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Distribution: weekly

  • What are Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs)?

    Prime Minister has inaugurated a 351-km section between Khurja and Bhaupur in Uttar Pradesh for commercial operations of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).

    There is another concept named Dedicated Passenger Corridors (DPCs). Can you guess the idea behind?

    Background of DFCs

    • The concept of Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) was mooted in 2006 to generate substantial capacity for freight traffic by developing separate tracks on identified routes.
    • The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) was incorporated as a separate company under the Ministry of Railways.

    What is the DFC?

    • Under the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007–12), Railways started constructing a new DFC in two long routes, namely the Eastern and Western freight corridors.
    • The section recently launched is part of the 1,839-km Eastern DFC that starts at Sohnewal (Ludhiana) in Punjab and ends at Dankuni in West Bengal.
    • The other arm is the around 1,500-km Western DFC from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT in Mumbai, touching all major ports along the way.
    • There is also a section under construction between Dadri and Khurja to connect the Eastern and Western arms.

    Why is it important?

    • Around 70% of the freight trains currently running on the Indian Railway network are slated to shift to the freight corridors, leaving the paths open for more passenger trains.
    • Tracks on DFC are designed to carry heavier loads than most of the Indian Railways.
    • DFC will get track access charge from the parent Indian Railways, and also generate its own freight business.

    What trains will use the new section?

    • Freight trains plying on this section from now on will help decongest the existing Kanpur-Delhi main line of Indian Railways, which currently handles trains at 150% of its line capacity.
    • The new section means on the Indian Railway mainline, more passenger trains can be pumped in and those trains can, in turn, achieve better punctuality.
    • Foodgrain and fertilizers from the northern region are transported to the eastern and Northeast regions.
    • From East and Northeast, coal, iron ore, jute, and petroleum products are transported North and West.

  • Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI)

    Union Health Minister has been nominated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as a member of the GAVI Board.

    Q.The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the limitations of global cooperation. Critically analyse.

    GAVI

    • GAVI is a public-private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunization in poor countries.
    • GAVI has observer status at the World Health Assembly.
    • GAVI has been praised for being innovative, effective, and less bureaucratic than multilateral government institutions like the WHO.
    • Members: the WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialized and developing countries, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation among others.
    • GAVI programs can often produce quantified, politically appealing, easy-to-explain results within an election cycle, which is appealing to parties locked in an election cycle.

    Its function

    • It currently supports the immunization of almost half the world’s children, giving it the power to negotiate better prices for the world’s poorest countries and remove the commercial risks of manufacturers.
    • It also provides funding to strengthen health systems and train health workers across the developing world.

    Significance of India’s membership

    • The GAVI Board is responsible for the strategic direction and policymaking oversees the operations of the Vaccine Alliance and monitors program implementation.
    • With membership drawn from a range of partner organizations, as well as experts from the private sector, the Board provides a forum for balanced strategic decision making, innovation, and partner collaboration.

  • ‘Digital Ocean’: the Digital Platform for Ocean Data Management

    The Ministry of Earth Sciences has inaugurated the web-based application “Digital Ocean” developed by INCOIS.

    Digital Ocean

    • Digital Ocean is a first of its kind digital platform for Ocean Data Management.
    • The platform will be promoted as a platform for capacity building on Ocean Data Management for all Indian Ocean Rim countries.
    • It would help share ocean knowledge about the ocean with a wide range of users including research institutions, operational agencies, strategic users, the academic community, and the maritime industry and policymakers.
    • It also provides free access to information to the general public and the common man.
    • It will play a central role in the sustainable management of our oceans and expanding ‘Blue Economy’ initiatives.

    Its’ features

    • It includes a set of applications developed to organize and present heterogeneous oceanographic data by adopting rapid advancements in geospatial technology.
    • It facilitates:
    1. Online interactive web-based environment for data integration,
    2. 3D and 4D (3D in space with time animation) data visualization,
    3. Data analysis to assess the evolution of oceanographic features,
    4. Data fusion and multi-format download of disparate data from multiple sources viz., in-situ, remote sensing, and model data, all of which is rendered on a georeferenced 3D Ocean.

  • Places in news: Sea of Galilee

    The Sea of Galilee, well-known in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic lore, has swelled up due to recent rains, according to reports in the Israeli media.

    Do you know?

    The Sea of Galilee Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake).

    Sea of Galilee

    • The lake lies in northern Israel, between the occupied Golan Heights and the Galilee region. It is fed by underground springs but its major source is the Jordan River.
    • The lake has risen to 209.905 meters below sea level due to heavy rainfall in the surrounding areas.
    • The Jordan flows into the lake and then exits it before ending in the Dead Sea, the saltiest and the lowest point on the planet.
    • Water is not extracted from the Sea of Galilee. But it is considered to be an important barometer of the water situation in Israel.

  • [pib] TiHAN: India’s first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems

    Union Minister of Education laid the foundation stone of ‘TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad’, India’s first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial).

    Must read:

    https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/regulations-for-flying-of-drones/

    TiHAN

    • TiHAN is an acronym for Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems (UAVs, RoVs, etc.).
    • It is a multi-departmental initiative, including researchers from Electrical, Computer Science, Mechanical and Aerospace, Civil, Mathematics, and Design at IIT Hyderabad.
    • It would focus on addressing various challenges hindering the real-time adoption of unmanned autonomous vehicles for both terrestrial and aerial applications.

    Why need TiHAN?

    • One major requirement to make unmanned and connected vehicles more acceptable to the consumer society is to demonstrate its performance in real-life scenarios.
    • However, it may become dangerous. Especially in terms of safety, to directly use the operational roadway facilities as experimental test tracks for unmanned and connected vehicles.
    • In general, both UAV and UGV testing may include crashes and collisions with obstacles, resulting in damage to costly sensors and other components.
    • Hence, it is important to test new technologies developed in a safe, controlled environment before deployment.

  • [pib] Action Agenda for an AtmaNirbhar Bharat (AAAN)

    The Health Ministry has released the report Action Agenda for an AtmaNirbhar Bharat (AAAN) prepared by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).

    Q.‘Doubling Farmer’s Income’ and ‘USD 5 trillion economy’  seems more like slogans today in wake of COVID pandemic. Comment on the statement with keeping in view the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan of the government.

    AAAN Report

    • The report AAAN is a consequential follow-up of the TIFAC’s White Paper on Focused Interventions for ‘Make in India’: post-COVID -19 which was released earlier this year.
    • The White Paper highlighted five thrust sectors namely, Healthcare, Machinery, ICT, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Electronics that would be critical for India’s economic growth post-COVID.
    • This AAAN action plan has been structured with reference to timeline, highlighting short/medium and long term interventions in various identified sectors.

    Why need such an agenda?

    • The World is experiencing unprecedented health and economic crisis. A widespread deep global recession has been bolstered, undermining global cooperation and multilateralism.
    • The most outward global economies have turned inwards and are designing enhanced measures for rebooting and resilience of the economy.
    • The document also specifically defines overarching policy recommendations with reference to technological inputs, focusing towards Local to Global.
    • It would thereby revive the Indian economy, in identified domains of Innovation and Technology Development, Technology Adoption/Diffusion, Boosting up Manufacturing and Productivity, Trade and Globalization etc.

  • Exploiting 5G strategically

    The article examines the threat posed by the Chinese 5G technology to the world and India.

    Implications of Chinese 5G technology for Nepal

    • The launch of 5G in Nepal would mean that Nepal’s business interests could pass into Chinese control.
    • Real-time information on weather, routes, map, etc could be based on Chinese 5G, thus making locals or visitors to Nepal dependent on it.
    • A related development of infrastructure along the borders, where most mountaineering sites are, could make Nepal’s borders vulnerable and damage its tourism industry.
    • With lower incomes, the tourism industry might get lured into Chinese cheap loans, leading to a strategic debt trap.
    • Such development would have several ramifications for India.

    Implications of Chinese 5G technology for the world

    • 2020 has been no ordinary year —Militaries have been pushed to the borders, treaties, and agreements are being signed, and a record number of military deals have happened.
    • This year has witnessed the most unprecedented intensification of global military conflicts since the Gulf War.
    • AI applications have been at display in warfare, with drone killing machines being advertised.
    • There is no option left but to get the 5G technology now.
    • Huge Chinese investments across the world to spread a 5G network will encompass the planet — a “digital encirclement of the world”.
    • Combined with the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), this encirclement would be complete.
    • Intrinsic to the BRI is the fact that Chinese companies will build digital infrastructure.
    • Militaries who allow Chinese 5G, could then become hostage to Chinese technology, as seen during the pandemic.

    Indian 5G technology: Advantages and challenges ahead

    •  India is likely to survive the Chinese 5G invasion if it accelerates the launch of the Indian 5G.
    • India is working on technologies that would enable it to launch Indigenous 5G that would run IoT platforms for civilians as well as military applications.
    • The banning of Chinese apps and blocking of hardware supply chains would be the correct counteroffensive to protect the business and security interests of the country.
    • The problem is India being poor in “implementation”.
    • Where India starts losing out is in slow adoption, getting entangled in policy processes and the crosshairs of the bureaucracy. 

    Consider the question “What are the concerns with the adoption of Chinese 5G technology? How indigenous 5G technology help India and what are the challenges in developing it?” 

    Conclusion

    India must get its timing right. The implementation of 5G, though a bit delayed, can make India a good alternative to China. But agreements like RCEP and China’s other debt strategies will remain a larger threat to the world.

  • What are Zero Coupon Bonds?

    The government has used financial innovation to recapitalize a bank by issuing the lender Rs 5,500-crore worth of non-interest bearing bonds called Zero-Coupon Bonds.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Which of the following is issued by registered foreign portfolio investors to overseas investors who want to be part of the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly?

    (a) Certificate of Deposit

    (b) Commercial Paper

    (c) Promissory Note

    (d) Participatory Note

    Zero-Coupon Bonds

    • These are non-interest bearing, non-transferable special GOI securities that have a maturity of 10-15 years and are issued specifically to Punjab & Sind Bank.
    • These bonds are not tradable; the lender has kept them in the held-to-maturity (HTM) investments bucket, not requiring it to book any mark-to-market gains or losses from these bonds.
    • This will earn no interest for the subscriber; market participants term it both a ‘financial illusion’ and ‘great innovation’ by the government.

    How do they differ from bonds issued by private firms?

    • There is a difference between zero-coupon bonds issued by other corporates and these.
    • Zero-coupon bonds by private companies are normally issued at discount, but since these special bonds are not tradable these can be issued at par.

  • [pib] International Blue Flag hoisted at 8 beaches across the Country

    The Environment Minister has virtually hoisted the international blue flags in 8 beaches across the country.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. At one of the places in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, you will find that the seawater recedes from the shoreline a few kilometers and comes back to the shore, twice a day, and you can actually walk on the seafloor when the water recedes. This unique phenomenon is seen at:

    (a) Bhavnagar

    (b) Bheemunipatnam

    (c) Chandipur

    (d) Nagapattinam

    About Blue Flag Certification

    • This Certification is accorded by an international agency “Foundation for Environment Education, Denmark” based on 33 stringent criteria in four major heads i.e.
    1. Environmental Education and Information,
    2. Bathing Water Quality,
    3. Environment Management and Conservation and
    4. Safety and Services on the beaches.
    • It started in France in 1985 and has been implemented in Europe since 1987, and in areas outside Europe since 2001 when South Africa joined.
    • Japan and South Korea are the only countries in South and southeastern Asia to have Blue Flag beaches.
    • Spain tops the list with 566 such beaches; Greece and France follow with 515 and 395, respectively.

    Which are the 8 beaches?

    The beaches where the International Blue Flags were hoisted are:

    1. Kappad (Kerala)
    2. Shivrajpur (Gujarat)
    3. Ghoghla (Diu)
    4. Kasarkod and
    5. Padubidri (Karnataka)
    6. Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh)
    7. Golden (Odisha) and
    8. Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

  • The possibility of a two-front war

    The possibility of a two-front war has been debated for long in the Indian security establishment. However, the Galwan valley incident has added an urgency to that possibility. 

     

    Two front situation

    • In the Indian military’s thinking, while China was the more powerful, the chance of a conventional conflict breaking out was low.
    • The Chinese intrusions in Ladakh in May this year, the violence that resulted from clashes have now made the Chinese military threat more apparent and real.
    • This comes at a time when the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan has been steadily deteriorating.
    • Between 2017 and 2019, there has been a four-fold increase in ceasefire violations.
    • The larger challenge for India’s military would come if the hostilities break out along the northern border with China.
    • In such a situation, it is unlikely that Pakistan would initiate a large-scale conflict to capture significant chunks of territory as that would lead to a full-blown war between three nuclear-armed states.

    China-Pakistan relationship

    • China has always looked at Pakistan as a counter to India’s influence in South Asia.
    • There is a great deal of alignment in their strategic thinking.
    • Military cooperation is growing, with China accounting for 73% of the total arms imports of Pakistan between 2015-2019.
    • It would, therefore, be prudent for India to be ready for a two-front threat.

    The dilemma for India: In resources and strategy

    • It is neither practical nor feasible to build a level of capability that enables independent warfighting on both fronts.
    • A major decision will be the quantum of resources to be allocated for the primary front. This is the dilemma of resources.
    • If a majority of the assets of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force are sent towards the northern border, it will require the military to rethink its strategy for the western border.
    • This is the second dilemma.
    • Even though Pakistan may only be pursuing a hybrid war, should the Indian military remain entirely defensive?
    • Adopting a more offensive strategy against Pakistan could draw limited resources into a wider conflict.

    Way forward

    • We need to develop both the doctrine and the capability to deal with this contingency.
    • Capability building also requires a serious debate, particularly in view of the country’s economic situation.
    • We need to focus on future technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, etc.
    • The right balance will have to be struck based on a detailed assessment of China and Pakistan’s war-fighting strategies.
    • Diplomacy has a crucial role to play.
    • India would do well to improve relations with its neighbors so as not to be caught in an unfriendly neighborhood.
    • The engagement of the key powers in West Asia, including Iran, should be further strengthened.
    • Relationship with Moscow should not be sacrificed in favor of India-United States relations given that Russia could play a key role in defusing the severity of a regional gang up against India.
    • Political outreach to Kashmir aimed at pacifying the aggrieved citizens would help in easing the pressure from the western front.

    Consider the question “India faces the possibility of a two-front war. What strategy India should follow to deal with such a challenge?” 

    Conclusion

    A politically-guided doctrine, comprehensive military capability, and exploring other options will help to deal with the China-Pakistan threat.