Weekly Current Affairs Webinar

30/04/2019 to 07/05/2019

1. Army invokes emergency powers for missile deal

Context:

The Army is in the process of procuring Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles from Israel and Igla-S Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORAD) from Russia through a set of new financial powers for emergency procurements sanctioned by the Defence Ministry earlier this month.

Emergency financial powers to the army:

Following the Pulwama attack, the armed forces have been given emergency powers by the Government for buying equipment to enable them to fight wars on the western border with Pakistan.

Under the latest emergency financial powers, armed forces have been given a free hand to procure equipment worth up to Rs.300 crore on a priority basis.

The Request For Proposal (RFP) for the two deals have been issued and negotiations are ongoing.

Under the emergency route, the Army is looking to procure about 12 launchers and around 250 missiles for each system. Deliveries have to be completed in three months, but extendable to six months.

Entirely new systems not in use can also be procured under the new powers.

For the procurement under the emergency orders, the forces need not even take concurrence of the Integrated Financial Advisor from the defence finance department.

The defence Ministry feels that since the forces have to fight wars, they should decide on their requirement and priority in the acquisition and buy that equipment.

Officials said the emergency procurements were one of critical procurement and not related to the acquisitions through the regular route, in a bid to assure that these would not impact the regular deals.

Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles:

Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles are being procured from Israel.

It has a range of 4 km.

It is a fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile

It was developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

It is available in man-portable, vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched variants.

The earlier deal was for the procurement for over 8,000 missiles and 300 launchers along with technology transfer.

As contract negotiations dragged on, the deal was cancelled and it was decided to procure a smaller number — 170 launchers, 4,500 missiles and 15 simulators — through an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) and make up the balance requirement with an indigenous Man Portable ATGM currently under development.

Igla-S VSHORAD deal:

Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) to replace the legacy Igla systems in service, began in 2010 and has since seen several trials and re-trials with three contenders in the fray — MBDA of France, Rosoboronexport of Russia and SAAB of Sweden.

Eventually, all three were declared technically complaint last year.

The deal is currently held up at the Contract Negotiation phase.

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC):

To counter corruption and speed up decision- making in military procurement, the government of India in 2001 decided to set up an integrated DAC.

It is headed by the Defence Minister.

Objective: The objective of the DAC is to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces, in terms of capabilities sought, and time frame prescribed, by optimally utilizing the allocated budgetary resources.

The functions of the DAC include

(i) in principle approval of 15 Years Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan for Defence Forces

(ii) accord of Acceptance of Necessity to acquisition proposals; (iii) categorization of the acquisition proposals relating to 'Buy', 'Buy & Make' and

'Make'; (iv) issues relating to Single vendor clearance; (v) decision regarding 'offset' provisions in respect of acquisition proposals above

Rs. 2000 crores; (vi) decisions regarding Transfer of Technology under 'Buy & Make' category of

acquisition proposals; and (vii) Field Trial evaluation.

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2016

It has come into effect from April 2016, focuses on institutionalising, streamlining and simplifying defence procurement procedure to give a boost to “Make in India” initiative of the Government of India, by promoting indigenous design, development and manufacturing of defence equipment, platforms, systems and sub-systems.

The key features of revised DPP, promoting ‘Make in India’ inter alia include:-

A new category of procurement ‘Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ has been introduced in Defence Procurement Procedure-2016 and the same has been accorded top most priority for procurement of capital equipment.

Preference has been accorded to ‘Buy (Indian)’ and ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ categories of capital acquisition over ‘Buy (Global)’ & ‘Buy & Make (Global)’ categories.

2. Committee constituted to oversee National Clean Air Programme

Context:

The Union Environment Ministry has constituted a committee to implement the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which aims to reduce particulate matter (PM) pollution by 20%-30% in at least 102 cities by 2024.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP):

The committee will be chaired by the Secretary, Union Environment Ministry and has among its members the Joint Secretary (Thermal), Ministry of Power; Director-General, The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), the Delhi-based think-tank; and Professor Sachidananda Tripathi, Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K).

The NCAP unveiled in January is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution.

The committee would be headquartered in New Delhi

Its remit includes ensuring inter-ministerial organisation and cooperation, sharing information and resolving issues that could arise between ministries.

The committee would also give overall guidance and directions to effectively implement the programmes.

The NCAP is envisioned as a five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year. There would be a review every five years.

Details:

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) database on air pollution over the years has listed Tier I and Tier II Indian cities as some of the most polluted places in the world.

In 2018, 14 of the world’s 15 most polluted cities were in India.

States in which the cities are located are expected to produce plans that include increasing the number of monitoring stations, providing technology support, conducting source apportionment studies, and strengthening enforcement.

For achieving the NCAP targets, the cities would be expected to calculate the reduction in pollution, keeping 2017’s average annual PM levels as the base year.

The NCAP requires cities to implement specific measures such as “ensuring roads are pothole-free to improve traffic flow and thereby reduce dust” (within 60 days) or “ensuring strict action against unauthorised brick kilns” (within 30 days).

Criticisms:

Experts have criticised the lack of mandatory targets and the challenge of inadequate enforcement by cities.

It doesn’t specify an exact date for when these obligations kick in.

3. Drug-resistant diseases could kill 10 million a year by 2050

Context:

Drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, warned the UN Ad Hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance in a report released.

Drug Resistance:

Drug resistance is the reduction in effectiveness of a medication such as an antimicrobial or an antineoplastic in treating a disease or condition.

The term is used in the context of resistance that pathogens or cancers have “acquired”, that is, resistance has evolved.

Antimicrobial resistance challenge clinical care.

When an organism is resistant to more than one drug, it is said to be multidrug-resistant.

The development of antibiotic resistance in particular stems from the drugs targeting only specific bacterial molecules (almost always proteins). Because the drug is so specific, any mutation in these molecules will interfere with or negate its destructive effect, resulting in antibiotic resistance.

Furthermore there is mounting concern over the abuse of antibiotics in the farming of livestock leading to development of super-resistant bacteria.

Details:

The report states that, by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.

Currently, at least 7,00,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases, including 2,30,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

It also noted that more and more common diseases, including respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections, are becoming untreatable; lifesaving medical procedures are becoming riskier, and food systems are getting increasingly precarious.

Recommendations:

The report noted that the world is already feeling the economic and health consequences as crucial medicines become ineffective.

Without investment from countries in all income brackets, future generations will face the disastrous impacts of uncontrolled antimicrobial resistance.

It has recommended that countries prioritise national action plans to scale-up financing and capacity-building efforts.

Countries must put in place stronger regulatory systems and support awareness programs for responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials by professionals in human, animal and plant health and invest in ambitious research and development for new technologies to combat antimicrobial resistance.

4. UN Security Council designates Masood Azhar as global terrorist

Context:

Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar is listed as a designated terrorist by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee.

Chronology of events:

2009: India moves a proposal by itself to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, a listing that will subject him to global travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo. China blocks the move.

2016: India again moves the proposal with the backing of the P3 – the United States, the United Kingdom and France in the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar.

2017: The P3 nations move a similar proposal again. China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, blocks the proposal from being adopted.

February 2019: The US, the UK and France move a fresh proposal in the UN Security Council to designate Azhar as a global terrorist.

March 13, 2019: China puts the hold on the proposal scuttling yet another attempt to blacklist the JeM chief. The proposal was the fourth such bid at the UN in the last 10 years to list Azhar as a global terrorist.

March 28, 2019: The US, supported by France and the UK, directly moves a draft resolution in the UN Security Council to blacklist the Pakistan-based terror group’s chief.

April 3, 2019: China hits out at the US for threatening to use all available resources to designate the JeM chief as a ‘global terrorist’, saying Washington’s move is complicating the issue and not conducive to peace and stability in South Asia.

April 30, 2019: China says “some progress” has been achieved on designating Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN and hopes that the vexed issue will be properly resolved.

May 1, 2019: The 1267 Sanctions Committee designates Azhar as a global terrorist after China lifts the hold on the proposal of the US, the UK and France.

Details:

At the end of March, the U.S. circulated a draft resolution (to sanction Azhar) among the UNSC members, i.e., outside the 1267 Committee, presumably to pressure China into either supporting the listing or having to take a stand in open proceedings and risk being seen as supporting terror.

However, the US moved a draft resolution to the UNSC, which would have forced a vote on the issue and then the only way China could have blocked the process was by a veto.

Earlier this week, China had said “some progress” had been made and indicated it was willing to change its decade-long position.

The decision by China to lift its technical hold was achieved after intense negotiations across global capitals.

Designation as a terrorist would mean a travel ban, arms embargo and asset freeze on Azhar.

Indonesia as chair of the 1267 designation committee played a key role.

Reasons for listing:

The reasons for designating Azhar as a terrorist as per the listing includes

His support for the JeM since its founding

Being associated with the al-Qaeda by recruiting for them and “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities or supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material”.

It also pointed to his role in recruiting fighters in Afghanistan.

The JeM itself was sanctioned by the 1267 Committee in 2001.

However, the reasons for listing did not mention the Pulwama attack of February 14, for which the JeM had claimed responsibility, and which found mention in the latest (February 27) listing request for Azhar.

What is its significance to India?

It is a significant outcome for India because India has been at it for several years.

The first effort that India made in this regard was in 2009.

More recently, India has been persistent, diligent and in a subterranean manner, making all the efforts towards this goal. Now that goal stands achieved.

While the US was backed by the UK and France in its endeavour, India engaged separately with China to strengthen its case during its foreign secretary’s visit to Beijing last month. Russia, the other P-5 member, played a quiet role by urging China to accede to India’s request in the backdrop of Pulwama terror attack to earn India’s goodwill.

4.1. Did China abandon its ‘all-weather friend’?

Why was China blocking the listing application?

The main reason for China’s opposition to Azhar’s terror designation was the Pakistan factor.

Islamabad has robust economic and strategic ties with Beijing.

China is also investing billions of dollars in Pakistan to build the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), connecting Kashgar in western China to Pakistan’s Gwadar, a port city on the Arabian Sea.

Why did China change its position now?

Both India and China have manifested their desire to deepen bilateral ties despite the structural problems they face.

Prime Minister of India went to Wuhan in April last year for an informal summit with Chinese President even when bilateral ties were not at their best.

The shadows of the Doklam stand-off between India-China armies and Beijing’s repeated hold on Azhar as well as its opposition to India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group membership continued to impinge on bilateral ties. Still India preferred to stay engaged with China as the Wuhan summit suggested.

Beijing had shown in recent past that it is ready to do business with New Delhi even overlooking Islamabad’s sensitivities.

Last year, it dropped its opposition to adding Pakistan to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, which allowed the listing to go through smoothly.

The Azhar issue has cast shadows on China’s commitment to fighting terrorism. Besides, JeM’s role in multiple terrorist attacks in India has been well established.

China’s continued hold on his listing had weakened internationally its position against terror.

Additionally, the “deradicalisation” camps for Uyghur Muslims it is running in Xinjiang had triggered international criticisms, particularly from the U.S.

If the resolution was put to vote, China would have been left with an awkward choice — either to back it or use its precious veto power, further isolating itself among global peers. This appeared to have put China in a fix.

However, China didn’t have to completely abandon Pakistan, its “all-weather friend”. The original listing application, which France, the U.K., and the U.S. had moved had a reference to the Pulwama terror attack. But that reference was removed from the application that went through – apparently at China’s insistence.

This is in line with Pakistan’s Kashmir narrative that terror activities in the Valley are an indigenous uprising, and not controlled by any foreign player.

Conclusion:

The official listing talks about Azhar’s ties with Jaish and al-Qaeda, but has no reference to his role in Kashmir violence.

This was the compromise that India and its allies at the UNSC had to make to get Azhar listed.

It allowed India to clinch a diplomatic victory, while China can say it changed its position not under any pressure but based on the “revised” listing request, and Pakistan can claim that the listing went through after “all the political references” were removed.

5. Cyclone Fani strikes Odisha

Context:

The State government of Odisha has evacuated over 12 lakh people from low-lying areas in 15 districts with the extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani expected to cross the Odisha coast.

Land of Cyclones:

As many as 26 of the 35 deadliest tropical cyclones in history have been witnessed in the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh has seen the most casualties, accounting for over 40% of the world’s tropical cyclone-associated deaths in the past two centuries (India accounts for a quarter of the deaths).

In India, Odisha has seen most number of cyclones (98 between 1891 and 2002) but Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have had the most casualties in recent times.

Why the East Coast?

More cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal than Arabian Sea due to wind patterns (that keep oceans cooler on the western side).

Even among those formed along the western coast, many move towards Oman instead of hitting Indian shores.

Storms formed on the eastern coast, however, are more intense and since states on that side have relatively flatter topography compared to the western coast they can’t deflect the winds.

Strength of Cyclones:

Cyclones are classified based on the wind speed around the low-pressure area.

Wind speed of over 62 kmph is classified as a tropical cyclone and assigned a name.

It becomes a severe cyclonic storm if the speed is between 89 and 118 kmph.

A very severe cyclonic storm if the speed is between 119 and 221 kmph.

Those with higher speeds are categorised as super cyclonic storms.

Precautions taken:

The administration had made people in coastal areas aware of the risks, through loudspeakers, sirens and messages.

National Disaster Response Force teams and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force had been deployed.

Teams of Flight operations from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar had been suspended.

Educational institutions in the coastal districts have been closed till further orders.

As many as 25 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) along with State fire service personnel had been deployed in the coastal districts.

The Defence forces were on high alert to meet any eventuality.

The Kolkata Port Trust had suspended shipping to the port.

The Navy had put ships on stand by and deployed medical and relief teams to respond to any contingencies once cyclonic storm Fani hits Coast.

INS Sahyadri, Ranvir and Kadmatt with relief material and medical teams had been deployed and were stationed to the south of the cyclonic storm to be the first responder and commence rescue operation as soon as the cyclone makes Landfall.

5.1 Centre reviews rescue operation in Odisha, West Bengal, A.P.

What’s in the news?

The Union Health Ministry decided to postpone the NEET examination in Odisha, which was scheduled for May 5th, 2019, following a request from the State government in view of the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of Cyclone Fani.

Context:

This decision was conveyed to the National Crisis Management Committee that reviewed the ongoing operations in the cyclone-hit areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

Cabinet Secretary P. K. Sinha held the meeting with the officials concerned through video-conferencing. Among the participants were also senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of Home Affairs, Defence, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Railway, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power, Telecommunications, Steel, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Food Processing, Health, Fisheries and other departments.

Extensive damage caused by the cyclone:

Odisha officials said there was extensive damage to the telecommunications and power infrastructure in Puri, Bhubaneswar and other areas due to the cyclone.

However, due to advance precautionary measures taken and large-scale evacuation, the loss of human lives was minimal.

West Bengal reported mild impact of the cyclone, while Andhra Pradesh recorded heavy rainfall and some damage to crops and roads in Srikakulam district.

Restoring Power Supply:

The Cabinet Secretary directed the Ministry of Power and Department of Telecommunications to immediately assist the Odisha government in providing electrical poles, gang workmen and diesel generator sets for quick restoration of power supply.

The transmission line supplying power to Bhubaneswar is expected to be restored soon.

The Department of Telecommunications also indicated that mobile services would be restored partially.

The Railway, which suffered major damages to its infrastructure, has cleared the mainline for starting partial operations using diesel-operated locomotives.

A government official said, “No damages to ports and refinery installations were reported. NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) has moved 16 additional teams for rescue and relief work in Odisha and has removed fallen trees and other obstacles on most of the roads”.

Lastly, flight operations also resumed at the Kolkata and Bhubaneswar airports on Saturday (4th of May, 2019) said the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

5.2 UN agency praises India’s timely response

What’s in the news?

The UN agency for disaster reduction (UNISDR) has commended the Indian Meteorological Department’s “almost pinpoint accuracy” of early warnings of Cyclone Fani that helped authorities conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan and minimise the loss of life.

A Closer Look:

India’s zero casualty approach to managing extreme weather events is a major contribution to the implementation of the Sendai Framework

The Sendai Framework is a voluntary and non-binding agreement which recognises that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders, including the local government.

The almost pinpoint accuracy of the early warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department had enabled the authorities to conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan, which had involved moving more than one million people into storm shelters.

UNISDR also tweeted about the advisory distributed by India’s National Disaster Management Authority and local authorities days before Fani made landfall in an effort to minimise loss of life and injury.

6. National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SCs) is a constitutional body in the sense that it is directly established by Article 338 of the Constitution.

Appointment of the Commission:

When the Constitution was framed, Article 338 had provisions for the appointment of a Special Officer for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to investigate all matters concerned with the constitutional safeguards for SCs and STs and to report on their working to the President.

He was designated as the Commissioner for SCs and STs and assigned the said duty.

In 1978, the Government (through a Resolution) set up a non-statutory multi-member Commission for SCs and STs; the Office of Commissioner for SCs and STs also continued to exist.

In 1987, the Government (through another Resolution) modified the functions of the Commission and renamed it as the National Commission for SCs and STs.

The 65th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1990 provided for the establishment of a high-level multi-member National Commission for SCs and STs in the place of a single Special Officer for SCs and STs.

This constitutional body replaced the Commissioner for SCs and STs as well as the Commission set up under the Resolution of 1987.

Again, the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2003 bifurcated the combined National Commission for SCs and STs into two separate bodies, namely, National Commission for

Scheduled Castes (under Article 338) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (under Article 338-A).

The separate National Commission for SCs came into existence in 2004. It consists of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and three other members.

They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.

Their conditions of service and tenure of office are also determined by the President.

Functions of the commission:

To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the constitutional and other legal safeguards for the SCs and to evaluate their working

To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the SCs

To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the SCs and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union or a state

To present to the President, annually and at such other times as it may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards

To make recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or a state for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection welfare and socio-economic development of the SCs; and

To discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the SCs as the president may specify.

7. Chandrayaan-2 gets new launch window

Context:

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that India set to launch second mission to the moon Chandrayan-2 in July.

Details:

India’s much-delayed second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, is now set to be launched any time between July 5 and July 16 this year.

The moon landing is likely to be in September nearly two months after the launch, close to the lunar South Pole, ISRO said.

The lunar South Pole is believed to contain ice and other minerals, and international space expedition plans are hotting up with NASA planning to land astronauts there by 2024, while China reportedly plans to build a scientific research station on the lunar South Pole within the next decade.

Chandrayaan-2:

Chandrayaan-2 is a fully-indigenous mission that comprises three modules

1. An Orbiter, 2. A Lander named ‘Vikram’ 3. A Rover named ‘Pragyan’

It will be launched on board a GSLV-Mk III rocket.

The GSLV-Mk III is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle that has been designed to carry four-tonne class satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

The Chandrayaan-1 mission was launched on board a PSLV.

The Chandrayaan-2 weighs around 3,290 kg.

It would orbit around the moon and carry out remote sensing of the moon.

The payloads will collect scientific information on lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, lunar exosphere and signatures of hydroxyl and water-ice.

The Orbiter and the Lander will be stacked together as an integrated module, while the Rover will be housed inside the Lander.

According to ISRO, once the Orbiter reaches the 100 km lunar orbit, the Lander will separate from it and ISRO will carry out a controlled descent at a specific site and deploy the Rover.

The six-wheeled Rover will “move around the landing site in semi-autonomous mode as decided by the ground commands.

The instruments on the rover will observe the lunar surface and send back data, which will be useful for analysis of the lunar soil.

8. Varuna – Indo-French joint naval exercise

The annually held Varuna naval exercise is an integral part of France–India strategic relationship in the 21st century and consists of naval cooperation drills between the French Navy and the Indian Navy.

The inaugural Varuna naval exercise took place in 2001.

The joint-exercises are held either in the Indian Ocean or Mediterranean Sea with the aim of improving Indo-French coordination on capabilities like cross-deck operations, replenishment-at-sea, minesweeping, anti-submarine warfare and information sharing.

The Indo-French joint naval exercise, Varuna 19.1, began off the Goa coast.

The exercise aims at developing interoperability between the two navies and mutual cooperation.

9. State-owned NewSpace creates a flutter among space start-ups

What’s in the news?

On March 6, 2019 the Department of Space (DoS) quietly registered its second commercial entity, NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL), in Bengaluru.

A Closer Look:

In early March 2019, a small set of new age ventures and start-ups foraying into the space industry sat up in disbelief to see a state-run company taking birth under the name, “NewSpace”, although it did not fit the standard definition of their league.

On March 6, the Department of Space (DoS) quietly registered its second commercial entity, NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL), in Bengaluru.

At the time, these small, new age ventures and start-ups foraying into the space industry were still coming to terms with the news of February 19 that the Union Cabinet had cleared a new business arm for DoS.

This was surprising because the DoS already has a commercial venture, Antrix Corporation Limited, which was set up in September 1992 to market the products and services of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

What has the government said?

While the government hasn’t said much about NSIL plans since the first announcement, officials in the DoS and ISRO have been trying to figure out how exactly Antrix and NSIL would operate their respective businesses in the common, niche area.

What we do know is that NSIL has an authorised capital of ₹10 crore and a paid up capital of ₹1 crore. And that two senior officials of Antrix — Executive Director D.R. Suma and Director (launch services) D. Radhakrishnan — were moved to NewSpace in March 2019 to help the new venture get off the ground.

Constituting a Board soon:

Currently, experts opine that it is still early to talk about the new company.

Further, currently the department [DoS] is completing statutory formalities such as the formation of a board of 8-10 directors. A selection committee will find the Chairman and Managing Director.

Both the companies are there now. Their roles and responsibilities will be divided. The new company will basically focus on industry participation. Clarity will emerge as we go forward.

It is important to note that a lot of new business activities are cropping up, such as customer satellites, spinoff technologies, industry participation, production partners, ground stations, and satellite data sales.

Some serving and former DoS associates apprehend that NSIL may one day cannibalise Antrix and reduce it to an idle shell.

They contend that the government may have created NSIL just to erase an eight-year-old blot and resultant liabilities associated with Antrix’s cancelled Devas contract.

However, an ISRO official, ruled out any such eventuality, asserting that Antrix’s expertise, accumulated over decades, could not be recreated or transferred overnight.

10. Chips at stake in the PepsiCo-farmers fight

What’s in the news?

Recently, in Gujarat, food and beverages giant PepsiCo dragging potato farmers to court for allegedly growing its registered potato variety used to make ‘Lays’ chips.

Four small farmers from Sabarkantha district were sued ₹1.05 crore each, although they cite a law allowing them to grow and sell even registered plant varieties.

Faced with growing social media outrage, boycott calls from farmers groups and condemnation from major political parties, the company finally agreed to withdraw cases after talks with the Gujarat government.

Editorial Analysis:

When was the variety introduced?

PepsiCo introduced, in 2009, the FC5 variety of potato that it uses to make its popular ‘Lays’ potato chips to India.

The potato variety is grown by approximately 12,000 farmers who are a part of the company’s collaborative farming programme, wherein the company sells seeds to farmers and has an exclusive contract to buy back their produce.

In 2016, the company registered the variety under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&FRA).

Finding that farmers who were not part of its collaborative farming programme were also growing and selling potatoes of this variety in Gujarat, PepsiCo filed rights infringement cases under the Act against some farmers in Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Aravalli districts in 2018 and 2019.

Farmers allege that the company hired a private detective agency to pose as potential buyers, take secret video footage and collect samples from farmers’ fields without disclosing its real intent.

What is the farmers’ stand?

The ₹4.2 crore lawsuits against four small farmers in Sabarkantha district was heard by an Ahmedabad commercial court on April 9, 2019 and an ex-parte injunction ordered against the farmers.

However, farmers’ rights groups across the country began a campaign against PepsiCo, requesting the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority to intervene in the case and bear the farmers’ legal costs using the National Gene Fund.

At the April 26th, 2019 hearing, the company offered an out-of-court settlement to the farmers on the condition that they give an undertaking not to grow the registered variety and surrender existing stocks or to join its collaborative farming programme.

Demanding an unconditional withdrawal of cases, farmers unions affiliated to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Left parties joined in boycott calls against PepsiCo products and stoked outrage on social media as well.

In the midst of an election season in which agricultural issues are in the spotlight, senior political leaders from the Congress and BJP added their criticism.

On April 27, 2019, the Gujarat government announced that it would back the farmers and join the legal case on their behalf, although it later indicated it was working toward an out-of-court settlement.

Finally, on May 2, 2019, PepsiCo agreed to withdraw all nine cases after discussions with the government.

What is the legal basis for the suit?

Both PepsiCo and the farmers cite the same Act to support their opposing positions.

The PPV&FRA was enacted in 2001 to comply with the World Trade Organisation’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

PepsiCo based its suits on Section 64 of the Act dealing with infringements of the registered breeder’s rights and subsequent penalties.

The farmers’ legal case depended on Section 39 of the Act, which allows the cultivator to “save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share or sell his farm produce including seed of a variety protected under this Act” with the sole exception of branded seed. As this section begins with the words “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act…”, farmers claim their rights have precedence.

Over the last decade, more than 3,600 plant varieties have been registered under the Act, with more than half of the registration certificates going to farmers themselves. This was the first case of infringement of rights under the Act, according to the central agency set up to implement the Act.

Who are the stakeholders and what are the stakes?

The farmers claim that they bought potato seeds locally, and are within their rights to grow and sell any variety.

Even PepsiCo supporters admit that they lost the perception battle by dragging small farmers to court for large sums in election season.

PepsiCo says its collaborative farming programme and registered variety rights are under threat.

While ‘Lays’ claims to be a leader in the country’s ₹5,500 crore potato chips market, regional players are eating into the market share.

Farmers rights groups such as the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture saw the issue as a test case on farmers rights in India under the WTO regime, and warned that a bad precedent could hurt farmers of other crops and endanger the country’s food sovereignty.

What happens next?

While farmers have claimed victory, they also demanded an apology from PepsiCo and plan to sue for compensation for “harassment” by the company.

They are also wary of any future government-facilitated negotiations on seed protection and the rights of breeders.

PepsiCo’s decision to withdraw the cases was “backed by an assurance from the government for a long term amicable settlement”, according to sources familiar with the development, who added that both the Gujarat government and the Centre were involved in that assurance for further talks.

11. Services to take up concerns on Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU)

Context:

The government has announced the setting up of a high-level expert committee to examine the recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) on Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU). With no Services representative on the committee, the three Services are expected to make a representation to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Background:

The Sixth Pay Commission had granted NFU to most Group ‘A’ officers but not the military.

Since then, armed forces had been demanding a one-time notional NFU to ensure parity.

However, the 7th CPC gave a mixed verdict on it and the issue has since been referred to the anomalies committee following strong objection from the three Services.

The Department of Personnel and Training in an order had announced the setting up of a seven-member high-level expert committee headed by Ratan P. Watal, IAS (retd.) and former Finance Secretary and principal adviser NITI Aayog to “examine various aspects of the recommendation of 7th CPC on NFU.”

Separately, a case regarding granting NFU to the Services is currently pending in the Supreme Court.

In the past too, the Services had taken up the matter with the MoD after the 7th CPC recommended NFU for the services.

In April 2017, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had written to then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley highlighting the discrepancies in equivalence and parity between armed forces and their civilian counterparts due to the lack of NFU despite military personnel having long service.

Non-Functional Upgradation:

NFU entitles all officers of a batch who are not promoted to draw the salary and grade pay that the senior-most officer of their batch after certain seniority.

Details:

NFU status under the 7th Central Pay Commission has been a core demand of the military.

Group A services in the government already enjoy the NFU status and it was recently granted for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) as well.

So it is only the armed forces, who really need NFU due to the steep pyramidal structure, who are left out.

Among the terms of reference, the committee is tasked to examine the administrative issues pertaining to NFU, which is presently admissible to the IPS/Indian Forest Service and OGAS and come out with a comprehensive solution keeping in view the recommendations of pay commission, various judicial pronouncements and administrative and financial exigencies of the government among other factors.

The other aspect is to suggest a “clear definition of OGAS (Organised Group A Service), to make clear distinction in the processes of cadre review and the procedure for grant of OGAS.

The committee is requested to submit its report to the Cabinet Secretary within a period of 30 days from its constitution, the order stated.

12. Telangana addresses maternal mortality

Context:

In a week’s time, 30 nurses trained in midwifery would be posted in 12 government healthcare facilities that have recorded a high number of deliveries. The move is expected to bring down C-Section deliveries and maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the State.

MMR data:

According to the Sample Registration System’s special bulletin on ‘Maternal Mortality in India 2014-16’, MMR across India was 130 per 1,00,000 live births.

It is 81 per 1,00,000 live births in Telangana, the fifth lowest State.

The lowest MMR of 46 was recorded in Kerala, followed by 61 in Maharashtra and 66 in Tamil Nadu.

Details:

On the occasion of International Day of the Midwife, 30 nurses who completed 18-month Midwifery Nurse Practitioner Diploma Course were presented with certificates by Health Minister.

The course was funded by the Central government through the National Health Mission (NHM), and implemented by the government of Telangana in collaboration with Fernandez Hospitals and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

It is claimed that Telangana is the first State to have certified midwives.

Significance:

According to World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ‘Global Strategic Directions for Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery 2016-2020’, there is demonstrable evidence substantiating the contribution of the nursing and midwifery workforce to health improvements, such as increased patient satisfaction, decrease in patient morbidity and mortality, stabilisation of financial systems through decreased hospital readmissions, length of stay, and other hospital-related conditions, including hospital-acquired infections, which consequently contributes to patient well-being and safety.

How did Telangana bring down its MMR through sustained campaign?

The infrastructure which was implemented, largely focused on making healthcare accessible to all women and also incentivized institutional deliveries which helped attract more women to institutional deliveries.

The government undertook the gargantuan task of improving public health care facilities, starting with the Primary Health Centres (PHCs).

The state implemented a 24-hour call centre as part of a government initiative.

The PHCs worked with Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and collected the expected delivery dates of women in a particular locality and passed it on through the call centres.

The call centres were set up in conjecture with the government’s ‘Amma Vodi’ (Mother’s Lap) programme.

Under ‘Amma Vodi’ a few initiatives were taken to ensure that pregnant women were getting regular antenatal check-ups as well as institutional deliveries.

The call centres helped authorities to keep track of pregnant women and were able to make sure that they were getting regular check-ups.

The government also introduced the 102 number for women who required transport to and from their check-ups.

Institutional deliveries were incentivised by providing financial incentives. Women are given Rs 13,000 for girl children and Rs 12,000 for boys, which are given in instalments.

Conclusion:

According to data released by the Sample Registration System (SRS), Telangana state went from an MMR of 92 in the 2011 to 2013 period to a rate of 81 between 2014 and 2016. The effort of the state government to reduce its MMR has resulted in the entire nation’s MMR reducing to 130 from 167. In fact, Telangana is now close to the 70 mark, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) set for the country.

13. India, U.K. in talks to build a naval supercarrier: report

Context:

The talks are under way for the Indian Navy to buy detailed plans for the 65,000-ton British warship to build a so-called “copycat supercarrier” to be named INS Vishal in 2022 – as part of the ongoing ‘Make in India’ negotiations.

Details:

The new state-of-the-art aircraft carrier would be built along the lines of Britain’s HMS Queen Elizabeth.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy and is capable of carrying up to 60 aircraft.

If a deal can be agreed, the new warship would be built in India but UK companies could supply many of the parts.

The report noted that such a new Naval carrier would serve alongside India’s 45,000-ton carrier INS Vikramaditya — bought from Russia in 2004 and the currently under-construction 40,000-ton INS Vikrant, and could give India a larger carrier fleet than Britain.

The reported India-UK Naval deal would follow the sale of Britain’s Falklands War carrier HMS Hermes to India in 1987, which was renamed INS Viraat and decommissioned two years ago.

14. Anti-dumping duty put on saccharine

The Finance Ministry has, on the recommendations of the Commerce Ministry, imposed an anti-dumping duty of $1,633.17 per tonne on the import of saccharine from Indonesia.

Saccharine is a compound most commonly used in sugar-substitute sweeteners.

Indonesia, until recently, accounted for a large chunk of India’s saccharine imports. In 2017-18, India imported 43% of the total imports of the sugar-substitute compound from Indonesia.

However, imports from Indonesia have declined since then. In the April 2018 to February 2019 period, India imported only about 20% of its total imports from around the world.

“The product under consideration has been exported to India from subject country below their normal values and consequently, the domestic industry has suffered material injury,” the Department of Revenue notification said.