“Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.”
John Ruskin
“हमारी हर नई संपत्ति हम पर एक नया बोझ डाल देती है।”
जॉन रस्किन
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Quote of the Day February 23, 2023
Current Affairs- February 20, 2023
INDIA
- HAL plans for medium-lift choppers to replace ageing Mi-17s.
- 12 cheetahs arrived and were released into quarantine enclosures at the Kuno National Park (KNP), Madhya Pradesh.
- India Meteorological Department issued season’s first heatwave warning in the Konkan and Kutch areas of Gujarat.
- ISRO says that the ‘Chandrayaan-3’ lander has successfully underwent the key test on functioning of satellite in space
- In a boost to India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 has Tata Sons owned Air India and Vistara start Integration Process
- Madhya Pradesh Cabinet brings new liquor policy, orders closure all bars.
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to launch India’s first virtual shopping, recharge app for metro.
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
- PFRDA introduces T+2 settlement for partial withdrawal for NPS subscribers; from the earlier T+4 settlement.
- Indian economy to Grow at 6%: Former Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar.
- Finance ministers and central bank chiefs of G-20 nations will meet for first time under India’s presidency in Bengaluru.
- India’s Russian oil imports surge to a record 1.4 million barrels per day in January.
WORLD
- US plans new Russia export controls and sanctions on key industries.
- India-Uzbekistan biennial military training Exercise DUSTLIK 2023 begins in Uttarakhand.
- Nepal celebrated Democracy Day on February 19.
- North Korea confirms test of Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile
SPORTS
- India retains Border Gavaskar Trophy, defeating Australia by 6 wickets in 2nd Test.
- Saurashtra lifts Ranji Trophy title after defeating Bengal by 9 wickets
Current Affairs-February 21, 2023
INDIA
- India aims to cut emission intensity of GDP by 20-25: Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
- BEML signs MoU with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) led SPV for constructing the Bahrain Metro Rail Project Phase-1.
- Government appoints retired civil servant B.V.R. Subrahmanyam as the new chief executive of NITI Aayog.
- INS Sumedha visits Abu Dhabi to participate in IDEX and NAVDEX 2023.
- International ‘Khajuraho Dance Festival-2023 begins in Madhya Pradesh.
- Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities celebrated World Social Justice Day
- Union Agriculture Minister chairs the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2023.
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
- Tata Motors signs MoU with Uber to supply 25,000 XPRES–T Electric Vehicles.
- T-Hub and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) joined hands to support start-ups in the aerospace and defence composite markets.
- Income tax department releases a calculator to help compare savings under the new income tax regime.
WORLD
- ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ wins 7 prizes including best film at UK’s BAFTAs (British Academy Film Awards).
- India to host Permanent Mission Roundtables at UN Head Quarter as Chair of G- 20.
- U.S. President Joe Biden made a trip to Kyiv, promising USD 500 million in fresh arms deliveries and support.
- Union Minister of Food Processing Industry inaugurates India Pavillion at Dubai.
SPORTS
- India enters semifinals of Women’s T20 World Cup beating Ireland.
- Meghalaya made history by entering the semifinal of the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship.
Current Affairs-February 22, 2023
INDIA
- First meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to be inaugurated in Bengaluru.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was named the Shiv Sena chief leader.
- Railways to launch Guru Kripa Yatra with Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train.
- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina honours Dr. Mahendra Mishra with International Mother Language Award in Dhaka.
- The Government has emphasised on launching an Over-the-Top (OTT) platform for Prasar Bharati.
- The Centre approved the Quality Control Order for mandatory certification of cotton bales.
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
- RBI allows UPI transactions for inbound G-20 travellers.
- India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Singapore’s PayNow have been integrated to enable faster remittances.
- Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) launches new guidelines for employees to opt for higher pension.
WORLD
- The 76th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA Awards, were announced in London.
- Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian is on a five-day visit to India.
- Russia decides to suspend participation in New START treaty for nuclear arms control with US.
- Indo-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announces 2024 presidential bid.
- UNDP: Recent earthquakes have left 1.5 million people homeless in Turkey.
- Israel’s Parliament passes controversial Bills that seek to overhaul Israel’s judiciary.
SPORTS
- India enters semi-finals of Women’s T20 World Cup beating Ireland.
- India’s 14-year-old Tilottama Sen wins bronze medal in women’s 10m Air Rifle at ISSF World Cup.
Current Affairs- February 23, 2023
INDIA
- Abu Dhabi defence firm signs MOU with India’s HAL at UAE’s Defence expo.
- India and Chinese commanders to meet to resolve friction points in Eastern Ladakh.
- Indian Textiles Ministry makes certification mandatory for cotton quality.
- IIT Madras partners with General Insurance Corporation of India to develop Urine-based TB diagnosis.
- Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister tables Budget 2023-24 in State Assembly, the biggest budget in the history of the state.
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) develops wheat variety, which can overcome rising heat levels.
- External Affairs Ministry’s annual flagship event Asia Economic Dialogue to begin in Pune
- Government approves five-year project on “Innovative Extension Approaches for Revitalising Agriculture in J&K”
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
- State Bank of India (SBI) announced a partnership with PayNo, the online payment system of Singapore, for cross-border payments.
- India and the UAE are exploring creating a virtual trade corridor to facilitate quicker clearance of shipments.
WORLD
- G7 countries’ finance ministers and central bank governors will gather in Bengaluru under the leadership of Japan.
- An earthquake of 6.8 magnitude has hit eastern Tajikistan.
- Brazil halts beef export to China, after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed.
- The inaugural I2U2 Business Forum was held at Abu Dhabi, UAE .
- Turkiye introduces temporary wage support scheme and bans layoffs in 10 cities.
SPORTS
- Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar wins gold medal in men’s individual 50m rifle competition at ISSF World Cup at Cairo.
- Young Indian shooter Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil won the gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle individual event at ISSF Shooting World Cup at Cairo.
Study Abroad: Pursue free education in Finland, Czech Republic, Germany and Iceland
A research study on
- Czech Republic: €300 - €650
- Finland: €700 – €1,300
- Germany: around €934
- Iceland: around €1,400
- Norway: €700 - €900
While many universities worldwide do not charge tuition fees, they can still charge smaller amounts, known as administrative fees. These fees can help fund the services related to the administration and supervision of students. In Germany, for instance, such fees are usually no higher than €250 per semester.
In the area of post-grad work visas that allow students to stay in the country for a set period to search for employment, the duration is as follows:
- Czech Republic: Up to 9 months
- Finland: Two years
- Germany: 18 months
- Iceland: Up to six (6) months
- Norway: 1 year
The opportunity for students to work part-time during their studies also varies from country to country in the EU. In the Czech Republic, it is up to 30 days within a calendar year; in Finland, part-time work is allowed up to 30 hours per week; in Germany it is full-time job for 120 days or part-time for 240 half days; in Iceland, the Non-EEA/EFTA students can work up to 15 hours per week during the academic year, while in Norway, the rules permit up to 20 hours per week, the research indicates.
The complete report is available on: https://erudera.com/resources/countries-with-free-education-for-international-students/
Source: educationtimes.com, 21/02/23
The threat from microplastics
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, there has been a significant increase in these particles in the surface waters of the sea in the last four decades. Some recent studies have also confirmed that plastic particles are finding their way into the human bloodstream and airways.
The use of plastic in every house had started from the 1950s itself, in everyday things like toothpaste, cosmetics and laundry detergent, all of which contain small particles of plastic. Along with sewage, they reach the river drains and this river- processed water reaches our home taps along with microplastics.
Besides polluting the environment, these microplastics could also lead to the danger of extinction of some species. Evidence has been found that even small particles or pieces of plastic can be very harmful to human health; bigger particles are even more harmful. This can cause serious complications in people with lung disease.
The plastics going into the sea decompose to become microplastics. These are particles whose diameter is less than 5 mm. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, there has been a significant increase in these particles in the surface waters of the sea in the last four decades. Some recent studies have also confirmed that plastic particles are finding their way into the human bloodstream and airways.
Millions of tons of plastic are produced every year and they spread in the environment in tiny particles. At present, many studies are on to show how dangerous small particles of plastic can prove for human health. It is believed that these fine particles can remain in the lungs for a long time. They can cause inflammation in the lungs and damage the immune system. They are also carcinogenic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems.
Experts have said in a study that the things used daily fill the blood and lungs with microplastics. The researchers identified 12 types of plastic, including polypropylene, polyethylene, terephthalate, and resin. These plastics are commonly found in packaging, bottles, clothing, rope and twine. The most dangerous sources of microplastics include city dust, textiles and even tyres.
Many foods and beverages are also filling the body with microplastics. These include bottled water, salt, seafood, teabags, ready meals and canned food. It is believed that plastic particles can damage lung tissue in the long run, leading to cancer, asthma, heart attack and other health problems.
A new study has raised serious questions about its effects on human health. According to ‘Plos One Journal’, microplastics can travel through blood vessels to vascular tissue. However, scientists have not been able to determine the severity of the health effects. The University of Hull and Hull York Medical School team analysed the study by examining vein tissue from a patient undergoing heart bypass surgery. During this, 15 microplastic particles per gram and five different types of polymers were found in the vein tissue. The researchers found that all these particles were ‘alkyd resin’ (a substance found in synthetic paints) as well as ‘polyvinyl acetate’ (an adhesive in nylon) and ‘EVOS’ (a substance found in packaging materials).
The test found that the level of microplastics was higher than in lung tissue. In fact, the discovery of microplastics in the blood has been explained, but it is now known that these particles can seep into the veins, and it was not clear that they could cross the veins into vascular tissue. A recent study published in ‘Science of the Total Environment’ found microplastics present in all parts of the lungs, including the lower lungs. Coughing, shortness of breath and reduced lung capacity have been observed in textile workers due to microplastic particles released from polyester and nylon fibers, a study has revealed.
Research published in 2019 by the environmental charity ‘WWAF International’ said that there is so much plastic pollution in our environment that humans are ingesting about five grams of plastic every week, which is equivalent to eating a credit card every week. The research highlighted different areas of study being pursued by scientists. They are detecting microplastics in some human organs, including the lungs, spleen, kidneys and even the uterus. , and microfibres in synthetic clothing are being inhaled.
Another study in March confirmed the first traces of PET in blood, with some scientists calling the findings “premature” given the investigators’ small sample size. But there are concerns that if plastic is in the bloodstream, it can reach all organs. A Dutch study published in the ‘Environment International Journal’ in March last year found microplastics in 80 per cent of blood samples from 22 people. After the study, scientists warned that this material could soon enter human organs. Its presence in humans can slow down the metabolic process of cells. These fine plastic particles can increase antibiotic resistance in bacteria by up to 30 times.
Everyday plastic is releasing billions of microscopic particles into the water. In 2021, researchers found microplastics in the umbilical cord of an unborn child. Great concern was then expressed over its potential consequences for fetal development. In such a situation, where scientists have identified the presence of microplastics in the body, it can be assumed that humans have been eating, drinking or breathing small particles of plastic for years. Although health studies on humans are not yet developed, toxicity in some animals reinforces concerns.
Rishabh Mishra
Source: The Statesman, 22/02/23
Editorial on violence against Christians
Oppression of minorities by a dominant group makes nonsense of equality in every sphere
A simple request may, at times, allude to a complicated reality. Christian leaders across the Northeast urged fellow Christians last week to vote with a clear and informed conscience ahead of the assembly elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland. This would mean upholding the principles of truth, justice and fairness taught by their faith and refusing to be allured by false promises to remain alert to constitutional freedoms and elect leaders committed to the unity and good of the community and the nation. The exhortation came against a background of growing violence against the community, disruption of worship and desecration of churches, and eviction of tribal families under the guise of clearing encroachments on forest land. This gathering could be regarded as a forerunner to the protest of some 2,000 members of the community along with bishops and other leaders in Delhi last Sunday against the hate speeches, humiliation, violence, undue arrests in so-called ‘anti-conversion’ drives, eviction — in Chhattisgarh — upon refusal to convert to the majority religion and other forms of oppression that the community faces.
Attacks against the community rose by 400% from 2014 to 2022. This could not have happened without State blindness, if not indulgence. Uttar Pradesh heads the six states with the greatest number of targeted incidents, as in most cases of faith-based or gender violence. The prime minister’s endorsement of UP’s chief minister during the 2022 assembly elections after the latter’s first five years of violence-inducing reign was visibly full-hearted. The Christian community will be sending a memorandum to the president of India regarding the growing violence against it and ask for a national redressal commission to address the fallout. The community’s protest and the memorandum are unmistakeable indicators of the sickening of India’s democracy and secular spirit. They suggest that a huge number of India’s citizens have overcome their polite or fearful silence to speak up against active hate and unpunished crimes. That their individual predicaments did not matter is undemocratic. Oppression of minorities by a dominant group makes nonsense of equality in every sphere. Turning to the president is symbolic: one segment of citizens wishes to show its loss of trust in the ruling dispensation.
Source: Telegraph, 23/02/23
Monday, February 20, 2023
Quote of the Day February 20, 2023
“I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”
Bill Cosby
“मुझे सफलता का उपाय नहीं मालूम लेकिन यह मालूम है कि सब को खुश करने का प्रयत्न असफलता का उपाय है।”
बिल कोस्बी
National Tribal Festival – Aadi Mahotsav
The Tribal Ministry is conducting the Aadi Mahotsav festival to promote tribal products. TRIFED organizes the festival on behalf of the ministry. The main objective of conducting Aadi Mahotav is to prevent the middlemen from exploiting the tribals. Profits of the tribal are swept away by the middlemen and their hard work goes in vain. To put an end to the system and provide direct access to markets, TRIFED is organizing the National Tribal Festival called the Aadi Mahotsav. The festival was conducted in New Delhi.
About National Tribal Festival 2023
PM Modi inaugurated the festival. Tribals from different parts of India participated in the festival. They exhibited their products in more than 200 stalls.
The highlights of 2023 Aadi Mahotsav: MILLETS
The United Nations announced 2023 as the International Year of Millets on India’s insistence. Furthermore, to boost the production of millets and increase their exports, GoI is launching several initiatives. One such is the tag name “Shree Anna”. The Indian millets are to be sold under the brand name Shree Anna. To promote this, millets were showcased under the name of “Shree Anna” at the Aadi Mahotsav.
Apart from millets, the festival also focused on pottery, handloom, jewellery, handloom, etc.
Arunachal Pradesh Statehood Day
The State of Arunachal Pradesh celebrated its statehood day on February 20. President Murmu attended the state celebrations. The statehood was granted in 1987. It was the 24th state in the country.
How was Arunachal Pradesh formed?
The Union Government provided the Statehood of Arunachal Pradesh through the State of Arunachal Pradesh Act, 1986. In 1972, Arunachal Pradesh was made a union territory. Till then the region was called the North East Frontier Agency.
55th Amendment of the Constitution
The amendment provided certain special privileges to the state of Arunachal Pradesh. This was because of the sensitive location of the state. The Governor of the state has the responsibility of law and order in the state.
Significance
- The state has more than 26 major tribes. There are 750 bird species and 200 mammals. Thus, the state is highly diverse in culture and also in biodiversity.
- The state is the largest of all the seven sister states in the North East
- It borders Assam and Nagaland
- The state is called the Land of Rising Sun
- The state shares a 1,129 km border with Tibet. Also, it shares international borders with countries Myanmar and Bhutan
Environmental importance
The National Parks in the state are Namdapha, Mouling, Dibang, Pakke Tiger Reserve, and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary. The state also has the Dihang Dibang Biosphere Reserve. The state bird is Hornbill and State animal is Mithun or Gayal.
NASSCOM Report on AI skill penetration
The National Association of Software and Services Companies, NASSCOM released a report on “Artificial Intelligence Penetration”. The report was launched along with DRAUP and SALESFORCE. According to the report, the AI penetration of India is 3.09. This is the highest among all G20 countries and OECD countries. The report also says India will have more than one million AI professionals by 2024.
Key Findings of the Report
- AI-led core sectors of India are expected to add 500 billion USD to the economy
- In 2022, the demand for AI in India was 629,000. However, the talent base stalled at 416,000
- The current demand-supply gap of AI in the country is 51%. It is lower than the developed economies like the United States
- 73% of the AI jobs in India are taken by five major role players. They are data engineer, ML engineer, data architect, data scientist, data engineer, and DevOps engineer
- ML engineers and Data engineers alone constitute 46% of total AI jobs
Requirements
To achieve its complete potential in the AI field, India has to enhance its skills in the field, launch more AI-related schemes, add AI to academics and put in other efforts.
Current Scenario of AI in India
Today there are 1,900 AI-based startups in India. Most of these startups operate in the field of disease detection, NLP, fraud prevention, fake detection, etc. The government of India is planning to establish three AI Centres of Excellence.
How is Assam faring on the TB eradication front?
“My husband is a buddhu [illiterate],” 41-year-old Anita Bodo says through her tears. When she was diagnosed with tuberculosis in early 2021, her husband was thrown out of his job and he in turn nearly abandoned her. Such is the stigma of TB among the tribal people of Baksa district in north-western Assam that a patient and even his family face exclusion and loss of livelihood.
Baksa, one of the four districts of the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District (since renamed as the Bodoland Territorial Region) formed in 2003 after the signing of the historic Bodoland Territorial Council accord, is home to a diverse group of people including Bodos, Nepalis, Bengalis, Adivasis working in tea gardens, Assamese, and Rajbongshis. The majority of them are poor and work as daily wage labourers, making them one of the most vulnerable populations.
As in other rural parts of the country, the lack of awareness and fear of contagion leads to the isolation of patients in their homes. Coughing up blood terrifies communities that are all too familiar with the symptoms of the illness. Most people are simply unaware that the disease ceases to be infectious after two weeks of treatment. Though there have not been many deaths, the stigma surrounding TB is enormous.
Social disease
As a result, tuberculosis has become a social disease. Apart from the physical seclusion of patients, families often keep separate utensils for them. Women are subjected to more stigma and discrimination than men. Anita battled the disease for a year with the help of her children and now wants to help others who are suffering from the social and physical impacts of TB.
When Frontline met her, she had cycled several kilometres from her village in Geruapara to the Adalbari State Dispensary to attend a tuberculosis care and support group meeting. She was joined by Bhabananda Das, 42, who lost his job after being diagnosed with TB. In his village of Athiyabari, seven persons contracted it simultaneously. “Because of the stigma people hid the fact that they had contracted the disease, which led to its rapid spread,” he said. According to the National TB Prevalence Survey, 2019-2021, as many as 312 per 100,000 population in India is afflicted with TB. In Assam, the figures are 217 per 100,000 population. “Our goal is to reduce the TB infection rate to 44 per lakh population by 2025 under the ongoing NTEP [National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme],” says Dr Avijit Basu, Joint Director and State TB Officer, Department of Health Services, Government of Assam.
The NTEP aims to eradicate TB in India by 2025. The Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations call for the elimination of the global TB epidemic by 2035.
According to the WHO, India accounts for roughly one-fourth of the world’s TB burden. Close to 50,000 people die of the disease every year in India, where at the same time about a million cases are missed every year, says Dr Palash Talukdar, WHO Consultant, NTEP, Assam. Active testing is a key challenge in detecting TB. Community engagement at the grassroots level is one of the ways the government and NGOs are trying to accelerate the process of TB eradication. In order to reach out to people in their communities, TB champions such as Anita Bodo and Bhabananda Das use tools provided by Lakhya Jyoti Bhuyan, Prasenjit Das, and Dinesh Talukdar, foot soldiers of the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), an NGO that works on TB, adolescent health, maternal neonatal and child health, and primary healthcare. They identify a TB Buddy, who can be a caregiver or community member to provide support during each stage of the treatment. One of their objectives is to reduce the psychosocial impact of TB on patients by effecting behavioural changes.
Arjun Narzary, who works with the Inland Water Transport department in Guwahati, was fortunate to have a government job. He was granted medical leave for the period of treatment and has rejoined duty.
E-rickshaw driver Phukan Basumatary has made it his life’s mission to spread awareness about the disease. He travels from village to village, blaring instructional audio content about TB from his vehicle. He has defied the stigma of remaining silent about the disease by shouting it out from his rickshaw.
Controlling it
KHPT’s Breaking the Barriers project (2020-2024), supported by USAID, is in line with India’s National Strategic Plan for TB elimination. “Elimination does not mean there will be zero cases of TB but that the disease will be under control. By 2025, our aim is to minimise the TB caseload,” says Dr Avijit Basu.
In Baramchari, a picturesque little village in Baksa, dozens of women finish their daily chores to settle under a canopy of trees to discuss how to combat the monster of TB. Members of a self-help group, they say that detection has gone up ever since their group got actively engaged with TB awareness. “We have so far detected four cases of TB in our villages. We make sure that there is no ostracisation of patients. We have more TB cases because of a lack of testing. People here work hard as daily wage labourers and can seldom afford nutritious food. And then they also drink the local liquor. A combination of these factors compromises their immunity and they get TB,” says Reena Rabha of Lokpala village, a leader of the group.
Apart from the tribal community of Baksa, the tea garden workers of Dibrugarh, mining populations, industrial workers, and urban migrants are among the most vulnerable groups. Urban migrants are vulnerable primarily because of their unhygienic living conditions, tobacco use, and a lack of proper nutrition. Suman Phukan, a community coordinator with the KHPT, works with such groups in Guwahati and the Kamrup Metropolitan district. She is the first point of contact for the Bihari and Muslim migrant labourers who live in the Sitlabari Railway Colony slum.
She tells the story of Sunil Peshwan, who was diagnosed with pulmonary TB for the third time at the age of 28. After his wife left him, Sunil had no one to look after him and he discontinued his medication. Members of the local Gajraj club volunteered to look after him, but when it became too much for them, they admitted him to a hospital. Sunil ran away from there.
When the club members tried to get re-admit him, the hospital authorities refused, citing the lack of a primary care giver. When Suman learned of Sunil’s deteriorating condition, she had him admitted to a Missionaries of Charity home, which had a TB unit on its premises. When Frontline met Sunil on the day of his release from the centre, he had lost a lot of weight, but had recovered and was willing to take care of himself.
Another vulnerable area identified by the KHPT is the localities around the famous Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. Members of two self-help groups, Muktinath and Kuhipat, have prioritised TB detection in this area.
Only time will tell whether these efforts by communities, governments and NGOs will be successful in eliminating TB. In her landmark book Phantom Plague: How Tuberculosis Shaped History, Vidya Krishnan sounds a word of caution. Narrating the history of TB from the days of the vampire panics that led to Bram Stoker’s Gothic horror novel Dracula to the discovery of modern medicine and penicillin, Vidya asks readers to be cautious about reducing the stories of patients to mere numbers and targets. She emphasises the links between social inequalities and disease and how sometimes urban building laws can act as institutionalised incubators of deadly drug-resistant bacteria.
She writes, “No amount of aid is going to save us from ever-evolving pathogens unless we fix the superstructures of global health at their structural root. TB and humans have evolved hand in hand. During the course of this relationship, the bacteria has learned from us more than we have from it. One bad decision at a time, the global TB pandemic has been socially constructed by us—humans who are reliably small-minded, casteist, and racist every time we face a pathogen that is highly unpredictable, mutating and thriving. The fundamental question here is not whether the pathogen will prevail. It is whether individual decency—that encourages us to fight for the right to health and the right to dignity for the poor and vulnerable—will prevail. There lies our salvation. No one is safe until everyone is.”
Disaster relief as a tool of outreach
After a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on February 7, killing at least 35,000 people as per available statistics, India promptly dispatched a relief and rescue team. Reacting within a few hours under Operation Dosti, India was among the first countries to respond to the earthquake.
After a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on February 7, killing at least 35,000 people as per available statistics, India promptly dispatched a relief and rescue team. Reacting within a few hours under Operation Dosti, India was among the first countries to respond to the earthquake. Among the foreign policy responses India has devised over a period, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief has emerged as the most effective tool to make an effective intervention in support of life.
As is known, the region is prone to natural disasters, especially cyclones and floods. According to the Asian Development Bank, “People in Asia and the Pacific were displaced more than 225 million times due to disasters triggered by natural hazards from 2010 to 2021, accounting for more than three-quarters of the global number.” These statistics seriously reflect the challenges that confront the region. The ability to reach first in times of natural disasters, given the geographical location of India in the South Asian region, has been branded by various political leaders in New Delhi, defining its role as a “net security provider”.
India’s role in disaster relief has evolved over the years. To make its outreach effective and swift, India established the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 2005, which stands on four pillars: Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness and Response. Though a recommendation to form such a mechanism had been made by a government-appointed high-powered committee in 1999, the Indian Ocean Tsunami perhaps awakened India to its capacity and ability to respond.
India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was established in 2008 as a dedicated force trained in disaster response. It has 15 battalions drawn from various paramilitary forces which are trained for the purpose. It has been at the forefront of India’s effort to reach out to countries that are facing an immense humanitarian crisis due to natural disasters. India has always responded to crises in the neighbourhood and beyond. However, only recently have the efforts become more efficient and better structured. The need for agencies like the NDRF was felt long back to enable India to respond swiftly to natural disasters within the country and in the immediate neighbourhood. The Indian Ocean Tsunami was the first major response of India in operationalising effective relief. India conducted relief and rescue operations by sending its navy when a powerful tsunami hit Sri Lanka and the Maldives in December 2004; it also extended support when Cyclone Sidr battered Bangladesh’s coast in 2007. In 2008, it extended help when Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar though the military junta carried out the aid distribution.
India was the first country to dispatch the INS Sukanya and the INS Deepak with 1,200 tonnes of drinking water when a fire broke out at the water treatment plant in Male, resulting in a drinking water crisis in 2014. It became one of the first countries to reach Nepal during the 2015 earthquake when an NDRF team got there right after the disaster. Apart from extending help during natural disasters, India has provided relief to the Rohingya refugees and the local population under Operation Insaniyat.
Evacuation is another important aspect of India’s increasing profile for providing humanitarian assistance. It evacuated Indian nationals as well as 960 foreigners from 41 countries when civil war broke out in Yemen in April 2015 under Operation Rahat. Within six hours, India sent a rescue team and relief to Nepal in April 2015 under Operation Maitri led by the Indian Army.
Not only has India augmented its ability to emerge as a first responder, it has also established an early warning system to predict natural disasters, including tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. In 2014, it provided $1 million to a trust fund to establish an early warning system as part of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System. The Indian-funded South Asia satellite that India launched helps in enhancing communication technology and disaster information transfer. Recently, the World Meteorological Department entrusted India with the responsibility of coordinating, developing and implementing the Regional Centre of South Asia Flash Flood Guidance System. India has been using it since 2020 to warn its neighbours of impending flash floods.
Capacity building of the neighbours is one of the priorities for India, apart from holding joint exercises to build interoperability. The South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercises is one of them. India has several regional and international cooperation activities to carry its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission forward. However, it needs to engage more deeply in capacity building through training and joint exercises. There are the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) disaster management exercises which are hosted by India, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) exercises.
India, which defines its role as a first responder in the neighbourhood, has been efficient in reaching out in times of natural disasters. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it stood true to its role when it dispatched vaccines to countries in the neighbourhood. However, it could not live up to the expectation it had generated through its vaccine maitri outreach when it faced a severe second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and stopped exporting vaccines. This created a crisis as neighbours scrambled for vaccines, which certainly created a dent in India’s credibility as a first responder.
To succeed in this role, India needs to engage in capacity building and joint exercises and work on interoperability between agencies. As disaster relief also requires engagement with locals, multi agency participation at the bilateral level is important. The 2022-23 budget of the External Affairs Ministry has earmarked INR 50 million for Disaster Relief under the heading Aid to Countries. Though this budget allocation appears minuscule, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief even featuring in the budget of the External Affairs Ministry shows that they have emerged as an important foreign policy instrument for India.
Smruti Pattanaik
Source: The Statesman, 17/02/23
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Quote of the Day February 16, 2023
“As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.”
Adelle
“मेरे विचार से आप प्रतिदिन दो में से कोई एक काम करते हैं: स्वास्थ्य वर्धन करना या अपने शरीर में रोग पैदा करना।”
एडेल्लेय
ERC gives consolidator grants worth €657 million to excellent researchers
A total of 321 researchers have won the 2022 European Research Council (
The grants will be invested in scientific projects spanning all disciplines of research, from engineering to life sciences and even humanities. For example, a neurologist in Denmark will look for a personalised treatment for chronic pain; a researcher in France will explore fibrous materials as a green alternative to fossil-based plastics; and a bioarcheologist in Lithuania will study what influenced the adoption and abandonment of crops over time, to improve present-day food security, biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change.
The laureates of this grant competition proposed to carry out their projects at universities and research centres in 18 EU member states, plus other countries associated with Horizon Europe. Among the EU countries, the highest number of grants will be located in Germany (62 projects), France (41) and Spain (24).
Nationals of 37 countries are among the winners of this call, notably Germans (52 researchers), Italians (32), French (31) and British (31). This call attracted 2,222 applicants, while the proposals were reviewed by panels of renowned researchers from across the world. The grants will create around 1,950 jobs for postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, and other staff at the host institutions.
The statistics and final list of successful candidates are provisional. The
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