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UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
Today's Must Read Articles :U.S., Taiwan : Economic partnership
HEADLINES:
U.S., Taiwan step up economic partnership
WHY IN NEWS:
The U.S. and Taiwan are stepping up cooperation in a newly created economic dialogue, in another move from the outgoing Trump administration to increase official exchanges with the self-ruled island.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : IR
ISSUE:
U.S.-TAIWAN ECONOMIC PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE
- U.S., Taiwan economic partnership dialogue is meant to be held annually.
- The deal falls short of a long-desired bilateral trade agreement, but is a significant step that increases ties between Washington and Taipei.
- Taiwan and the U.S. do not have a free trade agreement.
- Taiwan in August announced the easing of restrictions on imports of American beef and pork.
- Thus, lowering a trade barrier for U.S. businesses that is expected to pave the way for further trade negotiations.
- U.S. trade with Taiwan totalled an estimated $103.9 billion in 2019.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The dialogue signifies United States-Taiwan economic relationship is strong and it will continues to grow.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
India to double oil refining capacity in five years
HEADLINES:
India to double oil refining capacity in five years, says PM
WHY IN NEWS:
‘India aims to raise share of natural gas in energy consumption by up to 4 times’
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Energy
ISSUE:
- India plans to almost double its oil refining capacity in the next five years.
- This is offering a much more aggressive timeline than previously, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
10-YEAR TARGET HALVED
- India’s oil refining capacity could jump to 450-500 million tonnes in 10 years from the current level of about 250 million tonnes.
- India is also aiming to raise the share of natural gas in its energy-consumption mix by up to four times.
IASbhai WINDUP:
‘AHEAD OF SCHEDULE’
- India would achieve its target of increasing renewable energy capacity to 175 gigawatts by 2022, and 450 gigawatts by 2030, ahead of schedule.
- The country had renewable energy capacity of about 75 gigawatts at the end of 2018.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
Sakhi Drishtikon
HEADLINES:
Capgemini to hire rural women graduates
WHY IN NEWS:
Candidates to be paid ₹3.8 lakh a year
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1 : 3 : Issues related to women : Employment
ISSUE:
SAKHI DRISHTIKON
AIM
- The focus is to bring them into the mainstream workforce.
INITIATIVE
- Under this initiative, Capgemini would have 500 rural women from rural India joining its workforce by December 2021.
- The firm expected 15% of its fresh hiring to come from rural talent.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The chosen candidates are currently on a 4-5 month training programme during which they are paid a salary of ₹3.8 lakh.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
How kala-azar was eliminated from Bihar?
HEADLINES:
How kala-azar was eliminated from a highly endemic district in Bihar
WHY IN NEWS:
Integrated control strategy in Vaishali district helped reduce cases from 664 in 2014 to 163 in 2016
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases
ISSUE:
KALA-AZAR
- Kala-azar or visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a tropical disease characterised by irregular fever, weight loss, anaemia and swelling of the spleen and liver.
- Globally, about 7 to 10 lakh new cases occur annually.-World Health Organisation (WHO)
WHO INITIATIVE
- India accounts for about two-thirds of the total global cases.
- An initiative was launched by WHO to eliminate VL as a public health problem from the South East Asia region by 2020.
- The deadline has now been extended to 2023.
STRATEGY
- The integrated control strategy helped reduce the number of cases from 664 in 2014 to 163 in 2016.
- Eradication would mean there are zero cases.
CAMPAIGNS, MEASURES
Their programme included:
- Mapping of the case distribution
- Early case detection
- Chemical-based vector control.
- Community awareness campaigns.
KALA-AZAR IS CONTAGIOUS ?
- Once a person is diagnosed with VL, indoor residual spraying was done at his house and at the neighbouring houses within 500 metres.
- Nearly 2,500 ASHA workers and 1,000 field workers were also trained.
IASbhai WINDUP:
MONITORING DISEASE
- A strong supervision and monitoring system is required.
- Routine monitoring is needed to identify if the Kala-azar vector has developed resistance to insecticides.
- Frequent monitoring of active cases – track, test, and treat strategy – in the hotspot region is also very important.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
Parliamentary panel bats : Laws for counter bio-terrorism
HEADLINES:
Parliamentary panel bats for laws to counter bio-terrorism
WHY IN NEWS:
Low testing, poor contact tracing responsible for spike in COVID-19 cases: report
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases
ISSUE:
KEY OBSERVATIONS
- Formulating effective laws to counter bio-terrorism is one of the important lessons to be learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The report has suggested that the Health Ministry should engage with agencies and actively participate in ongoing international treaties.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
- There is also a need of strategic partnership between the countries.
- This conclusion is based on the deliberations that the committee had with the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
- The department had submitted a seven-point action plan that is needed to ensure security against biological weapons.
SEVEN POINT ACTION PLAN
These include:
- Strengthening disease surveillance
- Including at animal-human interface
- Training
- Capacity building
- Strengthening research.
- Development of vaccines and drugs.etc.
IASbhai WINDUP:
CAPACITY BUILDING
- The committee strongly recommends the Ministry to conduct more research and work towards on management of use of bio-weapons.
- The report did not explicitly state that the COVID-19 virus was a bio-weapon.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
‘Frontier Highway vital for troops’
HEADLINES:
‘Frontier Highway vital for troops’
WHY IN NEWS:
Arunachal Pradesh CM wants projects fast-tracked due to China’s shadow
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Infrastructure
ISSUE:
FRONTIER HIGHWAY ALONG THE BORDER
- Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh has been pushing for better connectivity to the Himalayan heights.
- The LAC in Arunachal Pradesh are inaccessible, while China is working on railway and military infrastructure up to the border.
- If one goes by the history of conflicts since 1962 and unfounded claims over Arunachal Pradesh, it is imperative to protect our homeland.
- Many stretches of the border are indeed inaccessible.
- This is why we are pushing for the Frontier Highway along the 1,100-km LAC to facilitate faster movement of troops.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- A detailed project report (DPR) is being made after meetings with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Defence Ministry.
SOURCES: THE HINDU | UPSC Current Affairs News Analysis | 23rd Nov 2020
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