04 April 2023

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

 1 – National List of Essential Medicines: GS II – Health-related issues:

Context:

• Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated on Monday that since April 1, the average price of 651 essential pharmaceuticals had dropped by 6.73%.
• He said that the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had so far been able to set the ceiling cost for 651 pharmaceuticals out of the more than 870 scheduled drugs on the National List of Essential Drugs (NLEM).
• The Minister claims that the capping of ceiling prices has already resulted in a 16.62% fall in the average price of 651 critical medications. Even if prices grew by 12.12% this year, the capping, according to the Minister, would help to balance the increase.

The National List of Essential Medicines is known as NLEM.

• One of the most crucial components of a country’s well-balanced healthcare delivery system is economical, conveniently accessible medicine at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care.
• The initial Indian National List of Essential Medicines was developed and released in 1996.
• The three key areas of emphasis are cost, safety, and efficacy.
• 384 medications from 27 distinct categories were included.
• NLEM’s main objective is to promote the safe and effective use of drugs while taking into account their three main factors: cost, safety, and efficacy.
• The development of pharmaceutical policies, drug procurement policies, health insurance, improved prescribing practises, medical education and training for undergrads and graduates, and budgeting for healthcare resources are also aided by it.

Source The Hindu

2 – Climate Change in Arctic Region: GS I – Geography-related issues:

 Context:

• Arctic scientists are prepared to start digging to conserve samples of old ice for research before the frozen layers melt away due to climate change, mission organisers said on April 3.
• Italian, French, and Norwegian researchers have established a camp on the Norwegian island of Svalbard to preserve crucial ice records for analysing historical environmental conditions, which they described as a race against time.

 What is the significance of the Arctic region?

Economic importance:

• Mineral Resources and Hydrocarbons: In addition to an abundance of coal, gypsum, and diamond resources, the Arctic region also has considerable deposits of quartz, zinc, lead, placer gold, and gypsum. Only in Greenland can one find one-fourth of the world’s supplies of rare earth elements.
• Also, the Arctic is home to a wealth of undeveloped hydrocarbon resources, which make up 30% of the world’s untapped natural gas.
• India ranks third in the world for both its oil imports and its energy use. When ice melts more quickly, these resources are easier to obtain and more practical to harvest.
• So, given India’s shortage of strategic and rare earth minerals as well as its need for energy security, the Arctic may be able to assist India.
• Geography Importance: The Arctic assists in the movement of warm and cold ocean currents around the world.
• Moreover, the Arctic sea ice acts as a huge white reflector at the top of the planet, reflecting some of the sun’s rays back into space and keeping the temperature on Earth constant.

Geographic Relevance:

• Deterrence of China based in the Arctic: As the Arctic ice disappears, geopolitical tensions are increasing to levels last seen during the Cold War. Trans-Arctic marine routes are known as the Polar Silk Road, and China has designated them as a third transit corridor for the Belt and Road Initiative. China is the only country other than Russia to be building nuclear icebreakers (BRI).
• It is crucial to do this in order to combat China’s soft power initiatives in the Arctic, which are being matched by India’s interest in the Arctic states through its own Arctic policy.

Ecologically Important Terms:

• The Arctic and the Himalayas are connected and share a number of issues despite their geographical isolation.
• Scientists are now better understanding the glacier melt in the Himalayas, widely known as the “third pole,” which has the highest freshwater reserves after the North and South poles.
• For Indian scientists, study in the Arctic is so crucial. As per custom, India set out on its first research expedition to the Arctic Ocean in 2007 and later constructed the Himadri research base in the Svalbard archipelago (Norway), where it has been doing ongoing study ever since.

What challenges has the Arctic region recently faced?

• Arctic Amplification: In recent decades, the Arctic has warmed far more fast than the rest of the world.
• The thawing of the permafrost in the Arctic results in the release of carbon and methane, two of the primary greenhouse gases that accelerate ice melt and contribute to global warming. The arctic amplification is the result of this process.
• Sea levels rise as a result of sea ice loss in the Arctic, accelerating coastal erosion and storm surge as more frequent and powerful coastal storms like B are brought on by warmer ocean and air temperatures.
• India, with its 7,516.6 km of coastline and significant port towns, may be severely affected.
• According to the World Meteorological Organization’s “State of Global Climate in 2021” study, sea level rise along the Indian coast is increasing faster than the global average.
• Evolving Race Course: The US, China, and Russia are fighting for dominance in the geopolitical polar areas, where the opening of arctic shipping lines and opportunities is quickening the race for resource extraction.
• Wildfires that erode permafrost in tundra regions and sudden storms that cause devastation on coasts, notably in inner Canada and Russia, are contributing to tundra deterioration.
• Threat to Biodiversity: As temperatures rise and there is less year-round ice, it is becoming more difficult for Arctic plants, animals, and birds to thrive.
• Polar bears need sea ice to travel across their enormous home ranges and to hunt seals. The melting ice poses a threat to polar bears and other Arctic wildlife.
• In addition, fish species have moved poleward as a result of rising water levels, changing the food chain.

What should be done as a result?

• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) is currently concentrating on the polar and Southern Ocean regions, with emphasis on the entire government. includes the Arctic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the external contact for the Arctic Council.
• A single nodal body must be established to particularly manage Arctic research and development and to coordinate all Indian government efforts relating to the Arctic.
• Beyond Scientific Approach: From a purely scientific standpoint, India must look beyond the Arctic.
• Given its expanding stature and consequent impact on global events, it should be well-positioned to understand the dynamics of Arctic demographics and governance, serve as the voice of arctic tribes, and voice their concerns in international fora.
• Examining global ocean governance is essential in order to go forward with a cooperative global ocean treaty, with particular emphasis on the polar regions and the problems caused by sea level rise.
• Safe and Sustainable Exploration: With effective international actions that take into account the region’s overall environmental implications, it is crucial to support the arctic region’s safe and sustainable resource exploration and development.

Source The Hindu 

3 – PM Svanidhi Scheme: GS III – Indian Economy:

 Context:

• Just 3.98 lakh, or 9.3%, of the 42.7 lakh loans totaling 5,152.37 crore that had been given to street vendors under the PM SVANidhi scheme had gone to hawkers from minority communities, according to information provided to the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• In 2020, the government launched the PM SVANidhi microcredit programme to provide hand-holding help to street vendors to get through pandemic-induced economic stress. It allows for 10,000 loans without collateral, then 20,000, 50,000, and loans with 7% interest subsidies.

About:

• As a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’s Economic Stimulus-II, the programme was introduced.
• Since June 1st, 2020, it has been in place to provide street vendors with access to low-cost working capital loans so they can relaunch their businesses after being adversely affected by Covid-19 lockdowns.
• 13,403 different vending zones have currently been located.
• By December 2024, benefits under the PM SVANidhi Plan must be given to 42 lakh street vendors.

Funding:

The following objectives of this Central Sector Program, which is wholly funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, are set forth:

• to enable the borrowing of working capital.
• to encourage prompt repayment and to reward digital transactions.

Significance:

• The strategy will provide street vendors greater chances to prosper financially.

Eligibility:

States and Union Territories (UTs):

• The 2014 Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act only applies to those States and UTs that have issued their regulations and programme.
• Participants from Meghalaya, a state with its own State Street Vendors Act, are permitted, though.

Street vendors:

• All street vendors selling their items in urban areas are eligible to take part in the programme.
• The Scheme was accessible to all street sellers doing active business up until March 24, 2020.

Source The Hindu

4 – Defamation: GS II – Constitution-related issues:

 Context:

• A sessions court in Surat granted Rahul Gandhi bail on Monday after hearing his appeal against the conviction and sentencing in a defamation case brought by a BJP MP for his 2019 statement regarding the Modi surname. Mr. Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison in this case.

What is defamation, exactly?

About:

• It is damage to a person’s reputation as a result of a fabrication.
• Anyone who feels that they have been falsely accused of something by someone else in public, whether through spoken words, written words, or by inference, may bring a defamation action, claiming that the false accusation has hurt their reputation.

Essentially, slander must satisfy the following requirements:

• The statement needs to be made public (both oral and written forms publication)
• The remark must reflect poorly on the subject (damaging to the reputation of the person against whom charges have been made).

IPC clauses that are applicable:

• IPC Section 499 provides a definition of defamation, and Section 500 outlines the punishment for criminal defamation (two years in jail for those proven guilty).

There are two different types of defamation in India: civil and criminal.

Civil:

• This states that a person who has been wrongfully accused may bring a legal action before the Supreme Court or a lower court and seek monetary compensation. No jail time or other form of retaliation is imposed.

Criminal:

• This states that a defamation lawsuit defendant may receive a two-year prison sentence, a fine, or both.

Issues with and defense of the anti-defamation laws:

• Media and speech freedom are essential for a functioning democracy, and the mere threat of legal action is enough to squelch the truth. Powerful people frequently take advantage of this clause to stifle any criticism of them.
• In many cases, the criminal provisions have only ever been used to annoy someone.
• Institutions with the financial resources to restore reputational harm, such as the government, cannot be granted the right to reputation.

Law of Defamation and Freedom of Speech:

• The Supreme Court most recently upheld the criminal defamation law.

According to the Supreme Court

• Article 21 protects the right to reputation, which is equally as important as the right to free expression.
• The prohibition against defamation in order to protect one’s reputation and honour is an example of a “reasonable restriction.”
• Because what editors write has such a big impact on both the life of the individual and the nation, they must take responsibility for everything they write.
• Acts of speech should be examined from the perspectives of the speaker, the environment in which he speaks, the listener, etc.

Source The Hindu