20 March 2024 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related C. GS 3 Related SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1. Changing cancer nomenclature can improve treatment outcomes: doctors D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. Ties that epitomise India’s Neighbourhood First policy ECONOMY 1. Guaranteed MSP is an ethical imperative F. Prelims Facts 1. 2023 was the ‘hottest year’ on record, confirms WMO 2. SC directs States to give ration cards to 8 cr. workers 3. 27.6 million people engaged in forced labour in 2021: ILO 4. ‘Food prices deterring inflation’s fall’ G. Tidbits H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
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B. GS 2 Related
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D. GS 3 Related
Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Changing cancer nomenclature can improve treatment outcomes: doctors
Syllabus: Biotechnology
Prelims: Basis for Cancer Classification
Introduction: The Need for Cancer Nomenclature Change
- Traditional classification of cancers based on organs of origin is being challenged by advancements in precision oncology.
- Genetic mutations responsible for tumours vary, and targeting them with drugs has become possible.
- Metastatic cancers, which are responsible for most cancer deaths, often require systemic drug treatments.
- As a result, there is a growing push to reclassify cancers based on their molecular and genetic characteristics rather than their tissue of origin.
Impact of Sequential Testing on Treatment Delays:
- Sequential testing of drugs in clinical trials, based on organ-specific classifications, leads to delays in treatment access.
- Trials conducted separately for different types of cancer prevent patients with similar genetic mutations from accessing potentially effective drugs.
- This delay is evident in cases like the drug nivolumab, which targets specific proteins found in tumours but was tested separately for different cancer types.
Benefits of Molecular-Based Classification:
- Reclassifying cancers based on molecular characteristics could streamline clinical trials, reducing the time needed to bring drugs to market.
- Patients would have a clearer understanding of their treatment rationale, as therapy would be based on biological mechanisms rather than organ location.
- Physicians could better educate patients about their cancer’s molecular profile and tailor treatment accordingly, moving towards a more personalized approach.
Challenges and Hurdles in Implementation:
- Regulatory agencies need to update guidelines to reflect the importance of molecular targets in drug approvals.
- Institutions must establish teams to analyze patients’ molecular profiles, and medical education should emphasize understanding cancer at the molecular level.
- Access to genetic testing is a significant barrier, particularly in countries like India where costs are high and availability limited.
- While the proposed classification system offers potential benefits, it must be implemented carefully to avoid overlooking the impact of disease location on outcomes and to ensure equitable access to treatment.
Nut Graf: Advancements in precision oncology challenge traditional cancer classification based on organ of origin. Reclassifying cancers by molecular features promises streamlined treatment but faces hurdles like access to genetic testing and updating regulatory guidelines.
D. GS 4 Related
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E. Editorials
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Ties that epitomise India’s Neighbourhood First policy
Syllabus: GS-2, India and its Neighbourhood – Relations
Mains: India – Bhutan Relations
Introduction:
- Despite vast differences in size and population, India and Bhutan have fostered a unique partnership based on mutual respect and equality.
- India’s respect for Bhutanese identity and sovereignty, coupled with Bhutan’s trust in India’s support for its development, has led to a strong bond between the two nations.
- This relationship, built on trust and understanding, has been evidenced through recent high-level visits and discussions between the leadership of both countries.
Hydropower Cooperation: A Cornerstone of Bilateral Relations
- Hydropower cooperation serves as the bedrock of India-Bhutan relations, with several successful projects supplying clean electricity to India and generating revenue for Bhutan.
- While some joint venture models for hydroprojects have faced challenges, the government-to-government cooperation model has yielded significant successes.
- India’s assistance in Bhutan’s development, including substantial contributions to its Five Year Plans, reflects a commitment to projects aligned with Bhutanese priorities, ensuring mutual benefit.
Future Prospects: Enhancing Bilateral Cooperation
- The development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City presents an opportunity for India to further contribute to Bhutan’s prosperity.
- Proposed measures include initiating direct flights, providing technology and infrastructure expertise, and encouraging Indian businesses and tourists to engage with Gelephu.
- The success of the Mindfulness City is not only beneficial for Bhutan but also holds potential socio-economic advantages for neighbouring regions in India, demonstrating the mutually beneficial nature of India-Bhutan cooperation.
Conclusion: Sustaining a Prosperous Partnership
- India’s commitment to Bhutan’s development, manifested through ongoing cooperation and prospects like the Gelephu Mindfulness City, underscores the effectiveness of India’s Neighbourhood First policy.
- By prioritizing mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation, India and Bhutan continue to set an example of successful bilateral relations in the South Asian region.
Nut Graf: India and Bhutan’s close relationship, founded on mutual respect and cooperation, embodies India’s Neighbourhood First policy. Through hydropower cooperation and plans for the Gelephu Mindfulness City, they showcase a model of successful regional partnership.
Category: ECONOMY
1. Guaranteed MSP is an ethical imperative
Syllabus: GS-3, Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices
Mains: Debate on giving legal backing to MSP
Introduction:
- As elections approach, agrarian issues gain prominence with farmers protesting for fair pricing of their produce.
- The ruling government’s attempts to address concerns were rejected by farmers, emphasizing the need for a guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Ethical Imperative of Guaranteed MSP:
- MSP plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in India, countering market failures that disadvantage farmers.
- Lack of influence in pricing leaves farmers economically vulnerable, necessitating legal guarantees for MSP.
- Despite annual MSP announcements, implementation remains poor, leaving many farmers economically strained and trapped in cycles of debt and despair.
- Legal recourse to MSP is supported by constitutional articles and international declarations, reflecting widespread public support.
Efforts and Solutions:
- Various states and organisations have proposed measures to ensure MSP, such as amendments to agricultural acts and the introduction of private member bills.
- Sugarcane growers already benefit from statutory MSP, while other states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have proposed bills to guarantee MSP for other crops.
- Minor amendments to existing laws coupled with budget allocations can enforce MSP and establish essential backward and forward linkages to manage post-harvest surplus.
- Enhancing MSP to provide a 50% profit margin is feasible and necessary to address farmers’ economic challenges.
Challenges and Opposition:
- Ensuring MSP may face opposition from intermediaries and those benefitting from current market dynamics.
- Adherence to free market principles often impedes necessary government interventions to address farmers’ grievances.
- Government schemes like PM-AASHA, while possessing elements of MSP support, are sidelined due to political expediency, hindering effective solutions to farmer distress.
Conclusion:
- Guaranteed MSP is essential not only for farmers’ economic well-being but also for ensuring food security and addressing hunger and malnutrition.
- While challenges and opposition exist, legal guarantees for MSP are imperative to rectify market failures and provide just solutions to the ongoing agrarian crisis.
Nut Graf: The demand for a guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) in Indian agriculture reflects farmers’ plight amid market failures. Legal assurances for MSP are essential to rectify economic vulnerabilities and ensure food security.
F. Prelims Facts
1. 2023 was the ‘hottest year’ on record, confirms WMO
Context:
- The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirms 2023 as the hottest year on record, aligning with findings from various climate agencies.
- The announcement comes as part of “The State of Global Climate Report” released on 19th March.
About:
- The global average near-surface temperature for 2023 measured 1.45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline, with a margin of uncertainty of ± 0.12 degrees Celsius.
- This marks the warmest 10-year period on record, highlighting a concerning trend in global temperatures.
- Previously, the joint warmest years were 2016 and 2020, at 1.29 ± 0.12 degrees Celsius and 1.27 ± 0.13 degrees Celsius respectively, above the 1850–1900 average.
Significance:
- The confirmation underscores the urgency of addressing climate change as temperatures continue to rise.
- It emphasizes the need for global cooperation to mitigate the impacts of climate change, with countries urged to take significant steps towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- The report serves as a wake-up call for intensified efforts in adopting sustainable practices and policies worldwide to combat the escalating threat of climate change.
2. SC directs States to give ration cards to 8 cr. workers
Context:
- The Supreme Court’s recent directive regarding ration cards for migrant workers has garnered attention.
- The order follows up on a previous ruling from April 2023.
About:
- The Supreme Court expressed concern over the delay in implementing its April 2023 order.
- The directive aims to provide ration cards to approximately eight crore migrant workers who are registered in the eShram portal but not covered under the National Food Security Act.
- Out of the 28.6 crore registrants on the portal, 20.63 crore are already registered in the ration card database.
Significance:
- The Supreme Court, led by Justice Hima Kohli, directed the issuance of ration cards to the remaining eight crore migrant and unorganized sector workers registered with the eShram portal within two months.
- This decision underscores the court’s emphasis on the welfare of migrant workers and the need for expedited inclusion in social welfare schemes.
- The court reiterates the responsibility of a welfare state to promptly integrate migrant workers into the ration card system, ensuring their access to essential food supplies.
3. 27.6 million people engaged in forced labour in 2021: ILO
Context:
- The International Labour Organization (ILO) released a study in Geneva detailing findings on forced labour in 2021.
- The study highlights the alarming increase in illegal profits generated from forced labour, reaching $36 billion annually.
- Surveys were conducted among workers, including Indians in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to gather data for the study.
Issue:
- Forced labour has seen a significant rise, with 27.6 million people engaged in it in 2021, marking a 37% increase in illegal profits since 2014.
- The growth in both the number of people forced into labour and the profits derived from their exploitation contributes to this concerning trend.
- The study reveals that traffickers and criminals are now generating close to $10,000 per victim, up from $8,269 a decade ago.
- Forced commercial sexual exploitation accounts for a substantial portion (73%) of the total illegal profits, despite representing only 27% of victims in privately imposed labour.
- Various sectors such as industry, services, agriculture, and domestic work are affected, with significant illegal profits being made at the expense of workers’ wages.
Significance:
- Forced labour perpetuates cycles of poverty and exploitation, depriving individuals of their dignity and rightful wages.
- The situation has worsened over time, with an increase of 2.7 million people in forced labour between 2016 and 2021.
- Urgent action is needed from the international community to combat this injustice and end the exploitation of vulnerable workers.
4. ‘Food prices deterring inflation’s fall’
Context:
- RBI officials led by Deputy Governor Michael D. Patra discuss the state of the economy in the RBI Bulletin.
- Despite a general decline in inflation, food prices have prevented a swift drop in headline inflation towards the target of 4%.
About:
- Inflation is declining, particularly core inflation, which would have brought headline inflation closer to the 4% target faster if not for food price pressures.
- CPI readings for January and February indicate shallow and short-lived easing of vegetable prices, with strong momentum in cereal prices and an upsurge in meat and fish prices.
- Food price pressures have been countered by core disinflation.
- High-frequency food price data for March (up to the 15th) shows a decline in cereal prices, mainly for wheat, while pulses have seen an increase and edible oil prices have softened.
- March has seen corrections in tomato prices, with an upsurge in onion and potato prices after a previous softening over three months.
- Fuel price deflation is expected to increase in March due to the government’s reduction in LPG prices.
- Overall momentum in headline inflation turned positive in February, offsetting a favourable base effect.
Significance: There is a need for monetary policy to remain focused on risk minimization, guiding inflation towards the target while sustaining growth.
G. Tidbits
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H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019:
- The CAA amends the Citizenship Act, of 1955, to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants belonging to all religious minorities from neighbouring countries.
- The Act grants automatic citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1Â only
- 2Â only
- 1 and 2 only
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding food inflation in India:
- Food inflation is a short-term phenomenon and does not have long-lasting effects on the economy.
- Supply chain disruptions due to extreme weather events are a major contributor to food price volatility.
- High food inflation can lead to adverse effects on food security, household budgets, and overall economic stability.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding core inflation and headline inflation in India:
- Core inflation measures the overall price level of goods and services in an economy, including food and fuel prices.
- Headline inflation excludes volatile items such as food and fuel from its calculation, focusing solely on non-food non-fuel items.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 2
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in India:
- MSP is a legal right provided to farmers, guaranteeing them a minimum income for their agricultural produce.
- MSP announcements incentivize farmers to shift towards crops with higher declared prices.
- MSP acts as a floor price, preventing the market prices of agricultural commodities from falling below a certain level during surplus production seasons.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Q5. Consider the following statements: [PYQ 2020]
- Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
- Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
- High ash content is observed in Indian coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Click on the link for the video explanation of the above questions and answers.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Discuss the significance of projects like the Gelephu Mindfulness City and hydropower cooperation in shaping the economic and environmental landscape of India-Bhutan relations. (10 marks, 150 words) [GS-2, IR]
- Critically analyze the proposal to classify cancers based on their molecular and genetic characteristics rather than the tissue of origin. Discuss the potential benefits and challenges of implementing such a system, especially in the context of developing countries. (10 marks, 150 words) [GS-3, Science & Technology]
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