A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
Category: HEALTH
1. Centre plans 2 mobile hospitals
Context:
Prime Minister recently launched the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.
Details:
The scheme has been launched with an outlay of Rs. 64,180 crore over a period of five years.
Some of the key features of the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission are as follows.
1,50,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres are to be set up at primary healthcare facilities.
The development of critical care hospital blocks has been proposed in 602 districts to augment the critical care capacities in public health facilities. These would be established in 12 central institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and in government medical colleges and district hospitals.
Two container-based hospitals, equipped with comprehensive medical facilities, will be stationed in Chennai and Delhi and kept at the ready to be swiftly mobilised by rail or air to respond to any calamity or disaster in the country. This would be the first such facility in Asia.
Every district would have at least one medical college.
The government will be establishing integrated district public health labs in 730 districts to provide comprehensive laboratory services. Laboratories and diagnostic facilities would be set up at all levels of healthcare. Around 134 different types of tests would be done for free at the district level.
There are also proposals for the setting up of the National Platform for One Health, Regional National Institutes of Virology, strengthening of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), upgrade of labs and creation of additional BSL-3 facilities.
The ‘one health’ approach will help prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in humans and animals.
For detailed information on this topic refer to the following article:
UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis of 24th Oct 2021
Significance:
The Mission is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in India’s healthcare infrastructure. It will help fill critical gaps in public health infrastructure. Health Emergency Operation Centres and the container-based mobile hospitals shall build capacities for effective emergency response during such times. It could also supplement the public health facilities in rural areas if required.
The Mission would prepare the Indian healthcare sector to deal with any future outbreaks and make it resilient.
The proposals for the creation of Regional National Institutes of Virology and up-gradation of labs and creation of additional BSL-3 facilities will help strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and diagnose new infections.
The development of an IT-enabled network of surveillance labs will be developed at the block, district, regional and national levels for detecting, investigating, preventing, and combating health emergencies and outbreaks.
The development of critical care blocks will make the districts self-sufficient in providing comprehensive treatment for infectious diseases.
The availability of free diagnostic facilities will not only do away with out of pocket expenses but also help reduce unnecessary travel for the poor by making such services available closer to home.
The Mission would help produce robust outcomes in public health.
Category: GOVERNANCE
1. Framework to manage drone traffic notified
Context:
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has recently notified a traffic management policy framework for drones.
Details:
The proposed framework envisages private, third-party service providers for ensuring safe drone operations. Unmanned Traffic Management Service Providers (UTMSP) will be responsible for segregating and separating a drone from other drones and manned aircraft.
These UTMSP will extend automated, algorithm-driven software services to drone operators operating in airspace below 1,000 ft.
UTMSPs will be allowed to levy a service fee on users for the offering of their services.
The traffic management providers will be assisted by Supplementary Service Providers (SSPs), who will maintain data about the terrain, weather, location of manned aircraft, etc.
The drone traffic management policy also proposes the integration of UTM with Air traffic management systems to help ensure the separation of manned and unmanned aircraft routes.
Law enforcement and security agencies will be allowed access to some information in the UTM ecosystem on a need-to-know basis.
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. China’s Foreign Minister meets Taliban in Doha, offers support
Context:
The Chinese Foreign Minister met the Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar.
Details:
China’s Foreign Minister pledged support and assistance to the Taliban. China expressed its willingness to continue to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and also work with the international community to help Afghanistan realise economic reconstruction and development. China pledged 200 million yuan ($30.96 million) worth of grains, winter supplies, medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan.
The Chinese Foreign Minister also called on the U.S. and the West to lift sanctions on members of the Taliban regime.
In return China expects the Taliban to dissociate itself from the East Turkestan Islamic Movement [ETIM] and other separatist organisations and also take effective measures to crack down on them.
The ETIM has been blamed by China for several attacks in its western Xinjiang region.
Taliban represented by the acting Deputy Prime Minister noted that a friendly policy towards China is a firm choice by their regime and has stated that they will not allow anyone to use Afghan territory to harm Chinese interests.
The Taliban have also expressed interest in Chinese investments and in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.
C. GS 3 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: POLITY
1. Safety first
Context:
An online meeting of the high-power committee appointed by the Supreme Court on the Mullaperiyar dam was held recently to decide on fixing the maximum water level in the dam. This has revived the controversy surrounding the Mullaperiyar dam.
Background:
Mullaperiyar dam:
Mullaperiyar Dam is a gravity dam on the Periyar River.
It is located in Kerala on the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District of Kerala.
Though it is located in Kerala, the Mullaperiyar dam is operated and maintained by Tamil Nadu to meet the water requirements of five of its southern districts.
For Tamil Nadu, the Mullaperiyar dam acts as a lifeline for Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindigul and Ramnad districts, providing water for irrigation and drinking, and also for the generation of power in Lower Periyaru Power Station.
Issues:
Inter-state dispute:
The control and the validity and fairness of the lease agreement have been points of dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu states.
While Kerala has pointed out the unfairness in the 1886 lease agreement and has challenged its validity, Tamil Nadu has insisted on exercising the unfettered colonial rights to control the dam and its waters, based on the 1886 lease agreement.
Safety issues:
In a UN report, the Mullaperiyar dam was identified as one among the world’s big dams which needs to be decommissioned due to being ‘situated in a seismically active area with significant structural flaws and poses risk to 3.5 million people if the 100+ years old dam were to fail’.
The safety concerns of the ageing Mullaperiyar dam and alleged leaks and cracks in the structure have been repeatedly raised by the Kerala Government while the Tamil Nadu governments have sought to downplay these concerns. While Tamil Nadu has sought to increase the limit of maximum water level in the dam to 152 ft, Kerala has strongly argued against such a move citing safety concerns.
Kerala’s proposal for decommissioning the dam and constructing a new one has been challenged by Tamil Nadu.
Details:
The recent Supreme Court order was issued while hearing a petition raising apprehensions about the supervision of water levels of the reservoir, especially during the rainy season.
Notably, Kerala has been experiencing unusually heavy spells of rain which have resulted in record inflows to the Mullaperiyar dam reservoir. Kerala has pressed upon Tamil Nadu to consider the urgent need for the gradual release of water from the fast-filling Mullaperiyar dam reservoir to ensure that there is no damage to the ageing dam structure.
Kerala also fears that the sudden release of water from the Mullaperiyar could contribute to the flood situation in the state of Kerala.
Recommendations:
Addressing safety concerns first:
Assuring the safety of the downstream population should be the topmost priority in this scenario.
The remaining works to strengthen the dam are to be done at the earliest. The Kerala state government and the Central Government must provide their approval for the same without much delay.
Tamil Nadu must assure Kerala that all the instruments for monitoring the safety and health of the dam are installed and are functioning properly.
Rational approach:
The issue should be addressed in an amicable manner while giving no room for passion and chauvinism on what is mostly a technical subject regarding the operation and maintenance of Mullaperiyar.
As there are sufficient scientific and technological tools to respond effectively to any legitimate and genuine concern, every stakeholder should adopt a rational approach while deciding on the storage levels and safety aspects of the dam.
Category: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. Why India shouldn’t sign on to net zero
Context:
Amid the growing calls for net zero carbon emissions, the article argues against India announcing any such net zero target year.
Arguments against net zero target:
The timing of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions reaching net zero is not the critical parameter for the safety of humanity. Rather, there is the need to cap the global cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (global carbon budget). The calls for net zero carbon emissions tend to overlook this crucial concept of global carbon budget.
The net zero targets announced by the top three emitters of the world — China, the U.S. and the European Union — will not be sufficient to keep global temperature increase below 1.5°C.
Notably, the Paris Climate Agreement which forms the basis of the global climate action framework does not require that net zero be reached individually by countries by 2050.
The net zero carbon emission targets seem to be against the principle of equity and climate justice. This approach front-loads emission reduction requirements on developing countries, despite their already low emissions and allows the developed world to backload its emissions, buying time for its own transition. It seems to be neglecting the legacy emissions from the global north. Hence this concept allows for the over-appropriation of the global carbon budget by the global north.
Recommendations for India:
The article recommends that India should refrain from agreeing to a net zero target year based on the following arguments.
Low legacy emissions:
India is responsible for no more than 4.37% cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide since the pre-industrial era, despite being home to more than a sixth of humanity.
Low per capita emissions:
India’s per capita emissions are less than half the world average.
India’s contribution to global emissions is so disproportionately low that even a more ambitious climate action plan by India will not make any drastic impact on global climate action.
Developmental necessities:
The adoption of a net zero target year risks endangering the economic development process of India which is of paramount importance to eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition in India.
Conclusion:
India, in enlightened self-interest, must stake its claim to a fair share of the global carbon budget.
It should call for restriction of the future cumulative emissions by the big emitters, to their fair share of the global carbon budget.
India should call for technology transfer and financial support, together with “negative emissions” from the developed countries to compensate for the legacy emissions.
For more related information refer to the following article:
UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis of 25th Oct 2021
F. Prelims Facts
1. ‘Tax revenue set to beat forecast’
The Indian government expects its tax revenues for the current fiscal year to be 10% above budgeted estimates. This would be the first time in four years that the tax revenues could be higher than its budgeted estimates if the projection holds true.
Tax revenues have been below projections ever since 2017-18 as the economy lost momentum even before COVID-19 and then slipped into a deep recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The uptick in government tax revenues, pickup in retail sales and exports seem to be suggestive of a robust economic recovery in India.
The robust tax revenue projections and the meeting of the disinvestment targets will help the government beat its fiscal deficit projection of 6.8% by as much as 30-40 basis points.
India aims to raise Rs. 1.75 lakh crore in the current fiscal year through disinvestment.
G. Tidbits
1. ‘Count on the not so big powers’
Syed Akbaruddin, India’s former Permanent Representative to the UN with rich experience in international diplomacy and power play calls for India to attach equal importance to bilateral relationships with the middle powers as well as other smaller nations in addition to the natural importance that India attaches to its relationship with the superpowers of the world.
This he argues is essential as the support from the middle and smaller powers form the base of India’s global support on which the relationships with global superpowers can be leveraged upon.
This can also help insulate India from the powerplay often employed by superpowers in international relations to protect their mutual self-interests.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Examine the controversy surrounding Mullaperiyar dam in the light of recent directions given by the Supreme Court. (15 marks, 250 words)[GS-2, Polity]
- The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission aims to build a robust public health infrastructure. Discuss. (15 marks, 250 words)[GS-2, Governance]
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