01 Jun 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Tectonic Linkage of the Northeast Edge with Assam Earthquake
2. Reinstating Friendship between India and Bangladesh
3. Ease of Doing Business

1. Tectonic Linkage of the Northeast Edge with Assam Earthquake

Syllabus: GS I, Geography, Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes 

Prelims: Earthquakes, ‘P’ & ‘S’ Waves

Mains: Tectonic activities involved in making the Eastern Himalayan region earthquake-prone. 

Context: A study conducted by researchers from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology explained the complex tectonic activities involved in the Eastern Himalayas and the Indo-Burma Ranges (IBR). The study discussed the influence of tectonic activities on the great Assam earthquake. 

 Read about Earthquakes in the linked article.

Delving deeper:

• The study was based on the interactions between the northeastern fringe of the Indian plate in the Eastern Himalayas and the Indo-Burma Ranges (IBR). 
• Such interactions have the potential to produce deeper earthquakes in the IBR and crustal earthquakes in the Eastern Himalayas. 
• This is backed by the fact that the Eastern Himalayas are seismically very active up to a depth of 40 Km. The IBR region has seismic activity up to a depth of 200 Km.
• It was inferred that a seismic structure in Eastern Himalayas and the Indo-Burma Ranges (IBR) formed complex tectonics which produced the great Assam Earthquake of 1950 with a magnitude of 8.6. 
• The Assam Earthquake was the largest intra-continental earthquake ever experienced which surrounded the area of the India-China border near Mishmi hill of Arunachal Pradesh. 
• The Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis (where the mountain ranges exhibit a southward bend) in Arunachal Pradesh and the bordering areas of Assam is acknowledged as one of the most seismically active regions of the world. 
• The northeast corner of the Indian Plate belongs to seismic zone V of the national zoning map and does have the potential to generate earthquakes in the future. 

Image source: mapsofindia.com

Significance of the Study: Important findings

• The tectonic events in the northeastern fringe of the Indian plate have not been explained in a well-defined manner. 
• This study documented important observations and inferences about the tectonic interactions between the Eastern Himalayas and the IBR resulting in earthquakes in the Northeast region. 
• It is noted that after the 1950 earthquake in Assam, the region between upper Assam and the Mishmi block is not producing any larger earthquakes and is considered the seismic gap region. 
• The study provided enough information regarding the moderate and microearthquakes in the Eastern Himalayas and the IBR. 
• The research suggested that the subduction process and the indentation (strike-slip tectonics between two continental plates) process administer the seismicity of the areas around the Indo-Burma Ranges. 

The Tectonic Concepts:

Image source: nps.gov

• The results of the study determined that the closely spaced Mishmi, Tidying and Lohit faults along the Lohit and Dibang River valleys of eastern Arunachal Pradesh are steeply dipping thrust sheets that place the large crustal shortening due to indentation process and clockwise rotation tectonics. 

Image source: www.sciencedirect.com

• The Walong fault, in the upper Lohit river valley, is accompanied by strike-slip motion with a thrust component that leads to clock-wise rotation of crustal material around the syntaxis. 
• Due to complex syntaxial tectonics observed in Arunachal Pradesh, significant strain partitioning is anticipated.

2. Reinstating Friendship between India and Bangladesh

Syllabus: GS II, International Relations, India and its Neighbourhood relations

Prelims: India-Bangladesh relations

Mains: Significance of Bangladesh in India’s neighbourhood policy

Context: The Government of India engaged in several meetings with its counterpart in Bangladesh and has decided to start a new passenger train service named Mitali Express. 

About the initiative:

• This passenger train will further strengthen the people to people connectivity between both countries through the Haldibari-Chilahati revived rail link. 
• The rail link will deepen the friendship between the countries that have a shared history. 
• The Mitali Express connects New Jalpaiguri (in India) and Dhaka in Bangladesh. 
• It will run biweekly.
• The new passenger service trains will promote tourism in both countries along with increased accessibility. 
• This will enable the citizens of Bangladesh to access Nepal through an Indian rail link. 

Read comprehensively about India-Bangladesh Relations in the shared link.

3. Ease of Doing Business

Syllabus: GS III, Economic Development, growth, development and employment

Prelims: Ease of Doing Business

Mains: Evaluating the effectiveness of the Ease of Doing Business in the assessment of the openness of the economies. 

Context: The Prime Minister of India recapitulated the initiatives made by the government to boost the idea of Ease of Doing Business.

The Ease of Doing Business Initiative:

• It has been observed that the Ease of Doing Business programme in India is empowered by the key principles of Reform, Perform and Transform.
• Over the years, the Government of India has taken active initiatives to promote more business in the country. 
• The SPICe+ integrated web form of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has been exemplary in the establishment of a hassle-free business ecosystem. 
• The SPICe+ platform offers 11 services across the Ministries and Departments of the Central and State governments, thereby saving time and cost for starting a new business along with simplified procedures. 

Read previous PIB here.

June 1st, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here