14 February 2024 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related GOVERNANCE 1. On the rights of forest dwellers C. GS 3 Related D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. Old-fashioned trust and credibility bind India-UAE ties ECONOMY 1. Why India needs deep industrialisation F. Prelims Facts 1. Clause in India - EFTA deal may hit drug trade 2. MEA told to monitor organ transplantation process for foreigners 3. The role of X chromosome in autoimmune diseases G. Tidbits H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
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B. GS 2 Related
Category: GOVERNANCE
1. On the rights of forest dwellers
Syllabus: Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of these Vulnerable Sections.
Mains: Issues related to tribals and forest dwellers
Introduction:
The recent notification of the Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, has stirred apprehension among forest-dwelling communities. They fear a potential infringement of their rights guaranteed under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA).
Challenges in Forest Declaration:
The Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary, formed from several reserved forests including North and South Bargur, has omitted six tribal forest villages from its jurisdiction. This exclusion deprives them of essential rights and facilities, exacerbating their vulnerability. Forest villages, mandated for conversion to revenue villages since 1990, have been neglected, undermining the FRA’s stipulations.
Tamil Nadu’s FRA Implementation:
Despite national mandates, Tamil Nadu has been sluggish in recognizing forest rights. As of September 2023, individual titles covering only 38.96 sq. km have been issued, representing a minuscule fraction of eligible forest land. Community titles, although reportedly issued, lack transparency regarding their extent and impact.
Conflicts Between Conservation and Community Rights:
The ban on cattle grazing within the Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary threatens the traditional practices of forest-dwelling communities. Bargur cattle, native to the region, face restricted access to their grazing grounds. Due to this, there is tension between conservation imperatives and community livelihoods. Such bans, despite the FRA’s recognition of grazing rights, exemplify the challenges of balancing environmental protection and indigenous rights.
Legal Frameworks and Persistent Violations:
India’s legal framework, including the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and FRA, ostensibly safeguards forest rights. However, persistent violations and governance failures reveal systemic inadequacies in forest management. The Forest Rights Act, designed to empower forest-dwelling communities, is often disregarded, exacerbating conflicts and perpetuating injustices.
Way forward:
There is a need for robust implementation of legal frameworks, transparent governance mechanisms, and meaningful engagement with forest-dwelling communities. Upholding forest rights is not only a legal imperative but also a moral obligation to ensure equity, justice, and sustainable development in forest landscapes.
Nut graf: The recent notification of Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu has sparked concerns among forest communities regarding potential violations of their rights under the FRA. Tamil Nadu’s sluggish implementation of the FRA and conflicts over grazing bans highlight the ongoing challenges in balancing conservation and indigenous rights in forest management.
C. GS 3 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Old-fashioned trust and credibility bind India-UAE ties
Syllabus: GS-2, Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
Mains: India-UAE relations
Context: Prime Minister Modi is currently on a visit to the UAE.
Personalized Diplomacy:
- The relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is characterized by trust and credibility.
- It transcends traditional diplomatic norms, focusing more on personal rapport than diplomatic protocols.
- Regular interactions between the leaders have laid the foundation for a robust bilateral relationship between India and the UAE.
Key Highlights of Modi’s Visit:
- Modi’s visit marks his third trip to the UAE in a short span of eight months.
- Noteworthy events include the inauguration of a grand Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, a significant request made by Modi during his first visit in 2015.
- The visit is also marked by events such as the Ahlan Modi gathering at the Zayed Sports City Stadium and Modi’s address at the 11th World Government Summit in Dubai.
Strengthening Economic Ties:
- Modi’s visit aims to bolster economic cooperation between India and the UAE.
- Initiatives like the Bharat Mart project, facilitated by DP World and India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, seek to enhance exports of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to global markets.
- The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and trading in national currencies are expected to further boost trade between the two countries.
Read more on the India – UAE relationship in the linked article.
Major Achievements and Collaborations:
- Significant achievements include the launch of a master’s programme in energy transition and sustainability by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in Abu Dhabi.
- The UAE’s rising investments in India and agreements such as the one between the Indian Oil Corporation Limited and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company contribute to India’s energy security.
- Collaboration in defense cooperation and discussions on regional issues, such as the situation in Gaza and attacks by Houthis, demonstrate the strategic partnership between India and the UAE in addressing common challenges.
Nut Graf: Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UAE highlights the robust bilateral relationship characterized by personal diplomacy and economic collaborations. Strengthening ties through strategic engagements, the visit focuses on enhancing trade, defense cooperation, and addressing regional challenges.
Category: ECONOMY
1. Why India needs deep industrialisation
Syllabus: GS-3, Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment
Mains: Reimagining Industrialisation over the service sector-led economic growth
Introduction: India’s Industrial Stagnation and Employment Crisis
- India’s manufacturing sector has remained stagnant, with its share in output and employment consistently below 20% except for a brief period during 2003-2008.
- Despite economic reforms in 1991 aiming for labour-intensive industrialization, India hasn’t significantly industrialized.
- Current challenges include stagnant industrial investment, high unemployment rates, and disguised unemployment.
- The trade deficit is widening, driven largely by imported goods, indicating India’s failure to produce goods for domestic consumption, let alone for export.
Rethinking Growth Strategies: Services vs. Manufacturing
- Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba propose a departure from conventional wisdom by advocating for high-skill services powered by information technology to stimulate manufacturing.
- This approach contradicts India’s current industrial policy and may exacerbate existing issues.
- Services-led growth has poor employment elasticity, fails to absorb labour exiting agriculture, and requires a highly skilled workforce that India lacks.
- Inequality stemming from services-driven growth is higher than from manufacturing-led growth, with a significant wage disparity between skilled and unskilled workers.
Educational Inequality and Its Impact on Economic Growth:
- Early investments in higher education led to the neglect of mass school education, contributing to educational inequality.
- Investments in human capital were unequal, fostering a culture of elitism and hindering entrepreneurial ventures, unlike in China.
- Differential quality of schooling and higher education perpetuates social and economic disparities, disadvantaging first-generation graduates from rural areas and small towns.
Cultural Barriers to Industrialization:
- Lack of mass education hindered the development of a culture conducive to industrialization, according to economic historian Joel Mokyr.
- India’s cultural attitudes devalue certain occupations essential for manufacturing, impeding innovation.
- The undervaluation of vocational skills and artisanal knowledge stifles organic innovation and industrial growth.
- Mass education and collective absorptive capacity are essential for innovation and diffusion, prerequisites for deep industrialization.
The Imperative for Deep Industrialization:
- India must prioritise deep industrialization over solely focusing on the service sector to address systemic issues and transform society.
- Deep industrialization requires a cultural shift valuing labour, production, and technology, along with investments in mass education and vocational training.
- Embracing innovation and diffusing technology on a large scale can drive efficiency and increase returns.
- A comprehensive approach that addresses educational inequality, cultural barriers, and economic disparities is crucial for sustainable industrial growth in India.
Nut Graf: India’s stagnant industrialization and unequal education hinder economic growth. Reimagining strategies to prioritize deep industrialization over service-led growth is imperative, necessitating a cultural shift, equitable education, and innovation diffusion for sustainable development.
F. Prelims Facts
1. Clause in India – EFTA deal may hit drug trade
Context: The recent negotiations between signatory countries and pharmaceutical applicants signal potential shifts in drug regulation.
Issue:
- The draft suggests extending data exclusivity provisions to cover not only new chemical drugs but also biologics drugs like monoclonal antibodies and vaccine formulations.
- This move poses challenges to India’s thriving generics drug industry, which has long provided affordable alternatives to expensive medications.
- With India’s pharmaceutical sector ranking third globally and producing over 60,000 generic drugs, the implications of such regulatory changes are profound.
- Concerns arise regarding access to essential drugs like bedaquiline for tuberculosis treatment under data exclusivity provisions.
Significance: Despite progress in negotiations, intellectual property rights remain a significant sticking point, impacting drug accessibility and affordability worldwide. As negotiations unfold, balancing innovation and accessibility remains paramount in shaping global pharmaceutical regulations.
2. MEA told to monitor organ transplantation process for foreigners
Context: To curb potential illicit transactions in organ and tissue transplantation by foreigners, regulatory concerns are brought to attention.
Issue:
- There are instances where foreign nationals, visiting India for various medical reasons, engage in organ transplant activities.
- However, doubts have been raised about the authenticity of documents verifying relationships between donors and recipients, as well as their identity and residency proofs.
- There is a need for robust monitoring mechanisms.
- It calls for the dissemination of rules outlined in the Transplantation of Human Organ and Tissues Act, 1994, to all foreign embassies and missions in India. Additionally, the appointment of a designated nodal officer is proposed to oversee and coordinate organ donation and transplantation procedures for foreigners.
Significance: These measures aim to uphold transparency and integrity in the organ transplantation process while safeguarding against potential malpractice.
3. The role of X chromosome in autoimmune diseases
Context: In recent years, an increasing number of international celebrities have opened up about their struggles with autoimmune diseases, particularly notable among women. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which your immune system mistakenly damages healthy cells in your body.
About:
- According to a 2023 study by the University of Oxford, about 10% of the surveyed population had autoimmune disorders, with 13% affecting women and 7% men.
- The higher susceptibility of women to these conditions has puzzled researchers, who attribute it to a combination of genetic, environmental, hormonal, and lifestyle factors.
- A recent breakthrough by scientists suggests that a molecular coating found on one of the X chromosomes in women could play a significant role in this gender disparity.
- This coating, involved in X-chromosome inactivation, may allow certain genes to escape regulation, potentially leading to autoimmune diseases.
Significance: Further research aims to identify specific antigens related to this process, offering insights into gender-based immunity discrepancies and potentially facilitating better detection and diagnosis of autoimmune disorders.
G. Tidbits
Nothing here for today!!!
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Consider the following statements:
- ‘Desert Cyclone’ is a joint military exercise between India and Qatar.
- The first-ever joint exercise between the special forces of the Indian Army and the Egyptian Army named “Exercise Cyclone-I”, was held in 2023.
- Sada Tanseeq is a joint military exercise between the armed forces of India and Saudi Arabia.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are true?
- 1 only
- 1 & 2
- 2 & 3
- All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
‘Desert Cyclone’ is a joint military exercise between India and the UAE.
Q2. Consider the following statements:
- The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the World Bank.
- The latest currency to be added to the reserve currency list is Chinese Renminbi.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 & 2
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
The Special Drawing Right (SDR) is not created by the World Bank; rather, it is an international reserve asset established by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to supplement its member countries’ official reserves. The Chinese Renminbi (RMB), also known as the yuan, was added to the basket of currencies that make up the SDR in October 2016.
Q3. Consider the following statements:
- The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions.
- Leh is to become India’s first city to implement a green hydrogen-based mobility project with zero emissions.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 & 2
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was initiated as a collaborative effort between India and France to combat climate change by promoting the deployment of solar energy solutions globally. The ISA aims to address common challenges related to solar energy adoption and facilitate the development of solar projects in member countries. Leh is set to become India’s first city to introduce a green hydrogen-based mobility project with zero emissions.
Q4. Consider the following statements:
- National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) was launched in 2011 and was later renamed Bharat Net Project in 2015.
- It is the world’s largest rural broadband connectivity programme using Optical Fibre.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 & 2
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) initiative was launched in 2011 by the Government of India. In 2015, it was rebranded as the Bharat Net Project to connect over 250,000 gram panchayats (village councils) across India with high-speed internet connectivity. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas and promote digital inclusion. The use of optical fibre technology ensures high-speed and reliable internet connectivity, making it the largest rural broadband connectivity program of its kind globally.
Q5. “Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched by:
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- The UNEP Secretariat
- The UNFCCC Secretariat
- The World Meteorological Organization
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
“Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now” is an initiative launched by the UNFCCC Secretariat. It aims to encourage individuals, businesses, and governments to take voluntary action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate neutrality. Through this initiative, participants can measure, reduce, and offset their carbon footprint to contribute to global climate efforts.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Elucidate the problems of Indian forest-dwelling tribal communities. Is FRA 2006 an effective solution to their concerns? Discuss. (15 marks, 250 words) [GS-2, Social Justice/Governance]
- How has the process of industrialisation in India created a gulf between the formal and informal occupational segments? Substantiate with relevant examples. (15 marks, 250 words) [GS-3, Economy]
Read previous CNA articles here.
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