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2023 07 01

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 2:

  1. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
  2. US-China chips war

GS Paper 3:

  1. Draft Guidelines for Resource Adequacy Planning Framework for India
  2. Open Market Sale Scheme

Content for Mains Enrichment

  1. Sharenting
  2. Namakkal district (Tamil Nadu)
  3. Using Physics to understand hate groups on the Internet

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

  1. Lithium deal
  2. Report on Panchayat Development Index (PDI)
  3. SDGs National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2023
  4. Statistics Day
  5. Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between India and CDRI
  6. Energy Transition Index
  7. Gravitational Vibrations
  8. National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission
  9. Diversity for Restoration (D4R) tool

Mapping

  1. Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (Arunachal Pradesh)
  2. National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) (Lothal, Gujarat)
  3. Oman’s Duqm port

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: Government policies and Intervention, Issues related to Education

Source: TH

Context: National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) recently released the India Rankings for 2023, evaluating higher education institutions based on various parameters.

What is NIRF Ranking? 

National Institutional Ranking Framework is a methodology developed by the Ministry of Education (formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development) in India to rank higher education institutions in the country. It was launched in September 2015 and aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of institutions based on various parameters.

Ranking parameters:

  1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (30% weightage)
  2. Research and Professional Practice (30%)
  3. Graduation Outcomes (20%)
  4. Outreach and Inclusivity (10%)
  5. Perception (10%)

Key highlights of the NIRF 2023:
Area of Ranking Major Highlights
This year’s ranking has integrated the “Innovation” ranking previously executed by the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) into the India Rankings to reduce the burden on institutions of providing similar data to two different agencies
Participants Increased participation from 3565 institutes in 2016 to 8686 in 2023
Top Engineering Institutes IIT-Madras (1st), IIT-Delhi (2nd), IIT-Bombay (3rd)
Top Management Institutes IIM Ahmedabad (1st), IIM Bangalore (2nd), IIM Kozhikode (3rd)
Top Law Institutes National Law School of India University, Bengaluru (1st), National Law University, Delhi (2nd), NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad (3rd)
Top Pharmacy Institutes National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad (1st), Jamia Hamdard (2nd), BITS Pilani (3rd)
Top Colleges Delhi University (DU) colleges secured positions in the top 10 colleges in India, with Miranda House (1st) and Hindu College (2nd) leading the rankings

Key issues with the NIRF Ranking:
Issues Description
Methodology and Indicators Focus on bibliometric measures  (e.g., number of citations, publication rather than the quality of papers) sidelining other forms of intellectual contributions.
Lack of Comprehensive Evaluation Bibliometric indicators may not fully capture the complexities of scientific performance.
Limited Participation Only about 12% of higher educational institutions participated in the ranking process.
Urban Bias and Low Progress in Rural Participation Scant presence of colleges from rural areas in the top 100 rankings. The ranking is more concentrated at institutes in urban areas.
Lack of Transparency Institutions and stakeholders should have access to detailed information about the methodology, data sources, weightage assigned to different indicators, and the process of data collection and analysis.
Lack of rigorous system An analysis of the data submitted by some private universities under the NIRF provides evidence of data fudging

Major challenges pointed out by NIRF ranking for higher education institutes:
Incongruence between Quantity and Quality The concentration of high-quality colleges in a few states, highlights the need for a mission to improve quality across the country.
Quality Differences between Private and Government Institutions Private institutions have lower rankings compared to government institutions.
Correlation between Faculty Strength and Rankings Vast differences in faculty strength between top-ranked and other institutions. Importance of quality education beyond infrastructure.
Scholarly Output and Research Investments A small percentage of institutions contribute to a significant portion of scholarly output. Need for increased research investments and funding.
Need for Quality Enhancement and Financial Resources Rankings highlight the urgent need for improving quality in the higher education system, requiring substantial financial resources.

Way forward:

To promote comprehensive evaluation of universities in India, it is necessary to move beyond relying solely on bibliometrics and incorporate a wider range of qualitative and quantitative factors. This will result in a more holistic assessment of institutional performance. Additionally, transparency in ranking methodologies, the inclusion of diverse factors, and maintaining a balance between quantitative metrics and qualitative assessments are crucial.

Conclusion:

The rankings underscore the urgent need for quality enhancement in the higher education system and require substantial financial resources to compete globally.

Insta Links:

Union Education Minister Releases India Rankings 2022 of higher educational institutes

Mains Link:

National Education Policy 2020 is in line with Sustainable Development Goals-4 (2030). It intended to restructure and re-orient the education system in India. Critically examine the statement(UPSC 2020)

Prelims Link

Which of the following is/are parameters used by NIRF for ranking higher educational institutions?

  1. Teaching, learning and resources(TLR)
  2. Graduation outcome
  3. Number of students Passing out
  4. Inclusivity and perception

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1, 2 and 4 only
  2. 1, 3 and 4 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: (a)

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, National Institutional Ranking Framework, NIRF, Today's Article

US-China chips war

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: International Geopolitics

Source: IE

Context: The US-China chips war has prompted India to position itself as a player in the semiconductor technology field through a significant partnership with the US.

What is the US-China chips war?

The US-China chips war revolves around the rivalry between the two economic powers for dominance in semiconductor technology. The US has implemented restrictions to prevent China from gaining a technological advantage, while also investing in domestic chip manufacturing. China, on the other hand, aims to achieve self-sufficiency in semiconductors through its “Made in China 2025” plan. The war has disrupted global semiconductor supply chains and led to a shift in alliances and trade patterns. In this war, Semiconductors have emerged as the ‘new oil’

Advantages for India in Semiconductor Technology:
Advantages Description
Strategic Partnership with the US India has positioned itself as a player in the critical semiconductor technology field with US’s Micron during the recent PM’s visit. Earlier, in 2022, India- US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) deal was also signed.
Government Support and Investment The Indian government has allocated significant funds and resources, amounting to Rs 76,000 crore ($10 billion), to support the development of the semiconductor industry in the country. E.g. through the PLI scheme.
Skilled Workforce India boasts a large pool of skilled professionals in engineering and technology.
Growing Domestic Market India offers a vast and expanding domestic market for semiconductors and related products.
Cost Competitiveness India has a competitive advantage in terms of cost, offering relatively lower labour and operational costs compared to some other countries.
Infrastructure Development The Indian government has been actively working on developing the necessary infrastructure to support semiconductor manufacturing e.g., the establishment of fabrication plants (fabs) and semiconductor clusters.

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What are Semiconductors?

A semiconductor is a material that has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductors are used to create electronic circuits, such as transistors and diodes, which control the flow of electric current. They are commonly made from materials like silicon or germanium and are essential for various applications, including computers, smartphones, Integrated Circuits, defence systems, and AI

India’s initiatives:

  • Production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the semiconductor industry
  • Three entities(Vedanta-Foxconn, international consortium ISMC and Singapore-based IGSS Ventures) that had applied to build the chips
  • Semicon India Programme:Launched in 2021 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, the programme seeks to support the development of the semiconductors and the display manufacturing ecosystem in India.
  • Fiscal support for a design-linked initiative (DLI) schemeto drive global and domestic investment related to design software, IP rights etc.

Global Initiatives for Semiconductors: 

  • Semiconductor friend-shoring among the Quad members by USA, to building “resilient, diverse and secure supply chains of critical and emerging technologies”.
  • US-led “Chip 4 Alliance” with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to restrict Chinese access to chip tech.
  • Taiwan produces over 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced ones.
  • “Made in China 2025” plan: to get self-sufficiency in semiconductor

Challenges for India:

  • India is currently at least two decades behind in chip manufacturing
  • It lacks the necessary infrastructure, uninterrupted power and water supply, and a skilled workforce.
  • There is a need for the development of a comprehensive chip ecosystem and ancillary industries in India.

Conclusion:

Despite these challenges, India’s partnership with the US positions it in the global chip war and has the potential to elevate bilateral ties to the next level.

Insta Links:

A push for the semiconductor industry

Mains Links

Given its scientific and strategic significance, India needs to be far more ambitious in creating a domestic semiconductor industry on a war footing. Discuss. (250 Words)

Prelims Links 

Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create a digital display in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays? ( USPC 2017)

  1. OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates.
  2. Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs.
  3. Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) None of the above statements is correct

Answer: C

OLED TV is a television display technology based on the characteristics of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). OLED TV is a different technology than LED TV. The OLED display is based on an organic substance used as the semiconductor material in light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

OLEDs are ultrathin and light, they can be fabricated on flexible plastic or roll-up displays. Transparent displays are also possible.

In general, OLEDs are more efficient than LCDs for displaying dark images because black pixels consume little power for an emissive display, while LCDs are more efficient than OLEDs at displaying bright images.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Today's Article, US-China chips war

Draft Guidelines for Resource Adequacy Planning Framework for India

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Infrastructure (Energy)

Source: CEA

Context: The Ministry of Power, in consultation with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), has released draft Guidelines for Resource Adequacy Planning Framework for India.

About the draft guidelines:

  • The guidelines have been formulated under the Electricity (Amendment) Rules 2022.
  • Under the new framework, the distribution companies (DISCOM) will create a report detailing
    • The expected demand,
    • The rate of demand growth,
    • The current contracted capacity, and
    • The amount of power obtained from power exchanges.
  • The resource adequacy exercise will be conducted with a 10-year planning horizon on a continuous basis.
  • The National Load Despatch Center (NLDC) is required to release an annual short-term national resource adequacy plan covering one year.

The objective of the plan:

  • To reliably fulfil the peak demand with the help of adequate supply of generation and demand response.
  • To optimise the generation of electricity at the lowest possible cost while meeting the demand. This includes minimising overall system costs, such as –
    • Operational and maintenance expenses,
    • Fuel costs,
    • The costs associated with starting up and shutting down power-generating units, etc.
  • To take into account various constraints related to power plant operations, such as –
    • Limits on ramping up or down generation,
    • Renewable purchase obligation (RPO) targets,
    • Capacities for solar rooftop or distributed generation, etc.

Significance:

  • A set of guidelines to establish an institutional mechanism for resource adequacy, spanning from the national level down to the DISCOM.
  • It will ensure the availability of resources at each level to meet the demand.
  • It will help proactively assess the requirements for new generation capacities, energy storage, and other flexible resources well in advance.

Key challenges:

  • The ongoing challenge of catering to the peak demand reliably is being faced by the utilities in India.
  • Infrastructural and management challenges while sharing inter-state and inter-region power.
  • Increasing share of variable renewable energy and higher frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change.

Way ahead:

  • Given the limited capacity and the learning curve associated with the detailed resource adequacy plan, DISCOM be allowed a grace period of 2-3 years before implementation of the same.
  • Such a preparatory period would allow the discoms to explore the methodology, collect relevant data and put an internal institutional mechanism in place.

Insta Links:

Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, 1 July CA, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Draft Guidelines for Resource Adequacy Planning Framework for India, The Electricity (Amendment) Rules 2022, Today's Article, Today’s article

The Open Market Sale Scheme

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Issues of PDS, Buffer Stocks and Food Security

Source: TH

Context: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has imposed quantity restrictions on states to procure two food grains (wheat and rice) through its Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).
The issue related to the OMSS
About OMSS Under the OMSS, the FCI sells (from time to time) surplus food grains (especially wheat and rice) from the central pool in the open market to traders, bulk consumers, and retail chains, at pre-determined prices.
How? Through e-­auctions, where open-market bidders can buy specified quantities.
OMSS and States States are also allowed to procure food grains (over and above what they get from the central pool to distribute to NFSA beneficiaries) through the OMSS without participating in the auctions.
Objective of OMSS Ensure food security by enhancing the supply of food grains during the lean season, control inflation by moderating the open market prices, especially in the deficit regions
Revision of OMSS The Centre decided to restrict the quantity that a single bidder can purchase from 3,000 metric tonnes (MT) to 10­-100 MT.
The objective behind the revision To accommodate more small and marginal buyers, curb retail prices as allowing smaller bids should ideally break monopolies of bulk buyers, allowing more competitive bids by small buyers.
Impact of Revision on States The Centre stopped the sale of rice and wheat from the Central pool under the OMSS to State governments, also disallowing private bidders to sell their OMSS supplies to state governments.
Steps Taken by States Considering alternative methods of obtaining wheat and rice. For example, TN is trying to purchase rice from government agencies other than FCI.
Allegations of States States such as Karnataka (which runs the Anna Bhagya scheme) and Tamil Nadu (which runs the universal PDS) have criticised the government for engaging in “politics” at the expense of marginalised beneficiaries of State welfare schemes.
Centre’s reply Restrictions are imposed to curb inflation and regulate supply. The Centre is already distributing grains to 80 crore marginalised beneficiaries under the NFSA.

FCI:

  • It is a statutory body set up setup under the Food Corporation Act 1964, in order to fulfil the following objectives of the Food Policy:
    • Effective price support operations for safeguarding the interests of the farmers.
    • Distribution of food grains throughout the country for a PDS.
    • Maintaining a satisfactory level of operational and buffer stocks of foodgrains to ensure National Food Security.
  • It comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
  • Since its inception, FCI has contributed significantly to India’s success in transforming its food security system from one that was focused on crisis management to one that is stable.

Insta Links:

FCI

Mains Links:

What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make the food grain distribution system more effective? (UPSC 2019)

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, 1 July CA, FCI, NFSA, PDS, The Open Market Sale Scheme, Today's Article, Today’s article

Sharenting

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: TOI

West Bengal’s CID department has organised a campaign aimed at sensitising parents on the perils of Sharenting.

What is Sharenting?

It refers to the act of parents posting too many details about their children on social media.

Risks associated with Sharenting are:

  • Detrimental for a child’s psychological growth
  • Increases risk of details being used by Cybercriminals
  • Morphed photographs and ‘digital kidnapping’

Usage: The term and example can be used to highlight risks with the use of digital technologies

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Sharenting, Today's Article

Namakkal district (Tamil Nadu)

Content for Mains Enrichment

Namakkal district (Tamil Nadu), India, has successfully addressed its water scarcity challenges and achieved the second-best groundwater availability in the country.

The district’s comprehensive approach involved community participation, rainwater harvesting, sustainable agriculture, efficient water management systems, and robust policies.

Measures such as constructing rooftop collection systems, percolation tanks, and check dams were implemented to capture rainwater and replenish the groundwater table. River rejuvenation, canal desilting, and removal of encroachments were also undertaken.

Community participation and awareness campaigns played a crucial role in fostering a water conservation culture.

Usage: Namakkal’s success offers valuable lessons for India in coping with water crises and can be used in Questions related to geography, Agriculture and Governance.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Namakkal, tamil nadu, Today's Article

Using Physics to understand hate groups on the Internet

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: TH

Scientists have developed a new approach to understanding online hate communities using mathematical equations commonly used to describe shock waves in fluids.

The study found that online hate communities, or “anti-X” communities, grow rapidly due to fusion, where interested individuals or groups join them.

The study’s findings have implications for identifying and combating hate speech, as tracking networks of known hate speech offenders can be more effective than focusing on individual instances of hate speech.

Usage: The finding can be used as an example of the use of technology to monitor and combat social crimes.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, hate groups on the internet, Today's Article

Lithium deal

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: DTE

Context: French minerals company has acquired 80% of British Lithium, a UK-based startup extracting lithium in Cornwall (England). The partnership aims to develop a mine capable of producing 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year, enough to power 500,000 EVs annually.

How can India secure its position on Lithium:

  • India, recently joined the Minerals Security Partnership led by the US, along with France and the UK.
  • India can leverage this position to establish a trilateral strategic partnership and secure a reliable lithium supply chain, boosting its domestic EV manufacturing sector.

About Lithium:

  • It is a soft, silvery-white metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element. It is highly reactive and flammable and must be stored in mineral oil.

Countries with Largest Reserves:

  • Chile> Australia> Argentina
  • Lithium Triangle: Chile, Argentina, Bolivia.

Lithium in India: 

Recently, the Geological Survey of India has for the first-time established Lithium ‘inferred’ resources(G3) of about 6 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Lithium reserves were also discovered on Revant Hill in Degana in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district and Karnataka Mandya district

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, geography, GS1, Lithium, Minerals, Today's Article

Report on Panchayat Development Index (PDI)

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

Context: The Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj released the Report on Panchayat Development Index (PDI) recently.

About Panchayat Development Index (PDI):
Aspect Details
What is PDI? A computation score based on local indicators measuring the progress of Panchayats in India.
Focus Nine themes related to the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).
Themes Poverty-free, Healthy, Child-friendly, Water-sufficient, Clean and green, Self-sufficient, Socially just and secure, Well-governed, and Women-friendly.
Aim Promote outcome-oriented development, encourage healthy competition, and facilitate evidence-based planning for Gram Panchayats
Ranking Based on scores (0-100), categorized into A (75-90%), B (60-75%), C (40-60%), and D (under 40%).
Ministry Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Significance Will help in Policymaking, planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Identifies strengths/weaknesses, allocates resources, promotes peer learning, and facilitates citizen engagement and social accountability.
LSDGs Localization of Sustainable Development Goals aligns national and global goals with local context and priorities.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Report on Panchayat Development Index (PDI), Today's Article

SDGs National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2023

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: MoSPI

Context: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2023.

  • The report tracks the progress achieved so far at the national level in respect of 17 SDGs.

What are SDGs? 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. They aim to address the world’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges, with the overarching goal of achieving sustainable development by 2030.

What is the monitoring framework for SDGs implementation?

An Inter-agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs)  was set up by United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC). It had developed the Global Indicator Framework (GIF). At present, the GIF includes 248 indicators, with 231 unique indicators.

What are NIF and SIF?

In India (similar to GIF at the global level) NIF was developed in 2018 that was aligned with the SDG global indicators. In 2019, the Ministry developed and circulated Guidelines to the States/UTs for the development of State Indicator Framework (SIF) in respective States/UTs.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, SDGs National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2023, Today's Article

Statistics Day

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

Context: The Government of India celebrates Statistics Day every year on June 29th in honour of the late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, who made significant contributions to the fields of Economics, Planning, and Statistics.

The objective of Statistics Day is to raise awareness, particularly among the younger generation, about the role and importance of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation for the country’s development.

The theme of Statistics Day for 2023: ‘Alignment of State Indicator Framework with National Indicator Framework for Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals.’

P C Mahalanobis (1893-1972) was an Indian scientist and statistician. He is best remembered for the Mahalanobis distance, referred to as the father of Indian statistics, founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and is one of the members of the first Planning Commission of free India. He made pioneering studies in anthropometry in India

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, P C Mahalanobis, Statistics day, Today's Article

Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between India and CDRI

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

Context: The Union Cabinet has given its approval for ratification of the Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between the Government of India (Gol) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
CRDI
About CDRI is a global partnership of National Governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, the private sector, and academic institutions.
Objective It aims to promote the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.
Launched by It was launched by the PM of India during the UN Climate Action Summit (New York) in 2019. It is seen as India’s attempt to obtain a global leadership role in climate change and disaster resilience matters
Secretariat New Delhi
Members Since its launch, 31 Countries, 6 International Organisations and 2 private sector organisations have become members of CDRI
Upgradation In 2022, the Cabinet approved the recognition of CDRI as an International Organisation and for the signing of HQA for granting CDRI exemptions, immunities and privileges as contemplated under the UN (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947
Significance of HQA agreement Ratification will provide CDRI an independent and international legal persona so that it can carry out its functions internationally, more efficiently.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, 1 July CA, Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between India and CDRI, Today's Article, Today’s article

Energy Transition Index

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IEContext: India has been ranked 67th globally on the World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index, making it the only major economy with accelerating energy transition momentum across all dimensions.

  • The top five countries on the list are Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Switzerland.

The report highlighted India’s achievements in reducing energy and carbon intensity, achieving universal energy access, and managing electricity affordability. India also fared relatively well during the recent energy crisis due to a low share of natural gas in power generation and increased use of existing capacities.

  • Singapore was the only other major economy showing momentum in sustainability, energy security, and equity.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Energy Transition Index, ENVIRONMENT, GS3, Today's Article

Gravitational Vibrations

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: Scientists have found evidence suggesting the presence of a continuous background of gravitational waves in the universe.

About Gravitational Waves:

  • Gravitational waves are disturbances in the fabric of spacetime caused by the movement of large objects, such as the collision of two black holes.
  • The waves were first detected in 2015, but this new research indicates that multiple gravitational waves constantly deform and reshape spacetime, influencing the motion of celestial bodies.

Findings:

Scientists have discovered a ‘background hum’ rumbling throughout the universe. It confirms the presence of low-frequency (long-wavelengths) gravitational waves, thought to be constantly rolling through space noise.

India’s Giant Metre wave Radio Telescope (GMRT, Pune) was among the world’s six large telescopes that played a vital role in providing evidence. The other 5 are located in Germany, the UK, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Gravitational Vibrations, GS3, SCIENCE, space, Today's Article

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: ToI

Context: The PM will launch (today) the ‘National Sickle Cell Elimination Mission’ today with the target to eradicate the disease by 2047.

From where?

  • The mission announced in the Union Budget 2023 will be launched from a public programme in Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh.
  • MP is a state with the highest tribal population in terms of absolute numbers as per Census 2011 and also has the highest burden of sickle cell anaemia.

Background:

  • Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disease which affects the whole life of an affected patient.
  • It is more common in the tribal population of India but occurs in non-tribals too.
  • It not only causes anaemia but also pain crises, reduced growth, and affects many organs like lungs, heart, kidneys, eyes, bones and the brain.

How vulnerable India is?

  • Globally, India has the largest density of tribal population [Census 2011: Tribal population – 8.6% of the total population of India/ 67.8 million].
  • Sickle cell disease is one of the 10 special problems in tribal health that affect the tribal people disproportionately, thus making intervention necessary.

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission:

  • Mission: To improve the care of all Sickle Cell Disease patients for their better future and to lower the prevalence of the disease through a multi-faced coordinated approach towards screening and awareness strategies.
  • Vision: Eliminate sickle cell disease as a public health problem in India by 2047.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, 1 July CA, National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, Today's Article, Today’s article

Diversity for Restoration (D4R) tool

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: DTE

Context: Researchers have developed a tool called Diversity for Restoration (D4R) to aid in agroforestry and ecosystem restoration efforts.

  • The tool, initially created by Bioversity International and later adopted by a team from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) for the Indian context, aims to enhance the effectiveness of restoration programs while promoting sustainable development.

The online tool helps stakeholders identify suitable tree species for restoration objectives based on their ecological benefits and resistance to local stresses.

The tool is already being used in various countries and offers recommendations for maximizing restoration success along with propagation information and monitoring suggestions. It is seen as a comprehensive tool for socio-ecologically responsible restoration.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Today's Article

Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (Arunachal Pradesh)

Mapping

Source: PIB

The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, a 2,000 Mega Watt project located in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, has achieved the construction of the dam to the top level of Elevation Level 210 M.

The Subansiri River is a trans-Himalayan river and a tributary of the Brahmaputra River that flows through Tibet’s Lhuntse County in the Shannan Prefecture, and the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (Arunachal Pradesh), Today's Article

National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) (Lothal, Gujarat)

Mapping

Source: BS

The government has announced the development of a National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat under the Sagarmala program (under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW)). The project aims to showcase India’s maritime heritage from ancient to modern times.

It will include world’s highest light house museum, world’s largest open aquatic gallery, India’s largest naval museum. It is funded by MoPSW and Ministry of Culture through National Culture Fund by way of grant.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Gujarat, Lothal, National Maritime Heritage Complex, Today's Article

Oman’s Duqm port

Mapping

Source: ET

NSA visits Oman’s Duqm port where Indian Navy has strategic access to facilitate its presence in Indian Ocean Region.

The Port of Duqm is strategically important for India’s maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean. It offers India access to the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea. This location is significant as it allows India to counter China’s expanding presence in the region.

July 1, 2023 /01 July 2023, Oman, Port of Duqm, Today's Article