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Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
Today's Must Read Articles :India pledges aid to rebuild Afghanistan
HEADLINES:
India pledges aid to rebuild Afghanistan, commits to projects worth $80 million
WHY IN NEWS:
New Delhi also committed to build a new dam, which will provide drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : IR : India-Afghanistan Relations
ISSUE:
LONG TERM COMMITMENT
- Signalling long-term commitment to Afghanistan’s future – New Delhi also committed to build a new dam, which will provide drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul.
- While India did not invest in Afghanistan during the Taliban years from 1996 to 2001.
- The government’s decision now to invest in Afghanistan’s future, where Taliban is set to play a dominant role, is being seen as a major departure from the past.
- New Delhi has had a bitter experience with the Taliban.
- After the US exiting Afghanistan, South Block is quickly trying to adapt to the changed circumstances and reach out to the Taliban.
NEW PROJECTS
- Agreement with Afghanistan for building the Shahtoot dam, which would provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul city.(Map it)
- It builds on the 202-km Phul-e-Khumri transmission line of 2009, through which we provided power to the city.
- India will also launch phase-IV of high-impact community development projects in Afghanistan, which include around 150 projects worth $80 million.
CONCERNS
- India supports all efforts to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan, India calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.
- India also believe that the peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.
BACKGROUND
- Large infrastructure projects completed include –218 km road from Delaram to Zaranj (on Iranian border) which provides alternative connectivity for Afghanistan through Iran.
- More than 65,000 Afghan students have studied in India under various scholarship programmes and 15,000 students are presently studying here;
- 3,000 scholarships have so far been granted to young Afghan women to pursue higher studies in India.
- India also provided vocational training to a large number of women in Afghanistan.
RECENT UPDATES
- India also has sent more than 20 tonnes of life-saving medicines and other equipment to address the Covid-19 challenge.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- India looks forward to “walk hand in hand with the people of Afghanistan and the world community to work towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan”.
SOURCES: IE | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
Government of India blocks 43 mobile apps
HEADLINES:
Government of India blocks 43 mobile apps from accessing by users in India
WHY IN NEWS:
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India issued an order under section 69A of the Information Technology Act blocking access to 43 mobile apps.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3 : Recent Developments : Technology
ISSUE:
REASONS
- Also action was taken against these apps which are threat to defence of India, security of state and public order.
- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued the order for blocking the access of these apps by users in India
- It was based on the comprehensive reports received from Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center, Ministry of Home Affairs.
INDIAN CYBERCRIME COORDINATION CENTRE
Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre aims to :
- Act as a nodal point in the fight against cybercrime
- Identify the research problems and take up R&D activities in developing new technologies .
- Suggest amendments, if required, in cyber laws to keep pace with fast changing technologies and International cooperation
- To coordinate all activities related to implementation of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) with other countries related to cyber crimes.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Earlier on 29th June, 2020 the Government of India had blocked access to 59 mobile apps and on 2nd September, 2020 118 more apps were banned under section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
SOURCES: PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
Joint Trade Committee : India and Myanmar
HEADLINES:
7th Meeting of the Joint Trade Committee between India and Myanmar
WHY IN NEWS:
The 7th Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar was held through virtual mode on 24th November 2020.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : IR
ISSUE:
INDIA AND MYANMAR : JOINT TRADE COMMITTEE
KEY POINTS
- Both sides reviewed various bilateral issues ranging from trade, investment, banking, connectivity, capacity building and upgradation of border infrastructure.
- Both sides reviewed their preparedness to meet the COVID-19 challenges and expanding cooperation in pharma.
- Both sides acknowledged that mutual benefit exists in collaboration and cooperation amongst oil and gas companies of India and Myanmar.
- They also reviewed the status of connectivity projects and scaling up the infrastructure at the border for strengthening trade.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Both the countries agreed to work closely for early establishment of border haats for the benefit of the local communities and promote people to people connect.
SOURCES: PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
U.P. Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Ordinance, 2020
HEADLINES:
U.P. Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Ordinance, 2020
WHY IN NEWS:
The U.P. Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Ordinance, 2020 was cleared by the Cabinet promised to bring an “effective law” against “love jihad”, a legally unrecognised term.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1 : 2 : Social Justice : Bills
ISSUE:
U.P. UNLAWFUL RELIGIOUS CONVERSION PROHIBITION ORDINANCE, 2020
- The ordinance makes religious conversion a non-bailable offence inviting penalties up to 10 years in prison.
- Violation of the provisions of the law would invite a jail term of not less than one year extendable to five years with a fine of ₹15,000.
- If a minor woman or a woman from the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribes communities was converted, the jail term would be a minimum of three years.
- This could be extended to 10 years with a fine of ₹25,000.
MASS CONVERSIONS
- Mass conversions would invite a jail term of not less than three years up to 10 years and a fine of ₹50,000.
- In case of conversion done by a woman for the sole purpose of marriage, the marriage would be declared null and void.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- A person seeking to convert to another to another religion for marriage would have to inform the district magistrate two months prior to it through a prescribed form.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
Poshan Abhiyaan needs a boost
HEADLINES:
Poshan Abhiyaan needs a boost: study
WHY IN NEWS:
NITI Aayog report suggests accelerated actions on multiple fronts to meet targets
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1 : Malnutrition
ISSUE:
SOURCES : THE HINDU
- The National Nutrition Mission or the Poshan Abhiyaan, the world’s largest nutrition programme for children and mothers.
HEALTH SURVEY
- The flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers was launched in 2018 .
- The programme with specific targets was to be achieved by 2022.
- More than a third of the children under five face stunting and wasting and 40% aged between one and four are anaemic.
- Over 50% of pregnant and other women were found to be anaemic-National Family Health Survey2016.
- We need to now accelerate actions on multiple fronts.
POSHAN-PLUS STRATEGY
- The report calls for a need to lay as much emphasis on complementary feeding as it does on breastfeeding, which it points out can help avert 60% of the total stunting cases in India.
- On stunting, the review says that India’s targets are conservative as compared to the global target defined by the World Health Assembly (WHA).
- The target of reducing prevalence levels of anaemia among pregnant women from 50.3% in 2016 to 34.4% in 2022.
- Among adolescent girls from 52.9% in 2016 to 39.66%, is also considered conservative.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Experts warn that deepening poverty and hunger may delay achieving the goals defined under the Nutrition Mission.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
Govt. to track vaccine reactions
HEADLINES:
Govt. to track vaccine reactions
WHY IN NEWS:
Neurologists and cardiologists will be part of the monitoring committees
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases
ISSUE:
- Also, gathering of information on the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines once they are rolled out.
- The Ministry has identified initiatives to strengthen the reporting of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI).
ADVERSE EVENTS FOLLOWING IMMUNIZATION (AEFI)
- As vaccine-preventable infectious diseases continue to decline, people are concerned about the risks associated with vaccines.
- Technological advances and knowledge about vaccines have led to investigations focused on the safety of existing vaccines.
KEY POINTS
- There is no such thing as a “perfect” vaccine which protects everyone who receives it AND is entirely safe for everyone.
- Effective vaccines may produce some undesirable side effects which are mostly mild and clear up quickly.
- It is not possible to predict every individual who might have a mild or serious reaction to a vaccine.
- Although there are a few contraindications to some vaccines.
- By following contraindications the risk of serious adverse effects can be minimized.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Membership of State AEFI committees should be revised to include neurologists, cardiologists, respiratory medicine specialists .
- Similarly, direction may be issued to districts to include medical specialists (neurologists and cardiologists) in district AEFI committees.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | Current Affairs News Analysis for UPSC | 25th Nov 2020
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