1416d364 part i current affairs 2012 october vision ias (1)

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CURRENT AFFAIRS 2012: OCTOBER ( Part I )

NATIONAL........................................................ ......... 6

Menta !eat" Care B#$ 2011.................................................................. 6

Nat#%na In&e'tent B%ar * Cr#t#+a ana,'#'.......................................... -

Nat#%na C%#ttee %n #re+t +a'" tran'er'........................................... /

Nat#%na P%#+, %n Ee+tr%n#+'.................................................................. 10

Sr#r#'"na Pane %r #nan+#a 'e+t%r....................................................... 12

Nat#%na ata S"ar#n3 an A++e''#4##t, P%#+,......................................... 15

T"e 'tat' % Maa,aa a' a +a''#+a an3a3e e4ate......................... 17

UPAII 3a4e' 8#t" an%t"er r%n % 4#3 4an3 re%r'......................... 19

Na3a A++%r............................................................................................ 16

A Ne8 Ur4an P%#+, ................................................................................ 1-

Aa"aar Ena4e Ser&#+e e#&er,........................................................... 1

Ot"er Sa Ne8' Sn#;;et'....................................................... 1/

Nat#%na Tran';aren+, P%rta %n PS...................................................... 1/

<Mer# S"a=t# Mer# Bet#> Ca;a#3n............................................................ 1/

VISION IAS ?888.&#'#%n#a'.#n

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@ORL AFFAIRS........................................................ 20

Iran 'a,' tan3#4e ;r%3re'' #n In#aA3"an#'tan #n=............................ 20

V%t#n3 #n A3"an#'tan.............................................................................. 20

#n#Fae tar3et' Iran......................................................................... 21

In#a$ U.S.$ a;an ta= +%%;erat#%n........................................................... 22

A.U. rea#t' Ma# 8#t" 2015 ;% ;an ................................................... 22

INIA AN T!E @ORL............................................. 25In#aA'tr#a............................................................................................ 25

In#aSr# Lan=a......................................................................................... 25

In#aa;an.............................................................................................. 27

In#aR''#a............................................................................................. 29

In#aB3ar#a.......................................................................................... 26

In#aIn%ne'#a........................................................................................ 2-

In#aNe8 Deaan................................................................................... 2

In#aS;a#n............................................................................................... 2/

SOCIAL ISSUES............................................................ 50

Be33ar,.................................................................................................... 50

I''e % 'rr%3a+,..................................................................................... 51

T"e e#n#at#%n % % a3e * t"e #''e % eer, 8%en......................... 55

Ne8 ar#an'"#; ','te %r ;er'%n' 8#t" #'a4##t#e' ........................... 57

C%n+ern' %&er an a3#n3 In#a.................................................................... 59




Ne8 entrant' t% !eat" Care...................................................................... 99

S;;%rt %r t"e t8##3"t ,ear'..................................................................... 96

Ur4an "eat" #n#t#at#&e 12t" Pan................................................................ 96

An #n#t#at#&e %r 8a'te ana3eent #n 12t"

;an......................................... 9-

C"an3e' #n re' %r +#n#+a tr#a'................................................................ 9

ea, #'ea'e$ e';erate ea're'a;ane'e en+e;"a#t#' (E)................. 9

ENVIRONMENT............................................................ 9/

C%P11 C%neren+e %n B#%#&er'#t,............................................................ 9/

Sea t#3er' a+e +#ate t"reat...................................................................... 61

B%at +a;a#3n t% 'a&e enan3ere an3et#+ %;"#n................................. 61

!%'e ';arr%8 e"#>' State 4#r............................................................... 62

T#3er At"%r#t, +an n%t#, t%r#' n%r'.................................................... 62

Uttara="an t%;' #n en&#r%nenta 'tanar'............................................ 65

Internat#%na Hear % S'ta#na4e Ener3, %r a........................................... 65

Ne8 8etan' e+%n%#+' re;%rt................................................................. 67

Ban %n t%r#' #n t#3er re'er&e'> +%re area' 3%e'........................................ 67

eAta' % ar#ne 4#r area'........................................................................ 69

C%n+entrate '%ar ;%8er (CSP).................................................................. 66

PERSONALITIES............................................................. 6-

!ar%+"e$ @#nean 8#n N%4e ;r#e %r ;",'#+'........................................... 6-

T"e N%4e Pr#e #n P",'#%%3, %r Me#+#ne................................................... 6-




Re+e;t%r' %n +e 'ra+e' 'en'e en&#r%nent t"e 2012 N%4e Pr#e #n C"e#'tr,

6-

L#teratre N%4e %r C"#ne'e........................................................................ 6

Sn# an3%;a",a,.................................................................................... 6

RaGat ;ta................................................................................................. 6

S"r# Prana, Sa"a,........................................................................................ 6

MISCELLANEOUS.......................................................... 6/

S"#;%t'a&2012........................................................................................... 6/

Ar%3,a Fa#r 2012.......................................................................................... 6/




NATIONAL

Menta !eat" Care B#$ 2011

e'+r#;t#%n

• Under the Bill, “mental health” means a state of well-ein! in which the individ"al realises his or her own

ailities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can wor# prod"ctivel$ and fr"itf"ll$ and is ale to ma#e a

contri"tion to his or her comm"nit$%

• “&ental illness” incl"des an$ disorder, impairment, disailit$ or handicap of the mind, incl"din! mental

impairment as a res"lt of alcohol, dr"!s or s"stance a"se%

• 'he Bill provides for mental health care which shall e of the hi!hest ("alit$ possile and shall e provided

in a manner that preserves the di!nit$ of the person with mental illness.

• )f the Bill ecomes an *ct of parliament, then ever$ person shall e entitled, if the person so wishes, to

medical ins"rance coverin! treatment to a person s"fferin! from mental illness and no ins"rance compan$

shall ma#e an$ ins"rance polic$ providin! ins"rance a!ainst sic#ness which e+cl"des or restricts the

treatment of persons s"fferin! from mental illness.

• * person with mental illness shall not e discriminated a!ainst or s"ect to "nfair treatment in otainin!

ade("ate health ins"rance for the care and treatment of ph$sical and mental health prolems from p"lic

and private health ins"rance providers.

• *n$ person or ins"rance compan$ that contravenes the provisions of this section commits an offence and

shall e liale, on conviction, to a fine not e+ceedin! five h"ndred tho"sand shillin!s, or to imprisonment for

a term not e+ceedin! three $ears, or oth.

• * person shall not e discriminated a!ainst on the !ro"nd that he or she is s"fferin! from mental illness.

ver$ person with mental illness shall have the ri!ht to e+ercise all civil, political, economic, social and

c"lt"ral ri!hts accorded to ever$ person $ the onstit"tion and an$ other written law in force in /en$a. 'o

me this means that persons with a mental illness shall have the ri!ht to vote.

Cr#t#+#'

• 'he activists said their main concern was that the Bill maintained the stat"s ("omental as$l"ms, while the

ri!ht to choose or ref"se treatment has also een removed.

• &ental illness is the onl$ cate!or$ of 0disease within the medical discipline which till toda$ has the lowest

"rden of proof. 'here e+ist no tests, od$ scannin! or other empirical methods ao"t the scientific validit$

of mental illness.

• )n this fra!ile sit"ation where ("estions ao"t the scientific validit$ of ps$chiatr$ are ein! raised world

over, the &ental ealth are Bill hands over power to ps$chiatrists to deprive a persons liert$.

• ith the law "nder which $o" can forcil$ #eep a person inside a private as$l"m for two months, renewale

after a da$s parole, the "siness interest of private pla$ers in the mental health s$stem is ver$ evident.



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S;;%rt

• 'here is provision of *dvance irective wherein a person with mental illness can e+ercise choice of

treatment $ drawin! "p *dvance irective which is a le!al contract.

• 'he Bill itself sa$s that it can e potentiall$ challen!ed $ the treatin! ps$chiatrist or a relative or a famil$

memer.

• 'he Bill has een drafted after elaorate delierations with sta#eholders.

• hile #eepin! it Un#te Nat#%n' C%n&ent#%n %r t"e R#3"t' % Per'%n' 8#t" #'a4##t#e' compliant, the

draftin! team and the &inistr$ have tried to accommodate vario"s view points as e+pressed d"rin! re!ional

and national cons"ltations. )t is, however, not possile to satisf$ ever$one to the f"llest e+tent.

• 'he e+istin! &ental ealth *ct &*7 was passed in 189 "t it came into effect in *pril 1883. 'he &*

replaced the )ndian :"nac$ act of 1812, which had replaced the )ndian :"natic *s$l"m *ct of 1959.

• 'he 189 *ct was a vast improvement over the 1812 *ct. ispara!in! terminolo!ies of )ndian :"nac$ *ct

1812 were dropped and polite terms were "sed.

• ith a view to improvin! standards of mental health care, a licensin! a"thorit$ was provided to e+ercise

chec# on !rant of licenses and wor#in! of ps$chiatric hospitals. ;rovision was made for estalishment of

new ps$chiatric hospitals.

• <"tpatient care was provided to avoid detention for mana!eale cases and an attempt was made to

simplif$ proced"re for admission to and dischar!e from a ps$chiatric hospital=n"rsin! home.

• ;rovision was made for appointment of mana!ers and !"ardians for maintainin! propert$ and carin! of

mentall$ ill and ens"rin! that treatment e+penses are paid $ relatives or !overnment.

Nat#%na In&e'tent B%ar * Cr#t#+a ana,'#'

@"at #t #'

• 'he discretionar$ and even re!"lator$ powers of individ"al ministries are li#el$ to come "nder serio"s attac#

with the Nat#%na In&e'tent B%ar (NIB) led $ ;rime &inister &anmohan >in!h set to ass"me the role of

a s"per aritrator over and aove merel$ e+peditin! clearances for maor infrastr"ct"re proects.

• *!!rieved companies with stron! le!al !ro"nds to estalish that their applications for infrastr"ct"re proects

have een aritraril$ dela$ed or even reected $ the &inistr$ or epartment concerned can directl$

approach the ?)B for clearance.

• ?)B will e constit"ted as an empowered >tandin! ommittee of the ainet "nder the chairmanship of the

;rime &inister, carr$in! the a"thorit$ of the !overnment with #e$ &inisters li#e @inance and :aw A "stice

as memers.

• 'he ?)B will e s"pported $ a small dedicated secretariat in the * which will identif$ #e$ proects that

re("ire contin"al monitorin!.

• 'he initial foc"s will e on investments "pwards of Cs. 1,DDD crore in roads, minin! especiall$ coal7, power,

petrole"m and nat"ral !as, ports and railwa$ proects.




In S;;%rt

• 'he stated p"rpose of the ?)B will e to ta#e over the process of !rantin! licences, permissions and

approvals whenever the competent a"thorities fail to act in time. 'his is intended to prevent adhocism

emer!in! from a"tonomo"s f"nctionin! of ministries and to fi+ responsiilit$ for inordinate dela$s in

otainin! all the approvals=clearances re("ired for implementation of the proect.

• 'he process of !rantin!=ref"sin! approvals to @) proposals "nder the approval ro"te has ecome ("ic#er

after the settin! "p of the F%re#3n In&e'tent Pr%%t#%n B%ar (FIPB) and the ?)B is e+pected to have a

similar eneficial impact on !rantin!=ref"sin! approvals=clearances to #e$ proects, especiall$ in the

infrastr"ct"re sector.

• 'he ?)B will prescrie different time limits for re("isite m"ltiple approvals in cons"ltation with the

ministries and # t"e, rene3e %n t"e'e ea#ne', the a"thorit$ of the concerned &inistr$=epartment

wo"ld stand transferred to the ?)B for ta#in! the decision.

• etailed anal$sis of the dela$s indicates that there are two asic sets of approvals=clearances which need to

e addressed.

• 'he first is re!"lator$ approval accorded "nder the relevant law as e+emplified $ the nvironment

learance and @orest learance. * time frame ma$ have een prescried "nder r"les for some of the

clearances "t dela$s often occ"r eca"se of the inade("ate administrative arran!ements to

facilitate=s"pport the proced"re for timel$ !rant=ref"sal of clearance.

• 'he second is p"rel$ in the realm of administrative decisions, with each step cons"min! several da$s or

wee#s. loser s"pervision and monitorin! wo"ld consideral$ red"ce the time ta#en for s"ch approvals.

• 'he ?)B see#s to instit"tionalise a s$stem which oth monitors the m"ltiple avoidale impediments

emer!in! from the entral !overnment ministries=departments while ta#in! necessar$ action to e+pedite

these approvals.

• )t will !o a lon! wa$ in eliminatin! red tape, red"cin! liti!ation and also rin! ac# investment.

Cr#t#+#'

• 'he @inance &inistr$ proposal to create a ?ational )nvestment Board with e+traordinar$ a"thorit$ to

s"persede individ"al ministries and decide the fate of e+pensive infrastr"ct"re proects is a retro!rade

meas"re that stri#es at the root of democratic !overnance.

• 'he asic tenets of all law-ma#in! incl"de p"lic participation, e("it$ and "stice, more so when it comes to

the environment and welfare. )ndias laws on protection of the environment, forests, wildlife and trial

welfare enshrine these principles, and the co"ntr$ has een centre-sta!in! them when ne!otiatin!international treaties and protocols.

• B"t a raEen attempt is ein! made "sin! the fi! leaf of Fdela$s in !rant of re!"lator$ approvals and

clearances to ne!ate all this and strip individ"al ministries of their lawf"l role, and to transfer their decision-

ma#in! powers to an ?)B.

• 'he &inistr$ of nvironment and @orests, which is cast $ ind"str$ as the villain when it comes to proect

clearances, is "stified in opposin! this misadvent"re.

• 'he stated oective of formin! an ?)B chaired $ the ;rime &inister, "nder the Government of )ndia

*llocation of B"siness7 C"les, 1861, is to prescrie time limits for approvals.




• )ts f"nctions, however, are far-reachin! and wo"ld serio"sl$ erode the powers and a"tonom$ of individ"al

ministries. 'heir proced"res and decisions will ecome s"ect to review $ an investment-foc"sed s"perior

entit$, with predictale conse("ences.

• 'a#in! the lon! view, Board proponents wo"ld do well to rememer that the$ see# to e+ploit a stoc# of

inval"ale, limited nat"ral capital. 'here is, th"s, a need to assess the s"stainailit$ of development, and not

e !"ided solel$ $ narrow meas"res of economic performance.

• onsiderin! the a"thoritarian character that an all-powerf"l committee will inevital$ ac("ire, it wo"ld e

pr"dent for the ainet to !ive "p the ?)B proposal.

• )t can achieve etter o"tcomes $ foc"sin! on administrative elements within ministries, and introd"cin!

acco"ntailit$ in proect approvals.

Nat#%na C%#ttee %n #re+t +a'" tran'er'

• ;rime &inister &anmohan >in!h constit"ted a hi!h-power ?ational ommittee on irect ash 'ransfers in

a id to red"ce corr"ption at the c"ttin! ed!e.

• 'he committee is e+pected to facilitate the introd"ction of direct cash transfers to individ"als eli!ile for

enefits flowin! o"t of the !overnments man$ welfare pro!rammes.

C%;%'#t#%n

• 'he ;rime &inister will chair the ?ational ommittee himselfH its other memers will e 11 ainet

&inisters, two &o> with independent char!e, the ep"t$ hairman of the ;lannin! ommission, the

hairman of the U)*) and the ainet >ecretar$. 'he ;rincipal >ecretar$ to the ;rime &inister will e the

convenor.

O4Ge+t#&e'

• :evera!in! the investments ein! made in the *adhaar ;roect with the oective of enhancin! efficienc$,

transparenc$ and acco"ntailit$, the ommittee has een mandated to provide an overarchin! vision and

direction, as well as to determine road polic$ oectives and strate!ies, to enale direct cash transfers.

• )t will also s"!!est the e+tent and scope of s"ch cash transfers for selected !overnment pro!rammes, and

coordinate the activities of the &inistries and a!encies involved in the proect to ens"re its timel$ andspeed$ rollo"t across the co"ntr$.

• @inall$, the committee will review the pro!ress of implementation and provide !"idance for mid-co"rse

corrections.

• T"ree M#''#%n M%e C%#ttee' I on technolo!$, financial incl"sion and implementation I will help

desi!n and implement the direct cash transfer s$stem.

• T"e Te+"n%%3, C%#ttee will foc"s on the technolo!$, pa$ment architect"re and )' iss"es, the F#nan+#a

In+'#%n C%#ttee on ens"rin! "niversal access to an#in! and ens"rin! complete financial incl"sion and

the I;eentat#%n C%#ttee' on lectronic 'ransfer of Benefits at the &inistr$ level will wor# o"t the

details of cash transfers for each department.



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Nat#%na P%#+, %n Ee+tr%n#+'

Ba+=3r%n

'he lectronics ind"str$ reported at U> 1.5 trillion is the lar!est and fastest !rowin! man"fact"rin! ind"str$ in the

world. )t is e+pected to reach U> 2.4 trillion $ 2D2D. 'he demand in the )ndian mar#et was U> 45 illion in 2DD9-

D8 and is e+pected to reach U> 4DD illion $ 2D2D. omestic demand is e+pected to e driven $ !rowth in income

levels leadin! to hi!her off-ta#e of electronics prod"cts, a"tomation demands of corporate sector and the

!overnmentJs foc"s on e-!overnance.

• 'he domestic prod"ction in 2DD9-D8 was ao"t U> 2D illion. owever, the act"al val"e-addition in the

domesticall$ prod"ced electronic prod"ct is ver$ low, ran!in! etween 5 to 1D percent in most cases. *t the

c"rrent rate of !rowth, domestic prod"ction can cater to a demand of U> 1DD illion in 2D2D as a!ainst a

demand of U> 4DD illion and the rest wo"ld have to e met $ imports. 'his a!!re!ates to a demand

s"ppl$ !ap of nearl$ U> 3DD illion $ 2D2D. Unless the sit"ation is corrected, it is li#el$ that $ 2D2D,

electronics import ma$ far e+ceed oil imports.

• 'his fact !oes "nnoticed eca"se electronics, as a Kmeta reso"rceK forms a si!nificant part of all machines

and e("ipment imported, which are classified in their final sectoral forms, for e+ample, a"tomoiles,

aviation, health e("ipment, media and roadcastin!, defence armaments, etc.

lectronics is characteriEed $ hi!h velocit$ of technolo!ical chan!e. onse("entl$ the life c$cle of prod"cts

is declinin!. *s a res"lt, the val"e of desi!n and development in the prod"ct has increased ("ite si!nificantl$.

Given )ndiaJs !rowin! stren!th in chip desi!n and emedded software, the increasin! importance of desi!n

in prod"ct development has potential to ma#e )ndia a favo"red destination for >&.

• lectronic components, which are the asis of an electronic prod"ct, are low vol"me-low wei!ht, cheap and

eas$ to transport across the !loe. &oreover, "nder the )nformation 'echnolo!$ *!reement-1 )'*-17 of the

orld 'rade <r!aniEation '<7, which came into force in 188, a lar!e n"mer of electronic components

and prod"cts are o"nd with Eero tariffs ma#in! trade "nrestricted across international orders. Under the

@ree 'rade *!reements @'*s7 and ;referential 'rade *!reements ;'*s7 with vario"s co"ntries, the import

of electronics hardware from these co"ntries is allowed either at Eero d"t$ or at a d"t$ which is lower than

the normal d"t$ rate.

O4Ge+t#&e'

'he #e$ oectives of the ;olic$ areH

i7 'o create an eco-s$stem for a !loall$ competitive lectronic >$stem esi!n and &an"fact"rin! >&7

sector in the co"ntr$ to achieve a t"rnover of ao"t U> 4DD illion $ 2D2D involvin! investment of ao"t

U> 1DD illion and emplo$ment to aro"nd 29 million people at vario"s levels.

ii7 'o "ild on the emer!in! chip desi!n and emedded software ind"str$ to achieve !loal leadership in

Ler$ :ar!e >cale )nte!ration L:>)7, chip desi!n and other frontier technical areas and to achieve a

t"rnover of U> 55 illion $ 2D2D.

iii7 'o "ild a stron! s"ppl$ chain of raw materials, parts and electronic components to raise the indi!eno"s

availailit$ of these inp"ts from the present 2D-25 per cent to over 6D per cent $ 2D2D.

iv7 'o increase the e+port in >& sector from U> 5.5 illion to U> 9D illion $ 2D2D.




v7 'o si!nificantl$ enhance availailit$ of s#illed manpower in the >& sector. >pecial foc"s for a"!mentin!

post!rad"ate ed"cation and to prod"ce ao"t 25DD ;hs ann"all$ $ 2D2D.

vi7 'o create an instit"tional mechanism for developin! and mandatin! standards and certification for

electronic prod"cts and services to stren!then ("alit$ assessment infrastr"ct"re nationwide.

vii7 'o develop an appropriate sec"rit$ ecos$stem in >&.

viii7 'o create lon!-term partnerships etween >& and strate!ic and core infrastr"ct"re sectors - efence,

*tomic ner!$, >pace, Cailwa$s, ;ower, 'elecomm"nications, etc.

i+7 'o ecome a !loal leader in creatin! )ntellect"al ;ropert$ );7 in the >& sector $ increasin! f"nd flow

for CA, seed capital and vent"re capital for start-"ps in the >& and nan oelectronics sectors.

+7 'o develop core competencies in strate!ic and core infrastr"ct"re sectors li#e telecomm"nications,

a"tomotive, avionics, ind"strial, medical, solar, )nformation and Broadcastin!, Cailwa$s, etc thro"!h "se of

>& in these sectors.

+i7 'o "se technolo!$ to develop electronic prod"cts caterin! to domestic needs, incl"din! r"ral needs and

conditions, as well as international needs at affordale price points.

+ii7 'o ecome a !loal leader in the lectronic &an"fact"rin! >ervices &>7 se!ment $ promotin!

pro!ressive hi!her val"e addition in man"fact"rin! and prod"ct development.

+iii7 'o e+pedite adoption of est practices in e-waste mana!ement.

+iv7 'o so"rce, stoc#pile and promote indi!eno"s e+ploration and minin! of rare earth metals re("ired for

man"fact"re of electronic components.

e, Strate3#e'

i7 reatin! eco-s$stem for !loall$ competitive >& sectorH 'he strate!ies incl"de provision of fiscal

incentives for investment, settin! "p of electronic man"fact"rin! cl"sters, preferential mar#et access to

domesticall$ man"fact"red electronic prod"cts, settin! "p of semicond"ctor wafer farication facilities,ind"str$ friendl$ and stale ta+ re!ime. Based on ainet approval, a hi!h level mpowered committee

has een constit"ted to identif$ and shortlist technolo!$ and investors for settin! "p two semicond"ctor

wafer man"fact"rin! farication facilities. Based on another ainet approval a polic$ for providin!

preference to domesticall$ man"fact"red electronic !oods has een anno"nced. >eparate proposals have

also een considered $ the ainet for approval of &odified >pecial )ncentive ;ac#a!e for the >&

>ector and for settin! "p of lectronics &an"fact"rin! l"sters &s7.

ii7 ;romotion of +portsH 'he strate!ies incl"de a!!ressive mar#etin! of )ndia as an investment destination

and providin! incentives for e+port,

iii7 "man Ceso"rce evelopmentH 'he strate!ies incl"de involvement of private sector, "niversities and

instit"tions of learnin! for scalin! "p of re("isite capacities at all levels for the proected manpowerdemand. * specialiEed )nstit"te for semicond"ctor chip desi!n is also proposed.

iv7 evelopin! and mandatin! standards to c"r inflow of s"-standard and "nsafe electronic prod"cts $

mandatin! technical and safet$ standards which conform to international standards.

v7 $er sec"rit$H 'o create a complete sec"re c$er eco-s$stem in the co"ntr$, thro"!h s"itale desi!n and

development of indi!eno"s appropriate prod"cts thro"!h frontier technolo!$=prod"ct oriented research,

testin! and validation of sec"rit$ of prod"cts.

vi7 >trate!ic electronicsH 'he strate!ies incl"de creatin! lon!-term partnerships etween domestic >&

ind"str$ and strate!ic sectors for so"rcin! prod"cts domesticall$ and providin! efense <ffset oli!ations

for electronic proc"rements thro"!h >& prod"cts.




vii7 reatin! ecos$stem for virant innovation and CA in the >& sector incl"din! nanoelectronics. 'he

strate!$ incl"des creation of an lectronic evelopment @"nd.

viii7 lectronics in other sectorsH 'he strate!$ incl"des s"pportin! and H developin! e+pertise in the electronics

in the followin! sectors of econom$H a"tomotive, avionics, :i!ht mittin! iodes :s7, )nd"strial,

medical, solar photovoltaics, )nformation and Broadcastin!, 'elecomm"nications, Cailwa$s, )ntelli!ent

'ransport >$stems, and Games and 'o$s.

i+7 andlin! e-wasteH 'he strate!$ incl"des vario"s initiatives to facilitate environment friendl$ e-waste

handlin! policies.

Sr#r#'"na Pane %r #nan+#a 'e+t%r

• Under the e+istin! architect"re, the financial sector is re!"lated $ ei!ht a!enciesH the CB), >B), the )C*,

the ;@C*, the @&, >*', deposit ins"rance a!enc$ )G and the @inancial >ector evelopment o"ncil@>7. *s per the proposal, there wo"ld e five new a!encies esides the CB) and the @>. 'he new ones

wo"ld e U@*, @>*', @C*, &< and Cesol"tion orporation.'he "nification of re!"lation and s"pervision of

financial firms s"ch as m"t"al f"nds, ins"rance companies, and a diverse arra$ of firms which are not an#s

or pa$ment providers, will $ield consistent treatment in cons"mer protection and micro-pr"dential

re!"lation across all of them.

• *t present, while the stoc# mar#et is re!"lated $ >B), the activities in the commodities mar#et are loo#ed

after $ the @&. 'he ins"rance sector is re!"lated $ the )C*, while the ;@C* is responsile for

mana!in! the pension sector.

• >"!!estin! far-reachin! le!islative reforms in the financial sector, a !overnment-appointed panel said #e$

re!"lators s"ch as the >ec"rities and +chan!e Board of )ndia >B)7, the )ns"rance Ce!"lator$ andevelopment *"thorit$ )C*7, the ;ension @"nd Ce!"lator$ and evelopment *"thorit$ ;@C*7 and the

@orward &ar#ets ommission @&7 sho"ld e mer!ed into a Unified @inancial *!enc$ U@*7.

• 'he @inancial >ector :e!islative Ceforms ommission, headed $ former "stice B. ?. >ri#rishna, has also

s"!!ested settin! "p of a financial redressal a!enc$ @C*7 to address cons"mer complaints a!ainst

companies across the financial sector.

• 'he *pproach ;aper, on which the ommission will see# comments from the sta#eholders, "nderlined the

need for estalishin! an independent det mana!ement office &<7 and a @inancial >ector *ppellate

'ri"nal @>*'7 to hear appeals a!ainst re!"lators.

• “'hese chan!es will alter the )ndian financial landscape from ei!ht financial re!"lator$ a!encies to seven,”

said the ;aper, which will form the asis of the report of the ommission that was set "p in &arch, 2D11, to

re-write the le!islations affectin! the domestic financial mar#ets.

• 'he U@*, it said, wo"ld deal with all financial firms other than an#in! and pa$ments. )t wo"ld also $ield

enefits in terms of economies of scale in the financial s$stem.'he ;aper sa$s there is a need for separatin!

the ad"dication f"nction from the mainstream activities of a re!"lator, so as to achieve a !reater separation

of powers.)t f"rther sa$s that the laws for the financial sector need to enshrine re!"lator$ independence.

• 'his involves enshrinin! an appointment process for senior re!"lator$ staff, fi+ed contract"al terms,

controllin! the loss of independence that comes from the possiilit$ of e+tension of term or promotion,

removin! the power of !overnment to !ive directions, rin!in! transparenc$ to oard meetin!s.'he




ommission, as per its mandate, wo"ld draft a od$ of law, which wo"ld ens"re estalishin! so"nd financial

re!"lator$ a!encies.

• 'he @inancial >ector :e!islative Ceforms ommission @>:C7 was set "p to recast the financial sector

le!islations in t"ne with the contemporar$ re("irements of the sector.

• *t present, there are over 6D *cts and m"ltiple r"les and re!"lations that !overn the financial sector.'he

fra!mented re!"lator$ architect"re has led to a loss of scale and scope that co"ld e availale from a

seamless financial mar#et with all its attendant enefits of minimisin! the intermediation cost.

Nat#%na ata S"ar#n3 an A++e''#4##t, P%#+,

O4Ge+t#&e'

'he oectives of ?>*; are to address all iss"es related to data in terms of the availale scope of sharin! and

accessin! spatial and non-spatial data "nder road framewor#s of standards and interoperailit$.

a7 ata lassification

7 'echnolo!$ for sharin! and access

c7 "rrent le!al framewor# C') *ct and ;rivac$ *ct7

Bene#t'

• &a+imisin! "seH Cead$ access to !overnment data will enco"ra!e more e+tensive "se of a val"ale p"licreso"rce for the enefit of the comm"nit$.

• *voidin! d"plicationH B$ sharin! data the need for separate odies to collect the same data will e avoided

res"ltin! in si!nificant cost savin!s in data collection.

• &a+imised inte!rationH B$ adoptin! common standards for the collection and transfer of data more

inte!ration of individ"al dataases will e possile.

• <wnershipH 'he identification of owners for the principal data sets enale "sers to identif$ those responsile

for implementin! prioritiEed data collection pro!rams and for developin! data standards.

• Better decision-ma#in!H M"alit$ information allows to ma#e competent decisions. *voidin! lar!e potential

costs. Cead$ access to e+istin! spatial data is essential for man$ decision ma#in! tas#s s"ch as protectin!

the environment, development plannin!, mana!in! assets, improvin! livin! conditions, national sec"rit$ andcontrollin! disasters.

• ("it$ of accessH * more open data transfer polic$ ens"res etter access $ all onafide "sers




T"e 'tat' % Maa,aa a' a +a''#+a an3a3e e4ate

• *s 'amil, 'el"!" and /annada received the stat"s of a Flassical :an!"a!e over the past few $ears,

&ala$alams claim to that imprimat"r has remained "nmet I altho"!h it essentiall$ elon!s to the same

ravidian lin!"istic famil$.

• *s a lan!"a!e with a contin"o"s histor$ of more than 2,3DD $ears and a lon! record of ancient and modern

literar$ wor#s of ac#nowled!ed e+cellence, its claim is incontestale, at least in relative terms.

• 'he anti("it$ of the lan!"a!e, the richness and diversit$ of its literat"re and /eralas pl"ralistic civilisational

ac#drop that the lan!"a!e has helped shape, stand it in !ood stead.

• 'he !rant of s"ch stat"s sho"ld not, however, remain merel$ of s$molic val"e. 'he reso"rces that come

with it sho"ld e "tilised meanin!f"ll$ to develop the lan!"a!e on the asis of a clearl$ laid-o"t plan.

• 'he !overnment sho"ld roll o"t a plan to ens"re the lan!"a!e retains its inte!rit$, p"rit$ and viranc$ I

while allowin! for the fact that a lan!"a!e has to evolve. 'here are worr$in! trends of corr"ption in spo#en

and written "se, and a certain lac# of ri!o"r in terms of !rammar and script is creepin! in, the process often

aided $ lac#adaisical "se in the vis"al media.

• *lso, not all &ala$alam newspapers seem partic"larl$ #een to avoid orrowin! words indiscriminatel$ from

n!lishH $ resortin! to s"ch short-c"ts, the$ do a disservice to the lan!"a!e.

• &ala$alam ma$ e the official lan!"a!e of the >tate on paper "t it is not $et f"ll$ so. <ne !larin! !ap

relates to "dicial proceedin!s.

• &ala$alam has achieved a si!nificant de!ree of we compliance over the last few $ears. owever, the

technical complications relatin! to the Fchil element of the script is an iss"e that needs to e addressed, so

that &ala$alam ecomes a lan!"a!e of the di!ital a!e.

• 'here is also a need to enco"ra!e the $o"n!er !eneration of &ala$alees, those who live in /erala and

elsewhere in the world, to ta#e pride in learnin! and handlin! it well. &ala$alam th"s needs to e enrichedand ener!ised I even as it co-e+ists in a pra!matic manner with maor lan!"a!es s"ch as n!lish and indi

in order that its horiEons remain wide and open.

Lan3a3e an Ient#t, P%#t#+' #n In#a

• <ver the last cent"r$, as 'amil identit$ politics !rew even as political parties sim"ltaneo"sl$ accommodated

themselves within stron! "nion !overnments, the demand for official classical lan!"a!e stat"s to 'amil

ecame strident.

• 'he iss"e of “stat"s” too# the place of “s"stance”. 'his was especiall$ so after 1898 when re!ional parties N

especiall$ the ravida &"nnetra /aEha!am &/7 and *ll )ndia *nna ravida &"nnetra /aEha!am*)*&/7 N e!an to have a i! sa$ in the formation of !overnments at the centre. )n the wa#e of the

"nprecedented electoral sweep of the &/-led alliance in the 2DD4 parliamentar$ elections in 'amil ?ad",

the classical lan!"a!e stat"s was one of the more easil$ conceded demands made $ an assertive &/. )t

was ("ic#l$ !ranted $ a &inistr$ of "man Ceso"rces evelopment &C7 notification dated 12 <ctoer

2DD4. ?otwithstandin! the !en"ine claim of 'amil for the reco!nition of s"ch a stat"s, that this move was

political was never in do"t. hile the &/ went overoard in claimin! credit, the *)*&/, then headin!

the !overnment in the state, was ti!htlipped. 'he s"se("ent developments onl$ reinforced the political

character of this concession.




• 'he constit"tion and composition of the vario"s e+pert committees for classical 'amil ears this o"t. 'o !ive

"st one instance, a memer of one of the committees resi!ned when she was denied the &/ tic#et to

contest the 2DD6 :o# >aha elections.

• .)n fact, in a stran!e inversion, >ans#rit was officiall$ notified as a classical lan!"a!e onl$ after 'amil even if

for all practical p"rposes >ans#rit alwa$s eno$ed preferential state treatment. &ore dist"rin!l$, the nat"re

of the notification patentl$ lent itself to manip"lation.

• 'he perception that norms had een dil"ted to accommodate f"t"re claims, which emer!ed from even a

simple readin! of the notification, was not witho"t s"stance. hile the widel$ accepted scholarl$ criterion

for anti("it$ was the e+istence of earl$ te+ts of 2,DDD $ears, the 2DD4 notification had watered it down to

onl$ a 1,DDD $ears.

• <nl$ after the intervention of the chief minister of 'amil ?ad", & /ar"nanidhi, it is said that this was

revised to 1,5DD-2,DDD $ears. learl$ the !overnment of )ndia was preparin! to "ndermine the ("estion,

m"ch li#e the wa$ the &andal ommission iss"e and reservation have een handled in the recent past.

UPAII 3a4e' 8#t" an%t"er r%n % 4#3 4an3 re%r'

Government has pressed ahead with some i!-tic#et reforms,

raised the @) cap in the ins"rance sector to 48 per cent,

opened "p the pension sector for forei!n investment

cleared the ompanies Bill, 2D11.

approved amendments to the ompetition *ct, 2DD2, and the @orei!n ontracts Ce!"lation7

*mendment Bill, 2D1D.

cleared a tr#;art#te a3reeent %r Inra'tr+tre e4t Fn (IF),

cleared the 12th @ive Oear ;lan doc"ment and

!ranted international airport stat"s to the :"c#now, Laranasi, 'ir"chi, &an!alore and oimatore

airports.

• 'he tripartite a!reement is amon! the developer, the lender an#7 and the )@. :oans will e refinanced $

the )@ so that an#s co"ld have free f"nds for more lendin!. 'he )@, proposed in the Union "d!et for

2D11-12, is aimed at acceleratin! and enhancin! the flow of lon!-term credit for f"ndin! infrastr"ct"re

development.

• 'he ainet approved the @orward ontract Ce!"lation *ct *mendment7 Bill, which see#s to !ive more

powers to the @orward &ar#ets ommission @&7, the commodit$ mar#ets re!"lator. )t will stren!then the

@& $ providin! it with financial a"tonom$, facilitate the entr$ of instit"tional investors and introd"ce new

prod"cts for tradin! s"ch as options and indices.

• 'he ainet !ave the !reen si!nal for f"rther amendin! the ompetition *ct 2DD2, so as to meet the

present-da$ needs in competition, in the li!ht of the e+perience !ained from the wor#in! of the ompetition

ommission of )ndia in the past few $ears.

• 'he ompanies Bill, 2D11, meant to ens"re the !rowth and re!"lation of the corporate sector, was also

approved.




Na3a A++%r

@"at #' t"e Na3a '#tat#%n

• ?a!aland was created in 1863 as the 16th >tate of )ndian Union, efore which it was a district of *ssam.

)ns"r!ent !ro"ps classified as active, mainl$ demand f"ll independence. 'he ?a!a ?ational o"ncil led

$ ;hiEo was the first !ro"p to dissent in 184 and in 1856 the$ went "nder!ro"nd.

NSCNIM

• 'he ?ational >ocialist o"ncil of ?a!aland was formed in 189D to estalish a Greater ?a!aland,

encompassin! parts of &anip"r, ?a!aland, the north achar hills *ssam7. 'he ?>? split in 1899 to form

two !ro"ps namel$ ?>? )&7 A ?>?/7. *s of now, oth the !ro"ps are in ceasefire with the )ndian

!overnment.

• 'ho"!h soverei!nt$ and independence was their ideolo!$ initiall$, of late the )ndo-?a!a tal#s seem to centre

aro"nd Greater ?a!aland which itself is ein! vehementl$ opposed $ the states of *ssam, &anip"r,

*r"nachal ;radesh etc. solel$ for the reason that it is nothin! sort of encroachment on their territories

which contin"es to foment s"spicion and ill-will in the ?orth-east )ndia.

• owever, the$ contin"e to e activel$ involved in ille!al activities incl"din! e+tortion, #idnappin!, inter-

factional clashes, ootle!!in! and recr"itment esides imposin! vario"s ta+=d"ties to all t$pes of

commercial enterprises and estalishments. )n spite of the name, the o"ncilJs ideolo!$ is &aoist rather

than itlerite.

NSCN

• 'he ?ational >ocialist o"ncil of ?a!alandI/haplan! is the second faction with the same aim of a Greater

?a!aland and was formed in 1899.

Pre'ent Stat' % t"e ne3%t#at#%n'

• * process that co"ld lead to an hono"rale settlement of the si+-decades-old ?a!a prolem seems to e in

the ma#in!.

• ith the ;rime &inister !ivin! the !o-ahead, the Union ome &inistr$ has e!"n disc"ssin! with all

re!ional sta#eholders the road conto"rs of a proposal that was hammered o"t earlier in ne!otiations

etween the Union !overnment and the ?ational >ocialist o"ncil of ?a!alim )sa#-&"ivah7.

• 'he ?>? )-&7, the maor pla$er amon! ?a!a !ro"ps, has accepted I at least for the “interim” I the

impracticalit$ of demandin! the inte!ration of conti!"o"s ?a!a-inhaited areas incl"din! those in *ssam,

&anip"r and *r"nachal ;radesh, and of redrawin! >tate o"ndaries.

• &ore importantl$, it has tempered its demand for “?a!a soverei!nt$,” there$ allowin! an o"tcome that

can conform to the asic str"ct"re of the onstit"tion.

• *n a!reement ein! stitched "p efore the >tate *sseml$ elections that are d"e $ &arch 2D13 will enale

former ins"r!ent !ro"ps to ta#e part in the democratic process. 'he lar!er political environment appears

cond"cive for a democratic reconciliation. B"t there is still a lon! wa$ to !o, and man$ minefields to cross.




>everal concessions on the !overnments part, incl"din! !rant of a special rand of a"tonom$ and freedom

for ?a!aland, will e re("ired.

• @or the !rant of special stat"s, additions will need to e made to *rticle 31*, "nder which no *ct of

;arliament applies to ?a!aland in respect of the reli!io"s or social practices of the ?a!as, administration of

civil and criminal "stice involvin! decisions "nder c"stomar$ ?a!a law, and ownership and transfer of land

and its reso"rces, "nless its *sseml$ so decides.

• 'he creation of a pan-?a!a social od$ to hi!hli!ht the identit$ of the people appears to e a #e$ element of

the form"la. )ts role, scope and powers need to e defined with clarit$ in order to avoid diffic"lties. 'he

constit"tional amendment that some of these proposals will entail re("ires national political consens"s.

• ven the ("estion of decommissionin! weapons held $ militants needs to e resolved.

• * pr"dent alance needs to e str"c# etween what the entre can concede and what the ins"r!ents can

accept. 'his has to e done on the asis of a clear "nderstandin! of the chan!in! social and political

d$namics of the re!ion as a whole.

A Ne8 Ur4an P%#+,

• * new "ran polic$ with ade("ate attention to land "se, transport inte!ration, transit-oriented

development and preparedness for disaster mana!ement is on the cards.

• )t will foc"s on land "se, transport inte!ration, transit-oriented development and preparedness for disaster

mana!ement

• 'he Union Uran evelopment &inistr$ has anno"nced that it will "nderta#e a revision of the e+istin!

Uran evelopment ;lan @orm"lation and )mplementation U;@)7 G"idelines, 1886, to ens"re that "ranplannin! is carried o"t in a holistic wa$.

Ftre nee'

• 'he revision to e carried o"t $ cons"ltants will help the &inistr$ to ali!n cit$ development with f"t"re

needs of the !rowin! pop"lation and "nderta#e planned "ranisation.

• “'he U;@) G"idelines, 1886, were primaril$ meant for the !"idance of >tate 'own and o"ntr$ ;lannin!

epartments, Uran evelopment *"thorities and Uran :ocal Bodies in terms of preparation of &aster

;lans, evelopment ;lans and form"latin! norms and standards in order to ens"re planned development of

towns and cities,” said an official.

• 'he nat"re and scope of chan!es that have ta#en place since the framin! of !"idelines has created a need

for enhancin! infrastr"ct"re, amenities and reso"rce moilisation. Uran plannin! now has to address iss"es

li#e waste mana!ement, est practices for environment, comprehensive moilit$, service level enchmar#s,

disaster preparedness, s"stainale haitat, rationalisation of land% and none of these aspects can e dealt

with in isolation, said the official.

• 'o accommodate the f"t"re needs of the !rowin! pop"lation, the !"idelines will e revised to fill in the

!aps.




• * United ?ations report, released recentl$ pointed o"t that for cities to e prospero"s the$ m"st have #e$

indicators of prod"ctivit$, infrastr"ct"re development, ("alit$ of life, e("it$ and social incl"sion and

environmental s"stainailit$ in place.

• 'he &inistr$ is #een to incl"de norms and standards for land "se and transport inte!ration in the revised

!"idelines and for earth("a#e-prone areas, environmentall$-fra!ile Eones and haEard-prone areas as well.

Aa"aar Ena4e Ser&#+e e#&er,

!#3"#3"t':

• 21 +r%re Aa"aar n4er' "a&e 4een 3enerate #n 2 ,ear': 'he 21st crore *adhaar n"mer was handed

over to >mt. Lali, a resident of &e!hwalon#a &ohalla, /"rawar, istrict Udaip"r. U)*) has !enerated

21 crore *adhaar n"mers since the iss"ance of the first *adhaar n"mer on >ep 28, 2D1D.• *adhaar naled >ervice eliver$ la"nched from Caasthan

• *adhaar is the worlds lar!est social incl"sion pro!ramme. )t was the dream of Caiv Gandhi that the power

of technolo!$ e "sed for the enefit of *am *dmi . 'he *adhaar pro!ramme is the ne+t step of this dream.

• *adhaar naled >ervice eliver$ is the "sa!e of the *adhaar identit$ platform to identif$ and a"thenticate

residents for deliver$ of enefits=services $ vario"s !overnment or private a!encies.

Bene#t'

• 'here are man$ enefits associated with s"ch inte!ration for vario"s sta#eholders, ran!in! from etter

compliance mana!ement to red"ced lea#a!es and increased efficienc$ and acco"ntailit$ in service deliver$.

'he di!nitaries present appla"ded the ease with which residents were ale to cond"ct the transactions.

S%e Ca'e St#e' % Aa"aar

• )n *"ran!aad, &aharashtra, pa$ments "nder the >cholarship and <ld *!e ;ension >ocial >ec"rit$ elfare

>cheme were made via the *adhaar naled ;a$ment >$stem, with eneficiaries !ettin! their d"es after

a"thenticatin! their identit$ via a micro-*'& device.

• :;G c$linders were delivered to residents of &$sore, /arnata#a "sin! the *adhaar naled >ervice eliver$

mechanism, which involved a"thenticatin! the identit$ of the resident thro"!h a hand-held device.

• )n Cam!arh district of har#hand, mone$ which was transferred $ har#hand Government directl$ to the

eneficiaries *adhaar-lin#ed an# acco"nts "nder the &?CG> pro!ram, was withdrawn $ residents

thro"!h a micro*'& device operated $ a B"siness orrespondent.

• >imilarl$, the residents of est 'rip"ra district in 'rip"ra were paid their d"es "nder the <ld *!e ;ension

>cheme, "sin! the*adhaar naled ;a$ment >$stem.

• 'he !overnment will roll o"t *adhaar naled >ervice eliver$ initiatives in 51 districts across the co"ntr$.

'hese services will e lin#ed to vario"s !overnment schemes s"ch as &?CG* wa!e pa$ments, ;>

distri"tion, pa$ment of social sec"rit$ enefits s"ch as old-a!e pa$ments, distri"tion of :;G c$linders, etc.

* n"mer of state !overnments are alread$ read$ to roll o"t these initiatives.

• "rrentl$ 23 crore residents have enrolled for an *adhaar n"mer, while 21 crore *adhaar n"mers have

een iss"ed.




Ot"er Sa Ne8' Sn#;;et'

Nat#%na Tran';aren+, P%rta %n PS

• &inistr$ of ons"mer *ffairs has la"nched a ?ational 'ransparenc$ ;ortal for ;"lic istri"tion >$stem.

'he portal has een developed with the oective of providin! all ;> related information thro"!h a sin!le

platform in the p"lic domain.

• 'he portal contains information relatin! to @air ;rice >hops @;>s7 and ration cards attached to the @;>s.

)nformation on @) and >tate stora!e !odowns with capacit$ "tiliEation and data on entral ;ool stoc#s is

also p"lished on the portal.

• 'he portal f"rther hosts information li#e the monthl$ allocation orders, >tate-specific commodit$ sale prices,

liftin! position, etc. for p"lic view.

• *ll >tates=U's have een re("ested to maintain and "pdate the data on the portal thro"!h "se of ;>

application software for end-to-end comp"teriEation of ';>. 'he 'ransparenc$ portal ma$ e accessed

athttpH==pdsportal.nic.in. itiEens ma$ also access the ;ortals of >tate=U' @ood A ivil >"pplies epartments

thro"!h the lin#s provided.

<Mer# S"a=t# Mer# Bet#> Ca;a#3n

• 'he proect FMer# S"a=t# Mer# Bet#> has two components N one for the r"ral comm"nit$ watch !ro"p7 and

another for the "ran pop"lation committees a!ainst female foeticide7 in the area.

• )nvolvin! the comm"nit$ at #eepin! a vi!il on “hi!h ris# families” with an open preference for the o$ childand !ivin! the !irl child a fi!htin! chance at ein! orn, non-!overnment or!anisation entre for >ocial

Cesearch with s"pport from the German mass$ has in the >o"th-est istrict of elhi which has amon!

the lowest se+ ratio in the apital7 la"nched a proect aimed at protectin! the "norn !irl child.

• Under the r"ral pop"lation it will have the comm"nit$ to #eep a ta on hi!h ris# families, enco"ra!e them to

co"nsel them and #eep a strict vi!il on pre!nant women in the area.

• )n the "ran pop"lation it will wor# thro"!h the resident welfare or!anisation and womens !ro"ps.

• *s part of the proect, memers of the comm"nit$ watch !ro"p will #eep a vi!il over their immediate societ$

to c"r declinin! se+ ratio, create awareness ao"t the ;;?' *ct and tell families ao"t the ne!ative

conse("ences of female foeticide.

• 'he wa$ the proect wor#s is simple -- the entire comm"nit$ contri"tes towards ens"rin! that the "norn

!irl child is not aorted after se+ selection.




@ORL AFFAIRS

Iran 'a,' tan3#4e ;r%3re'' #n In#aA3"an#'tan #n=

• )ndia and )ran hit "pon the idea of "sin! hah-ahar ao"t a decade ac# "t pro!ress was thwarted d"e to

the ests anta!onism towards )ran on the n"clear iss"e.

• 'he trilateral tal#s amon! *f!hanistan, )ran and )ndia on the port "st efore last months ?on-*li!ned

&ovement >"mmit in 'ehran mar#ed the first real advance in the concept of )ndia "sin! the )ranian port for

transit into *f!hanistan and, later, to entral *sia.

• )ran said there had een “tan!ile” pro!ress in the development of the C"a"4a"ar port which wo"ld serve

as the '"%rte't r%te %r #n3re'' #nt% A3"an#'tan %r In#a.

• 'he development of the port and reconstr"ction of *f!hanistan is ver$ important for the sec"rit$ and

stailit$ of the re!ion. >ec"rit$ and reconstr"ction are lin#ed. e cant have peace and sec"rit$ witho"t

ta#in! care of peoples lives.

• 'he hah-ahar port will e m"ch closer to )ndia than the e+istin! one at Bandar *as.

• )t can serve as )ndias entr$ point to *f!hanistan and later to entral *sia $ !ettin! connected to the Paran-

elaram road in *f!hanistans ?imroE province, "ilt with )ndias assistance.

• )n the first trilateral, )ndia, )ran and *f!hanistan a!reed on preferential treatment and tariff red"ctions for

)ndian !oods at hah-ahar.

• <n the )ran-;a#istan-)ndia !as pipeline, the )ranian official felt it was "p to )ndia to ma#e "p its mind and oin

the proect.

V%t#n3 #n A3"an#'tan

• *s the t"rnin! point $ear of 2D14 approaches, *f!hanistan faces enormo"s militar$ and political challen!es.

• 'he former are well #nownH indeed, there is a ro"st international disc"ssion of what will happen when U.>.

and ?*'< troops draw down and responsiilit$ for the co"ntr$s sec"rit$ passes to *f!han forces.

• owever, the latterIthe political transitionIreceives m"ch less attention, despite ein! e("all$, and

possil$ even more, important for the f"t"re of the co"ntr$ and the wider re!ion.

P%#t#+a +"aen3e'

• ;resident amid /arEais second term ends in &a$ 2D14, and the co"ntr$ will elect a s"ccessor.

• emonstral$ honest and transparent elections wo"ld estalish the crediilit$ of the s$stem and th"s ma#e

an enormo"s contri"tion to political stailit$. @ail"re wo"ld deal the !overnment of *f!hanistan a maor

low.

• "d!in! $ the last two elections, the sta!e seems set for tro"le. 'he 2DD8 and 2D1D polls were chaotic and

controversial at est, o"tri!ht fra"d"lent at worst.

• 'he !overnment needs to overcome s"spicions of a repeat performance in 2D14 with immediate, credile

meas"res.

• lean elections are as cr"cial to *f!hanistans stailit$ as a well-trained arm$ and professional police.




• &ost !overnments have diffic"lt$ s"rvivin! witho"t le!itimac$% few can s"rvive solel$ on the stren!th of

their sec"rit$ forces.

• 'he co"ntr$s leadership needs to demonstrate this time that elections are honest and well-or!anised, and

offer all who wished to do so a chance to cast their allot.

S33e'te re%r'

• 'he recent report $ anor!anisation, the )nternational risis Gro"p, caref"ll$ e+amined the flaws and

prolems in the or!anisation, oversi!ht and s"pervision of previo"s elections, and s"!!ested technical,

detailed fi+es for 2D14.

• )t tal#ed ao"t the need to reform the )ndependent lection ommission )7, for e+ample, as well as the

importance of ma#in! the lectoral omplaints ommission a permanent od$.

• )t called for caref"l forward plannin! to ens"re the sec"rit$ of the elections.

S%e rea''r#n3 '#3n'

• 'he da$ after o"r report was iss"ed, the ) promised that the date of the presidential elections, which has

een the s"ect of m"ch an+io"s spec"lation, wo"ld e anno"nced ne+t month Qnow set for *pril 5, 2D14R.

'his is an important first step in a lon! process.

• Ultimatel$, the est !"arantee of *f!hanistans stailit$ is its ailit$ t% en're t"e re % a8 r#n3 t"e

;%#t#+a an ##tar, tran'#t#%n in 2D13-2D14.

• )f the leadership fails at this, the comin! cr"cial period will at est res"lt in deep divisions and conflicts

within the r"lin! elite that the *f!han ins"r!enc$ will e+ploit. *t worst, it co"ld tri!!er e+tensive "nrest,

fra!mentation of the sec"rit$ services and perhaps even a m"ch wider civil war.

• >ome possiilities for !en"ine pro!ress remain I and we have to remain hopef"l I "t the window for

action is narrowin!.

#n#Fae tar3et' Iran

• * new c$er espiona!e tool lin#ed to the @lame vir"s has een infectin! comp"ters in :eanon, )ran and

elsewhere.

• /aspers#$ :aIcredited with revealin! the @lame vir"s earlier this $earId"ed the new malware“mini@lame”, and said it was “a small and hi!hl$ fle+ile malicio"s pro!ram desi!ned to steal data and

control infected s$stems d"rin! tar!eted c$er espiona!e operations”.

• C"ssia-ased /aspers#$ said “mini@lame” “is ased on the same architect"ral platform as @lame” I widel$

reported to e part of an *merican-)sraeli effort to slow )rans s"spected n"clear weapons drive.




In#a$ U.S.$ a;an ta= +%%;erat#%n

• >enior officials from )ndia, U.>. and apan disc"ssed trilateral cooperation in maritime sec"rit$ and a r%te

t"r%3" #e %r n%rt" % M,anar ea#n3 ; t% !an%#.

• 'he third trilateral meet also e+chan!ed proposals on doin! ;r%Ge+t' t%3et"er #n Ar#+a as well as

cooperatin! on the economic side in *f!hanistan with reliale so"rces assertin! that “hina was not reall$

disc"ssed in !reat detail e+cept as part of the re!ion.”

• ith this meetin!, the three co"ntries completed a c$cle of tal#s that e!an with the first meetin! in

ashin!ton in ecemer last $ear followed $ the ne+t one in 'o#$o this *pril.

• hinese state media o"tlets and strate!ic anal$sts have e+pressed wariness at the )ndia, apan and the U.>.

trilateral meet held in ?ew elhi descriin! it as aimed at e+ertin! press"re on hina over its re!ional

amitions.

A.U. rea#t' Ma# 8#t" 2015 ;% ;an

(F%r %re #n% %n Ma# rea ,J A3 2012 N%te')

• &ali was readmitted into the *frican Union *.U.7 after a meetin! of the *.U. ;eace and >ec"rit$ o"ncil

Q*U;>R.

• 'he *.U. had s"spended the est *frican nation after a co"p in &arch this $ear saw a militar$ "nta seiEe

power even as two thirds of &ali slipped into the control of a coalition of armed !ro"ps and or!anised

!an!s. 'he soldiers ehind the co"p had claimed that the e+istin! dispensation was "nale to tac#le the

ins"r!ents in the north.

• >ince then, the "nta has !iven wa$ to a transitional all-part$ !overnment and has as#ed for pan-*frican

assistance to re!ain control of its territor$.

• )n its comm"ni("S, the *U;> endorsed a comprehensive plan to stailise &ali "sin! an *frican-led

international force to end the conflict, and to reinstall a democratic !overnment $ holdin! free and

transparent elections in the first ("arter of 2D13.

• 'he conomic omm"nit$ of est *frican >tates <*>7 will hold a plannin! meetin! with the U.?., U

and &alian !overnment to finalise a strate!$ to deplo$ troops in the re!ion, efore approachin! the U.?.

>ec"rit$ o"ncil for a resol"tion a"thoriEin! militar$ action in &ali.




INIA AN T!E @ORL

In#a * A'tr#a

In#a$ A'tr#a t#e ; t% e&e%; <'art +#t#e'>

• )ndia will draw on the *"strian e+perience to develop “smart cities” with an overha"led !am"t of service

from cit$ plannin! to "ran transport and even )nternet services.

• )n the second phase of the awaharlal ?ehr" ?ational Uran Cenewal &ission, the entre will p"sh for two

smart cities in all >tates with assistance from the *"strian )nstit"te of 'echnolo!$ on what is a model smart

cit$, what defines it, what will it cover, from roadand, Qein!R caron ne"tral, Qto havin!R intelli!ent

transport.

In%A'tr#an B#atera Trae

• )ndias main e+ports to *"stria are Garments, te+tiles A accessories incl"din! $arns, farics, leather and

leather man"fact"res incl"din! footwear, carpets, hemicals and pharmace"ticals, *"to *ncillar$ prod"cts,

lectrical power instr"ments, comp"ter software, handicrafts, spices, coffee% tea etc. *"strias main e+ports

to )ndia incl"de - &achiner$ A e("ipment incl"din! proects !oods% newsprint% paper and paper prod"cts%

iron and steel prod"cts% professional instr"ments, etc.

• )ndias e+ports to *"stria increased $ 15.6 T to 559. million while imports rose $ 2D.8T to 91.

million in 2D11.

• 'he positive e+port trend contin"es to e p"shed $ increase in e+ports of F'e+tile Oarn, @arics and &ade

Up, F*pparels and clothin! accessories and F@ootwear, all of which acco"nt for more than 4DT of )ndias

total e+ports to *"stria in the period. Under the cate!or$ F&achiner$ and 'ransport ("ipment, which

acco"nts for 26.6 T of total e+ports, e+ports of F;ower Generatin! &achiner$ has seen accelerated !rowth.

In#aSr# Lan=a

In% Sr# Lan=aSe+%n ;"a'e % In#a>' ar3e't A# Pr%Ge+t

• 'he second phase of the )ndian o"sin! ;roect for constr"ction and repair of 43,DDD o"sin! Units in

?orthern and astern ;rovinces was la"nched recentl$.

• )n three $ears, )ndia, in partnership with >ri :an#a and the implementin! a!encies, hope to complete

constr"ction of 5D,DDD ho"ses. )ndia has alread$ set aside the re("isite f"nds for this p"rpose.

• 'he first phase of 1,DDD ho"ses ina"!"rated in ?ovemer 2D1D was completed in "l$ this $ear.

Se+%n P"a'e

• 'he second phase of the proect adopts an owner-driven methodolo!$, "nder which owner-eneficiaries are

involved in the process of constr"ction.

• )ndia had selected fo"r rep"ted )mplementin! *!encies to help with the processH U?-aitat, )nternational

@ederation of Ced ross in partnership with >ri :an#a Ced ross, ?ational o"sin! evelopment *!enc$ of




>ri :an#a and aitat for "manit$. 'hese a!encies have e+perience in implementin! similar proects in >ri

:an#a.

• 'he proect is "nder f"ll !rant assistance of the Government of )ndia with a total o"tla$ of :/C 3D.6 illion

)?C 1,32 crore or appro+. V2D million7 ma#in! it one of the lar!est !rant assistance proects implemented

$ the !overnment o"tside )ndia.

• 'he constr"ction of 43,DDD ho"ses for resettlement and rehailitation of );s in ?orthern and astern

;rovinces is part of )ndias overall commitment to "ild 5D,DDD ho"ses anno"nced $ ;rime &inister

&anmohan >in!h d"rin! the visit of ;resident &ahindaCaapa#sa to )ndia in "ne 2D1D.

T"#r ;"a'e

• 'he third phase of the ho"sin! proect is e+pected to commence efore the end of this $ear. )n this phase,

ao"t 2,DDD ho"ses will e directl$ "ilt $ constr"ction a!encies for people from the most v"lnerale

sections of );s in the ?orthern and astern provinces "nale to "ild their own ho"ses and 4,DDD ho"ses

for )ndian-ori!in wor#ers in tea estates in the entral and Uva provinces. 'he process of selection of

e+ec"tin! a!encies for constr"ction of 4,DDD ho"ses is presentl$ "nder wa$.

In#aa;an

In#a$ a;an t% "% 'e+%n 2K2 #a%3e

• *s a!reed $ the ;rime &inisters of oth )ndia and apan at the *nn"al >"mmit in ecemer 2DD8, the 1 st

)ndia-apan 2W2 ialo!"e was held in ?ew elhi in "l$ 2D1D. 'he 2nd )ndia-apan 2W2 ialo!"e was held on

22 <ctoer 2D12 in 'o#$o. Both sides e+chan!ed views on wide ran!in! iss"es incl"din! ilateral, !loal and

re!ional iss"es.

• )ndia and apan held their second 2 W 2 dialo!"e in 'o#$o involvin! the @orei!n and efence >ecretaries of

oth sides

• In#a e;%,' t"e 2 K 2 %rat %n, 8#t" a;an to address cross-c"ttin! sec"rit$ and forei!n polic$ iss"es

s"ch as maritime sec"rit$, c$er sec"rit$ and space, which are the foc"s areas of this dialo!"e.

• 'he maiden 2 W 2 )ndia-apan interaction was held in "l$ 2D1D. 'he intention was to ma#e it an ann"al event

"t the meetin! co"ld not e held last $ear d"e to sched"lin! prolems.

• 'he @orei!n <ffice cons"ltations reviewed and s"!!ested co"rse-corrections, of several on!oin! me!a

proects s"ch as the elhi &"mai )nd"strial orridor &)7 and the edicated @rei!ht orridor esides

e+chan!in! views on the apanese <verseas evelopment *ssistance component, a i! ch"n# of which

accr"es ann"all$ to )ndia.

• @rom these meetin!s, )ndia is hopin! for some apanese investment and proects to flow towards )ndia d"e

to 'o#$os tension with Beiin!.

• *t the same time, the so"rce pointed o"t that tho"!h the previo"s 'o#$o visit $ r. >in!h in 2D1D too#

place at the time of hina-apan tensions, all deliverales anno"nced at that time 8ere ar3e, r#&en 4,

e+%n%#+ +%n'#erat#%n rat"er t"an 3e%;%#t#+a ten'#%n'.




• 'he 2W2 or meetin! of @orei!n and efence >ecretaries from oth sides, a format rarel$ "sed $ ?ew elhi,

also too# some decisions to advance defence and sec"rit$ cooperation. 'he two dele!ations also e+chan!ed

views on maritime and o"ter space sec"rit$.

In#a t% te'trn a;ane'e 3reen ;r%Ge+t'

• )ndia has a!reed to test-r"n apanese proects intended to improve or "tilise the co"ntr$s asic ener!$

reso"rces s"ch as coal and water.

• "rin! the In#aa;an Ener3, #a%3e, the two sides also disc"ssed the possiilit$ of technolo!ical

cooperation in the diffic"lt-to-e+tract !as h$drates, to"ched on the possiilit$ of developin! an almost

caron-free inte!rated !asification comined c$cle proect in )ndia and reviewed on!oin! renewale ener!$

proects.

• apan is heavil$ involved in )ndian ener!$ efficienc$ proects of var$in! siEes and dependin! on their

performance, its companies co"ld vie for orders that have een on offer to improve the performance of the

e+istin! plants relatin! to oal )ndia :imiteds plans to spend Cs. 5,DDD crore on etter technolo!ies for coal

washeries.

• ith ash content risin! as )ndian coal mines a!e, washeries can remove the imp"rities I estimated at ao"t

half of the coal vol"me I th"s red"cin! the ener!$ that the railwa$s have to spend in ha"la!e.

• )n this respect, the for"m called for the renewal of the memorand"m of "nderstandin! that wo"ld facilitate

the "tilisation of a hi!h-efficient washer$ technolo!$ $ &onnet )spat.

• )ndia showed interest in a mini-h$del proect that !enerates electricit$ with a two-metre drop, which is the

"s"al depth in canals here.• 'he meetin! also too# stoc# of a 5 & solar plant which, if hi!hl$ scalale, co"ld e a maor so"rce of

ener!$ for the elhi-&"mai )nd"strial orridors “smart cities.” *ll these concepts are c"rrentl$ on the

drawin! oard.

• 'he pendin! civil n"clear a!reement was not disc"ssed, said an official involved in the tal#s "t separatel$

)ndia made a presentation on its plans for e+pandin! civil n"clear ener!$ !eneration. 'he presentation was

made to an a"dience consistin! lar!el$ of those from the private sector.

• ompanies ased in apan control some critical component technolo!ies and invarial$ stand to !ain when

orders are placed on most leadin! n"clear power plant ma#ers.

In#aR''#a

In#a an R''#a a3ree t% ta=e F%r8ar t"e#r een+e C%O;erat#%n

• 'he twelfth meetin! of the )ndia-C"ssia )nter-!overnmental ommission on &ilitar$ 'echnical ooperation

was held in ?ew elhi. 'he )ndian dele!ation was led $ the efence &inister >hri */ *nton$ and the

C"ssian dele!ation was led $ >hri * >erd$"#ov, efence &inister of the C"ssian @ederation.




• "rin! the meetin! of the ommission, which was cond"cted in a spirit of m"t"al cooperation and

"nderstandin!, the two sides e+pressed readiness to ta#e all necessar$ meas"res to f"rther e+pand the

cooperation on a m"t"all$ eneficial asis.

• 'he ommission noted that d"rin! the period "nder review, the two co"ntries have ta#en vario"s steps to

deepen interaction in the development of defence technolo!ies, moderniEation of militar$ e("ipment and

oint man"fact"re of militar$-p"rpose prod"cts.

• 'he two sides confirmed that s"ch cooperation involves the stren!thenin! of interactions etween the

*rmed @orces, defense ind"str$ enterprises and research a!encies of the two co"ntries.

• )ndo-C"ssian cooperation in the militar$ technical cooperation sphere has evolved from a simple "$er-

seller framewor# to one involvin! oint research Adevelopment, oint prod"ction and mar#etin! of advanced

defence technolo!ies and s$stems. 'he Brah&os missile s$stem is an e+ample of this t$pe of cooperation.

oint development of the @ifth Generation @i!hter *ircraft and the &"lti 'ransport *ircraft, as well as the

licensed prod"ction in )ndia of >U-3D aircraft and '-8D tan#s, are other e+amples of fla!ship cooperation

pro!rams presentl$ "nderwa$ in this area.

• C"ssia has een a lon! standin! partner of )ndia in n"clear ener!$ and reco!niEes )ndia as a co"ntr$ with

advanced n"clear technolo!$ and an impeccale non-proliferation record.

• 'he constr"ction of the /"dan#"lam ?"clear ;ower ;roect //?;;7 is a !ood e+ample of on!oin!

cooperation in this area. Units 1A2 of the //?;; LLC 1DDD & "nits7 have een "ilt with C"ssian

collaoration. Unit 1 is d"e to e commissioned soon, while Unit 2 is at an advanced sta!e of constr"ction.

?e!otiations for the constr"ction of two additional ?;;s at /"dan#"lam Units 3A47 are at an advanced

sta!e.

• )ndia and C"ssia have also een collaoratin! in several hi!h-technolo!$ space proects. Under the 2DD4

)nter-Governmental *!reement on “ooperation in the area of e+ploration and "se of o"ter space for

peacef"l p"rposes”, C"ssia and )ndia are cooperatin! on proects s"ch as the &oon mission handra$an 2,

and the "man >pace @li!ht ;roect. <n 2Dth *pril 2D11, the ointl$ developed )ndian-C"ssian >t"dent

>atellite “Oo"thsat” was s"ccessf"ll$ la"nched $ )ndia on a ;>:L roc#et.

In#a*B3ar#a

)ndia and B"l!aria to +plore ooperation in 'o"rism >ector

• )ndia and B"l!aria will e+plore the possiilities of cooperation in 'o"rism >ector.• )t was decided in the meetin! that oth the co"ntries will identif$ areas for wor#in! to!ether and e+plore

new opport"nities in 'o"rism sector especiall$ in the field of ospitalit$ 'rainin!, ;romotion, &ar#etin!,

evelopment and mana!ement of 'o"rist destinations.

• Both sides !ave an overview of the “'o"rism >ector” in their respective co"ntries and re-emphasised on its

potential for emplo$ment !eneration and economic !rowth. )t was also a!reed that increased to"rist traffic

etween the two co"ntries co"ld stren!then the ilateral relations at people to people level.

• Both sides also e+chan!ed views to e+plore the possiilities of promotin! investment in the field of hotel

ind"str$ to"rism and infrastr"ct"ral development. )ndia allows 1DDT @) in otel sector on a"tomated

asis.




• )ndia and the B"l!aria emphasised "pon the need of e+chan!e of visits of to"r operators and opinion ma#ers

to promote to"rism etween the two co"ntries. 'he importance of interaction etween the to"r operators

and destination mana!ers of the two co"ntries was stressed "pon to develop etter pac#a!es for to"rists.

• 'he information ao"t investment of opport"nities in the to"rism sector in oth the co"ntries was also

shared. Both the co"ntries a!reed that !rowin! opport"nities in to"rism sector sho"ld e showcased to

attracts investments from the private sta#e-holders of the two co"ntries.

• )t was also a!reed to e+plore the possiilities of enhancin! air-connectivit$ etween oth the co"ntries as

lac# of direct air connectivit$ etween )ndia and B"l!aria is one of the maor reasons for small n"mer of

to"rists travelin! etween the two co"ntries.

• B"l!aria with its ea"tif"l mo"ntains, the Blac#->ea coast oastin! of cities li#e Larna has ecome an

attractive destination for )ndian film )nd"str$.

In#a In%ne'#a

In#a an In%ne'#a A3ree t% S#3n##+ant, Ste; U; een+e C%%;erat#%n

• )ndia and )ndonesia have decided to si!nificantl$ enhance their defence cooperation with the efence

&inister >hri * / *nton$ declarin! his meetin! with his )ndonesian co"nterpart &r ;"rnomo O"s!iantoro as

a Ft"rnin! point and an Fe+cellent e!innin!.

• 'his was the first &inisterial level iennial defence dialo!"e etween the two co"ntries.

• 'he two sides e+chan!ed views on a whole ran!e of iss"es relatin! to re!ional and !loal sec"rit$, ilateral

e+ercises involvin! >ervices, trainin!, co-prod"ction of defence e("ipment and amm"nitions and visits at

hi!h levels.

• 'he defence dialo!"e mechanism at the hi!hest level was a!reed "pon d"rin! the visit of )ndonesian

;resident >"silo Baman! O"dho$ono to )ndia in an"ar$ last $ear.

• Givin! an overview of )ndias perspective on !loal and re!ional sec"rit$, >hri *nton$ said the threat of

terrorism perpet"ated $ >tate and non->tate actors affects all of "s e("all$.

• ealin! at len!th the power rivalries in the )ndian <cean Ce!ion, >hri *nton$ said altho"!h these are ein!

cond"cted in local theatres, the impact is felt in the wider re!ional arena and also, !loall$. e said, we have

a sta#e in the maintenance of peace and stailit$ in o"r immediate and e+tended nei!ho"rhood. 'his

incl"des the entire )ndian <cean re!ion to o"r east and west. Fe have a vital sta#e in the evol"tion of

alance sec"rit$ and cooperation mechanisms thro"!h which we can "ild consens"s and p"rs"e dialo!"e.

e see# to improve o"r partnership with all co"ntries in the )ndian <cean Ce!ion on ilateral asis as well

as thro"!h m"ltilateral for a li#e )<?>, )<C-*C etc, he said.

• &aintenance of peace and sec"rit$ in the )ndian <cean re!ion is of vital interest to the international

comm"nit$. F<"r view is that all co"ntries sho"ld e+ercise restraint and resolve the iss"e thro"!h dialo!"es

accordin! to principles of international law. e said, )ndia s"pports the freedom of navi!ation and access to

reso"rces in accordance with principles of international law. 'hese principles sho"ld e respected $ all.

• 'he two sides also e+chan!ed views on the emer!in! scenario in *f!hanistan and est *sia. 'he two sides

noted with satisfaction that efence ooperation constit"tes one of the principal foc"s areas of their

diversified relationship. nco"ra!ed $ the s"ccess of the first oint +ercise on o"nter 'errorism and




"n!le arfare in )ndia earlier this $ear, >hri *nton$ proposed that the two co"ntries sho"ld contin"e the

oint e+ercises etween the two armies on a m"t"all$ a!reed fre("enc$.

• >imilarl$, the two navies are re!"larl$ cond"ctin! coordinated maritime patrols <C;*'7. e can e+amine

the possiilit$ of enhancin! the en!a!ement thro"!h cond"ct of oint naval e+ercises. e also offered to

)ndonesia estalishment of a formal maritime domain information sharin! arran!ement etween the two

navies.

In#aNe8 Deaan

F#r't In#aNe8 Deaan E+at#%n C%n+# eet#n3 "eF#&e M%U ' S#3ne

• >hri /apil >ial, Union &inister of "man Ceso"rce evelopment and on. >teven o$ce, &inister for

'ertiar$ d"cation, >#ills and mplo$ment, ?ew Pealand co-chaired the first meetin! of the )ndia-?ewPealand d"cation o"ncil.

• 'he o"ncil has een constit"ted to draw "p a framewor# and devise mechanisms of co-operation and set

the a!enda for improvin! ed"cational relations etween the two co"ntries.

• )ndia and ?ew Pealand e+pressed their commitment to earmar# U> V 1 million ann"all$ to enhance the

cooperative activities thro"!h specific pro!rammes desi!ned $ the )ndia-?ew Pealand d"cation o"ncil.

• 'he pro!rammes will incl"de oint research, st"dent moilit$, fac"lt$ development, ("alifications

framewor# as well as vocational ed"cation and trainin!, amon! others.

>i+ &oUs of cooperation etween different instit"tions were also si!ned on d"rin! the meetin!.

1. &oU etween the &inistr$ of Oo"th *ffairs and >ports of the Government of the Cep"lic of )ndia and

>port ?ew Pealand of the Government of ?ew Pealand on ooperation in the field of >ports. 'he

oectives of this &oU are to enco"ra!e and promote an e+chan!e of pro!rammes, e+periences, s#ills,

techni("es, information and #nowled!e.

2. d"cational ;artnership *!reement etween Universit$ of elhi, )ndia and &ass$ Universit$

?ew Pealand. 'he &oU covers the followin! activitiesH-

a. oint teachin! )ncl"din! online, lended and distance ed"cation7

. oint M"alit$ nhancement )ncl"din! enchmar#in! and academic development7

3. &emorand"m of collaoration etween )ndira Gandhi ?ational <pen Universit$)G?<U7, )ndia and the

<pen ;ol$technic of ?ew Pealand. <ectives of the partnership areH

a. 'o estalish a networ# of partnership for vocational ed"cation thro"!h distance ed"cation

. >harin! of e+periences thro"!h comm"nication of fac"lt$

c. evelop strate!ies for desi!n development and implementation of Under Grad"ate and ;ost

!rad"ate pro!rammes with entr$ and e+it point.

d. evelop oint CA proect collaorations

e. reate aven"es for )' enaled ed"cation

f. stalish interface learner space

4. &oU etween Lictoria Universit$, ellin!ton, ?ew Pealand and awahar :al ?ehr" Universit$ of )ndia.

>ome oectives of the partnership areH

a. +chan!e of fac"lt$ memers




. +chan!e of st"dents

c. oint Cesearch activities

5. &oU etween aiari#i )nstit"te of 'echnolo!$ of ?ew Pealand and ;"na 'echnical Universit$, )ndia.

6. d"cational ;artnership *!reement=&<U etween Universit$ of elhi, )ndia and :incoln Universit$=*sia-

;acific @ootall *cadem$ has alread$ een si!ned.

• 'he memers of the o"ncil reco!niEed s#ill development, especiall$ caterin! to the needs of the

ind"str$ and #eepin! pace with the e+ponential !rowth in !loal moilit$ of wor#force, as one of the

maor challen!es facin! the two co"ntries and pled!ed f"rther collaoration.

• 'he moilit$ of st"dents and wor#force also necessitates parit$ in ("alifications etween vario"s

co"ntries and therefore, the o"ncil s"!!ested earl$ reco!nition of each others ed"cational

("alifications $ )ndia and ?ew Pealand.

• 'he o"ncil also noted the need to set "p more instit"tions of e+cellence, for which enhancement of

the ("alit$ of fac"lt$ is a #e$ challen!e. )t was also a!reed to collaorate in the 'rial >t"dies and

preservation of lan!"a!es, c"lt"re and traditional crafts.

In#a an Ne8 Deaan S#3n Arran3eent %r C%%;erat#%n %n C#&# A&#at#%n

• )ndia and ?ew Pealand si!ned the “*rran!ement for ooperation on ivil *viation”.

• Under the *rran!ement the two co"ntries will promote and s"pport the development of trainin! and

technical cooperation in the field of ivil *viation.

• 'he t$pe of cooperative activities will incl"de civil aviation pro!rammes% sendin! and receivin! e+perts or

instr"ctors for trainin! p"rposes% acceptance of licenses% acceptance of aerona"tical prod"cts incl"din! "t

not limited to aircraft, en!ines, propellers and parts, and aviation services% or!aniEation of seminars%

e+chan!in! information on activities, policies, practices and laws and re!"lations concernin! civil aviation,

incl"din! "t not limited to safet$ and environmental matters% and visits and e+chan!es of technical

personnel or other e+perts.

• * oint committee of the two co"ntries will e formed to determine and oversee m"t"all$ acceptale

cooperation activities. 'he committee will also develop a ;ro!ramme of ooperation.

In#aS;a#n

In#a an S;a#n S#3n M%U %n R%a' an R%a Se+t%r

• &emorand"m of Understandin! etween )ndia and >pain on Coads and Coad 'ransport >ector was si!ned

$ the &inister of Coad 'ransport A i!hwa$s and &inister of Cailwa$s,

• 'he oective of &<U incl"de promotin! efficient and environmentall$ s"stainale transport s$stems and to

instit"tionaliEe a technical and scientific cooperation in the fields of road infrastr"ct"re, constr"ction,

maintenance and mana!ement of roads.

• )t will also incl"de e+chan!e of information etween Government officials and specialists of the i!hwa$

epartments in the field of transportation $ road, and promote and develop the relations etween

enterprises cons"ltanc$, en!ineerin! and road transport service provider companies7 to enale transfer of

technolo!$ in the field of road and road transport.




)ndia and >pain >i!n &<U on 'echnical o-<peration in the @ield of Cailwa$ >ector

• &emorand"m of Understandin! etween the )ndian Cailwa$s and C?@-<peradora and *)@ >panish

Cailwa$s )nfrastr"ct"re &ana!er7 of >pain on technical cooperation in the field of Cailwa$ sector was si!ned.

• Under this &<U, oth the co"ntries are to promote cooperation and information e+chan!e in the areas ofi!h >peed Cailwa$, "p!radation of speed of passen!er trains on e+istin! lines, improvin! safet$ of train

operations, moderniEation of Collin! >toc#, constr"ction and maintenance technolo!ies for fi+ed

infrastr"ct"re N 'rac#, Brid!es, '"nnels, <, ;ower >"ppl$ >$stems, >i!nalin! and 'elecomm"nications and

other cooperation in railwa$ related technolo!$ developments.

SOCIAL ISSUES

Be33ar,

• *ccordin! to the 1858 law on e!!ar$, Boma$ ;revention of Be!!in! *ct, an$one perceived as havin! “no

visile means of s"sistence” and “wanderin! ao"t” can e randed a e!!ar and detained in certified

instit"tions for a period of not less than one $ear and "p to 1D $ears for second time offenders.

T"e ;r%4e

• @or man$ decades, this has res"lted in the detention of not onl$ poor e!!ars "t also of disaled persons

and persons tr$in! to e#e o"t a livin! $ offerin! small articles for sale.

• Ca! pic#ers and de-notified tries en!a!ed in earnin! paltr$ s"ms $ sin!in!, dancin!, fort"ne tellin! or

performin! have also een at the receivin! end of the archaic law.

Re+%3n#t#%n

• @or the first time, perhaps, the fail"re of the law has een reco!nised and the elhi and &aharashtra

!overnments have !iven an in principle nod to endin! it.

• )n elhi, a committee has een set "p to !ive recommendations to the !overnment on what needs to e

done ne+t.

• )t is an e+traordinar$ admission of how adl$ the law has f"nctioned and that it cannot afford to e

contin"ed. )t is the responsiilit$ of the >tate to ta#e care of people in destit"tion and there can e no

compromise on that.

• 'he law is "nconstit"tional and is more ao"t social control than helpin! persons in e!!ar$.

• 'he anti-poor pre"dice is so deep in o"r co"ntr$ that the$ are treated as a n"isance and criminalised.

• 'he idea of endin! e!!ar$ has to start with endin! the ca"ses of e!!ar$. )t is one of the methods of

s"rvival for people who dont have eno"!h, to !o to those who have eno"!h, when the$ are h"n!r$. )t is

drasticall$ wron! to criminalise s"ch a thin!.

• &oreover, the presence of moile co"rts that are sent to ro"nd "p e!!ars is also a pres"mption of !"ilt on

the part of the e!!ars.

• )nstead, the$ sho"ld e !iven vocational trainin! and s"pported to s"pport themselves.




S%e S%+#a In#t#at#&e'

• &ohd 'ari("e of /oshish, TISS'ata )nstit"te of >ocial >ciences7 is also on the committee and r"ns

rehailitation pro!rammes incl"din! le!al aid, reinte!ration with families and vocational trainin! "nits inside

the e!!ars homes. *ro"nd 2DD-25D people are pic#ed "p in a month and ro"!ht to the homes in elhi, he

sa$s.

• 'ari("e and his team motivate and co"nsel e!!ars to !ive "p e!!in! and ta#e "p livelihood and lin# them

with emplo$ers.

• &an$ e+-e!!ars have fo"nd emplo$ment as car mechanics, sec"rit$, in f"rnit"re and tea shops, mostl$ in

the informal sector.

• B"t for this to wor# on a mass scale, there is need for reco!nition and the !overnments increased s"pport.

• 'he intervention for women, who come inside homes, is different. &ost of them have mental health iss"es

and have faced a"se on the streets and so priorit$ for them is not emplo$ment "t treatment, tracin! their

famil$ and re"nitin!.

T"e '%t#%n

• 'he law sho"ld !o and the >tate sho"ld provide complete care.

• 'here sho"ld e a helpline for the h"n!r$ and the s$stem sho"ld e ale to reach an$ h"n!r$ person

an$where.

• )nstead of people !ivin! food and clothes on the streets in an "ndi!nified manner, s$stems sho"ld e p"t in

place to do the same.

• 'here needs to e a str"ct"ral chan!e and political will.

I''e % 'rr%3a+,

• >"rro!ac$ in )ndia contin"es to e a ver$ sensitive topic. 'he laws meant to re!"late s"rro!ac$ are still in

nascent sta!es, as the$ are st"c# at vario"s le!islative levels.

• 'he onl$ !"idelines c"rrentl$ related to this field are those of the )ndian &edical *ssociation )&*7, which

date ac# to 2DD6.

• &eanwhile, s"rro!ac$ is !rowin! rapidl$ $ the da$, than#s to )ndia emer!in! as a centre for medical

to"rism and ein! one of the few co"ntries in the world where commercial s"rro!ac$ is widel$ availale.

stimates for the val"e of this ind"str$ ran!e from Cs. 2D illion to V2.3 illion.

• 'he le!al sit"ation in )ndia is in sharp contrast to that e+istin! in man$ other co"ntries. )n German$ and

anada, s"rro!ac$ is o"tlawed or prohiited% in the U./., it is hi!hl$ re!"lated and ver$ e+pensive.

• )n German$, over the last three $ears, there have een two controversial cases. 'he first, in 2DD9, involved

twins orn to a s"rro!ate mother% the second arose arel$ a $ear a!o.

• )n oth cases, German a"thorities ref"sed to a"tomaticall$ !ive passports to children orn of s"rro!ate

proced"res carried o"t in )ndia. 'he main reason for the ref"sal of visas was eca"se s"rro!ac$ is not

allowed in German$.

• 'his is a homo!eno"s and consistent line of reasonin! and is ver$ m"ch in contradiction to the state of

affairs in )ndia where at the moment this sector is almost completel$ "nre!"lated.




• 'here are references in )ndian m$tholo!$ to s"rro!ac$, most notal$ in the le!end s"rro"ndin! :ord /rishna.

B"t it is not commercial s"rro!ac$.

• 'oda$, the small G"arat town of *nand, well #nown for its mil# prod"cts, has rapidl$ p"t itself on the !loal

map as the most fertile !ro"nd for <'rr%3a+, t%r#'>.

• *ll evidence s"!!ests that the phenomenon has now spread from cities to smaller towns in )ndia, with man$

of the centres callin! themselves #n &#tr% ert##'at#%n (IVF) +#n#+' to avoid p"lic scr"tin$.

• <f co"rse, there is not m"ch emphasis !iven to the settin! "p of norms to !overn this !rowin! ind"str$. 'he

)&* !"idelines are more li#e normative principles that are re("ired to e followed and not stat"tor$

instr"ments that invite penalties.

• *t present, in )ndia the "nderstandin! etween the s"rro!ate mother and the commissionin! parents is

considered a contract, with a mention made of compensation to e paid to the mother.

• >o altho"!h the !"idelines reco!nise the e+istence of commercial s"rro!ac$, it is rele!ated to the realm of

an ordinar$ "siness contract.

• )n other words, "rispr"dence developed for commerce alon! with medical !"idelines are the onl$ form of

re!"lation of a "siness that is referred to I and one can onl$ ass"me witho"t iron$ I as Fwoms for rent.

• 'he :aw ommission of )ndia has ro"!ht o"t a report on s"rro!ac$ and the "r!ent need for re!"lation

entitled, F?eed for :e!islation to Ce!"late *ssisted Ceprod"ctive 'echnolo!$ linics as well as Ci!hts and

<li!ations of ;arties to a >"rro!ac$. Unfort"natel$, this report, too, is now over three $ears old and the

draft le!islation on the iss"e I 'he A''#'te Re;r%+t#&e Te+"n%%3#e' (Re3at#%n) B#$ 2010 (ART) is still

nowhere in si!ht as a le!all$ enforceale stat"te.

T"e #''e' #n t"e B#

• 'he draft Bill itself is not witho"t contentio"s iss"es since it is drafted from the perspective of the

commissionin! parents. 'he methods of pa$ment to the s"rro!ate and the other arran!ements it la$s down

seem to s"!!est that the s"rro!ate fi!"res low in the list of priorities in terms of care and protection.

• 'his is dist"rin! considerin! that s"rro!ac$ raises several ethical considerations incl"din! the fact that it

leaves poor women at the merc$ of a capricio"s s$stem. 'hese women often have no other reco"rse other

than commercial s"rro!ac$ arran!ements to "$ themselves and their families o"t of deilitatin!

circ"mstances.

• 'he n"mer of pre!nancies, the t$pes of proced"res and the care of the s"rro!ate are all matters that have

een inade("atel$ addressed, oth $ the medical s$stem as it e+ists toda$ and the Bill.

• 'here is also t"e #''e % ra+e an et"#+' to e considered.

• )n addition, it is pertinent to note that there is hardl$ the re("ired enco"ra!ement to loo# at adoption as aviale alternative to s"rro!ac$ to parents willin! to consider this as an option to add to their famil$.

• 'he >"preme o"rt, in the 2DD9 case of Ba$ &ani Oamada v=s Union of )ndia disc"ssed s"rro!ac$ and

noted that commercial s"rro!ac$ is reachin! ind"strial proportions eca"se of the read$ availailit$ of poor

s"rro!ates.

• B"t while civil societ$ !ro"ps, the media, the co"rts and the :aw ommission have periodicall$ foc"sed on

the vario"s ne!ative aspects of the s"rro!ac$ ind"str$, the apath$ of the co"ntr$s own le!islators ma#es

one wonder what is re("ired to sp"r them to address the serio"s ethical and moral dimensions of this

"nre!"lated enterprise.




T"e e#n#at#%n % % a3e * t"e #''e % eer, 8%en

• *ccordin! to the World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision, the c"rrent $o"th "l!e in the co"ntr$ is

e+pected to last till 2D25, after which, the !rowth rate of the elderl$ is li#el$ to ta#e over.

• )t is imperative that the c"rrent needs of the $o"th and the emer!in! needs of the elderl$ are addressed

sim"ltaneo"sl$ within the diverse demo!raphic faric of the co"ntr$.

• )n 2DD8, there were 99 million elderl$ people in )ndia. B$ 2D5D, this fi!"re is e+pected to soar over 32D

million.

• 'he ratio of the dependent pop"lation to that of the wor#in! pop"lation is defined $ the dependenc$ ratio.

)nvestment in the elderl$ pop"lation is no lon!er a ("estion of choice.

• B$ 2D5D, women over 6D $ears wo"ld e+ceed the n"mer of elderl$ men $ 19.4 million, which wo"ld res"lt

in a "ni("e characteristic of Ffeminisation of the elderl$ pop"lation in )ndia as is ein! e+perienced in man$

provinces of hina.

• )n fact, the two most pop"lo"s nations will to!ether contri"te to 39 per cent of the !loal elderl$pop"lation.

A3e#n3 #erent,

• 'he predicament of elderl$ women is a!!ravated $ a life time of !ender-ased discrimination.

• 'he !endered nat"re of a!ein! is s"ch that "niversall$, women tend to live lon!er than men. )n the

advanced a!e of 9D $ears and aove, widowhood dominates the stat"s of women with 1 per cent of

women and onl$ 28 per cent of men havin! lost their spo"se.

• >ocial mores inhiit women from re-marr$in!, res"ltin! in an increased li#elihood of women endin! "p

alone.• 'he life of a widow is riddled with strin!ent moral codes, with inte!ral ri!hts relin("ished and lierties

circ"mvented. >ocial ias often res"lts in "n"st allocation of reso"rces, ne!lect, a"se, e+ploitation, !ender-

ased violence, lac# of access to asic services and prevention of ownership of assets.

• *!ein! women are more li#el$ to !et e+cl"ded from social sec"rit$ schemes d"e to lower literac$ and

awareness levels.

<L%n3e&#t,> #&#en

• "st as all thin!s end, so wo"ld the effects of )ndias $o"th dividend. hen people live lon!er, it offers

societ$ a chance to reap a Flon!evit$ dividend. 'his implies that the elderl$ contin"e to contri"tesi!nificantl$ for an "nprecedented period of time.

• )n order to address this "nprecedented demo!raphic shift it is necessar$ to "nderstandthe challen!es of an

a!ein! pop"lation.

• * oint st"d$ $ the United ?ations ;op"lation @"nd and elpa!e )nternational called <%4a Re;%rt %n

A3e#n3> see#s to fill the #nowled!e !ap. )t is to e released nationwide on <ctoer 1, 2D12, on the

)nternational a$ for <lder ;eople.

• )t has een a decade since the adoption of the Mar# Internat#%na Pan % A+t#%n %n A3e#n3 (MIPAA).

• )ts old a!enda foc"sed on t"ree ;r#%r#t, area'H older persons and development% advancin! health and well-

ein! into old a!e% and ens"rin! enalin! and s"pportive environments.




• *s a si!nator$ to &ipaa, )ndia has the responsiilit$ to form"late and implement p"lic polic$ on pop"lation

a!ein!. )ss"es of povert$, mi!ration, "ranisation, r"ralisation and feminisation compo"nd the comple+it$ of

this emer!in! phenomenon.

• Cenewed efforts sho"ld e made for raisin! widespread awareness and access to social sec"rit$ schemes

s"ch as ?ational <ld *!e ;ension and idow ;ension >cheme. ;rovisions in terms of special incentives for

elderl$ women, disaled, widowed sho"ld also e considered.

• )nn"merale reasons add "p to ma#e a!ein! women in )ndia one of the most v"lnerale se!ments of the

pop"lation. 'heir social and health sec"rit$ can no lon!er e compromised. )n a co"ntr$ of a!ein! women,

)ndia m"st step "p to the challen!e to offer more than "st the solace of promises.

• 'here is a need to enale the elderl$ to lead life with di!nit$.

• )ndia has the second lar!est pop"lation of old-a!e people after hina.

• Brea#-"p of the oint famil$ s$stem, lac# of care and respect towards elderl$ people, lac# of income and

pension, and hectic wor# life amon! wor#in! parents are the main reasons for m"shroomin! of old-a!e

homes.

• *o"t 8D per cent of the elderl$ pop"lation in o"r co"ntr$ do not have re!"lar income or receive pension.

'he$ are dependent on their children after retirement. &ost of them elon! to the "nor!aniEed sectors. 'he

!overnment sho"ld la$ emphasis on health ins"rance and "niversalisation of pension scheme for the elderl$.

• 'here is a need to develop sensitivit$ over the !rowin! ne!lect and a"se of senior-citiEens in the co"ntr$

and called for meas"res to enale the elderl$ to lead a di!nified life.

Ne8 ar#an'"#; ','te %r ;er'%n' 8#t" #'a4##t#e'

• &inistr$ of >ocial "stice and mpowerment has come "p with a fresh draft le!islation that see#s to do awa$

with the plenar$ !"ardianship s$stem I where$ a !"ardian s"stit"tes for the person with disailit$

efore the law and ta#es all le!all$ indin! decisions for him or her, and replace it with a limited

!"ardianship s$stem.

• Under the limited !"ardianship s$stem, decisions will e made ointl$ on m"t"al "nderstandin! and tr"st

etween the !"ardian and the person with disailit$.

• 'he draft of the R#3"t' % t"e Per'%n' 8#t" #'a4##t#e' B#$ 2012 that has een p"t "p on the &inistr$

wesite also see#s to ens"re that all necessar$ steps are ta#en $ the !overnment to sec"re for persons

with disailities individ"al a"tonom$, incl"din! the freedom to ma#e ones own choices, and independence

of persons% non-discrimination% f"ll and effective participation and incl"sion in societ$% e("alit$ ofopport"nit$ and e("alit$ etween men and women, amon! other thin!s.

• ;ersons with disailities wo"ld eno$ le!al capacit$ on an e("al asis with others in all aspects of life and

have the ri!ht to e("al reco!nition ever$where as persons efore the law, the draft law sa$s.

• )t see#s to ens"re that an$ dis("alification on the !ro"nds of disailit$ prescried in an$ le!islation, r"le,

notification, order, $e-law, re!"lation, c"stom or practice that has the effect of deprivin! an$ person with

disailit$ of le!al capacit$ shall not e le!all$ enforceale from the date of enforcement of the proposed

*ct.




• *ll persons with disailities have the ri!ht, on an e("al asis with others, to own or inherit propert$% control

their financial affairs% otain access to an# loans, mort!a!es and other forms of financial credit, and not to

e aritraril$ deprived of their propert$.

• 'he le!al capacit$ of a person with disailit$ shall not e ("estioned or denied, irrespective of the de!ree

and e+tent of s"pport, $ reason of accessin! s"pport to e+ercise le!al capacit$.

• hen a conflict of interest arises etween a person providin! s"pport and a person with disailit$ in a

partic"lar financial, propert$ or other economic transaction, then s"ch s"pportin! person shall astain from

providin! s"pport to the person with disailit$ in that transaction, the draft sa$s.

• *ll persons with disailities shall have the ri!ht to live in the comm"nit$ with choices e("al to others. 'he

appropriate !overnment and local a"thorities shall ta#e all appropriate administrative and other meas"res

to protect persons with disailities from ein! s"ected to tort"re, cr"el, inh"man or de!radin! treatment

or p"nishment.

• )mportantl$, the Bill ars an$ person with disailit$ to e s"ect to an$ medical proced"re that leads to or

co"ld lead to infertilit$ witho"t their free and informed consent. )t proposes heft$ fine and imprisonment "p

to 1D $ears for violation. *ll estalishments will also provide medical and life ins"rance to their emplo$ees

with disailities on an e("al asis with others.

• 'he Bill sa$s that ever$ child with enchmar# disailit$, of the a!e of 6 to 19, shall have the ri!ht to free

ed"cation% and all !overnment instit"tions of hi!her ed"cation and all hi!her ed"cation instit"tions receivin!

aid from the !overnment shall reserve "p to 5 per cent of the total seats in each co"rse for persons with

enchmar# disailities, which incl"de ph$sical, and mental disailities and lepros$ c"red.

• 'he Bill recommends the settin! "p of a Nat#%na C%#''#%n %r Per'%n' 8#t" #'a4##t#e' to form"late

re!"lations that la$ down the standards of accessiilit$ for the ph$sical environment, transportation,

information and comm"nications, incl"din! appropriate technolo!ies and s$stems. 'he ommission will

ta#e "p iss"es that violate the provisions of the *ct.

• &ost of these provisions were in the Bill drafted $ a committee chaired $ >"dha/a"l "t it was criticised

for its inade("acies. 'he committee was constit"ted in *pril 2D1D and it came "p with a draft Bill on "ne

2D11.

C%n+ern' %&er an a3#n3 In#a

• B$ 2D5D, )ndia will e home to one o"t of ever$ si+ of the worlds older persons, and onl$ hina will have a

lar!er n"mer of elderl$ people, accordin! to estimates released $ the United ?ations ;op"lation @"nd.

• 'hirt$ $ears a!o, there were no a3e e+%n%#e'$ in which cons"mption $ older people s"rpassed that of

$o"th. )n 2D1D, there were 23 a!ed economies. B$ 2D4D, there will e 98.

• ithin a decade there will e one illion older persons worldwide. *nd $ 2D5D, nearl$ 9D per cent of the

worlds older persons will live in developin! co"ntries I with hina and )ndia contri"tin! to over one-third

that n"mer.

• 'he report sa$s the n"mer of elderl$ women is more than that of elderl$ men. ?earl$ three o"t of five

sin!le older women are ver$ poor, and two o"t of three r"ral elderl$ women are f"ll$ dependants. 'here is

also an increasin! proportion of elderl$ at 9D-pl"s a!es, and this pattern is more prono"nced amon!

women.




• 'he ho"sin! data from ens"s 2D11 also point o"t that the n"mer of ho"seholds has increased

s"stantiall$ in the last decade, and the n"mer of persons per ho"sehold has come down s"stantiall$.

eclinin! fertilit$, mi!ration and n"clearisation of families are three possile reasons for s"ch red"ction in

ho"sehold siEe.

• ith a demo!raphic transition "nder wa$ and $o"th mi!ratin! o"t for economic reasons, there will e a

drastic chan!e in the livin! arran!ements of the elderl$ in r"ral and "ran areas.

• 'he lar!e se!ment of the elderl$, those livin! alone or with spo"se onl$, and the widowed who are illiterate,

poor and partic"larl$ those from the >ched"led aste and >ched"led 'rie families, low wealth ("intiles will

definitel$ re("ire vario"s #inds of s"pportH economic, social and ps$cholo!ical.

• 'he &inistr$ of >ocial "stice and mpowerment p"t in place the Nat#%na P%#+, %n Oer Per'%n' in 1888

with a view to addressin! iss"es relatin! to a!in! in a comprehensive manner. B"t the pro!ramme failed at

the implementation level.

• 'he &inistr$ is now form"latin! a new polic$ that is e+pected to address the concerns of the elderl$. 'he

idea is to help them live a prod"ctive and di!nified life.

• 'here is a scheme of !rant-in-aid of the Inte3rate Pr%3rae %r Oer Per'%n', "nder which financial

assistance is provided to vol"ntar$ or!anisations for r"nnin! and maintainin! proects. 'hese incl"de old-a!e

homes, da$-care centres and ph$siotherap$ clinics. hile the scheme, indeed the concept, is still alien to

)ndia, the &inistr$ is considerin! the revision of cost norms for these proects, #eepin! in view the risin! cost

of livin!.

• 'he most recent intervention has een the introd"ction of the Nat#%na Pr%3rae %r !eat" Care %r

Eer, in 2D1D, with the asic aim to provide separate and specialised comprehensive health care to senior

citiEens.

• 'he maor components of this pro!ramme are estalishin! !eriatric departments in ei!ht re!ional !eriatric

centres and stren!thenin! health care facilities for the elderl$ at vario"s levels in 1DD districts..• 'he enactment of the Ma#ntenan+e an @eare % Parent' an Sen#%r C#t#en' A+t$ 200-, was a le!islative

milestone. owever, its implementation has een poor.

• ith poor social sec"rit$ arran!ements for the elderl$, it is not s"rprisin! that aro"nd 3 million elderl$ in

)ndia are en!a!ed in prod"ctive wor#, accordin! to ?>>< data for 2DD4-D5.

• * maorit$ of these wor#ers are illiterate or have limited levels of ed"cation. 'his indicates that illiterac$ and

povert$ p"sh them to "nderta#e wor# o"tside as a s"rvival strate!$, or o"t of comp"lsion.

In+%e 'e+r#t,

• *mon! the most "r!ent concerns of older persons worldwide is income sec"rit$,” notes a recentl$ releasedreport of the United ?ations ;op"lation @"nd.

• 'heir health, it pointed o"t, was another maor concern.

• )n the past, traditional social val"es and reli!io"s oservances "sed to e ("ite s"pportive of the elderl$ in

man$ developin! co"ntries, toda$, however, economic chan!e, the disappearance of the oint famil$ s$stem

and increased moilit$ are drasticall$ erodin! the s"pport ase of the elderl$.

• *t the same time, instit"tional arran!ements caterin! to the needs of these people have een few and their

covera!e limited.

• * person who reaches the a!e of 6D in )ndia can now e+pect to live for more than another 15 $ears. B"t

man$ cannot afford to ta#e life eas$ in their old a!e.




• 56 per cent of men and 55 per cent of women contin"e to wor# e$ond 6D. 'he proportion is hi!her in r"ral

areas.7 ven at 9D $ears and more, 2D per cent of men and 13 per cent of women are still wor#in!. 'his is

d"e to lac# of social safet$ nets and hi!h levels of povert$.

• <nl$ 9 per cent of )ndias lao"r force of ao"t 46D million is covered $ an$ #ind of social sec"rit$ provided

$ the emplo$er, s"ch as pensions, provident f"nd and !rat"it$, as per the ?ational ommission for

nterprises in the Unor!anised >ector, which s"mitted its first report in &a$ 2DD6.

• 'here is no s"ch safet$ net for those in the "nor!anised sector, which emplo$s 94 per cent of the wor#force

and acco"nts for half the co"ntr$s G;.

• Besides, half of those emplo$ed even in the or!anised sector as !ardeners, drivers, cleaners and the li#e do

not eno$ s"ch enefits.

• 'he ommission recommended in 2DD6 that the Union !overnment estalish a ?ational >ocial >ec"rit$

>cheme to provide a minim"m level of health, old a!e and accident enefits. B"t the !overnment chose to

create onl$ a health ins"rance scheme coverin! those elow the povert$ line and some limited !ro"ps of

wor#ers

• /erala, which e!an its demo!raphic transition earlier, had p"t in place social sec"rit$ schemes that covered

D per cent of the wor#ers in the "nor!anised sector.

<Tra+= C"#> ;r%Ge+t t% 4e #;eente a+r%'' t"e +%ntr,

• ith the co"ntr$ re!isterin! a sharp rise in the n"mer of missin! children, the Union omen A hild

evelopment &inistr$ has decided to implement the “'rac# hild” proect all over the co"ntr$

sim"ltaneo"sl$ instead of on a pilot asis.

• 'he trac# child scheme envisa!es p"ttin! in place a child trac#in! s$stem which is aimed at maintainin! realtime data of all children availin! rehailitation services "nder the )nte!rated hild ;rotection >cheme.

• 'he software also provides for settin! "p a national portal containin! identification details of the children

"nder vario"s schemes as well as missin! children reported in the police stations. 'he portal wo"ld facilitate

matchin! of the children availin! services "nder the )nte!rated hild ;rotection >cheme with the reported

missin! children.

• 'he proect is ein! implemented $ the &inistr$ thro"!h the ?ational )nformatics entre. 'he &inistr$ has

now as#ed all the >tates to appoint a nodal officer for implementation of the proect which the$ claim will

re("ire intensive co-ordination etween the police and a!encies wor#in! for resc"es and rehailitation of

children.

• ;rovidin! infrastr"ct"re is onl$ the first step forward and the enefits of the software wo"ld start flowin! inonl$ when the data is "pdated on real time asis $ all sta#eholders.

• fforts are also ein! made to sensitise the police and )nte!rated hild ;rotection >cheme f"nctionaries

re!ardin! trac# child with the &inistr$ #een that the enefits of the proect starts flowin! in $ the end of

this $ear.

C"#na 4atte' t"e <721 ;r%4e>

• *t the end of 2D11, there were 123 million hinese who were aove the a!e of 65.




• B$ 2D5D, the hinese !overnment estimates, that n"mer will rise to 323 million. <ne in ever$ fo"r hinese

will then e 65-pl"s.

• @or a co"ntr$ that has relied on a $o"thf"l lao"r force to drive !rowth over the past three decades, a

rapidl$ a!in! pop"lation presents oth short-term and lon!-term challen!es, hinese demo!raphers sa$.

• 'he !overnment has emar#ed on a t"ree'te; ;r%3rae to tac#le what social scientists have descried

as a 3ra&e a3#n3 +r#'#'.

• 'his involves short-term meas"res, s"ch as oostin! investment in health care for the elderl$, and shorin!

"p the pension s$stem. 'hen, there are more complicated lon!-term polic$ chan!es that are still mired in

deates, incl"din! loosenin! "p the controversial “one-child polic$” and transformin! a lao"r-driven

econom$.

• *t the heart of hinas a!in! challen!e is what social scientists have neatl$ s"mmed "p as the 721

;r%4e.

• * le!ac$ of famil$ plannin! r"les p"t in place in the 18Ds, the n"mer refers to the "rdens faced $ the

c"rrent !eneration of one-child hinese families, where one !randchild is tas#ed with the welfare of two

parents and fo"r !randparents.

BUSINESS AN ECONOMH

Cr#t#+a Ana,'#' % t"e re&#'e C%;an#e' B#

S;;%rt

• )t has also ro"!ht in more clarit$ on criminal liailit$ of a"ditors. *ppointment of a"ditors for five $ears

shall e s"ect to ratification $ memers at ever$ ann"al !eneral meetin!.

• )n view of the vario"s reformator$ provisions proposed in the ompanies Bill, 2D11, to!ether with omission

of e+istin! "nwanted compliance re("irements, companies will now e ale to compl$ with the

re("irements of the proposed ompanies *ct in a more effective manner.

• )t incl"des amendment to la"se 36 c7 to help in c"rin! corporate delin("enc$.

• )t wo"ld also incl"de p"nishment for falsel$ ind"cin! a person to enter into an$ a!reement with an# or

financial instit"tion, with a view to otainin! credit facilities.

• ;rovisions relatin! to a"dit of !overnment companies $ the omptroller and *"ditor General of )ndia *G7

modified to enale *G to perform s"ch a"dit more effectivel$.

• la"se 196 has een amended to provide that the rate of interest on inter corporate loans will e the

prevailin! rate of interest on dated !overnment sec"rities.

Cr#t#+#'

• )t not onl$ aims to serve the interests of the sta#eholders etter "t also mentions chan!es related to

spendin! on corporate social responsiilit$ activities. 'he revised Billhas limited the n"mer of companies

an a"ditor can serve to 2D.




In'ran+e La8' (Aenent)$ B#$ 200

• 'he Union ainet !ranted approval for increase of forei!n direct investment @)7 limit in the ins"rance

sector from the present 26 per cent to 48 per cent.

• *lon!side, it also cleared amendments aimed at attractin! investments and rin!in! transparenc$ in the

wor#in! of the ins"rance companies.

• 'he ainet approved amendments to the )ns"rance :aws *mendment7, Bill, 2DD9, pendin! in the

Ca$a>aha.

• 'hese amendments are aimed at removin! archaic and red"ndant provisions in the le!islations and

incorporatin! certain provisions to provide the )ns"rance Ce!"lator$ evelopment *"thorit$ )C*7 with

fle+iilit$ to dischar!e its f"nctions effectivel$ and efficientl$.

• 'he overall oective is to f"rther deepen the reform process which is alread$ "nderwa$ in the ins"rance

sector, an official statement said here.

• 'he approved amendments incl"de that the forei!n e("it$ cap is proposed to e #ept at 48 per cent as

provided in the )ns"rance :aws *mendment7 Bill, 2DD9, as a!ainst the 26 percent. 'his is done to meet the

!rowin! capital re("irement of ins"rance companies.

• @orei!n re-ins"rers will e permitted to open ranches onl$ for re-ins"rance "siness in )ndia and the

provisions of >ection 2, which prohiits an ins"rer to invest directl$ or indirectl$ o"tside )ndia the f"nds of

polic$ holder, wo"ld appl$ to s"ch ranches.

• 'o enco"ra!e health ins"rance in )ndia, the capital re("irement for a health ins"rance compan$ is now

proposed at Cs.5D crore instead of Cs.1DD crore for !eneral ins"rance companies7 with a view to red"cin!

the entr$ arrier to a priorit$ sector in the ins"rance space.• 'he !overnment has also revised the definition of Fhealth ins"rance "siness to clearl$ stip"late that health

ins"rance policies wo"ld cover sic#ness enefits on acco"nt of domestic as well as international travel.

• Ce!ardin! the oli!ator$ "nderwritin! of third part$ ris# on motor vehicles, a separate &otor Lehicle

)ns"rance and ompensation :e!islation is ein! proposed $ the !overnment and the concerns of the

>tandin! ommittee re!ardin! the oli!ator$ third-part$ ins"rance on motor vehicles will e ta#en care of,

the statement said.

• 'he p"lic sector !eneral ins"rance companies and the G) will e permitted to raise capital from the

mar#et to meet the f"t"re capital re("irements, provided that the !overnments shareholdin! wo"ld not e

allowed to come elow 51 per cent at an$ point of time.

• 'o improve the f"nctionin! of s"rve$ors and rin! in !reater transparenc$, certain modifications are madeto provide for re!"lations on ("alifications re!ardin! appointment of s"rve$ors and to stren!then the

)nstit"te of )ndian )ns"rance >"rve$ors and :oss *ssessors )))>:*7.

• 'he amendments proposed in the Bill see# to do awa$ with the e+istin! stat"tor$ prescriptions pertainin! to

licensin! ins"rance s"rve$ors and loss assessors etc. and leave these iss"es to e addressed $ wa$ of

re!"lations.




Pen'#%n Fn Re3at%r, an e&e%;ent At"%r#t, B#$ 2011

• 'he Union ainet approved the amendments to the ;ension @"nd Ce!"lator$ and evelopment *"thorit$

Bill, 2D11 openin! "p the pension sector to forei!n investment.

• 'he ainet did not specif$ the forei!n direct investment @)7 cap in the pension sector "t the @inance

&inister, ;. hidamaram said it wo"ld e at par with the limit set for ins"rance companies which has now

een raised to 48 per cent.

• *ll five recommendations of the >tandin! ommittee on @inance which e+amined the Bill have een

accepted.

• 'he amendments approved $ the ainet specif$ that the s"scrier see#in! minim"m ass"red ret"rns

shall e allowed to opt for investin! his f"nds in s"ch schemes notified $ the *"thorit$.

• ithdrawals not e+ceedin! 25 per cent of the contri"tion made $ s"scrier will e permitted from the

individ"al pension acco"nt s"ect to the conditions, s"ch as, p"rpose, fre("enc$ and limits, as ma$ e

specified $ re!"lations $ the ;ension @"nd Ce!"lator$ *"thorit$ and evelopment *"thorit$ ;@C*7.

• * ;ension *dvisor$ ommittee with representation from all maor sta#eholders will e constit"ted to advise

;@C* on important matters of framin! of re!"lations "nder the ;@C* *ct% the memership of the ;@C*

will e confined to professionals havin! e+pertise in economics, finance or law onl$.

• 'he ?ew ;ension >cheme ?;>7 has een made mandator$ for all the entral Government emplo$ees

e+cept *rmed @orces7 who entered service on or after an.1, 2DD4. 2 >tate =U' Governments have notified

?;> for their emplo$ees. ?;> has een la"nched for all citiEens of the co"ntr$ incl"din! "nor!aniEed sector

wor#ers, on vol"ntar$ asis, with effect from &a$ 1, 2DD8.

• )n order to effectivel$ invest and mana!e s"ch h"!e f"nds elon!in! to a lar!e n"mer of s"scriers and to

ens"re the inte!rit$ of the ?;>, creation of a stat"tor$ ;@C* with well defined powers, d"ties and

responsiilities is considered asol"tel$ necessar$ and wo"ld enefit all ?;> s"scriers.

Ran3araGan ;ane re;%rt %n '3ar

• 'he Can!araan ommittee s"!!ested de-control of the s"!ar sector $ !ivin! freedom to mills to sell their

prod"ce in open mar#et and removin! the oli!ation on the ind"str$ to s"ppl$ the sweetener at elow

mar#et price for ration shops.

• hile other sectors of the econom$ have een freed over the $ears, the s"!ar sector contin"es to e "nder

!overnment control, ri!ht from prod"ction to distri"tion.

Crrent ','te

• 'he entre fi+es the s"!ar ("ota to e sold in the open mar#et and, for ration shops s"ppl$, forces mills to

sell 1D per cent of their prod"ction #nown as lev$ s"!ar7 at lower than the mar#et price.

• :ev$ s"!ar oli!ation and administrative control on nonI lev$ s"!ar need to e dispensed with

immediatel$-this will free the ind"str$ from "rden of the !overnments welfare pro!ramme.

Pr%;%'a




• )nstead, the panel s"!!ested that state !overnments sho"ld "$ s"!ar directl$ from the open mar#et for

ration shops and sell the same at price determined $ them. )t also said that the entre sho"ld !ive Cs 3,DDD

crore s"sid$ to the >tates to ear proc"rement e+penses.

• &r. Can!araan made it clear that the removal of these two controls wo"ld not affect domestic prices, "t

rather improve the financial health of s"!ar mills, there$ timel$ pa$ment of cane arrears to farmers.

• )n order to prevent pilin! "p of cane arrears, the panel s"!!ested retainin! two maor controls "t with

minor chan!es.

• )t s"!!ested that the !overnment contin"e with fi+in! of fair and rem"nerative price @C;7 of s"!arcane and

also ma#e it mandator$ to mills to share D per cent of reven"e from s" !ar and other $Iprod"cts to

farmers.

SEBI an ana,'#' % '%e re+ent #n#t#at#&e'

• 'wo recent moves $ the capital mar#et re!"lator to enhance the ("alit$ of investor protection, tho"!h well

intentioned, are li#el$ to e co"nterprod"ctive in practice.

T"e %&e'

• >B) iss"ed a formal order la$in! down road criteria for reectin! the draft offer doc"ments filed $

prospective iss"ers of sec"rities.

• *lso, >B) revived an old idea of introd"cin! a mandator$ safet$ net mechanism for specified sec"rities in

p"lic iss"es.

T"e %4Ge+t#&e'

• Both these see# to enhance the ("alit$ of the primar$ mar#et, the first one $ screenin! the draft

prospect"ses to weed o"t "ndesirale or ineli!ile p"lic offers and the second, $ "sherin! in a s"pport

price mechanism in the post iss"e period.

Ana,'#'

• )nevital$, the re!"lator has onl$ een ale to prescrie road $ardstic#s which have ended "p ein! too

va!"e.• @or instance, one of the !ro"nds for reection is when >B) has reasonale !ro"nds to elieve that the draft

offer doc"ment is deficient from the point of view of ade("ac$ and ("alit$ of disclos"res.

• 'hose are areas where s"ective "d!ements $ the re!"lator mi!ht smac# of mis"se of its discretionar$

powers.

• &oreover, "nless the promoters raEenl$ violate !"idelines in areas s"ch as delieratel$ f"d!in! the oects

of the iss"e, or the so"rces of their initial capital contri"tion, it will e e$ond the re!"lator to spot

malfeasance and reect the offer doc"ment.

• *n even more !eneral ar!"ment a!ainst oth the recent >B) initiatives arises o"t of the fact that primar$

mar#et investments, as m"ch as those in the secondar$ mar#et, involve ris# ta#in! $ investors.




• )t is the d"t$ of the re!"lator to prescrie reasonale safe!"ards and disclos"res of ris#s. B"t it is an entirel$

different matter for capital mar#et re!"lators to tr$ and ens"re total safet$ of e("it$ investments, even

ass"min! the$ have the wherewithal.

• 'he proposal to introd"ce a safet$ net for small investors lon! after the shares are listed will e another

e+ample of re!"lator$ overreach.

• >ince the iss"ers of sec"rities will have to "$ a fi+ed ("antit$ of shares at the iss"e price if their mar#et

("otation falls elow certain enchmar#s, the e+penses of the iss"e will f"rther mo"nt and e a serio"s

disincentive to f"nd raisin!.

• Besides, the proposal erroneo"sl$ ass"mes that all initial p"lic offers, after the$ are listed, will follow the

same price patterns in s$nc with identified stoc# mar#et indices. 'he re!"lator is not helpin! the new iss"e

mar#et and its participants with these two proposals.

R%aa; %r #'+a +%n'%#at#%n

• @inance &inister has "nveiled a five-$ear roadmap for fiscal consolidation in #eepin! with the /el#ar

ommittee recommendations to contain the twin deficits and hi!h inflation, sp"r investments and p"t the

econom$ ac# on a hi!her !rowth trac#.

• &a#in! a statement at a press conference here to mar# acceptance of a n"mer of reform meas"res in

ta+ation, disinvestment and e+pendit"re recommended $ the /el#ar panel, which had ca"tioned the

!overnment that a “"siness-as-"s"al scenario for the c"rrent $ear” mi!ht lead to the fiscal deficit risin! to

6.1 per cent of G; Q!ross domestic prod"ctR, &r. hidamaram asserted that efforts wo"ld e contin"ed to

restrict the fiscal deficit to 5.3 per cent of the G; this fiscal, and re+e #t t% 5 ;er +ent %&er a #&e,ear

;er#% #n 20161-.

• *s per the roadmap, the deficit is to e ro"!ht down to 4.9 per cent $ 2D13-14, to 4.2 per cent in 2D14-15

and f"rther to 3.6 per cent in 2D15-16 and #na, t% 5 ;er +ent ;er +ent #n 20161-.

• *s fiscal consolidation ta#es place and investorsJ confidence increases, it is e+pected that the econom$ will

ret"rn to the path of hi!h investment, hi!her !rowth, lower inflation and lon!-term s"stainailit$.

• *mon! the reform meas"res recommended, the /el#ar panel stron!l$ advocated a transition to the Goods

and >ervices 'a+ G>'7, a ("ic# review of the irect 'a+es ode '7 efore its introd"ction in ;arliament

and a n"mer of administrative meas"res to improve ta+ collection.

• <n disinvestment, it s"!!ested a n"mer of new models for disinvestment and has pitched for

disinvestment of the !overnments resid"al sta#e in some companies that were privatised earlier.

• <n the e+pendit"re front, it s"!!ested rationalisation of schemes, and strict control and monitorin! of

e+pendit"re.

• .'he @inance &inister also e+pressed the !overnments firm resolve to address the challen!es posed $ the

risin! c"rrent acco"nt deficit *7.

• *s for the reforms in direct and indirect ta+ laws, &r. hidamaram said the introd"ction of the amended

irect 'a+es ode '7 Bill was "nder review and wo"ld e presented to ;arliament after ta#in! the

recommendations of the >tandin! ommittee into acco"nt.

• *lon!side, wor# is in pro!ress on the Goods and >ervices 'a+ G>'7.




SCIENCE$ TEC!NOLOH AN EFENCE

Ba;e't +,4er ';a+e 'e+r#t, #a%3e

• ven as ima!ined and real c$er sec"rit$ threats scale new hei!hts, the stor$ comin! o"t of the recentl$

concl"ded >econd )nternational onference on $erspace in B"dapest was one of a widenin! !"lf etween

co"ntries, notwithstandin! the stated intent of rid!in! differences thro"!h dialo!"e.

• ith most co"ntries stic#in! to alread$ estalished positions, there appears to have een ver$ little pro!ress

made etween the previo"s iteration in :ondon in 2D11 and the present one. )f an$thin!, the vario"s sets of

actors and alliances on the iss"e p"shin! different a!endas seem to have d"! their heels in even f"rther.

• )n terms of vario"s a!endas, the "ropean co"ntries hi!hli!hted the h"man ri!hts aspects of c$ersec"rit$,

ased on their characteriEation of internet freedom as a f"ndamental ri!ht, leadin! the hinese

representative to acericall$ as# whether he was at a h"man ri!hts conference or a c$ersec"rit$

conference. 'he hinese approach to c$erspace was en"nciated thro"!h five principles, the first one ein!

that of “networ# soverei!nt$” with the emphasis on soverei!nt$. 'his principle paved the wa$ for the

second principle of “alance”, i.e., the need to alance the free flow of information a!ainst the potential of

harmf"l threat to national sec"rit$, social order, and violations of the le!itimate ri!hts of the people.

• Oet another concern was addressed in the third principle, that of “peacef"l "se of networ#s” and c"rin! the

development and "se of c$er weapons that wo"ld e a threat to international peace and sec"rit$. 'he

fo"rth and fifth principles called for “e("itale development” and “international cooperation” respectivel$,

with a call, on ehalf of the developin! co"ntries, for e("al ri!hts in mana!in! the )nternet and e("itale

distri"tion of the critical reso"rces of the )nternet. )n line with these principles, the hinese also indicated

their preference for disc"ssions on c$ersec"rit$ to e held "nder U? a"spices and also called for a

c$erspace arms control treat$ d"rin! the co"rse of the conference. 'hese were co"ntered $ U> dele!ates

who descried s"ch policies as a throwac# to the past and inconsistent with the re("irements and realities

of the 21st cent"r$.

• 'he soverei!nt$ iss"e also came to the fore in the disc"ssions on c$ercrime where the C"ssians sto"tl$

resisted a p"sh to !et more co"ntries to si!n on to the B"dapest onvention on $ercrime. 'he$ descried

it as oth o"tdated and ineffective and wanted it to e deated in the United ?ations. 'o "ttress this

statement, a C"ssian dele!ate pointed o"t that so lon! as the "se of >t"+net was not considered a state act,

it had to e considered as a c$er crime, and the B"dapest onvention was ineffective in this re!ard. 'hatsaid, arrivin! at a consens"s in the United ?ations wo"ld e a s"re wa$ to p"t the onvention into deep

freeEe.

• )f the third set of actors, the vario"s private sector representatives !athered at the ven"e, had a messa!e to

p"t o"t, it was that there was no need for !overnments to !et involved in c$ersec"rit$ since practical iss"es

had to e addressed in c$er time, not “political cons"ltation time.” * representative from one of the C's

was also of the view that increased interference $ !overnments was destro$in! the tr"st-ased s$stem that

had een developed over the $ears since some re("ests for information were now seen to e politicall$

motivated.

• )ndias contri"tion to the delierations was in the form of a #e$note address $ >achin ;ilot, the &inister of

>tate for 'elecomm"nications, where he called for internet !overnance to e made more e("itale and




effective. )ndias approach to the internet has een tech-centric and free of ideolo!ical overla$s, altho"!h

that approach seems to have r"n its co"rse. 'here are concerns that simpl$ tr"stin! in private companies to

deliver on c$ersec"rit$ witho"t ade("ate safe!"ards or ass"rances dont pass m"ster. *s the &inister

pointed o"t in his speech and in an earlier interview, the thr"st of the )ndian !overnments policies were to

create a pool of 5DD,DDD c$er sec"rit$ professionals and to improve its record of p"lic-private partnership.

'he !overnment has alread$ e!"n to wal# the tal# insofar as !ettin! on oard the views of all the vario"s

sta#eholders is concerned, facilitatin! as well as ein! an active participant in the )ndian )nternet

Governance onference held on the same da$s as the B"dapest onference in ?ew elhi.

• 'he other notale initiative comin! o"t of B"dapest was the anno"ncement $ the the U/ !overnment of

plans to create a entre for Gloal $er->ec"rit$ apacit$ B"ildin! with an investment of 2 million po"nds.

;ractical initiatives of this t$pe that emphasise "pon collaoration, s#ills sharin! and capacit$ "ildin! wo"ld

!o a lon! wa$ towards improvin! !loal c$ersec"rit$. owever, not onl$ are s"ch !overnmental initiatives

too few and far etween, the climate of distr"st that has e!"n to pervade c$ersec"rit$ means that the$

will e viewed with s"spicion and mi!ht not find man$ ta#ers. @rom the C"ssian dele!ates complaint that

the or!anisers did not incl"de C"ssian doc"ments on information sec"rit$ in the onference literat"re to the

snipin! etween hinese and apanese dele!ates reflectin! their c"rrent offline hostilities, s"ch distr"st was

ver$ m"ch evident at the onference itself.

• ith the ne+t iteration of the onference sched"led in >eo"l ne+t $ear, and the ast est )nstit"tes

onference comin! "p in elhi at the end of this month, there is no dearth of ven"es to disc"ss c$er

sec"rit$. 'he moot ("estion is whether these wo"ld have an$ impact or relevance in the face of

f"ndamental disa!reements on c$erspace !overnance that are "nli#el$ to !o awa$.

L%n3ter #;a+t' % enet#+a, M%##e Or3an#''

• arta!ena ;rotocol on Biosafet$, which covers livin! modified or!anisms and addresses the iss"e of dama!e

ca"sed to iodiversit$ thro"!h a s"pplementar$ protocol named after ?a!o$a and /"ala :"mp"r, which was

adopted in 2D1D.

• <nl$ indicative st"dies on G&<s and impacts are availale at present and these co"ld e s"perficial.

• 'he lon!-term environmental impacts of Geneticall$ &odified <r!anisms need intensive st"d$, "t the$ are

ver$ li#el$ to have impacts on hi!her-level species s"ch as irds.

• 'he iss"e is important to )ndia as it hosts a wider diversit$ of irds than man$ co"ntries, s"ch as the United

>tates, altho"!h it is relativel$ small !eo!raphicall$.

• 'he role of comm"nities in protectin! iodiversit$ is needed to e emphasiEed. 'he e+periment of ma#in!the conservation of the *ndaman dile-nest >wiftlet a comm"nit$-oriented initiative was promisin!. 'he

nests of these irds fetched a hi!h price, affectin! their s"rvival prospects "nder normal conditions.

• *n "ncommon method of provisionall$ delistin! the ird from >ched"le ) of the ildlife ;rotection *ct was

resorted to, in order to ma#e the e+periment possile.

• )f the species !ets o"t of its precario"s condition, Qwith the comm"nit$-led conservation modelR, we can !o

ahead.

• >amples of wild irds fo"nd dead in )ndia showed hi!h levels of resid"es of poll"tants, he said, in answer to

("estions on threats to ird diversit$ from environmental de!radation.

• Biotech onsorti"m )ndia :imited B):7, which is promoted $ the epartment of Biotechnolo!$, finance

companies and vent"re firms, provides a dataase of instit"tions "nderta#in! research on technolo!ies,




incl"din! G&<s and cond"cts events on man$ topics incl"din! iss"es related to foods derived from

!eneticall$ en!ineered crops, and c"rrent approaches to environmental ris# assessment.

SA Pat"#ner tee'+%;e

• *"stralia "nveiled a colossal radio telescope that will allow astronomers to detect distant !ala+ies and

e+plore the depths of the "niverse with "nprecedented precision.

• 'he *"stralian SA Pat"#ner tee'+%;e, at the remote &"rchison Cadio-astronom$ <servator$ in the

estern *"stralian desert, is made "p of 36 antennas, each 12 metres in diameter.

• 'he *"sV14D million V14D million7 facilit$ can s"rve$ the s#$ m"ch faster than e+istin! telescopes, with the

antennae sensitive to faint radiation from the &il#$ a$, !ivin! it the ailit$ to detect distant !ala+ies.

• >t"d$in! the radio waves wo"ld tell astronomers "ni("e details ao"t the cosmos.

Ra#% A'tr%n%,

• 'he$ can tell ao"t the !as from which stars were formed and ao"t e+otic oects I p"lsars and ("asars I

that reall$ p"sh the o"ndaries of o"r #nowled!e of the ph$sical laws in the "niverse.

• Cadio-astronom$ also !ives "s an insi!ht into the ver$ e!innin!s of the "niverse.

• 'he telescope is part of *"stralias contri"tion to the roader V2.5-illion >/* proect, ointl$ hosted with

>o"th *frica and ?ew Pealand, which will have far !reater capailities.

• 'hat proect will "se a forest of antennae, spread across remote terrain, to pic# "p radio si!nals from cosmic

phenomena that cannot e detected $ optical telescopes.

• )t will e 5D times more powerf"l than c"rrent radio telescopes and will e+plore e+plodin! stars, lac# holes,

dar# ener!$ and traces of the "niverses ori!ins some 14 illion $ears a!o.

C,4er Cr#e T"reat % t"e Net

@"at #' C,4er Cr#e

• $er crime is the latest and perhaps the most complicated prolem in the c$er world. “$er crime ma$

e said to e those species, of which, !en"s is the conventional crime, and where either the comp"ter is an

oect or s"ect of the cond"ct constit"tin! crime”. “ Any criminal activity that uses a computer either as an

instrumentality, target or a means or perpetuating urther crimes comes !ithin the am"it o cy"er crime#

• * !eneraliEed definition of c$er crime ma$ e “ unla!ul acts !herein the computer is either a tool or

target or "oth# 'he comp"ter ma$ e "sed as a tool in the followin! #inds of activit$- financial crimes, sale

of ille!al articles, porno!raph$, online !amlin!, intellect"al propert$ crime, e-mail spoofin!, for!er$, c$er

defamation, c$er stal#in!. 'he comp"ter ma$ however e tar!et for "nlawf"l acts in the followin! cases-

"na"thoriEed access to comp"ter= comp"ter s$stem= comp"ter networ#s, theft of information contained in

the electronic form, e-mail omin!, data didlin!, salami attac#s, lo!ic oms, 'roan attac#s, internet time

thefts, we ac#in!, theft of comp"ter s$stem, ph$sicall$ dama!in! the comp"ter s$stem.




C%n&ent#%na &J' C,4er Cr#e

• 'here is apparentl$ no distinction etween c$er and conventional crime. owever on a deep introspection

we ma$ sa$ that there e+ists a fine line of demarcation etween the conventional and c$er crime, which is

appreciale. 'he demarcation lies in the involvement of the medi"m in cases of c$er crime. 'he sine $ua

non for c$er crime is that there sho"ld e an involvement, at an$ sta!e, of the virt"al c$er medi"m.

M%e' an Manner'

Unauthorized access to computer systems or networks / Hacking-

• 'his #ind of offence is normall$ referred as hac#in! in the !en eric sense. owever the framers of the

information technolo!$ act 2DDD have no where "sed this term so to avoid an$ conf"sion we wo"ld not

interchan!eal$ "se the word hac#in! for F"na"thoriEed access as the latter has wide connotation.

Theft of information contained in electronic form-

• 'his incl"des information stored in comp"ter hard dis#s, removale stora!e media etc. 'heft ma$ e either

$ appropriatin! the data ph$sicall$ or $ tamperin! them thro"!h the virt"al medi"m.

Email bombing-

• 'his #ind of activit$ refers to sendin! lar!e n"mers of mail to the victim, which ma$ e an individ"al or a

compan$ or even mail servers there $ "ltimatel$ res"ltin! into crashin!.

Data diddling-

• 'his #ind of an attac# involves alterin! raw data "st efore a comp"ter processes it and then chan!in! it

ac# after the processin! is completed. 'he electricity "oard faced similar prolem of data diddlin! while the

department was ein! comp"terised.

Salami attacks-

• 'his #ind of crime is normall$ prevalent in the financial instit"tions or for the p"rpose of committin!

financial crimes. *n important feat"re of this t$pe of offence is that the alteration is so small that it wo"ld

normall$ !o "nnoticed. .!. the %iegler case wherein a lo!ic om was introd"ced in the an#s s$stem,

which ded"cted 1D cents from ever$ acco"nt and deposited it in a partic"lar acco"nt.

Denial of Serice attack-

• 'he comp"ter of the victim is flooded with more re("ests than it can handle which ca"se it to crash.

istri"ted enial of >ervice o>7 attac# is also a t$pe of denial of service attac#, in which the offenders

are wide in n"mer and widespread. .!. Ama&on, 'ahoo.




!irus/worm attacks-

• Lir"ses are pro!rams that attach themselves to a comp"ter or a file and then circ"late themselves to other

files and to other comp"ters on a networ#. 'he$ "s"all$ affect the data on a comp"ter, either $ alterin! or

deletin! it. orms, "nli#e vir"ses do not need the host to attach themselves to. 'he$ merel$ ma#e

f"nctional copies of themselves and do this repeatedl$ till the$ eat "p all the availale space on a

comp"terJs memor$. .!. love "ug virus, which affected at least 5 T of the comp"ters of the !loe. 'he

losses were acco"nted to e V 1D million. 'he worldJs most famo"s worm was the )nternet worm let loose

on the )nternet $ Ro"ert (orris sometime in 1899. *lmost ro"!ht development of )nternet to a complete

halt.

"ogic bombs-

• 'hese are event dependent pro!rams. 'his implies that these pro!rams are created to do somethin! onl$

when a certain event #nown as a tri!!er event7 occ"rs. .!. even some vir"ses ma$ e termed lo!ic oms

eca"se the$ lie dormant all thro"!h the $ear and ecome active onl$ on a partic"lar date li#e the

)herno"yl virus7.

Tro#an attacks-

• 'his term has its ori!in in the word F'roan horse. )n software field this means an "na"thoriEed pro!ramme,

which passivel$ !ains control over anothers s$stem $ representin! itself as an a"thorised pro!ramme. 'he

most common form of installin! a 'roan is thro"!h e-mail. .!. a 'roan was installed in the comp"ter of a

lady ilm director in the U.>. while chattin!. 'he c$er criminal thro"!h the we cam installed in the

comp"ter otained her n"de photo!raphs. e f"rther harassed this lad$.

$nternet time thefts-

• ?ormall$ in these #inds of thefts the )nternet s"rfin! ho"rs of the victim are "sed "p $ another person. 'his

is done $ !ainin! access to the lo!in ) and the password. .!. )olonel *a+!as case- the )nternet ho"rs

were "sed "p $ an$ other person. 'his was perhaps one of the first reported cases related to c$er crime in

)ndia. owever this case made the police infamo"s as to their lac# of "nderstandin! of the nat"re of c$er

crime.

%eb #acking-

• 'his term is derived from the term hi ac#in!. )n these #inds of offences the hac#er !ains access and control

over the we site of another. e ma$ even m"tilate or chan!e the information on the site. 'his ma$ e done

for f"lfillin! political oectives or for mone$. .!. recentl$ the site of &)' &inistr$ of )nformation

'echnolo!$7 was hac#ed $ the ;a#istani hac#ers and some oscene matter was placed therein. @"rther the

site of Boma$ crime ranch was also we ac#ed. *nother case of we ac#in! is that of the Fgold ish case.

)n this case the site was hac#ed and the information pertainin! to !old fish was chan!ed. @"rther a ransom

of U> V 1 million was demanded as ransom. 'h"s we ac#in! is a process where $ control over the site of

another is made ac#ed $ some consideration for it.




Statt%r, Pr%&#'#%n'

• 'he )ndian parliament considered it necessar$ to !ive effect to the resol"tion $ which the General

*sseml$ adopted &odel :aw on lectronic ommerce adopted $ the United ?ations ommission on 'rade

:aw. *s a conse("ence of which the )nformation 'echnolo!$ *ct 2DDD was passed and enforced on 1th

&a$ 2DDD.the preamle of this *ct states its oective to le!alise e-commerce and f"rther amend the )ndian

;enal ode 196D, the )ndian vidence *ct 192, the Ban#ers Boo# vidence *ct1981 and the Ceserve Ban#

of )ndia *ct 1834. The "asic purpose to incorporate the changes in these Acts is to ma.e them compati"le

!ith the Act o 2000/ >o that the$ ma$ re!"late and control the affairs of the c$er world in an effective

manner.

• 'he )nformation 'echnolo!$ *ct deals with the vario"s c$er crimes in chapters )X A X). 'he important

sections are >s. 43,65,66,6. >ection 43 in partic"lar deals with the "na"thorised access, "na"thorised

downloadin!, vir"s attac#s or an$ contaminant, ca"ses dama!e, disr"ption, denial of access, interference

with the service availed $ a person. 'his section provide for a fine "p to Cs. 1 rore $ wa$ of remed$.

>ection 65 deals with Ftampering !ith computer source documents and provides for imprisonment "p to 3

$ears or fine, which ma$ e+tend "p to 2 $ears or oth. >ection 66 deals with Fhac.ing !ith computer system

and provides for imprisonment "p to 3 $ears or fine, which ma$ e+tend "p to 2 $ears or oth. @"rther

section 6 deals with p"lication of oscene material and provides for imprisonment "p to a term of 1D

$ears and also with fine "p to Cs. 2 la#hs.

Re+ent Ann%n+eent'

• ?ational >ec"rit$ *dvisor has opened "p the national sec"rit$ re!ime to the private sector, with the la"nch

of a c$er sec"rit$ report titled FRe+%enat#%n' % %#nt @%r=#n3 r%; %n En3a3eent @#t" Pr#&ate

Se+t%r On C,4er Se+r#t,>.

• 'he enormo"s potential for dama!e has made c$er sec"rit$ a maor concern. 'here is no ("estion that

oth the !overnment and private sector need each other.

• 'he "ni("e nat"re of this collaoration is eca"se of the "ni("e nat"re of the domain, and we need to

develop the hait of wor#in! to!ether that hasnt e+isted in the past.

• Ceferrin! to the recent ';ate % r#%t' #n Uttar Prae'"$ A''a an M4a# , &r. &enon said, “e have

seen the mis"se of social media to affect comm"nal harmon$. 'he important thin! is to create a &#rt%'

+#r+e % 'e+r#t, while maintainin! o"r democratic ri!hts of freedom of speech and privac$.”

• 'he primar$ oective of creatin! a permanent mechanism for p"lic-private partnership ;;;7 in the area of

c$er sec"rit$ is to event"all$ estalish )ndia as the !loal h" for c$er sec"rit$ services, prod"cts andmanpower.

• &inistr$ of +ternal *ffairs &*7 co"ld provide meanin!f"l s"pport as the international dimensions of

sec"rin! what is a lar!e !loal commons is self evident.

• )ndia has initiated dialo!"e with the U.>., the U./., apan, C"ssia and the U to develop norms to red"ce

critical ris#.

C"aen3e'

• )ndia re("ires a mind o!!lin! five la#h professionals to protect c$er space, "t availale talent is "st a

fraction of this, necessitatin! a rapid scale-"p of capacities.




• $er sec"rit$ needs an inte!rated effort from the !overnment, ind"str$ and civil societ$. B$ its ver$

nat"re, c$er threats co"ld arise from international locations incl"din! from non-state actors, which

ma#es international cooperation at a m"lti-sta#eholder level a prere("isite.

Ca;a+#t, 4##n3

• apacit$ "ildin! is identified as a maor thr"st area.

• apacit$ "ildin! will re("ire collaoration etween the &inistr$ of omm"nications A )' &)'7 and the

&inistr$ of "man Ceso"rce evelopment. 'he &inistr$ of ome *ffairs and the &)' will set "p trainin!

facilities for law enforcement a!encies in c$ercrime investi!ation and c$er forensics. )t will also "nderta#e

c$er sec"rit$ awareness campai!ns.

N+ear+a;a4e "an'"

• )ndia s"ccessf"ll$ test-fired n"clear-capale han"sh allistic missile for its f"ll ran!e of 35D #m from a naval

ship off <disha.

• 'he s"rface-to-s"rface han"sh, a naval variant of ;rithvi-)).

• 'he sin!le-sta!e, li("id propelled han"sh has alread$ een ind"cted into the armed services and is one of

the five missiles developed $ the efence Cesearch and evelopment <r!anisation C<7 "nder the

)nte!rated G"ided &issile evelopment ;ro!ramme )G&;7.

• han"sh can carr$ conventional or n"clear pa$load of 5DD-1,DDD #! and hit oth land and sea-ased tar!ets.

In#a4a'e Netr#n% O4'er&at%r, (INO)

@", ete+t Netr#n%'

• *fter photons, ne"trinos are the most a"ndant particles in the "niverse. *mon! the #nown f"ndamental

particles, the$ are also perhaps the stran!est. 'he$ interact ver$ feel$ with other particles. 'herefore, all

forms of matter, incl"din! the earth, are nearl$ transparent to them. *o"t 1DD trillion ne"trinos from the

s"n and other cosmic so"rces pass thro"!h o"r odies ever$ second witho"t ca"sin! an$ harm. *s the$

interact ver$ rarel$, the$ are not easil$ detected and, therefore, not well st"died.• 'he lar!e ac#!ro"nd fl"+ of other particles in the cosmic ra$s presents an additional complication in their

detection.

• ?e"trino detectors are, therefore, "s"all$ placed deep "nder!ro"nd, t$picall$ a #ilometre or deeper. 'he

lar!e over"rden of roc# or earth aove the detectors red"ces the ac#!ro"nd particles $ a million times

or more.

• )t is now #nown that ne"trinos come in t"ree t,;e' electron-ne"trino, m"on-ne"trino and ta"-ne"trino7.

• <nce tho"!ht to e massless, the$ are now #nown to have ver$ tin$ masses. B"t their individ"al masses

remain "n#nown.




Re+ent C%ntr%&er',

• * national proect to st"d$ f"ndamental particles called ne"trinos has s"ddenl$ een drawn into a

controvers$

• 'he proect involves the constr"ction of an "nder!ro"nd laorator$, called the )ndia-ased ?e"trino

<servator$ )?<7, to e located in a cavern "nder a roc#$ mo"ntain in the Bodi est ills re!ion in 'amil

?ad".

• &an$ ne"trino detection e+periments are on in different parts of the world and, with !rowin! interest in

ne"trino ph$sics, man$ others are ein! proposed and "ilt. 'he )?< is one s"ch that has evinced worldwide

interest.

T8% aG%r %4Ge+t#&e' % INO

• <f the three ne"trino flavo"rs, the heaviest has at least one 1D millionth the electrons mass. hich flavo"r

is the heaviestY 'he orderin! of ne"trino masses too is "n#nown. 'his is called the Fmass hierarch$

("estion, which the )?< is well s"ited to investi!ate.

• 'he stran!e particles also have the ailit$ to morph from one t$pe to another as the$ pass thro"!h space,

people, matter and the arth itself, rarel$ interactin! with an$thin! in their path. 'his is called ne"trino

oscillation. hile the details of two oscillations are #nown fairl$ well, the third I the switchin! of ta"-

ne"trino to electron-ne"trino I is not well characterised and forms one of the main oectives of the )?<.

• 'he proect has now een identified as one of the me!a science proects in the X)) ;lan .

• )t is drawn in controvers$ $ an alle!ation that the )?< is a proect of @ermila, U>*, initiated alon! with the

controversial )ndo-U.>. n"clear deal.

• owever, it is a totall$ indi!eno"s proect, conceived ointl$ $ scientists from man$ )ndian research

instit"tions and initiated lon! efore ne!otiations for the )ndo-U.>. n"clear deal e!an in 2DD5. ?or was

@ermila, U>*, an$where in the pict"re then.

• 'he proect is a asic science e+periment that has nothin! to do with radioactivit$ or an$ other haEardo"s

n"clear activit$. ?or does it have an$ defence or strate!ic implications.

• )t is also alle!ed that ne"trino eams from @ermila wo"ld adversel$ affect the iodiversit$ of the re!ion.

• @or this, a proper !eotechnical anal$sis has indeed een done. 'he meas"res adopted to minimise the

proects environmental impact have een detailed in the nvironmental )mpact *ssessment report which

incl"des controlled lastin! that will e adopted in the initial reaches to dampen noise and viration.

!%8 %%3e>' In#a a;' are 4#tPr%Ge+t r%n Trt"

• ow did Goo!le )nc., a start-"p that had maored in the art and science of )nternet search, create maps that

have ecome the !o-to !"ide for comm"ters world overY

• * first of its #ind report on what Goo!le d"s as FPr%Ge+t r%n Trt">, its ver$ secret mappin! pro!ramme,

revealed that ase la$ers for these maps so"rce data from the U.>. ens"s B"rea", the Geolo!ical >"rve$,

and of co"rse, from the famo"s N infamo"sl$ discontin"ed after its la"nch in )ndia N %%3e Street V#e8

&an' that have cloc#ed over 5 million miles till date. *ll this is, of co"rse, cr"nched $ Goo!les sophisticated

al!orithms and clever, ri!oro"s code.




• videntl$, the process of creatin! amon! the most acc"rate maps in the world is comple+, and fascinatin!.

• B"t in )ndia, where an increasin! n"mer of smartphone "sers are lo!!in! on to maps, the <3r%n trt"> #'

'#3n##+ant, #erentH all that $o" see on the !rid on Goo!le &aps in )ndia has een created $ "sers. *n

entirel$ crowd-so"rced prod"ct, o"r maps are created $ "s.

• *lto!ether different from how the search !iant went ao"t mappin! in these developed co"ntries, in )ndia,

Goo!le is onl$ now e+plorin! partnerships with some !overnment estalishments to map r"ral )ndia etter.

• 'he reason the$ choose to foc"s on "sers is eca"se emer!in! mar#ets li#e )ndia are in “h$per-!rowth”. 'his

means, the maps here chan!e ever$ da$. )f ) leave Ban!alore for a $ear, ) come ac# to see an alto!ether

different cit$, "nli#e sa$ >ilicon Lalle$ where not m"ch chan!es. 'here is constant ch"rn of points of

interest, road !eometr$, one-wa$s and "ildin! profiles. 'hat #ind of data cant e !iven fresh to "sers

witho"t !ettin! "sers on oard.

• 'his wo"ld not have een possile if it werenJt for a platform li#e Goo!le &ap &a#er that provided "sers

with a simple, livel$ and interactive platform to map their streets, their nei!ho"rhoods or their cities. )t

solved a prolem that an individ"al compan$ co"ldnJt, $ simpl$ tappin! into the wisdom and initiative of

the crowd.

A '%+#%te+"n%%3#+a ta'=

• Ma; Ma=er$ t"e '%+#%te+"n%%3#+a ;"en%en%n that a small team at Goo!le started in 2DD6 when the$

!eo-ta!!ed UlsoorBen!al"r", is a tool that allows "sers ever$where to edit or create from a scratch7 the

maps the$ "se. &aps, whether "ser-created or otherwise, are scientificall$ some of the most challen!in!

data sets ever dealt with% far from simple te+t or ima!es, the$ involve what in comp"ter science parlance is

called a !raph comprisin! connected ed!es or nodes.

• *nd most of all, the demand for acc"rac$ is so hi!h that maps less than 8 or 89 per cent acc"rate are simpl$

irrelevant.

A++ra+, an rea t#e: !%8 #t' %ne

• 'he hi!h-resol"tion satellite ima!er$ on the &ap &a#er platform is where $o" start. <nce the "ser feeds in

a landmar#, or sa$ names a road, the &ap &a#er encodes the science of comp"tational !eometr$ to

a"tomaticall$ s$nthesise the map ased on individ"al !est"res from "sers.

• 'his e!ins with a "ser vis"all$ !est"rin! their #nowled!e, i.e. s#etch on top of satellite ima!er$. &ap &a#er

then ta#es these small inp"ts from a whole "nch of "sers and s$nthesises that into a connected !raph thatis !eo-spatiall$ overlaid on top of the world.

• *nother #e$ challen!e is ma#in! all this happen in real time. 'hisis what sets Goo!les platform apart from

other comm"nit$-driven <pen >o"rce mappin! proects s"ch as <pen >treet &aps.

• Besides code written $ “ver$ smart en!ineers” to solve what is ovio"sl$ a hard s$stem challen!e, it also

levera!es the Goo!le lo"d.

• 'his !ives Goo!le the ailit$ to manip"late the entire map of the world in real time in its data centres. >o,

ever$ chan!e flows to all the data centres that are servin! maps.

• @or acc"rac$, "ndo"tedl$, the most important prere("isite of a map, the “secret sa"ce” is thetr't

','te$ which comp"ter en!ineers will call a s"pervised learnin! s$stem. 'his is a machine learnin! s$stem




that notes all that people are doin! I who is editin!, who is moderatin! and what which moderator is

sa$in!.

• 'his “tr"st s$stem” co"pled with the comm"nit$ approach lies at the heart of the entire Goo!le &ap

e+perience in )ndia.

• <ver time, the machine learns ased on h"ndreds of si!nals I where can $o" e tr"sted to map, what $o"

map, which re!ions and what #ind of mappin! $o" do. )t creates a profile that informs when $o" come in to

map, the s$stem #nows that $o" are more tr"stworth$.

• <ver 9D per cent edits in )ndia are approved immediatel$ in real time.

• )t is radicall$ different than other comm"nit$-r"n <pen >o"rce proect, i#ipedia eca"se there, the

moderators are hand-pic#ed, and the machine doesnt contin"all$ learn and chan!e $o"r tr"st parameters

ased on $o"r histor$. 'hats static, while this is a tr"l$ d$namic s$stem.

!re' #n In#a

• hile these h"!e technical challen!es have more or less een solved, the path ahead is dotted with “socio-

technolo!ical” h"rdles.

• )n )ndia, for instance, the first 1DD million "sers can e called as the “alifornia )ndians”, who ehave and

have needs similar to his friends ac# in alifornia.

• B"t for the ne+t illion and more, the needs are “e+traordinaril$ different”H their ailit$ to afford devices is

different, their lan!"a!e and content needs are local and ed"cation levels are different.

• 'his translates into them needin! a vis"al e.

• 'he challen!e is to "nderstand what the$ need and "ild services that are different from what Goo!le, and

literall$ the entire )nternet has "ilt for them till now.

• 'hat is, how to !et the mainstream of the world online, ma#e the )nternet "sef"l for them and remove theh"!e information as$mmetr$ that we now live with.

B# t% +reate 4an= %r NA ;r%##n3 % a++'e +%#n3

• 'he "man ?* ;rofilin! Bill, a Bill to create a ?* data centre to profile people acc"sed of serio"s crimes

and "n#nown deceased is in the wor#s.

• rafted $ the epartment of Biotechnolo!$, it allows eo+$riose ?"cleic *cid ?*7 profilin! for cases of

c"lpale homicide, m"rder, death $ ne!li!ence, miscarria!e, dowr$ deaths, ca"sin! death of new orn

child, se+"al assa"lt, "nnat"ral offences, o"tra!in! the modest$ of a woman, co-haitation with a woman $deceit, ad"lter$, enticin! a married woman with criminal intent, amon! others.

Pr%te+t#n3 ;r#&a+,

• *ddressin! iss"es related to protectin! privac$ of individ"als, the draft Bill envisa!es that access to the

information in the ?ational ?* ata Ban# will e restricted to those related to the victim or s"spect% an$

individ"al "nder!oin! a sentence of imprisonment or death sentence can appl$ to the co"rt which convicted

him, for an order of ?* testin! of specific evidence "nder specific conditions.




• 'he "man ?* ;rofilin! Bill see#s to estalish a ?* ;rofilin! Board that will la$ down the standards for

laoratories, collection of h"man od$ s"stances and c"stod$ trail from collection to reportin!. )t also has

a provision for settin! "p a ?ational ?* ata Ban#.

• 'he ?* anal$sis of od$ s"stances ma#es it possile to determine whether the so"rce of ori!in of one

od$ s"stance is identical to that of another, and to estalish the iolo!ical relationship, if an$, etween

two individ"als.

• 'he “forensic material” from which the ?* sample can e lifted is iolo!ical material from the od$ and

represents intimate od$ samples. 'he$ incl"de lood, semen, or an$ other tiss"e fl"id.

• *s envisa!ed in the Bill, the ?* ;rofilin! Board at the national level, will delierate and advise on all ethical

and h"man ri!hts iss"es emanatin! o"t of ?* profilin! in consonance with the United ?ations vis-Z-vis the

ri!hts and privac$ of citiEens, civil lierties and iss"es havin! ethical and other social implications.

• *n$ mis"se of ?* data will attract imprisonment "p to three $ears and monetar$ fine.

• 'he wor#in! draft of the Bill has een sent to the entre for )nternet and >ociet$ for anal$sis and comments.

Cr#t#+#'

• 'he itiEens @or"m for ivil :ierties has alread$ opposed the proposed le!islation and so"!ht pre-emptive

intervention to stop “dan!ero"s” erosion of privac$ $ ?* profilin! of citiEens.

• )n a representation s"mitted to the ?ational "man Ci!hts ommission, the @or"m has said ?* profilin!

is “"ndesirale, partic"larl$ as forensic ?* developments are intertwined with si!nificant chan!es in

le!islation and contentio"s iss"es of privac$, civil liert$ and social "stice.”

• 'he @or"m has so"!ht “immediate intervention to safe!"ard citiEens privac$ and their civil lierties, which

face an "nprecedented onsla"!ht from the provisions of the ?* ;rofilin! Bill and other related s"rveillance

meas"res ein! "lldoEed $ "nre!"lated and "n!overnale technolo!$.”

Mea'r#n3 #3#ta #&#e

• 'he di!ital divide etween the most and least developed co"ntries I meas"red in terms of costs, ("alit$

and connectivit$ I contin"es to !row, accordin! to data released $ the )nternational 'elecomm"nications

Union )'U7.

• Gloal roadand prices have dropped nearl$ 5 per cent etween 2DD9 and 2D11, $et the poorest

co"ntries, partic"larl$ in *frica, contin"e to have the hi!hest connectivit$ costs in the world.

• 'oda$ the :east eveloped o"ntries Q:sR are also the ::s Q:east onnected o"ntriesR.

• *frican co"ntries needed to rationalise price re!imes and increase investments in information and

comm"nication technolo!ies )'7.

• 'he )'U report, &easuring the $nformation Society '()', ran#s 155 co"ntries on the asis of the ICT

e&e%;ent Ine, which meas"res )' access, "se and literac$, and the ICT Pr#+e Ba'=et, a co"ntr$-wise

indicator of )' affordailit$.

• >o"th /orea has the most advanced telecomm"nication infrastr"ct"re in the world, while ?i!er was ran#ed

the worst.

• espite In#as widel$ reported advances and investments in the telecomm"nication sector, the co"ntr$ is

ran=e 11/t" in the world in the )' evelopment )nde+, elow Pimawe, Bh"tan and Ghana.




• )ndia fares sli!htl$ etter in the affordailit$ inde+, and is ran=e 9t" o"t of 161 co"ntries in the )' ;rice

Bas#et );B7 )nde+.

• 'he );B inde+ meas"res comm"nication costs as a percenta!e of Gross ?ational )ncome G?)7 per capita,

and hi!hli!hts the tremendo"s re!ional disparities in connectivit$ costs. @or instance, the avera!e *frican

moile "ser can e+pect to pa$ to almost 2D per cent of her monthl$ income on moile connectivit$ costs,

compared to the avera!e *sian who wo"ld pa$ less than 1D per cent, while the avera!e "ropean wo"ld pa$

a per-cent-and-a-half.

%4a ;a+t %n #'a'ter r#'= re+t#%n

• +pressin! concern over the increasin! impact of disasters and climate chan!e in the *sia and the ;acific,

hi!h-level dele!ations from 5D co"ntries of the re!ion have called for drawin! "p an international

a!reement on disaster ris# red"ction to follow on the $o!o @ramewor# for *ction 2DD5-2D157.

• 'he $o!o @ramewor# for *ction, adopted $ 169 memer >tates of the United ?ations U.?.7 at the orld

isaster Ced"ction onference held in $o!o, apan, in 2DD5, was the first plan to la$ o"t a road map for

!overnments and different sectors to "ild the resilience of nations and comm"nities a!ainst disasters and

red"ce disaster losses.

• 'he 5th *sian &inisterial onference on isaster Cis# Ced"ction or!anised $ the United ?ations <ffice for

isaster Cis# Ced"ction U?)>C7 in collaoration with the )ndonesian ?ational isaster &ana!ement

*!enc$ B?;B7, also called "pon sta#eholders to participate f"ll$ in the cons"ltations now "nder wa$

worldwide to mainstream disaster ris# red"ction in the development a!enda and provide inp"ts for the

post-2D15 framewor#. 'he conference o"tcome was "nanimo"sl$ a!reed at a f"ll-plenar$ session.

e, eeent' % t"e H%3,a=arta e+arat#%n #n+e

inte!rate local disaster ris# red"ction and climate chan!e adaptation into national development

plannin!%

identif$ acco"ntailit$ meas"res for effective implementation %

political commitment to deliver at all levels%

promote awareness, ed"cation, p"lic access to information and resilient investments% and

allocate reso"rces to "ild local capacit$.

• 'he conference has een a rea#thro"!h in ens"rin! that "ildin! disaster resilience and red"cin! ris# areemedded into the post-2D15 development a!enda.

• 'he world has alwa$s loo#ed to *sia for leadership in disaster mana!ement and the Oo!$a#arta eclaration

o"tlines clearl$ what the re!ionJs e+pectations are for a new international a!reement on disaster ris#

red"ction.

• 'he declaration concerns not onl$ *sia "t the entire world and it was necessar$ that all sta#e holders p"sh

the a!enda of ris# red"ction.

• )t is in the interest of the co"ntries to ma#e disaster ris# red"ction a national priorit$ and man$ have alread$

done so.

• owever, it is si!nificant to note that man$ co"ntries started wor#in! on the a!enda onl$ after the )ndian

<cean ts"nami in 2DD4.




PUBLIC !EALT!

Ne8 entrant' t% !eat" Care

• 'he &edical o"ncil of )ndia &)7 has finall$ !iven the !reen si!nal to a three-and-a-half-$ear medical

co"rse I B>c in omm"nit$ ealth. 'his has the potential of chan!in! the face and f"nctionin! of more than

one la#h primar$ health centres ;7 in the co"ntr$, especiall$ in remote r"ral and trial areas and

mo"ntaino"s terrain.

• 'he move reverses a historic decision ta#en $ >ir .. Bhore, chairman of )ndias first health s"rve$ and

development committee in 1852, to aolish the :icentiate in &edical ;ractice :&;7 and estalish a sin!le

medical ("alification, a "niversit$ de!ree &BB>, as the re("irement to ecome a doctor.

• Unfort"natel$, &BB> doctors ta"!ht in "ran medical colle!es have een "nwillin! to serve in far-fl"n! and

inaccessile areas.

• *t present, 26 per cent of doctors live in r"ral areas, servin! 2 per cent of )ndias pop"lation. 'he densit$ of

doctors in "ran areas is nearl$ fo"r times that of r"ral areas. 'his anomal$ has lon! needed to e corrected.

• 'he process e!an on @er"ar$ 6, 2D1D, when e+perts in medical ed"cation and p"lic health who had

!athered in elhi for a two-da$ national cons"ltation, !ave their f"ll ac#in! to the amitio"s proect of the

Union ealth &inistr$ and the &) to la"nch the Bachelor of C"ral &edicine and >"r!er$ BC&>7 co"rse.

• )n >eptemer 2D11, the ;lannin! ommission and its e+pert !ro"p !ave their approval to the three-and-a-

half-$ear lon! BC&> de!ree. 'he$ even recommended that as a career pro!ression incentive, a BC&>

candidate ma$ e promoted to the level of p"lic health officer after 1D $ears of service.

• @inall$, a $ear after that, the &) has endorsed BC&> "nder the new name B>c in omm"nit$ ealth.

• 'his sho"ld not e seen as somethin! “s"standard” dished o"t to “second !rade citiEens” of the co"ntr$. *t

the level of the ;, this medical ("alification will s"ffice.

C"e+=' an 4aan+e'

• &an$ h$pothetical catastrophic scenarios have een predicted. ill the$ not e tempted into private

practiceY ont the$ not mi!rate to "ran areas and compete with &BB> doctorsY ill the$ e re("ired to

ta#e !overnment os in r"ral areas as a condition of admissionY ho will control=ens"re the ("alit$ of their

ed"cationY

• B"t there are some preca"tionar$ meas"res in place.

• BC&> !rad"ates cannot affi+ the prefi+ “r.” to their names.

• 'he candidates are locall$ recr"ited to serve !overnment health instit"tions "nder a service ond. 'he$ will

have a clear career pro!ression path as “health officers” "p to the district level.

• 'he co"rse is desi!ned to prod"ce health wor#ers who will e an effective lin# etween asic health wor#ers

and the doctor at the ; or comm"nit$ health centre 7.

• 'he$ will e ta"!ht to treat minor ailments, help in deliver$ and administer first aid% "t most importantl$,

when and where to refer a pateint promptl$, in case of complications.

• 'he$ will e "sed for implementation of national pro!rammes also. 'he decisions to accept and implement

the co"rse are now with >tate !overnments.

• hhattis!arh, where this model was adopted in 2DD1, has shown that it can e s"ccessf"ll$ implemented

with !ood res"lts.




• :et the efforts of the &inistr$ of ealth A @amil$ elfare and the &) ta#e root and show res"lts in fo"r

$ears. 'he medicall$ mar!inalised people of r"ral )ndia sho"ld e the "d!e of its s"ccess or otherwise.

S;;%rt %r t"e t8##3"t ,ear'

• )ndia is !earin! "p to loo# after its a!ein! pop"lation which is proected to to"ch 315 million $ 2D5D as

a!ainst the present 8D million. * lar!e proportion of this pop"lation wo"ld e women.

• *fter havin! anno"nced an amitio"s ?ational ;ro!ramme for ealth are f or lderl$ ?;7 in 2D1D-11 to

provide separate and specialised comprehensive health care to the senior citiEens, the &inistr$ of ealth

and @amil$ elfare proposes to develop two ?ational )nstit"tes of *!ein! in the 12th @ive Oear ;lan.

• 'he two instit"tes will e set "p at the &adras &edical olle!e and *))&>, ?ew elhi with an oective to

"nderta#e research on a!ein! in addition to other thin!s li#e providin! health care to the senior citiEens.

• *s of now, the pro!ramme has een implemented in D districts and is e+pected to cover the entire co"ntr$

d"rin! the 12th ;lan. )ts main oective is to provide preventive, c"rative and rehailitative services to the

elderl$ persons at vario"s levels of health care deliver$.

• )t also aims at stren!thenin! referral s$stem to develop specialised manpower and to promote research in

the field of diseases related to old a!e.

• 'he re!ional instit"tions are e+pected to provide technical s"pport to the !eriatric "nits at district hospitals

whereas district hospitals s"pervise and coordinate the activities at the comm"nit$ health centres, primar$

health centres and s"-centres.

• lose to 65 per cent senior citiEens s"ffer from a chronic ailment of which arthritis=rhe"matism,

h$pertension, cataract and diaetes are the most prevalent. *o"t one-third s"ffer from two or more

chronic ailments sim"ltaneo"sl$.• )n !eneral, moridit$ levels tend to e hi!her amon! females across all a!e !ro"ps of elderl$ and also

associated with socio-economic classes with e+pected r"ral-"ran differentials.

• )n case of hospitalisation, an avera!e senior citiEen spends over Cs. 9,9DD incl"din! for cons"ltation,

medicines and dia!nostics. )n the case of o"t-patient treatment, the avera!e e+pendit"re is ao"t Cs. 1,23D

I hi!her in "ran areas than in the r"ral. )n addition, the elderl$ also spend Cs. 5DD or more ever$ month

towards medicines to treat their chronic illnesses.

Ur4an "eat" #n#t#at#&e 12t"

Pan

• 'he proposal for an "ran health initiativewith foc"s on primar$ health care for the "ran poor has een

cleared $ the +pendit"re @inance ommittee @7.

• 'he 12th ;lan doc"ment approved $ the ainet provided for a s"stantial "mp in the plan o"tla$ !ivin! a

central position to health.

• onsiderin! that p"lic e+pendit"re on health in )ndia is one of the lowest in the world and disease "rden

is the hi!hest, the increase in ;lan o"tla$ is a timel$ and welcome e!innin!.

• *nother important step in the 12th ;lan is the move to simplif$ and rationalise f"ndin! to >tates and to

provide them with the m"ch needed fle+iilit$ to prioritise and devise strate!ies that meet their needs.




• )t was planned to provide the same fle+iilit$ "nder the isease ontrol ;ro!rammes as e+isted in the

Ceprod"ctive and hild ealth @le+i-pool and &ission @le+i-pool.

• * !reat distance has een covered d"rin! the 11th ;lan period, res"ltin! in tremendo"s addition of health

infrastr"ct"re, as well as h"man reso"rces, "t there still remain several areas of concern.

• Under the ?C&, several thr"st areas had een identified for implementation in the 12th ;lan. 'hese

incl"ded stren!thenin! ealth >" entres to develop them as first ports of call for health care,

stren!thenin! istrict ospitals to provide advanced level of secondar$ health care within the district itself

and developin! istrict ospitals as #nowled!e centres. 'he !overnment is also movin! towards Universal

ealth are. anani >hish" >"ra#sha /ar$a#ram is la"nched to provide free care to pre!nant women and

neonates.

• 'here is !oin! to e an initiative to provide free essential medicines in all p"lic health facilities and

"niversal screenin! of children for disease, disailit$ and deficienc$ with free follow-"p treatments,

incl"din! those in tertiar$ p"lic health facilities.

An #n#t#at#&e %r 8a'te ana3eent #n 12t"

;an

• ith risin! constr"ction cost and demand from vario"s sectors for conventional "ildin! materials, a move

is afoot to "se waste material for la$in! roads.

• 'he 12 @ive-Oear ;lan aims at !ivin! a thr"st to the initiative.

• 'he Union &inistr$ of Coad 'ransport and i!hwa$s favo"rs"tilisation of waste materials as reserves of

traditional materials are declinin!, ma#in! e+traction of ("alit$ inp"ts dearer.

• 'he Centra R%a Re'ear+" In't#tte (CRRI) has !ained e+pertise in "se of a3r#+tra$ n#+#;a$

+%n'tr+t#%n an e%#t#%n 8a'te'$ etar3#+a #n'tr, 8a'te an 4,;r%+t'$ arr, 8a'te$;&er#'e e a'"$ #a%n #ne 8a'te an ;a;er #n'tr, 8a'te.

• "rin! tests, roads constr"cted with these wastes were %n t% 4e at ;ar with, if not etter than, the ones

traditionall$ laid with soil, stone a!!re!ates, sand, it"men and cement.

• 'ho"!h the )ndian Coad on!ress has standardised most of the CC) specifications, these have not een p"t

to "se $ the road constr"ction ind"str$ as $et.

• 'o carr$ forward the initiative, the CC) has een directed t% ;re;are a ata4a'e on availailit$ of waste

and mar!inal materials to optimise their "se in constr"ction of hi!hwa$s.

T"e Pr%4e

• hile the effort wo"ld help in addressin! waste disposal and conservin! nat"ral reso"rces, the prolem was

availailit$ of waste materials close to the constr"ction proect.

• 'he inhiitin! factor is transportation.

• :ar!e ha"la!e wo"ld have its impact on environment and f"el costs and wo"ld o"twei!h the enefits of

waste removal.

• 'his e+plains the !overnment effort at preparin! a dataase on availailit$ of waste and mar!inal materials

to assess the cost of s"stit"tin! these for nat"ral materials and find means of ma#in! them economical.




C"an3e' #n re' %r +#n#+a tr#a'

• Under sharp criticism for inade("ate monitorin! of clinical trials in the co"ntr$, the !overnment is

contemplatin! maor chan!es in the r"!s and osmetics *ct, 184D, and its C"les.

• 'hese wo"ld ma#e it mandator$ for the )nvesti!ator to report all serio"s adverse events, incl"din! deaths, to

the r"!s ontroller General of )ndia G)7, as well as the sponsor and the ethics committee, within 24

ho"rs of occ"rrence.

• 'he G) will constit"te a committee of e+perts to anal$se the report of the )nvesti!ator, the sponsor, and

the ethics committee, to arrive at the e+act ca"se of the in"r$ or death, a nd it shall then recommend the

e+act ("ant"m of compensation in case of trial-related in"r$ or deaths within three months.

• 'here is also a proposal which ma#es it mandator$ for the sponsor to provide medical care to the person

who s"ffers in"r$ d"rin! trial, for as lon! as re("ired. 'here will e a specific provision in the C"les for

pa$ment of compensation to the affected persons=their nominees, for trial-related in"ries and deaths.

• )n order to capt"re the socio-economic ac#!ro"nd of the persons participatin! in the trial, it is proposed to

modif$ the )nformed onsent @orm to capt"re ("alifications, occ"pation, ann"al income, and address of the

person concerned. Ce("irements and !"idelines for re!istration of the ethics committee wo"ld e

prescried in the C"les.

• owever, this method has drawn a lot of fla#, as there have een complaints related to violation of ethics,

and pre"diced reports of the ethics committee. ven the e+istin! manner of sec"rin! consent from the

s"ects has een ("estioned $ ri!hts-ased health activists.

• *pplications of In&e't#3at#%na Ne8 r3' (IN)$ which have never earlier een "sed in h"man ein!s, are

eval"ated $ the )? committee, chaired $ the irector General of the )ndian o"ncil of &edical Cesearch.

ea, #'ea'e$ e';erate ea're'a;ane'e en+e;"a#t#' (E)

• ith tho"sands of $o"n! lives ein! lost and an e("al n"mer of children rendered disaled for life, the

!overnment has prepared a comprehensive strate!$ to tac#le a;ane'e en+e;"a#t#' (E) an a+te

en+e;"a#t#' ',nr%e (AES). 'he dreaded disease has alread$ spread to 1 >tates affectin! 11 districts.

• 'he amitio"s strate!$ involves the &inistries of rin#in! ater and >anitation, >ocial "stice and

mpowerment, o"sin! and Uran ;overt$ *lleviation and omen and hild evelopment which have

een !iven separate schemes to e implemented.

• hile the lar!est ch"n# of the f"nds will !o to the rin#in! ater and >anitation evelopment &inistr$, the

&inistr$ of ealth and @amil$ elfare will e responsile for stren!thenin! of p"lic health activities and

vaccination.

• 'he M#n#'tr, % r#n=#n3 @ater an San#tat#%n will wor# for replacin! shallow p"lic hand p"mps with deep

ore p"mps and solid and li("id waste mana!ement and to incentivise and provide credit to ho"seholds for

constr"ction and "sa!e of sanitation facilities at homes, in schools and other !overnment "ildin!s in

addition to creatin! awareness on h$!iene.

• 'he M#n#'tr, % !eat" an Fa#, @eare will stren!then hospitals and p"lic health facilities in 6D priorit$

districts, incl"din! estalishin! pediatric )Us, set "p 2D new =*> s"rveillance sites and co"nsellin!

centres.




• <n its part, the &inistr$ will set "p and operate 15 new rehailitation centres for disaled children in fo"r

>tates.

• 'he &inistr$ of omen and hild evelopment will train and sensitisean!anwadi wor#ers and their

s"pervisors re!ardin! =*>.

• 'he &inistr$ will also provide 'a#e ome Cation 'C7 to moderatel$ "nderno"rished children in 6D

districts. 'C is "s"all$ !iven to pre!nant and lactatin! women, children from si+ months of a!e to three

$ears and severel$ malno"rished children as the$ do not attend the an!anwadicentres on a dail$ asis.

• 'he disease affects mostl$ children elow the a!e of 15 $ears, of which 25 per cent die, and amon! the

s"rvivors ao"t 3D-4D per cent s"ffer from ph$sical and mental impairment.

• hile is ca"sed $ a vir"s which is transmitted thro"!h mos("itoes, *> is an enteroviral infection

transmitted thro"!h contaminated water. Underno"rished children with low imm"nit$ levels ecome eas$

tar!ets of the vir"s.

• 'he >tates where the disease has spread to are *ndhra ;radesh, *ssam, Bihar, Goa, elhi, ar$ana,

har#hand, /arnata#a, /erala, &aharashtra, &anip"r, ;"na, 'amil ?ad", Uttara#hand, Uttar ;radesh, est

Ben!al.

ENVIRONMENT

C%P11 C%neren+e %n B#%#&er'#t,

@ollowin! are the hi!hli!hts of the o;-11 onference on Biodiversit$ concl"ded in $deraad on 18 <ctoer, 2D12H

• :ar!est ever s"ch conference or!anised in )ndia. 1D co"ntries participated. 'he n"mer of pre re!istered

dele!ates aro"nd 15DDD. &inister=Lice &inister level participation aro"nd 9D. &ore than 4DD side events N

man$ or!anised $ the orld Ban#, U?;, G@, other co"ntries and )nternational and national ?G<s.

• 'he elements of s"ccessf"l o; were flawless lo!istics, strate!ic thin#in! in the development of *!endas

content, participation of a lar!e n"mer of sta#eholders and pers"asive $et effective ne!otiations.

• <ne of the most important o"tcomes of the o; is the commitment of the ;arties to do"le the

international financial flows for Bio iversit$ $ 2D15. 'his will translate into additional financial flows to the

developin! co"ntries to the t"ne of ao"t U> V 3D illion e("ivalent to ao"t Cs. 1,5D,DDD crore over the

ne+t 9 $ears. 'his is a maor achievement especiall$ in the conte+t of

1. Gloal economic downt"rn

2. ontentio"s stands re!ardin! the ro"st aseline and the reportin! mechanism

3. *sence of an$ s"ch tar!et in the recommendation sent to the o; $ GC)

4. ith no proposal from or#in! Gro"p on Ceview of )mplementation GC)7 the ;arties wo"ld not

have come with the re("ired clearance from the respective @inance &inistries.

)ndia rectified the sit"ation $ her initiatives

1. >"!!ested a two trac# sol"tion envisa!in! a preliminar$ tar!et and a road map.

2. o-sponsored informal dialo!"e to promote etter Understandin! amon! the parties of the iss"es involved.




3. o-sponsored )ndia U/ i!h :evel ;anel to assess the re("irement of f"nds.

4. or#ed closel$ with the B"rea" to introd"ce a specific element of preliminar$ tar!et, so that the parties

come prepared with mandates from their @inance &inistries.

5. "rin! the o; )ndia led the efforts of the ;arties to find a satisfactor$ o"tcome

• a$ @orward )ndia will li#e to pla$ its leadership role d"rin! )ndias ;residenc$ $ s"pportin! and

hostin! capacit$ "ildin! in the developin! co"ntries to help them prepare proect proposals to avail

the additional f"ndin! now envisa!ed.

• )ndia will now e wor#in! closel$ with all the memer co"ntries to ma#e a s"ccess of the $deraad

Coad &ap. )ndia will also share its e+perience with other co"ntries to help them estalish a ro"st

aseline, so that the tar!et for reso"rces fi+ed now is f"rther refined $ o; 12. )ndia has alread$ set

apart a s"m of Cs. 5D crores towards >o"th >o"th cooperation.

• )ndia has la"nched the initiative of $deraad ;led!e which is now availale on the we site of B.

*ll the co"ntries are re("ested to pled!e mone$ for the ca"se of io diversit$. &@ will now write to

all the &inisters the world over re("estin! them to pled!e additional reso"rces for Biodiversit$.

• )ndia has alread$ ratified ?a!o$a ;rotocol on *ccess and Benefit sharin!. )ndia d"rin! its ;residenc$

will wor# tirelessl$ for the ratification of the ;rotocol $ 5D co"ntries so that it comes into force

d"rin! the ;residenc$ of )ndia. 'owards this end, )ndia will offer to host the meetin! of the )nter

Governmental ommittee of ?a!o$a ;rotocol. )ndia will also host capacit$ "ildin! wor#shops of

developin! o"ntries to help them ta#e le!islative = administrative meas"res. )ndia has alread$

offered to meet part of the cost of the meetin! of the or#in! Gro"p on *rt. 9 on 'raditional

/nowled!e.

• *fter the reso"ndin! s"ccess of the >cience +press Biodiversit$ >pecial. 'he Government will ta#e

special efforts to increase the reach of this +press to even more remote corners of the co"ntr$ to

increase the awareness ao"t Biodiversit$.

• &an$ dele!ates who visited the Biodiversit$ e+press in $deraad wanted somethin! similar done

in their co"ntr$. )ndia will e+plore wa$s of replicatin! this wonderf"l s"ccess of Biodiversit$ +press

in other co"ntries $ providin! them appropriate s"pport.

• )n $deraad, a commemorative ;$lon and a Biodiversit$ Garden have een estalished. 'he ;rime

&inister of )ndia had planted the first tree on ehalf of )ndia, representatives of the participatin!

co"ntries have also planted trees. )t has een decided to estalish a Biodiversit$ &"se"m on this

site. 'his will e a to#en of !ratit"de to the people of $deraad whose hospitalit$ had won the

heart of ever$ international dele!ate. $deraad is the first host cit$ of B o; to estalish

commemorative ;$lon, !arden and m"se"m.

• "rin! its ;residenc$ )ndia will ta#e special steps to stren!then the >tate Biodiversit$ Boards and toprepare ;eoples Biodiversit$ Ce!isters at the villa!e level. * s"m of ao"t Cs.25D crores has een

approved for this p"rpose.

• )ndia will s"stantiall$ increase its allocation for Biodiversit$ $ wor#in! closel$ with other &inistries

for mainstreamin! of Biodiversit$.

• )ndia has instit"ted to!ether with U?; Biodiversit$ Governance *wards. 'he first s"ch awards

were !iven d"rin! the o; 11. )t is now proposed to instit"te Caiv Gandhi )nternational *ward for

arnessin! Biodiversit$ for :ivelihood.




Sea t#3er' a+e +#ate t"reat

• 'he worlds lar!est man!rove forest, t"e Snar4an', is increasin!l$ ecomin! v"lnerale to risin! sea levels

and fre("ent nat"ral disasters.

• 'he >"ndarans form an archipela!o straddlin! )ndia and Ban!ladesh, and are part of the delta of Gan!a,

Brahmap"tra and &e!hna asin. 'he )ndian part of the delta comprises of 1D2 islands of which onl$ 54 are

inhaited7 in 18 loc#s in est Ben!al.

• *o"t a million people in the >"ndarans coe+ist with 26 species of tr"e man!roves, 234 species of irds

and 4 species of mammals incl"din! the R%,a Ben3a t#3er "ni("el$ inhaitin! a man!rove forest7 all of

which face a threat from !loal warmin!.

• Cesearchers of the >chool of <ceano!raphic >t"dies, adavp"r Universit$, estimate that ann"al sea level rise

is from 3.14 millimetres recorded till 2DDD to ao"t 9 mm in 2D1D.

• “)ndian >"ndarans eltaH * Lision” a report prepared $ the instit"te as well as orld ide @"nd @or

?at"re - )ndia @7 estimates that nearl$ one million people will ecome climate chan!e ref"!ees $ the

$ear 2D5D. 'he report s"!!ests a planned retreat from v"lnerale areas and plantin! of man!roves in those

areas.

• *n"ra!anda, the @s head of >"ndarans :andscape said that there is evidence that "ildin!

eman#ments alon! the v"lnerale islands will prove f"tile.

• <ver the past decades some islands, oth inhaited and "ninhaited, have disappeared. hile an inhaited

island, :ohachara, was lost to the sea in 188D, $ 2DDD, the "ninhaited ?ew &oore island was s"mer!ed.

• <ne estimate $ the United ?ations evelopment ;ro!ramme in 2D1D sa$s that 15 per cent of the

>"ndarans will !o "nder $ 2D2D.

B%at +a;a#3n t% 'a&e enan3ere an3et#+ %;"#n

• i!hteen oats were pressed into service to cover ao"t 2,9DD #m of the Gan!etic river s$stem in Uttar

;radesh in the #r't aG%r #n#t#at#&e towards creatin! awareness of conservin! the criticall$ endan!ered

species of Gan!etic dolphin Platanistaangetica7. 'he species is endemic to the Gan!etic river s$stem.

• 'he three-da$ <Sa&e an3a$ Sa&e %;"#n> campai!n was la"nched $ the U.;. @orest department in

association with the orld ildlife @"nd @7 and involvin! 14 ?G<s and local vol"nteers.

• 'he campai!n is also meant to collect aseline information on distri"tion of the dolphins and pop"lation

stat"s in the >tate.

• alled the FT#3er % t"e an3e', the Gan!etic dolphin is an #n#+at%r an#a (;reat%r).

• )t is one of the fo"r species fo"nd worldwide and eno$s the same position in the river ecos$stem as the

ti!er in the forest.

• ith the riverine s$stem facin! m"ltiple threats, the n"mer of dolphins declined to ao"t 1,6DD in 2DD5

from 4,DDD-5,DDD in 1892.

• )t is said that at the t"rn of the last cent"r$, the Gan!etic dolphin pop"lation was aro"nd 5D,DDD.

• 'he first ever step to conserve the Gan!etic dolphin has a twin oective of #nowin! the headco"nt of the

mammal and p"licisin! the campai!n for its conservation




• @ra!mentation of rivers with dams and arra!es ca"sin! lean flow, siltation, poll"tion and indiscriminate

e+traction of river water, apart from dolphins ein! accidentall$ ca"!ht in fishermens nets, are a aG%r

t"reat to their s"rvival.

!%'e ';arr%8 e"#>' State 4#r

• 'he h"mle ho"se sparrow has ecome the >tate ird of elhi

• 'he idea ehind ma#in! the ho"se sparrow the >tate ird was to protect it as the n"mer of ho"se sparrows

in the cit$ had declined sharpl$ d"e to rapid "ranisation.

• 'he sparrows fl$ within a radi"s of two to three #ilometres of their nests. 'herefore, it is re("ired to create

an atmosphere cond"cive to the haitat of sparrows in the cit$.

T#3er At"%r#t, +an n%t#, t%r#' n%r'

• 'he >"preme o"rt has permitted the Nat#%na T#3er C%n'er&at#%n At"%r#t, (NTCA), &inistr$ of

nvironment and @orests, to notif$ its fresh omprehensive G"idelines on >trate!$, 'i!er onservation and

'o"rism in and aro"nd 'i!er Ceserves.

• owever, > made it clear that it wo"ld not validate or invalidate or !ive its seal of approval to the

!"idelines. ith several >tates pointin! o"t certain deficiencies in the !"idelines, the Bench said, it wo"ld e

open to the a!!rieved parties to challen!e them.

• 'he Bench said the plea of the entre and the >tates for liftin! the an imposed on to"rist activities in core

areas wo"ld e considered at the ne+t hearin! on <ctoer 16 after the entre iss"ed the notification on the

fresh !"idelines, which envisa!e that 2D per cent of the core reserve area e permitted for to"rism.

• *fter the co"rt had imposed the an, several >tates and other sta#eholders "r!ed the entre to revisit the

!"idelines. *ccordin!l$ the entre filed an application see#in! modification of the order.

• >"se("entl$ the co"rt as#ed the entre to hold cons"ltations with all the >tates and others and come o"t

with fresh !"idelines.

<S"#t %+' t% e+%t%r#'>

• +plainin! the need for shiftin! the foc"s from wildlife to"rism to ecoto"rism, the ?'* recommended that

a ma+im"m of 2D per cent of the core=critical ti!er haitat "sa!e not e+ceedin! the present "sa!e7 for

re!"lated, low-impact to"rist visits e permitted $ the co"rt.

• )n case the c"rrent "sa!e e+ceeds 2D per cent, the :ocal *rea ommittee ma$ decide on a time frame for

rin!in! it down to 2D per cent. >"ch area ma$ e demarcated as a to"rism Eone and there sho"ld e strict

adherence to the site specific carr$in! capacit$.

• coto"rism is proposed to e fostered "nder ;roect 'i!er to enefit the host comm"nit$ in accordance with

the 'i!er Ceserve-specific 'o"rism ;lan formin! part of the onservation ;lan, s"ect to re!"lation as per

carr$in! capacit$, with the foc"s on "ffer areas. owever, no new to"rism infrastr"ct"re sho"ld e

permitted in s"ch core=critical ti!er haitats.




Uttara="an t%;' #n en&#r%nenta 'tanar'

• Uttara#hand has more than "st nat"ral ea"t$ to oast of. )t also tops the list of est-performin! >tates and

Union territories in terms of environmental well-ein!.

• Uttara#hand is followed $ imachal ;radesh, handi!arh, >i##im, and *ndhra ;radesh on the ;lannin!

ommissions nvironmental ;erformance )nde+ ;)7 list.

• nvironmental well-ein! is one of the considerations for devol"tion of f"nds to the >tates "nder the Gad!il

form"la.

• 'he &inistr$ of nvironment and @orests &o@7 and the ;lannin! ommission, alon! with a few non-

!overnment or!anisations ?G<7, created an nvironmental performance inde+ wherein cities are ran#ed

accordin! to criteria s"ch as air poll"tion, water poll"tion, conditions of forests, climate chan!e and waste

mana!ement.

• &iEoram, /erala, Goa, >i##im, 'rip"ra, ;"d"cherr$ and *ndaman and ?icoar, with an avera!e score of 1,

have een ran#ed as the 4e't State' #n ter' % a#r a#t,.

• )ronicall$, e+cept for Uttara#hand, all the >tates meet the prescried national amient air ("alit$ standard in

respect of the s"lph"r dio+ide of 2D micro!rams per c"ic metre.

• 'he indicators considered for meas"rin! the amient air ("alit$ performance are s"lph"r dio+ide, nitro!en

o+ide, and partic"late matter.

• On 8ater a#t, 'tanar', e+cept for imachal ;radesh, which has set "p 1DD per cent treatment capacit$

for sewa!e, the treatment capacit$ in the remainin! >tates ran!es from D 13 >tates7 to less than 2D per cent

9 >tates7 and more than 5D per cent in fo"r >tates, indicatin! a pathetic performance in this respect.

• >ewa!e disposal, water ("alit$ of rivers I dissolved o+$!en, total coliform co"nt and the percenta!e of

water e+ploitation I are considered for the >tate-wise performance for water ("alit$.

• On %re't +%n'er&at#%n, handi!arh, >i##im, *r"nachal ;radesh, Uttara#hand and &adh$a ;radesh areamon! the five est-performin! >tates that have preserved forests as well as increased cover.

Internat#%na ,ear % S'ta#na4e Ener3, %r A

• )n reco!nition of the importance of ener!$ access for s"stainale economic development and s"pportin!

achievement and s"pportin! achievement of the &illenni"m evelopment Goals, the United ?ations

General *sseml$ has desi!nated 2D12 as the “)nternational $ear of >"stainale ner!$ for *ll”. )n s"pport

of this declaration, &inistr$ of ?ew and Cenewale ner!$, Government of )ndia or!aniEed a two da$ !loal

ministerial level international seminar on ner!$ *ccess. 'he seminar envisa!ed as an international platform

for !overnment, private sector, and non- !overnmental leaders to ointl$ address the !oal of achievin!

ner!$ *ccess.

• 'he plenar$ session was ina"!"rated $ ;rime &inister, r.&anmohan >in!h on 8th <ctoer at Li!$an

Bhavan. 'he seminar aimed to share and e+chan!e e+periences, est practices and innovative sol"tions on

ener!$ iss"es. *o"t 3D co"ntries participated in the two da$ seminar. @ollowin! o"tcome emer!ed o"t of

the conference.

• *ctive involvement of developed co"ntries for ens"rin! availailit$ of ener!$ access technolo!ies,

partnerin! in innovation and also for enhancin! technolo!ical capailities. 'echnolo!ical advances sho"ld e




promoted thro"!h research and development, and stren!thenin! of relevant re!ional, national and local

instit"tions for s"stainale development%

• )nternational cooperation in developin! and disseminatin! innovative ener!$ access technolo!ies and

provision of new, additional and predictale financial reso"rces and investment appropriate to the needs of

developin! co"ntries% and

• >ettin! "p an international mechanism to facilitate research and development in ener!$ access and

renewale ener!$ technolo!ies in the p"lic domain to allow access to s"ch technolo!ies at affordale

prices.

Ne8 8etan' e+%n%#+' re;%rt

• * maor report that will help co"ntries "nderstand the economic val"e of inland wetlands, which cover a

vast area of the earths land s"rface and provide #e$ ecos$stem services, was released at the conference ofthe onvention on Biolo!ical iversit$.

• 'he messa!e of the report is simpl$, Fdrain it, lose it. )nland wetlands cover at least 8.5 million s( #m of the

earths s"rface, and to!ether with coastal wetlands, 12.9 million s( #m.

• Cestoration of this partic"lar t$pe of ecos$stem is the most e+pensive.

• 'hese water odies provide clean water for drin#in! and a!ric"lt"re, coolin! water for the ener!$ sector%

the$ also re!"late floods. *!ric"lt"re, fisheries and to"rism sectors depend heavil$ on the health of

wetlands.

• )n 1DD $ears, we have mana!ed to destro$ ao"t 5D per cent of the worlds wetlands, which is a st"nnin!

fi!"re,” said the report titled “'he conomics of cos$stems and Biodiversit$ for ater and etlands” 'B

for wetlands7.• 'he perception that wetlands are not essential to the f"nctionin! of societies and economies, contri"tes to

their destr"ction.

• 'he 'B report has een commissioned $ the Camsar onvention.

• )ndia, a si!nator$ to the onvention, has 25 wetlands listed "nder the covenant s"ch as hili#a7 and ao"t

15D identified wetlands of national importance.

• 'he co"ntr$ is ein! pers"aded $ international monitors to p"t in place mana!ement plans for the

protected sites.

• owever, the conservation approach in )ndia has to move from a Fp"ritanical one, to one that emphasises

economic val"e and its vital lin# to h"man s"rvival.

• )ndias challen!e is to define wetlands on so"nd lines, and appl$ the r"les it iss"ed in 2D1D for conservation

and mana!ement of these water odies.

• B"ildin! activit$ in fast-e+pandin! cities is drainin! wetlands, and man$ are also ein! filled with !ara!e.

Ban %n t%r#' #n t#3er re'er&e'> +%re area' 3%e'

• 'he >"preme o"rt lifted the an on to"rist activities in core areas of ti!er reserve forests, after the

!overnment notified the revised !"idelines for the 41 ti!er reserves to e followed $ >tates.




• 'he co"rt said, “*ll concerned a"thorities will ens"re that the !"idelines shall e strictl$ in accordance with

notification and re("irements of !"idelines are complied with efore commencin! to"rism.”

Fre'" 3#e#ne'

• 'he entre held cons"ltations with the >tates and others and came o"t with fresh !"idelines. *ccordin!l$,

the ?'* form"lated fresh !"idelines.

• 'he omprehensive G"idelines on >trate!$, 'i!er onservation and 'o"rism in and aro"nd 'i!er Ceserves

envisa!ed that 2D per cent of the core reserve area sho"ld e permitted for to"rism.

• >hiftin! the foc"s from wildlife to"rism to eco-to"rism, the ?'* had recommended that a ma+im"m of 2D

per cent of the core=critical ti!er haitat "sa!e not e+ceedin! the present "sa!e7 for re!"lated, low-impact

to"rist visitation mi!ht e permitted $ the co"rt.

• )t said, “)n case the c"rrent "sa!e e+ceeds 2D per cent, the :ocal *rea ommittee ma$ decide on a time

frame for rin!in! down the "sa!e to 2D per cent. >"ch area ma$ e demarcated as to"rism Eone and there

sho"ld e strict adherence to site-specific carr$in! capacit$.”

• <ther s"!!estions areH “'he >tates sho"ld enact law to re!"late ti!er to"rism I to"rist facilities% to"r

operators sho"ld not ca"se dist"rance to animals% to"rism infrastr"ct"re m"st e environment-friendl$ li#e

"sa!e of solar ener!$, waste rec$clin! and rainwater harvestin! etc% permanent to"rist facilities located

inside the core areas sho"ld e phased o"t in a time frame and 1D per cent of the reven"e !enerated from

pil!rim centres located in ti!er reserves m"st e "sed for development of local comm"nities.”

eAta' % ar#ne 4#r area'

• *n e-*tlas of &arine-$mportant +ird *reas, was la"nched $ the Bird:ife )nternational at the on!oin! 11th

onference of the ;arties <;117 to the onvention on Biolo!ical iversit$ B7.

• 'he inventor$, coverin! 3DDD I;%rtant B#r Area' (IBA') worldwide, was descried as a maor contri"tion

to marine conservation and a vital reso"rce for meetin! the B tar!et of protectin! 1DT of marine and

coastal areas $ 2D2D.

• )t will also e cr"cial to the process of descriin! E+%%3#+a, %r B#%%3#+a, S#3n##+ant ar#ne Area'

(EBSA') and will have si!nificant inp"t into the sitin! of offshore ener!$ infrastr"ct"re, accordin! to a note

circ"lated at the <;11.

• 'he e-*tlas will e availale e+cl"sivel$ online. :i#e Goo!le &ap, it will e d$namicall$ "pdated as new sitesare identified and new data ao"t them ecome availale.

• )t will e lin#ed to other Bird:ife data reso"rces.

• >eairds are now the most threatened !ro"p of irds. 'he$ present "ni("e conservation prolems, since

man$ species travel tho"sands of #ilometres across international waters and m"ltiple e+cl"sive economic

Eones, and onl$ ret"rnin! to land to reed.

• Given the vast distances the$ cover, the lon! periods the$ spend at sea and the m"ltiple threats the$ face

there, identif$in! a networ# of priorit$ sites for their conservation is vital to ens"re their f"t"re s"rvival.




C%n+entrate '%ar ;%8er (CSP)

• * recent report released $ the o"ncil on ner!$, nvironment and ater 7, an independent polic$

research instit"tion in collaoration with the U.>. ased ?at"ral Ceso"rces efence o"ncil ?C7, has

shown that concentrated solar power co"ld pla$ an essential role in achievin! a sec"re and diversified

ener!$ f"t"re for )ndia, especiall$ to deal with the iss"es of ener!$ lac#o"ts.

• 'he report titled “oncentrated >olar ;owerH eatin! "p )ndias >olar 'hermal &ar#et "nder the ?ational

>olar &ission” states that )ndia has "mp started its solar ener!$ ind"str$ in "st over two $ears, than#s to

;hase-) of the ?ational >olar &ission.

• * maor contri"tor to this !rowth is solar thermal power, incl"din! seven lar!e-scale concentrated solar

power >;7 proects now "nderwa$ in )ndia.

oncentrated solar power involves s$stems of mirrors that concentrate a lar!e area of s"nli!ht onto a small

area. 'he concentrated li!ht is converted to heat, with a t"rine and electrical power !eneratorIconvertin!

the heat into electricit$. >ince >; allows for stora!e of electricit$, lar!e-scale >; presents several potential

enefits for )ndias ener!$ profile. 'hese incl"de s"ppl$in! electricit$ to help )ndia meet its ase-load needs,

providin! s"pplemental electricit$ d"rin! times of pea# "sa!e and ens"rin! !rid stailit$.

Barr#er'

• espite the anticipated acceleration of >;, however, several arriers e+ist that challen!e the lon!-term

s"stainailit$ of )ndias >; ind"str$. 'hese incl"de the len!th of time re("ired to develop >; proects, hi!h

initial capital costs and a lac# of confidence in the >; mar#et as a whole. and ?Cs report provides

recommendations for the )ndian !overnment, private sector and other sta#eholders to ens"re a ro"st >;

ecos$stem develops to s"pport lon!-term feasiilit$.

Re+%enat#%n'

• 'he report also provides recommendations to stren!then the role of >; in s"se("ent phases of the

mission.

• “ith !reater confidence, investment, and transparenc$, oth sectors have the potential to stren!then

)ndias ener!$ profile while creatin! new "siness opport"nities for domestic developers, man"fact"rers

and s"ppliers, and technolo!$ innovators, he added.

• 'he report recommends that the &inistr$ of ?ew and Cenewale ner!$ co"ld help ramp "p )ndias solar

mission $ la$in! o"t a clear roadmap for ;hase-)), witho"t loc#in! in one technolo!$.




PERSONALITIES

!ar%+"e$ @#nean 8#n N%4e ;r#e %r ;",'#+'

• @renchman >er!e aroche and *merican avid ineland have won the 2D12 ?oel ;riEe in ph$sics for

inventin! and developin! methods for oservin! tin$ ("ant"m particles witho"t destro$in! them, for

!ro"nd-rea#in! e+perimental methods that enale meas"rin! and manip"lation of individ"al ("ant"m

s$stems.

• 'heir !ro"nd-rea#in! methods have enaled this field of research to ta#e the ver$ first steps towards

"ildin! a new t$pe of s"per fast comp"ter ased on ("ant"m ph$sics. 'he research has also led to the

constr"ction of e+tremel$ precise cloc#s that co"ld ecome the f"t"re asis for a new standard of time.

T"e N%4e Pr#e #n P",'#%%3, %r Me#+#ne

• 'he ?oel ;riEe in ;h$siolo!$ or &edicine 2D12 is awarded to >ir ohn B. G"rdon of the G"rdon )nstit"te in

amrid!e and r. >hin$a Oamana#a from /$oto Universit$ for their path-rea#in! discoveries.

• >ir ohn laid the fo"ndation in 1862 $ showin! that the n"cle"s of a mat"red intestinal fro! cell inserted

into a den"cleated fro! e!! cell co"ld develop into a normal tadpole,

• r. Oamana#a proved that insertin! fo"r critical !enes into differentiated7 ad"lt cells was s"fficient to t"rn

the cloc# ac# and ma#e them ehave li#e pl"ripotent stem cells.

• &"ch li#e the emr$onic stem cells, #n+e ;r#;%tent 'te +e' (#PSC') are immat"re cells capale of

ecomin! an$ of the over 2DD specialised ad"lt cells. 'he 2DD6 p"lication of his paradi!m-shiftin! wor# onmo"se s#in cells, repeated in 2DD with h"man cells, shoo# the ver$ fo"ndation of developmental iolo!$ $

demonstratin! that cell specialisation is reversile.

• 'he p"lication of r. Oamana#as res"lts, helps to sidestep the ethical controvers$ s"rro"ndin! emr$onic

stem cell research.

• *voidin! the ethical landmine is onl$ a minor iss"e in the whole scheme of thin!s. 'he real advanta!es will

come from a wide !am"t of applications.

• 'he most important and immediate application is "sin! patient-derived i;>s for st"d$in! disease

mechanisms. ;harmace"tical companies have ta#en it to the ne+t level $ "sin! stem cells, either emr$onic

or i;> cells, for screenin! dr"! candidates I for to+icit$ and potential new treatments.

Re+e;t%r' %n +e 'ra+e' 'en'e en&#r%nent t"e 2012 N%4e Pr#e #n C"e#'tr,

• )n a h"man, tens of tho"sands of illions of cells interact.

• &ost of them have developed distinct roles. >ome store fat% others re!ister vis"al impressions, prod"ce

hormones or "ild "p m"scle tiss"e.

• )n order for "s to f"nction, it is cr"cial that o"r cells wor# in "nison, that the$ can sense their environment

and #now what is !oin! on aro"nd them. @or this, the$ need sensors.

• >ensors on the cell s"rface are called receptors.




• Coert . :ef#owitE and Brian /. /oil#a are awarded the 2D12 ?oel ;riEe in hemistr$ for havin! mapped

how a famil$ of receptors called G-proteinNco"pled receptors G;Cs7 wor#. )n this famil$, we find receptors

for adrenalin also #nown as epinephrine7, dopamine, serotonin, li!ht, flavo"r and odo"r.

• &ost ph$siolo!ical processes depend on G;Cs. *ro"nd half of all medications act thro"!h these receptors,

amon! them eta loc#ers, antihistamines and vario"s #inds of ps$chiatric medications. /nowled!e ao"t

G;Cs is th"s of the !reatest enefit to man#ind.

L#teratre N%4e %r C"#ne'e

• &o Oan, a novelist who ro"!ht to life the t"r"lence of the 2Dth cent"r$ hina in vivid and often !raphic

wor#s set a!ainst the t"m"lt of the apanese invasion and a str"!!lin! co"ntr$side, ecame the first writer

in hina to e awarded the ?oel ;riEe in :iterat"re, which is hailed in hina as a lon!-awaited landmar#

heraldin! the arrival of the co"ntr$Js literat"re on the world sta!e

• Born G"an &o$e, &r. &o adopted the pen name of &o Oan I meanin! “dont spea#” in hinese.

Sn# an3%;a",a,

• ?oted littSrate"r and >ahit$a*#ademi president >"nil Gan!opadh$a$ passed awa$ recentl$.

RaGat ;ta

• @allen all >treet t$coon Caat G"pta has een sentenced to two $ears in prison and ordered to pa$ a V5-

million fine $ a U> "d!e for )ndian-*mericans insider tradin!.

In'#er tra#n3

• )nsider tradin! is the tradin! of a corporationJs stoc# or other sec"rities s"ch as onds or stoc# options7 $

individ"als with access to non-p"lic information ao"t the compan$. )n most co"ntries, tradin! $

corporate insiders s"ch as officers, #e$ emplo$ees, directors, and lar!e shareholders ma$ e le!al, if this

tradin! is done in a wa$ that does not ta#e advanta!e of non-p"lic information.

• owever, the term is fre("entl$ "sed to refer to a practice in which an insider or a related part$ trades

ased on material non-p"lic information otained d"rin! the performance of the insiderJs d"ties at the

corporation, or otherwise in reach of a fid"ciar$ or other relationship of tr"st and confidence or where the

non-p"lic information was misappropriated from the compan$.

S"r# Prana, Sa"a,

• >hri ;rana$ >aha$, );> presentl$ wor#in! as G, >>B and holdin! additional char!e of irector General,

entral Ceserve ;olice @orce C;@7.



MISCELLANEOUS

S"#;%t'a&2012

• “>):;<'>*L-2D12” at illi aat, is an ann"al event of the &inistr$ of >ocial "stice A mpowerment. )t will

e ina"!"rated $ the >ecretar$, &inistr$ of >ocial "stice A mpowerment on 1st ?ovemer, 2D12.

• 'his is the si+th $ear of >hilpotsav. 'he >hilpotsav was started d"rin! the $ear 2DD-D9 $ the &inistr$ of

>ocial "stice A mpowerment $ wa$ of collaoratin! with all the *pe+ orporations and ?ational

)nstit"tes "nder the &inistr$ of >ocial "stice A mpowerment, with an oective to provide a platform to

the eneficiaries assisted "nder the developmental schemes of vario"s @inance A evelopment

orporations and ?ational )nstit"tes to showcase their art A craft.

• 'he event also provides opport"nit$ for p"licit$ of &inistr$s schemes with live e+amples of s"ccess and

tri"mph over the povert$ and "nemplo$ment amon! the tar!et !ro"p with assistance from the &inistr$s

schemes.• "rin! last >hilpotsav, sale of appro+. Cs.1.2D rore was reported $ o"r participants and a total footfall

over 5DDDD was reported $ the illi aat a"thorities. :i#e, this $ear too we e+pect to have a lar!e n"mer

of visitors, "$ers and e+porters to place their orders and "$ prod"cts from this >hilpotsav d"rin! the

festival season.

• B"$er >eller &eet will also e held wherein "$ers from +port o"ses and Government epartments

dealin! in e+port oriented activities have een invited. * &edical ealth hec#-"p $ >pecialist octors has

also een or!aniEed for the participants d"rin! the e+hiition.

Ar%3,a Fa#r 2012

• “*C<GO*” is an e+hiition showcasin! the stren!th, efficac$ and affordailit$ of the *OU> s$stems of

medicine which incl"de *$"rveda, Oo!a A ?at"ropath$, Unani, >iddha, >owa-Ci!pa and omeopath$. 'he

fair showcases the est and latest developments in the field of *OU>. 'he last *ro!$a fair at $deraad

was held in ?ovemer 2DD5.

• *ddressin! the meetin! of *C<GO* fair at $deraad, >hri Gh"lam ?ai *Ead, Union &inister of ealth and

@amil$ elfare said the fair started in 2DD1. 'he fair has !rown into a co"ntr$-wide phenomenon with more

than 1D fairs or!aniEed thro"!ho"t the $ear now.

• 'he epartment of *OU> or!aniEes and s"pports these fairs to enco"ra!e the dissemination of informationon the enefits and achievements of the *OU> s$stems of medicine and for sharin! of e+periences and

est practices etween the ind"str$, academia and research instit"tions.

• 'he active participation of *OU> dr"! ind"stries, medicinal plant traders, research instit"tions, hospitals,

p"lishers and other sta#eholders in the *C<GO* fairs ens"res a wide spectr"m of activities th"s ma#in! it

f d f h l l

1416d364 part i current affairs 2012 october vision ias (1)

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