UPSC JUNE 17 IMPORTANT NEWS ANALYSIS

Common Assessment System for Defence Officers

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence, Security

In News

• In an effort to create integrated theatre commands, a step towards evolving common parameters is mooted in the form of the common Annual Confidential Report (ACR).

More on News

• Initially, a common ACR for two- and three-star officers of armed forces has been approved to be implemented.
• The implementation timeline is approximately three to four months.

Significance of the step

• This is a much-needed reform, among other HR-related measures, towards achieving commonality in procedures, assessments and lead to better outcomes, before the creation of theatre commands that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is tasked with to create.
• Further, over a period of time, employment of officers in tri-service organisations and environments will only increase as the armed forces move towards joint structures and organisations. As a result of this, a need was felt to synergise the appraisal system for undertaking the tasks in tri-service appointments.

Integrated Theatre Command(ITC)

• Integration of three services, or theatrisation aims at bringing jointness or integration amongst the Army, the Indian Air Force and the Navy.
• It is a unified command in which the resources of all the services are unified under a single commander looking at a geographical theatre.
• It means that a single military commander, as per the requirements, will have the resources of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force to manage a security threat. He will not be answerable to individual service.
• The commander of a joint command will have the freedom to train and equip his command as per the objective and will have logistics of all the services at his beckoning.
• The three services will retain their independent identities as well.
• A committee headed by Lieutenant General D B Shekatkar had earlier recommended three new commands: Northern, for China; Western, for the Pakistan border’ and Southern, for maritime security. 

Indian scenario: Present status, How many commands are there?

• As of now, the three Indian defence forces (army, navy and air force) have 17 commands between them.
• The Indian Army and Indian Air Force have 7 commands each while the Indian Navy has 3 commands.
• The Army has seven commands: Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, Central, Southwestern and Army Training Command (ARTRAC).
• The Air Force has seven as well: Western, Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, Central, Training, and Maintenance commands.
• The Navy has three: Western, Eastern and Southern, of which Southern is largely about training.

Tri-Service commands

• There are two existing tri-Service commands as well —
  • o   the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) and
  • o   the Strategic Force Command, which is responsible for India’s nuclear assets.
•  Based on the principle of theatre command system, ANC is considered to be the only one of its kind in the country that amalgamates the army, navy and air force as SFC takes care of the nuclear assets of India and is not related to any specific theatre of war.
• Set up in 2001, ANC is based in Port Blair and is led by officers of the three services on a rotation basis. The command covers India’s strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Malacca Strait.

Need of ITC

• Every service has to understand the need for complementing each other considering the fact that they cannot operate in single silos. Kargil war experience is a grim reminder of it.
• Keeping in mind India’s overstretched military resources that has to be at the ready to handle the collusive threats from China and Pakistan, theatrisation was projected as the best option to synergise these limited resources and adapt to new-generation warfare.

Recent Reforms in the Defense sectorAppointment of Chief of Defense Staff (CDS): The CDS is the highest military office that oversees and coordinates the working of the three Services.The CDS will also head the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to be created within the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and function as its Secretary.CDS will give single-point military advice to the government, bringing about jointness in “operations, logistics, transport, training, support services, communications, repairs and maintenance of the three Services He will also act as the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister on all tri-Services matters.The CDS would not exercise any military command over the three Service Chiefs but would provide impartial advice to the political leadership.The CDS will also be a member of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by the Defence Minister and Defence Planning Committee chaired by the NSA and will also function as the ‘Military Adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority.Department of Military Affairs: It is headed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and works exclusively on military matters that will fall within the purview of the DMA. Earlier, these functions were the mandate of the Department of Defence (DoD).On March 15, 2023, the Ministry of Defence introduced the Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill in the Lok Sabha to empower the commander-in-chief and officer-in-command of tri-service commands with disciplinary and administrative powers. Till now, personnel from the army, IAF and navy are governed by their respective laws.

Way Ahead:

• The Changing Dynamics of national security which now encompasses cyber, automation and such new challenges, cannot be solved by a disjointed military structure but rather a clear and robust structure that should quickly respond to an emergent situation.

Dugdh Sankalan Sathi App for Dairy Sector

Syllabus: GS2/ E- Governance, Government policies & intervention

In News

• The Union Minister of Heavy Industries Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey unveiled the “Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App” at Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

About the App

• Objective:  Improve the quality of milk, foster transparency among stakeholders, and streamline operations at the grassroots village level, including Milk Cooperative Societies.
• Designed and Developed by: Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL), Jaipur, a ‘Mini Ratna” Central Public Sector Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries

Significance

• The app would benefit the milk producers and contribute to the growth of the dairy sector.
• This improves operations at the grassroots level across all partnerships including milk producers, milk co-operative societies, milk organizations and state federations. 
• This would facilitate the digitizing processes and facilitating direct beneficiary transfers of the government subsidies to milk producers.

Dairy Sector in India: Key Facts

• India is the largest Milk Producer: India is the highest milk producer and ranks first position in the world contributing 24% of global milk production in the year 2021-22. 
• Top 5 milk-producing states are:  Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
• Export of dairy products: India’s export of dairy products has witnessed a steady rise over the last three years. In 2021-22, India exported 108,711 MT of dairy products to the world for a total of Rs. 2,928.79 crore (US$ 391.59 million), with key export destinations being Bangladesh, UAE, Bahrain, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Evolution of the Dairy Sector in India

• From a milk-deficit nation to a milk-products exporter: During the 1950s and 1960s,  India was a milk-deficit nation dependent on imports, and the annual production growth was negative for several years.
• In 1950-51, per capita consumption of milk in the country was only 124 grams per day. By 1970, this figure had dropped to 107 grams per day, one of the lowest in the world .
• The country produced less than 21 million tonnes of milk per annum despite having the largest cattle population in the world.
• The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was created in 1965 with a mandate to support the creation of the ‘Anand Pattern’ of dairy cooperatives across the country through the Operation Flood (OF) programme which was to be implemented in phases.
• Starting in 1970, NDDB replicated the Anand Pattern cooperatives through the Operation Flood programme all over India. Dr. Verghese Kurien, widely renowned as the “Father of White Revolution” in India, was the first chairman of NDDB. 

Operation Flood

• It was implemented in the following phases:
  • Phase I (1970–1980) was financed by the sale of skimmed milk powder and butter oil donated by the European Union (then the European Economic Community) through the World Food Programme.
  • Phase II (1981–1985) increased the number of milk sheds from 18 to 136; urban markets expanded the outlets for milk to 290. By the end of 1985, a self-sustaining system of 43,000 village cooperatives with 42,50,000 milk producers had been covered.
  • Phase III (1985–1996) enabled dairy cooperatives to expand and strengthen the infrastructure required to procure and market increasing volumes of milk. This phase added 30,000 new dairy cooperatives, which led to a total of 73,000.
• Operation Flood helped quality milk reach consumers across 700 towns and cities through a National Milk Grid. The programme also helped remove the need for middlemen, thereby reducing seasonal price variations.
•  In 1968-69, prior to the launch of Operation Flood, milk production was only 21.2 MT which increased to 30.4 MT by 1979-80 and 51.4 MT by 1989-90. Now it has increased to 210 million tonnes in 2020-21. 

Significance of the Dairy Sector in India

• India’s dairy industry has played a crucial role in the country’s economic development. 
• The sector has demonstrated an important part in achieving food security, reducing poverty, generating employment opportunities, and providing a regular source of income for rural households.
• The Operation Flood has reduced the import bill, converted India from a milk importer to the world’s largest producer.

•Challenges to the Dairy Sector

Government Initiatives to Boost Dairy Industry

• Rashtriya Gokul Mission: Aims to genetically improve the cattle population and promote and conserve indigenous cattle breeds. Under the mission, farmers now have access to several cutting-edge technologies at their doorstep, including sex-sorted semen, IVF technique and genomic selection. 
• National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD): Aims to build or strengthen infrastructure for the production of high-quality milk as well as for the procurement, processing, and marketing of milk and milk products through the State Implementing Agency or State Cooperative Dairy Federation. 
• Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS): DEDS is being implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries to create self-employment opportunities in the dairy industry. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development is carrying out the programme.
• e-GOPALA: The web version of the e-GOPALA application developed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been launched to aid dairy farmers. 
• Launching of Dairy mark: The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) together developed a dedicated ‘Dairy Mark’ logo as a unified quality mark across India to boost the confidence of consumers in milk and milk products.

Way Ahead

• Cooperatives revolutionized dairying, but due to a variety of factors their success has not gone beyond Gujarat and Karnataka. 
• Forming new cooperatives of farmers to more formalization of the dairy sector.
• Ensuring more prices to farmers as they are the actual producers of the milk.
• Improve cold storage and transportation.

‘Fish kill’ phenomenon at USA’s Texas

Syllabus: GS3/ Conservation, Species in News 

In News

• Tens of thousands of dead fish recently washed up on multiple beaches of southeast Texas, USA.

About ‘fish kill’

• About:
  • The term ‘fish kill’, known also as ‘fish die-off’, is the sudden and unexpected death of many fish or other aquatic animals over a short period and mostly within a particular area. 
  • Fish kills are often the first visible signs of environmental stress and are usually investigated as a matter of urgency by environmental agencies to determine the cause of the kill.
• Causes:
  • Primary cause: It occurs mainly due to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water that causes suffocation of the fish.

About the Texas fish kill

• About:
  • Among the dead fish covering the shores were mostly menhaden but there were also some sharks, trout, bass, catfish and stingrays.
  • Incident took place due to a phenomenon called “fish kill”.
  • Officials have asked the public to stay away from the affected beaches until the time they had been cleared, due to the risk of being exposed to bacteria and sharp fins.
• Reasons of Texas Fish kill:
  • A combination of factors led to the occurrence of the Texas fish kill.
  • Warm water: 
    • When sea surface temperatures rise, it becomes difficult for the fish to breathe as oxygen dissolves easily in colder water in comparison to warmer water. 
  • Shallow water:
    • Things take a turn for the worse when a school of fish gets trapped in shallow water, which gets warmer more quickly. 
    • This causes fish to act more erratically, which in turn, further depletes the oxygen from the water.
  • Calm sea:
    • Another factor that contributed to the Texas fish kill was calm seas. 
    • Experts suggest that one of the ways for oxygen to enter the water is by mixing with wind and waves. 
    • But in the past few weeks, the waves along the Texas Gulf Coast have been very calm, causing the depletion of dissolved oxygen.
  • Overcast weather:
    • One more problem was the overcast weather in Texas. 
    • Officials pointed out that due to cloudy skies, phytoplankton were unable to carry out the process of photosynthesis, which is another way of producing oxygen in the water. 
    • Photosynthesis is driven by sunlight and it slows down on cloudy days, resulting in decreased dissolved oxygen concentration.

• Frequency of event:
  • Texas experiences fish kills every year during summers when the temperatures of the sea surface rise. 
  • The phenomenon causes the death of mostly menhaden, much like this time, which serve as food for other fish — this is a crucial part of the region’s ecosystem.
• Outcomes of the phenomenon:
  • Warming of the oceans, has multiple adverse effects. 
  • Studies have found that fish like sardines, pilchards and herring will become smaller in size and not be able to move to better environments. 
  • Researchers have also noted that some fish species have started to leave their natural habitat in search of cooler waters, which has disrupted the fish industry.

Recent fish kill in Dal LakeAbout:Recently, hundreds of dead fish were seen floating over the water along fringes of Oberio Ghat, Dal Lake.The report filed by the J&K Lake Conservation & Management Authority (LCMA)  specifies that the fish kill is an annual phenomenon of natural water bodies and domesticated fish ponds. Causes:According to the report, it may result from a variety of causes — suffocation due to thermal stratification is the most common.   The report declares that various other environmental factors such as Pollution, (Ecological Hypoxia) Oxygen Depletion can also be the reason at times.It discloses that this condition may be brought by the Algal blooms, high temperature, diseases, poaching with chemicals, underwater explosion.  Use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and chemicals alter the chemical parameters of water and also results in fish/fingerling mortality.”The report underlines that toxicity is a real factor and a very common cause of fish kill.

Impact of climate change on fish kill & Way ahead

• Although experts haven’t found any relation between Texas fish kill and climate change, they say that with rising temperatures of oceans, such incidents will become more prevalent.
  • Warmer oceans will lead to less dissolved oxygen levels, causing more death of fish.
  • Water can only hold so much oxygen at certain temperatures, and certainly we know that seawater temperatures are rising. 
• It is concerning and something that needs to be monitored.

India – United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework

Syllabus: GS2/ International Institutions, United Nation, GS3/ Conservation, Climate Change

News

• Recently NITI Aayog and the United Nations in India signed the Government of India – United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027. 

What is UNSDCF ?

• The United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/72/279 designates the UNSDCF as the principal planning and implementation instrument for the UN Development System at country level.
• The GoI-UNSDCF 2023-2027 is built on four strategic pillars derived from the 2030 Agenda – People, Prosperity, Planet and Participation.
• The four interlinked pillars have six outcome areas focusing on Health and Well Being; Nutrition and Food Security; Quality Education; Economic Growth and Decent Work; Environment, Climate, WASH and Resilience; and Empowering People, Communities, and Institutions.
• The formulation of the GoI-UNSDCF 2023-2027 was led by NITI Aayog, on behalf of the Government of India. Partners from civil society, think tanks, private sector, cooperatives and labour unions also contributed to the development of the document, ensuring a whole of society, whole of government and whole of UN approach

 Significance For India:

• The new Framework comes at a critical juncture as the world reaches the halfway mark to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and India envisions a ‘Viksit Bharat’ over the next 25 years, in line with the clarion call of the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
• India is a key shaper of the 2030 Agenda. With UNSDCF India has aligned its flagship national initiatives with the SDGs and translated Agenda 2030 into local actions at all levels, while delivering development gains at scale.  
• To further deepen cooperation in critical areas, for the first time, the GoI-UNSDCF will have specific focus on SDG localisation and South-South cooperation, in line with India’s leadership towards the implementation and acceleration of the SDGs; and India’s championing of South-South cooperation.
• Showcasing Indian models of development globally will be central to the effort.

Way Ahead:

• GoI-UNSDCF 2023-2027 represents the UN development system’s collective offer to the Government of India, in line with the national vision for development.  The Cooperation Framework has to be a living and dynamic framework and should adapt in the light of how India changes and the world changes.
• India’s leadership in climate action and resilience continues to grow, as seen through UNSDCF. The time has come to completely address the challenges of the last century and take on the challenges of Amrit Kaal to become Viksit Bharat. 
• The Cooperation framework will focus on and support India in its transformation where it is not just access to basic requirements such as water/ electricity/ internet that would be important, but the quality of these issues that are more relevant for future.

Source: PIB

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) 

Syllabus :GS 2/Health 

News

• The Janaushadhi scheme has helped citizens to save around Rs 20,000 cr on their medicine bills in the last 9 years.

About  Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)

• It is a campaign launched in November 2008 by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with Central Pharma Public Sector Undertakings, to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through dedicated outlets known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK). 
• The Government revamped the ‘Janaushadhi Scheme’ in September 2015 as ‘Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Yojana’ (PMJAY). 
• To give further impetus to the scheme, it was again renamed as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

Features 

• PMBJK provides generic medicines at a much lesser price. The potency of these medicines is the same as that of expensive branded medicines available in the open market.
• The Janaushadhi scheme requires that at least one Janaushadhi Store be set up in each District of the country
• The drugs sold at the Kendras are 50% to 90% cheaper than their branded counterparts.

Objectives 

• Ensure access to quality medicines for all the section of the population especially for the poor and the deprived ones.
• Create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity to counter the perception that quality is synonymous with high price.
• Generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in opening of PMBJP Kendras.
• Extend coverage of quality generic medicines so as to reduce the out of pocket expenditure on medicines and thereby redefine the unit cost of treatment per person.

Progress

• In the last nine years, the number of Janaushadhi Kendras have increased by 100 times and the sales have increased more than 150 times. 
• It has helped citizens to save around 20,000 crore rupees on their medicine bills in last nine years.
• Over 9,400 Janaushadhi Kendras are functional across the country.
• Medicines to treat gastric issues, diabetes, cardiovascular ailments, and pain have seen the highest sales at the Jan Aushadhi Kendras, under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana scheme.

Future Prospects 

• The government has set a target to increase the number of Janaushadhi Kendras to 10,000 by the end of this year.

Source: TH

High court’s observations on the right to change one’s name 

Syllabus : GS 2/Polity and Governance 

In News 

• Recently, the High Courts of Allahabad and Delhi said that The right to change one’s name or surname is a part of the right to life under Article 21.

Court’s observations

• Allahabad: The Allahabad HC said the fundamental right to keep or change one’s name is vested in every citizen under Articles 19(1)(a), 21, and 14 of the Constitution.
  • Name changes made in the High School or Intermediate education certificates issued by the educational boards have to be simultaneously incorporated in all documents of identity issued by various authorities like Aadhar, PAN, ration card, etc., the court said, reasoning that congruence in all identity-related documents is essential.
    • The court relied on the Kerala HC ruling in “Kashish Gupta vs. Central Board of Secondary Education” (2020), stating, “To have a name and to express the same in the manner he wishes, is certainly a part of the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 (1)(a) as well as a part of the right to liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. 
• Delhi HC : The Delhi HC allowed a plea filed by two brothers to reflect their father’s changed surname — from “Mochi” to “Nayak” — on their Class 10 and 12 Board certificates, stating that the right to identity is an “intrinsic part” of the right to life under Article 21.
• The court also said that “There is no denying the fact that the Right to Life includes within its ambit, the Right to Live with Dignity,” which includes “not to be tied down by any casteism” faced by a person due to the caste to which he or she belongs.

Authorities stand 

• In ‘Sadanand & Anr. vs CBSE & Ors’, the CBSE contended that a change in the surname of the petitioners would subsequently entail a change in their caste, which could be misused.
  • It also said that seeking a change in the father’s name beyond the school records is not permissible.
• In ‘Md. Sameer Rao vs. State of U.P.’ the state argued that a change in the name is not an absolute right and is subject to restrictions imposed by law.
  •  It was also argued that the Board rightly rejected the name change as it was barred by limitation.

Some restrictions on the right to change names

• Although the right to change or keep one’s name is a fundamental right “by virtue of Article 19(1)(a) and Article 21”, it is not an absolute right and is subject to various reasonable restrictions, as the Allahabad High Court clarified in Sameed Rao’s case.
• However, the restrictions imposed by law on fundamental rights have to be fair, just, and reasonable, the court said, citing the 2017 SC ruling in “K. S. Puttaswamy vs. Union of India,” saying, “The inter-relationship between the guarantee against arbitrariness and the protection of life and personal liberty operates in a multi-faceted plane.”
• The court also highlighted the principle of proportionality as an “essential facet of the guarantee against arbitrary state action,” since it ensures that the nature and quality of the right’s encroachment are not disproportionate to the law’s purpose.
• The value of human dignity has an important role in determining the proportionality of a statute limiting a constitutional right, the court said, citing the test of reasonableness in the 2016 SC ruling in “Jeeja Ghosh vs. Union of India.”

Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology, Security

In News

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence minister, approved the procurement of 31 armed Predator UAV (MQ-9 Reaper) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), for the Indian Armed Forces.

What is an UAV? 

• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, are aircraft either controlled by ‘pilots’ from the ground or increasingly, autonomously following a pre-programmed mission. 

Features of Predator UAV:

• The MQ-9 UAV has an endurance of over 27 hours, speeds of 240 KTAS, can operate up to 50,000 feet, and has a 1,746 kilograms payload capacity that includes 1,361 kilograms of external stores.
• It can carry 500 per cent more payload and has nine times the horsepower in comparison to the earlier MQ-1 Predator.
• MQ-9 UAV provides long-endurance, persistent surveillance,and strike capability for the warfighter.
• Sea Guardian is the maritime variant of the MQ-9 UAV and has an endurance of over 30 hours.

Capabilities of Predator UAV:

• These High-Altitude Long Endurance drones can carry out and boost the Indian Armed Forces Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. 
• Armed with payloads, the weaponized UAV will be able to strike strategic targets in mountains and the maritime domain during long-endurance missions.
• Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite,it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets.

Countries using the MQ-9 UAV

• The MQ-9 UAV has been acquired by the US Air Force, the US Department of Homeland Security, NASA, the Royal Air Force (U K), the Italian Air Force, the French Air Force and the Spanish Air Force.

Why does India need Predator drones?

• Counterterrorism operations: Predator drones can play a crucial role in counterterrorism operations by conducting surveillance, gathering intelligence, and providing real time situational awareness to security forces.
• Maritime security:Predator drones equipped with maritime surveillance capabilities can monitor coastal areas, detect illegal activities such as smuggling and piracy, and support search and rescue operations.
• Disaster management: Predator drones can be utilised for assessing damage, monitoring affected areas, and facilitating relief and rescue operations during disasters
• Strategic deterrence: To enhance India’s overall defence capabilities and serve as a deterrent to potential adversaries like Pakistan and China..

Reference:IE

    Prime Ministers Museum and Library

Syllabus: GS1/ Art & Culture

News

• Recently, the name of the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) situated in the Teen Murti Complex was changed to Prime Ministers Museum and Library society.

The building

• Teen Murti House:Built in 1929-30 as part of Edwin Lutyen’s imperial capital, then known as Flagstaff House, was the official residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the British armed forces in India.
• Nehru Residence:In August 1948, it became the official residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who lived there for 16 years until his death on May 27, 1964.
• Nehru Memorial Museum:On Nehru’s 75th birth anniversary on November 14, 1964, President S Radhakrishnan dedicated the Teen Murti House to the nation and inaugurated the 
• Two years later, the NMML Society was set up to manage the institution, and has remained in charge since then.

The Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya:

• In 2016, The Prime Minister mooted the idea of setting up a museum dedicated to all Prime Ministers of India on the premises of Nehru Museum.
• It was inaugurated by the PM in April, 2022, to create awareness about all 14 prime ministers of the country with ample space for future leaders as well.
• Also the Nehru Museum has been integrated with the new building and designated as Block I of the Prime Ministers Museum.

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