EDITORIALS & ARTICLES
3rd June 2021
H10N3 Bird Flu
Recently, a 41-year-old man in China’s eastern province of Jiangsu has been confirmed as the first human case of infection with a rare strain of bird flu known as H10N3.
- It is a low pathogenic or relatively less severe strain of the virus in poultry and the risk of it spreading on a large scale was very low
- According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the H10N3 flu appears to be rare in birds.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) said while the source of the patient’s exposure to the H10N3 virus was not known, there was no indication of human-to-human transmission yet.
- The avian influenza viruses that have little impact on birds, can be much more serious in people, such as the H7N9 strain that killed almost 300 people in China.
- The strain is “not a very common virus,” and only around 160 isolates of the virus were reported in the 40 years to 2018.
Risks associated with H10N3 Bird Flu
- The risk of further infection with H10N3 is currently believed to be very low, with experts describing the case as “sporadic”.
- The growing surveillance of avian influenza in the human population will result in more infections with bird flu viruses are being picked up.
- In February, Russia reported the first human infection with the H5N8 virus that caused huge damage on poultry farms across Europe, Russia and East Asia last winter.
Bird Flu
- Bird flu, or avian flu, is caused by influenza viruses that spread between birds.
- It can often spread easily between birds, but very rarely causes disease in humans
- There is a very wide range of influenza viruses in circulation in birds, much wider than in the main mammalian hosts of influenza: man, pigs and horses.
- Two strains of bird flu, H5N1 and H7N9, (first seen in 2013) led to human contamination in Asia through infected birds.
- H5N1 first broke out in 1997, and then spread between 2003 and 2011, while H7N9 was first seen in 2013.
OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Constellation
Recently, the OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation reached 218 in-orbit satellites following the successful launch of 36 satellites.
- It is a global communications company that aims to deliver broadband satellite Internet around the world through its fleet of LEO satellites.
- The OneWeb satellites are built at an OneWeb and Airbus joint venture facility in Florida that can produce up to two satellites a day.
- The launch roll-out of the satellites is facilitated by French company Arianespace using Russian made Soyuz rockets.
- The company has announced plans to enter the Indian market by 2022.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) technology
- The LEO satellites have been orbiting the planet since the 1990s, providing companies and individuals with various communication services.
- The LEO satellites are positioned around 500km-2000km from earth, compared to stationary orbit satellites which are approximately 36,000km away.
- As LEO satellites orbit closer to the earth, they are able to provide stronger signals and faster speeds than traditional fixed-satellite systems.
- They also have the potential to rival if not exceed existing ground-based networks because signals travel faster through space than through fibre-optic cables.
- LEO satellites travel at a speed of 27,000 kph and complete a full circuit of the planet in 90-120 minutes.
- It implies that individual satellites can only make direct contact with a land transmitter for a short period of time thus requiring massive LEO satellite fleets.
Indian satellite internet market
- The acquisition of OneWeb by Bharati Limited could arguably give it a distinct advantage in India and parts of Africa.
- The Starlink and OneWeb aim to launch in India by 2022, with Amazon’s Project Kuiper also in talks to receive regulatory approval to operate in the country.
- Over 70% of rural Indians do not have access to the Internet, a problem that is particularly worrisome given the increasing need for digital integration in the fields of education and banking.
- The barriers to entry and elevated prices will make it difficult for satellite broadband companies to operate in India in the short term.
Rise in Crude Oil Prices
Recently, the crude oil prices have hit a two-year high with Brent crude rising above the $71 per barrel mark and hitting the highest level since May 2019.
Reasons for crude oil price rising
- The crude oil prices have been rising steadily since the beginning of 2021 when Brent Crude was trading at about $52 per barrel buoyed both by hopes of:
- Improving demand due to economic recoveries across geographies; and
- Supply cuts by key oil-producing countries
- The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) extended supply cuts made in 2020 when crude oil prices had reached a low of under $19 per barrel through the first five months of 2021.
- Saudi Arabia notably made an additional voluntary production cut of 1 million barrels per day between February and April.
- Only 250,000 barrels of production has been restored in May and 750,000 barrels of production is set to be restored over June and July.
Impact of high crude oil prices on India
- The rising crude oil prices have contributed to petrol and diesel prices rising to record high levels across the country.
- The price of petrol has been hiked by Rs 10.8 per litre since the beginning of the year while the price of diesel has been hiked by Rs 11.5 per litre in the same time period.
- The oil marketing companies have however noted that even current record-high prices are lower than what refiners should be charging in line with international prices.
- The prices of petrol and diesel are benchmarked to a 15-day rolling average of the international prices of the petroleum products.
- The state and central taxes account for about 58 per cent of the pump price of petrol and 52 per cent of the pump price of diesel in the national capital.
- The central government had in 2020 hiked central excise duties on petrol by Rs 13 per litre and those on diesel by Rs 16 per litre to shore up revenues as economic activity fell due to the pandemic.
Restrictions on government servants before and after retirement
Recently, the Centre has amended its pension rules putting new restrictions on officials of intelligence and security organisations after retirement.
New restrictions
- The government has amended the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules-1972.
- Under amended Rule-8(3)(a), officials retired from certain intelligence and security establishments will not be allowed to write anything about their organisation without permission.
- It says no government servant, who, having worked in any intelligence or security-related organisation included in the Second Schedule of the RTI Act, shall, without prior clearance from the Head of the Organisation, make any publication after retirement, of any material relating to and including:
- The domain of the organisation, including any reference or information about any personnel and his designation, and experience or knowledge gained by virtue of working in that organisation;
- The sensitive information, the disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the state, or relation with a foreign state.
- The Second Schedule of the RTI Act covers 26 organisations including the Intelligence Bureau, R&AW, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, CBI, NCB, BSF, CRPF, ITBP and CISF.
Existing provisions
- The pension of government servants is already subject to their conduct after retirement.
- The Rule 8 of the CCS Pension Rules says that the future good conduct shall be an implied condition of every grant of pension and its continuance.
- The appointing authority may, by order in writing, withhold or withdraw a pension or a part thereof, whether permanently or for a specified period, if the pensioner is convicted of a serious crime or is found guilty of grave misconduct.
- The expression ‘grave misconduct’ includes the communication or disclosure of any secret official code or password or any sketch, plan, model, article, note, document or information.
Need for amendment to pension rules
- It was prompted by concerns arising out of the fact that some high-profile retired officers had written books on their tenure, and some of these had revealed information.
- It was in process for around four years after the Committee of Secretaries recommended it.
What restrictions are government employees under while in service?
- The Rule 7 of the CCS Conduct Rules restricts government servants from resorting to or abetting any form of strike or coercion.
- The Rule 8 restricts them, except with government sanction, from owning or participating in the editing or management of any newspaper or other periodical publication or electronic media.
- The Rule 9 restricts a government servant from making statements of fact or opinion in writing or in a telecast or a broadcast.
- It might have the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the Central Government or a State Government.
- The Rule 9 of the CCS Pension Rules says that if any government official has committed any misconduct and retires, he or she may face departmental proceedings only until four years of the date of committing that misconduct.
Is a retired government servant restricted from taking up employment?
- The Rule 26, Death-cum-Retirement Benefits Rules, restricts a pensioner from any commercial employment for one year after retirement, except with previous sanction of the central government.
- The non-compliance can lead the central government declaring that the employee shall not be entitled to the whole or such part of the pension and for such period as may be specified.
- The above mentioned cooling-off period was two years until 2007, when an amendment reduced it to one year.
Rules related to political activity while in service
- The Conduct Rules bars government servants from being associated with any political party or organisation, and from taking part or assisting any political activity.
- The amendment in 2014 added a clause to Rule 3(1) which said, “Every government employee shall at all times maintain political neutrality” and “commits himself to and uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and democratic values”.
Missions of NASA for the exploration of Venus
Recently, the NASA has selected two missions to the planet Venus.
- The missions are called DAVINCI+ and VERITAS which have been selected based on their potential for scientific value and the feasibility of their development plans.
DAVINCI+ and VERITAS
- The missions are part of the space agency’s Discovery Program, which began in 1992.
- It was launched to give scientists the chance to launch some missions that use fewer resources and have shorter developmental times.
- DAVINCI+ is short for ‘Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging’.
- It is the first US-led mission to the planet’s atmosphere since 1978.
- It will try to understand Venus’ composition to see how the planet formed and evolved.
- It also consists of a descent sphere that will pass through the planet’s thick atmosphere and make observations and take measurements of noble gases and other elements.
- It will also try to return the first high resolution photographs of a geological feature that is unique to Venus.
- The second mission called VERITAS is short for ‘Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy’.
- It will map the planet’s surface to determine its geologic history and understand the reasons why it developed so differently from Earth.
- It will orbit Venus with a radar that will help to create a three dimensional reconstruction of its topography which might be able to tell scientists if processes such as plate tectonics and volcanism are still active there.
- It will also map the emissions from Venus’s surface that may help in determining the type of rocks that exist on Venus.
- It will also determine if active volcanoes are releasing water vapour into the atmosphere.
Venus
- It is the second-brightest object in the sky after the moon.
- It appears bright because of its thick cloud cover that reflects and scatters light.
- It is called the Earth’s twin because of their similar sizes.
- The planet’s thick atmosphere traps heat and is the reason that it is the hottest planet in the solar system, despite coming after Mercury.
- The surface temperatures on Venus can go up to 471 degrees Celsius, which is hot enough to melt lead.
- It moves forward on its orbit around the Sun but spins backwards around its axis slowly which implies that on Venus the Sun rises in the west and sets in the East.
- One day on Venus is equivalent to 243 Earth days because of its backward spinning, opposite to that of the Earth’s and most other planets.
- Venus also does not have a moon and no rings.
SDG India Index & Dashboard 2020-21
Recently, the NITI Aayog has released the third edition of SDG India Index & Dashboard 2020-21.
SDG India Index
- It was first launched in 2018.
- It is designed and developed by NITI Aayog.
- The preparation of the index followed extensive consultations with the primary stakeholders i.e. the States and Union Territories, the UN agencies in India, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), and the key Union Ministries.
- It has been comprehensively documenting and ranking the progress made by States and Union Territories towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
- It has become the primary tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs in the country and has simultaneously fostered competition among the States and Union Territories.
- It remains a rare data-driven initiative to rank our States and Union Territories by computing a composite index on the SDGs.
- The States and Union Territories are classified as below based on their SDG India Index score:
- Aspirant: 0–49
- Performer: 50–64
- Front-Runner: 65–99
- Achiever: 100
Key Highlights of SDG India Index 2020-21
- It is more robust than the previous editions on account of wider coverage of targets and indicators with greater alignment with the NIF.
- It covers 115 indicators incorporate16 out of 17 SDGs, with a qualitative assessment on Goal 17 and cover 70 SDG targets.
- It is an improvement over the 2018–19 and 2019–20 editions of the index, which had utilised 62 indicators across 39 targets and 13 Goals, and 100 indicators across 54 targets and 16 Goals, respectively.
- It is developed in collaboration with the United Nations in India.
- It tracks progress of all States and UTs on 115 indicators that are aligned to MoSPI’s National Indicator Framework (NIF).
Overall results and findings of SDG India Index 2020-21
- The country’s overall SDG score has improved by 6 points i.e. from 60 in 2019 to 66 in 2020–21.
- The positive stride towards achieving the targets is largely driven by exemplary country-wide performance in Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and Goal 7(Affordable and Clean Energy).
- Mizoram, Haryana, and Uttarakhand are the top gainers in 2020–21in terms of improvement in score from 2019, with an increase of 12, 10 and 8 points, respectively.
Classification of states/UTs based on categories
- Kerala has retained the top rank in Niti Aayog's SDG India Index 2020-21, while Bihar has been adjudged as the worst performer.
- Both Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu took the second spot with a score of 74.
- Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam were the worst performing states in this year's India index.
XraySetu to identify COVID positive patients
Recently, the Ministry of Science & Technology has unveiled a platform called ‘XraySetu’ to identify COVID positive patients.
XraySetu Platform
- It is a new AI-driven platform which will facilitate early-COVID interventions over Whatsapp with the help of Chest X-ray interpretation.
- It is developed by ARTPARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park) in collaboration with Bangalore based HealthTech startup Niramai and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
- It provides an automated interpretation of Chest X-Rays to predict if a patient has any lung abnormality that indicates COVID-19 infection.
- The platform can also detect 14 additional lung-related ailments, including tuberculosis and pneumonia, alongside others.
Significance of XraySetu Platform
- It can work with low-resolution images sent via mobiles, is quick and easy to use, and can facilitate detection in rural areas.
- It has semantic annotations of affected areas for review and localized heatmap by doctors to help them verify it easily with other modalities.
- It paves the way for exponential technologies like AI to leapfrog and provide cutting-edge healthcare technology to rural India in an extremely cost-effective manner.
- It can further be used for both analog and digital X-rays and has been successfully piloted by more than 300 doctors in rural areas over the last 10 months.
- It can enable cutting-edge AI-driven systems powering mobile PHCs, which can make healthcare more accessible even across rural India at a fraction of the cost.
- It allows doctors in rural areas to plan early intervention for their patients by simply taking a picture of their X-ray and sending it over via Whatsapp.
ARTPARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park)
- It is an autonomous section-8, not-for-profit Company.
- It is established by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, with support from the Department of Science & Technology (DST).
- It is initiated under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
- It is further collaborating with infrastructure partners like C-DAC (for leveraging AI supercomputer ParamSiddi), Nvidia & AWS to scale this free service to all the doctors in rural India.
- It is Seed-funded by DST under NM-ICPS Mission & Government of Karnataka to the tune of 230 cr.
- It is currently incubated at the Robert Bosch Centre for Cyber-Physical Systems at IISc.
India Cycles4Change Challenge
Recently, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has informed that the India Cycles4Change Challenge is beginning to gain momentum in Indian cities.
- A cycling revolution has taken over India, with cycling being seen as an important mode of safe and healthy personal transport medium that ensures social distancing.
- The cycling saw a huge rise in demand as the COVID-19 pandemic was making inroads across the country.
- The lockdown restrictions had significantly affected the commuters of public transport, who saw cycling as a personal and COVID-safe alternative for short and medium distance commute.
- The cycling was also seen as a means of staying healthy- physically and mentally by the people who were confined to their homes.
India Cycles4Change Challenge
- It was launched in 2020 under the Smart Cities Mission by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- Its objective is to inspire and support Indian cities to quickly implement cycling-friendly initiatives in response to COVID-19.
- 107 cities registered to be a part of the cycling revolution and 41 cities undertook initiatives vis. surveys, discussions, pop-up cycle lanes, safer neighbourhoods, open street events etc.
- The Smart Cities Mission, in association with Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP) conducted training modules and other capacity building initiatives to guide 107 cities on various cycling initiatives.
- The cities which can apply for India Cycles4Change Challenge are:
- Cities with 5 lakh plus population;
- Capital cities of states/UTs; and
- Cities under the Smart Cities Mission
Activities under India Cycles4Change Challenge
- The key intervention areas identified for piloting of solutions are as under:
Identifying barriers to cycling by listening to the people
- Cities undertook perception surveys to understand citizens’ needs with regard to cycling.
- The cities conducted surveys and interviews and engaged with more than 60,000 people throughout the country to understand cycling needs.
Making streets and neighbourhoods safe and fun for cycling
- Cities created dedicated cycle lanes to help cyclists ride safely.
- Cities like Bhubaneswar, Surat, Kochi, and Greater Warangal used traffic cones, bollards, and paints to test out interventions.
- Many cities like Vadodara and Gurugram made intersections safer for cyclists and pedestrians to cross by painting colourful crosswalks.
Creating a cycling community
- Local Civil Society Organisations were engaged with to conduct various events at a large scale and in neighbourhoods’ level to bring the cycling community together.
- Cities such as Jabalpur, New Town Kolkata hosted cycle repair clinics to make cycle service accessible and affordable, encouraging more people to come on to the streets.
Empowering women to cycle
- Many cities including Nashik, New Town Kolkata, and Bengaluru hosted cycle training camps for older women, boosting their confidence to cycle.
- To improve access to cycles, Kohima, Rajkot, and Chandigarh launched cooperative cycle rental schemes and public bicycle sharing systems in neighbourhoods.
Changing everyday behaviour through campaigns
- Cities such as Rajkot and Jabalpur launched Cycle2Work campaigns, where senior officials of the government pedalled to office to inspire citizens to cycle.
- In Rajkot, the city distributed cycles to employees, awarded them for their efforts, and regularly showcased the carbon offset they had achieved through cycling.
Significance of India Cycles4Change Challenge
- The challenge had a Test-Learn-Scale (TLS) approach which the participating cities adopted by testing various initiatives through quick low-cost interventions.
- Its aim is to encourage cities to initiate and implement quick interventions and promotional activities to encourage cycling and further develop a conceptual scale-up strategy.
- It will promoted shortlisted cities to further develop and commence the implementation of the concept scale-up plan with inputs from National and International experts.
Model Tenancy Act
Recently, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Model Tenancy Act for circulation to all States / Union Territories for adaptation.
Need for Model Tenancy Act
- In India, the rental yield for residential property is quite low, even in bigger cities as it is in the range of 1.5% to 3% of the capital values.
- It has disincentivised people from investing in second or third homes which could be rented out.
- It is aimed at opening up of the vacant housing stock for rental housing purposes and helping bridge the trust deficit that exists between tenants and landlords.
- The real estate experts say that clear-cut incentives to boost rental housing via a sound policy will positively help the government to further strengthen its Housing for All initiative.
- The real estate experts say that the Act can fuel the rental housing supply pipeline by attracting more investors.
- It will help students, working professionals and migrant populations to find urban accommodation.
- There was no sound mechanism to resolve tenant-landlord conflicts and property owners find it challenging to evict tenants if they misuse the property.
- The NRIs have historically found it challenging to rent out properties because of the complexities of getting good tenants, managing rental agreements, and taking care of the maintenance of these properties.
Features of Model Tenancy Act
- It will provide setting up of separate rent authorities, courts and tribunals in districts to protect the interest of both the owner and tenant.
- It calls for establishing a separate Rent Court and Rent Tribunal in every state/UTs to hear appeals for matters connected to rental housing.
- Only the rent court and no civil court will have the jurisdiction to hear and decide the applications relating to disputes between landowner and tenant and matters connected with it.
- The maximum limit of security deposit has been fixed for:
- Residential premises-Maximum two months' rent; and
- Non-residential property-Maximum six months' rent
- The written agreement is a must for all new tenancies and it will have to be submitted to the concerned district 'Rent Authority'.
- The rent and duration of tenancy will be fixed by mutual consent between owner and tenant through a written agreement.
- Under the Model Tenancy Act, unless otherwise agreed in the tenancy agreement, the landlord will be responsible for activities
- Structural repairs except those necessitated by damage caused by the tenant;
- Whitewashing of walls;
- Painting of doors and windows;
- Changing and plumbing pipes when necessary; and
- Internal and external electrical wiring and related maintenance when necessary
- Under the Model Tenancy Act, the tenant will be responsible for:
- Drain cleaning;
- Switches and socket repairs;
- Kitchen fixtures repairs;
- Replacement of glass panels in windows, doors;
- Maintenance of gardens and open spaces among others;
- Must not intentionally or negligently damage the premises or permit such damage; and
- Must notify the landowner of any damage, as soon as possible
- The Model Tenancy Act says that no landlord or property manager can withhold any essential supply to the premises occupied by the tenant.
- If tenancy has not been renewed and premises not vacated, the tenancy shall be deemed to be renewed on a month-to-month basis on the same terms and conditions as were in the expired tenancy agreement, for a maximum period of six months.
- A landowner or property manager may enter a premise in accordance with written notice or notice through electronic medium served to the tenant at least twenty-four hours before the time of entry.
- The entry can be for the following reasons:
- To carry out repairs or replacement or do or get work done in the premises;
- To carry out an inspection of the premises for the purpose of determining whether the premises are in a habitable state; and
- For any other reasonable purpose for entry as specified in the Tenancy Agreement
Coverage under the Model Tenancy Act
- The Act will apply to premises let out for residential, commercial or educational use, but not for industrial use.
- It also won’t cover hotels, lodging houses, inns, etc.
- It will be applied prospectively and will not affect existing tenancies.
- It seeks to cover both urban as well as rural areas.
Significance of Model Tenancy Act
- It will help overhaul the legal framework with respect to rental housing across the country, which would help spur its overall growth.
- It aims at creating a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive rental housing market in the country.
- It will enable creation of adequate rental housing stock for all the income groups thereby addressing the issue of homelessness.
- It will enable institutionalisation of rental housing by gradually shifting it towards the formal market.
- It will facilitate unlocking of vacant houses for rental housing purposes.
- It is expected to give a fillip to private participation in rental housing as a business model for addressing the huge housing shortage.
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