Comprehensive News Analysis - 05 February 2017

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here for Today!!!

B. GS2 Related

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

• Relations between U.S. and Iran have deteriorated sharply since Donald Trump took office last month promising a tough line on what he sees as Iranian belligerency towards U.S. interests and allies.
• The new sanctions which the U.S. has imposed on Iran are a response to Iran’s recent test launch of a medium-range ballistic missile as well as its support for Yemeni rebels who attacked a Saudi frigate earlier this week.

C. GS3 Related

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Conservation

Key Points:

• In an important development, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is analysing samples from the oil spill resulting from a collision between two ships off the coast of Tamil Nadu.
• Clean-up operations are being coordinated by the Coast Guard and involve several disparate organisations;
• However the Union Environment Ministry is expected to present a status report on the damage done by Wednesday (8^th Feb, 2017)
• It is important to note that About 2,000 persons are involved in the clean up operations and 54 tonnes of sludge (mixture of oil, water, ocean material etc) was removed till February 2, according to the Press Information Bureau.
• The PIB further went on to note that “Over 90% of the work has been completed and most of the residual work is expected to be over in a couple of days,”

Category: Science and Technology, Geography

Topic: Developments; Meteorites

Key Points:

• The Northwest Africa 7635, is a 6.9-ounce (about 200gm) meteorite, discovered in Algeria, Africa, in 2012, that has given scientists unprecedented insight into volcanic activity on Mars. 
• It is on Mars that the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, is found.
• Recently it has been learnt  that Mars had a single volcano that continuously erupted for 2 billion years.
• Further, it is important to note that Martian volcanoes can grow to such enormous proportions because Mars, unlike Earth, doesn’t have plate tectonics that constantly shuffle the surface.
• So a volcano, like the one that birthed NWA 7635, can plume — the process by which hot magma from the earth surfaces upward — for billions of years. 

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Biodiversity

Key Points:

• In an important development that marks an important addition to India’s rich wildlife, researchers have described Limenitis rileyi , a butterfly spotted in Arunachal Pradesh three decades ago as the first record of the species in the country.
• A single male species was discovered in July 1987 from Upper Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.

D. GS4 Related

Nothing Here for today!!!

E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

• It is important to note that in the recent budget that was presented, The Health Ministry, had to accept a very modest increase in allocation.
• On critical evaluation, it becomes evident that despite the huge mandate to improve India’s lagging health indicators, in the face of multiple public health challenges, the health budget continues to be disappointingly low.
• The expectation that the National Urban Health Mission component of NHM would be soon launched to scale is belied by the meagre increase in NHM’s finances.
• It is important to note that the Maternity Benefit Programme needs to be universal rather than conditional if it has to reach the most vulnerable sections and skilled health professionals will be needed to assure safety of the mother and the newborn.
• Raising standards of care in sub-centres, primary health centres and community health centres will need more human and financial resources.
• Crucially, it was also announced that kalazar and filariasis will be eliminated in 2017, leprosy by 2018, measles by 2020 and tuberculosis by 2025.
• While such optimism can energise the health system, it is prudent to be aware of technical factors that influence these targets — leprosy has an incubation period of 3-5 years and we will have to wait at least till 2022 to know if we have finally overcome the problem.
• Tuberculosis will pose many stiff challenges — health systems across the country and both public and private care providers will have to markedly improve their practice patterns in diagnosis and treatment.

PIB

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Federalism, Center-State Relations

Key Points:

• The issue of creation of 7 new districts and the ongoing economic blockade was discussed in a tripartite meeting at New Delhi between UNC, Govt. of Manipur and Govt. of India.
• There was substantial progress on the issue in the talks. A few points needed further discussions at their organisation level.      
• Next tripartite meeting is expected on 7th Feb., 2017 on the issues.

2. DG Shipping has Instituted an inquiry in the Collision of two ships off Kamrajar Harbour

Category: Disaster Management

Topic: Oil Spills

Key Points:

• Two vessels namely, M.T. BW MAPLE and M.T. DAWN KANCHIPURAM while crossing each other collided at 03.45AM on 28thJanuary, 2017 outside the Kamrajar harbour.  The Oil Tanker, M.T. DAWN KANCHIPURAM, which was carrying 32813 Tonnes of POL, suffered a rupture which led to engine oil spill (and not the POL being carried as cargo).  There was no casualty or injury to the crew members.
• The situation was closely monitored by top officials of the Port from the time of accident and the required assistance was rendered to both vessels.
• It is important to note that The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan provides that while the port is responsible for responding to an oil spill within the port area, the Coast Guard is responsible for acting as the Central Coordinating Agency for combating oil pollution in the maritime zone and the State Governments are responsible for shore line response.  Equipment required to handle Tier-1 Oil Spill Response was available with the Kamarajar Port and was also deployed.
• The Coast Guard ship and helicopters are carrying out regular sorties for continuous monitoring of oil slick.
• If oil spillage accumulation is spotted anywhere, manpower and material under the overall supervision of Coast Guard will be deployed.       
• Directorate General of Shipping has instituted a statutory inquiry under the Merchant Shipping Act to ascertain the causes and contributory factors that led to the accident. Both the ships have been restrained from leaving the Port.
• G. Shipping is also holding discussions with the owners of the ships and the mechanism of distribution of compensation and payment of claims by the insurers will be shortly in place. 

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

• Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that the Union Budget (General) 2017-18 will be helpful in socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities. 
• The Central Government’s focus is on educational and skill development of Minorities. Maximum part of the Budget 2017-18 would go for educational empowerment and skill development of the Minorities.
• The Minister of Minority Affairs further stated that more than Rs 2600 crore have been provided for various scholarships and skill development schemes such as “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Nai Manzil”, “Nai Roushni”, “Usttad”, “Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centre” and “Begum Hazrat Mahal Scholarship for Girls”.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

H. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂

Question 1: Consider the following statements, 

Question 2: Consider the following statements,

1. The National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) is a sub-mission of National Health Mission (NHM).
2. NUHM envisages to meet health care needs of the urban population with the focus on urban poor, by making available to them essential primary health care services and reducing their out of pocket expenses for treatment.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect? a) 1 Only b) 2 Only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 3: “Limenitis rileyi” was recently in the news. What is it?

Question 4: “The Strait of Hormuz” is located in which of the following regions?

a) Middle East b) South East Asia c) Latin America d) Scandinavia

Question 5: ‘Chabahar Port’ often seen in the news is located where? 

I. Archives:

You can check out some more recent News Analysis sections to build even more context

List of all DNA Articles

Practice More: Enroll for India’s Largest All-India Test Series