Climate change aiding spread of deadly virus in Europe: What is CCHF

• In India, one person succumbed to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever last month in Gujarat. There is no vaccine against it yet.
• As Europe reels under a heatwave and wildfires, the rising temperatures have also raised fears of spread of viruses generally not found in colder climates. Alert has been sounded about the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), an infection spread by ticks that has a high fatality rate, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The CCHF is endemic to Africa, the Balkan countries, Middle East, and parts of Asia. The first fatality from the disease in Europe was in Spain, in 2016. According to Horizon, which publishes articles about European Union-funded research, “Scientists are now warning that CCHF, which can kill between 10% and 40% of patients, is spreading northward and westward in Europe.”
• Cases have so far been reported in Spain, Russia and Turkey, and the UK.
• In India, one person succumbed to CCHF last month in Gujarat, the state that reports the majority of the country’s cases of this disease.

Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever:

• It is a viral haemorrhagic fever usually transmitted by ticks.
• It can also be contracted through contact with viraemic animal tissues (animal tissue where the virus has entered the bloodstream) during and immediately post-slaughter of animals.
• The disease was first detected among soldiers **in the Crimean Peninsula (**near the Black Sea) in 1944.
• In 1969, it was found that an ailment identified in the Congo Basin was caused by the same pathogen. Thus, the disease was named the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
• Its outbreak constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics, has a high case fatality ratio (10–40%).
• Transmission:
  • Animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares serve as amplifying hosts for the virus.
  • Transmission to humans occurs through contact with infected ticks or animal blood.
  • It can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids”, such as sweat and saliva.
  • The ticks can also be hosted by migratory birds.
• Symptoms:
  • Include fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light.
  • After 2–4 days the agitation may be replaced by sleepiness, depression and lassitude
• Treatment:
  • There is no vaccine for the virus in either humans or animals, and treatment generally consists of managing symptoms.
  • According to the WHO, “the antiviral drug ribavirin has been used to treat CCHF infection with apparent benefit.”

What are the symptoms, cure of CCHF?

• CCHF symptoms include fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light, according to the WHO.
• “There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings and confusion. After 2–4 days the agitation may be replaced by sleepiness, depression and lassitude,” the WHO’s website says.
• There is no vaccine for the virus in either humans or animals, and treatment generally consists of managing symptoms. According to the WHO, “the antiviral drug ribavirin has been used to treat CCHF infection with apparent benefit.”

Climate change and spread of diseases

The ticks are moving up through Europe due to climate change, with longer and drier summers.

The CDC says climate change contributes to the spread of diseases in multiple ways, including warmer temperatures expanding the habitat of ticks and other insects and giving them more time to reproduce; the habitat offered by water undergoing changes; and animals moving to newer areas and people coming into contact with them.

El Nino and rising temperatures can lead to uptick of malaria in Ethiopia, warns research

• This year’s El Nino climate event, combined with warming from climate change, could cause a rise in malaria cases in Ethiopia, new research suggests. The country has a history of climate-related malaria outbreaks and the study has corroborated that malaria upsurges in the country often follow El Nino events.
• El Nino events are strongly related to higher temperatures across the country, drought in north-west Ethiopia during the July–August–September rainy season and unusually heavy rain in the semi-arid south-east during October–November–December (OND).
• Malaria epidemics mostly occur in the country following Kiremt, the researchers found. Widespread epidemics are commonly associated with El Nino events when the maximum recorded temperature at a given station on a given day, also called Tmax, is high and drought is common.
• In Amhara — Ethiopia’s second biggest region — malaria epidemics were not associated with ENSO, but with warm Tropical Atlantic SST and higher rainfall.
• Malaria-climate associations in Ethiopia were assessed by the researchers led by Adugna Woyessa using monthly climate data (1981–2016) from the Ethiopian National Meteorological Agency (NMA), SSTs from the eastern Pacific, Indian Ocean and Tropical Atlantic and historical malaria epidemic information obtained from the literature.

Malaria

• Malaria is a life-threatening mosquito borne blood disease caused by plasmodium parasites.
• It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.
• It is preventable as well as curable.
• Spread:
  • The parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
    • After entering the human body, parasites initially multiply within the liver cells and then attack the Red Blood Cells (RBCs) resulting in their rupture.
  • There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax – pose the greatest threat.
• Symptoms:
  • Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.
• Malaria Vaccine:
  • Known by its lab initials as RTS, S but branded as Mosquirix, the vaccine has passed lengthy scientific trials that found it to be safe and reducing the risk of malaria by nearly 40%, the best recorded.
  • It was developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) company and approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2015.
  • The RTS, S vaccine trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite (Plasmodium (P.) falciparum, the deadliest species of the malaria parasite).

Initiatives to Curb Malaria

• Global:
  • The WHO has also identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E-2025 Initiative’.
  • The WHO’s Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030 aims is to reduce malaria case incidence and mortality rates by at least 40% by 2020, at least 75% by 2025 and at least 90% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.
• India-Specific:
  • In India, malaria elimination efforts were initiated in 2015 and were intensified after the launch of the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) in 2016 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
    • NFME is in line with WHO’s 2016-2030 Malaria Strategy, which guides the WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP).
  • The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) was launched in July 2017 which laid down strategies for the following five years.
    • It gives year-wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria.
  • Implementation of the High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) initiative was started in four states (West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh) in July 2019.
    • Distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) to high burden areas has led to a reduction in endemicity in these 4 very high endemic states.
  • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India) which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.

Gambusia: This solution could actually be an invasive problem

• Andhra Pradesh releases 10 million mosquitofish in waterbodies to control malaria, dengue
• The Andhra Pradesh government has released approximately 10 million Gambusia fish into the state’s water bodies to combat mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. The fish, also known as mosquitofish, is widely used as a biological agent for controlling mosquito larvae.
• However, the release of these invasive alien fish species has raised concerns about the potential harm that will be sustained by native species that abound in the state’s freshwater bodies.
• Gambusia affinis (G affinis) is native to the waters of the southeastern United States and a single full grown fish eats about 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day, according to MoHFW.
• Gambusia have been a part of mosquito-control strategies for over a century in various parts of the world, including India. G affinis has a sister species, Gambusia holbrooki (G holbrooki), also known as the eastern mosquito fish.
• Mosquitofish has been part of various malaria control strategies in India since 1928, including the Urban Malaria Scheme.
• There are also studies that reported that Gambusia’s predatory efficacy reduced when they were introduced in running water streams, water bodies with high insecticide levels and waterbodies with thick vegetation.

Highly invasive

• There are other concerns too: The fish has a high breeding capacity.
• The fish can also survive in diverse environments.
• It is this adaptability that has allowed the fish to survive on six out of seven continents and has made the International Union for Conservation of Nature declare Gambusia one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world. Multiple countries, including India have listed Gambusia as invasive species.

NGT has imposed a fine of about 80,000 crore so far on states for not disposing of sewage and garbage

If this amount was to be deposited by the states, it would be 48% more than the CAMPA fund.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has so far imposed fines of about Rs 80,000 crore on states and Union territories (UT) for non-compliance of sewage treatment and garbage disposal rules and for violating orders.

National Green Tribunal (NGT)

• It is a specialised body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
• With the establishment of the NGT, India became the third country in the world to set up a specialised environmental tribunal, only after Australia and New Zealand, and the first developing country to do so.
• NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.
• The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are the other four.

Structure of NGT

• The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for term of three years or till the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier and are not eligible for reappointment.
• The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• A Selection Committee shall be formed by central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
• There are to be least 10 and maximum 20 full time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.

Powers & Jurisdiction

• The Tribunal has jurisdiction over all civil cases involving substantial question relating to environment (including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment).
  • In October 2021, the Supreme Court declared the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) position as a “unique” forum endowed with suo motu (on its own motion) powers to take up environmental issues across the country.
    • As per SC, the role of the NGT is not simply adjudicatory in nature; it has to perform equally vital roles that are preventative, ameliorative or remedial in nature.
• Being a statutory adjudicatory body like Courts, apart from original jurisdiction side on filing of an application, NGT also has appellate jurisdiction to hear appeal as a Court (Tribunal).
• The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, but shall be guided by principles of ''natural justice''.
• While passing any order/decision/ award, it shall apply the principles of sustainable development, the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle.
• NGT by an order, can provide
  • relief and compensation to the victims of pollution and other environmental damage (including accident occurring while handling any hazardous substance),
  • for restitution of property damaged, and
  • for restitution of the environment for such area or areas, as the Tribunal may think fit.
• An order/decision/award of Tribunal is executable as a decree of a civil court.
• The NGT Act also provides a procedure for a penalty for non compliance:
  • Imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years,
  • Fine which may extend to ten crore rupees, and
  • Both fine and imprisonment.
• An appeal against order/decision/ award of the NGT lies to the Supreme Court, generally within ninety days from the date of communication.
• The NGT deals with civil cases under the seven laws related to the environment, these include:
  • The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974,
  • The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977,
  • The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,
  • The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,
  • The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,
  • The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and
  • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Any violation pertaining to these laws or any decision taken by the Government under these laws can be challenged before the NGT.

Strengths of NGT

• Over the years NGT has emerged as a critical player in environmental regulation, passing strict orders on issues ranging from pollution to deforestation to waste management.
• NGT offers a path for the evolution of environmental jurisprudence by setting up an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
• It helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts on environmental matters.
• NGT is less formal, less expensive, and a faster way of resolving environment related disputes.
• It plays a crucial role in curbing environment-damaging activities.
• The Chairperson and members are not eligible for reappointment, hence they are likely to deliver judgements independently, without succumbing to pressure from any quarter.
• The NGT has been instrumental in ensuring that the Environment Impact Assessment process is strictly observed.

Challenges

• Two important acts - Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 have been kept out of NGT’s jurisdiction. This restricts the jurisdiction area of NGT and at times hampers its functioning as crucial forest rights issue is linked directly to environment.
• The NGT decisions are being challenged in various High Courts under Article 226 (power of High Courts to issue certain writs) with many asserting the superiority of a High Court over the NGT, claiming ‘High Court is a constitutional body while NGT is a statutory body’.” This is one of the weaknesses of the Act as there is lack of clarity about what kind of decisions can be challenged; even though according to the NGT Act, its decision can be challenged before the Supreme Court.
• Decisions of NGT have also been criticised and challenged due to their repercussions on economic growth and development.
• The absence of a formula based mechanism in determining the compensation has also brought criticism to the tribunal.
• The decisions given by NGT are not fully complied by the stakeholders or the government. Sometimes its decisions are pointed out not to be feasible to implement within a given timeframe.
• The lack of human and financial resources has led to high pendency of cases - which undermines NGT’s very objective of disposal of appeals within 6 months.
• The justice delivery mechanism is also hindered by limited number of regional benches.

Important Landmark Judgements

• In 2012, POSCO a South-Korean steelmaker company signed a MoU with the Odisha government to set up steel project.
  • NGT suspended order and this was considered a radical step in favour of the local communities and forests.
• In 2012 Almitra H. Patel vs. Union of India case, NGT gave judgment of complete prohibition on open burning of waste on lands, including landfills – regarded as the single biggest landmark case dealing with the issue of solid waste management in India.
• In 2013 in Uttarakhand floods case, the Alaknanda Hydro Power Co. Ltd. was ordered to compensate to the petitioner – here, the NGT directly relied on the principle of ‘polluter pays’.
• In the Save Mon Federation Vs Union of India case (2013), the NGT suspended a ₹6,400-crore hydro project, to save the habitat of a bird.
• In 2015, the NGT ordered that all diesel vehicles over 10 years old will not be permitted to ply in Delhi-NCR.
• A December 2016 amendment to EIA 2006 notification — the amendments basically sought to give local authorities powers to grant environmental clearance to builders — was nullified by the NGT, terming it as a “ploy” (by the government) to circumvent the 2006 rules.
  • Many Projects which were approved in violation of the law such as an Aranmula Airport, Kerala; Lower Demwe Hydro Power Project and Nyamnjangu in Arunachal Pradesh; mining projects in in Goa; and coal mining projects in Chhattisgarh were either cancelled or fresh assessments were directed.
• In 2017, the Art of Living Festival on Yamuna Food Plain was declared violating the environmental norms, the NGT panel imposed a penalty of Rs. 5 Crore.
• The NGT, in 2017, imposed an interim ban on plastic bags of less than 50-micron thickness in Delhi because “they were causing animal deaths, clogging sewers and harming the environment”.

America''s largest reptile sanctuary wants to import gharials from India

• The Phoenix Herpetological Society has requested a permit to import gharials and crocodiles from Madras Crocodile Bank Trust
• America''s largest reptile bank based in Arizona has applied to the Federal Government to import six gharials and another equal number of mugger crocodiles from Tamil Nadu, which it says would help preserve these endangered species.
• The Federal Government has asked for public comments on this matter.

Gharials

• Gharials, sometimes called gavials, are a type of Asian crocodilian distinguished by their long, thin snouts. Crocodilians are a group of reptiles that includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and more.
• India has three species of Crocodilians namely:
• Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus): IUCN Red List Critically Endangered
• Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris): IUCN- Vulnerable.
• Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus): IUCN- Least Concern.
• All the three are listed on Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.Exception: Saltwater Crocodile populations of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are included in Appendix II of CITES.
• Habitat of Gharials:
  • Natural Habitat: Fresh waters of the northern part of India.
  • Primary Habitat: Chambal river (a tributary of Yamuna).
  • Secondary Habitat: Ghagra, Gandak river, Girwa river (Uttar Pradesh), the Ramganga river (Uttarakhand) and the Sone river (Bihar).
• Significance: Population of Gharials are a good indicator of clean river water.
• Conservation Efforts:
  • Breeding Centres of Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, National Chambal Sanctuary (Gharial Eco Park, Madhya Pradesh).
• Threats:
  • Increased river pollution, dam construction, massive-scale fishing operations and floods.
  • Illegal sand mining and poaching.

Naval Group working on qualifying DRDO-developed Air Independent Propulsion system for installation on Scorpenes

The French defence firm has invested over ₹100 crore for three workshops for maintenance of critical systems of Scorpene submarines in India

Indigenous AIP module

• The Navy has drawn up plans to install Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) modules on all Scorpene submarines as they go for their refit beginning with INS Kalvari likely by end next year to enhance their endurance. The indigenous AIP module has been tested on shore and recently DRDO and Naval Group signed an agreement to integrate the AIP module on the Scorpene.
• They are actively supporting the DRDO in qualifying indigenous supplier of liquid oxygen tank and preparation of the future stage of “Jumboisation” [making the new hull, integrate safely the AIP, cut the submarine and join it with new AIP section] during submarine’s normal refit.

Big jump in ECBs signals revival of private capex

External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs)

• ECBs refer to the borrowing of funds by Indian companies from foreign sources in the form of loans, bonds, or other financial instruments.
• Purpose: It can be used to finance a variety of purposes, including the expansion of business, the acquisition of assets, and the repayment of existing debt.
• Source of ECBs: ECB can be obtained from a variety of sources, including foreign banks, international financial institutions, and foreign subsidiaries of Indian companies.
• ECB can be in the form of rupee-denominated loans, which are repaid in Indian rupees, or foreign currency-denominated loans, which are repaid in a foreign currency.
• Regulation: ECB is subject to regulatory oversight by the RBI, which sets limits on the amount of ECB that Indian companies can obtain and the purposes for which it can be used.
• Companies must also meet certain eligibility criteria in order to access ECB, such as minimum credit ratings and debt-equity ratios.
• Benefits:
  • ECBs provide an opportunity to borrow large volumes of funds.
  • The funds are available for a relatively long term.
  • Interest rates are also lower compared to domestic funds.
  • ECBs are in the form of foreign currencies. Hence, they enable the corporate to have foreign currency to meet the import of machineries etc.
• Risks:
  • Exchange rate risk: Fluctuations in the value of the Indian rupee against foreign currencies can affect the cost of repaying the loan.
  • Sovereign risk: ECB exposes companies to sovereign risk, as the ability of a foreign government to repay its debt can affect the creditworthiness of foreign lenders. If a foreign government defaults on its debt, it could have a negative impact on the ability of foreign lenders to repay their loans to Indian companies.
  • Credit risk: ECB exposes companies to credit risk, as foreign lenders may not have the same level of protection as domestic lenders in the event of default.
  • Regulatory risk: ECB is subject to regulatory risk, as changes to government regulations or policies related to ECB can affect the availability and cost of borrowing.

Study suggests new guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer''s

In these criteria, the condition is diagnosed in the clinic using blood biomarkers, similar to how diabetes and cardiovascular disease are diagnosed.

Alzheimer’s Disease

• It is a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder that affects the brain, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioural changes.
• It slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
• It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all dementia cases.
• The condition primarily affects older adults, typically starting after the age of 65, though early-onset forms can occur in individuals younger than 65.
• Cause: The exact cause of Alzheimer''s disease is not fully understood, but it is believed to be influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
• Symptoms:
  • Early signs may include mild memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing items, and trouble with problem-solving.
  • As the disease advances, individuals may experience more severe memory impairment, confusion, mood swings, changes in behaviour, disorientation, and difficulty with basic tasks like dressing and eating.
• Treatment:
  • There is currently no cure for Alzheimer''s disease, and the available treatments mainly focus on managing symptoms and slowing down its progression.
  • Medications may be prescribed to enhance cognitive function or manage behavioural and psychological symptoms.

Dementia

• Dementia is not a specific disease but rather an umbrella term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting cognitive abilities, memory, thinking, and social abilities.
• It is a progressive condition that impairs a person''s ability to carry out daily activities and can significantly affect their quality of life.
• The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer''s disease, which accounts for the majority of cases.
• However, there are several other types of dementia, each with its underlying causes. Some of the common types of dementia include: Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia and Mixed Dementia.

First ever BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers meeting started in Bangkok, Thailand

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Foreign Ministers first ever meeting today started in Bangkok, Thailand.

BIMSTEC

• It is a regional organization comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal, constituting a contiguous regional unity.
• It came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• It constitutes seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.
• Secretariat: Permanent Secretariat of BIMSTEC is operational since September 2014 in Dhaka.
• Areas of Cooperation:
  • There are 14 priority areas 1) Counter terrorism and transnational crime, 2) Transport & Communication, 3)Tourism, 4) Environment and Disaster Management, 5)Trade and Investment, 6) Cultural Cooperation, 7) Energy, 8) Agriculture, 9 )Poverty Alleviation, 10) Technology, 11) Fisheries, 12) Public Health, 13) People-to-People contact 14) Climate Change.
  • Each country takes lead in specific areas.
  • India is the Lead Country in four areas, viz Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime, Transport & Communication, Tourism, and Environment and Disaster Management.

India to resume operations at stalled hydrocarbon block in Iraq, which has been under force majeure since 2003.

Force Majeure

• Force majeure is a French term that literally means “greater force.”
• The concept of force majeure refers to an extraordinary event rendering the legal obligations between two or more contractually bound parties impossible to fulfil.
• It is related to the concept of an act of God, an event for which no party can be held accountable. This type of event must be entirely beyond the parties'' reasonable control.
• As a precautionary measure against breach of contract, many commercial agreements contain force majeure contract clauses enumerating a list of major events that could result in non-performance of contractual duties.
• Notable events include war, riots, criminal activity, epidemics, pandemics, and other unforeseeable events.
• For force majeure to apply, these hindering circumstances must be beyond a party''s reasonable control.
• The contracting parties must also prove their reasonable efforts to mitigate the circumstances that have rendered the fulfilment of their duties impracticable.
• Such events may result in the parties delaying their obligations for a period of time, revising the contract terms, or agreeing on the contract’s cancellation.
• While force majeure has neither been defined nor specifically dealt with, in Indian statutes, some reference can be found in Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 (the "Contract Act") envisages that if a contract is contingent on the happening of an event which event becomes impossible, then the contract becomes void.
• Force majeure conflicts with the concept of “pacta sunt servanda,” a principle in international law that agreements must be kept and not wriggled out of.

Solomon Islands leader hits back at criticism of deepening security ties with China

• Prime Minister of Solomon Islands while in China signed nine agreements and memorandums, including a police cooperation plan.
• The new agreements come after the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China last year, raising fears of a military build-up in the region

Solomon Islands

• It is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania.
• It is situated in the southwest Pacific Ocean, approximately 2,000 km to the northeast of Australia.
• Capital: Its capital, Honiara which is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal.
• The terrain is mountainous and heavily forested.
• More than 90% of the islanders are ethnic Melanesians.
• Once a British protectorate, the Solomon Islands achieved independence as a republic in 1978.
• Language:
  • There are 63 distinct languages in the country, with numerous local dialects.
  • English is the official language, but Pijin is the common language for the majority of people.

DGFT implements the Advance Authorisation Scheme, allows duty-free import of inputs for export purposes

Advance Authorisation Scheme

• It allows duty free import of inputs, which are physically incorporated in an export product. In addition to any inputs, packaging material, fuel, oil, catalyst which is consumed / utilized in the process of production of export product, is also be allowed.
• They are not allowed to sell the products in the domestic market.
• The Advance Authorization is valid for 12 months from the date of issue of such Authorization.
• Eligibility:
  • This scheme is available to either a manufacturer exporter directly or a merchant exporter tied with a supporting manufacturer.
  • It includes physical exports, intermediate supply, supplies made to specified categories of deemed exports.
• Duties exempt: The inputs imported are exempt from duties like Basic Customs Duty, Additional Customs Duty, Education Cess, Anti-dumping duty, Safeguard Duty and Transition Product-Specific Safeguard duty, Integrated tax, and Compensation Cess, wherever applicable, subject to certain conditions.

Niti Aayog report claims decrease in multidimensional poverty

• It claims that about 13.5 crore people came out of multidimensional poverty during the period, assessed by identifying.
• It said that rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty from 32.59% to 19.28%, primarily due to decrease in the number of multidimensionally poor in States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. Delhi, Kerala, Goa and Tamil Nadu have the least number of people facing multidimensional poverty
• Along with the Union Territories. Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh top the chart where the percentage of total population who are multidimensionally poor is high.
• Multidimensional poverty in urban areas, during the same period, saw a decrease from 8.65% to 5.27%.
• Uttar Pradesh registered the largest decline in number of poor with 3.43 crore people escaping multidimensional poverty.
• Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the MPI value has nearly halved from 0.117 to 0.066 and the intensity of poverty has reduced from 47% to 44%.

National Multidimensional Poverty Index

• It is prepared based on the latest National Family Heath Survey of 2019-21 and is the second edition of the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
• Totally 12 parameters of health, education and standard of living are examined in the report.
• These include nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of schooling, school attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, assets, and bank accounts.
• The report follows Alkire-Foster methodology developed by its technical partners -- the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).