Agriculture & groundwater depletion

Context

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources recently tabled the report, “Groundwater: A Valuable but Diminishing Resource”.

Report Highlights & committee suggestions

• Issue of excessive exploitation of groundwater & free electricity:
  • States like Punjab, Haryana, Telangana and Tamil Nadu offer completely free power, while other states have provision for collection of token charges.
  • Observing that the primary reason for excessive exploitation of groundwater is wide cultivation of water guzzler paddy and sugarcane crops, which are “heavily incentivized”, a Parliamentary Standing Committee has said that the use of electric pumps needs to be further discouraged.
• Suggested measure:
  • The committee has suggested introducing measures such prepaid cards for power supply and restricting power supply to few hours a day.
  • The committee has also asked the government to devise “integrated measures” for adoption in agriculture to reduce dependence on groundwater in agriculture.
• Concerned ministries:
  • The committee has recommended that the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Jal Shakti Ministry should take the initiative by urging both the Power Ministry and Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare along with state governments to take measures on the suggested lines.

• Issue with restricting electricity:
  • Electricity is a concurrent subject and SERCs determine the electricity tariff for retail supply of electricity to end consumers under the extant provisions of Electricity Act, 2003.
    • So, both the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare “have expressed inability to persuade states to reduce/stop subsidies for power given in agriculture.
• Water productivity:
  • The committee said that there is a need for a shift in focus from ‘land productivity’ to ‘water productivity’.

Issue of groundwater depletion due to agriculture

• India is the world’s second-largest producer of wheat, and rice and is home to more than 600 million farmers. 
• The country has achieved impressive food-production gains since the 1960s, due to an increased reliance on irrigation wells, which allowed Indian farmers to expand production into the mostly dry winter and summer seasons
  • These gains have come at a cost with severe groundwater depletion, the cropping intensity or the amount of land planted in the winter season may decrease by up to 20% by 2025.
  • The country that produces 10% of the world’s crops is now the world’s largest consumer of groundwater.
  • The aquifers are rapidly becoming depleted across India. 
• State-wise data:
  • Extraction of groundwater for meeting irrigation needs is prevalent mainly in northern states, particularly in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, which are extracting 97%, 90% and 86% of groundwater, respectively, for this purpose. 
  • Other states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are also significant users of groundwater for irrigation as they are using approximately 89%, 92% and 90%, respectively, of their total groundwater extraction for agricultural purposes.

Government Initiatives 

• Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana:
  • Punjab has introduced a scheme by way of which farmers were refunded money if they consumed less electricity.
    • Under Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana of Ministry of Power, separate components of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders have been created for facilitating judicious rostering of supply to agriculture & non-agriculture consumers in rural areas.
• National Water Policy, 2012
  • It has laid emphasis on the periodic assessment of groundwater resources on a scientific basis. 
• Atal Bhujal Yojana: 
  • The focus of the scheme is on community participation and demand side intervention for sustainable groundwater management in identified water stressed areas.
• Jal Jeevan Mission:
  • Provisions have been made for source recharging like dedicated bore well recharge structures, rain water recharge, rejuvenation of existing water bodies, etc.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana: 
  • It aims to enhance physical access of water on farm and for expanding the cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, introducing sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
• Per Drop More Crop: 
  • It mainly focuses on water use efficiency at farm level through micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler irrigation system).
• Rejuvenation of Dry Ponds, puddles and wells:
  • Water being a State subject, it is for the State Governments to take up rejuvenation of water bodies like formulation of action plan for rejuvenation of dry ponds, puddles and wells in their jurisdiction.
• National Aquifer Mapping and Management program (NAQUIM):
  • It is being implemented by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) as part of Ground Water Management and Regulation (GWM&R) Scheme, a central sector scheme.

Suggestions & way ahead

• Monitoring:
  • The exploitation and sale of groundwater by large corporations should be monitored on a continuous basis.
• Rainwater harvesting:
  • Both Central and State governments must take continuous steps to store rainwater in all possible ways to increase recharge. 
  • Rainwater harvesting system must be made mandatory in every household, particularly in big cities where groundwater has been declining alarmingly.
• MSP fixing considering groundwater resource:
  • Considering the groundwater balance, MSPs for crops should be fixed according to the consumption of water; higher prices for crops that require less water and vice-versa. 
• Micro-irrigation:
  • Micro-irrigation (drip and sprinkler), which can save about 50 percent of water in the cultivation of different crops, should be promoted in the over-exploited blocks to reduce the exploitation of groundwater.
• Awareness:
  • People from all walks of life must continue to be made aware of water literacy and on the hazardous effects of rapidly declining groundwater.

Source: PIB

Maritime India Vision (MIV)-2030

In News

• Government plans to increase Inland Water Transport share to 5% by 2030.

About

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has recently released the blueprint to increase share of Inland transport through “ Maritime India Vision (MIV)-2030”.
• The vision comprises 150 initiatives across 10 themes, covering port infrastructure, logistics efficiency, technology, policy framework, shipbuilding, coastal shipping, inland waterways, cruise tourism, marine ecosystem, and maritime security.
• There is a need to push for IWT mode as these are cheaper operating costs, relatively lesser fuel consumption, less polluting mode of transportation and more environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

Maritime sector of India

• India has a significant maritime sector, with 12 major and 200+ non-major ports situated along its 7500 km long coastline and a vast network of navigable waterways.
• The country’s maritime sector plays a crucial role in its overall trade and growth, with 95% of the country’s trade volume and 65% of the trade value being undertaken through maritime transport.
• India has two ports, JNPT and Mundra, in the list of top 40 global container ports and globally the country ranks 2nd in ship recycling and 21st in shipbuilding.
• The country has increased the modal share of cargo from 0.5% to 2% and witnessed a 19% year-on-year growth in cargo volumes over the last 5 years.
• Inland Water Transport is the most economical mode of transportation, especially for bulk cargo like coal, iron ore, cement, food grains and fertilizer.

Initiatives for growth of traffic on National Waterways

• Fairway development works:
  • Fairway development works to ensure Least Available Depth (LAD) of 3.0 meters in Haldia-Barh, 2.5 meters in Barh-Ghazipur, and 2.2 meters in Ghazipur-Varanasi stretches on NW-1.
  • These are progressing under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) which has been undertaken by IWAI with technical and financial assistance from the World Bank.
• Development of New National Waterways:
  • IWAI has identified 25 new NWs through techno-economic feasibility studies for undertaking technical interventions to make the waterways navigable for transportation purposes. 
  • Once ready, these new waterways will provide an alternate mode of transportation in respective geographies.
• Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax Service Commenced in Various National Waterways:
  • The Operation of Ro-Ro / Ro-Pax vessels in Neamati and Kamalabari (Majuli), Guwahati and North Guwahati besides along Wellingdon Island and Bolghaty.
• Revision of Levy & Collection of Fees:
  • The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has considered the waiver of waterway user charges initially for a period of three years.
• Digital Solutions for Ease-of-Doing Business:
  • The CAR-D (Cargo Data) Portal is a web-based portal for collection & compilation, analysis and dissemination of all cargo and cruise movement data of National Waterways to the stakeholders.

Key challenges of maritime sector in India:

• Inadequate infrastructure: Despite having a significant coastline and a vast network of waterways, India’s maritime infrastructure, including ports and inland waterways, is inadequate and requires significant investment and development.
• Poor connectivity: The lack of connectivity between ports, as well as ports and hinterland, leads to inefficiencies and increased costs.
• Regulatory hurdles: The maritime sector in India is subject to complex and fragmented regulations, which can make it challenging for businesses to operate efficiently.
• Skill gaps: There is a shortage of skilled manpower in the maritime sector, including seafarers, engineers, and other professionals.
• Environmental concerns: The maritime sector can have a significant impact on the environment, and there are concerns around issues such as oil spills, pollution, and the impact of climate change.
• Security challenges: The maritime sector is also vulnerable to security threats such as piracy and terrorism.

Way ahead

• With the development work under Jal Marg Vikas Project-II (Arth Ganga) which is based on the principles of the sustainable development model to energize economic activities, maritime transportation will get a major push National Waterways No. 1(River Ganga).
• Government should also work to define initiatives, driving innovation, creating a time-bound action plan, benchmarking, addressing capability building and human resources, and exploring ideas to achieve “Waste to Wealth.”
• The proposed vision will go a long way in brownfield capacity augmentation, developing world-class Mega Ports, the development of a trans-shipment hub in Southern India, and infrastructure modernization besides addressing the marine ecosystem and maritime security.

Source: TH

Annual India-Japan Summit

In News

• Recently, the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for the Annual India-Japan Summit.

Key Highlights of the Visit

• About: 
  • The two Prime ministers largely focused on significantly boosting cooperation in areas of clean energy, semiconductors and co-development of military hardware besides exploring ways to deal with regional security challenges amidst the increasing assertiveness of China.
  • Both nations vowed to work together to deal with pressing global challenges under India’s presidency of the G20 and Japan’s chairship of the G7 grouping.
• Indo-Japan Year of Tourism:
  • 2023 has been announced as the India-Japan year of tourism.
  • The Japanese PM formally invited the Indian PM to the G7 Hiroshima Summit which was accepted.
• Free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy:
  • The Japanese Prime Minister unveiled his plan for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” with a focus on India’s increasingly significant role in the region.
  • Japan announced $75 billion to bolster Japan’s free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy. Japan would mobilise a total of more than $75 billion in public and private funds in the Indo-Pacific region by 2030 in infrastructure “and grow together with other countries.
  • The core principles of the FOIP like defending freedom and rule of law and respecting diversity, inclusiveness, and openness, remained relevant in the current environment.
  • They announced the “new” four pillars of FOIP. They are:
    • The principles for peace and rules for prosperity: It includes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo by force. 
    • Addressing challenges in an Indo-Pacific way: This pillar emphasizes cooperation to face increasing challenges to global commons such as climate and the environment, global health, and cyberspace in addition to dealing with the fundamental challenge of defending peace.  Japan decided to provide 50 million US dollars in emergency food aid to support vulnerable countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as corn seeds and other assistance to vulnerable farmers in Ukraine. 
    • Multi-layered connectivity: It is the core element of cooperation for FOIP. It is considered important for economic growth.  He indicated that Japan would focus on three regions. The first area is Southeast Asia. He remarked that the ASEAN Outlook for Indo-Pacific and Japan’s FOIP have similarities. Kishida assured that Japan will make a new contribution of 100 million US dollars to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund. The second area is South Asia with special focus on Northeast India. He stated that Japan will promote the Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept in cooperation with India and Bangladesh to foster the growth of the entire region. The third area is the Pacific Islands region, which is facing multiple challenges. He averred that Japan will continue to support the countries in this region. 
    • Extending efforts for security and safe use of the sea to the air: The aim is to free the oceans from the growing geopolitical risks. In this, Japan places importance on the fact that states should clarify their claims based on international law, no use of force or coercion, and settlement of disputes by peaceful means. Japan assured help to strengthen the maritime law enforcement capabilities of each country through human resource development, strengthening cooperation among coast guard agencies, and joint training with the coast guards of other countries. 
• Loan for Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail:
  • On the sidelines of the talks, a note was exchanged between the two sides concerning the provision of the fourth tranche of a Japanese loan of up to 300 billion yen (around Rs 18,000 crore) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail.
• On Ukraine’s conflict:  
  • Japan referred to the Ukraine conflict seven times as it condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine saying Moscow’s aggression had “obliged” the world to face the most fundamental challenge of defending peace.

India- Japan Relations

• About:
  • Ties between India and Japan have been further strengthened over the past year after a lull during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Historical:
  • The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilization ties dating back to the visit of Indian monk Bodhisena in 752 AD. 
  • In contemporary times, among prominent Indians  associated with Japan were Swami Vivekananda, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore,  JRD Tata, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Judge Radha Binod Pal.
• Diplomatic:
  • India and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1952.The year 2022 marks the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations between Japan and India. 
  • In the first decade after diplomatic ties were established, several high-level exchanges took place, including the Japanese Prime Minister’s visit to India in 1957.
  • Japan was among the few countries that bailed India out of the balance of payment crisis in 1991.
  • The Act East Forum, established in 2017, aims to provide a platform for India-Japan collaboration under the rubric of India’s “Act East Policy” and Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision”.
• Economic and Commercial relations:
  • Economic relations between India and Japan have vast potential for growth, given  the complementarities that exist between the two Asian economies.
  • Japan’s  interest in India is increasing due to a variety of reasons including India’s large  and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources. 
  • The India Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) came into  force in August 2011.
  • It  is the most comprehensive of all such agreements concluded  by India and covers not only trade in goods but also Services, Movement of  Natural Persons, Investments, Intellectual Property Rights, Custom Procedures  and other trade related issues.
  • Japan has been extending bilateral loan and grant assistance to India since 1958,  and is the largest bilateral donor for India.
  • The Japanese ODA supports India’s efforts for accelerated economic development particularly in priority areas like power, transportation, environmental projects and projects related to basic human needs. For example
    • New Delhi metro network.
    • The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC),
    • the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor with eight new industrial townships,
    • the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC)
  • Japan’s bilateral trade with India totalled US$ 20.57 billion during FY 2021-22. Japan’s exports to India were 2.35% of India’s total imports and India’s exports to Japan were 1.46% of India’s total exports. 
• Defense Relations: 
  • India-Japan Defence and Security partnership has evolved over the years and forms an integral pillar of the bilateral ties. 
  • India and Japan defence forces organise a series of bilateral exercises namely, JIMEX, SHINYUU Maitri, and Dharma Guardian. Both countries also participate in the Malabar exercise with the USA.
  • There are also various frameworks of security and defence dialogue between Japan and India including the “2+2” meeting
•  Quad alliance:
  • Both India and Japan have been expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region bilaterally as well as under the framework of the Quad grouping.
    • Quad is an informal strategic dialogue between India, the USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
• Indian Diaspora:
  • In recent years, there has been a change in the composition of the Indian community with the arrival of a large number of professionals, including IT professionals and engineers working for Indian and Japanese firms.
• Science & Technology:
  • India-Japan Digital Partnership (IJDP) was launched during the visit of PM Modi to Japan in October 2018 furthering existing areas of cooperation as well as new initiatives within the scope of cooperation in S&T/ICT.
  • India and Japan are working together on a joint lunar polar exploration (LUPEX) mission that aims to send a lander and rover to the Moon’s South Pole around 2024.

Challenges

• The trade ties which have remained underdeveloped when compared to India’s trade ties with China. And, limited success of CEPA. 
• Both India and Japan have differences of interests like, Japan opposes India’s exit from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
• Both countries have border and hegemonic issues with China. So their policy stance hinges generally on China, rather than growing comprehensively.
• Pending Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train Project. 

Way Ahead

• In order to maintain stronger ties between India and Japan, there is a need to engage in more domains like establishing a safe and reliable 5G network and submarine cables.
• Further, in the economic domain, both the countries can work on strengthening industrial competitiveness which would also help the supply chain network. Japan should look at more ways to accept specified skilled workers from India and help boost the digitalization process in Japan by using the Indian IT Professionals skills.
• India and Japan must work on building better space technology and exchange along with work in the domain of electromagnetic fields. Both the countries can cooperate more in India’s Northeast region and develop more connectivity projects which would also help in the increase in better relations with the Southeast Asian countries.

Source: TH

Waste-to-Energy Plants

In News

• Recently,  the Kerala government has announced the State’s first waste-to-energy project in Kozhikode..

About

• Waste-to-energy projects use non-recyclable dry waste to generate electricity. They increase power generation capacity and eases the solid waste management (SWM) burden.

• Solid Waste Profile  :
  • Solid waste in India is 55-60% biodegradable organic waste,25-30% non-biodegradable dry waste; and around 15% silt, stones, and drain waste. 
  • Biodegradable organic waste can be converted into organic compost or biogas
  • Of the non-biodegradable dry waste, only 2-3% — including hard plastics, metals, and e-waste — is recyclable. The remainder consists of low-grade plastic, rags, and cloth that can’t be recycled. This fraction of the non-recyclable dry waste is the most challenging portion of the present SWM system .It is this portion that waste-to-energy plants use to generate power. The waste is combusted to generate heat, which is converted into electricity.

Challenges of Waste-to-Energy Plants:

• There are around 100 waste-to-energy projects around the country but only a handful of them are operational due to following challenges
•  low calorific value: 
  •  The calorific value of mixed Indian waste is about 1,500 kcal/kg, which is not suitable for power generation. (Coal’s calorific value is around 8,000 kcal/kg.) 
  • Biodegradable waste has high moisture content and cannot be used for power generation. 
• Improper Segregation: The calorific value of segregated and dried non-recyclable dry waste is much higher, at 2,800-3,000 kcal/kg, sufficient enough to generate power.but due to Improper segregation moisture ingress negatively affects the calorific value.
•  High costs of energy production:The cost of generating power from waste is around ?7-8/unit, while the cost at which the States’ electricity boards buy power from coal, hydroelectric, and solar power plants is around ?3-4/unit.

Initiatives For Solid Waste Management: 

• Waste to Wealth Portal: The Waste to Wealth Mission is one of the nine scientific missions of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC).
  • It aims to identify, develop, and deploy technologies to treat waste to generate energy, recycle materials, and extract resources of value.

• Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016: It mandates the generators of plastic waste to take steps to minimise generation of plastic waste, prevent littering of plastic waste, and ensure segregated storage of waste at source among other measures.
• ‘My Home-My Neighborhood’ (Ghar Bi Saaf-Pados Bhi Saaf) campaign: launched by Urban Affairs Ministry the campaign focuses on  six components:
  • Segregation of waste at source 
  • Compost making from wet waste within the premises/ neighbourhood/area 
  • Recycling of dry waste 
  • Freeing the neighbourhood from open defecation and open urination 
  • Motivating the residents of neighbourhood against throwing garbage in open spaces
  • Adopting a nearby park or open place for collection and waste segregation. 
• Solid Waste Management Rules 2016: The waste management rules are  applicable beyond municipal areas and have included urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships etc. they also focus on segregation of waste at source.

Way Forward :

• There is a need for a comprehensive waste management policy that focuses on proper segregation and encourages investment into private capacities and research.

Rajasthan’s Right to Health Bill

In News

• Rajasthan has become the first state to pass in Assembly the Right to Health Bill.

Key Features of the Bill

• The Bill provides the right to health and access to healthcare for people in the state. This includes free health care services at any clinical establishment to residents of the state.
• The Bill sets certain obligations on the state government to ensure the right to health and maintain public health.
• Health Authorities will be set up at the state and district level. These bodies will formulate, implement, monitor, and develop mechanisms for quality healthcare and management of public health emergencies.

Need for the Bill in Rajasthan

• Share in Population: Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Rajasthan–account for about 47% of India’s population; they are more rural and socioeconomically backward compared to the rest of the country.
  • They are also high focus states under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), in view of their relatively higher fertility and mortality indicators.
• Post COVID: The COVID pandemic has exposed the incompetence of the health care system and refutation of basic health amenities.
  • Simple functions of health care such as testing, contact tracing or even changing the behaviour of citizens required the intervention and undivided attention of the district administration. 
  • During the pandemic, even non-COVID patients were denied treatment and still they were unable to give adequate treatment to all the COVID affected patients.  
• Demand for Right to Health: It’s also been nearly a decade since various civil organisations have been demanding and persuading different governments to propose laws that make health a public right.
• Political Will: It was only in the election manifestos of a couple of political parties that this issue was highlighted and political commitment was visible. However, that went to the gallows as they never came near to being in power or having any say as such in government decision making.

Source: TH

Terminator Zone

In News

• A recent study conducted by astronomers from the University of California suggested the possibility of aliens hiding in special ‘terminator zones’ on distant exoplanets, where the temperature is not too hot or cold.
  • An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System.

What are terminator zones?

• Various exoplanets, which are outside our solar system, remain tidally locked and hence, one side always continues to face the star around which they orbit and the other side remains permanently in darkness.
• The astronomers, in their study, found that there is a band around these planets in which there is a possibility that they are harbouring liquid water which is the main ingredient for life.
• This band is called the ‘terminator or twilight zone’ where the terminator acts as the dividing line between the day side and night side of the exoplanet.

Rule 357 of the Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha

In News

• Recently, the Congress leader has referred to Rule 357 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

Rules and Conduct of Lok Sabha

• The procedure and conduct of business in Parliament is regulated by rules made under Article 118 of the Constitution and, in relation to certain financial business, by law made by Parliament under Article 119 of the Constitution. (No such law has so far been made by Parliament under Article 119.)
• The Constituent Assembly (Legislative) Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business came in force immediately before the commencement of the Constitution of India.

• Rules were modified and adopted by the Speaker of Lok Sabha in exercise of the powers conferred on the Speaker by article 118(2) of the Constitution.
• These Rules are amended by the Speaker from time to time on the recommendations of the Rules Committee of the House.

What is Rule 357?

• Personal explanation: It states, “A member may, with the permission of the Speaker, make a personal explanation although there is no question before the House, but in this case no debatable matter may be brought forward, and no debate shall arise.

Source: IE

INS Androth

In News

• Recently, Anti-submarine ship  INS Androth launched in Kolkata.

About

• INS Androth is the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata,
• It draws its name from the largest and longest island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.
• Androth’s primary role is to conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, it is also capable of full-scale subsurface surveillance of coastal waters and various surface platforms and coordinated ASW operations with aircraft
• The ship also carries lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, a close-in weapon system (with a 30 mm gun) and 16.7 mm stabilised remote-controlled guns. The Androth and its fellow craft will be fitted with hull mounted sonar and a low frequency variable depth sonar.

Navy’s indigenisation efforts : 

• Indian Navy Indigenisation Plan 2015-2030:
  • The Navy promulgated the Indian Navy Indigenisation Plan (INIP) 2015-2030 to enable indigenous development of equipment and system.
  • Till date, the Navy has indigenised around 3400 items under INIP, including over 2000 machinery and electrical spares, over 1000 aviation spares and over 250 weapon spares.
• Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO):
  • It provides an interface for academia and industry with the Indian Navy’s capability development apparatus.
  • In the last two years, 36 Intellectual Property Rights(IPR) applications have been filed by Navy personnel.
  • Over two IPR applications are filed every month since the creation of NIIO and Transfer of Technology to 12 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) has already been undertaken.

Significance of Indigenisation  : 

• Reducing Fiscal Deficit: India is the second largest arms importer in the world (after Saudi Arabia).
  • Higher import dependency leads to an increase in the fiscal deficit.
  • Despite having the fifth largest defence budget in the world, India procures 60% of its weapon systems from foreign markets.
  • India can export its indigenous defence technology and equipment to the neighbouring nations.
• Security Imperative: Indigenisation in defence is critical to national security  It keeps intact the technological expertise and encourages spin-off technologies and innovation .
• Employment generation: Defence manufacturing will lead to the generation of satellite industries that in turn will pave the way for generation of employment opportunities.
  • As per government estimates, a reduction in 20-25% in defence related imports could directly create an additional 100,000 to 120,000 highly skilled jobs in India.
• Strategic Capability: self sufficient and self reliant defence industry will place India among the top global powers.

XBB.1.16

In News

• Recently, XBB.1.16 was found to be the variant behind India’s new COVID spike.

About

• Two recombinant lineages of SARS-CoV-2 are currently designated as ‘Variants Under Monitoring’ by the World Health Organization: XBB, a recombinant of Omicron sublineages BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75, and XBF, a recombinant of BA.5.2.3 and BA.2.75.3 Omicron sublineages.
• The lineage XBB.1.5, a sublineage of the XBB has functional advantages over currently circulating variants such as increased transmissibility in populations with prior immunity to the virus.
• Based on preliminary data, there is no evidence to suggest that infections with the XBB.1.16 lineage differ in clinical severity from those caused by other Omicron lineages.It however has a higher risk of reinfection compared to other circulating Omicron lineages.

Why are viruses Prone to Mutation?

• Most of the viruses are made up of single strands or RNA. due to the lack of complementary pairing in the strands and RNA being more unstable than DNA leads to higher chances of mutation among viruses. 

WHO Nomenclature:

• Variant Under Monitoring (VUM): It is defined as A SARS-CoV-2 variant with genetic changes that are suspected to affect virus characteristics and  shows growth advantage relative to other circulating variants (e.g. growth advantage which can occur globally or in only one WHO region). Evidence of phenotypic impact of these variants is unclear and requires enhanced monitoring and reassessment .
• Variant of Interest (VOI) : A SARS-CoV-2 variant with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, virulence, antibody evasion, susceptibility to  therapeutics and detectability;
  • VOI are identified to have a growth advantage over other circulating variants in more than one  WHO region with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.
• Variant of Concern (VOC) : A SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI (see above) and, through a risk assessment, conducted by WHO TAG-VE, and determined to be associated with a moderate or high level of confidence, meets at least one of the following criteria when compared with other variants:
  • Detrimental change in clinical disease severity; OR
  • Change in COVID-19 epidemiology causing substantial impact on the ability of health systems to provide care to patients with COVID-19 or other illnesses and therefore requiring major public health interventions; OR
  • Significant decrease in the effectiveness of available vaccines in protecting against severe disease.