💥Mains Ready By December. Smash Mains & Smash PYQ Admissions Open
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

GS Paper: GS3

  • How the Central and State governments procure Wheat?

    Wheat procurement is now underway in various states of the country.

    Wheat Procurement in India

    • The main purpose of procuring for the central pool is ensuring the MSP as well as the country’s food security by making food available to the weaker sections at affordable prices.
    • The Centre procures wheat by paying the minimum support price (MSP) announced for the crop.
    • The States do it under two systems:
    1. The centralised one, also called the non-decentralised procurement system (non-DCP) and
    2. The decentralised one, also called DCP

    (1) Non-DCP

    • Under this system, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) directly or through state government agencies procure wheat from the purchase centres established across the states based on various parameters like moisture, lustre, broken/shrivelled etc.
    • In Punjab and Haryana, farmers sell their crop to the central agency or state agencies through Arhtiyas (commission agents).
    • The wheat procured by the state agencies is handed over to the FCI for storage or for transportation to the consuming states.
    • The FCI, which is the central nodal agency for wheat procurement, pays the cost of procured wheat to the state agencies.

    (2) DCP

    • The decentralised system was brought in the late 1990s to promote local procurement and save the transportation cost and time.
    • The state government or its agencies procure, store and distribute wheat against the Centre’s allocation for targeted PDS and other weaker sections etc. with the state.
    • The excess stocks procured by the state and its agencies are handed over to the FCI for the central pool.
    • The expenditure incurred by the state government on the procurement, storage and distribution of stocks under the decentralised system are reimbursed by the Centre.

    Role of Arhtiyas

    • Apart from paying the MSP, the Centre also reimburses the arhtiyas’ commission, administrative charges, mandi labour charges, transportation charges, custody and maintenance charges, interest charges, the gunny bag cost and statutory taxes.
    • The cost of excess stocks handed over to the FCI is reimbursed to the state government or agencies as per the Centre’s policies.
    • Procurement agencies ensure that the stocks brought to mandis are purchased as per the specifications fixed by the government and farmers are not compelled to sell their crop below the MSP.
    • But if a farmer gets a better price from private players, he can sell to them.

    From how many states is wheat procured for the central pool?

    • There are 15 states on the procurement list for the central pool, but the contributions from seven of the states are negligible.
    • Only Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are the main contributors to the central pool.
    • Bihar also contributed to some extent in the last season.

    How much wheat is procured for the central pool by the FCI every year?

    • According to the records of the FCI, from 2011 to 2021, procurement for the central pool was between 25-40 per cent of the total wheat production.
    • The procurement has doubled in the past one decade as 22.5 million tonnes of wheat was procured in 2011 and 43.3 million in 2021.
    • The current season of procurement is going on.

    What is the procurement scale against the total production of wheat in India?

    • In 2011 the total production of wheat was 88 million tonnes while it was around 109 million tonnes in 2021.
    • And the government’s procurement was 26 per cent and around 40 per cent in 2011 and 2021 respectively.
    • The procured grain is used for export purposes, the public distribution system and maintaining a particular stock for an emergency period.
    • The remaining 60 per cent of the production goes to the bakery industry and other wheat-related businesses.
    • Farmers also keep some of this wheat for their self-consumption.

    What is the share of wheat contribution of various states to the central pool?

    • Barring 2020, Punjab has been the number one wheat contributor to the central pool.
    • The state has increased its contribution from 102.09 lakh tonnes in 2011 to 132. 22 lakh tonnes in 2021.
    • Haryana has also increased its contribution from 63.47 lakh tonnes to around 84.93 lakh tonnes in the same period.
    • Madhya Pradesh’s contribution was 35.38 lakh tonnes in 2011, which jumped to the highest among all states—129.42 lakh tonnes—in 2020 and was 128.16 lakh tonnes last year.
    • Uttar Pradesh’s contribution increased from 16.45 lakh tonnes to 56.41 lakh tonnes, and Rajasthan’s contribution rose from 4.76 lakh tonnes to 23.40 lakh tonnes in the same period.

    Note: Punjab (despite its small size compared to MP, UP) is also the leading wheat producer state in India.

    Back2Basics: Minimum Support Price (MSP)

    • MSP is a form of market intervention by the GoI to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices.
    • The MSP are announced at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
    • MSP is price fixed to protect the producer – farmers – against excessive fall in price during bumper production years.
    • In case the market price for the commodity falls below the announced minimum price due to bumper production and glut in the market, govt. agencies purchase the entire quantity offered by the farmers at the announced minimum price.
    • The minimum support prices are a guarantee price for their produce from the Government.
    • The major objectives are to support the farmers from distress sales and to procure food grains for public distribution.

    Methods of calculation

    • In formulating the level of MSP and other non-price measures, the CACP takes into account a comprehensive view of the entire structure of the economy of a particular commodity or group of commodities.
    • The CACP makes use of both micro-level data and aggregates at the level of district, state and the country.
    • Other factors include cost of production, changes in input prices, input-output price parity, trends in market prices, demand and supply, inter-crop price parity, effect on industrial cost structure, effect on cost of living, effect on general price level, international price situation, parity between prices paid and prices received by the farmers and effect on issue prices and implications for subsidy.

    Procurement agencies

    • Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the designated central nodal agency for price support operations for cereals, pulses and oilseeds.
    • Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is the central nodal agency for undertaking price support operations for Cotton.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • INS Vagsheer: Key features, capabilities

    The sixth and last of the French Scorpene-class submarines, INS Vagsheer, was launched into water at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai.

    Launch of INS Vagsheer

    • It was launched by Veena Ajay Kumar (wife of Union Defence Secretary), in keeping with the naval tradition of launch and naming by a woman.
    • The six submarines were being built under Project-75 by the Mazagon Docks under technology transfer from the Naval Group as part of a $3.75-billion deal signed in October 2005:
    1. INS Kalvari was commissioned in December 2017;
    2. INS Khanderi in September 2019;
    3. INS Vagir in November 2020;
    4. INS Karanj in March 2021; and
    5. INS Vela in November 2021.
    • P 75 is one of two lines of submarines, the other being P75I, as part of a plan approved in 1999 for indigenous submarine construction with technology taken from overseas firms.

    Why ‘Vagsheer’

    • Vagsheer is named after the sand fish, a deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
    • The first submarine Vagsheer, from Russia, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 26, 1974, and was decommissioned on April 30, 1997.
    • The new Vagsheer will be officially named at the time of its commissioning.

    Specifications

    • Vagsheer can take up to eight officers and 35 men.
    • It is 67.5 metres long and 12.3 metres high, with a beam measuring 6.2 metres Vagsheer can reach top speed of 20 knots when submerged and a top speed of 11 knots when it surfaces
    • It has four MTU 12V 396 SE84 diesel engines, 360 battery cells for power, and a silent Permanently Magnetised Propulsion Motor.
    • The hull, fin and hydroplanes are designed for minimum underwater resistance and all equipment inside the pressure hull is mounted on shock-absorbing cradles for enhanced stealth.

    Features

    • Vagsheer is a diesel attack submarine, designed to perform sea denial as well as access denial warfare against the adversary.
    • It can do offensive operations across the spectrum of naval warfare including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying and area surveillance.
    • It is enabled with a C303 anti-torpedo counter measure system.
    • It can carry up to 18 torpedoes or Exocet anti-ship missiles, or 30 mines in place of torpedoes.
    • Its superior stealth features include advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape.
    • It has the ability to launch a crippling attack using precision guided weapons, underwater or on surface.

    Road ahead

    • Vagsheer will be commissioned into the Indian Navy’s Western Command after 12 to 18 months when sea trials end.
    • It will be based with Western Naval Command, mostly in Mumbai.
    • The submarine will undergo a very comprehensive and rigorous set of tests and trials, for more than a year, to ensure delivery of a fully combat worthy submarine.

    Back2Basics: Various classes of Submarines in India

    In maritime terms, a class of ships is a group of vessels that have the same make, purpose and displacement.

    • Chakra Class: Under a 10-year lease from Russia since 2012
    • Arihant Class: Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines
    • Shishumar Class: Diesel-electric attack submarines Indian variant of the Type 209 submarines developed by the German Navy
    • Kalvari Class: Diesel-electric attack submarines designed by French company DCNS
    • Sindhughosh Class: Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines built with the help of Russia
    • Scorpene-Class: French submarines that can undertake various types of missions such as anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance etc.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • ISRO develops Space Bricks from Martian Soil

    Researchers from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a way to make bricks from Martian soil with the help of bacteria and urea.

    Space Bricks

    • ISRO and IISc have collaborated to develop a novel scalable technique of manufacturing space bricks using Martian Simulant Soil (MSS).
    • The team first made the slurry by mixing Martian soil with guar gum, a bacterium called Sporosarcina pasteurii, urea and nickel chloride (NiCl2).
    • This slurry can be poured into moulds of any desired shape, and over a few days the bacteria convert the urea into crystals of calcium carbonate.
    • These crystals, along with biopolymers secreted by the microbes act as cement holding the soil particles together.
    • This method ensures that the bricks are less porous, which was a problem with other methods used to make Martian bricks.
    • The bacteria seep deep into the pore spaces, using their own proteins to bind the particles together, decreasing porosity and leading to stronger bricks.

    Their significance

    • In the past, the team had made bricks out of lunar soil using a similar method.
    • These ‘space bricks’ can be used to construct building-like structures on Mars that could facilitate human settlement on the red planet.

     

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • India’s Crude Oil Imports from OPEC

    OPEC’s share of India’s oil imports for the FY22 financial year remained almost steady year-on-year, arresting sharp declines over the past six years, as refiners prefer crude from West Asia to counter rising global prices.

    India’s crude oil imports from OPEC

    • OPEC oil accounted for about 88% of India’s crude imports in FY08.
    • Its share of India’s overall imports could decline because refiners in Asia’s third-largest economy are buying cheaper Russian oil.
    • However, Russian oil continued to account for less than 1% of India’s crude imports in FY22.

    What is OPEC?

    • OPEC stands for Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
    • It is a permanent, intergovernmental organization, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
    • It aims to manage the supply of oil in an effort to set the price of oil in the world market, in order to avoid fluctuations that might affect the economies of both producing and purchasing countries.
    • It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
    • OPEC membership is open to any country that is a substantial exporter of oil and which shares the ideals of the organization.
    • Today OPEC is a cartel that includes 14 nations, predominantly from the middle east whose sole responsibility is to control prices and moderate supply.

    What is OPEC+?

    • The non-OPEC countries which export crude oil along with the 14 OPECs are termed as OPEC plus countries.
    • OPEC plus countries include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan and Sudan.
    • Saudi and Russia, both have been at the heart of a three-year alliance of oil producers known as OPEC Plus — which now includes 11 OPEC members and 10 non-OPEC nations — that aims to shore up oil prices with production cuts.

    Why OPEC plus came into existence?

    • When Russia concluded the Vienna Agreement in 2016, the Russian leadership believed that it would help prepare the country for the Russian presidential elections in March 2018.
    • Higher oil prices ensured the Kremlin’s financial capacity to lead a successful electoral campaign.
    • This changed the regime’s priorities – from satisfying the needs of the general population to ensuring the sustainability of the Kremlin’s alliance with powerful tycoons, including that controlling oil production.
    • For Saudi Arabia, turning what had been an ad hoc coalition into a formal group provides a hedge (protection) against future oil-market turbulence.
    • For Russia, the formalization of the group helps expand Putin’s influence in the Middle East
    • However, both reportedly aimed at causing a drop in oil prices in order to hit US shale producers, who have continued to benefit from OPEC production cuts by expanding their market share.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.The term ‘West Texas Intermediate’, sometimes found in news, refers to a grade of

    (a) Crude oil

    (b) Bullion

    (c) Rare earth elements

    (d) Uranium

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”fozewnon7k” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Cryptos and a CBDC are not the same thing

    Context

    Cryptocurrency will be discouraged via taxation and capital gains provisions. This was the message from the Finance Minister during the Budget discussion in Parliament.

    Growing worry about the cryptocurrencies

    • The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, in February, highlighted two things.
    • First, “private cryptocurrencies are a big threat to our financial and macroeconomic stability”.
    • Second, “these cryptocurrencies have no underlying (asset).
    • Clearly, statements from the RBI indicate a growing worry since the proliferation of cryptos threatens the RBI’s place in the economy’s financial system.
    • This threat emerges from the decentralised character of cryptos based on blockchain technology which central banks cannot regulate and which enables enterprising private entities to float cryptos which can function as assets and money.
    • The total valuation of cryptos recently was upward of $2 trillion — more than the value of gold held globally.
    • Challenges in banning it: Cryptos which operate via the net can be banned only if all nations come together.
    • Even then, tax havens may allow cryptos to function, defying the global agreement.

    Crypto as currency

    • A currency is a token used in market transactions. 
    • Historically, commodities (such as copper coins) have been used as tokens since they themselves are valuable.
    • But paper currency is useless till the government declares it to be a fiat currency.
    • Paper currency derives its value from state backing.
    • Cryptos are a string of numbers in a computer programme. And, there is no state backing. 
    • Their acceptability to the well-off enables them to act as money.
    • So, cryptos acquire value and can be transacted via the net.
    • This enables them to function as money.
    • Solving the problem of double spending:  Fiat currency has the property that once spent, it cannot be spent again except through forgery, because it is no more with the spender.
    • But, software on a computer can be used repeatedly.
    • Blockchain and encryption have solved the problem by devising protocols such as ‘proof of work’ and ‘proof of stake’. 

    Why CBDC is not a solution

    • A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) will not solve the RBI’s problem since it can only be a fiat currency and not a crypto.
    • Blockchain enables decentralisation.But, central banks would not want that.
    • Further, central bank would want a fiat currency to be exclusively issued and controlled by them.
    • But, theoretically everyone can ‘mine’ and create crypto.
    • So, for the CBDC to be in central control, solving the ‘double spending’ problem and being a crypto (not just a digital version of currency) seems impossible.
    • Validating transaction: A centralised CBDC will require the RBI to validate each transaction — something it does not do presently.
    • Once a currency note is issued, the RBI does not keep track of its use in transactions.
    • Keeping track will be horrendously complex which could make a crypto such as the CBDC unusable unless new secure protocols are designed.

    Conclusion

    CBDCs at present cannot be a substitute for cryptos that will soon begin to be used as money. This will impact the functioning of central banks and commercial banks.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • RERA

    The Supreme Court has asked the Chief Secretaries of the States to respond to queries raised by the Centre on the implementation of rules framed under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) (RERA) Act, 2016 in their respective jurisdictions.

    What is RERA, 2016?

    • The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 seeks to protect home-buyers as well as help boost investments in the real estate industry.
    • It establishes a Real Estate Regulatory Authority- RERA in each state for regulation of the real estate sector and also acts as an adjudicating body for speedy dispute resolution.
    • It was enacted under Entry 6 and 7 (dealing with contracts and the transfer of property) of the Concurrent List.
    • It is followed by the principle “buyer is the king and builders will have to ensure compliances to avoid punishment”.
    • Its main objective is to reduce delay in the work or timely delivery of the project without compromising the quality.

    Objectives of this Act

    It has the following objectives:

    • To protect the interest of the allottees and ensure their responsibility
    • To maintain transparency and reduce the chances of fraud
    • To implement Pan-India standardization and bring about professionalism
    • To enhance the flow of correct information between the home buyers and the sellers
    • To impose greater responsibilities on both the builders and the investors
    • To enhance the reliability of the sector and thereby increase confidence amongst the investors

    Key Provisions of RERA Act

    • Compulsory registration: According to the central act, every real estate project (where the total area to be developed exceeds 500 sq mtrs or more than 8 apartments is proposed to be developed in any phase), must be registered with its respective state’s RERA.
    • Establishment of state level regulatory authorities: It provides for State governments to establish more than one regulatory authority such as RERA to:
    1. Register and maintain a database of real estate projects; publish it on its website for public viewing
    2. Protection of interest of promoters, buyers and real estate agents
    3. Development of sustainable and affordable housing
    4. Render advice to the government and ensuring compliance with its Regulations and the Act
    • Establishment of Real Estate Appellate Tribunal: Decisions of RERAs can be appealed in these tribunals.
    • Mandatory Registration: All projects with plot size of a minimum 500 sq.mt or eight apartments need to be registered with Regulatory Authorities.
    • Deposits: Developers needs to keep 70% of the money collected from a buyer in a temporary pass through account held by a third party (escrow account) to meet the construction cost of the project.
    • Liability of the developer: A developer’s liability to repair structural defects would be for 5 years.
    • Cap on Advance Payments: A promoter cannot accept more than 10% of the cost of the plot, apartment or building as an advance payment or an application fee from a person without first entering into an agreement for sale
    • Carpet Area over super built-up: Clearly defines Carpet Area as net usable floor area of flat. Buyers will be charged for the carpet area and not super built-up area.
    • Punishment for non-compliance: Imprisonment of up to three years for developers and up to one year in case of agents and buyers for violation of orders of Appellate Tribunals and Regulatory Authorities.

    Which projects can get RERA approval?

    • Commercial and residential projects including plotted development.
    • Projects measuring more than 500 sq mts or 8 units.
    • Projects without Completion Certificate, before the commencement of the Act.
    • The project is only for the purpose of renovation/repair / re-development which does not involve re-allotment and marketing, advertising, selling or new allotment of any apartments, plot or building in the real estate project, will not come under RERA.
    • Each phase is to be treated as standalone real estate project requiring fresh registration.

    Benefits offered by the RERA Act

    Industry

    Developer

    Buyer

    Agents
    • Governance and transparency
    • Project efficiency and robust project delivery
    • Standardization and quality
    • Enhance the confidence of investors
    • Attract higher investments and PE funding
    • Regulated Environment
    • Common and best practices
    • Increase efficiency
    • Consolidation of sector
    • Corporate branding
    • Higher investment
    • Increase in organized funding
    • Significant buyers protection
    • Quality products and timely delivery
    • Balanced agreements and treatment
    • Transparency – sale based on carpet area
    • Safety of money and transparency on utilization
    • Consolidation of the sector (due to mandatory state registration)
    • Increased transparency
    • Increased efficiency
    • Minimum litigation by adopting best practices

     

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • The Process of Cartelisation

    This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in TH.

    What is a Cartel?

    • According to CCI, a “Cartel includes an association of producers, sellers, distributors, traders or service providers who, by agreement amongst themselves, limit, control or attempt to control the production, distribution, sale or price of, or, trade in goods or provision of services”.
    • The three common components of a cartel are:
    1. an agreement
    2. between competitors
    3. to restrict competition

    What is Cartelization?

    • Cartelization is when enterprises collude to fix prices, indulge in bid-rigging, or share customers, etc. But when prices are controlled by the government under law, that is not cartelization.
    • The Competition Act contains strong provisions against cartels.
    • It also has the leniency provision to incentivize a party to a cartel to break away and report to the Commission, and thereby expect total or partial leniency.
    • This has proved a highly effective tool against cartels worldwide.

    Philosophy behind

    • Cartels, which involve a group of businesses colluding to keep prices high, have been viewed by economists as a significant threat to the market economy.
    • When businesses cooperate with each other rather than compete against each other, there could be many adverse consequences to consumers.
    • For one, consumers will have to pay higher prices for goods and services.
    • It should be noted that the way cartels keep prices high is by limiting the supply of their output. Further, in the absence of any threat from competition, cartels also have very little reason to innovate or cater to consumers in better ways.
    • In other words, they essentially act like a monopoly.
    • The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is the most well-known international cartel that influences the price of oil globally through coordinated efforts to limit supply.

    How do they work?

    • Four categories of conduct are commonly identified across jurisdictions (countries). These are: price-fixing, output restrictions, market allocation and, bid-rigging
    • In sum, participants in hard-core cartels agree to insulate themselves from the rigors of a competitive marketplace, substituting cooperation for competition.

    How do cartels hurt?

    • They not only directly hurt the consumers but also, indirectly, undermine overall economic efficiency and innovations.
    • A successful cartel raises the price above the competitive level and reduces output.
    • Consumers choose either not to pay the higher price for some or all of the cartelized product that they desire, thus forgoing the product, or they pay the cartel price and thereby unknowingly transfer wealth to the cartel operators.

    Are there provisions in the Competition Act against monopolistic prices?

    • There are provisions in the Competition Act against abuse of dominance.
    • One of the abuses is when a dominant enterprise “directly or indirectly imposes unfair or discriminatory prices” in the purchase or sale of goods or services.
    • Thus, excessive pricing by a dominant enterprise could, in certain conditions, be regarded as abuse and, therefore, subject to investigation by the Competition Commission if it were fully functional.
    • However, where pricing is a result of normal supply and demand, the Competition Commission may have no role.

    What is the penalty for cartelization?

    • The Competition Act calls for a penalty on each member of the cartel, which is up to three times its profit for each year of anti-competitive behavior, or 10% of turnover for each year of its continuance, whichever is higher.
    • However, in case of a leniency petition, CCI can waive the penalty depending on the timing and usefulness of the disclosure  and  full cooperation  in  the  probe.

    How might cartels be worse than monopolies?

    • Monopolies are bad for both individual consumer interests as well as society at large.
    • Monopolist completely dominates the concerned market and, more often than not, abuse this dominance either in the form of charging higher than warranted prices or by providing lower than the warranted quality of the good or service in question.

    How to stop the spread of cartelization?

    • Strong deterrence to those cartels that are found guilty of being one.
    • Typically this takes the form of a monetary penalty that exceeds the gains amassed by the cartel and it is not always easy to ascertain the exact gains from cartelization.
    • The threat of stringent penalties can be used in conjunction with providing leniency — as was done in the beer case.

    Back2Basics: Competition Commission of India (CCI)

    • The CCI is the chief national competition regulator in India.
    • It is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
    • It is responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 in order to promote competition and prevent activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • WHO & Traditional Medicine

    PM Modi, along with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, will perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the first-of-its-kind WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

    What is Traditional Medicine?

    • The WHO describes traditional medicine as the total sum of the “knowledge, skills and practices indigenous and different cultures have used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness”.
    • Its reach encompasses ancient practices such as acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine and herbal mixtures as well as modern medicines.
    • According to WHO estimates, 80% of the world’s population uses traditional medicine.

    Traditional medicine in India

    • It is often defined as including practices and therapies — such as Yoga, Ayurveda, Siddha — that have been part of Indian tradition historically, as well as others — such as homeopathy — that became part of Indian tradition over the years.
    • Ayurveda and yoga are practised widely across the country.
    • The Siddha system is followed predominantly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
    • The Sowa-Rigpa System is practised mainly in Leh-Ladakh and Himalayan regions such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Lahaul & Spiti.

    What will the GCTM be about?

    • The GCTM will aim to focus on evidence-based research, innovation, and data analysis to optimise the contribution of traditional medicine to global health.
    • Its main focus will to develop norms, standards and guidelines in technical areas relating to traditional medicine.
    • It will seek to set policies and standards on traditional medicine products and help countries create a comprehensive, safe, and high-quality health system.
    • The GCTM will support efforts to implement the WHO’s Traditional Medicine Strategy (2014-23).
    • It will serve as the hub, and focus on building a “solid evidence base” for policies and “help countries integrate it as appropriate into their health systems”.

    Why has the WHO felt the need to advance knowledge of traditional medicine?

    • Almost all WHO members have reported widespread use of traditional medicine.
    • These member states have asked for its support in creating a body of reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products.
    • The WHO has found that the national health systems and strategies do not yet fully integrate traditional medicine workers, accredited courses and health facilities.
    • It has stressed the need to conserve biodiversity and sustainability as about 40% of approved pharmaceutical products today derive from natural substances.
    • It has referred to modernization of the ways traditional medicine is being studied. Artificial intelligence is now used to map evidence and trends in traditional medicine.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Status of India’s National Cyber Security Strategy

    Recently, Chinese state-sponsored hackers targeted Indian electricity distribution centres near Ladakh.

    Amid a surge in cyberattacks on India’s networks, the Centre is yet to implement the National Cyber Security Strategy which has been in the works since 2020.

    Recent trends of Cyber-attacks in India

    • As per American cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks’ 2021 report, Maharashtra was the most targeted State in India — facing 42% of all ransomware attacks.
    • India is among the more economically profitable regions for hacker groups and hence these hackers ask Indian firms to pay a ransom, usually using cryptocurrencies, in order to regain access to the data.
    • One in four Indian organisations suffered a ransomware attack in 2021.
    • Indian organisations witnessed a 218% increase in ransomware — higher than the global average of 21%.
    • Software and services (26%), capital goods (14%) and the public sector (9%) were among the most targeted sectors.

    Increase in such attacks has brought to light the urgent need for strengthening India’s cybersecurity.

    What is the National Cyber Security Strategy?

    Conceptualised by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), the report focuses on 21 areas to ensure a safe, secure, trusted, resilient, and vibrant cyberspace for India.

    The main sectors of focus of the report are:

    • Large scale digitisation of public services: There needs to be a focus on security in the early stages of design in all digitisation initiatives and for developing institutional capability for assessment, evaluation, certification, and rating of core devices.
    • Supply chain security: There should be robust monitoring and mapping of the supply chain of the Integrated circuits (ICT) and electronics products. Product testing and certification needs to be scaled up, and the country’s semiconductor design capabilities must be leveraged globally.
    • Critical information infrastructure protection: The supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) security should be integrated with enterprise security. A repository of vulnerabilities should also be maintained.
    • Digital payments: There should be mapping and modelling of devices and platform deployed, transacting entities, payment flows, interfaces and data exchange as well as threat research and sharing of threat intelligence.
    • State-level cyber security: State-level cybersecurity policies and guidelines for security architecture, operations, and governance need to be developed.

    What steps does the report suggest?

    To implement cybersecurity in the above-listed focus areas, the report lists the following recommendations:

    • Budgetary provisions: A minimum allocation of 0.25% of the annual budget, which can be raised up to 1% has been recommended to be set aside for cyber security.
    • Ministry-wise allocation: In terms of separate ministries and agencies, 15-20% of the IT/technology expenditure should be earmarked for cybersecurity.
    • Setting up a Fund of Funds: The report also suggests setting up a Fund of Funds for cybersecurity and to provide central funding to States to build capabilities in the same field.
    • R&D, skill-building and technology development: The report suggests investing in modernisation and digitisation of ICTs, setting up a short and long term agenda for cyber security via outcome-based programs and providing investments in deep-tech cyber security innovation.
    • National framework for certifications: Furthermore, a national framework should be devised in collaboration with institutions like the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and ISEA (Information Security Education and Awareness) to provide global professional certifications in security.
    • Creating a ‘cyber security services’: The DSCI further recommends creating a ‘cyber security services’ with cadre chosen from the Indian Engineering Services.
    • Crisis management: For adequate preparation to handle crisis, the DSCI recommends holding cybersecurity drills which include real-life scenarios with their ramifications. In critical sectors, simulation exercises for cross-border scenarios must be held on an inter-country basis.
    • Cyber insurance: Cyber insurance being a yet to be researched field, must have an actuarial science to address cybersecurity risks in business and technology scenarios as well as calculate threat exposures.
    • Cyber diplomacy: Cyber diplomacy plays a huge role in shaping India’s global relations. To further better diplomacy, the government should promote brand India as a responsible player in cyber security and also create ‘cyber envoys’ for the key countries/regions.
    • Cybercrime investigation: It also suggests charting a five-year roadmap factoring possible technology transformation, setting up exclusive courts to deal with cybercrimes and remove backlog of cybercrimes by increasing centres providing opinion related to digital evidence under section 79A of the IT act.
    • Advanced forensic training: Moreover, the DSCI suggests advanced forensic training for agencies to keep up in the age of AI/ML, blockchain, IoT, cloud, automation.
    • Cooperation among agencies: Law enforcement and other agencies should partner with their counterparts abroad to seek information of service providers overseas.

    Progress in its implementation

    • The Centre has formulated a draft National Cyber Security Strategy 2021 which holistically looks at addressing the issues of security of national cyberspace.
    • Without mentioning a deadline for its implementation, the Centre added that it had no plans as of yet to coordinate with other countries to develop a global legal framework on cyber terrorism.

    Way forward

    • India has to contend with the importance and necessity of cyber offence as much as cyber defence.
    • As of today, India’s primary or possibly only response measures appear to be defensive.
    • India has to also invest in more offensive cyber means as a response.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • What is Parboiled Rice, and why Centre wants to stop purchasing it?

    Recently, Telangana CM and members of his Cabinet staged a protest demanding a uniform paddy procurement policy. The protest came after the Centre said it was stopping the purchase of excess parboiled rice, of which Telangana is a major producer.

    What is Parboiled Rice?

    • The dictionary meaning of ‘parboil’ is ‘partly cooked by boiling’.
    • Thus, the expression parboiled rice refers to rice that has been partially boiled at the paddy stage, before milling.
    • Parboiling of rice is not a new practice, and has been followed in India since ancient times.
    • However, there is no specific definition of parboiled rice of the Food Corporation of India or the Food Ministry.

    How is it prepared?

    • There are several processes for parboiling rice.
    • The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, uses a method in which the paddy is soaked in hot water for three hours, in contrast to the more common method in which paddy is soaked for 8 hours.
    • The water is then drained and the paddy steamed for 20 minutes.
    • Also, the paddy is dried in the shade in the method used by the CFTRI, but is sun-dried in the common method.
    • The Paddy Processing Research Centre (PPRC), Thanjavur follows a method known as the chromate soaking process.
    • It uses chromate, a family of salt in which the anion contains both chromium and oxygen, which removes the odour from the wet rice.
    • All processes generally involve three stages—soaking, steaming and drying. After passing through these stages, the paddy goes for milling.

    Are all rice varieties suitable for parboiling?

    • Generally, all varieties can be processed into parboiled rice, but it is ideal to use long slender varieties to prevent breakage during milling.
    • However, aromatic varieties should not be parboiled because the process can make it can lose its aroma.

    What are the benefits?

    • Parboiling makes rice tougher. This reduces the chances of the rice kernel breaking during milling.
    • It also increases the nutrient value of the rice.
    • It has a higher resistance to insects and fungi.

    Certain disadvantages

    • The rice becomes darker and may smell unpleasant due to prolonged soaking.
    • Besides, setting up a parboiling rice milling unit requires a higher investment than a raw rice milling unit.

    How much is the stock of parboiled rice in the country?

    • According to the Food Ministry, the total stock of parboiled rice is 40.58 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) as on April 1, 2022.
    • Out of this, the highest stock is in Telangana at 16.52 LMT, followed by Tamil Nadu (12.09 LMT) and Kerala (3 LMT).
    • The stock was in the range 0.04–2.92 LMT in 10 other states —Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
    • From the other 10 rice-producing states, including Telangana, the Ministry has no plan to procure parboiled rice.
    • In the coming days, the total parboiled rice stock will increase to 47.76 LMT.

    How high is the demand?

    • The Food Ministry pegs the parboiled rice demand at 20 LMT per annum for distribution under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
    • According to the Ministry, the demand for parboiled rice has come down in recent years.
    • In the last few years, production in parboiled rice-consuming states such as Jharkhand, Kerala and Tamil Nadu has increased, resulting in less movement to the deficit states.
    • Earlier, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) used to procure parboiled rice from states such as Telangana to supply to these states.
    • But in recent years, parboiled rice production has increased in these states.
    • The current stock is sufficient to meet the demand for the next two years.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)