as it already is for their non-loanee counterparts. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, for instance, have a large number of non-loanee farmers voluntarily opting for PMFBY. On the other hand, non-loanee coverage forms hardly 2-3% of the total insured farmers in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, with the scheme not even being implemented in Punjab. The reason for it is access to assured irrigation in these states, which reduces the probability of yield loss and, hence, the need for taking insurance cover. In UP alone, during the 2018-19 rabi season, as against a gross premium of around Rs 700 crore paid to the insurance companies, the compensation to farmers amounted to a paltry Rs 20 crore! (Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

PMFBY 2.0: A revamped crop insurance scheme.

India, Myanmar ink pact on bus service, developing Rakhine - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India, Myanmar ink pact on bus service, developing Rakhine.

According to the joint statement, the two sides will start coordinated bus service between Imphal and Mandalay on April 7. Bus operators on both sides have already signed the agreement.

Bus service between Manipur’s Imphal and Myanmar’s Mandalay, more Rakhine state development programme projects, medical radiation equipment for treatment of cancer patients, cooperation on petroleum, including in refinery, stockpiling, blending and retail — these are some of the major takeaways as visiting Myanmar President U Win Myint met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

The two sides on Thursday signed 10 agreements with a focus on socioeconomic development of Myanmar.
According to the joint statement, the two sides will start coordinated bus service between Imphal and Mandalay on April 7. Bus operators on both sides have already signed the agreement.
India’s assistance in the construction of Integrated Check Point at Tamu, Myanmar, bordering Manipur, will also be done. For ease of people-to-people movement across the border at Moreh Tamu, the two countries signed the Land Border Crossing Agreement in 2018, which allowed bona fide travellers with valid document to cross the border at two international points of entry/exit: Moreh-Tamu and Zokhawathar- Rih.
India will offer medical radiation equipment Bhabhatron II for treatment of cancer patients, and strengthen cooperation in the health sector. The two sides also agreed to have government-to-government cooperation in petroleum, including in refinery, stockpiling, blending and retail.
They also decided to extend the Quick Impact Project schemes to Myanmar. Under this, India takes up capacity development work in the form of small projects which yield quick beneficial results for the local people.
On the side of governance, India will help Myanmar with the project of e-ID cards, which is modelled after the Aadhaar project.
The two sides decided to provide more projects to Rakhine State Development Programme. India had committed $25 million grant assistance to Myanmar over a period of five years and phase-I involved completion of 250 prefabricated house in Rakhine State.
The two sides also expressed commitment to continue negotiations on various pending treaties like Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and Extradition Treaty. India will also support establishment of Myanmar’s diplomatic academy, and extend National Knowledge Network to Myanmar.
Win Myint, who arrived in India on Wednesday, received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He and First Lady Daw Cho Cho were welcomed by President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Modi.
They also reiterated Indo-Pacific concept, as both sides agreed to work together to promote principles of openness, inclusiveness, transparency, respect for international law and ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific.
The agreements included an MoU on ‘Cooperation for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons; Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Re-Integration of Victims of Trafficking’. An agreement regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIP) was also signed between the two sides. Three agreements for development projects in the conflict-torn Rakhine state were also signed during the president’s visit. The Rakhine state has witnessed a lot of violence in the past and scores of Rohingyas had fled the state facing persecution.(Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

India, Myanmar ink pact on bus service, developing Rakhine.

Why WHO will not declare SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic now - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Why WHO will not declare SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic now.

Globally, there are 82,549 cases and 2,810 deaths as on February 27.

On February 26, for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak began in China on December 8, the number of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) cases reported in a single day was more outside mainland China than within the country. According to the World Health Organisation, there were 412 newly confirmed cases reported from mainland China while there were 459 cases reported from elsewhere. For the last few days, the number of confirmed cases reported from mainland China has come down even as the spread of the virus has seen a sudden increase outside China. For instance, the total number of confirmed cases in China increased from 74,576 (deaths at 2,118) on February 20 to 78,497 (deaths 2,744) on February 27.

Globally, there are 82,549 cases and 2,810 deaths as on February 27.
As on February 27, 3,346 confirmed cases have been reported from 49 countries.
On February 27, Brazil in South America and Algeria in Africa reported their first infections. Except Antarctica, novel coronavirus cases have been reported from all continents. In the past week, 20 countries have confirmed their first coronavirus cases.
At 16, Europe has the most number of countries that have reported at least one case. In just one day, seven European countries — Estonia, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Georgia, N Macedonia, and Romania — reported their first cases on February 27. As on Thursday, 621 cases and 16 deaths were reported from Europe. While there was a gradual increase in the number of cases in Europe between January 24 (three cases) and February 22 (63 cases), the cases spiked since then — from 63 on February 22 to 621 on Thursday. The numbers nearly doubled from 270 on February 24 to 509 the next day.
Twelve countries/regions — mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines — belonging to the WHO West Pacific region have reported at least one case.
There are nine countries — Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE — in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region that have reported novel coronavirus infections. Only five countries — Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal Taiwan — in the WHO South-East Asia region have reported SARS-CoV-2 infections. In the Americas, cases have been reported from only Canada, the U.S. and Brazil.
Which countries outside mainland China have large number of cases?
South Korea has the most number of confirmed novel coronavirus infections — 1,766 (and 13 deaths) outside mainland China. Italy (528), Iran (245) and Japan (189) are the other countries with most number of cases.
About a week ago Hong Kong and Singapore had the most number of cases but that has since changed. But these two countries appear to have largely contained the spread, with Singapore reporting 93 and Hong Kong with 92 cases as on February 27.
Since the virus has spread globally, will WHO declare COVID-19 as pandemic?
In a press briefing on February 26, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made it abundantly clear that WHO will not declare COVID-19 a pandemic at this moment. He said: “We should not be too eager to declare a pandemic without a careful and clear-minded analysis of the facts. Using the word pandemic carelessly has no tangible benefit, but it does have significant risk in terms of amplifying unnecessary and unjustified fear and stigma, and paralyzing systems.”
He then added: “It may also signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true. We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things. Of course, we will not hesitate to use the word pandemic if it is an accurate description of the situation.”
By not calling it a pandemic right away, he did clarify that it does not mean WHO considering the spread to be less serious. He said: “I am not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, or the potential for this to become a pandemic, because it has that potential. Every scenario is still on the table. On the contrary, we are saying that this virus has pandemic potential and WHO is providing the tools for every country to prepare accordingly.”
When was the last time a pandemic was declared?
A pandemic is defined as the worldwide spread of a new disease. The last pandemic reported was the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, which killed hundreds of thousands globally. Unless it is influenza, WHO generally avoids declaring diseases as pandemics. This change came about after the lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 experience.
According to 2017 pandemic influenza risk management guidelines, the WHO uses pandemic influenza phases — interpandemic, alert, pandemic and transition — to “reflect its risk assessment of the global situation regarding each influenza virus with pandemic potential infecting humans”.
Also read | A preprint provides ammunition to conspiracy theories about SARS-CoV-2 origin | Human-to-human transmission in Wuhan started in mid-December | How bats harbour several viruses yet not get sick
Have some countries contained the spread?
All countries that have reported even one case should primarily focus on containing the spread of the virus, the WHO chief said. Fourteen countries have managed to contain the spread of the virus and no new case has been reported for more than a week. And nine countries, including India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, have not reported any additional cases in the last two weeks, he said. This highlights that the virus can be stopped in its track if countries take appropriate and timely actions.
What steps should countries take to stop the virus from spreading?
The priority should be to detect cases early and isolate people who test positive for the virus. Once a case is detected, the focus should be to trace the contacts and treat them if already infected. Since the molecular test is not highly sensitive and can return false negatives, people who have returned to India or have come in contact with people who have tested positive should be made aware to seek immediate medical care once symptoms show up. Though the average incubation period is five-seven days, a few have shown up symptoms at the end of 24 days. Efforts should also be focussed on preventing outbreaks in hospitals and spread in the community. One way to stop the spread in the community is to avoid mass gathering in enclosed spaces.
The Ministry of Health has advised people to avoid all non-essential travel to countries where community spread of the virus is reported, particularly Singapore, South Korea, Iran and Italy. According to February 13 release, the Health Ministry has been following up passengers travelling from China, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Japan for a period of 28 days.(Source: The Hindu)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Why WHO will not declare SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic now.

India, Myanmar ink pact on bus service, developing Rakhine - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India, Myanmar ink pact on bus service, developing Rakhine.

According to the joint statement, the two sides will start coordinated bus service between Imphal and Mandalay on April 7. Bus operators on both sides have already signed the agreement.

Bus service between Manipur’s Imphal and Myanmar’s Mandalay, more Rakhine state development programme projects, medical radiation equipment for treatment of cancer patients, cooperation on petroleum, including in refinery, stockpiling, blending and retail — these are some of the major takeaways as visiting Myanmar President U Win Myint met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

The two sides on Thursday signed 10 agreements with a focus on socioeconomic development of Myanmar.
According to the joint statement, the two sides will start coordinated bus service between Imphal and Mandalay on April 7. Bus operators on both sides have already signed the agreement.
India’s assistance in the construction of Integrated Check Point at Tamu, Myanmar, bordering Manipur, will also be done. For ease of people-to-people movement across the border at Moreh Tamu, the two countries signed the Land Border Crossing Agreement in 2018, which allowed bona fide travellers with valid document to cross the border at two international points of entry/exit: Moreh-Tamu and Zokhawathar- Rih.
India will offer medical radiation equipment Bhabhatron II for treatment of cancer patients, and strengthen cooperation in the health sector. The two sides also agreed to have government-to-government cooperation in petroleum, including in refinery, stockpiling, blending and retail.
They also decided to extend the Quick Impact Project schemes to Myanmar. Under this, India takes up capacity development work in the form of small projects which yield quick beneficial results for the local people.
On the side of governance, India will help Myanmar with the project of e-ID cards, which is modelled after the Aadhaar project.
The two sides decided to provide more projects to Rakhine State Development Programme. India had committed $25 million grant assistance to Myanmar over a period of five years and phase-I involved completion of 250 prefabricated house in Rakhine State.
The two sides also expressed commitment to continue negotiations on various pending treaties like Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and Extradition Treaty. India will also support establishment of Myanmar’s diplomatic academy, and extend National Knowledge Network to Myanmar.
Win Myint, who arrived in India on Wednesday, received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He and First Lady Daw Cho Cho were welcomed by President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Modi.
They also reiterated Indo-Pacific concept, as both sides agreed to work together to promote principles of openness, inclusiveness, transparency, respect for international law and ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific.
The agreements included an MoU on ‘Cooperation for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons; Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Re-Integration of Victims of Trafficking’. An agreement regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIP) was also signed between the two sides. Three agreements for development projects in the conflict-torn Rakhine state were also signed during the president’s visit. The Rakhine state has witnessed a lot of violence in the past and scores of Rohingyas had fled the state facing persecution.(Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

India, Myanmar ink pact on bus service, developing Rakhine

Finance Minister exhorts PSBs to focus more on branch based banking with customer connect - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Finance Minister exhorts PSBs to focus more on branch based banking with customer connect.

Finance Minister unveils EASE Roadmap for Banking of the Future
EASE 3.0 Reforms Agenda commits Public Sector Banks to Tech-Enabled Banking
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman today unveiled EASE 3.0, the Public Sector Bank (PSB) Reforms Agenda 2020-21 for smart, tech-enabled banking, and the PSB EASE Reforms Annual Report 2019-20 here today.

Finance Minister Smt. Sitharaman exhorted Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to have one-to-one interface with their customers through branch based banking and not rely so much on credit ratings agencies. She said that banks need to connect with their customers by leveraging technology but not exclusively only through the interface of technology. In her address on the occasion, the Finance Minister asked the bankers to focus more at the grassroot level.
Smt. Sitharaman further exhorted banks to be friendlier to its customers by using local language in bank branch. She said that PSBs have played a great role in enabling financial inclusion in the country.
EASE 3.0 seeks to enhance ease of banking in all customer experiences, using technology, Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala SitharamanFinTech, alternate data and analytics. Dial-a-loan for doorstep loan facilitation, Credit@click for end-to-end digitalised lending, on-the-spot EASE Banking Outlets at well-frequented places like malls and stations, palm banking, digitalised branch experience, analytics-based instant credit offers, cash-flow-based credit and tech-enabled agriculture lending are part of a wide array of tech-enabled ease enhancements that PSBs would effect during FY2020-21.
Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur was the guest of honour for the event. Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar, Secretary Designate cum Special Secretary (Financial Services) Debashish Panda and Chairman IBA, Rajnish Kumar also graced the unveiling event.
Preview of Banking of the Future
At the launch function organised by Indian Banks’ Association at Delhi, individual PSBs gave a preview of the array of tech-enabled services that are in the pipeline or have been piloted and will be scaled up over the coming year across PSBs. UCO Bank unveiled its plans for customers to obtain via app, portal or call centre, Doorstep Banking Services offered collectively by PSBs as “PSB Alliance”, for services such as pick-up of cheques and income-tax exemption certificates and delivery of income-tax challan, drafts and account statements in major cities across India. State Bank of India showcased Shishu e-Mudra app-based lending for instant sanction of working capital up to Rs. 50,000 to existing small business customers of the bank and the bank announced its plan to scale up sanctioning through the app to Rs. 1 lakh in branch-assist mode. Union Bank of India gave a preview of its app for end-to-end digitalised lending to MSMEs of up to Rs. 50 crore, which it proposes to roll out during the coming year. Bank of Baroda showcased its tablet-based Tab Banking services for doorstep account-opening, including in villages and for migrant labourers in industrial units, and has created capacity for opening about 10,000 accounts per day. Bank of Baroda also gave a preview of its tab-based doorstep loan application, disbursement and collection for informal enterprises in partnership with NBFCs, including in rural areas. Syndicate Bank presented micro ATM and tablet based doorstep micro-financing of women entrepreneurs. State Bank of India also presented one-stop online agriculture ecosystem for meeting farmers’ needs in the form of app-based YONO Krishi, which enables credit including agricultural gold loan, estimation and purchase of agricultural inputs, and information needed for agricultural operations. The bank also announced its plan to introduce SAFAL for pre-approved agricultural loan along with multipurpose insurance cover.
The PSB EASE Reforms journey
PSB Reforms EASE Agenda is a common reform agenda for PSBs aimed at institutionalizing clean and smart banking. It was launched in January 2018, and the subsequent edition of the program ― EASE 2.0 built on the foundation laid in EASE 1.0 and furthered the progress on reforms. Reform Action Points in EASE 2.0 aimed at making the reforms journey irreversible, strengthening processes and systems, and driving outcomes. Public Sector Banks have shown significant improvement in the Action Points of the EASE Reforms Agenda since its introduction.
Following the completion of recognition of legacy stress as NPA, PSBs have returned to profitability with sound financial health and institutionalised systems to prevent the recurrence of past weaknesses. The improved financial health of PSBs reflects in many parameters—
• ross NPAs reduced from Rs 8.96 lakh crore (14.6%) in March-2018 to Rs 7.17 lakh crore (11.3%) in December-2019;
• A sharp decline in fraud occurrence from 0.65% of advances during FY10-FY14 to 0.20% in FY18-FY20; due to fraud prevention reforms and proactive checking of legacy NPA
• Record recovery of Rs 2.04 lakh crore in FY19-9MFY20 driven by newly setup dedicated stressed account management verticals in PSBs that have recovered Rs 1.21 lakh crore in the same period;
• Number of PSBs under PCA down to four;
• 12 PSBs reporting profits in 9MFY20;
• CRAR 340 bps above the regulatory minimum; and
• The highest provision coverage ratio of 77.5% in nearly eight years.
EASE 3.0 — Smart, Tech-enabled Banking for Aspiring India
Over the last five years, PSBs have not only cleaned up legacy stress and addressed underlying systemic weaknesses but have emerged stronger as a result of comprehensive and institutionalized EASE reforms. EASE 3.0 sets the agenda and roadmap for FY21 for their transformation into digital and data-driven NextGen Banking of the Future for an aspiring India.
Key Reform Action Points in EASE 3.0 include:
• Dial-a-loan: Digitally-enabled doorstep facilitation for initiation of retail and MSME loans. Customers will have the facility to register loan requests through digitally-enabled channels
• Customer-need driven credit offers by larger PSBs to existing customers through analytics, e.g., for EMI on expenses like holidays/school-fees/jewellery/consumer durables, home loan takeovers, loan-against-property post home loan closure, working capital enhancement based on sales jump
• Partnerships with FinTechs and E-commerce companies for customer-need driven credit offers
• Credit@click: End-to-end digitalised, time-bound retail and MSME lending by larger PSBs, leveraging Account Aggregators, FinTechs and PSBloansin59minutes.com
• Cash-flow-based MSME credit by larger PSBs, using FinTech, Account Aggregator and other third-party data and transactions-based underwriting models
• Tech-enabled agriculture lending
• Palm banking: End-to-end digitalised delivery of a full bouquet of financial services in regional languages and with industry-best service quality
• EASE Banking Outlets: On-the-spot banking at frequently visited places such as train stations, bus stands, malls, hospitals, etc. through paperless and digitally-enabled banking outlets and kiosks
PSBs have already started taking steps based on the reforms agenda. During the event, several digitally-enabled banking solutions, such as tablet-banking, digitally-driven agriculture lending, paperless and digitally-enabled EASE bank outlets, were demonstrated by the PSBs. Progress of PSBs will continue to be tracked on metrics linked to Reform Action Points, and their progress will be published through a quarterly index.
Performance of PSB on EASE 2.0 Index
PSB's have shown a healthy trajectory in their performance over three quarters since the launch of EASE 2.0 Reforms Agenda. The overall score of PSBs increased by 35% between March-2019 and December-2019, with the average EASE index score improving from 49.1 to 66.3 out of 100. Significant progress is seen across six themes of the Reforms Agenda, with the highest improvement seen in the themes of ‘Responsible Banking’ and ‘PSBs as Udyamimitra for MSMEs’.
Major Reform achievements over March 2018 to December 2019
• Significant improvement in customer outreach through dedicated marketing force and external partnerships. The number of dedicated marketing employees has increased from 8,920 to 17,617
• Turnaround time for loans reduced by 67% from the average of nearly 30 days to nearly 10 days
• 80% of PSB customers now have access to 35+ services on mobile/ Internet banking, 23 services on call center. The availability of services has nearly doubled over last 18 months.
• Improvement in the availability of regional languages in call-centers has increased four-fold
• Complaint redressal turnaround time reduced from the average of 9 days to 6 days
• 20 branch-equivalent services made available by PSBs through Bank Mitras
• For prudential lending, PSBs are now systematically keeping watch on adherence to risk-based pricing, and cases with deviation have reduced from 59% to 23%, and have put in place data-driven risk-scoring for appraisal of high-value loans that factors in group-entities.
• Most PSBs have deployed IT-based EWS systems leveraging third-party data, which have enabled early, time-bound action in stressed accounts. Monitoring has also been strengthened by deploying Agencies for Specialised Monitoring, and proactively monitoring listed entities based on published financials. Slippage into NPA has reduced from 3.90 lakh crore in 12-months ending March-18 to 1.88 lakh crore in 12-months ending December-19.
• PSBs have adopted digital platforms such as online OTS, e-Bक्रय, e-DRT for expedited recovery. 87% of one-time settlement (OTS) cases are now tracked through dedicated IT systems.
• PSBs have adopted new ways of credit. 63% of all PSB inland bills are now discounted through online TReDS
• 40% YoY growth in the quarterly value of loans disbursed through psbloansin59minutes.com (Dec-20)
• The Government has introduced several governance reforms. The governance reforms include arm’s length selection of top bank management through Banks Board Bureau, introduction of non-executive chairpersons, broader talent pool for such selections, empowered bank Boards, strengthening of the Board committees system, enhancing the effectiveness of non-official directors, and leadership development and succession planning for the top two levels below the Board. In larger PSBs, Executive Director strength has been increased, and Boards are empowered to introduce CGM level for increased business.
Like in the previous year, progress made by PSBs was tracked quarterly through a published EASE Reforms Index leading up to the annual review. In addition to the inclusion of the EASE Reforms Index in the evaluation of Whole Time Directors of PSBs, it has now been made part of the annual appraisal of PSB leadership up to two levels below the Whole Time Directors.
The Index measures the performance of each PSB on 100+ objective metrics across six themes. It provides all PSBs a comparative evaluation showing where banks stand vis-à-vis benchmarks and peers on the Reforms Agenda. The Index follows a fully transparent scoring methodology, which enables banks to identify precisely their strengths as well as areas for improvement. The goal is to continue driving change by spurring healthy competition among PSBs and also by encouraging them to learn from each other.


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Finance Minister exhorts PSBs to focus more on branch based banking with customer connect.

Sunda Tigers: Genetically isolated by the sea level - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Sunda Tigers: Genetically isolated by the sea level.

Sunda tigers are distinguished by heavy black stripes on their orange coats, giving them the perfect camouflage to mimic light reflection on the forest floor. Accelerating deforestation and rampant poaching mean this noble creature could end up extinct like its Javan and Balinese counterparts.

Also known as Sumatran tigers, these are the smallest tiger subspecies. These also tend to be more bearded and maned than the other subspecies. Once they prowled across several parts of the Sunda islands in Indonesia. Today, about 400 tigers survive and are found only in Sumatra. They are listed as critically endangered in the IUCN red list.

Sunda tigers are distinguished by heavy black stripes on their orange coats, giving them the perfect camouflage to mimic light reflection on the forest floor. Accelerating deforestation and rampant poaching mean this noble creature could end up extinct like its Javan and Balinese counterparts.
Sumatran tigers were previously known as Panthera tigris sumatrae but in 2017 the IUCN Cat Specialist Group revised tiger taxonomy, recognising just two tiger subspecies: Panthera tigris sondaica, comprising the Sumatran and (now extinct) Javan and Balinese populations, and Pantheratigris tigris, comprising the Bengal, Malayan, Indochinese, South Chinese, Siberian and (extinct) Caspian tiger populations.
Genetic profiling shows that the Sumatran Tiger is different from the other mainland species. The theory is that they were isolated from the other species thousands of years ago due to a rise in the sea level.
One of the main threats to Sumatran tigers is poaching.
Hunters trap or shoot them for their skin, bones and canines, which are in high demand as status symbols, primarily overseas, and for use in East Asian traditional medicine.
Habitat loss due to expansion of oil palm, coffee and acacia plantations, and smallholder encroachment also threaten these big cats. (Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Sunda Tigers: Genetically isolated by the sea level.

India, US decide to elevate ties, be global strategic partners - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India, US decide to elevate ties, be global strategic partners.

Trump, who held bilateral talks with Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, announced a defence deal of more than USD 3 billion under which India will buy US military equipment including MH-60R naval and AH-64E Apache helicopters.

US President Donald Trump, on his first State visit to India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided Tuesday to elevate ties between their countries to a “comprehensive global strategic partnership”, giving it broader scope and scale.

Trump, who held bilateral talks with Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, announced a defence deal of more than USD 3 billion under which India will buy US military equipment including MH-60R naval and AH-64E Apache helicopters.
While no trade deal was signed, Modi said Trump and he had agreed to initiate negotiations for a bigger deal. Trump, on his part, said they have made “tremendous progress” on a comprehensive trade agreement and he is optimistic they will reach a deal.
According to the joint statement issued late Tuesday, the two leaders said they looked forward to “early conclusion” of defence cooperation enabling agreements including Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) and “expressed interest in the concept of the Blue Dot Network, a multi-stakeholder initiative that will bring governments, the private sector, and civil society together to promote high-quality trusted standards for global infrastructure development”.
They added the Haqqani network and Tehrik-e-Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) to the list of terror groups against whom they “called for concerted action”. Denouncing “any use of terrorist proxies” and strongly condemning cross-border terrorism in all its forms, they called on Pakistan to “ensure that no territory under its control is used to launch terrorist attacks, and to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of such attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot”.
The US reaffirmed support for India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group “without any delay”, and the two sides supported “an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process that results in a sustainable peace; cessation of violence; elimination of terrorist safe havens; and preservation of the gains of the last 18 years”. (Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

India, US decide to elevate ties, be global strategic partners

Why coronavirus could help save China's endangered species - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Why coronavirus could help save China's endangered species.

• The pangolin, the most trafficked mammal on Earth, is prized for its meat and its unique scales, which are said to have medicinal properties
• The international sale of pangolins was outlawed in 2016 under the CITES convention against species exploitation
The novel coronavirus outbreak in China may end up saving one of the world's most trafficked animals after Beijing announced a total ban on the sale and consumption of the pangolin.
The scaly mammal -- listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) as threatened with extinction -- is a traditional delicacy across China and much of southeast Asia.
Following research linking the critters with the transmission of coronavirus to humans in the outbreak epicentre of Wuhan, Chinese officials on Monday slapped a ban on eating wild animals.
The measures, intended to halt the spread of the virus that has infected over 80,000 people worldwide and killed more than 2,700, could end up helping a number of endangered species -- but only if the ban holds long term.
"I applaud the ban, as we see that the Chinese government is determined to change a thousands-year-old tradition which is so inappropriate in today's society," said Jeff He, China director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
"I think the ban is an important Step One for wildlife conservation in China."
He called for "stronger and more progressive revisions" of China's existing wildlife protection laws.
Beijing implemented similar measures following the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s, but the trade and consumption of wild animals, including bats and snakes, made a comeback.
"I do think the government has seen the toll it takes on national economy and society is much bigger than the benefit that wild-eating business brings," said He.
Most-trafficked mammal
The pangolin, the most trafficked mammal on Earth, is prized for its meat and its unique scales, which are said to have medicinal properties.
Peter Knights, CEO of the WildAid charity, said that while China's ban was welcome, a global effort was required to end the drastic decline in the world's pangolin populations.
"The only question is what will happen in the longer run," he said. "We hope that China can lead the world in banning these markets globally."

The coronavirus outbreak should serve as a "warning" for humans to seek to conserve more of nature, or face health and financial backlashes, Knights said.
"If we heed the warning not only will we protect human life but we could actually save species like pangolins," he added.
The international sale of pangolins was outlawed in 2016 under the CITES convention against species exploitation.
CITES secretary-general Ivonne Higuero welcomed China's move to ban the domestic trade but stressed that the animals were far from out of the woods.
The illegal trafficking of wild species is estimated by the WWF to be worth around $15 billion annually, particularly among booming Asian markets.
"What we've seen is that there is a lot of illegal wildlife trade going on with China as a destination country," said Higuero.
She said a ban on pangolin consumption in China could significantly dent international trafficking by removing the financial incentives that drive criminal gangs to smuggle the creatures en masse.
While the ban has been welcomed by the conservation communities, there are fears that humans could come to blame pangolins for the outbreak, and seek revenge.
"People could become more wary of pangolins and therefore become more sensitive to their consumption and use," said Ray Jansen, Chairman of the African Pangolin Working Group and member of the ICUN.
"But on the other side of the sword, they could also start viewing pangolins as a threat, which would put them in danger. We are not quite sure how the public will take it."
For Andrew Muir, CEO of Wilderness Foundation Africa, the solution is simple.
"If we do not eat wildlife they will not harm us," he said. (Source: Livemint)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Why coronavirus could help save China's endangered species.

Cabinet approves National Technical Textiles Mission - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Cabinet approves National Technical Textiles Mission.

The ₹1,480-crore Mission, to be implemented from 2020-2021 to 2023-2024, aims at positioning India as a global leader in technical textiles

The government on Wednesday approved setting up of a National Technical Textiles Mission with a total outlay of ₹1,480 crore with a view to position the country as a global leader in technical textiles.
The Mission will have a four year implementation period from financial year 2020-21 to 2023-24.
The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.
“The Mission will aim at average growth rate of 15-20% per annum taking the level of domestic market size to $40-50 billion by the year 2024 through market development, market promotion, international technical collaborations, investment promotions and ‘Make in India’ initiatives,” an official statement said.
It envisages export promotion of technical textiles, enhancing it from the current annual value of approximately ₹14,000 crore to ₹20,000 crore by 2021-22, and ensuring 10% average growth in exports per year up to 2023-24.

An Export Promotion Council for Technical Textiles will be set up for effective coordination and promotion activities in the segment.
Addressing a press conference on Cabinet decisions, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said arrangements have been made under the Mission for skill development of 50,000 people in the field of technical textiles.
“We have mandated use of technical textiles in 9 ministries and 92 products and our hope is that with convergence of efforts with the technology group we will see a new future for especially MSME and technologists in the field of technical textiles, thereby making India self sufficient specially in strategic fields like defence and aerospace,” the minister said.
She observed that the target is to nullify the burden of technical textiles segment on India’s trade deficit in the next one year.
The minister informed that she had requested the technology group established in the previous Cabinet meeting to work in tandem with the National Technical Textiles Mission.
She said the industry has on several occasions in the past raised demands for a technical textiles mission.
The Mission will have four components including research, innovation and development with outlay of ₹1,000 crore; promotion and market development; export promotion; education, training and skill development.
Besides, the Mission will promote technical education at higher engineering and technology levels related to technical textiles and its application areas covering engineering, medical, agriculture, aquaculture and dairy segments.
Skill development will be promoted and adequate pool of highly skilled manpower resources will be created for meeting the need of relatively sophisticated technical textiles manufacturing units, the statement said.
Technical textiles are futuristic and niche segment of textiles, which are used for various applications ranging from agriculture, roads, railway tracks, sportswear, health on one end to bullet proof jacket, fire proof jackets, high altitude combat gear and space applications on the other end of spectrum.
In India, the segment is estimated at $16 billion (about ₹1.14 lakh crore) which is approximately 6% of the $250 billion (about ₹17.75 lakh crore) global technical textiles market.
The penetration level of technical textiles is low in India, varying between 5-10% against the level of 30-70% in developed countries.
The Mission will focus on usage of technical textiles in various flagship missions, programmes of the country including strategic sectors.
The use of technical textiles in agriculture, aquaculture, dairy, poultry, JalJivan Mission, Swachch Bharat Mission, Ayushman Bharat will bring an overall improvement in cost economy, water and soil conservation, better agricultural productivity and higher income to farmers per acre of land holding in addition to promotion of manufacturing and exports activities in India, it said.
The research output will be reposited with a ‘Trust’ with the government for easy and assessable proliferation of knowledge gained through research innovation and development activities.
Mission Directorate in the Ministry of Textiles headed by an eminent expert in the related field will be made operational. The Mission Directorate will not have any permanent employment and there will be no creation of building infrastructure for the Mission purpose.
The Mission will move into sunset phase after four years period, the statement added. (Source: The Hindu)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Cabinet approves National Technical Textiles Mission.

India 5th Most Polluted Country In The World: Report - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India 5th Most Polluted Country In The World: Report.

According to the World Air Quality Report 2019 compiled by IQAir Air Visual, Ghaziabad is the most polluted city in the world

India was the 5 most polluted country in 2019, with Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region ranked as the most polluted city in the world, according to a global compilation of PM 2.5 particulate pollution data by IQAir, a company that primarily works on air filtration.

On the whole, air pollution in India decreased in 2019 from 2018 though about half of the 50 most polluted cities were in India, the report notes. India launched a National Clean Air Programme in 2019 that commits to reducing air pollution in 102 most polluted cities by a maximum of 30% by 2024. The report however notes that the reduction in pollution in 2019 couldn't be attributed to the NCAP but rather was due to a “slowing of the market place.” The economic growth rate in India is expected to slow down to 5% in '19-20 from 6.1% in '18-'19 and 7% in '17-'18, according to the Economic Survey in January.
“Whilst cities in India, on average, exceed the World Health Organisation target for annual PM2.5 exposure by 500%, national air pollution decreased by 20% from 2018 to 2019, with 98% of cities experiencing improvements,” IQ Air said in a press statement.
Bangladesh was marked the most polluted country in 2019 with an average PM 2.5 concentration of 83 µg/m³. Pakistan came next with 65 µg/m³ and India recorded an average of 58.1 µg/m³. In the 2018 version of the IQAir report, the top two countries were the same and India was the third most polluted in the world with an average of 72 µg/m³.
In the 90 country/region-ranking, the Bahamas ranked the cleanest with an average of 3 µg/m³.
For the data, IQ Air relied on pollution recorded by sensors maintained by the government bodies—for India these were mostly the ones maintained by the Central and state pollution control boards—was well as monitoring stations maintained by private organisations.
“The new dataset highlights elevated air pollution levels as a result of climate change events, such as sandstorms and wildfires, and pollution gains from the rapid urbanization of cities, in regions such as Southeast Asia. While some achievements have been made in air quality monitoring infrastructure globally, there are still huge gaps in access to data around the world,” the press statement added. (Source: Livemint)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

India 5th Most Polluted Country In The World: Report.

US becomes India’s top trading partner - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

US becomes India’s top trading partner.

America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. While dealing with the US, India had a surplus of 16.85 billion in the year 2018-19 alone.

The United States has become India’s top trading partner surpassing China, according to 2018-19 data from the Commerce Ministry. The bilateral trade between the US and India amounted to USD 87.95 billion as compared to USD 87.07 billion with China.

Trade experts say a free trade agreement between the two nations would take their economic ties to a whole new level. According to an American business advocacy group, an FTA would exponentially help in resolving their trade disputes, PTI reported.
America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. While dealing with the US, India had a surplus of 16.85 billion in the year 2018-19 alone.
In the backdrop of a global economic slowdown, US President Donald Trump is set to visit India on February 24 and 25. Although a trade deal is not on the table, Trump has emphasised on ‘talking trade’ during his visit.
“Well, we can have a trade deal with India, but I’m really saving the big deal for later on, ” he told reporters in Washington. “We’re not treated very well by India” he added.
On his maiden visit to India president Trump and prime minister Modi are likely to focus on areas of counter-terrorism, defense, collaborations in mental health, healthcare to name a few. (Source: The indian express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

US becomes India’s top trading partner.

Coronavirus poses risks to fragile recovery in global economy: IMF - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Coronavirus poses risks to fragile recovery in global economy: IMF.

The coronavirus epidemic has already disrupted economic growth in China and a further spread to other countries could derail a “highly fragile” projected recovery in the global economy in 2020, the International Monetary Fund warned on Wednesday.

In a note for G20 finance ministers and central bankers, the global lender mapped out many risks facing the global economy, including the disease and a renewed spike in U.S.-China trade tensions, as well as climate-related disasters.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the outbreak was a stark reminder of how unforeseen events could threaten a fragile recovery, and urged G20 policymakers to work to reduce other uncertainties linked to trade, climate change and inequality.
“Uncertainty is becoming the new normal,” Georgieva wrote in a blog posted on the IMF website. “While some uncertainties — like disease — are out of our control, we should not create new uncertainties where we can avoid it.”
Finance ministers and central bankers from the top 20 advanced industrialized economies will gather in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week, still uncertain about the impact of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19.
Despite the outbreak, the IMF said it was sticking to its January forecast for 3.3% growth in the global economy this year, up from 2.9% in 2019. It represents a downward revision of 0.1 percentage points from its forecast in October.
It said the recovery would be shallow and could be derailed by a re-escalation of trade tensions or further spread of the disease, which had already disrupted production in China and could affect other countries through tourism, supply chain linkages and commodity prices.
China has said it could still meet its economic growth target for 2020 despite the epidemic. Georgieva said the IMF expected only a small reduction in China’s gross domestic product growth unless a protracted outbreak worsens the slowdown.
Even in the best-case scenarios, the projected rate of global growth was modest, she said, urging G20 policymakers to act to reduce trade tensions, mitigate climate change and tackle persistent inequality.
Cyber attacks, an escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East or a breakdown in trade talks between China and the United States could impede the short-term global recovery, the IMF said. Climate-related disasters, protectionism and social and political unrest triggered by persistent inequality posed further economic risks.
In her blog, Georgieva said a Phase 1 trade deal between the United States and China eliminated some negative consequences of trade tensions, reducing the drag on global GDP by 0.2% in 2020, or about one quarter of the total impact.
She also cited new IMF estimates that a typical climate-related natural disaster reduced growth by an average of 0.4 percentage points in the affected country the year it occurred.
To respond, policymakers should focus on diversifying energy sources and investing in resilient infrastructure.
Georgieva said it was also critical to address persistently high income and wealth inequalities that she said could foment distrust in government contribute to social unrest.
Ministers could act this week by focusing on raising living standards and creating better paying jobs through investments in high-quality education, research and digitalization, she said.


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Coronavirus poses risks to fragile recovery in global economy: IMF.

The world’s most polluted cities are mostly in India - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

The world’s most polluted cities are mostly in India.

• India has 14 of the top 20 world's most polluted cities
• India, China and other Asian countries remain disproportionately affected by toxic air
Several Chinese cities, including Beijing, have dramatically improved their air quality in recent years, while Indian metropolises remain some of the world’s worst polluted, according to a new report.
Beijing -- once infamous for its toxic haze -- has reduced smog levels and dropped down a list of the world’s most polluted cities, falling to 199 from 84 three years before, according to the 2019 World Air Quality Report published Tuesday by IQAir AirVisual. In contrast, India still dominated its list of the smoggiest urban areas, accounting for 14 of the top 20.

Despite new government policies meant to address the issue, New Delhi’s air quality has fallen from where it was five years ago, rising to the fifth-worst spot globally and making it by far the world’s most polluted major city, the report said. The worst-ranked city -- Ghaziabad -- is a Delhi suburb, as are a number of others ranked separately in the top 20.
India, China and other Asian countries remain disproportionately affected by toxic air as a result of factors ranging from crowded cities, vehicular exhaust, coal-fired power plants, agricultural burning and industrial emissions. The issue is hardly tangential. The World Health Organization estimates that dirty air kills around 7 million people each year, while the World Bank says it drains the global economy of $5 trillion annually.
While Chinese officials were able to mobilize the country’s top-down, authoritarian state to implement -- and enforce -- sweeping new measures, India faces a starkly different situation. Across much of northern India, air quality remains catastrophic as politicians prioritize economic growth and spar over responsibility. Many citizens are still unaware of health concerns and resource-starved agencies struggle to carry out new -- or even existing -- measures designed to curb the smog.
“In Beijing, it’s a priority -- in China, when they say something, they do it, they put the resources in," said Yann Boquillod, AirVisual’s director of air quality monitoring. “In India, it’s just starting. People need to put more pressure on government."
A spokesman for India’s environment ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has won praise for promoting solar power and improving emission standards. It has handed out millions of gas canisters to reduce the number of families using smoky household cooking fires. In January of last year, the government also launched the National Clean Air Programme.
But these measures haven’t had a serious impact on increased coal power plant usage, dust left by the thousands of under-regulated construction sites and exhaust from millions of new cars and motorcycles. Air quality experts have also criticized the national program for lacking strong enforcement and funding.
Although many Indian cities saw progress between 2018 and 2019, “unfortunately these improvements are not representative of the very recent, but promising National Clean Air Programme" and cleaner fuel standards, according to the AirVisual report.
Instead, the authors said, they signal a lagging economy, which grew at about 5% -- the slowest expansion since 2009 -- compared with 8.3% in 2017. The deadly air also kills roughly 1.2 million Indians each year, according to a recent study in the Lancet.
India, however, was far from the only country that remained deeply challenged by smog. Although several Chinese cities -- including Shanghai -- saw improvement in air quality, Kashgar and Hotan in the restive, western Xinjiang region were among the world’s worst.
Cities across Asia -- including Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Jakarta and Seoul -- saw sharp increases in PM 2.5 levels. Since 2017, Jakarta saw pollution increase by 66%, making it the worst in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, Chiang Mai and Bangkok both saw a number of extremely smoggy days -- some of which led authorities in the capital to close schools -- resulting from construction, diesel fuel and crop fires in surrounding regions.
The problem is particularly challenging for South Asian countries. Using a weighted population average, Bangladesh was actually ranked the world’s most polluted country, while its capital Dhaka was the second worst after Delhi. Pakistan was the second-most-polluted country, while Afghanistan, India and Nepal were all in the top 10. (Source; Livemint)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

The world’s most polluted cities are mostly in India.

Crops failing against rising temperatures, pest attacks: Study - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Crops failing against rising temperatures, pest attacks: Study.

Rising temperatures due to climate change may be compounding the stress on crops in multiple ways, it says

Insect attacks are becoming stronger with rising temperatures and plants are not able to cope with the double whammy from pests and rising heat. These are the findings of a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study reinforces previous findings that persistent warm and dry conditions make pests ‘hungrier’, increase their populations and geographical range. Due to increased metabolic rates, insects eat more in hot conditions.
With rapidly rising temperatures due to mounting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activities, crops are increasingly facing both threats — extreme heat and pest attacks — simultaneously.
The study found that the dual threat might be more than the crops can handle.
We are already seeing major consequences arising from the complex relationships between climate change, weather, pest behaviour and coping mechanisms of crops.
In 2017, farmers in India incurred heavy losses in crop yields in at least nine major agricultural states due to an erratic monsoon and subsequent pest attacks.
The annual and currently ongoing locust infestation over Africa, West Asia and South Asia is perhaps the most dangerous of all insect infestations. Experts believe that climate change may be affecting the distribution area and breeding cycles.
Increasing cyclonic activity in the Arabian Sea is causing sudden bursts of rainfall in some of the driest regions of the planet (for instance, the Rub’ al Khali desert in the Arabian Peninsula).
The hot and wet conditions makes it a perfect breeding ground for locusts. This year, enormous breeding caused their early movement towards South Asia which caused havoc to the crops. Pakistan lost 40 per cent of its total crops.
There are also rising instances of ‘alien’ plant and pest species invading India and damaging crops. In the past 15 years, India has had at least 10 major invasive pest and weed attacks. The fall armyworm invasion destroyed almost all of the country’s maize crops in 2018.
Crops have certain natural defence mechanisms against pests and rising temperatures. When an insect bites a chunk from a leaf, plants secrete a hormone called jasmonate, or JA. JA alerts the plant of the insect attack and to produce chemicals to defend against the attack.
And when plants experience high temperatures they protect themselves by lifting their leaves away from the hot land surface. They also ‘sweat’ through pores on the leaves (stomata) — similar to what we humans do through skin — so that water evaporates and cools the leaves.
Individually, these defence mechanisms are quite effective. However, rapid climate change is compounding the threats and exaggerating the stress on crops.
To better understand how plants react under this dual threat, scientists from Michigan State University in the United States performed temperature-controlled experiments on tomato plants under attack from caterpillars.
Experiments were performed at ambient temperatures (28 degrees Celsius day / 18°C night) and elevated temperatures (38°C day / 28°C night) resembling conditions during heat waves.
It was found that when plants are under attack in hot conditions, they produce a lot more of the JA hormone than in normal conditions, as a part of their defence mechanism. However, the experiments show that this does not deter the caterpillars.
“I was shocked when I opened the doors to the growth chamber where the two sets of plants were growing at ‘normal’ and ‘high’ temperatures,” said Gregg Howe, distinguished professor at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, in a press statement.
“The caterpillars in the warmer space were much bigger; they had almost wiped the plant out,” he added.
Instead, high levels of JA block the plant’s ability to cool itself. It cannot lift its leaves or sweat through the pores.
The authors note that it is unclear why plants choose not to or simply can’t open their pores to sweat when they are producing more JA. It may be that they don’t want to lose water from the wounded sites.
Or maybe the caterpillar uses some trickery to force the leaf pores to remain closed so the plant can’t cool itself, since hotter leaves are better for the growth and development of the larva.
Whatever the reason might be, if plants lose the ability to cool themselves they suffer with something similar to a heat stroke.
“We see photosynthesis, which is how crops produce biomass, is strongly impaired in these plants,” said Nathan Havko, postdoctoral researcher in the Howe research group and the lead author of the study, in the press statement. “The resources to produce biomass are there, but somehow they aren’t used properly and crop productivity decreases.”
While the study’s findings are based on experiments conducted specifically on tomato plants under attack from caterpillar, similar behavior is expected for other plant and pest species.
The study unequivocally shows that rising temperatures due to climate change may be compounding the stress on crops in multiple ways. More vicious insect attacks, decreased ability of plants to defend themselves against pests and rising heat could exaggerate crop losses in the years to come.
“I think we have yet to appreciate the unexpected tradeoffs between defense responses and plant productivity, especially when other types of environmental stress are present,” said Howe. “Turning on the defense response may do more harm than good if the plants face high temperatures or other stresses.”


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Crops failing against rising temperatures, pest attacks: Study

CMS CoP 13 concludes: Call for post-2020 global biodiversity framework - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

CMS CoP 13 concludes: Call for post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

The “post-2020 global biodiversity framework” is to “effectively address” the conservation needs of endangered species and species with an unfavourable conservation status, whose survival is a key indicator of sustainable development.

Global cooperation and partnerships are required to achieve “ecological connectivity” and implementation of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), it was declared as the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 13th Conference of Parties (CoP) on the CMS concluded in Gandhinagar on Saturday. It also called for a post-2020 global biodiversity framework to include a clear commitment to international, regional, bilateral and transboundary cooperation for implementation of the same.

The “post-2020 global biodiversity framework” is to “effectively address” the conservation needs of endangered species and species with an unfavourable conservation status, whose survival is a key indicator of sustainable development.
The IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has found that an estimated one million animal and plant species now face the threat of extinction.
The CMS is the lead intergovernmental agreement for international cooperation on the conservation of migratory species and their habitats. The post-2020 global biodiversity framework is likely to be adopted by the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in China’s Kunming in October. (Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

CMS CoP 13 concludes: Call for post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

Why India-US trade deal remains elusive - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Why India-US trade deal remains elusive.

• India has increased buying crude oil and civilian aircraft from the US in recent times
• US fixation over tariffs, e-commerce curbs, data protection bill have put India in a spot
When the US on 4 March last year announced that it is withdrawing duty-free entry for Indian exports worth around $6 billion, it brought the curtains down to a year- long dialogue between the two strategic partners for hammering out a limited trade package.
In a hurriedly called press briefing early next day, India’s trade secretary Anup Wadhawan blamed the “disproportionate demands" by the US for collapse of the talks.
If both sides fail to close the limited trade deal during President Donald Trump’s two-day visit to India starting Monday as they have indicated, it would be third time unlucky as the deal was expected to be signed in September during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

India and the US, despite their robust diplomatic ties, have quibbled on trade over the years and across administrations. However, President Donald Trump who pursues an “America First" approach has been personally very vocal about the perceived high tariff walls that India has put and has often called out India terming it “tariff king". India denies the charge of being a high-tariff nation, holding that its tariff regime is fully compliant with its commitments under the World Trade Organisation rules.
To accommodate the US complain about the $18 billion trade surplus that it enjoys, India has increased buying crude oil and civilian aircraft from the US in recent times. US fixation over tariffs, India’s e-commerce restrictions and data protection bill have put India in a spot.
China factor
Any tariff cut by India to allow greater import of US goods needs to be done in a non-discriminatory manner for other countries as per WTO rules as both the countries are not negotiating a free trade agreement at present. For example, duty cut on high end mobile phones as demanded by the US side will benefit China as Apple manufactures most of its phones there. Indian commerce ministry in its 5 March statement last year raised the same fear. “On reduction of our IT duties, India's duties are moderate and not import stopping. Any MFN duty reduction would almost entirely benefit third countries," it added. With over $50 billion trade deficit with its Northern neighbor, India is obviously not keen to increase imports from China.
Similarly, if India cuts duty on high-powered fully built motorcycles to satisfy Trump’s fascination for selling more Harley Davidson bikes, it may actually benefit similar other brands such as Triumph (British), Yamaha (Japanese), and Dukati (German-Italian).
India’s trade conservatism
The long-stretched Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations which India exited at the last moment, seems to have fundamentally changed the thinking of the Modi government on its trade engagements. Not only does it now flex its muscles with smaller trade partners like Malaysia by putting restrictions on palm oil imports, it has increased tariffs on a host of products like toys and furnitures what it calls non-essential items. The open calls for import substitution and turn to Swadeshi have critics cry protectionism.
After the Budget FY21 put a health cess on import of medical devices amid talks between India and the US to find a way out of price caps put by India on stents and knee implants, Nisha Desai Biswal, president of the US India Business Council in an interview said she expects the US government to seek clarifications on the matter from the Indian side. “People are asking themselves why now and how this makes sense. I would imagine that it will be an issue of discussion between the two governments because finding a way forward on medical devices has been such an involved conversation between the two governments," she added.
Further signaling that India is in no mood to give a walk over on the proposed trade deal with the US, Goyal at an industry event on Thursday said: “I can assure you that just like in RCEP negotiations (where) India stood its ground, India’s decision on opening up our markets will rest on our imperatives for trade, not diplomacy. The same principle is going to be continued forward when we talk to any other country. India’s interests will be paramount," he added.
The future of the India-US trade relationship will depend on how patient and considerate US remains towards India’s development concerns and the flexibility that India can show within its self-imposed red lines. (Source: Livemint)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Why India-US trade deal remains elusive.

Three Indian species now in global protection list for migratory animals - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Three Indian species now in global protection list for migratory animals.

• All the three animals were included in the ‘Appendix I’ of the Convention on the Conservation of migratory species of wild animals
• The government highlighted that the Indian elephant is struggling to survive in the continually shrinking, degraded and fragmented habitat
Three Indian species –the mainland Asian elephant, Great Indian Bustard and the Bengal Florican were selected for priority bio-diversity conservation at the United Nations summit for conservation of migratory species of wild animals, on Thursday.
All the three animals were included in the ‘Appendix I’ of the Convention on the Conservation of migratory species of wild animals (CMS). The announcement was made at the ongoing 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the CMS being hosted by India, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from February 17-22.

The central government’s proposal was unanimously accepted by the Committee of the Whole (COW), late on Thursday.
Inclusion in the 'Appendix I’ is for ‘migratory species threatened with extinction’ would lead to push for greater habitat protection, prohibition against poaching and facilitation of their movement in the regions and countries that are part of these species ranges.
There are about 47 lakh elephants in the wild in the 13 range countries, with 60% of them in India. The government highlighted that the Indian elephant is struggling to survive in the continually shrinking, degraded and fragmented habitat and is frequently coming into conflict with people, apart from threats of poaching and illegal trade.
Since, it is known to naturally migrate across international borders; it faces similar challenges in other range countries, and there is need for a concerted action to protect them.
While, the other two species - the Great Indian Bustard and Bengal Florican have already been identified as critically endangered which face threats of hunting, and collision with power-lines during their migration to neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan and Nepal.
Under the proposal, the government intends to sign an agreement with the range countries to protect these birds from hunting, power-line collision and habitat loss. (Source: Livemint)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Three Indian species now in global protection list for migratory animals.

Forest cover increasing but still lower than 33% target: official - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Forest cover increasing but still lower than 33% target: official.

The country’s forest policy targeted forest and tree cover for over 33% of the total geographical area, the official said

The forest cover in India is increasing, but is still lower than the targeted 33% of the total geographical area under the country’s forest policy, an official said here on Thursday.
Speaking on the sidelines of a regional training programme for institutionalising capacities on climate change, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Additional Secretary Ravi S. Prasad said as per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2019, the total forest and tree cover in the country is 8,07,276 square kilometres, which is 24.56% of the total geographical area.

He said the country’s forest policy targeted forest and tree cover for over 33% of the total geographical area, but added that it was aspirational.
The Forest Survey of India has been assessing the forest and tree resources of the country on a biennial basis since 1987. The results of the assessment are published in the ISFR.
As per ISFR 2017, the total forest and tree cover was at 24.39%, Mr. Prasad added.
The country’s forest cover is consistently on the rise. In 2017, it had registered an increase of 1% or 8,021 square km over 2015, he said.
Under the recent assessment in 2019, the total carbon stock in the country’s forests is estimated to be close to 7,124.6 million tonnes, which is an increase of 42.6 million tonnes as compared to the assessment in 2017, the official added.
Addressing the training programme, Himachal Environment, Science and Technology Director D.C. Rana said, “Climate change is happening due to human activity. If something concrete is not done, temperature will further increase and global warming will further harm our ecosystem.”
Delegates from nine States and three Union Territories from northern India are taking part in the two-day training programme. (Source: The Hindu)


The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Forest cover increasing but still lower than 33% target: official.

Explained: Eyes on the Sun, how ISRO is preparing for its next giant leap in space - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Explained: Eyes on the Sun, how ISRO is preparing for its next giant leap in space.

Explained: The ISRO is preparing to send its first scientific expedition to study the Sun. Named Aditya-L1, the mission, expected to be launched early next year, will observe the Sun from a close distance

Earlier this month, 47 new papers were published in a special supplement of The Astrophysical Journal, analysing data from the first three flybys of the Parker Solar Probe, NASA’s historic mission to the Sun. The probe, launched on August 12, 2018, completed its fourth close approach — called perihelion — on January 29, whizzing past at about 3.93 lakh km/h, at a distance of only 18.6 million km from the Sun’s surface.

So why is all of this exciting for India?
Alongside another mission to the Moon, being planned for next year, and the first human space flight scheduled for 2022, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also preparing to send its first scientific expedition to study the Sun. Named Aditya-L1, the mission, expected to be launched early next year, will observe the Sun from a close distance, and try to obtain information about its atmosphere and magnetic field.
ISRO categorises Aditya L1 as a 400 kg-class satellite, that will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in XL configuration. The space-based observatory will have seven payloads (instruments) on board to study the Sun’s corona, solar emissions, solar winds and flares, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and will carry out round-the-clock imaging of the Sun.
The mission will be undertaken in collaboration between various labs of ISRO, along with institutions like the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, and Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata. Aditya L1 will be ISRO’s second space-based astronomy mission after AstroSat, which was launched in September 2015.
What makes a solar mission challenging is the distance of the Sun from Earth (about 149 million km on average, compared to the only 3.84 lakh km to the Moon) and, more importantly, the super hot temperatures and radiations in the solar atmosphere.
All participating institutions are currently in the final stages of developing their respective payloads. Some payloads have been built, and are in the testing phase with each component being checked and calibrated. Some payloads are at the stage of integration of individual components.
But why is studying the Sun important?
Every planet, including Earth and the exoplanets beyond the Solar System, evolves — and this evolution is governed by its parent star. The solar weather and environment, which is determined by the processes taking place inside and around the sun, affects the weather of the entire system. Variations in this weather can change the orbits of satellites or shorten their lives, interfere with or damage onboard electronics, and cause power blackouts and other disturbances on Earth. Knowledge of solar events is key to understanding space weather.
To learn about and track Earth-directed storms, and to predict their impact, continuous solar observations are needed. Every storm that emerges from the Sun and heads towards Earth passes through L1, and a satellite placed in the halo orbit around L1 of the Sun-Earth system has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses, ISRO says on its website.
L1 refers to Lagrangian/Lagrange Point 1, one of five points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system. Lagrange Points, named after Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange, are positions in space where the gravitational forces of a two-body system (like the Sun and the Earth) produce enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion. These can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position. The L1 point is home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO), an international collaboration project of NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The L1 point is about 1.5 million km from Earth, or about one-hundredth of the way to the Sun. Aditya L1 will perform continuous observations looking directly at the Sun. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has already gone far closer — but it will be looking away from the Sun. The earlier Helios 2 solar probe, a joint venture between NASA and space agency of erstwhile West Germany, went within 43 million km of the Sun’s surface in 1976.
What kind of heat will Aditya L1 face?
The Parker Solar Probe’s January 29 flyby was the closest the spacecraft has gone to the Sun in its planned seven-year journey so far. Computer modelling estimates show that the temperature on the Sun-facing side of the probe’s heat shield, the Thermal Protection System, reached 612 degrees Celsius, even as the spacecraft and instruments behind the shield remained at about 30°C, NASA said. During the spacecraft’s three closest perihelia in 2024-25, the TPS will see temperatures around 1370°C.
Aditya L1 will stay much farther away, and the heat is not expected to be a major concern for the instruments on board. But there are other challenges.
Many of the instruments and their components for this mission are being manufactured for the first time in the country, presenting as much of a challenge as an opportunity for India’s scientific, engineering, and space communities. One such component is the highly polished mirrors which would be mounted on the space-based telescope.
Due to the risks involved, payloads in earlier ISRO missions have largely remained stationary in space; however, Aditya L1 will have some moving components, scientists said. For example, the spacecraft’s design allows for multiple operations of the front window of the telescope — which means the window can be opened or shut as required. (Source: The Indian Express)


The above Article can also be read full Article:

Explained: Eyes on the Sun, how ISRO is preparing for its next giant leap in space